A/N - Hi there – thanks to Skylinebabe for her encouragement. Some familiar faces pop up in this chapter and beyond. Slow start, I know, but I wasn't going to throw us in the deep end with Z-Boys overload right away ;)
Another quickie, I'm basing this story on the characters, with not a lot of emphasis on actual dates so much as referring to specific events although I've tried my best to be accurate… this is far too long for a A/N at the start of a chapter hehe Please enjoy and I welcome all questions and comments. Cheers, RT.
"So, looks like you made it after all…" Tony said to himself, pushing some messy, curly, sun bleached hair from his face. He made a beeline for the tall brunette he'd met that afternoon as she entered the party at the Zephyr store later that night.
She had indeed found it as he predicted she would although she felt ridiculously out of place as soon as she had walked in, dressed in her high end fashion, compared to the locals in their scuffed jeans and sneakers. Abbey was close behind her, but choosing to stay back to be on the safe side.
In truth, they really had no idea what they were doing there. After being driven home by Marissa that evening after dinner, the girls made quick communication and organized how they'd get past their parents and keep their Saturday night plans in Dogtown (an area both girls were reminded to stay away from) a secret. They had enjoyed themselves that day and were actually interested in the competition although they were positive it surely wasn't for the dirty, sweaty boys and obnoxious girls though.
"Hey…" Tony purred as he met Ava and her friend.
"Hey," Ava said quietly. "How are you?"
"Good. It's Ava, right?" he smiled slyly, resting his hand on the small of her back, trying not to scare her. She nodded. "I love your accent. English?" he continued.
"Uhh, thanks," Ava frowned. She'd become accustomed to people making attempts at guessing her accent, but she was sure it certainly didn't sound British at the best of times. "Ahh no, Australian." She corrected as recollection of the country hit Tony's deep brown eyes. "This is my friend Abbey." Ava pointed at her.
"Abbey and Ava, should be easy to remember. Double A." He said thoughtfully. "I'll go get you both a beer." He said, darting away as the girls shrugged, moving further into the party. There were Z-Boys everywhere, the girls remembering a few from earlier in the day. Shogo Kubo, Wentzle Ruml, Bob Biniak. Ava took in the crowd, who thankfully didn't seem too phased by her and Abbey's presence, nor did she seem to notice anyone from her part of town.
"Think we're gonna get our asses kicked tonight?" Abbey wondered, noticing Ava probably keeping her eyes focused for the angry Mexican girl that had her number at the skate meet as a tall, stocky redhead boy cruised past, giving Abbey the once-over. "I think he tried to see through my clothes!" She hissed, astounded. "Is my hair okay?" she added in the same breath.
Ava nodded with a small giggle, tucking some of her friend's blonde bangs out of her brown eyes. "It looks lovely, Ab." She said, linking her arm through Abbey's. "If we make it out alive tonight, well… yeah, we've made it out alive. Argh!" she muttered as a tall blonde boy crashed into her after being pushed by the redhead boy who gave Abbey the eye seconds earlier.
"Red Dog!" the blonde boy exclaimed, stabilizing himself and the girl he'd almost knocked onto the dirty store floor. "Is it necessary for you to be a jerk all the time?" he asked before shaking his head, long blonde hair flicking against his tanned features. "I'm really sorry about that, are you both okay?" he frowned at his friend's previous actions.
"Well, you weren't holding a beer and my dress isn't ruined, I think you're in the clear." Ava mumbled, gently pulling away from the boy and checking herself for random stains, silently asking why she'd worn a light colour to a party – she knew better than that. "Thanks." She muttered.
"I don't drink that much." He said simply. "You're in luck, I suppose."
"Well, aren't you the straight guy?" Abbey taunted. "You skated today, right?"
"Yeah." He nodded. "I'm Stacy Peralta, I'm part of the Zephyr team." He offered his hand, choosing to ignore Abbey's sarcasm, he was widely familiar with the attitudes of the Malibu girls and surely didn't let it get to him. He took in the blonde and brunette before him – both cute, he noted.
"I'm Abbey," the blonde said. "And this is Ava."
"Ava…" Stacy broke into a huge grin, the name clearly familiar to him as he tucked some shoulder length hair behind his ear. "Blanca wanted to snap you like a twig earlier, right?" he didn't laugh but had certainly heard the story of Tony inviting her tonight then Blanca screaming obscenities when she caught them whispering, humour reflecting in his bright blue eyes. He crossed his arms over his chest, biting his lip, trying to hide the hilarity.
