"C'mon," Joey says. "We've got to go. Now."

"Are you really trying to boss me around?" Owen asks, rolling his eyes.

"I am. We are going to be late if we don't hurry the crap up!" Joey says, ushering us forward.

"Chill out," Owen says.

So, apparently I used to enjoy going to the lake. That's about an hour away. I'm now in a navy blue swimsuit that I didn't even know existed. I'm walking on my feet now, even though it's still a little painful. And it's five in the morning.

Joey is the master of the lake. He has decided it's best to leave early and be there earlier than anyone else, so we can have some time alone on the water. His parents own some jet skis and we have to go pick them up on the way, as well.

"Wait," Owen says, turning around abruptly.

"What is it this time?" Joey rolls his eyes, frustrated.

"I left my sunglasses," Owen replies, walking back into the dorm room.

"He's so unprepared," Joey says, looking at me.

"I agree," I smile at him.

I've decided that I'm going to be optimistic and enjoy myself. If this is what I used to like doing, I'll like it now as well. I'm sure of it. Owen's words have actually started feeling like the truth. Every time I begin to doubt anything, I replay them in my head, and I remember that it's okay. He believes we're meant for each other, then I can believe it to.

As soon as Owen comes back into the hallway, we're rushed down the stairs and out the door by Joey, who keeps checking his watch. It amuses me how serious about time he is. I don't think I've seen him serious about anything in the time I've known him... since the accident, of course.

We're taking Owen's friend Dan's truck, which we picked up last night. It has a trailer connected to it so that we can hook the jet skis onto it.

Owen gets into the driver's seat, and then Joey tries to get into the passenger seat.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Owen stops him, holding out a hand. "The lady can sit up front."

"Who are you kidding? He is the lady," I say, not being able to help myself.

Owen chuckles, and Joey smirks.

"There's the Brinley I know and love," Joey says. Then he steps back allowing me to hop in the front seat.

"Step on the gas," Joey commands, just as soon as my door is closed.

"I know how to drive," Owen says.

"That doesn't mean you do it well," Joey retorts. "Or quickly."

"I'm not an illegally fast driver," Owen shrugs.

"Neither am I," Joey purses his lips.

<•>•<•>

Halfway through the drive, after picking up the jet skis, Joey insists on taking the wheel. He moves to the driver's seat and Owen moves back.

"I'm lonely back here," Owen sighs.

"Too bad your pretty girlfriend's stuck up here with me," Joey cackles.

I stay silent, realizing he said girlfriend. Am I his girlfriend? Is it okay to make that assumption? I'd like to. I'd love to.

I hold my hand out behind my chair, where Owen can reach it. We hold hands across the row.

"Wow. Really?" is all Joey says.

Not five minutes after Joey began driving incredibly dangerously, he gets pulled over.The cop taps on his window, and Joey curses.

"Hello, sir, I'll need to see your license," he says to Joey.

As the police walks back to his own cop car now holding the license, Owen starts cracking up laughing.

"Shut up," Joey says.

"Look who was driving a little too fast," Owen smirks.

"I said, shut up," Joey grumbles.

The policeman returns, now holding out a paper and his license. I glance over his shoulder and find that it costs $125. I whisper this to Owen and he laughs silently.

"Slow down next time, Joseph," the man says, nods, and leaves.

Joey begins driving again, slower this time.

"Joseph?" I laugh a little.

"Got a problem?" Joey asks.

"I do not, Joseph, but you do," I tell him.

"Yes, I do. My parents are going to kill me," he says with a sigh.

"Well, you don't have to pay for that ticket if you're dead," Owen shrugs.

<•>•<•>

We get to the lake entrance about twenty minutes later. After paying the $5 fee, we park the truck by the boat drop off so we can get the jet skis into the water.

Joey backs up the car, and Owen and I stand behind, waiting for the trailer to be low enough into the water that we can pull down the jet skis. Owen slides them off and into the water, with the slight help of me.

"I'll park this and meet you on the other side," Joey yells out the window. Then he drives off.

Owen helps me onto the red jet ski, holding onto my waist as I hop on. Then he gets on the blue one himself.

"I'll race you," he smiles at me.

"Bring it."

And I'm getting a head start. Joey was right, almost nobody is on the water. I can see maybe two boats off in the distance, but other than that, nobody.

The waves are not too big, so I can press my speed all the way without getting too much air. I'm surprised by how well I know how to do this. I wonder how often we came here.

Owen's caught up with me now, only about ten feet to my right. He smirks at me as he gets further than I am. I let out a scoff of disbelief and crank the lever so I stay just beside him.

"Where are we stopping?" I try to yell across to him, but he doesn't seem to hear it.

I can't distract myself. I keep pressing forward, determined to win this pointless race. It feels amazing, the water spraying at me as I skid across it. I don't even realize I'm smiling so wide until I get a mouthful of water.

"Enjoying yourself?" Owen yells, coming a few feet closer to me.

"Heck yes," I nod, then out of some instinct, I curve quickly to the side, and the water sprays up at Owen. He lets out a surprised yell and then stares at me as I ride past him.

"I always hated when you would do that," Owen says. Then he stops completely. I turn around in a circle, confused by him, and stop beside him again. "How did you know to do that?"

