Seize the Day or Die Regretting the Time You Lost

Later when the cook out was in mid swing, Karissa, Ray and Shantel (who also got invited) lay by the pool in their bathing suits, Matt and Brian grilled, Johnny, Issac and Jimmy swam, and Zack sat in the shade looking at Shantel who blushed.

“I'm feeling a volley ball game coming on!” Jimmy grinned as he climbed out of the pool. Issac put his hands up for Jimmy to pull him out too. Johnny climbed out and shook out his hair.

“Okay, we need teams.” Karissa stood.

“Someone will be down one player.” Brian commented after counting.

“I don't really want to play, not sporty. I'll keep score.” Issac shrugged.

They nodded and split into two teams: Karissa, Ray, Brian and Jimmy versus Zack, Shantel, Matt and Johnny.

“Okay guys, time to find out who the dominant Sanders is.” Zack grinned looking from Karissa to Matt. Shantel laughed and the siblings snickered.

Throughout the game, Brian tried to show off for Karissa, Zack tried to show off for Shantel, Ray worked with Karissa like a double team, Matt tried to out do his little sister, Jimmy tried to show off for someone, Johnny tried not to let his height be his handicap and Issac commented like an excited sports caster.

The end result was...Karissa's team 6 Matt's team 5.

“Oh! Karissa is now the dominant Sanders!” Zack laughed, Issac and Shantel clapped.

Matt pouted, his sister came up to him. “Damn right.” she grinned and walked away.

“The food should be cooled off.” Brian commented, he and Matt headed over to the grill.

“Yep, everyone come get a plate!” Matt called.

“Food!” Cried Jimmy, bounding over with his long legs. Issac shook his head and grinned.

They all got a plate and in a line got what food they wanted. Soon Matt, Zack and Brian sat under a tree talking and eating Karissa, Shantel and Johnny sat over on porch doing the same.

Issac and Jimmy finished before everyone else and Jimmy looked over at the raven. “I'm gonna teach you how to play volley ball.”

Issac shook his head. “Nah, I'm not athletic enough for that.”

“Hell, neither am I. I'm just tall. You're like what, 5'9?”

Issac nodded “But I really don't want to play.”

“Oh well.” Jimmy strode over to him, flipped him over his shoulder and marched over to the volley ball net.

“Get e'm Jim!” Brian hollered.

“So Karissa, if you don't mind me asking, what made you want to reconnect with...all of us?” Johnny asked, feeling weird that Shantel was sitting right there.

Karissa looked caught off guard, and blinked in shock.

“If you don't want to talk abo-” “No, it's fine. I just didn't see that coming.” she assured him, looking at her friend who was starring at an oblivious Zack.
“Go talk to him.” she urged, partly trying to get her to give them privacy.

Shantel looked at her. “About what?! You know I suck at talking to guys! I'm all 'hey there, you like cheese?'” she made a voice at the end.

“Uh...” Karissa looked to Johnny.

“Ask him about guitars, you might get him to play for you.” he suggested.

“Thanks man.” Shantel patted Johnny's head and walked over to Zack, Matt and Brian.

“Okay so back to your question. Well I realized part of the reason I accepted a modeling job was to escape the memories this area held. I wanted to leave and to make new memories. Happier ones. After mom passed I realized there was a lot of things she wanted to do but never could.”

She met Johnny's eyes to see he was honestly listening.

“I listened to your song Seize the Day, and noticed it was right. Seize the day or die regretting the time you lost. I didn't want to leave things bad with you guys, I didn't want you all to think I'd dropped off the map because of some sort of depression. I didn't want to never see you again, then die without telling you that I'm okay; that I've moved on from the past and I don't resent you for it. Sometimes it isn't what you say, it's what you don't say.”

He nodded and leaned a bit closer.

“That's deep, and frankly it was a beautiful thing to say. Quite the epiphany. You're a lot more than you look. SHIT that didn't-” he shook his head.

Karissa smiled “It's fine. I'm glad you think that Johnny.”

“I really do, you have a lovely mind Karissa.” he blushed “Just wanted you to know that.” he stood awkwardly and walked away.

Karissa smiled more. Finally someone liked her for more than her body. He told her she had a lovely mind instead of a lovely body It meant a lot to her. And he actually listened when she talked, and met her eyes instead of her chest. She spoke to him like no one before, she let him a bit past her walls and spoke from her heart. She would never have told anyone else her reasoning for coming back, and least not in so many words. But if he thought that about her, why didn't he apologize for before? Jimmy did, why didn't the rest of them?