The Beach

"You did WHAT?" Sawyer flinched at the piercing voice of her mother as it increased in volume dramatically.

"I moved." Sawyer said, knowing instantly that her response was stupid.

"To Baltimore? Why on earth would you move to Maryland? And what does Jake think about the move?" Sawyer inwardly groaned. She hadn't even thought about the fact that her parents had no idea that she left Jake.

Suddenly this conversation seemed like a bad idea.

Sure, she knew logically that this conversation had to happen, but it honestly didn't make it any easier to have. Her parents had loved Jake. Sure, it wasn't like they had really ever truly disappeared of any of her boyfriend choices. Her parents really just wanted her to be happy. But they really did love Jake. They thought that he was such a catch, the complete package for a guy. He was educated, courteous, chivalrous, well rounded and pretty much an all around charming person. And they weren't wrong, because Jake was indeed all of those things. But he just wasn't passionate like Alex was. Sure, he was loving, but there was definitely a difference, or at least there was to Sawyer.

"Uh. Well Jake didn't really have much of a say since I broke it off with him." Sawyer said quickly, hoping her mother couldn't quite catch what she said or would hear something else, but Sawyer knew by the gasp coming from her mother that she definitely heard exactly what Sawyer said.

"WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU CALL OFF THE ENGAGEMENT?" Her mother asked, her voice full of confusion and probably some anger. Out of both of her parents, Sawyer's mother was by far more in love with Jake. Hell, Sawyer would have bet her entire's year salary that her mother would marry Jake if the opportunity arose.

"I didn't just call off the engagement mom. I called off the entire relationship." Sawyer phrased carefully. "Because I'm in love with someone else. To be honest, I have been for a while." She said quietly, because it was still so weird to think, let along admit out loud. She knew that this was going to be a repercussion of choosing Alex and deciding to leave Jake, but it didn't mean that she really wanted to explain herself to anyone. It was her life, and she should be able to do what she wanted.

"Who?" Sawyer sighed, because at least her mom wasn't yelling. In fact, she seemed genuinely curious. And she was. She was scanning her memory for any boy that she knew that Sawyer might have had feelings for that were strong enough to call off her several year relationship and engagement. However, she was coming up short, because she really didn't recall Sawyer mentioning anyone else even a significant amount.

"Do you remember when we used to go to Virginia Beach for summer vacation together as a family?" Sawyer asked.

"What does that have to do with anything? We all know you still go there for vacation every year."

"Do you remember Alex?" Sawyer asked carefully. Her foot started tapping as her nerves got the better of her. Her mother was very silent, trying to place the name that her daughter had just given her.

"The scrawny little punk kid that you used to hang out with?" Her mother asked, unsure if that was who her daughter was referencing. The description made Sawyer chuckle a little, because yea, Alex kinda was a scrawny little punk kid.

"Yea. Alex." She said, a smile coming onto her face as she thought a little bit more about when she first met Alex.

"You still talk to him?" Because her daughter never mentioned him. Not once had Sawyer mentioned Alex since she had started going to Virginia alone. Sure, he had been there for two summers, maybe three for brief moments, but she didn't remember him being so significant in her daughter's life.

"I see him every year." Sawyer confessed. "He still comes and spends time in Virginia Beach every summer. Aside from Macy, he's my best friend. And I've been in love with him since I was 17."

"You've never mentioned him, yet you're telling me you see him every year. You left Jake for him, and I'm guessing you moved to Maryland for him to?" Her mother's voice was a bit sharp and huffy, clearly upset that her daughter had kept so much from her. She was hurt, because until 5 minutes ago, she had seriously thought that her daughter shared more with her.

"I love him mom. A lot. And it's taken me this many years to really admit it. I didn't want to. Maryland is far, and he's not home a lot and"

"So you moved all the way to Maryland for someone who is never home? I mean Sawyer, did you really think this through?" Her mother interrupted her, obviously worried about her daughter being in a strange state alone.

"He's in a successful band mom. He tours the majority of the year. And I won't be alone. Macy moved here too. And I'm looking for a programming job that I can do from the road so that I can travel with him and see more of the world." Sawyer countered before sighing. "Look mom, I know you're worried, but I promise this is what I want. Alex is who I want. He asked me to move in with him, but he gave me a choice. I want to be with him, and that means being near him. I'll still be in California a lot, since they record there a lot, and they tour there a lot. But I want to be with him. He's it. He's the one, Mr. Right, my soulmate, or whatever you want to call him. He's it." She said, trying her best to not get worked up because she didn't want her mom to think she was angry with her. She wasn't. She just didn't want to justify yourself.

"Well, let's just see what your father has to say about this." Her mother said before she heard her mother's shouting her father's name, along with some rustling in the background. About a minute later, she heard her father's voice greeting her.

"Hi Daddy." Sawyer said, because she has always been, and more than likely always wood be such a daddy's girl to the fullest extent.

"So care to explain why your mother is telling me you've lost your mind in Maryland?" Her father asked and Sawyer sighed.

"Just. Ok. So. I broke off my engagement, and subsequently my engagement to Jake because I don't love him like I love Alex. I really love Alex. You probably remember him from Virginia Beach. We used to hang out together a lot when I was like 16 and 17? Well. That never stopped. I've seen him every summer. And he wants me. And I want him. No, more than that. I need him. And he asked me to move here. And I did. With Macy. Because I want to be with him." Sawyer talked fast, trying to get all the key details out but to be honest, her mind was incredibly fragmented.

"So you love the kid?" He dad asked.

"A lot."

"More than Jake?"