She blushed, Abbey laughing louder. "Yeah, that was her." Abbey nudged Ava playfully.
"Thanks, Ab." Ava snickered.
"No problem." She winked, unphased she'd dobbed her friend in.
"Well, anyway, was nice to meet you both. I'm going to find my girlfriend. Have a nice night." He said, wandering away with a chuckle to himself. Ava snickered, figuring it was probably because of her.
"He is really, really cute." Abbey said as she and Ava blatantly watched Stacy walk away, Abbey was pained that he was not available. "Who is this girlfriend?" Abbey and Ava's eyes kept watch as he approached a pretty Mexican girl in braids who fawning and pawing over a smaller blonde boy near the refreshments table. They looked… close, almost too close for friends. Abbey and Ava observed Stacy's face fell as the 3 shared quiet, yet obviously, heated words.
"Oh wow." Ava said, clutching her heart. "That isn't his girlfriend…anymore." she sighed sadly for Stacy as Tony came back over, forcing cold beers into their hands, distracting both.
"So, Ava, how about we go and talk somewhere?" he asked, suggestively.
"I, uh – " she looked back towards Stacy, the blonde boy and she assumed Stacy's now ex-girlfriend… but the boys were both gone, leaving the girl in the braids looking slight ashamed near the refreshments table, nervously twirling her hair around her slender fingers. "Umm," Ava forced her attention back to Tony. "Where is your psycho girlfriend who wanted to kick my ass earlier?" she spat out, sipping her beer.
Tony pushed the notion away with a chuckle. "Oh, baby, she's always on my case. But she's not my girlfriend. Just someone to knock boots with occasionally. She doesn't seem to get that it will never be more." He gave a cocky shrug.
"Oh, that's charming." Ava scoffed.
"Hey babe, let's not judge, huh?"
"You're a creep." Ava stated, walking away.
Tony shrugged, his gaze shifting. "So, Ally, why don't you and I find a nice, dark corner somewhere?" Tony barely blinked as Ava walked away, moving onto Abbey without a second thought.
"It's Abbey." she corrected, following her friend leaving Tony red-faced in the middle of the room, not wasting more than 10 seconds before moving onto another unsuspecting victim.
"This is just not my scene." Ava mumbled. "I'm ready to leave, Ab."
"Right behind you, babe." Abbey said, as they avoided party goers to escape the store. They saw Stacy again out front, leaning (or hiding, Ava figured, probably both) against a car, looking terribly upset. Ava sighed, giving Abbey the 'I'll be right back' glance. "Don't take too long, we clearly don't fit in around here." Ava gave her the car keys so she could wait in there.
Ava slowly moved over to Stacy. "Hey." She mumbled.
He looked up. "Oh, hey?" he frowned slightly, obviously unsure why the brunette he'd met only a little while earlier had appeared at his side.
"I, umm," she paused, feeling terribly silly suddenly. "Wow, I wish I thought about what I was going to say before I walked over here and bothered you." She blushed profusely, resisting the force in her hands to hide her face with them – she managed to keep them by her sides. Stacy gave her a confused shrug, not sure where this conversation was about to go. "Yeah, I kinda of saw what happened inside." She finished timidly.
"Oh." He looked tremendously embarrassed, lowering his eyes to his feet.
"It looked brutal; I just wanted to say I'm really, really sorry." She patted his arm, delicately not knowing if her words would help but surely hoping her sympathy wouldn't be lost on him. "You seem like a really nice guy and I'm sure that your girlfriend will soon realize this."
He nodded barely. "Thanks, I guess."
"Well, I'd better be going. My friend is waiting in the car. Good luck with your skateboarding, Stacy." She said heading back to Abbey, who was chatting to a short brunette boy who was telling her he'd 'just gotten laid for the first time', much to Abbey's mild amusement. "Yup, I'm a dumbass and we have to leave immediately." Ava said, mortified. "What the hell was I thinking going over to him like that?" she cursed to herself.
Abbey grinned, patting Ava's shoulder supportively, as Ava started her mother's Mercedes and the sound of Al Green filling the car. "Ava, one thing I've come to enjoy about you is your warm heart." Abbey adjusted the radio stations, amused. "You're going straight to heaven, sweetie." She giggled as Ava sighed and they made the trip back to Malibu.