The Girl in the Striped Bikini

The Girl in the Striped Bikini

 

Chapter One

 

Cale Morrison

　

　

    The grains of sand that were stuck to the bottom of my shoes said it all; it was summer. Although my mother didn’t like us tracking sand into the condo we rented every summer, it was pretty much inevitable when the condo was just steps away from the hot sand that led to the shoreline. Being the good son I always tried to be, I kicked most of the sand off at the welcome mat. My efforts will be deemed short-lived though. In a matter of two days, the sand will be a permanent feature I hold until my family and I pack up and head back to Alabama in two months.

    “Cale, can you give your father a hand with the suitcases?” asks my mother, Linda, shooting me a glare.

    I wince and turn back and head to the car. I had been so excited to be here I had nearly forgotten about the piles of luggage in the trunk of our car we had barely managed to fit prior to our trip. “Grab that bag near the back, I think that’s your mother's,” my dad orders as he grabs two suitcases, and struggles to the porch steps.

    Once all the suitcases were brought in, and all the clothes were put away in their rightful places, I settle into the room I every year claim as mine. The familiar smell of the air freshener that I had nothing short but come accustomed to, invaded the air around me as I go to sit on the twin bed. Everything seems the way it was when I left it last. Same comforter set, same curtains, same hardwood floor, same everything.

    My family and I had been coming to Huntington Beach every year for as long as I can remember. We always rent in the same exact neighborhood, and the same exact condo. Never even the one next door, just to spice things up a little. I know I shouldn’t complain though, I’m lucky enough as it is to visit California in the first place. I just wish I could see something new.

    I hear a knock on the door, but before I can respond, the door flies open. “Cale, mom said to get cleaned up and changed; we’re going out to eat in an hour,” says my twin sister, Carmen.

    Even though Carmen is my twin, we look nothing alike. I know what you’re thinking, Well duh, you’re a guy and she’s a girl. It goes much farther than that, different hair color, skin tone, and eye color. As far as our personalities go; we couldn’t be more different. But despite our differences, we’re pretty close, as far as siblings go. She’s also the only girl, besides my mom, that I’ve ever been close to. Pathetic, I know.

    I’ve talked to girls before, don’t get me wrong, I’m not that big of a freak. I’ve just never had a girl friend, or a girl that’s just a friend. I get awkward, and nervous around girls, and that usually scares them off pretty fast. I have friends though, if that’s what your wondering. Just guys though. They all feel sorry for me on my lack of girls in my life, but they mostly keep it to themselves. They’ve all tried to set me up with girls before, but after the dates are over, I never hear from them again.

    After I was finally ready to go, it took me all of twenty minutes, I head out onto the back deck. It would take at least another hour and half before mom and Carmen were actually ready. They were fooling themselves into believing they could actually be ready in an hour. Carmen is too much of a girly girl to go out on the town after traveling all day without getting ready.

    The beach was tempting me, I hadn’t been on it in a year. I would have plenty of time to walk the beach a little before we head out, surely. I then slip my flip flops off and leave them on the deck.

    When my feet hit the sand, they were set on fire. I quickly tread down the sand, trying to hurry to the coolness of the water. Relief washed over me when I finally reached the point where the sand started to cool. I slow my pace and take in the view. There were a few families on beach now, but not many. The beach the mostly invaded the groups of teenagers who were either tanning, surfing, body boarding, or just horsing around.

    I was in a daze when it happened, a body board rushed up and hit my leg, snapping me out of it. “Oh, I’m sorry. It got away from me,” says a girl, grabbing the board and placing it under her arm.

    It was happening again. I was choking on my words. It was even worse this time for the simple fact that this girl was beautiful. Long, sandy blonde curly hair reaching to the middle of her back. Her skin was tan, really tan. She must be a local. From what I could see her eyes were a pretty shade of blue. There were freckles on her nose, but they were barely noticeable through her tan. She was wearing a striped bikini, it was brown, pink, green, and orange; it looked perfect on her. It made the tan she was sporting look even better.

    She was smiling at me expectantly, obviously waiting for me to say something back. But I couldn’t. The words were lost. Another second goes by, and she looks at me curiously. “Um well, bye,” she says and walks away.

    I am such an idiot. For once in my life, why couldn’t I have opened my mouth and said something? I stalked off, angry at myself. I walked up and down the beach with my hands in my pockets for another thirty minutes thinking. Thinking about I how I wanted to be different, confident, and not shy around the opposite sex.

    At that moment, I became determined. Determined to make this the best summer ever, and change myself for the better. Determined to gather the courage; the courage to talk to the girl in the striped bikini.

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So, what did you all think? Did you like it and want me to continue? I know not alot happens in this chapter, but I know where I wanna go with this and it will get better. So, let me know what you think and whether or not you want more.

If you like it be sure to VOTE, COMMENT, AND FAN!! :)

Thank you for reading!

-Kelly

PS: Please note that this is a first draft, so it is not perfect. Any mistakes will be fixed when I have time.