"Jake didn't hold a candle to Alex." She confessed. "I was in love with Alex long before I even met Jake."

"Well, I expect you two to come home soon so we can meet this boy properly."

"Daddy. You know Alex."

"I knew him. Years ago. You're coming to dinner as soon as you can."

"Daddy. I'm in Maryland."

"So I expect you here next month at the latest then." He said, and Sawyer couldn't help but smile at how happy her dad was being for her.

"So you're not mad?" Sawyer questioned just in case she was missing something.

"No" Her dad replied immediately before his voice lowered. "Between me and you, I was hoping you wouldn't marry Jake. He's kinda boring." Sawyer couldn't help the large unexpected laugh that escaped her mouth.

"Daddy! Don't let mom hear you say that." She said through labored breaths, trying her hardest to catch her breath from being caught off guard.

"Alright sweetie. I'm missing my football game so I'll talk to you later. Let me know when you're coming back to visit." They said their goodbye, Sawyer letting out a big sigh of relief as she hung up with her father.

"BABE! Dinner is ready!" Alex's voice rang, causing Sawyer to smile a bit. She got up from her bed where she had been sitting, making her way out of her and Alex's bedroom (God did she love that) before heading back downstairs to the kitchen where she saw Rian and Macy already sitting down at the dining table, Alex making his way with a dish of fruit before sitting down himself.

"I have no idea what got into you, but I'm so stoked that you cooked." Sawyer stated, a smile on her face before sitting down.

"Why wouldn't he? Alex normally does all the cooking when we are home." Rian asked, confused as he reached for the chicken, putting a breast on his plate.

"Oh really?" Sawyer said, quirking her eyebrow. "What happened to 'I hate cooking so I won't even make you breakfast more than once a summer' hm?" Alex went a bit eyed, shrugging a bit before sitting himself next to Sawyer and Rian, across from Macy.

"So maybe I just kinda like not having to cook for a while. Sue me!" Alex argued as he scooped food on his plate, flashing Sawyer a large grin.

"Whatever. Let's see how much you laugh when I make you sit down to dinner with both of my parents." Sawyer mumbled at him, causing Rian and Macy to laugh a bit while Alex raised his eyebrows.

"They're in California. I don't see that happening any time soon." Alex responded, before starting to eat his meal.

"Well that doesn't seem to make a difference to them. My dad told me that he's pretty much giving us a month to come out so that he can meet you as the boyfriend that made his daughter move 3000 miles away from her parents." Sawyer said with a smug grin on her face, causing Alex to slow down to chewing to look at her.

"Alex. Dude. You're so fucked." Macy remarked, through her laughter. "So i take it the conversation with your parents didn't go so well?"

"With my mom? Not a chance in hell. She would have married Jake herself if she could." Sawyer said, causing everyone to snicker a bit. "My dad was actually pretty happy. On the low key kind of front. Because if my mother heard that he was happy about the break off, she'd have his head. He just wants us to come to dinner. In the next month. Including you Macy."

"Wait. How did I get dragged into this?" Macy asked, causing both the boys at the table to try not to laugh as they ate, seeing her reaction.

"You've pretty much been adopted. How do you think you got dragged into this?" Sawyer asked, giving Macy a look that just screamed 'come on now'.

"You all have fun with that. I think its hilarious that you have to travel 3000 miles across country just for a dinner date. Sucks to be you guys." Rian said, eating his chicken with a smirk on his face.

"Says the dude whose girlfriend lives in Florida." Alex remarked, causing laughter to overwhelm the table.

Dinner continued on like that before everyone wondered to do their own thing afterwards. Sawyer was settled in her bed upstairs, reading one of her books while she waited for Alex to get out of the shower and come to bed.

Just as she finished the chapter she was reading, Alex walked into the room, just a towel around his waist, Sawyer's eyes following him as he walked over to their dresser.

"Stop staring you perv." Alex called over his shoulder as he slid boxers on, letting the towel fall in the process.

"First. No. Second. You totally love it." Sawyer said with a smirk as Alex made his way over to the bed, climbing in beside Sawyer.

"You caught me." Alex said, pulling Sawyer closer, her letting her book fall to the floor before moving to cuddle closer to Alex, lips grazing over Alex's neck as she turned into him. "Are you trying to get me wound up?"

"Possibly a little." Sawyer said, pressing a few more kisses against Alex's skin. "Or a lot."

"I know I've told you already, but I hope you know that I really do love you and I'm really happy you're here." Alex said honestly, sighing contently as Sawyer continued to press her lips against him.

Sawyer paused at that, pulling away from Alex just enough to look up at him, a small smile grazing her lips as their eyes met.

"I'm really happy too. I've waited a long time for this, and I never thought that this was going to happen. And I'm so happy that it did." She said honestly, moving to lean up to press a kiss against Alex's lips.

"So you aren't regretting your decision to leave Jake and move in with me?" Alex asked. Whether or not he wanted to admit it, he was a little afraid that Sawyer would end up regretting making such a drastic life change.

"Hasn't even crossed my mind that it might be a mistake. This is the best decision that I could have made because this is where I've always been meant to be, with you. You've had my heart since I was 17, and I don't see that changing any time soon. I love you Alex. And I want to be here, with you, in Baltimore, trying to figure out how in the world we're gonna make this work. There is no where I'd rather be, and no one else I'd rather be with. I'm not sure what is gonna happen, I'm not sure how we are going to work, and I'm sure its going to be rough when you have to go back on the road soon, but I know that this is gonna work because we both want it too. And really, at the end of the day, all that matters is that I love you."