"I don't know," I shrug. "It came naturally."

"Wow," is all he says. And he nods.

"Where are we headed to?" I ask him.

"The smaller sandy area over that way," Owen says. When he looks that way, he smiles to himself. Blinks a few times. Shakes his head.

"What?" I ask him. He isn't telling me something.

"That's where we had our first kiss," he says, smirking at me.

"You remember that?" I ask, and he nods. "How long ago?"

"We were in our freshman year. And we came here, just the two of us. And we just... kissed. And then we never really talked about it after that. Not a word," he looks like he wants to laugh.

"You're gonna have to give me every detail," I raise an eyebrow.

"I don't think you want to know."

I shrug. And then we make it the rest of the way across the lake side by side, just going at a medium speed. I can see that Joey's already standing over there. We pick up the pace a little.

"Yo, lovebirds, I only asked you to bring the jet skis across, not to make out in the lake," Joey rolls his eyes as we make it to shore. "Not that making out on the water isn't romantic. I'm sure it is."

"We did none," I say.

"I don't believe a word," Joey grins. "Hey, I forgot a few things. I'll be back."

I jump off the jet ski, stake it into the wet sand, and walk across to where three chairs are set up. I take the hair tie off my wrist and begin tying my long hair back.

And then I stop, mesmerized. My eyes widen. My mouth is open. What's happening to me?

Owen pulls off his soaking wet shirt to reveal a tan, fit body. Abs for days. Gosh, abs for weeks. I blink a few times. My head feels a little light, I think.

Owen catches me staring and winks at me. No, no, don't do that, my stomach can't take it. And he's walking towards me now, and sits in the chair beside me.

I suddenly remember that I have a hand in my hair and I'm in the midst of pulling it into a ponytail. And I finish the job.

Joey has returned from the truck, dragging a cooler along with him. He stops it right between mine and Owen's chairs. Then he falls into his own, which is by Owen.

"Hand me a Dr. Pepper, would you?" Joey asks. Owen opens the thing up and tosses it to him.

"Anything for you, Brinley?" Owen asks. Stops. Smiles. "No, I've got it." He pulls out a can of lemonade and hands it to me.

I open it and take a sip, nodding my approval.

"You used to have that almost every day in the summer," Owen says.

"It's good," I nod. And as Owen reaches into the cooler to dig for a soda himself, my eyes follow the lines of his back, and I can't move my eyes, I'm stuck in place.

"Don't remember seeing the hunk without his shirt, do you?" Joey asks me, smirking.

I turn bright red.

"I know. It's hard to take your eyes off his glowing body, isn't it?" Joey laughs. "You know, I can't stop staring myself."

Owen hits his arm. "I know, I'm such a stud, Joey. But you have some things to tell Monica now."

"Monica? Who's that?" I ask.

"A girl," is Joey's reply.

"Just a girl?" I narrow my eyes.

"A girl he never stops flirting with," Owen butts in. "I wish he'd get his crap together and just ask her out already."

"Stop messing with my personal life," Joey rolls his eyes.

"You're an idiot," Owen tells him. "You shouldn't be afraid to ask out a girl that's already made it perfectly clear that she's into you."

"Yeah, okay, I get it," Joey sighs.

As soon as my lemonade is gone, I'm eager to take out the jet skis again. So do the other two. It's decided that I get to ride with Owen, because apparently it would be seriously wrong to have Joey and Owen share. What would I know?

Joey's already skidding away from us and we haven't even gotten onto the thing. Owen climbs on first, then turns around to hold onto my hands while I jump on as well. I sit behind him.

As soon as he starts pulling out further into the water, he speeds up. And I almost fall off, so by instinct I wrap my arms around Owen and cling to him for dear life. The waves are beginning to grow larger and not powerful.

Owen jumps a huge wave, bringing us at least four feet into the air, and I let out a cry of glee, then start laughing. I can feel Owens laughter against my own. I try to ignore the hard abs below my hands, but I fail. I might have a stroke.

About halfway through the lake, Owen slows to a stop. He starts turning around and I release him, moving back a little so he can face me. He pulls me closer, touching his forehead to mine. I can feel his wet hair against my head. And I throw my arms around his neck.

"So far you're not regretting coming, are you?" Owen asks with a small smile.

"Not in the slightest," I whisper.

"I'm glad," is what he replies.

I don't know how I didn't notice, but Joey is coming straight towards us on his jet ski. He pulls off just in time to spray us both with water. He shouts something that I don't hear, then drives away laughing.

Owen brings my attention back to him, and then says, "I think we need to test Joey's theory from earlier."

He leans in, pulling me closer and closer then kisses me. His hair is completely soaked and I love it. His skin is warm beneath my fingers, and his hand draws up my back and into my hair. I don't think my heart rate is a healthy one. That stroke idea is back into my head.

"Brinley," Owen says after a moment. I wait to hear what he has to say. His hand is on my cheek. "I couldn't love you any more than I do now."

"Owen," I whisper. "Neither could I."

And his lips are on my forehead, and I'm melting and freezing at the same time.

"Thank you," I tell him. "For bringing me here."