If today is the start of a new me, I should make a new impression.
I rummage through my drawer and pull out a different bikini.
The skimpiest one I own.
Before I started high school, I told Mom I wanted to look a little more, um, polished, I guess is the word, so she totally pampered me. I got polished, scrubbed, and massaged from head to toe. My hair is naturally a dark blonde, but the salt water and sun make all the light blonde highlights come out, so my long hair just got trimmed. I got lessons on how to apply makeup and how to fix my hair. My braces came off, and my teeth got whitened. I don’t need glasses, but Mom even let me get cool colored contacts, so I can change the color of my eyes from a piercing turquoise blue to a bright emerald green. I usually don’t wear them, though. My eyes are naturally kind of a bright purplish-blue, an exact replica of my dad’s. And, I don’t know, seeing them helps me feel like he’s still kinda with me.
I think about how much I’ve grown in the time I’ve known Brooklyn.
I now stand five foot nine inches tall. I’m tan and in good shape from a combination of surfing, kickboxing workouts with Tommy, dance classes, and soccer practices.
I bought this bikini a few years ago in France. It was the bikini I always pictured myself wearing in the scenes I wrote. I thought that if Brooklyn saw me in this bikini, he’d stop thinking of me as a little girl and see me as the woman I thought I was.
I chuckle to myself because wearing this bikini is a slam to all that Vanessa holds dear. She would have a fit if she knew I was being seen in a two-year-old bikini.
You know, always worrying about what people think of what you’re wearing can be exhausting sometimes.
And, let’s face it, most boys don’t know if you’re in last season’s bikini or not.
My phone dings and dings. I grab it. Read the texts and Facebook notifications.
Vanessa: WTF! Why in the world would you break up with Sander? He’s the fucking PROM KING!! Do you know how hard we’ve worked for this? And you want to throw it all away?
Vanessa: Fine. So yes, I was hitting on him last night, but I was just doing it because I’m your friend. Wanted to make sure he wasn’t the kind of slime ball that would take me up on it. He passed. Oh, and by the way, I’m still sitting at his table even if you aren’t. Like no hard feelings.
RiAnne: I can’t believe you actually did it! Broke up with the PROM KING the day after the prom? Who does that?
RiAnne: OMG! Where are you going to sit?
I don’t bother to reply. Shouldn’t they ask if I’m okay? Shouldn’t they care more about me than their spot at a lunch table?
My phone buzzes again.
Cush: You’re single. I’m single. Let’s mingle.
His text makes me laugh. Typical Cush.
Me: Mingle? Is that your classier version of Let’s hook up?
Cush: Trying to class it up for you, baby. Hang tonight?
Me: Have plans, but need your support at school on Monday. The bffs are pissed I broke up with Sander. They didn’t even ask how I am. Just wanted to let me know that they are still gonna sit at our lunch table even if I can’t anymore.
Cush: Deal. But I have a favor.
Me: If you say sexual, I’m gonna scream.
Cush: Oh, the visuals. I would definitely make you scream ;) But that’s not the favor. It’s that time again.
Me: Your dad in town?
Cush has one of those dads whom he both idolizes and hates. Last year, he asked me to go to dinner with them. His dad was newly engaged to a thirty-year-old woman. He’s been engaged twice since, each fiancée younger than the first. I’ve joined them for dinner every month since.
Cush: He broke off the engagement with Juliette. Has a new one for me to meet. This one’s probably still in diapers.
Me: Of course I’ll go.
Cush: Pick you up at 7. Look hot. It’ll distract him.
Me: You’re bad.
Cush: Most girls tell me I’m good. Wanna find out?
I just want you.
9:10am
I walk out onto the deck, grab my board, and head down the beach. Brooklyn’s back is to me, but Mark notices me. He lets out a whistle, but I can tell by his goofy grin that he’s just giving me shit. They treat me like one of the guys, which is probably why I love hanging out with them. They are just so chill about everything.
And high most the time, too, but whatever.
Damian looks up from waxing his board and gives me a wave, then Brooklyn turns around and looks at me. His look is like something out of a movie.
FADE IN: MALIBU BEACH
A FEW PEOPLE ARE SCATTERED ON THE UPSCALE PRIVATE BEACH OF THE MALIBU COLONY. PAN SCENE OF THE GORGEOUS HOMES LINING THE BEACH.
A group of boys are preparing to surf. A blonde girl walks down the beach to join them. She is in a very skimpy bikini. A couple of the boys greet her.