It was around six when we found ourselves at the beach, I looked over at Ashley confused. Okay..what is this girl up to?! She got out of the car, opening the door for me before rushing to grab a blanket from the trunk. Ashley took me by the hand, helping me to balance as I slid off my shoes, then she slid off her own. We walked out onto the sand and down closer to the shoreline. We walked along the edge, letting our toes get wet by the foam from incoming tide, “I like to walk here when I feel like I need to just get away for awhile. I let the worries I have be washed away by the tide. It is almost like a healing of sorts. I came here when everything went pear-shaped. My dad had died five months before and I had become a person that I hated. I stayed drunk, trying to numb away the pain I guess. Though it didn’t seem to help, nothing really did. I was pushing away everyone who cared for me, had become one of those one-night stand only girls. I didn’t have a relationship with any one, no friends, not even a relationship my sister. That is a person I would have never wanted you to meet, Spence.”, she looked at me with such seriousness. I was suddenly both scared and surprised, why was she telling me this? I guess she saw my expression because she began to speak again, “I’m not telling you this to scare you and I hope this doesn’t send you running for the hills. Because, I really enjoy spending time with you. I just think you deserve to know the person I was and to know that I am not that person anymore. That day I came out here I was walking home from a drinking binge, I had a terrible hangover and I wound up here. The sun was setting and it was at that moment that I realized that my father wouldn’t want me to be like that. Living an empty meaningless life. A life with no passion, no love. I needed to be a person that would be worthy of someone loving them. A person who could be the friend someone deserves to have. I walked up to the surf and jumped in, I let the water wash away the person that I was. I’m a different person now.”, Ashley said, her face softening as a small smile graced her lips. She looked over at me as if to gage what I was thinking. I couldn’t believe what she had just told me, she was more amazing than I could’ve imagined. She was so brave and honest to admit that she was not perfect. She strived to be a better. “I think you are incredible.”, I replied giving the hand I still held a squeeze. She smiled again, pulling me into a tight embrace. I let her hold me in her arms, loving the feeling and safety of those strong arms. As the sun began to set beside us painting her face golden, she absolutely took my breath away as she looked into my eyes.