I squealed in excitement as Austin threw me over his shoulder, running along the hot sand as the waves lapped along the shore. I tilt my head back, laughing and begging for him to put me down but deep inside not wanting any of it to stop.

This was our last day of freedom, our last day of summer until we entered our last official year of high school. This was our last year of innocence, our last year of youth and our last year of walking down the halls of Marino High before we both departed on our separate ways into the future. I wanted this day to last forever, being carried by my best friend as he swept us through the waves. I screamed when the salty water splashed all over my swim suit, cold and unexpected.

"Austin!" I screeched as he carried me into the ocean. "Don't you dare."

He looked down at me, raising his eyebrows and sending me a mischievous grin. "But I'm not doing anything," he said nonchalantly as he walked deeper into the waves. I hit him lightly on the shoulder.

"The water is freezing, are you insane?!" I asked, but before I could tell him to take me back to the shore he walked even further, pulling both of us in and down. I gasped, closing my mouth as we both disappeared beneath the waves and into the deep sea. I swam further down, admiring the star fish that strayed along the bottom. I looked up to find Austin, sending me that goofy grin like he always did. He pointed upwards, sending me a signal to race back up to the top. I shook my head, but he was already swimming up back to the oxygen above. I found myself swimming back up quickly before I ran out of breath.

As I sprang back up to the surface, Austin was already waiting there for me. He splashed me with water and I groaned. "I beat you!" he yelled triumphantly. "Race you back to the shore!"

"No, no more swimming! I'm pooped!" I laughed, throwing my head back and letting my hair float in the lapping waves.

"Hold on tight, then," he replied, and before I could question what he meant he was carrying me on his back as he swam to the shore. I began giggling crazily, and when we finally reached the warm sand, we both fell onto our backs in a fit of laughter.

It had always been like this: Austin and Ally, the best of friends, two peas in a pod. We'd met in kindergarten, when Jack Coleman had stolen my lunch. I'd started sobbing, but luckily a small blonde haired boy came to the rescue and managed to retrieve my lunch for me. Of course, he lost a tooth after Jack Coleman punched Austin in the face, but it was worth it in the end. Plus, Jack Coleman moved to a different school after kindergarten, so Austin and I didn't have to worry about him throughout the rest of our elementary years.

After that, we clicked. It was always the Austin and Ally show. We were inseparable. And somewhere along the way, along the late night sleepovers, summers at the beach, and hours at the piano when we sang our hearts out for fun, I looked into his light brown eyes and fell in deep. And I could do absolutely nothing about it because this was our last year of high school together, and I promised myself that I wouldn't ruin it by confessing my feelings to him.

Confessing was never something easy for me. Sometimes it's better that the truth go unsaid. I averted my attention back to the present, my eyes drifting up to the sky.

"The sun's setting," I murmured, tilting my head in his direction. The sky's deep red was reflecting against his hazel eyes and they almost appeared to be on fire. He turned to look at me and I felt my breath hitch.

"Last summer sunset we're gonna be seeing for awhile, huh?" he asked, sighing and propping himself up on his elbows. I sat criss crossed.

"Unfortunately," I answered, sighing along with him. "But I'm glad I'm seeing it with you."

He looked at me and blinked. I felt my ears turning pink. "Because you're my best friend!" I quickly exclaimed, laughing nervously and punching him in the air. He stared at me weirdly, but then began to laugh along with me. He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me closer to him, ruffling my hair. I squealed.

"You are so strange sometimes, did you know that, Ally?" he asked, looking down at me. I tried to fight the urge to snuggle in closer to him. We already had everything in front of us: the sun setting, his arm wrapped around me, my head resting against his chest... the only thing that was missing was identical hearts. Mine's was racing at the sight of our intimacy while I'm sure his was beating steadily.

I rolled my eyes and grinned. "So I've heard," I said, breaking away from his grip. "Plus the fact that you never fail to remind me every five seconds." As the waves lap towards our legs, I take a small scoop of water and splash it onto him. He gasps and my eyes widen as I make a fast attempt to get up and run away.

"Dinner is great, Mr. Dawson," Austin complimented. I looked over to my dad across the table and bit my lip.

"Austin," he replied, clearing his throat, "it's just pizza." The three of us fell into loud laughter. "So... no more long days frolicking at the beach, hm?"

I shot my dad a look. As embarrassing as it was, he was one of the people that actually knew how I felt about Austin. It was humiliating because he'd always drop subtle hints about it whenever Austin was over, but luckily Austin is just another seventeen year old who doesn't take notice of subtlety. "We weren't frolicking, Dad. Just swimming and walking," I replied.

