Chapter 10- Watch Your Back

The sun shone brightly upon the Santa Carla beach, allowing dozens of people to enjoy it. The Boardwalk was also available, especially since it was never freezing cold or snowed during the supposed winter seasons. The cold was never a problem here and it only ended in attracting more people every day, both tourists and runaways. The rides and games that the Boardwalk provided were all functional, as people came about here and there. At the heart of the Boardwalk, certain souvenir shop was also functional, working from early morning to the late afternoon.

Kim was attending clients about which products they needed help, and her cousin, Jimmy, was at the front like always, making sure that no one stole Elizabeth's drawings. He also helped in assisting the customers on how to buy one of the masterpieces. It all seemed like a perfectly normal day, Kim and Jimmy were their usual selves, and Elizabeth would have been too, also assisting customers with her artwork. But at the moment Kim and Jimmy had everything under control, and Elizabeth simply looked out of the front store window, into the distance. She was lost in her thoughts about Ashley.

Why hasn't she been back? An entire week has gone by! I was so anxious for her to meet the boys and explain to her about what I am about to do. I don't know how long Max will wait for my decision or the fact that I am not the only one who knows about what they are. What if-

"Liz!"

Elizabeth immediately snapped out of her thoughts. She had not realized that Kim already called her name about four times, each time getting closer to her. Now she was facing her on the front counter, with a broomstick in one of her hands, indicating that she was done with the customers that came in. When did they leave?

"Let me guess, you're worried sick about Ashley?" Kim leaned onto the counter, placing the broomstick close by. Nothing escapes this girl.

"Yeah." Elizabeth replied sadly. "It's been a week already and she seemed so determined to see me again."

"Well, maybe something came up and she hasn't been able to come. She and your mom did recently move here after all." Kim reason.

"My mother…" Elizabeth stated a bit coldly, but then she looked startled. "What if she forbid her to go out?"

"Forbid her? What is this, the middle ages?" Kim chuckled. "Is she that bad?"

"With me she was super strict." Elizabeth stated. "Although she did say that she isn't with her."

"Well then, stop worrying! If she had to wait for you to appear again after two years, you can do the same, right?" Kim asked with light humor.

"You're not helping." Elizabeth said with mock seriousness in her voice.

"Fine, fine! But don't sweat it! She's bound to meet Marko and the rest of the Lost Boys at one point." Kim patted Elizabeth lightly on the shoulder.

"That's also something I'm worried about." Elizabeth admitted, looking again into the distance of the front store window showing the sunny side of Santa Carla's Boardwalk.


After a long day of school, and the fact that the big math test was today, Ashley rushed back home. By the time she reached the door to her apartment, she was breathing heavily, taking a moment to compose herself. Her test results were in her hands, ready to be handed over to her mother. Ashley could not wait to see the look of her face once she realized that she passed with an –A. All those hours of studying with Mina were torture, as both girls longed to go back to their adventure back at the Boardwalk. Now it was only a matter of time.

She opened the door and rushed in. Quickly passing through the living room, Ashley found Linda reading the newsletter at the kitchen table. Linda immediately took notice of her, but did not have the chance to say anything to her as her math test were practically thrown at her face. Linda's eyes quickly widened at the sudden act, but took the paper and pulled it a bit farther away to examine it correctly. She froze for a moment after realizing what it was and what her daughter's grade is. Ashely stood there, waiting what her mother would say next, with large eyes full of hope and fear.

After what seemed like an eternity, Linda placed the paper down on the table. She looked at Ashley with an expression she could not read, but then they softened in a way Ashley has not seen in a long time.

"Am I…am I being too strict again?" Linda gently asked her.

She now understood what was going on in her mind. When Elizabeth left, it was a hard blow for everyone, and even though her mother never spoke of it, it affected her just as badly. Her one and true friend found the way to get her regular checkups with a psychologist, and make it through her own demons in her mind. But she still has not gotten over Elizabeth, and Ashley honestly wondered when she will finally start to mention her. Maybe the day has finally come.

"No, mom. You were just really worried and I understand that." Ashley decided to sit on the chair that shared the table with her mother. She could feel a certain tension in the air. Linda continued to look at her daughter with sadness in her eyes.

"I remember how I use to be with…" Linda took a deep breath, looking away for a second before looking back at her, "With… Elizabeth."

Ashley felt her throat tightening. She said her name, at last!

"She always had good grades, and tried to do even more, always following my expectations. She was really smart." Linda said with a nervous voice that ended in a small laugh. But suddenly she looked even sadder than before. "All she wanted to do was go out, spend some time either in a park or in the library, but I never let her have her own space. I even scared off any friends she was able to have at the time! Elizabeth only did everything she could just to please me, but it was never enough for me- God, I am such a horrible mother!"

