DAKODA Stella and I are preparing to go to the beach to watch the guys surf when I hear a knock on the window. “Koda Bear, there's a good-looking guy smiling at me through your window. Should I let him in or make him wait?" “Make him wait, I say." “Hey now," Korey says, propping himself up on the windowsill. I laugh and walk over to the window, opening it. “What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be getting ready for your tournament?" “Yeah, but I wanted to come over and do this first." Korey says, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me close, then kissing me passionately. “Well, that's a noble reason," I tell him. “God, you two look so much alike it's scary. I thought she was you at first, but she carries herself differently," Korey remarks. “Anyway, we'll see you out there. You'll be late if you don't go." “Yes, ma'am," he drawls. An hour later, we're trying to find spots to sit and watch the guys surf. I spot Mac sitting with her boyfriend, so we make our way

KASEY “Dakoda! Hold on," I call out, emerging from our biology class on Monday morning, but she continues walking. This needs to end right now. I understand her anger towards us, but refusing to hear our side of the story is unfair. I catch up to her, grabbing her arm and turning her to face me. “Dakoda, can you please stop and talk to me for a minute?" “I don't have time to talk right now. I'm late for my next class, Kasey, so please leave me alone," she replies. “No, damnit, I'm tired of leaving you alone. Besides, you talked to Gage." “Are you two years old or something?" “I talked to Gage for a couple of minutes before kicking him out of my house." Frustrated, I growl as she walks away from me again. I'm tempted to drag her into an empty classroom like we did before and confront her right now. As I consider this, I spot Stella, Dakoda's sister, who looks just like her, but more timid. “Hello Stella, how are you doing? Are you settling in here?" I ask as she passes by. My h

DAKODA Curious about Stella's evening with Kai, I ask her, "So, how was your time spent with Kai last night?" Hoping for a positive response, I silently wish for her to reveal that they are dating, as she truly deserves someone special in her life. “It was good," Stella replies with a smile. "We went to a movie, then we got a slice of pizza from the food court in the mall. After that, we took a leisurely stroll down to the beach, where we ate and talked about everything and nothing at all." As she continues, her voice takes on a hint of vulnerability. "Koda, bear, I have never had a guy who just wanted to spend time with me for me, without any ulterior motives. It's a new experience for me, and I'm not quite sure how to act." A thought crosses her mind, and she wonders aloud, "I wonder if he is gay." “What's so funny, sister?" Stella asks, curious about my laughter. “Well, care bear, it's funny you say that because the guys are saying he's good at telling girls he's gay just to

DAKODA We bring our mom to the diner we all adore. Once we settle into our usual booth, Mr. Rogers, the owner, curiously asks, "Hey guys, who's the babe?" This prompts Stella and me to burst into laughter at mom's surprised expression. "Mr. Rogers, this is our mother, Diana," we explain between giggles. "Mom, this is Mr. Rogers, the owner of the diner." Politely, mom responds, "It's very nice to meet you, but I'm happily married." Unfazed, Mr. Rogers extends his hand for mom to shake and says, "Oh, honey, so am I. I just wanted to greet a beautiful lady in a playful manner." Amused, mom replies, "You're funny," and proceeds to shake his hand in return. I just discovered something new about the owner of this place. I had no idea he played for the same team. Not that it matters to me. I really admire this guy. He's pretty awesome for someone in his thirties. “So, ladies, what's good here?" Mom asks, trying to change the subject. “The burgers are amazing," I tell her. “Alright, Roge

BROADCAST "Welcome back to round two of the surf off! Today, we will determine which surfer will secure a spot in the pro games tomorrow. Your game names always bring a smile to our faces, Bob." “Haha, that's right, Pat. It's all about adding some fun to the event, isn't it?" “Absolutely, Bob. Now, let's begin the day with the 21 and older ladies." “Pat, our first contestant is Melany Whitaker from Boston. She has been dominating the competition for five years in a row." “Let's see if Melany can continue her winning streak, Bob." “And there she goes, making her way towards the water, Pat." “Yes, indeed. Look at that incredible wave to kick off the games today, Bob." “Alright, here she goes. Will she be able to ride it all the way to the end, Pat?" "Indeed, she does! And she even executes a backflip flawlessly. How do these surfers manage to do it, Bob?" “Well, they claim it's all about consuming a substantial amount of chicken, Pat." “Well, then count me in for some chicken