I let the wave lift my battered board, like a mother to a newborn baby, caressing and calm. The barren ocean; naked of its usual litter of surfers. A sense of peacefulness clothing the bay. Soft sounds of crashing waves ease my heavy mind. The early morning sun peeking over the soft horizon, taunting me. Telling me a new day has started. A new day I have to endure. A new day I have to put on my smile.

I push off my board, diving down, down into the murky depths of the ocean.

Being under the water is so peaceful. How the deep blue stretches for miles and miles, home to thousands of undiscovered wildlife, unfortunately, littered with the evidence of humans destructive existence.

The water itself is cool, covering every inch of your body as if encasing you in a comfortable shell, silky to the touch. Water makes everything seem so much lighter. Being submerged in the salty abyss, where the water urges you up. Up to the surface. Up to finally relieve your lungs with the bay's salty oxygen.

The ocean brings a sense of life, it brings one hope. Even if only for a short period of time.

As I fold my arms across the dented nose of my board, resting my forehead against them, I let out a deep sigh. I wanted to stay here forever. I didn't want to face it all. My mom. My family. School. Everything.

Sometimes I feel completely ready to combust. I ache for things society turns its nose up at. I ache for being free of my mind. One where I never have to return to reality. Not some bender that eventually I'll get pulled from. But an actual escape. A forever escape.

***

"So what do you think Lacey?" Beatrice asks me elatedly. Her blonde hair bouncing in her soft curls. Her electric blue eyes searching my expression as we make our way into the school cafe. She was planning out her outfit to a party that some girl, Elise Walter, was holding at her parent's house while they were out of town.

"The yellow dress for sure," I say with a direct nod of my head. Sliding a salad onto my worn tray, as well as a crisp apple and a bottle of water. The options had been narrowed down between a stunning yellow bodycon dress, which was Bea's signature colour, and a midnight blue bodysuit and white skirt combo.

"Yep," Bea says her lips tugging into a small grin. While she reaches for a steaming carton of mac and cheese. "Luke's favourite colour is yellow." She mutters to herself with a small grin. Bea has been attempting to impress Luke ever since she met him.

"Are we not going to talk about the sexual tension between you two?" I ask her, nudging her slightly. Egging her on, being the good friend that I am.

"Look Lace, I know you want to have sex with me. But you don't need to tell my sister about our sexual tension." Seth, Bea's excuse of a brother, says from behind us as he slides a mac & cheese and a salad onto his own tray.

Seth was your average teenage boy. Your average dirtbag. Your average high school playboy. Whatever you wanted to call him. I personally enjoyed calling him an asshole. Just because he was so lovely to me all the time... not.

"Luckily for me. There's nothing to tell. And you have a girlfriend you shouldn't be having 'sexual tension' with anyone else." I reply, my eyes rolling into the back of my head. Seth lets out a grunt at the usual mention of his girlfriend. The banter between us was not unusual, it tended to ease out the strong dislike we shared for each other. We took a seat at our lunch table.

"Keep you and your gross perverted mouth to yourself," Bea says throwing Seth a grossed out-look as she reached for a piece of pasta from her pile of mac and cheese.

"Or to your girlfriend," I say pointing to an incoming figure.

Mia Olivine Richards. The class A bitch of this story. Her looks struggling to make up for her ugly personality. Or not personality rather, high school wall. You know the one we put up to hide behind while we figure ourselves out.

"Hey Baby!" Mia exclaims, in that condescending voice that our table has grown acquainted with over the past couple of weeks, as she perches herself on Seth's lap.

Vomit.

Thank you Seth for gracing us with yet another extremely fake girl we have to endure until you get bored.

"Hi." He says meeting her eyes that are weighed down by the amount of eyeshadow she has on, his voice monotonous, a hint of annoyance behind it. Their lips crush together and I look away.

Nobody needed to see that.

"They get along," Callie says with a roll of her eyes. I meet her eyes and grimace, which she easily returns. I pick at the food in front of me while Blondie and Seth play tongue hockey.

"Dude Hot chips five o'clock," Dallas says nudging me. I turn my head slightly to the five o'clock and see Carlos, the flavour of the month. After a party, one night stand we had struck up a rather occasional hookup. I mean if the sex is good.

"Hey hot-stuff." He says leaning over me resting an arm on my shoulder, I arch my head back to meet his gaze.

