Chapter 2

People were doing what David did all day, just coming up and talking to me, it was annoying. It made me wish that I never competed in the X-games. I just wanted to be left alone. Matt was talking about something in English class, I don't remember what but the teacher had yet to get into the room and the class was almost half over. I scratched my pen into my notebook, not really seeing what I was doing. The class stopped chattering and the teacher came in, guiding a new kid in by his shoulders. I looked up at the kid, He was on the skinny side, he looked shy as he took his seat in-between the window and me. He had blond hair and sad brown eyes, kindda reminded me of someone but I couldn't remember who. Someone poked me in the back, I leaned back, it was Matt.

"We still on for heading down to Dogtown for some practice runs?"

"Yeah I guess."

I said, the last time I was down at dogtown, I was there for surfing. The Ghetto by the sea. I was born there; my life was there until I moved to LA to live with Rick. It was still more my home then the hills were. I remember skateboarding down there when I was younger, It was always something that drew me there, biking, surfing, skating, I don't know what it is really.

"But I heard that this guy TA, he don't like guys like us, dogtown is his territory."

I snorted. This TA guy sounds like a big ass hole.

"Well he can shove it up his ball sack. We're gonna go and ride. There aint nothing he can do about it."

I said.

"Yeah and if Syn cant take his arse down then there aunt no hope."

Kale whispered from in front of me.

"Three stooges! Front and center!"

The three of us gulped as we stood up to face our favorite teacher, Mr. Kilgore. The guy was one awesome teacher, he could be trippy some time and other times we would have bets going on how high he would be when he came to class. I could bet anything that my ears were bright red.

"Since you guys seem to like talking so much, tell me what your summer was like..."

"ladies first."

Matt muttered as he gave me a nudge forward.

"Just the usual, riding bikes and such."

I said with a shrug and then went to go to my seat. Kilgore's hand was planted on my shoulder, stopping me from going anywhere.

"Now that aint what I saw on TV."

"I went to the x-games, no big."

I shrugged my shoulders again. I saw the looks on both Kale and Matt's faces; they had something to do with it. They are so dead when we get Outta School.

"Well actually she won the x-games for BMX freestyle."

"Shut up!"

I hissed at Matt.

"its something to be proud of, its not every day that we are in the presence of a legend!"

"Then go find Matt Hoffman!"

I snapped as I sat down at my desk, fully embarrassed. I wanted to crawl into my shirt and just rot. I was that embarrassed. I would even bet all the money in Ricks pockets that I was a nice shade of magenta. Fortunately for me, the bell rang. I waited till the rest of the class had left before making my way to pound the living shit outta matt and kale. They were nowhere in sight, meaning I'd meet them at the bike racks. I lifted my head and ran right into the new kid.

"I'm sorry."

I muttered. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Don't let me get in your way miss x-games queen"

"Hey! I did say I was sorry!"

"What ever."

"Oh go shove a CD up your ass emo boy!"

I snorted. The kid raised an eyebrow at me and I turned and headed down the stairs, putting on my helmet and gloves as I made my way out to the bike rack. Matt and Kale weren't here yet so I unlocked my bike only to see a fourth bike beside mine and the new kid coming up beside me.

"What are you stalking me now?"

"I'm just trying to get home. But I guess you're not good enough of a biker to get any guys, is that why you keep pushing me?"

"Fuck that, I'd rather be skating then biking. Well anyways i'm going to dogtown hope as hell you aint coming."

"Whatever wannabe."

I watched him pedal off. Matt and kale came up behind me, unlocking their bikes beside me.

"You want me to trash him?"

"Down Kale, If he messes with you again, tell us and we'll run him over."

We biked our ways through Beverly Hills, going down through the parking deck and out towards the pier. I took a deep breath of salt air. We were stopped by a spazzy little kid who looked like he was a good couple of years younger then us.

"Hey noobs, locals only! Piss off!"

"I am a local,"

I growled as two more kids his age came up and started heckling us. I was about ready to punch them when I saw a familiar face appear behind them. The older guy caught the other two kids by their ears.

"You're supposed to be dealing with trash detail, and you're supposed to be in the bone yard, I don't want to see a single ding on my board!"

He gave the kids a toss by their ears, making one run back towards the beach and the other towards the parking deck.

"You! What are you doing?"

"I-i-i-i-i-i'm sorry but these BMXers wanted to ride here."

