Summer Love

The lady behind the counter took my ticket with a smile and told me to have a nice flight. I faked a smile and followed behind Max through the tiny walkway and onto the plane. Our seats were near the front and I stuffed my bag in the overhead compartment. Max saw my expression and allowed me to sit next to the window. I sent him a look that said ‘thanks’ and sat down and strapped myself in. My gaze stayed out the window as more and more people began to file in. Eventually the soft hum of the AC above lulled me to sleep before the plane took off.

“J.D, wake up, we’re here,” Max shook me.

I opened my eyes and saw that the other passengers were getting off the plane. Rubbing my eyes, I got up and grabbed my bag from the overhead compartment before getting off the plane behind my family. On the way to the baggage claim I was shoved and yelled at to move out the way. About the 15th person pushed me and I was ready to blow up at somebody. Things were definitely different here in California .

“There people here are so rude,” I huffed as we reached the baggage claim.

“They’re not rude, they’re just trying to run away from your horrendous odor,” Max snickered.

“Shut up you little brat before I stuff you in one of these suitcases and send you on the flight back to Colorado ,” I snapped and glared at my brother who was already above my eye level.

“Stop it and behave yourselves,” mom scolded.

We shut up but still made faces at each other. A few minutes later our bags were spit out. We grabbed our belongings and made our way over to a counter so we could pay for a rental car. Right when we stepped outside I could already feel the California heat start to roast my pale skin. I yanked off my sweatshirt and tossed it into my backpack.

“Are you trying to expand your career of prostitution to the west coast?” Max asked.

“Why don’t you go jump in front of a semi and see if the breaks work?” I growled.

Our rental car was brought to us by a young guy and we threw our stuff in the trunk and got inside. Mom read our new address off a slip of paper from the passenger seat to dad and he driver nodded and pulled out of his spot by the curb and drove out of the airport.

The whole ride I looked outside and gazed at the palm trees that blew in the wind. Dad made a right turn and we were now traveling down a long stretch of road called Pacific Coast Highway . The beach could be seen a short distance away and I watched waves crash and knock surfers off their boards. Teenagers, such as my self, could be seen walking down the boardwalk talking and laughing.

The car made another right turn and we were now driving down a street lined with houses on both sides. Some were two stories, some one, but they al had the same basic layout. We made a left turn this time and drove a short distance before finally slowing down and eventually coming to a stop in front of a two story house. The house was a light yellow with a front porch and a swing swaying in the wind. There was a flowerbed surrounding the porch and the other side of the porch steps. The long driveway was lined with tiny flowers too on both sides and a big oak tree was in front of the house right in front of a window.

Dad parked the car and we got out to grab our bags. Max shoved me out the way and I lost my balance and fell to my knees on the street. “You little prick,” I said and made sure I didn’t have any scratches.

Before Max could get a hold of his bag I got up and took it. I flung it in the middle of the street and he cursed before jogging over to get it. Just then I noticed five guys sitting in the garage across the street looking at us. I was brought out of my staring by Max coming back and shoving me. I dropped my bag and we started wrestling on the front lawn.

“Can you guys stop wrestling for once?” mom sighed.

“Leave them alone Brenda, they’re kids,” dad said and led her to the house.

Max and I continued to roll around on the grass. I managed to get him in a headlock that I learned from Taylor .

“Say uncle,” I demanded.

“Never,” he said and grabbed the back of my bra and pulled it back.

“Let go of that,” I ordered.

“Let me out of the headlock then,”

“No way,”

“Then I guess we’re staying like this,” he said and yanked my bra back further.

“Fine, I’ll let you go,” I finally said.

I slowly let go of him, but that little snake still let my bra snap on my back. I yelped in pain and fell to my knees.

“Max?”

“Yeah?” he sputtered out between laughter.

“If you value your balls you’ll run away,” I answered in a deadly quiet voice.

I got up from the ground and picked up my bag just as my parents came out. “Where are you guys going?”

“To pick up the U-Haul truck and get our stuff out of storage,” dad explained.

“Okay, see you later," I said and walked inside.

I didn't bother looking around because I knew my room, along with Max's, were going to be on the second floor. I opened the first door on the right and saw that it was a bedroom. The first door on the left was a bathroom and the door next to it led to another bedroom. The second door on the right was a linen closet and the last door adjacent to it was a bedroom and right outside the window was the big oak tree.

"This is definately my room," I said to myself and threw my bag on the ground.

"Oh come on, you always get the good room," Max whined.

"Oh well" I shrugged.

He mumbled things under his breath while he decided to claim the bedroom across the hall. "I'm going back outside to talk to my new friends," Max said and ran downstairs.

New friends?

I shrugged it off and fished my phone out of my pocket and dialed Taylor's number. i went outside and sat on the porch swing as I waited for him to pick up.

"Hello?" he mumbled.

"Geez, you're still sleeping?" I chuckled.

"J.D? Hey, sorry about that," he perked up.

"It's okay,"

"So, how's California so far?"

"Fucking hot," I complained.

"Good, maybe you won't be so pale anymore," he snickered from the other end of the line.

"Oh shut up, you're just as pale as me," I laughed and propped my legs out onto the railing.

"Sh, don't let anyone hear that," he whispered.

I started laughing and continued talking to him for another 30 minutes until a U-Haul truck pulled up to the curb.

"I gotta go Taylor," I sighed.

"Alright, talk to you soon,"

We said our goodbyes and hung up. I put my phone back in my pocket and started walking to the moving truck. Max arrived the same time I did with five guys from earlier.

"Done having phone sex with lover boy?" Max snickered.

"Shut up before I stunt your growth,"

"I'd like to see you fucking try," he challenged right when mom and dad came to unlock the back door.

"Watch your language young man," mom scolded as dad opened the back door and hopped in.

"But, but," he stuttered and pointed at me.

"I don't care what you have to say,"

I stuck my tongue at him and walked up the ramp dad let down.

"Nice going," dad chuckled and gave me a high five before giving me a box labeled 'kitchen'.

I walked out of the truck and saw that mom had just finished scolding Max. He gave me the middle finger and I laughed on my way up the driveway. I traveled through the house and put the box down in the kitchen. When I turned around I ran into someone and stumbled back.

"Sorry, didn't see you there," I apologized to the boy.

"Not a problem," he grinned, showing off a deep set of dimples.

I felt my knees go weak at his smile; I was always a sucker for dimples. I caught myself staring and cleared my throat before rushing out of the house.

Since Max is friends with this guy, that means I get to look at him nearly everyday now. If I get to do that, than I'll gladly welcome California with open arms and live here with no problems at all.