"What's up?" I ask him genuinely, his head upside down from my point of view.

"Want to hang after school?" He asks giving me a pleasant smile. Hopeful at some. Hang, did not mean hang, and everyone at the table. My sex life wasn't really kept that much of a secret, via Bea and I's frequent discussion about it.

"We all know what you mean so you don't have to sugar coat it," Luke says with a gag. Luke is Seth's best friend. Obnoxiously loud, undiagnosed ADHD and pretty much says whatever he wants.

Carlos gives him a look and I flip Luke off. He grins in response and sculls back his Powerade.

"She's got practice surely you should know this, you know being her boyfriend and everything," Seth says his voice harsh and threatening, I hadn't noticed him turn his attention away from blondie, who sat there wearing a rather pissed off expression.

"He's not my boyfriend," I mutter mocking his harsh tone and throwing him a glare. Which he returns without much hesitation.

"Ahh, that's right. I forgot where your stamina came from." Carlos says chuckling before he nods and heads back to his lunch table.

"See you," I say as he heads away.

"Wow. Actually, I change my mind, go back to sugar-coating it." Luke says with a mutter. We can't all win Luke. We can't all win.

"Luke trust me. No one wanted it to not be sugar-coated except you." Callie says with a roll of her eyes. Callie was in my English class and my Home Ec class. And she has been one of Bea and I's best friends since freshman year. She was your sweetest, most motherly girl ever. Who literally deserved a Grammy for keeping Bea and me safe the number of times that she has. We were extremely lucky to have her.

Eventually the bell goes and I drag myself to the last class of the day. English. With Callie and unfortunately, Seth.

"I'll see you after school. Meet me in the locker room." Bea calls out as we go our separate ways.

"Will do." I wave to her as I fall into stride with Callie.

"You know Lace, some would say you're stalking me," Seth says from beside Callie and me.

"You know Seth some people would ask you to pull your head out of your ass," I say annoyed, trying to walk faster to break away from him.

But he remains in stride next to me.

"You love it," Seth says sarcastically, with a chuckle.

"Mmm," I say my shoulder connecting with the door as I shove it open. Before dropping into my usual seat next to Callie.

"Ouch, cold shoulder. Think of my poor heart. Thought you thought more of me Lace." Seth says with a dramatic shake of his head.

"Aww, your poor stone-cold heart," I say my eyes rolling halfheartedly.

"I think that deserves an apology." He says his eyebrows raised in amusement, his voice condescending, sending waves of frustration through me.

"I think you deserve-" I start with as much acid I can in my tone.

"What are you going to do?" He starts a small smirk tugging on his lips. "Tell my mommy on me?" He finishes with a sarcastic pout. He knows that his teasing doesn't equate to me telling Trina. I loved Trina. She was like my second mom. And I also know that Seth didn't need Trina on his back for something so mild.

"No. I haven't quite decided between castrating you or ripping your head off." I reply with a small smirk. I feel Callie nudging me urgently.

I look at her and she's carefully watching something ahead of her. I turn to see where she's looking and make eye contact with Mr Ford who is eyeing me, his arms folded sternly. Like he's waiting for me to finish my conversation.

"Miss Carter. Anything you would like to share with the class?" The teacher, Mr Ford says, strictly. His eyes narrowed like a cat hunting its prey.

"No sorry," I say slumping back down in my seat shrugging innocently.

"No. Please share." He says gesturing for me to speak up.

I let out a small sigh and I know I'm in the shits.

"What did you say? Come on.. tell the class." Mr Ford says from beside me.

"If you want to know so desperately." I start. Mr Ford nods in anticipation.

"Seth and I were discussing whether he wanted either get his head ripped off or to be castrated," I say with a wince.

"I'm accepting votes now." I finish directed to the class, turning my head with a small smile.

"Miss Carter. That is highly inappropriate for school." Mr Ford says raising his eyebrows at me.

"Mr Ford. If you didn't want to know. Then don't ask." I say with a small shrug.

"Miss Carter. Please apologise to the class for taking up some of their lesson time." Mr Ford says sternly gesturing to the clock. I can feel Seth kicking the back of my seat, trying to get a rise out of me.

"I'm so sorry that I didn't realise class had started and brought my private conversations into the classroom. " I ask seriously a mocking concerned look on my face.

