" Good morning and welcome to the dining room, I'm your waitress, Lo, and ill be getting your food or whatever…" Lo said, as enthusiastic as she could manage on a Friday morning. She had her ordering pad and paper in hand and a deadpan expression on her face. The whole sucking-up-to-daddy-to-get-out-of-work thing hadn't been going so well, and for now Lo had resigned herself to just trudge through each day (and taking any chance she could to slack off of course). Just don't expect her to be happy about it.
" Well looks like somebody forgot to take their jolly pills this morning" Ty took the menu that had been obscuring his face away, revealing a smug smile.
" I think I want a super deluxe, chocolate covered waffle with two scoops of ice cream, one vanilla and one strawberry, with chopped nuts and sliced bananas aaaaand whipped cream on top" George had tagged along too, always happy to visit his sister at work
"And make it snappy, wench"
"Ugh, why cant you guys just order room service" Lo grumbled, casually hitting George lightly over the head with a menu for calling her a wench. George was about to try and strike back, but was cut off by an attractive blonde girl walking up to the three at their table.
" Hey Ty" She cooed in a chirpy, sugar coated way " Ive been looking for you everywhere this morning!" The girl flipped her hair and showed off her pearly white teeth in a full capacity smile. "Like, what're you doing here?" She gestured around the pirate themed restaurant "This place is like, sooo lame. I mean I know your dad owns it and all, but you should totally come down by the coffee shop for breakfast some time" She paused for another hair flip " That's where I get my breakfast". Gosh, Lo thought, don't be too subtle now…
Ty laughed and nodded "Yeah I know, have you seen the dancing whale in the lobby? Soo lame" He then gestured to Lo "But seeing my baby sister in that...lovely…uniform, is worth the tacky décor and sub-par food" He flashed a toothy grin at Lo, who stuck out her tongue in return.
The girl finally turned and noticed Lo's presence, having been too distracted by the fact Ty was wearing a tight singlet today "Oh, hey Lo…"
"….Hi Brittany" Lo hardly even tried to put any enthusiasm in her voice. Brittany Davis was the most popular senior at the local high school, and Ty's classmate slash devoted wannabe girlfriend. She was good looking (in a caked on makeup, fake tan kinda way) rich and totally spoilt. The only thing that marked her as different to Lo was the slutty reputation and major bitch streak. Lo had considered her a friend, once. It was around the point when Brittany almost completely ignored Lo, just to hang out with Ty, that Lo got sick of her. She'd come round the penthouse after school to watch TV, she'd ask if Ty wanted to watch too. They were going to a party, did Ty want to come? Lo would have a sleepover, and Brittany would totally end up in someone else's sleeping bag…
Lo didn't want friends who valued a boy's attention, especially her brothers, than their friendship.
" I don't see you round much anymore" The harpy spoke, a forced smile. Brittany hadn't taken to the rejection well.
" Ever since your party in fact…" She smiled and did a quick one-up on Lo's wench uniform, obviously enjoying the view. Seeing Lo taken down a peg was a past time of Brittany's. She flipped her hair again ( Lo counted this as the third time in the last minute) to re-focus on Ty.
"So your defs coming to my party tonight? Its gonna be epic, no doubt" That mega-watt smile had reappeared and her hand had snaked its way to Ty's shoulder. " Ide be so upset if you don't come" She fake pouted in what she obviously thought was a cute way. Lo rolled her eyes in a very un-subtly and George fake gagged in the background.
"Sure, wouldn't miss it" Ty smiled back. Ignoring his younger siblings in the background.
"Oh, and you can come too Lo, everyone's invited, so bring friends" and with that, she bounced off out of the dining room. Bleach blonde hair flying out behind her as it got flipped yet again.
"And you can come too Lo~" Lo mimicked in a high-pitched voice as soon as Brittany was out of earshot." Oh my god. It is so obvious she's only throwing this party to upstage me!" Ty raised an eyebrow. " She was so jealous when everyone was raving about my party .She just has to try and out do me every time" Lo huffed and pulled out a chair, sitting down at the table. Seemingly not bothered with the fact she still had to work. "And how can you stand her pawing over you like that? Its gross" Ty smiled.
"I'm used to it" he said, some what proud of himself (not everyone was fawned over by girls like Ty was) "And c'mon, you could do with some loosening up. You've been so moody lately, what with the job and all. A party would do you some good,"
Lo took in her brothers words and gave it some thought. She had been pretty unpleasant recently, not that she'd admit he was right.
"Ugh, whatever, But you would be moody too if you had to do this all day" Lo gestured around her and then slumped back onto the table, arms folded. An Elderly gentleman, having his breakfast at the table across from them, tried to get her attention.
"Um, excuse me, miss? Could I please get…"
"In a minute!" Lo snapped.
"Yeah, it looks like your working pretty hard…" George piped in sarcastically as the old man scowled and muttered something about the loss of good old fashioned service nowdays.
"Besides, you could bring all the other groms with you. Brittany said everyone was invited"
Ty gave a sideways glance to his sister from above the top of the menu.