Linda covered her face with her hand, finally admitting how bad she felt for never letting her daughter have the freedom that she deserved. Ashley was surprised at first, but reached to hold her hand that was covering her face, forcing her to see her again. Her mother's eyes were moist and pinkish, ready to let out tears.

"Don't feel bad mom. You just didn't know how to handle the situation you were in." Ashley tried to reason with her.

"But Ashley, I had no right to put out all of my anger and frustration on your father on her!" Linda stated.

"True. But you have to admit that she is a spitting image of dad!" Ashley said with a small smile, hoping to lighten her mood.

"Yes, she is." Linda lightly laughed, giving in to Ashley's change of mood. "But if only I could make it up to her. Who knows where your sister could be-"

"Don't worry, mom." Ashley said with a confident tone. "I have a feeling that one of these days we will be a family again."

"Really? What makes you say that?" Linda was surprised by her confident stance as she talked. Last time she recalled, Ashley was still worried about her sister, ever since she ran away.

"I guess you could call it a hunch. But things are surely going to get better!" Ashley confirmed with a bright smile.

Linda smiled back at her, gently placing a hand on her cheek. "You really think so, sweetie?"

"Absolutely!"

For a moment they shared a moment of silence that held tight to their hopes and dreams. Well, at least for Linda, that is. At the back of Ashley's mind, she was going crazy about what she just said to her mother. How on earth were they going to be a family again, if it is clear that Elizabeth held a grudge against their mother?! After a while, Linda decided to break the silence.

"Go on and have some fun! Will you and your friend be going to the Boardwalk?"

"Oh, right! Let me call Mina to see if it's alright with her mom." Ashley is going to need all the help she could get!


By the time Ashley and Mina got to the Boardwalk, the sun was beginning to set, but it was still bright enough to consider it as daytime. The girls were practically speeding over to where the souvenir store would be, knowing that around this time they would be closing. It was hard to get through, as it seemed that more people kept coming in their way, especially since the new ride became very popular. At one point they had to get out of the way of the crowds that were becoming into a violent traffic roundabout. They decided to enter the nearest store, which turned out to be a comic store.

"Gosh! That new ride has everyone worked up!" Mina exclaimed.

"Yeah, and the crowd only seems to get bigger! Do you think Elizabeth will wait up for me?" Ashley asked worriedly.

"Of course! I doubt that she has anywhere else to go to, if it is all on the Boardwalk." Mina explained. "Why don't we rest a bit and look around. I haven't been to this store before."

Ashley and Mina quickly looked over the entire store before deciding on looking at the comedy section of the comics. Mina started to look through a comic that she found, as Ashley continued to look at the store's surroundings. From where she was, two people could be seen at the counter, resting. Well, that's what it looked like from a far. Ashley could not help but notice something weird about them, and decide to get a closer look, walking slowly to the nearest section of the people. She soon realized that the two adults must be the store's owners, sporting hippie clothes, and both wearing sunglasses to clearly hide the fact that they were both knocked up from drugs.

Mina quickly went over to her side, and realized what she was seeing. Ashley and Mina looked at each other, and shook their heads in slight disproval of the irresponsible adults. When Mina turned around to see more comic books, she realized that a guy with black hair and a serious look on his face was watching them. He wore dark pants and a sleeveless gray shirt that said "Airborne" along with some military insignia on it. He had a comic in his hands, as if pretending to read it, but it was obvious that he was not.

"Some weird guy is looking at us." Mina whispered to Ashley.
"Actually there's two of them." Ashley whispered back, slightly motioning with her head the other guy on the other side that was also watching them.

He had a green camouflaged t-shirt, old looking jeans, and a red piece of fabric was tied around his head like Rambo, allowing only a few strands of his dark brown, shoulder length hair, to hang over. His facial expression was just as serious as the other guy. Mina and Ashley suddenly got nervous and decided to pretend to look around once more. In the background, Pat Benatar's song, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", could be heard. It actually did not help in lightening the mood, since it clearly described what these guys were doing with their death glares.

"Mina, let's just leave! They are creeping me out!" Ashley whispered to Mina harshly.

"Ok, ok! But I want to buy this poster of AC/DC!" Mina responded, heading to the counter.

The girls stood there, realizing that the knocked up owners were not going to wake up anytime soon. How did they even manage to have a business if they were not aware to run it?! Mina decided to tap them or something so they could wake up, but someone behind them spoke before she could do so.

