My Whoever
1.
In the small town of Bluewater, California, the sun was rising opposite the blue horizon. Little orange shimmers dotted the water as waves rolled back and forth. Slowly, the town of just fewer than seven thousand was becoming alive. Mrs. Hoffman, the just-over-middle-aged shop keeper was outside her store/apartment downtown, which was just across the street from the main stretch of white, sandy beach. She stood facing the ocean, her hair still wrapped up, turban style, in her towel from her shower. Mrs. Hoffman smiled as the warm sea breeze ruffled her light bathrobe. She believed that today was going to be a good day.
Although it was late morning, Bluewater's beaches were still only up to half of their normal capacity. Many teenagers were still in bed, or at least inside, lounging around in their picture perfect doll houses until late afternoon, when the real parties began.
Monroe Kale was the exception. She was sitting in Mrs. Hoffman's shop, nearly hiding behind the chest of ice cream, her head resting on the freezer.
Monroe was an unusual girl. In front of her parents, she acted sweet, innocent and mature, but she easily changed when she was around her friends. Her acts were done so well that most couldn't even recognize her when she was with the opposite group. Some of her friends didn't even know which side of Monroe was the act and which was the girl.
"Jilly Roe?!" a high pitched voice called from the opening door. A small and pixie like blonde pranced inside, her curls bouncing with each step. "Why are you working on the first day of summer?"
"My parents can't afford me, Sam," Monroe chuckled. Her claim was untrue, though. Her parents both owned separate franchises, which were multi-million dollar companies. She had the largest house on the beach, and the garage full of sports cars and the closet full of clothes to prove it. Still, she didn't like showing off. She knew that if she needed money, or anything for that matter, she could always just ask. But she liked being able to work for herself.
"Whatever, silly-nilly Jilly Roe." Sam smiled and looked at the chest of ice cream, rubbing her flawless and flat stomach. "I don't need this, Roe. Don't let me do this, Jilly Roe."
Monroe smiled and grabbed the sample spoon and got a taste of the new flavor, "Chocolate Macchiato" and handed it to Sam. "Don't worry, you know that you'll throw up your entire small intestine at the party tonight, this will come up with it," she joked, watching her grimace at the spoon.
Finally giving in, Sam took the small spoon and put it in her mouth. She let out a loud moan and smiled widely. "Holy shit! Who needs boys when you can buy things like this?"
"Do you want that in a waffle cone or a regular sprinkle coated cone?"
"Waffle," Sam mumbled dreamily, gazing at the empty spoon longingly. She suddenly perked up and looked at Monroe thoughtfully. "You know that new kid?"
Monroe looked up from the freezer and shook her head. "I knew that he was coming to live with the Leibold's for the summer. Trent told me that he was kicked out of his parent's house. Why?"
"I met him last night." Her expression had a hint of secrecy in it as she glanced up at her best friend.
"You met him or you made out with him?" Monroe asked, not really interested in the story. Usually, they all were pointless and weren't even interesting.
"I met him, but I wanted to, but Derek Prattson got to me first." Her expression faded to a dreamy one, which she snapped out of in a minute. "He was so cute. In a little boy way."
"The new kid's a little boy?" Monroe looked up and rose her left eye brow.
"No. Definitely not. He's just got this weird, innocence about him. And he seems pretty cool. He was actually hanging around your boyfriend."
Monroe rolled her eyes to hide the hurt and put on a sarcastic tone. "Ooh, goody." Monroe's boyfriend was Trenton Bentley. He was the stereotypical jock. He had blond hair and blue eyes, huge muscles, and an ego the size of Saturn, but usually only when sports were being played. But lately, he had changed into someone that Monroe didn't know. And in turn, that made her change when she was around him. Sure, they still made out at parties and after the movies, but they weren't as close as they used to be, and it was killing Monroe.
"Hey, don't worry about Trent. He's been really stressed lately. I mean, he has to take summer school and stuff so he can get that scholarship for football."
