California Girl's

“Good afternoon Ms. Williams,” Annabelle’s teacher greeted her kindly as she awkwardly sat down in one of the tiny desks in front of Mrs. Myers desk.

She attempted to cross her legs as she adjusted her shirt and stared at Mrs. Myer’s nervously. She had spent an entire hour trying to figure out what to wear because she didn’t want to look to casual, but not to over dressed. Her heels were killing her, but she decided she had looked presentable enough.

“Afternoon Mrs. Myer,” Grayson answered back as she shifted in the tiny chair.

“I’m guessing you’re wondering why I called you here, correct?” Mrs. Myer said as she looked at Grayson over the top of her rimless glasses.

“Yes,” Grayson mumbled out nervous under the teacher’s harsh stare.

“Well, I understand your situation, but Annabelle seems to be struggling.” Mrs. Myer started, but Grayson interrupted her quickly.

“Our parents passed away just over two weeks ago,” Grayson stated bluntly, “And she misses New York.”

“I understand that,” Mrs. Myer interrupted her, “but if she doesn’t start trying, she’s going to be held back.”

~x0x~

Grayson walked slowly towards the front door of her beach house with her head hung low. If she had been paying more attention she would have realized that Annabelle wasn’t doing well in school, but she was too busy not wanting her here to pay attention.

She looked up slowly as she heard skate board wheels approaching her and saw Zack skating down the street. He did a trick that Grayson didn’t know the name of, but didn’t land it and fell on his butt.

“You okay, Zack?” Grayson called out as she walked across her front lawn on her tip toes so her heels wouldn’t sink into the dirt. Zack looked up startled and once he saw Grayson he clambered to his feet quickly and grabbed his board.

“Yeah,” He said shortly, “I’m fine.”

Grayson was started by his guarded tone as the two stared at each other awkwardly.

“So, you didn’t have to work today?” Zack asked as he scratched the back of his neck nervously.

“No,” Grayson started, “I had to go to a parent teacher conference.”

“Oh,” Zack said as he stepped onto his board and slowly rocked back and forth. “How’d that go?”

Grayson sighed as she rubbed her temples as she remembered what Mrs. Meyer had told her earlier. “I wouldn’t want to bother you with it.”

Zack took in the distraught look on Grayson’s face and all his previous thoughts of staying away from her were thrown out the window. Maybe she was different.

“Hey, Grayson?” Zack called out as she started to walk back towards her house. “Do you want to go surfing?”

Grayson instantly smiled and nodded her head, “Sure, let me go get changed really quickly!”

Grayson practically ran inside her house, happy that Zack wasn’t giving her the cold shoulder. She was actually excited to spend some alone time with him, because over the last three days the rest of the guys had been regulars at her house, all of them except Zack.

She had changed as quickly as she could before she ran back down the steps and out to the garage to get her board. Just as she rounded the house and her feet touched the warm sand Zack was just approaching her house.

“Ready?” He asked, sending her a smile she was sure she hadn’t seen before.

“Yes!” Grayson exclaimed, “But I have to pick Annabelle up in two hours!”

“We’ve got plenty of time,” Zack reassured her as he watched her pull her black Roxy surf top over her bright yellow bikini. She looked at him once she had the tight top over her head and he looked away in embarrassment.

“So, um…” He paused, “How’s your knee?” He asked as he pointed to Grayson’s knee that was still wrapped up tightly in gauze.

“Pretty nasty,” She shuddered as the cold water hit her bare feet. “I’m going to have a pretty bad scar.”

Zack laughed softly as they began to paddle out to deeper water. For a while they just hung to themselves, catching waves here and there until the water started to flatten out.

“So what really happened at the conference today?” Zack asked. “I can tell it’s really bothering you."

Grayson stared at Zack for a long time wondering how he was able to read her so well. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to let anybody in and she didn’t want to get anyone else involved in the situation between Annabelle and her.

The only thing she could see in his pretty hazel eyes was sincerity and curiosity. She didn’t trust him in the least, seeing as he hasn’t yet given her a reason to, but he was the first to ask what was wrong. He was the first to realize that she wasn’t really okay, and she really wanted to talk.

“Annabelle’s teacher says that she isn’t doing her work and hasn’t been trying at all.” Grayson mumbled as she ran her fingers through the salty water. “If she keeps this up there going to hold her back.”

“Did you know about this?” Zack asked as he paddled closer to her board.

“It’s…”Grayson trailed off, “Complicated.”

“Okay,” Zack started, “I understand, it’s not my business.”

“Thanks,” Grayson mumbled as she kicked her legs in the deep water.

“Maybe you should try talking to her?” Zack suggested and Grayson shrugged. It was worth a shot but Grayson already knew why her younger sister was being like this, she missed her mother and father and wanted to go home.

Zack could tell Grayson was upset and he wished he could help, but it wasn’t his place to get involved; at least not yet. He suddenly wanted to see her smile again so he did the only thing he could think of; he flipped her board.

She came up from the water flailing her arms and quickly climbed back on her board “What was that for?” She exclaimed as she laughed loudly and splashed him. Zack laughed and quickly paddled to catch another wave.

~x0x~

Zack invited himself along to come pick up Annabelle and the pair sung along loudly and off key to the songs on the radio.

“I thought you sang?” Grayson laughed as she scrunched up her nose when his voice hit a particularly high note.

“I sing back up,” Zack corrected her, “Alex is the lead singer.”

“Explains why he seems so cocky,” Grayson joked.

~x0x~

Annabelle was showing Zack a drawing she did at school while Grayson grabbed her a couple Oreo cookies and a glass of milk for a snack.

“So, I had a meeting with Mrs. Myer today,” Grayson started as she set the cookie and milk down in front of the little girl. Annabelle met Grayson’s eyes for a split second, before looking back down at her glass of milk.

“She says you haven’t been doing you work.” Grayson continued as Zack began eating an Oreo. Annabelle set her cookie down and looked at her older sister.

“I want to go home,” She states simply. At this Grayson casted a nervous glance at Zack who was watching them intently.

“We’ve been through this before.” Grayson said calmly, trying to keep her composure in front of Zack.

“I hate it here,” Annabelle exclaimed. “I want to go home!” She suddenly screamed as she glared her bright blue eyes at her older sister.

“Zack, maybe you should go,” Grayson said to which Zack nodded slightly. He couldn’t help but notice that Grayson had asked him to leave but her eyes seemed to tell him otherwise.

Once Zack was out the front door Grayson turned to see her younger sister still staring at her. She for once didn’t want to get in an argument with the little girl, but she didn’t know how to explain to her that this was her home now.

“Annabelle,” Grayson started, “This is your home now.”

“No, it’s not,” Annabelle challenged as she slowly crushed her Oreos with her small fists.

“Annabelle,” Grayson started again as she sat next to her sister. “Mom and dad left me in charge of you and I live here. We are staying here.”

Annabelle looked up at her sister with tears in her bright blue eyes. Grayson sighed as she slid the package of cookies towards the little girl.

“You really hate it here that much?” Grayson questioned as she placed three new, not crushed cookies in front of her.

“Yeah,” Annabelle whimpered.

“You don’t like the beach?” Grayson questioned. “You don’t like to play with Jack and Alex?”

“I do!” the little girl exclaimed as she bit into her cookie happily.

Grayson smiled a genuine smile. For the first time since the little girl had gotten here the two had actually communicated properly. Whereas usually Grayson would end up yelling at her and walking away to avoid the situation completely.

Maybe they were starting to make some progress.