AN: Sorry this first chapter is so short! Just kinda went with and idea and posted it. Chapter Two will be longer! Enjoy! :D
"You are, my fire, the one, desire. Believe, when I say, I Want it That Way." The lyrics of The Backstreet Boys song 'I Want it That Way', playing on SiriusXM radio that's casting from my friend Caroline Forbes phone to her bluetooth speakers; making Caroline and I giggle. Growing up, Caroline and I had been obsessed with The Backstreet Boys and NSYNC; and hearing one of their old songs brought back memories of the two of us, hairbrushes in our hands, jumping up and down on my bed and singing along to the song in our pajamas. I turn my head and glance over at Caroline, who grins back at me.
"This song makes me feel old!" Caroline comments, readjusting the towel she is using as a pillow before resting her head and arms on it.
I grin as well, wriggling my toes in the sand as I sing along with the song. "Tell me why, I never wanna hear you say, I Want it That Way."
Something cold touches my back, and I shriek, laughing and rolling onto my back on my beach towel as Caroline tosses her towel pillow at her fiancee, Stefan Salvatore, who manages to catch the towel despite having three ice cold water bottles in his hands. Stefan hands Caroline and I each a water before joining us on the beach blanket, opening his water and taking a sip. Caroline leans over and kisses Stefan.
"Thanks baby." She tells him, opening her own water and taking a sip.
Stefan kisses her back, smiling.
"This song reminds me of Elementary school. Has it really been a year and a half since we graduated college?" Stefan asks, tucking his water bottle under his towel to keep it cold.
I open my water and take a drink, nodding. "It still feels like yesterday though. You guys are lucky you found jobs right after graduation. I'm still working at 'Venice'." I answer.
"That's because you chose to major in both Journalism and Advertising, two of the harder majors to find jobs in. You should have gone for something practical, seeing that we live in a beach town now, not like back in Virginia." Caroline replies, adjusting her sunglasses and stretching.
Caroline, Stefan, and I graduated Miami University a year and a half ago; Stefan majoring in Engineering Technologies and Caroline Majoring in Fashion Marketing. Stefan had proposed to Caroline shortly after graduation, and they have been dating since shortly after we started college, five and half years ago. I thought that if I Majored in 2 things instead of just one, it would be easier to find a job. I mean, how hard is it too find an advertising job or a journalism job in Miami Beach, California? I grab my phone from my beach bag and hit the power button, checking the time; four-thirty pm.
"Shit, I gotta get going. My shift starts in an hour and a half and I need to run to the mall and get new work shoes. I busted the heal on my black booties last night trying to stop two other waitresses from killing one another over a twenty dollar tip."
I grab my beach bag, pulling out a pair of black cotton athletic shorts and a pale purple tank top, tugging them on over my damp black and blue bikini. I put my towels in my beach bag, getting to my feet. Caroline and Stefan both get to their feet as well, giving me a hug as I slip my flip flops on.
"Be safe, Elena. And don't forget about the house warming party tomorrow night at Stefan and I's new place." Caroline says as she hugs me.
I hug Caroline back. "I wont. It starts at six, right?"
"Yeah. You don't need to bring anything, just yourself. Dress nice, but not formal."
I nod, waving goodbye to Stefan and Caroline as I make my way up the beach and to the parking lot. Caroline and Stefan's new house is only a few blocks away from the beach, which is awesome. They were lucky, twenty four years old, engaged, and just bought their first house? I wish I was as lucky as them. My apartment is fifteen minutes from their place, twenty from the beach, and I'm still trying to get my ex boyfriend, Matt Donovan, to leave me alone. We broke up six months ago, and every time he decides to get drunk with his buddy and Caroline's High school Ex boyfriend Tyler Lockwood, they love to come over to my apartment and bang on my door at three in the morning. The cops have been to my apartment so much, they don't bother asking my address when I call, they just tell me a car is on the way. I toss my beach bag into the back seat of my Silver 2005 Mustang GT Convertible, unlocking the doors and getting in. I start my car, the engine revving to life, putting my seat belt on and checking my mirrors before backing out of the parking spot I'm in and heading driving out of the parking lot. I stop at the mall and run inside, quickly finding another pair of black, three inch healed booties like the ones that broke and paying for them, then dash back out to my car and drive home. I park in my normal parking spot, putting the top up on my car before grabbing my beach bag from the back seat and getting out, locking the car doors with my key fob. I walk to my apartment and unlock the doors, pulling my phone from my beach bag and checking the time again as I unlock the door and head inside.
Five-ten. I shut and lock the door to my apartment before going back to my bedroom, tossing my beach bag and the bag containing my new shoes on the floor and kicking my flip-flops off and into my closet. I go to my dresser, pulling out a light pink lace push-up bra and matching bikini underwear, a white camisole and a pair of dark blue jean shorts, before going into my bathroom. I quickly shower, shave, and dry off; getting dressed and towel drying my long, dark brown hair. I brush out my hair and pull it back into a low ponytail, applying a bit of shimmery light gold eye shadow, black eyeliner, and mascara, going back to my room. I snag a pair of miss matched low cut socks from my dresser, sitting down on my bed and putting them and my new booties on. I look around my room for my blue "Venice" tank top, then remember I left it in my car after my shift the night before. I pray some deodorant and a bit of perfume on, grabbing my clear lip gloss and shoving it into the back pocket of my jean shorts, along with my phone, then grab my black leather backpack purse and keys, rushing out of my apartment and out to my my car. I unlock the doors and get in, grabbing my work tank top and tugging it on, clipping my hair up off my neck before strapping my seat belt on and starting my car; glancing at the clock radio, cursing and praying traffic wouldn't be a nightmare, and that I would make it to work on time.