"I know," Monroe said, sitting back down. "It's just, I still want him, and he doesn't really want me anymore."
Sam shrugged. "It'll work out."
Just as Monroe opened her mouth to say something negative in response, the door opened again, and three guys walked in, all dripping wet and suntanned. "Speak of the devils, and they shall appear."
Trenton, his best friend, Jake Paulson and an unknown teen were at the door, still drying off from their obvious beach adventure. "Isn't it a little early for you, Hemmer?" Trenton asked Sam, teasing as she examined his sculpted body up and down. "I heard you had a late night."
She laughed sarcastically and put some money on the counter for her half eaten ice cream. "I'm gonna go before The Three Stooges make their heads explode by thinking to hard about what kind of ice cream they want," Sam said, her words sharp as ice, but her face as soft as satin. "I'll call you tonight, Jilly Roe." She turned and walked away, stepping around the boys puddles of water.
Monroe inwardly groaned as she was left alone with the three of them.
"What's your favorite?" Trenton asked, leaning on the counter and winking at Monroe.
"You know I don't eat this crap."
"I'm treating you to lunch today," he said, cocking his head to the side and flashing Monroe a toothy grin. "I know you work till 4, but still, we can eat in here."
Monroe shook her head. "I miss the days when you used to actually ask," she said sarcastically, looking down at the counter and chipping off a bit of dried ice cream. "But I don't really want to. Mrs. Hoffman could use some help cleaning, and I might as well work the whole shift."
"So? She can clean on her own."
Monroe rolled her eyes. "Well I actually like helping people. Unlike some asshole I know."
Trent smiled. "I wonder who that could be?"
"Well while you two love birds do your mating ritual, can I get a chocolate milkshake?" Jake asked, stepping forward, drawing Monroe's attention.
"Of course, Jake."
"So, who's your new friend?" Monroe asked as her back was to the three boys. Even though she wasn't looking, she knew Trent's nostrils flared up at the mention of the new boy.
"I'm Brant Leibold."
Monroe turned her head to look at him. "You really should find some new friends," she jokes, looking at Jake and Trent with a goofy smile.
Trent rolled his eyes. "Like who? You?"
Monroe turned back around and finished making the milkshake. As she handed Jake the cup, she looked at Trent. "I'm going to Kaylee's party tonight."
"Duh. You go to all the parties."
She sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'm telling you so maybe you could ask me if I wanted to go with you. And not just assume that we're gonna hook up when I get there and that everything will be fine and dandy in the morning," she said, her words growing in volume as she felt more confident.
Trent made a face and shook his head. "What has gotten into you lately? You're so uptight and selfish."
Monroe's mouth dropped open. "I'm the selfish one?"
Trent nodded, his icy eyes staring into Monroe's. "You want everything your way; you don't ask me what I want anymore."
"Because you make it so God damn obvious about what you want!" Monroe's argument turned into a full yelling match, but on the inside, beneath the anger, she was hurting.
"You're such a bitch," Trent said, glaring at her. He started walking away from the counter, and paused when he got to the door, "I don't know what I see in you anymore," he added.
Jake and Brant stood awkwardly by the counter as Monroe reacted to his last statements. She bit her lip and sniffed in her nose, trying to fight back the tears getting ready to spill out. She was used to Trent yelling, but not in front of people. "I'm sorry you had to see that," she whispered to Jake. "Don't worry about paying for the milkshake."
Jake laughed softly. "Don't apologize for something that's his fault. And it's a milkshake, I can buy it."
She smiled at him and shook her head, almost like she was shaking off the bad things that just happened. "It's $2.75." As Jake fished out the money, Monroe noticed that Brant was staring at her, almost in a dreamlike way.
"Sorry, it's all change," Jake said, grinning at her.
Her eyes got big as she saw the mountain of quarters, nickels and dimes on the counter. "This can't be only $2.75."