"Plus, I think that red head chick your always hanging with is into me"
Lo snapped her head up like a flash.
"Oh no, don't you dare! I wont let you anywhere near Emma. No way, no how. That's just wrong!"
"So she is into me?" Ty smiled questioningly.
"Well duh" George was bored and had started carving his name into the wooden table with a fork, but he felt it necessary to add this in. Rightfully so as well. I mean it wasn't as if Emma had been subtle with her affections…" She's been begging for it since she met you" said George, as he scratched out a square looking O.
"Please, she only likes you because she doesn't know what a jerk you are" Lo snapped, annoyed at the smug grin he had plastered on his face. Lo did not know what girls saw in him. Emma, Brittany and countless other girls Lo had met ended up doe eyed towards her brother and frankly Lo was sick of it. Girls really had to look beyond the Ridgemount good looks for a change and see the Ty that Lo saw. Don't get me wrong, She loved her brother…deep, deep down...but that didn't excuse him from treating girls like crap (and stealing all her friends). Lo had seen many hearts broken by her brother, having not paid it that much attention before, however she drew the line when it came to her friends. So as long as she was around, Lo wouldn't let Ty get to Emma under any means.
"Whatever, you'd better get back to work before dad comes down to check on you" Ty handed Lo her order pad and pen, which he'd conveniently written down an order of scrambled eggs and bacon on.
"And don't forget my pancakes!" George added as he started on the G.
Lo started dragging herself back to the kitchen, in an even worse mood than when she'd started. Her brothers tended to have that effect on her.
" Seeya at the party then!" Ty called out chirpily, accompanied by a small wave.
"Ugh, not likely…"
Broseph, Fin and Reef were sprawled out on the sofas of the beach house deck. The sun had only begun to go down and they'd just come in from an after work surf session, and already they were bored out of their minds. The sun had only just begun to set and the sounds of crickets chirping and waves crashing against the shore could be heard. It was a gentle, calm atmosphere.
" I am so. Freakin'. Bored!" Reef threw his i-phone down fiercely onto the sofa beside him. There was only so long a boy like Reef could play consecutive games of solitaire (Having not won any) without snapping at some point. He flopped back down to lie on the couch, hands behind his head as he glared at the ceiling. Broseph let out a frustrated sigh.
"Dude, tell me about it"
A Large mosquito drifted lazily above the three teens, who watched it closely as it drifted closer and closer to the electric blue bug zapper that hung suspended from the porch ceiling. It dipped to the right, it fluttered back towards the stairs, it flew back towards them again and then back up towards the bug zapper. Three sets of eyes followed it intently until the little bloodsucker finally met its end, complete with the tiny electrocuting sound and then silence. Broseph turned to the other two after another good minute of that silence.
"Is it sad that that was the most exciting thing I've seen all day?"
"Yep"
"Thought so"
This was followed by another few minutes of silence.
"There's not even anything good on TV" said Fin, as she half-heartedly flicked through a three-week-old gossip magazine, before throwing it down on the coffee table where her feet were resting. Reef quirked an eyebrow at Fin.
"We have a TV?"
Fin pointed to a small retro looking TV set that sat in the open window, so it could be viewed from the couches on the deck. With its crooked antennae and wood panel front, it could be considered a pretty good TV really, y'know, back in the 70's. Reef looked unimpressed.
'Pfft, if it doesn't get cable, its not a TV" and he went back to glaring at the ceiling, as if he could somehow intimidate it into making something fun happen. Just then Emma and Lo walked up the stairs of the deck, having finally gotten off their shift.
"Hey, what took you so long? It's been like two hours since work finished?" Broseph asked as Lo flopped down on the couch next to him, exhausted.
"It was awful. Some brat had his pirate themed 7th birthday party in the dining room today. Imagine thirty pint sized scream machines, high on sugar and soda, running around and hitting you in the shins with their little plastic pirate swords!" Lo took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Broseph looked sympathetic and started to rub Lo's tense shoulders.
"Whoa, you need to chill girl"
"ugh, you have no idea how good that feels" Lo closed her eyes as she finally started to relax for what seemed the first time that day.
"Jealous much. Brosephs massages are heaven"
…. Everyone turned to look at Reef.
"…What? Cant a bro give another bro a neck massage without being judged? Jeez" Fin patted Reef gently on the head.
"Eh, they're just too close minded bro" Broseph smiled, un-phased as he continued to work on Lo.
"Settle down Leslie. No ones judging you" They so were. Reef sulked.
"Anywaaay…" Emma continued, after that awkward interlude "…it was more than awful. Two kids threw up, three food fights broke out and at least one kid had wet himself. We hoped the other puddles were just apple juice…" Grossed out faces all round. Emma sank into the couch next to fin.
"Hey, I can sympathise with you on the cleaning woes Alberta" Fin said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and giving a comforting one arm hug.
"Woooah, what's with the bummed out atmosphere 'round here?" Ripper and Lance announced their arrival as they rocked up to the deck.
"Just a hard day at work is all" Emma explained.