Mr Ford raises his eyebrows at me and turns away with a shrug.

"I'm sO SOrRrY ThaT i dIDn'T rEAlIsE CLaSs hAD stArTEd.." Seth starts before I flip him off over my shoulder.

"Mr Nixon, please. Do not encourage her." Mr Ford says giving him a stern look.

"You are the one who asked Mr Ford," Seth says with an amused chuckle, leaning back in his seat arms folded.

At this Mr Ford's face turned red with annoyance you could tell he really wasn't having any of it.

"Actually you know what. Both of you. Stay in after school for an hour." Mr Ford almost spits.

"I have soccer practice, Mr Ford. You know how Coach Colton gets when I'm not there." I explain with a roll of my eyes.

"Yeah so do I," Seth says in protest.

"Well. That's a shame. You will have to be late." Mr Ford says with an annoyed shrug as he flicks through the textbooks.

"No can do buddy," I say shaking my head, twirling the pencil on my fingers.

"Detention for two days then." Mr Ford finishes giving me a stern look, telling me to hold my tongue.

"Actually Mr Ford, It was just a statement made to me during class. It doesn't exactly warrant you to give Lace two days detention." Seth argues, my eyebrows almost shoot up at Seth's arguing for my after school freedom.

"You too then Seth, two days. Ok class I'll be back, I just have a few detention forms to get from the office. Please carry on with pages 23 and 24 in the textbook." Mr Ford announces, giving both Seth and I glare as he walks out.

The minute that he's gone I go up to his desk and grab his glasses off his desk. Seth grabs the whiteboard marker and starts writing on the board.

"Mr Nixon. Could you please go take a SEAT while I teach MY Class?" I say jokingly in a stern teachers voice. He throws me a grin but keeps writing.

"Ok Ladies. Since Nixon over here doesn't understand basic English. We will be doing an English lesson today." I say grabbing a one-metre ruler.

"We aren't ladies." One of the guy's protest.

"Dude if you know Lacey you know she refers to everyone as Ladies." A girl on the soccer team, Alice, says with a roll of her eyes.

"Thank you," I say in a serious voice grinning at her.

Seth steps away from the board and I read what he's written.

"Lacey Carter is going to neither Castrate me nor Rip my head off because I am incredibly sexy" I read off the board.

"Seth. Sweetie. You spelt ugly wrong." I say pointing to the word sexy.

The class is all watching an amused look on their faces, and a few are videoing. Callie is doubled over in her seat.

"You're not a very good teacher," Seth says with a chuckle.

"Please. I'm better than you." I say with a snort.

"No, you're not." He defends our eyes meeting. I hold his gaze for a few moments, while he returns it. Staring competition engaged.

God, we were a bunch of five-year-olds.

"Hah, I win!" I shout and do a victory dance as Seth blinks. I do a little fake joking twerk before I almost fall off, Seth places his hands on my waist to steady me then when I'm steady he lifts me off the chair.

"I'll teach you." He says as he begins to carry me towards the back of the classroom where the sinks are.

"Put me down!" I exclaim kicking. And he does so immediately. I straighten myself out and go to say something but I notice the class is silent. Seth is frozen to the spot.

I turn to where everyone is looking and see the Principal.

"Miss Carter. Mr Nixon. My office now." She says stepping to the side of the door allowing us to go through the door.

I slowly walk to the door before I turn to the class and wave solemnly.

"This has been fun," I say before following Seth and Mrs Simmons, the Principal, towards her office.

***

"I am utterly appalled at your display of respect for the teacher and his class. Do you have any idea how disrespectful you have been towards Mr Ford? How many times before you two finally learn some respect." Mrs Simmons says looking between Seth and me.

"No disrespect or anything Mrs Simmons. But Seth didn't have anything to do with it." I say pointing to Seth who looks at me in shock.

"I have eyes, Miss Carter." Mrs Simmons says.

"Yeah, but he wasn't disrespectful to Mr Ford." I attempt to protest.

"Miss Carter. I appreciate your concern. And I will take that into consideration. I have decided you two will serve one week of detention. With Mr Ford." Mrs Simmons explains.

"We have soccer practice. And I have cheerleading practice." I exclaim. It was one statement, blown so far out of proportion that this might have involved Zinc oxide and a heck of a lot of magnesium.