"Keep the change," he smiled, taking his milkshake and walking away. As he moved, he pulled Brant out of his stare and into a light blush as he realized what he had been doing.
"It was nice meeting you," Monroe smiled at Brant, waving as they walked out the door.
Brant turned and smiled, "It was nice meeting you, too."
Although it was late morning, Bluewater's beaches were still only up to half of their normal capacity. Many teenagers were still in bed, or at least inside, lounging around in their picture perfect doll houses until late afternoon, when the real parties began.
Monroe Kale was the exception. She was sitting in Mrs. Hoffman's shop, nearly hiding behind the chest of ice cream, her head resting on the freezer.
Monroe was an unusual girl. In front of her parents, she acted sweet, innocent and mature, but she easily changed when she was around her friends. Her acts were done so well that most couldn't even recognize her when she was with the opposite group. Some of her friends didn't even know which side of Monroe was the act and which was the girl.
"Jilly Roe?!" a high pitched voice called from the opening door. A small and pixie like blonde pranced inside, her curls bouncing with each step. "Why are you working on the first day of summer?"
"My parents can't afford me, Sam," Monroe chuckled. Her claim was untrue, though. Her parents both owned separate franchises, which were multi-million dollar companies. She had the largest house on the beach, and the garage full of sports cars and the closet full of clothes to prove it. Still, she didn't like showing off. She knew that if she needed money, or anything for that matter, she could always just ask. But she liked being able to work for herself.
"Whatever, silly-nilly Jilly Roe." Sam smiled and looked at the chest of ice cream, rubbing her flawless and flat stomach. "I don't need this, Roe. Don't let me do this, Jilly Roe."
Monroe smiled and grabbed the sample spoon and got a taste of the new flavor, "Chocolate Macchiato" and handed it to Sam. "Don't worry, you know that you'll throw up your entire small intestine at the party tonight, this will come up with it," she joked, watching her grimace at the spoon.
Finally giving in, Sam took the small spoon and put it in her mouth. She let out a loud moan and smiled widely. "Holy shit! Who needs boys when you can buy things like this?"
"Do you want that in a waffle cone or a regular sprinkle coated cone?"
"Waffle," Sam mumbled dreamily, gazing at the empty spoon longingly. She suddenly perked up and looked at Monroe thoughtfully. "You know that new kid?"
Monroe looked up from the freezer and shook her head. "I knew that he was coming to live with the Leibold's for the summer. Trent told me that he was kicked out of his parent's house. Why?"
"I met him last night." Her expression had a hint of secrecy in it as she glanced up at her best friend.
"You met him or you made out with him?" Monroe asked, not really interested in the story. Usually, they all were pointless and weren't even interesting.
"I met him, but I wanted to, but Derek Prattson got to me first." Her expression faded to a dreamy one, which she snapped out of in a minute. "He was so cute. In a little boy way."
"The new kid's a little boy?" Monroe looked up and rose her left eye brow.
"No. Definitely not. He's just got this weird, innocence about him. And he seems pretty cool. He was actually hanging around your boyfriend."
Monroe rolled her eyes to hide the hurt and put on a sarcastic tone. "Ooh, goody." Monroe's boyfriend was Trenton Bentley. He was the stereotypical jock. He had blond hair and blue eyes, huge muscles, and an ego the size of Saturn, but usually only when sports were being played. But lately, he had changed into someone that Monroe didn't know. And in turn, that made her change when she was around him. Sure, they still made out at parties and after the movies, but they weren't as close as they used to be, and it was killing Monroe.
"Hey, don't worry about Trent. He's been really stressed lately. I mean, he has to take summer school and stuff so he can get that scholarship for football."
"I know," Monroe said, sitting back down. "It's just, I still want him, and he doesn't really want me anymore."
Sam shrugged. "It'll work out."
Just as Monroe opened her mouth to say something negative in response, the door opened again, and three guys walked in, all dripping wet and suntanned. "Speak of the devils, and they shall appear."