"That and we're totally bored!" Reef complained loudly for what seemed like the twelfth time in the last hour. Ripper smiled.
"Well then, I think I might have some news that could help solve both of those problems" He sat himself down on the arm of the couch nearest to Reefs feet.
"Me and Lance have been hearin' about this party a locals having tonight up at her dads mansion while he's out of town. From what I've heard its gonna' be a rager"
Lo's eyes snapped open.
"Yeah everyone's talking about it, its open house. It'll be off the hook!" Reefs eyes lit up as lance spoke.
"Oh I am so there!" Reef sat up and pumped his fists in the air. Glaring at that ceiling for so long had payed off. E looked at Fin, seeing if she was keen to go. She shrugged and smiled.
"Yeah, why not, beats anything we could do around here"
"True that" Broseph nodded, still attached to a silent Lo's shoulders.
'Wait so who's party is it exactly?" Emma piped up, eager but cautious, like the good girl she was. She didn't want to rock up to a party and then find out they weren't actually invited. Major embarrassment factor.
Lance and Ripper were about to reply, but were cut off before they could get a word out.
"Brittany. Davis…" The group stared as Lo managed to spit out the name through gritted teeth. No. No, no, no, no, no! Lo could see it all in her head. Ty would be after poor unsuspecting Emma, now that he'd figured out she liked him, while that harpy would be clawing all over Ty for his attention, which is gross to watch anyway and would only upset Emma aswell…and as if Lo wanted to give that harpy the impression that she even wanted to go to her stupid, lame, dumb party…
Broseph cautiously took his hands off Lo and rippers eyes widened slightly. She looked ready to slap the next thing that moved. Lance coughed to break the awkward silence.
"Uh, so. You heard about it already?"
"Yeah, Ty told me about this morning" As soon as the words came out of her mouth Lo could've slapped her self.
"Wait, Tys going!"
Lo grimaced at the sound of her friends over excited voice.
"Yeeeah…" Lo started cautiously. "But seriously Emma…" Lo would've continued to explain why going to this party was not a good idea, but she wasn't listening anymore.
"Im going!"
"So am I!" Reef all but yelled
"What the hell" Fin shrugged as she got up.
"Haven't been to a good party in awhile bro"
"That's the spirit groms!"
Everyone was eagerly heading inside to get ready when...
" HOLD IT!" everyone froze and swerved around to face a fuming Lo, who had jumped to her feet with hands on her hips. She fixed her gaze on Lance and Ripper, eyes narrowing. There eyes widened, taken back a bit by the usually calm girls outburst. Lo quickly got herself under control, she folded her arms and adopted what she hoped was a non-chalant tone. "I mean, what makes you so sure this parties gonna' be 'off the hook'? It's probably all hype anyway. I bet we'll get there and you'll want to leave after half an hour its that lame".
Reef rolled his eyes at the hold up. He honestly didn't care what the party was going to be like. Anything would be more exciting than what he could do here. Plus, he needed to get started on his hair soon if he wanted to look good for fin…I mean, for the party. Only for the party. "Well I guess were gonna have to find out if its lame or not when we get there then!".
"Yeah come on Lo" fin spoke up from next to reef " There's no harm in just checking it out right?" Lo gritted her teeth in frustration thinking that, yeah, there could be some major harm done at this party.
"I bet the music will be lame..." Lo started, weakly.
"I heard there's gonna be a DJ"
" Well the food will probably suck..."
"She's hired a catering company, buffet and all"
"…As if anybody will actually show up"
"Friend just texted me, he's already there and the place is already packed"
"godammnit!" All of Lo's half assed reasons not to go were quickly shot down by a quick-tongued Lance.
"Wait, so it's already started!" Reef grabbed the group's attention away from Lo and Lances arguing, "What are we waiting for? It's settled, were going!" A cheer went up as the group rushed upstairs to get ready. Lo didn't move as she pouted behind the rest of the group. She was Lauren Ridgemount, since when did people disagree with her? Broseph, who had been heading along with the others, decided to hang back.
"wassup!" He said lightly, trying to break the mood a bit. He slung his arm loosely over her shoulders. "I dunno the real reason you don't want to go out tonight-" Lo turned to look up at him, surprised he could see through her so well. "-and I don't mean any offence by this, but it seems to me like you could do with a good night out lately, ay?" Lo groaned inwardly, it was bad when two people told you too loosen up in one day. She really hoped she hadn't been that much of a pain all week. Brospeh smiled down her "Besides, wouldn't it be nice to go to a party where somebody else gets in trouble in the morning?" He added playfully. This got him a small slap on the arm from Lo, but she couldn't help the smile that crept up onto her face " hey! There we go, that wasn't too hard now was it?" He squeezed her around the shoulders affectionately before dropping his arm "Now go on upstairs, I know how long it takes you girls to get ready" Lo smiled and started up the stairs to her room. About half way up she paused and looked back.
"Hey Broseph?"
"yeah?"
"thanks"
"Anytime girl" Broseph smiled back as he watched her climb the rest of the stairs.