Sorry for the late update, but this is a huge, important chapter so I wanted it to turn out well.  Here we go.

"Kayla your phone is ringing.  It's Jake!" Charlotte shouted up the stairs.

"I'm coming.  Can you answer it?" I called back as I finished unloading the washing machine.

"Hi Jake, it's Charlotte" I heard Charlotte chirp into the phone as I came downstairs.

"How's my favorite Ryan's sister?" Jake asked.

"Cooler than Kayla as usual" Charlotte giggled, and I stuck my tongue out at her.

"I wouldn't expect it any other way.  Can you ask your beautiful sister if she'll go on a date with me on Saturday?" I heard Jake's voice through the phone.

Charlotte relayed the message to me and I smiled.

"Tell him I'd love to go on a date with him, but I have to watch my munchkin little sister that day" I poked her.

Charlotte talked to Jake for a few minutes before I heard her squeal.

"Kayla guess what?  Jake said the three of us are going surfing on Saturday" Charlotte started jumping up and down.

"Hey crazy monkey why don't you give me the phone" I had to pry the phone out of her grasp as she rambled on and on about how excited she was to go surfing.

"You do realize what you've done don't you?  Charlotte isn't going to stop talking about this for the next two days.  My ears hate you right now" I teased, but I couldn't stop smiling.

"You know it'll be worth it to get to spend the day with me" Jake responded.

"Wow you are so humble" I held the phone between my ear and shoulder as I loaded dishes into the cupboards.

"I know it's one of the many things you love about me.  So Saturday?  If I'm going on a date with Char you might as well tag along" Jake teased.

"Well the last time we went surfing you kicked me in the head so I don't know if I'm willing to risk my life at such a young age" I tried not to laugh, but the memories of that day were just too funny.

"Hey that was an accident and you know it.  I have long legs and they don't always listen very well, sometimes they kick pretty girls even when I tell them not to" Jake was always so smooth, which made me feel like even more of a spaz than normal.  How does one respond to something cute like that?

"Alright Jake Mitchells I will risk my safety and go on another surfing date with you.  Charlotte is upstairs trying on all her swimsuits already so I can't really say no can I?" I looked up to see Charlotte strut past me in a pink one piece covered in flowers. 

"That wasn't as enthusiastic of a reaction as I hoped I would get, but I'll take it.  I'll pick you up on Saturday at 10?" Jake asked.

"Sounds like a plan Stan" I finished unloading the dishwasher and started making dinner.

"I'm not Stan, I'm Charlotte silly" Jake's Charlotte imitation was perfect. 

"Bye weirdo, I'll see you at school tomorrow" I grinned.

"Back atcha weirdo" I hung up the phone and got ready to make my specialty dinner.  Kraft Mac & Cheese.

Friday passed by like a typical day.  Lunch in the courtyards with Paige and the guys, government with crazy Mr. Burke, and Carrie hanging all over Jake while I had to pretend like it didn't bother me: typical day at Ridgemont High School.

I worked a double shift that night.  By the end of the week I was exhausted and running around a loud restaurant carrying heavy trays and having to constantly smile and be polite was not how I wanted to spend my Friday night.

I kept reminding myself the whole time that as soon as it was over I could go home and sleep, then the next day I was going to have an amazing time with Jake. 

That night I got home and snuck into Charlotte's room.  My mom thought she was asleep, but I knew that girl's secret.

She had her blanket up over her head, but I could still see the light from her flashlight.

I tiptoed over to her bed and pulled the blanket off of her head.  In one quick motion she hid her coloring book under her stomach and pretended to be asleep.

"Nice try missy, but I caught you" The look of guilt on her face vanished as soon as she realized it was me.

"I was drawing you a picture Kayla" Charlotte handed me a colorful piece of paper.

On it was a drawing of the ocean and three stick figures standing on surfboards.

"Charlotte this is wonderful" I pulled my tiny little sister into a hug.

"See that's you and Jake holding hands and that's me.  This is going to be us tomorrow" Charlotte had the biggest smile on her face as she clutched the picture to her chest.

"I can't wait.  In the morning we have to make sure we pack the beach bag and-" Charlotte cut me off.

"I already packed it all and I picked out my swim suit and my flip flops" She pointed across the room.

"Well miss organized you'd better get some sleep so you're well rested for our date tomorrow" I tucked her in and stole her flashlight so the little munchkin would actually get some sleep.

***

"Kayla wake up, it's beach day" Charlotte bounced up and down on my rib cage.

"I'm up, you're heavier than you look" I picked Charlotte up and removed her so she wasn't suffocating me anymore.

She already had her swim suit on and she was dragging her beach bag across my room.

I took a quick shower and braided my hair.  I picked out a royal blue bathing suit and grabbed a baseball hat.

I ran downstairs to see Charlotte inhaling her breakfast as if she was starving and hadn't eaten in months.

"Slow down speed racer, Jake won't be here for thirty minutes.  Did mom already leave for work?" I grabbed a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and a gallon of milk.

"Yes she told me to supervise the date and make sure you and Jake behave aprori- appropia-" Charlotte struggled to remember the word.

