Chasing waves

The family protects

Steve pov

Running upstairs to make sure I get the biggest room I also make sure the boys are doing ok before pushing them downstairs to help with the other boxes but as I climb up the last step I kind of regret leaving Charlotte in the kitchen alone with Darren kitchen especially when I see something is there between the two, it may not be obvious to everyone else but I see the spark between them and I am secretly hoping for them however its only for a couple of minutes right. Walking back downstairs minutes later with the boys behind me I kind of stop on the last step when I hear Lacey ask Charlotte whats happening between her and Darren, I look behind myself for a second to see everyone look at darren wondering the same and I shake my head not wanting to know the answer when I already have a rough idea. Hayden looks at Darren a little taken back by all this as he never expected his cousin and his best friend to get close and shakes his head. All cousins are looking at Darien I a over protective manner ready to have a word with him as everyone knows Charlotte has been though a lot already and no one wants to see her hurt. 

I look at Hayden and shake my head at him as it looks about he's going to storm in the kitchen when Lacey calls her a washed up surfer and trust me I want to put the girlfriend in the place but I know Charlotte can hold hers battles, she needs to know we got her back without us joining me. I can tell my son Hayden is annoyed with my decisions but Charlotte needs this, we have to stop being so over protective with her, I know no one wants to stand around and here this as Hayden thinks its his responsibility to be there for Charlotte when its all of ours. 

"She's got this under control Hayden"I says to him, he knows Charlotte can handle herself, he stops fighting against his dad and listens to the rest of the conversation, Oliver is looking at Darren shaking him head, he doesn't like his girl and by the looks of it none of the cousins do now that they have heard whats happening between the two girls. 

"No one goes in there till hands are thrown, understand" I says to everyone, I know my niece can handle herself and she has this under control like she has from the beginning but when hands are thrown ill be the first in there and if she was a boy my hands would be thrown first.

 As I am listening to the argument I cant believe what I am hearing as I have heard Charlotte blamed herself but she shouldn't as the accident wasn't her fault, I just want to go in there and hug Charlotte right now. I look behind me and everyone has there heads down at where they are hearing as none of us wants to hear Charlotte blame herself. Lending agains the wall I start to think about everything wondering if I could have done anything different like be present more but as I start to think I hear a slap and I am stood here hoping its Charlotte but as I put my head around I rush out to see Charlotte jump on the girlfriend, everyone is rushing in behind me trying to get in between the two of them. Hayden is holding Charlotte back from knowing Lacey down and as much as I want to see Charlotte knock her out I have to respect who she is even though I don't want to. 

Before anything is said Lottie runs out the back door leaving everyone else in the kitchen wondering how this all started in the first place but I have a rough idea, Lacey didn't like Charlotte from the beginning which was obvious. I run my hand though my hair hoping all this calms down and that darren sends his girlfriend home as she's definitely not welcome here anymore especially after what was said. 

"She just comes over and punches me baby" Lacey says to Darren and everyone is in shock at what we are hearing, I se Hayden about to jump and I hold him back knowing Darren heard everything that was said himself and if he doesn't defend Charlotte then I don't think he belongs here either. 

"We heard everything, we are over" Darren says walking off, not wanting to listen to what she say or if she's chases him. I feel a sense of pride for Darren ending things on the spot. I have more respect in him for doing it in front of us instead of sending her outside to do it in private. 

"I think it's best if you leave" i says showing her the way out, Oliver has ran to Charlotte and Hayden ran too Darren, leaving me to do the house by myself which I don't mind as someone is with Charlotte right now. I know both Darren and Charlotte must be in a bad place right now but could they at least help with the house first. 

Charlotte pov

I blame myself for my parents death, I have everyday now for over two years, if I never went to the surfing competition, they wouldn't have got into the car crash and wouldn't have died. I know no one blames me but I can't stop myself from pointing the finger at myself, I just feel like it was my fault. It's the only reason I never rode my surf board again, every time I touch it, it reminds me of what I lost and every time I take a fall I see the car coming straight towards me and I panic and start to drown

"This was your mother favourite spot when she was your age, she just to come here and watch the ocean" grandad says to me, handing me some tissue that he brought with him before he takes a seat next to me with a piece of paper on his hand with my parents handwriting, he must of heard about the fight. 

"She loves surfing, as much as you. I could never get her out the water. Your just like her, she's enjoyed watching you surf, they wrote a letter for you, told me to give it too you when you was ready" grandad says, giving me a letter, I take the letter but I don't open it, I carry on looking away. I don't have the guts to open and read it 

"Why now? why not when they died?" I ask but he's already walking away leaving me with the letter, I give it a few minutes before I build up the courage to open it and read.

To our Lottie

If you are reading this letter, it means we are no longer with you, however we are always in your heart. I'm sorry, We never got the chance to say how much we was proud of you, we was always proud of you, your a Lockhart after all. I know you would of stopped surfing if we passed but our proudest movement of you was watching you surf, you are a champion, our champion, we don't want you to stop only because we aren't with you no more. We are watching and we want you to kick some butt surfing, show them that nothing can hold you back. Your father also said no boys till your 30, he hopes your uncle is scaring them away. We believe in you, always have. We are your number one fans. Tell you uncle he can be number 3, everyone else get in line. You have still got fight left in you, believe in yourself hunny, we love you, go and show us what a Lockhart can do! Love your number one fans mom and dad 

Away from the eye but never the heart, we are with you all the way 

PS. No boys Charlotte Anna-bell Lockhart, uncle is watching for me.