So, I want to let you guys know before you read that this is an Alex/OC. I always feel like you can do so much more with an OC.

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She had no idea how she ended up here. She's been asking herself the same questions for the past week and a half; How the fuck did she end up in smelly old house with no one for company but her obnoxious older brother and seventy-two year old aunt? Why was she forced to see a counselor every goddamn Thursday afternoon? And why in the world was her wand all the way back in New York? In a way, she understands why her parents wanted the summer to themselves. Especially after last summer, when they tried the traditional "family vacation" and Alex made the mistake of wishing her parents had never met.

But, that's a whole other story. And she fixed that problem, didn't she? She sighed, and flicked through the whole twelve channels this television had.

"I'm going swimming," Justin said as he walked in the living room where Alex was, grabbing his swim trunks that were hanging off the chair.

Alex smiled sarcastically, "Good for you."

He sighed, "I was going to see if you wanted to come. I thought it might be good for you instead of just sitting around watching Jeopardy." He pointed to the television screen.

Alex scoffed, "It's not my fault this woman doesn't have cable!"

He rolled his eyes, "Alex, we're staying at a house that's on a lake. You don't need cable when you got that."

"Yeah, because lakes are so fascinating!" She said with fake enthusiasm, "And maybe, when we're done swimming in the lake, we can go hiking in the forest! You know, the forest, the only thing that's around us."

Just sighed heavily and simply shrugged his shoulders, "Whatever, I tried. But really, you should get out of the house."

"Well, I could make things a little more interesting around here if I had my wand.." She trailed off, her mind wandering to all the possibilities.

"And that's exactly why you don't have it," Justin shook his head disapprovingly.

Alex glared at her older brother, "Will you just go swimming already and leave me be?"

"Fine." He said coldly, gripping his swim trunks and walking out of the living room.

She sighed relief, "Finally." She mumbled to herself.

"Dear, you should really get out of the house."

Alex clutched the remote in her hand, not wanting to lose control of herself. She wanted to be left alone, that was all. She was sick of getting these lectures everyday. She was sick of everyone trying to get her to get up and go out. She was in fucking Missouri. What do these people expect her to do?

"I'm not feeling well," She lied through her teeth as her aunt smiled falsely at her. She may be old, but she's not oblivious to everything just yet. She was not buying it.

"How about me and you go into town today? Get some lunch?" Her aunt was trying so hard, and Alex felt guilt rising in her stomach.

She inwardly groaned. "Sure, Ruth." She smiled, "I just have to take a shower."

"Of course," She smiled. "Let your brother know, I'm sure he'd be delighted to join us." She looked out the window, seeing Justin jumping from the dock and into the lake. She smiled. "He's up for anything, that boy."

"Yep, he's a real catch." Alex smirked, rolling her eyes as her aunt turned in the opposite direction. Yes, she realizes how much of a better person Justin is then her, no need to subtly hint at it.

She decided that she couldn't just sit there any longer watching a bunch of dumbasses get the wrong answers on Jeopardy. She had to get up, she had to get dressed. She did say that she'd go to lunch with Ruth and Justin. And she didn't have the heart to come up with yet again, another excuse as to why she couldn't spend a little bit of time with her aging aunt.

She stood up from the couch, and sprinted up the stairs into her temporary bedroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and shrugged. She was clean enough, no need to take another shower. As she threw on an outfit that definitely did not match anything these people in this tiny town wore, her phone started to vibrate uncontrollably. With only one leg put through her black leggings, she hopped over to her nightstand where her cellphone was sitting.

She looked at the caller I.D. It was Max.

"Hey, loser." She grinned, holding the cellphone between her shoulder and her ear as she continued to put the rest of her leggings on.

"Alex?" He questioned.

"Uh, yes?"

"Oh.. I meant to call mom."

She rolled her eyes at his stupidity. "Nice, Max. How's camp?"

"It's awesome! There's this guy who -"

"Yeah, that's really great." She cut him off, not wanting to listen to him ramble on for hours. "But, I'm sort of stuck going out to lunch with Aunt Ruth," She groaned, "Let's finish this conversation some other time."

"Okay! See ya, sis."

She hung up the phone, and laughed a bit. She actually missed her younger brother. Well, she had to admit, he was a lot more entertaining then Justin..

Thinking of her older brother, she remembered that she was supposed to tell him about lunch. She peered out of her window, and saw him standing out on the dock, wrapping his towel around himself.

