At around one thirty, I got a call from my dad who was checking up on me. He sounded hopeful like I made besties with all of Juliet’s cohorts, but for all of our sakes, I played along like everything was going well.
“How’s it going, nugget?” he asked optimistic.
“Fine, great,” I said back hoping I sound realistic. Everyone here would be able to see right through me.
“You making friends?” he asked, and in a way, he sounded shocked.
“I guess you can say that,” I told him.
“Okay, well don’t be out too late. Maybe we can do something later,” he said.
“Sure. Whatever you want whenever,” I was grateful for the possible save. It was just what we could use right now.
We migrated from the baseball field to underneath the boardwalk. While they didn’t mind taking a seat in the sand, I preferred leaning back on the giant support beam that resembled a giant, vertical log. Andy and Juliet shared a cigarette next to Alex and Flower who seemed liked they were going off about some sports team. It had to be baseball hearing the words batting average and first basemen slip from their mouths.
Ar seemed to try and cue herself into their conversation every once in a while before turning to shot haired tall and tattooed who I learned was named Austin. She would ask him some random question to try and get his eyes away from his phone, and from here I could tell which one he was more interested in.
“Well, we’re on the beach,” Cass said leaning next to me.
“Yup, but I’ve been thinking.”
“About?”
“What if we at least tried to get along with them,” I suggested. I hated the idea as much as she probably did, but I hated even more sulking about it.
“What?” she asked reacting just as I thought. “What do you mean?”
“I just don’t want to mope anymore when we it’s our first day here, so if we at least act like we’re at least trying, maybe it’ll speed up time. No reason to pout when we still have three months, yah know.” I turned my head at her. I wasn’t sure how this little idea would go into effect, but I was assuming that we would just have to get in on everything they said.
“I guess. We are going to have to live with one of them,” Cass said willingly.
“I’m starving. I’ll be back,” Flower got up brushing the sand off of him. He looked over at their little formed semicircle waiting for a nod that they heard him. Juliet blew a line of smoke out of her mouth before handing the stick over to Andy.
“You guys wanna come?” Flower looked over at us. I pulled my head away from my phone, looked at him, and then looked at Cass who shrugged her shoulders.
“Sure, why not?” I replied. I pushed myself off the beam following him out from under the boardwalk. He didn’t walk ahead of us for too long waiting for us to catch up, and he stood walked in the middle of our little horizontal line.
So far, I was getting a vibe that he didn’t care for this crew just as much as us, but that was just a hunch. I could be totally wrong and he was always like this. Everyone else seemed to just go with it. As long as you didn’t do anything to offend or piss em off than you were in for the clear. Like a little pack of wolves. You had Juliet and Andy, the head of the pack, Austin, the one that didn’t seem to bad but knew well enough, Ar the one that was trying too hard to prove something, and then Bambi and Flowers the ones who seemed like they were friends before meeting the rest and closer with each other than they are with the others.
“So, how ya liking Carolina so far?” Flowers asked taking us to the ramp up the boardwalk.
“Depends,” Cass said.
“On?”
“What part about it?” she replied. Of course he laughed knowing exactly what she meant.
“Yeah, I know what you mean?” he answered.
“You do?” I asked hoping he would explain a little more what we meant.
There was a little pizzeria that we walked into taking a seat into the back somewhere. It was right there once you walk up on the boardwalk. The rushing waitress quickly took our order, and Flower simply said three slices. She was off and about with that.
The little place was crammed together, and all the booths and tables were pretty much aligned next to each other. Covered in Italy pictures and posters, the place was simple and got people’s orders out fast.
Flowers continued without us interrupting. He asked us if we wanted to hear all this came to be, and naturally, we were curious. He hummed trying to find a place to start. I knew that we were now getting the ‘this is everything about them and how we all came to besties’ story. We were finally going to get filled in. “Okay, so let’s back in like middle school, Alex and I would always agree that we would run together when we ran the mile in gym. We didn’t know anyone else, so we just talked to each other then. We would run at the same pace always be on the same team for volleyball and kickball and all the sorts. By freshman year, we actually had classes together believe it or not, and of course we became friends. Then it was sometime during sophomore year when Alex started seeing Aria, and she was already friends with Juliet. Not going to lie, Aria was like having a pet leech. She pretty much stuck with him at all times. Juliet on the other hand, made it pretty clear that she wasn’t all too thrilled at first that Aria and Alex were a thing, and I could agree, but I just didn’t say anything. I just went with it hoping that it all worked out for Alex’s advantage. If you couldn’t already tell by now, they just…don’t go. He was, at the time, hoping that they could last as a serious relationship while she was just fishing for someone happy with the looks of him. ”
“Anyway, they lasted until the beginning of junior year sometime. Andy just moved here, and Juliet was more than willing to get on his good side. He grew as far as ink and hair length goes. It was still the four of us soon five with Andy. And even though Alex broke up with Aria due to her cheating on him, they tried to put that aside for a while cause we could all use some friends. Continuing with that, Andy and Juliet didn’t start seeing each other until late junior year. They’re pretty fit for each other, honestly, and I hope all ends well with them.”