Trenton, his best friend, Jake Paulson and an unknown teen were at the door, still drying off from their obvious beach adventure. "Isn't it a little early for you, Hemmer?" Trenton asked Sam, teasing as she examined his sculpted body up and down. "I heard you had a late night."
She laughed sarcastically and put some money on the counter for her half eaten ice cream. "I'm gonna go before The Three Stooges make their heads explode by thinking to hard about what kind of ice cream they want," Sam said, her words sharp as ice, but her face as soft as satin. "I'll call you tonight, Jilly Roe." She turned and walked away, stepping around the boys puddles of water.
Monroe inwardly groaned as she was left alone with the three of them.
"What's your favorite?" Trenton asked, leaning on the counter and winking at Monroe.
"You know I don't eat this crap."
"I'm treating you to lunch today," he said, cocking his head to the side and flashing Monroe a toothy grin. "I know you work till 4, but still, we can eat in here."
Monroe shook her head. "I miss the days when you used to actually ask," she said sarcastically, looking down at the counter and chipping off a bit of dried ice cream. "But I don't really want to. Mrs. Hoffman could use some help cleaning, and I might as well work the whole shift."
"So? She can clean on her own."
Monroe rolled her eyes. "Well I actually like helping people. Unlike some asshole I know."
Trent smiled. "I wonder who that could be?"
"Well while you two love birds do your mating ritual, can I get a chocolate milkshake?" Jake asked, stepping forward, drawing Monroe's attention.
"Of course, Jake."
"So, who's your new friend?" Monroe asked as her back was to the three boys. Even though she wasn't looking, she knew Trent's nostrils flared up at the mention of the new boy.
"I'm Brant Leibold."
Monroe turned her head to look at him. "You really should find some new friends," she jokes, looking at Jake and Trent with a goofy smile.
Trent rolled his eyes. "Like who? You?"
Monroe turned back around and finished making the milkshake. As she handed Jake the cup, she looked at Trent. "I'm going to Kaylee's party tonight."
"Duh. You go to all the parties."
She sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'm telling you so maybe you could ask me if I wanted to go with you. And not just assume that we're gonna hook up when I get there and that everything will be fine and dandy in the morning," she said, her words growing in volume as she felt more confident.
Trent made a face and shook his head. "What has gotten into you lately? You're so uptight and selfish."
Monroe's mouth dropped open. "I'm the selfish one?"
Trent nodded, his icy eyes staring into Monroe's. "You want everything your way; you don't ask me what I want anymore."
"Because you make it so God damn obvious about what you want!" Monroe's argument turned into a full yelling match, but on the inside, beneath the anger, she was hurting.
"You're such a bitch," Trent said, glaring at her. He started walking away from the counter, and paused when he got to the door, "I don't know what I see in you anymore," he added.
Jake and Brant stood awkwardly by the counter as Monroe reacted to his last statements. She bit her lip and sniffed in her nose, trying to fight back the tears getting ready to spill out. She was used to Trent yelling, but not in front of people. "I'm sorry you had to see that," she whispered to Jake. "Don't worry about paying for the milkshake."
Jake laughed softly. "Don't apologize for something that's his fault. And it's a milkshake, I can buy it."
She smiled at him and shook her head, almost like she was shaking off the bad things that just happened. "It's $2.75." As Jake fished out the money, Monroe noticed that Brant was staring at her, almost in a dreamlike way.
"Sorry, it's all change," Jake said, grinning at her.
Her eyes got big as she saw the mountain of quarters, nickels and dimes on the counter. "This can't be only $2.75."
"Keep the change," he smiled, taking his milkshake and walking away. As he moved, he pulled Brant out of his stare and into a light blush as he realized what he had been doing.
"It was nice meeting you," Monroe smiled at Brant, waving as they walked out the door.
Brant turned and smiled, "It was nice meeting you, too."