She ran down the stairs and out the door, "Justin!" She called from the beginning of the dock. "We're going into town, so get dry. And put a shirt on. Trust me, no one wants to see that."

He rolled his eyes, but overall ignored the jab. "You're actually leaving the house?!" He called back to her.

Alex folded her arms across her chest and turned back into the house, she wasn't going to answer that.

"This is lovely," Ruth exclaimed, sitting down at a cute little café, both Alex and Justin sitting across from her.

Justin smiled, "Yeah, it's really nice. Have you ever been here before, Ruth?"

"Have you ever been here before, Ruth?" Alex quietly mocked, loud enough for only Justin to here as she looked through the menu. She grinned as she felt Justin's glares.

Ruth nodded, "Of course. In a town like this, I've been everywhere." She laughed, as did Justin.

"Very true," He smiled, now picking up his own menu and scanning through it.

Alex set her menu down, "Do you think if I asked, they'd make me a double bacon cheeseburger?"

Her only response was skeptical stares from both Ruth and Justin.

She pursed her lips and picked up her menu once again, "I guess I'll keep looking.."

"I am so full from that," Ruth chuckled, walking out of the café.

"Oh, yeah, that salad was so filling," Alex said sarcastically. Luckily, only Justin caught on, and he made sure that she knew that.

He shot her a glare, "Anyways, Ruth. Is there anything else you'd like to do?"

Alex rolled her eyes, annoyed at how much of a suck-up Justin was being.

"Well, there's this adorable little boutique.. Alex," She smiled at her niece, "I think you'd really like it."

Alex mustered up the best smile she could, "Oh, can't wait!" She clapped her hands together.

Justin sighed, as they continued on their way to the boutique.

"Oh, here it is!" Ruth exclaimed, stopping in front of petite little shop with the words "Darla's Boutique" written across it.

"Sounds like a winner," Alex mumbled, crossing her arms and reluctantly following her aunt inside.

While she was looking at a piece of fabric that was apparently supposed to be a shirt, her eyes wandered to across the street. She noticed a little souvenir shop (why anyone would want souvenirs from here, she had no idea) and she also noticed the boy who was working there.

She bit her lip, looking around to see where her family members were. No sight of them. Quickly, she ran out of the boutique and across the street. She patted her hair down before walking into the souvenir shop, trying her best to make sure it wasn't frizzy.

She opened the door, and as she did so the little bell on the top rang. The boy, who might as well been one of the most gorgeous creatures she had ever seen, smiled right at her and said something like, "Welcome to Sullivan's Souvenir Shop.." Blah, blah, blah. She was too fixated on that smile.

He was about three feet taller then her, with dark brown hair and gorgeous blue eyes. He was tan from being out in the sun, but she took note to how his cheeks received the most color. She took a deep breath, she needed to play this off right.

"I'm not really looking for a souvenir.." She said, and his face crinkled in confusion.

He chuckled, "Well, I think you're in the wrong shop then."

She smiled, "Well, actually, I saw you in here, and you seem to be the only person my age in this entire town." She laughed, "Well, that I've seen, anyways."

"Don't tell me you're on vacation here.." He said, his voice showing pity.

She scoffed, "No way. I'm here visiting my aunt for the summer. Fun, huh?"

He grinned, "Loads."

"So.." She started, "What's there to do around here?"

"Honestly, nothing." He shrugged, "It's not too bad, though. I jet ski when I'm bored, and I work here. So, that takes up some time. And since it's summer, there's a lot of parties down by the lakes."

"Really?" She asked, now one hundred percent interested. "I've never jet skied or been to a party by a lake."

The boy grinned, "I guess I'm gonna have to change that then, huh?"

Alex smirked, "I guess you are."

"Oh," He said, reaching his hand out to hers, "I'm Derek, by the way."

She reached her hand to his and smiled, "I'm -"

"- Alex!"

She spun her head quickly around, seeing a flustered looking Justin.

"We've been looking everywhere for you!"

She bit her lip, "Sorry?"

Justin simply sighed, "Come on, Ruth is getting tired and if I have to look at one more antique I think I might hitchhike back to New York." He complained, shaking his head at the thought of it.

Alex grinned, "That's the best idea you've had so far!"

"Yeah, yeah." He dismissed it, "Let's go."

She turned around to face the boy once more, "So, I'll see you around?"

"Definitely." He smiled, "See ya, Alex."

Just something that kind of popped into my mind as I'm home sick with a virus... Hope you like it so far, anyways! Leave your thoughts :)