"They're not going to wake up."

Ashley and Mina turned around to see none other than the boys that were sending them death glares. The one with black hair was the one who spoke up. His voice was just as serious as his look. The other guy that looked like Rambo Jr. was right next to him, still serious. What was with these guys?! Did they had an army complex going on?

"Uh…well, how will I pay for the poster?" Mina asked, truly curious to how she would not look like some low thief.

Both boys went behind the counter, and did the whole paying ordeal for them. That's when Ashley and Mina finally realized that the drugged up adults are their parents. No wonder the store was still able to survive! The two brothers made sure they did not go homeless. Now they could see why they were so serious. It must have been rough for them, even though while they look around the girls' age.

"Thanks." Mina replied once she got her poster.

"We saw you with her." Said Rambo Jr. to Ashley in a deep tone, looking at her in the eyes.

"Her?" Ashley got nervous again. Does Elizabeth know these two? She must be very popular all of a sudden.

"The one who is affiliated with the murder crew." Now the other guy talked.

"Murder crew?! What in the world are you two talking about?!" Ashley was really getting nervous.

The guy with the black hair left to get something, as his brother went on.

"You're new to Santa Carla, correct?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, you must know that this is the Murder Capital of the World, infested with vampires."

Ashley and Mina froze. They were stuck between laughing out loud or simply walk away.

"What?" Mina dared to ask. The guy with dark hair came back with a comic in his hand.

"It's true. We thought you were vampires as well, but seeing how you two are walking in broad daylight, we should inform you before it's too late." The guy with black hair handed in them the comic. It was a horror comic that read, "Vampires Everywhere!"

"It can save your lives." Confirmed Rambo Jr.

Ashley quickly glanced at the comic, but quickly ignored it, while Mina became in grossed in it.

"First of all, who are you two?" Ashley did not know what to make of this situation.

"I am Edgar Frog, and this is my brother Alan." Rambo Jr. said, then motioned to his brother. "We dedicate our lives to slaying vampires and defending the American way."

"Vampire slayers? Well…" Ashley began.

"How do you know the girl that is soon to be a member of the Lost Boys?" Alan asked.

"She's my sister." Ashley admitted. "We found each other again, and I don't think she would ever be a part of a wannabe vampire club! So whatever you two are making up, it's not funny!" Ashley had enough, and began to turn around, pulling Mina with her. She was still busy with the silly comic.

Edgar quickly ran up to her side, while Alan was at Mina's side.

"We're telling the truth! We have tried to find the Lost Boys' lair for years, and about a year ago, your sister just showed up, and delivering food for them." Edgar explained.

"Food?" Ashley wondered.

"People for them to suck blood! She lures them with her beauty and they are never seen again. It could be some sort of test that they are making her do before they turn her into one of them!" Alan explained.

"Ugh! Look, guys, thanks for the free comic, but we really have to go!" Ashley began to speed up, along with Mina.

"Fine, but if you need us, our number is at the back and you know where to find us!" Edgar shouted after her. "You need to watch your back with her tonight!"

Ashley was now mumbling angry things as she speed walk with Mina. There was still a large crowd in the way, but now it was walkable to be in. Mina was still reading the vampire comic, but after a while she closed it up and laughed a bit. Ashley looked at her like she was crazy.

"What are you laughing about?" Ashley asked Mina.

"That was quite a show back there, wasn't it?" Mina answered gleefully.

"Don't remind me. They really believe in vampires! And to make it worse, they think Elizabeth is going to be one with her friends!" Ashley frowned deeply.

"Yeah, I wonder why they would make such a thing up." Mina wondered, and then looked at Ashley with a sneaky look in her eyes. "I think that Edgar guy likes you, and made it up to impress you!"

"What?! Please, there are better ways to impress a person! Plus, he doesn't seem like he likes anything at all, except for army-related stuff." Ashley denied immediately, though she was blushing lightly.

"I don't know, something just tells me that he does. Why else would he say that his number is at the back?" Mina smiled amusingly.

"Don't know, don't care! Let's just find Elizabeth." Ashley replied. Mina simply nodded, still sporting an amused look. It only grew as she realized that Ashley still had a slight blush on her cheeks. Yep! They dig each other.


A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I finally got my hands back at my laptop! As you can see, I decided to finally add the Frog Brothers. We know we all love them! They will appear again soon, for those who really love them, so do not fear! I have to admit, as I was typing this chapter I did not plan on putting them in yet, but it just happened. Well, I guess it's for the better. I hope you all enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Lost Boys, only my OCs.