Flowers wasn’t able to finish the whole story, because the red head waitress places the three slices of pizza in front of us. From all that so far, I learned that “Ar” was Aria and I was right about Alex and Flowers being friends before the rest. A whole two years before. The thing that I was unaware of was the previous relationship between Aria and Alex. I wouldn’t have guessed so far. I would have only assumed that she wanted to get with him or Austin, but in this case him again. It was like their presence was more important than their actual feelings or relationship for each other, and little Flowers knew that.
He was right about Andy and Juliet seeming nice for each other. Off the bat, they just worked. I don’t know why I thought it was interesting about Alex and Aria. Flowers described her how I assumed with the whole suddenly wanting him and then cheating on him. Earlier, the just snapped at each other and Aria rolled it off.
“Leaving off, when Jules and Andy got together, Aria and Alex decided to give it another and it ended miserably. He’s not too fond of her, but whatever. Started in February ended in June. Beginning of senior year, Alex started talking to this girl Taylor or Tay.”
He took a quick break to continue eating. I could notice that Alex wasn’t too fond of Aria just from the way he acted around her, but that didn’t stop the devoted blonde. She failed to accept denial from the ones she begged for the affection of. I was assuming that the ex that was brought up earlier was Tay.
“They started dating in Decemberish. Of course, Aria was pissed, Juliet had bad streak with her, but Tay wasn’t bad. She wasn’t bad for Alex or as a person. With those two not liking her, of course their relationship was planned for failure.”
He paused again this time finishing his pizza wiping the crumbs off on his pants. He coughed clearing his throat. Cass next to me finished just about the same time as Flowers while I was ahead of them. So far, it was a pretty interesting back story. Explains a lot.
“Aria, out of spite, thought it would be a good idea to find someone. She started dating this guy Zack and that lasted half the time Alex and Tay did. He dumped her, and it was pretty harsh. Broke her heart if I’m not mistaken. But after hanging with these people for three years, they had an influence on Alex. A bigger impact on him than I would have thought. You can easily assume that he turned into kinda a dick, but he’s my best friend. I know that’s not how he really is or was, anyway. But anywho that relationship lasted till about March, and that leads us to now. I’ve only had a few things going here and there, but nothing serious. Just little flings. As you can see Jules and Andy are still together ruling this little crew that ever so dearly love, and that’s about it. That’s highschool 90210,” Flowers completed giving us an exaggerated grin.
“That explains a lot,” Cass said next to me. “You’re not too fond of them?”
“Not really. Just don’t fit with them. If I wasn’t friends with Alex they would have shipped me out a long time ago.”
“Wait, what about that, uh, Austin?” I asked realizing that short haired tall and tattooed was left out of this back story.
“Ah, oh yes. Sometime junior year, he and Andy became besties. Didn’t take long before he was fitting right in. He’s fine I guess. Talks to me never did nothing to me, so it’s cool.”
“Thanks for cueing us in and bringing us along,” I said. Flowers wasn’t bad, and I get where he’s coming from. He tolerated everything for Alex who I don’t even think realized. So far, I agreed that Alex was kinda an ass. From Tay to just his smug expressions and oblivion for his friend.
“No problem. Good to talk to actual people,” he laughed, “but I’m Jack.”
“Cass and Stella,” she answered for us. I could check off knowing all their names. Flowers was Jack, and I was glad that he wasn’t like they were.
Jack paid, and he we walked for a little while along the boardwalk. I gave him a quick anecdote from what it was like from my side of the tracks which was pretty plain. He laughed not believing that Juliet and I were related, only for me to remind him that we weren’t blood.
Cass talked music with Jack who knew his way around a guitar. During that time, I just tried to remember where everything was. Learn now rather than later, but I was too busy thinking about the story, and how they came to be. If you think about it, it all started with Alex and Aria and her desire for a quick fling. The group wasn’t close in seemingly anyway. Sure, there was Andy and Juliet, but did they hang out with each other cause they enjoyed being together or they were just too used to it to do anything about it?