"Appropriately?  You don't have to worry, Jake and I will be on our best behavior" I could tell Charlotte liked thinking she was the big kid or the babysitter for once.

At 9:55 Charlotte pulled me out on the front step to wait for Jake.

She found her sidewalk chalk and began drawing some flowers.  Every couple seconds she would look down the street to see if Jake was coming.

Charlotte had always wanted to learn how to surf, but my mom refused to go anymore and I rarely had spare time to teach her.

My mom wouldn't surf because of my dad.  She hadn't surfed in years, in her mind surfing was something he taught her therefore if she did it now it's like she was admitting she needed him at one point and she hates that.  I feel the same way about other things, but surfing, I don't know, there's just something about it, I couldn't stay away from the beach.

I checked my phone, 10:10, and still no sign of Jake.  I tried to distract Charlotte my coloring with her, but she was getting antsy.

Soon the whole front sidewalk was covered with Charlotte's pictures and there was still no sign of Jake.

A car honked down the street and Charlotte jumped up.  It wasn't Jake.  It was now 10:30.  Jake had never been a half hour late before.

Charlotte sat down dejected and sighed.

I shouldn't have let her get so excited about this.  I always tried to keep her hopes from getting too high so she wouldn't be disappointed, but I let this get out of hand.  By 10:45 I was silently cursing myself and Jake.

I finally convinced Charlotte to come inside even though she kept repeating "He's coming, I know he is.  We have a date".  My heart broke for her.  A seven year old should not be stood up, but then again neither should a seventeen year old.

I distracted Charlotte with her favorite board game.  I continuously checked my phone, but there wasn't a single text or call from Jake.

After lunch Charlotte went over to our neighbor's house to play with their daughters who were around her age.  I curled up with a book in my window seat and tried to get my mind off the fact that Jake ditched our date.

At 1:30 I saw Jake's pickup pull into our driveway.  I calmly got up, put my book down, and walked to the door.

I opened the door right as he was about to knock and leaned against the doorframe with my arms crossed.

"Kayla let me explain-" Jake started.

"Explain what?  That you stood me up?  That you were supposed to be here three and a half hours ago and you never showed up?  That you didn't even bother calling me or sending me a text so I didn't sit out on my front step for forty five minutes feeling like a pathetic idiot?  That I had to explain to my seven year old sister that you weren't coming?  And when she asked why I had to admit that I had no answer for that?  Yeah I think you better start explaining" I didn't move from my spot in the door.  I didn't invite him in.

"I came here to apologize not to be interrogated.  You didn't even give me a chance to explain before you flipped out at me" Jake threw back.

"You don't think I have a right to be mad?  It's bad enough that you stood me up, but it's ten times worse that you dragged Charlotte into this.  She's seven Jake.  You can play around with my feelings and make me fall for your games, but don't drag her into this" I was waving my hands around trying to make my point.

"You think I'm playing games here?  I didn't do this on purpose Kayla, something came up.  I can't believe you're claiming that I'm some asshole that's just trying to mess with you.  I've never done anything to make you not trust me, and at my first mistake you start making all these generalizations that I'm some jerk.  What is your problem?" Jake was just as mad as I was at that point.

"My problem?  You're seriously asking me what my problem is?  You didn't keep your word, you made promises you clearly couldn't keep, and you got my sister all excited only to disappoint her.  I have a box full of letters upstairs from my dad claiming every year that he was coming back.  That he loved me and that I mattered to him.  I have tried so hard for years to keep him from disappointing Charlotte like he disappointed me and the last thing I need is for you to come in here and disappoint us both" I started to slam the door, but Jake grabbed it and forced it back open.

"Damn it Kayla I am not your father.  You can't take my one mistake and suddenly compare me to him.  I messed up and I know that, but you automatically jump to extreme conclusions without letting me explain" Jake insisted.

"Don't you dare try and blame me for this" I spat.

"I'm not blaming you, but you're the one who blew this out of proportion.  How the heck is our relationship supposed to work if you assume the worst in me when something doesn't go right?" Jake's eyes flashed with hurt for a second before they were replaced with anger again.

"This is why I don't do relationships remember?  I'm sick of getting attached to people who don't plan on sticking around" I crossed my arms again still blocking the door.

"That's the thing, you won't even open up and let yourself get attached.  Why can't you just trust me?  I can't be the only one trying in this relationship" Jake threw his hands up in frustration.

"That's not true, but if you actually believe that then why do you keep trying?" I don't know what I hoped his answer would be, but the answer I got nearly broke my heart.

"I don't know, but you're making this nearly impossible so maybe I should stop trying" And with that he walked away.

Of course it had to be that moment that Charlotte came home.

She instantly ran over to Jake and jumped up to hug him.  If only my little sister realized that it's not always that easy to forgive someone.

Jake talked to her for a minute before she came running over to me.  Jake got into his car and drove away without looking back.

"Kayla are you and Jake going to be okay?" Charlotte held my hand and looked up at me hopefully.

"I don't know Char, I don't know"

So much for a fun surfing date.  Who's side are you guys on?  Can two stubborn people get through this?  Let me know what you think and don't forget to vote and comment your reactions!