Prologue
Bradin walked along the beach with Ellie beside him. A calm quiet surrounded he and his new best friend as they walked along the shore, surfboards in hands, the tops of their wetsuits hung on their wastes, water droplets dripping on the sand around their feet. As they approached a spot they sunk the ends of their boards in the sand, and sat down together, fanning themselves out on the sand. Bradin squinted at the setting sun, enjoying the peacefulness of the silence. Ellie had to ruin it of course.
"So do you feel it," she piped up, looking at the sun as well? Bradin looked at her confused, "Huh?" "Do you feel it" she turned her head back to him, "the signs of the end of summer, school starts tomorrow, and your first day in the hell that is Playa Linda High." Bradin smiled, "Ah, come on, it can't be that bad." "You're right, after what you've been through this summer, the evil that is PVH will seem like a trip to the carnival," she teased. He laughed sarcastically, earning a real smile from Ellie. "Hey, your summer wasn't a total waste, you found me didn't you," she remained smiling, shrugging her hand around Bradin's shoulder. "Oh yes, you are my savior El," he rolled his eyes, "thank you so very much." "Hey, I do it for the pure satisfaction of helping the less fortunate, no need to thank me," she joked and he smiled too, in spite of himself. "And maybe I do it for that smile a little bit," her expression softened and she bunched her hand into a fist, lightly brushing it across his cheek. His smile softened too, and the two looked back at the water and the sun for a few more seconds, Ellie ruined it again.
"Alright, we'd better get home, I've got to get things ready for tomorrow, and so do you," Ellie said, standing up and brushing herself off, putting her hand out for him to grab. As he climbed up he asked," Hey, you want to come over for dinner first, you know Aunt Ava would love to have you?" "Nah, mom and pops are actually home this week, I know crazy right, and mom is cooking dinner, she wants us to eat as a family," she gave a look of disgust and air quoted family, grabbing her board out of the sand and sliding it under her arm. "Alright, then I'll see you tomorrow," Bradin said, doing the same, then turning one way to head to his new home. "Okay, I'll meet you at your place, we'll walk together," Ellie turned the other way. "Okay, peace," he called over his shoulder walking away. "Bye B," she called back and, making her way to her own house.
Bradin walked along the beach with Ellie beside him. A calm quiet surrounded he and his new best friend as they walked along the shore, surfboards in hands, the tops of their wetsuits hung on their wastes, water droplets dripping on the sand around their feet. As they approached a spot they sunk the ends of their boards in the sand, and sat down together, fanning themselves out on the sand. Bradin squinted at the setting sun, enjoying the peacefulness of the silence. Ellie had to ruin it of course.
"So do you feel it," she piped up, looking at the sun as well? Bradin looked at her confused, "Huh?" "Do you feel it" she turned her head back to him, "the signs of the end of summer, school starts tomorrow, and your first day in the hell that is Playa Linda High." Bradin smiled, "Ah, come on, it can't be that bad." "You're right, after what you've been through this summer, the evil that is PVH will seem like a trip to the carnival," she teased. He laughed sarcastically, earning a real smile from Ellie. "Hey, your summer wasn't a total waste, you found me didn't you," she remained smiling, shrugging her hand around Bradin's shoulder. "Oh yes, you are my savior El," he rolled his eyes, "thank you so very much." "Hey, I do it for the pure satisfaction of helping the less fortunate, no need to thank me," she joked and he smiled too, in spite of himself. "And maybe I do it for that smile a little bit," her expression softened and she bunched her hand into a fist, lightly brushing it across his cheek. His smile softened too, and the two looked back at the water and the sun for a few more seconds, Ellie ruined it again.
"Alright, we'd better get home, I've got to get things ready for tomorrow, and so do you," Ellie said, standing up and brushing herself off, putting her hand out for him to grab. As he climbed up he asked," Hey, you want to come over for dinner first, you know Aunt Ava would love to have you?" "Nah, mom and pops are actually home this week, I know crazy right, and mom is cooking dinner, she wants us to eat as a family," she gave a look of disgust and air quoted family, grabbing her board out of the sand and sliding it under her arm. "Alright, then I'll see you tomorrow," Bradin said, doing the same, then turning one way to head to his new home. "Okay, I'll meet you at your place, we'll walk together," Ellie turned the other way. "Okay, peace," he called over his shoulder walking away. "Bye B," she called back and, making her way to her own house.