“Well, thank you, Flowers.” Jack offered to give us a ride home after heading back to his place to get his car. It was around three, so curfew was something we didn’t have to worry about it. We just walked along the boardwalk confessing little stories and gushing little quirks. I would have never guessed that he hung out with people that were so different from him. We spent a good hour and a half to two hours actually making a friend other than each other.
“Flowers?” he asked at my nickname.
“Your hair reminds me of the little skunk from Bambi,” I laughed.
“Or Pepe Le Pew,” Cassadee giggled out.
Jack rolled his eyes at us, “Okay, Copper and Tod I’ll talk to you later.”
We hopped out of his car walking up to the front door of the house. Right away, I recognized the Disney reference. We were the fox and the hound while he remained the sleepy little skunk. I liked talking to someone. How did I know that he wouldn’t turn around and two face us? I didn’t, but I didn’t want to believe that to be the case.
“At least there’s one cool person in this state,” Cass said. We took a seat on the couch.
“Right, but it’s only been a day, so,” I replied.
I stretched myself out on the couch grabbing the remote off the coffee table. My dad, Carmen, and Danny were probably in the back. I figured I just sit for a minute before heading back there. I know they’re going to wonder why we came back so early and if everything was okay. It was fine, but I wasn’t going to tell them exactly what happened. I’ll make something up as I go. For now, I was satisfied sitting here watching Supernatural reruns that were airing. Score. They were having marathons, and they were currently in the middle of season six. I’ve sen six. I'en every episode of every season, yet I still act like this is the first time I’m watching it. Cass laughs at my knee deep river of tears from Doctor Who or Sherlock hiatus. I’m naturally a very exciting person when it comes to my TV shows.
The French door leading to the back swung open revealing my dad placing his sunglasses on top of his head. He walked to the fridge pulling out a water bottle, downing half before speaking, “You two home already?”
I paused before Cass saved it. I wasn’t too sure how to answer that without any offense or the idea of causing a fuss. “The waking up at four in the morning hit us,” she answered, and I nodded for support. I was a little tired but not as much as I thought it would be. Definitely going to be an early night, though.
“Well, if you girls want, you can come hang out by the pool, with me, Car, and Danny?” he stood against the door frame almost finishing his water. I took a glance outside, back at the Tv, and then to Cass who I could tell was up for that.
“Kay, we’ll be down in a few,” I replied. I shut the Tv off and followed her upstairs. Swimming pools were only found in my area is you wanted to go to a gym or had one in your building, and we didn’t live near any suburban areas in New York and were right in the city. I can honestly say I haven’t been to the gym nearly as many times as I should have been, but I was lucky that Cass’s building had an indoor pool downstairs.
Cass headed into the bathroom to change while I stayed in the room. My mom was all for getting me new swimsuits since there weren’t many opportunities from home even with the plentiful amount of shops. Pros and cons of living right in the heart of the city.
I had a good amount of swimsuits with my mom walking in in the afternoon saying “Stell, I saw this and thought it was really cute”. I would agree, and now I have tons of them.
I tied a knot with the strings at my back adjusting it until comfort. Cassadee walked back in grabbing her phone off the phone. “That’s cute,” I said complimenting Cass’s suit.
“Thanks, gurlie. Ready?” she asked. I nodded leading the way downstairs. I could see from the door Carmen holding Danny in the pool while my dad gave him little splashes and talking to him. I could already tell that Danny looked just like Carmen with all the colors of dad as far as eyes and hair goes. That was only what I could tell from here, but I don’t think I was mistaken this time.
“Look who’s here!” Carmen said when we encroached the pool sticking our feet right in. I was ready to jump right in. Carmen walked over, us being on shallow end, with Danny paddling behind her. She turned pulling him over and into her arms and perching him on her hip.
I was right from the fact that he looked just like Carmen other than the eye color and hair color. Almost dark brown hair and light green eyes resembled his dad. She would face him and ask him to say hi to us or to say our names. He went along with it at first until he got distracted by the pool noodle, but he would soon open up to us a little more once we played with him with the little tubes and plastic sharks in the pool. He growed attached to Cassadee setting up a little game with his little figurines and their adventure through the pool or ocean. This was a game that we will not see the last from for quite some time with their little friendship growing, which was cute. I don't know why I thought it was as cute as I did.

Notes

I'm not too sure how I feel about this one :\ but lemme know whatcha think comment, subscribe, and vote!(:

-Gii oxox