"And I have football as well," Seth exclaims.

"Well. Maybe you should have thought about that before you rudely disrupted the class." Miss Simmons says. Gesturing for us to leave.

"Your parents will both be notified." She says as we make our way out.

"My mom is going to kill me," I mutter closing the office door behind me.

"Tell me about it." He says shaking his head. As we walk back to Mr Ford's classroom.

"And I'm missing soccer and cheer. That's the only thing I look forward to." I say with an annoyed huff.

"Not even my company?" Seth says jokingly. I throw him a dirty look and he holds his hands up in surrender.

"Are you guys at ours for dinner tonight?" Seth asks me.

"Yep," I reply. We have dinner at the Nixon's every Monday. And then they have dinner at ours on Saturdays.

Our parents are extremely close. Like best friends. So Bea, Seth and I grew up together as well as my older brothers that are away at college, Jacob and Leroy and my younger sister who's a sophomore, Molly.

I push open the door to Mr Ford's classroom and see Mr Ford standing in front of the class while the class all hang their head.

"Welcome back. Please take a seat." He says calmly. I give Seth a look before taking my seat next to Callie.

In the rest of the class, Mr Ford talks about respect and constantly throws me stern glares. Seth kicks the back of my chair a few time and I flip him off over my shoulder.

He's so annoying.

I sit there looking bored. Eventually, the bell rings and the class clears out. Seth and I remain in our seats.

"Good luck," Callie says squeezing my shoulder softly as she makes her way out.

"Thanks," I say giving her a small smile. Mr Ford leans against the desk in front of me, facing towards me and folds his arms. He gestures for Seth to move to the seat next to me, where Callie normally sits.

He remains silent for a few moments before opening his mouth.

"I am extremely disappointed in you both. Your high-grade averages do not reflect your poor behaviour in class. Now I want you here for an hour. Thinking about what you've done. And then you may go to practice. You'll only be twenty maybe thirty minutes late. Consider this me being nice." Mr Ford says to us sternly before making his way to his desk, but not before sliding us two detention forms.

Does Seth actually have a high-grade average?

But he's Seth?

I fill out the form quickly. Making sure to keep the answers brief.

I put my pen down and loll back in my seat. Seth puts his pen down as well and raises his eyebrows at me.

"Highest grade point average?" He mouths a teasing confused look on his face. I lightly smack his arm.

"Says you." I mouth back and folding my arms.

After the rest of the long hour passes, of clicking of my pen, tapping of my leg, almost falling asleep on my arm. Mr Ford lets us go.

"Coach is going to kill me," I say with a small sigh.

"I would say unlucky. But I no doubt have the same fate." Seth says with a sigh.

I make my way into the girl's locker room and slip on a pair of athletic shorts and a singlet over top of my sports bra. I tie my hair up again and put a headband on to keep the wisps out of my face. I lug my soccer bag over towards the field where the girls are running drills and the boys team are on the other side of the field with their Coach. I drop my bag onto the bleachers and jog over to Coach.

"Hey, Coach. I'm sorry I'm late, I got detention this week and.." I start.

"Lacey. I know. It's fine. If this behaviour continues there will be serious consequences." Coach says holding up her hand to stop me from continuing. "Now. Go for a run. Seth will be doing the same." She says gesturing towards where the other co-coach is ripping into Seth.

I sigh and make my way over to the track and start jogging. I wave to Bea as she gives me a sad smile. A few of the other girls give me an encouraging shout and I give them a small smile. Seth jogs to join me after a fair grilling.

"Gotta love punishment." He says with a sigh as he falls into stride with me.

"You really do," I reply with an equal sigh.

"Lucky us." He says with a small grunt.

We run in silence. He stays at my pace the whole time which I'm thankful for. I'm fit, but so is Seth, by quite a bit more.

"Speed it up!" My coach yells and I sigh and kick it in. Lengthening my strides. Seth keeps up easily.

"I don't want to have to deal with my parents tonight," I say with a huff as we run.

"Yeah. Neither do I. They might not let Bea and I have that party on Friday." He says with a small huff.

"Yeah. I was looking forwards to it. I need to just get out of here for a while." I say gesturing towards my head.

"Get out of where?" Seth asks me curiously.

Oh shit.