Hate at High Tide

Chapter 1 - Sophie

          Between the pointless chatter of my classmates and the partly cloudy weather outside, there is nothing remarkable about today. The usual blend of my teacher's lecture and a cool breeze flowing through the classroom's window aligns perfectly with the calender's announcement that it is April, nothing about it grabbing my attention. I am about to keep my head down, watching my hand outline equations half-heartedly on a piece of paper, until I spot the one person who always makes the most casual day of the year something special.

My brother stands in the hallway of the school's corridor, his dirty sneakers toeing the line of the classroom doorway while his brown eyes scan the faces of the students as if it was normal behavior for him to do. It might have been normal for any other student, but he isn't a student at my high school. Hayden dropped out of high school two years ago to work full time and take care of our family, only ever stepping foot on campus for one reason.

"What are you waiting for?" He grins once he finally spies me watching him. His words break my surprise, pulling a similar amused look onto my own face. I rush to stand up from my desk and push my organized school supplies into my backpack.

"Excuse you, class is not dismissed." I continue to move as if I don't even hear my teacher. "Hey! Sophie, don't you dare leave!" I wave apologetically behind my back as I charge out the door, wincing at her angry demands.

Hayden pulls my hand, hurrying me away and shutting the door to the classroom behind us. Across the hallway is Rowan, our friend and Hayden's mischievous partner with this yearly scheme, leaning against a locker with his motorcycle helmet in his hand.

When the two biggest troublemakers in the city pull you out of class, it only ever means one thing: today is the first day of the surf. Every year since middle school, the two boys have picked a random day of spring to declare the start of our summer, plucking each of us out of our classes and charging towards the beach. I don't doubt that our boards are already packed into the back of Hayden's old Ford pickup truck, waiting to greet the waves of our favorite beach.

"Took you long enough," Rowan's deep chuckle causes his blonde shaggy hair to drop in front of his eyes. Rowan always has a slouched posture, calm in situations that warrant worry, but his composed body language falls apart when he hears Leilani sprinting down the hall. My best friend shoves Rowan's chest backwards until he knocks into the locker, his smile only growing at the contact. Her fiery energy makes up for the height she lacks, ridiculing Rowan's delinquent choices.

"You chose the day I had a chemistry test? Seriously?" Her green eyes glare even as he grabs her wrist in his tattooed hand, dragging her behind him as he bolts farther down the hall to the class of our last rule breaker.

"Sanders! You're going to be the death of me!" Our principal attempts to block us in the hallway, eyes narrowing at the teenage boy who's been a pain in his ass even after he stopped being a student here.

Rio stumbles out of his classroom, his backpack slung over one of his shoulders. The principal takes a few steps to stand between us and Rio, failing to catch him as he tears away from the classroom he was in moments before. There's an eagerness fueling Rio's steps as he catches sight of Hayden, pushing under the principal's outstretched arms to the sound of our cheers.

"Not the reason for your death, Mr. Montgomery," Rio pants, yelling loud enough for his voice to echo against the lockers, traveling to the principal behind him. "Just your balding!"

Hayden locks his arm around Rio's neck as a way of greeting, matching grins on all of our faces as we quickly redirect ourselves and run in the opposite direction. Chasing each other down the emergency escape staircase, my body is buzzing with excitement. The boys are pushing and shoving each other down the stairs while Leilani cusses them all out, everything about the routine is made entertaining. Consequences be damned, our tradition takes us to the beach every year, where I can do my favorite activity with the people I love.