"She's scared of the waves," Austin chimed in. I scoffed at him.

"I am not afraid of the waves! We've been going to that beach since we were toddlers. The water's freezing, that's all," I explained. He chuckled, taking another bite of pizza.

"Whatever floats your boat, Ally," he replies before turning back to my dad. "It's gonna be a bummer going back to school."

"But why? I mean, you two are going to be graduating soon. You should enjoy this time while it lasts," my dad reminds us. An uneasy silence envelops the room as I stare down at my paper plate awkwardly. The future is always a touchy subject. "College is just around the corner."

"Yes, Dad, I know," I sighed, getting up to throw my pizza away, my stomach feeling queasy.

"Mr. Dawson, you know that Ally..." I hear Austin say, but I tune it out. I don't want to even think about the future right now. I just want to stay like this, seventeen, going on crazy adventures with Austin. But while it is nice to dream, my mind tends to bring myself back to reality. Fact: This is my last year with my best friend in high school. Fact: Time can't slow down just because I want it to. I enter the living room and try to brighten the atmosphere once more.

"Well Dad, thanks for the pizza!" I exclaim cheerfully. "Austin and I are just gonna walk around outside for a bit."

His smile softens. "Of course, sweetie," he replies.

"Thanks again for the dinner, Mr. Dawson," Austin calls before he follows me out the door.

"Don't forget to close up Sonic Boom!" I yell before heading out. I shake my head and let out a small laugh. "Talk about awkward in there, right?"

Austin shrugs his shoulders. "It's only awkward if you make it awkward, Ally," he reminds me. I frown, shoving him lightly on the shoulder.

"Hey, that's usually my line," I tease. He laughs.

"You're probably rubbing off on me. I think I'm spending too much time with you," he jokes, and we laugh because we both know that this is the understatement of the year. We've been "hanging out" with one another for the past thirteen years. If anything, we've learned how to read each other's minds automatically without even trying.

"But seriously, Ally," he continues. "What are you so scared of?"

I let my flip flops fill in the silence before I answer and choose to look down at my toes, which, now that I'm looking at them, really need to be re-painted. "I'm scared of losing this," I blurt out before I lose my nerve. We turn a corner and begin to pass by all the shops. Their lights go off one by one as we pass by each of them, and their OPEN signs flip to CLOSED. The street lights slowly flick on and light up our pathway.

"Losing what, exactly?" he asks, frowning in confusion. I take a deep breath.

"Just this... Summers like this. Moments like this. High school," I ramble, then peek shyly at him. "Us."

At this he stops walking and turns toward me. I gulp. Does he understand what I'm trying to say? He places both of his hands on my shoulders. My eyes widen. Is he going to kiss me?

"Ally," he says. "You know that I'm always going to be there for you. You're my best friend."

My shoulders slump as I manage to give him a weak smile. "I know," I reply softly, leaning in to hug him with all my might. I bury my face into his shoulder. "I'm just scared of what's on the road ahead of me, I guess," I admit. "I'm going to miss all of this. When high school ends, everything is going to change."

He pulls away and stares me straight in the eyes. I find myself falling again, and I have to keep myself from swooning. "Except us," he replies.

I can't help but smile at his answer. I hold my pinky out. It's tradition. We've been doing pinky promises since the day we've met. Somewhere in his eyes I can still catch a glimpse of the little blonde boy I met thirteen years ago. I wonder if he does the same for me. "Promise?" I ask.

He grins, linking his pinky with mine. "Promise," he says, then throws his arm around me once more, not realizing that every time he does it my heart literally skips a beat. "Now c'mon, we better head back. Tomorrow's the first day of school after all."

I groan and try to run away but he picks me up and carries me on his back the rest of the walk back home. I hold on tightly, staring up at the stars and the moon. I find the biggest star in the sky and squeeze my eyes shut as my arms wrap themselves tighter around Austin's neck. Then I shake my head. I'm tired of wishing on stars. Maybe this time I'll wish on the moon instead.

"Have you ever tried wishing on the moon?" I ask. He adjusts his hands to get a better grip on my legs. I blush and thank God he can't see my tomato red face right now.

"No," he answers. "Let me try." He looks up at the sky. "I wish for cheerleaders to be in my room once I drop Ally off."

I snort and hit him on the shoulder as we both burst out laughing. But before I forget, I make a wish of my own.

I wish to be with Austin like this forever.