The spazzy kid muttered. To me it looked like he was hyped up on 20 something sugar packets. I chuckled and shook my head.

"Jay Adams, You always were a terror."

"And I see you haven't changed a bit Syn, you come here for a surf?"

I shook my head as Jay drew me into a hug. Jay's pretty old, in his late forties, but he was a great guy. I remember skating and surfing with him when I was younger.

"Not today, we just want to ride the pier that's all."

Jay draped an arm around me, leading me off a little bit away from Matt and Kale.

"And these guys..."

"They're cool."

I said with a nod. Jay gave me a noogie as our right arms brushed up against each other, revealing slightly the matching tattoo.

"Yo spazz, get over here."

The hyperactive kid came running.

"See this?"

Jay grabbed my wrist and pushed up my sleeve, revealing my only tattoo. Jay's the only one that I know who has it, but he says that there are three other people who have it, I haven't met them though.

"She's one of us. If she tells me you're giving her trouble, its bye bye for you. Got it?"

"Ok..."

The kid mumbled before running off for his job.

"I'm heading back for some more waves, don't be a stranger, our pier is yours, have fun."

With that, Jay Adams was gone. Matt and Kale came pedaling up to me.

"What was that about?"

"Jay's letting us ride the pier."

"How'd you manage that?"

"My little secret."

Matt and Kale would kill me if they knew the truth about it. In out little world, skaters and BMX-ers just didn't mix. But Jay has known me since birth, how, I have no clue. My mom would just tell me he was a very good friend.

"What did the skater scrag want? Why'd he grab you like that?"

I didn't answer as I pedaled off towards the pier. Mat tried to play catch up as I dropped into a low pool. Suddenly before I knew what was happening, I was sent sprawling on the rough wood. I landed hard, and then Matt fell onto of me with kale ending up on him. We tried to detangle ourselves with each other. I could feel blood running down my leg and down my face from some new fresh cuts.

"well well, I don't know how you noobs got up here but you're about to get sent with your tails between your legs."

I stood up and faced the speaker. He looked to be of Mexican origin with dreadlocks and a bit of a beard. He seemed about Jay's age maybe older or a tad bit younger, I couldn't tell. I was mad though, I didn't care if he was the ringleader or if he had about a dozen posse members with him. It was bull shit, jay said we could ride.

"We have permission to ride!"

I said crossing my arms with a scowl on my face.

"Hey I know her, she's the chick from the x-games!"

A guy with blond hair said pointing at me. The Mexican looking dude gave a small laugh with a mocking bow.

"well well, the rich have come from the hills, descending from on high to mingle with us common folk."

He pulled me up by the collar of my shirt.

"You want to ride here; you got to show me you deserve to be here on my pier. You aint even a local. I'm the king here you highness, I don't take too kindly to noobs trespassing on my turf."

He said getting all up in my face. He pushed me away and I stumbled backwards.

"So you're TA, you got a lot of balls for an old geezer."

"I was skating circles around before you were even though of kid."

He snapped back.

"You want proof I'm up to scratch?"

I growled through gritted teeth. I was hoping that it wouldn't have come to this but it did. I jerked up my sleeve revealing my tattoo. I remember getting it the day I moved. Jay had taken me to get it when I was ten, he told me that as long as I had the tattoo I would never really leave dogtown and it wouldn't leave me.

"Where the hell did you get that?"

TA muttered looking at it in disbelief. The cross with wings having "lord of" in a banner jus above the cross and "Dogtown" written in the cross.

"I've had it since I was ten, Jay Adams took me to get it before I moved."

"Jay Adams..."

TA mused. He then gave a dismissive wave of his hand and the other skaters left, leaving only me, TA, Kale, and Matt.

"The only way you get this tat is by blood, is Jay Adams your dad?"

I saw him look expectantly at me. I sighed and shook my head.

"No he's not. He's not Latino. My dad's Mexican, Spanish, something, I'm not sure, I haven't seen him for twelve years."

He looked at me hard as if he was trying to find an answer written on my face or something. It was uber uncomfortable. Fortunately Matt and Kale came to my rescue.

"Come on, Rick's probably waiting for us back home."

"Yeah come on syn."

Matt nudged me with his foot as he picked up his bike. I threw a leg over mine before giving one last look at TA.

"What's your name kid?"

TA asked as I almost pushed off.

"Syn Thorne."

"Hmph."

TA grunted as we pedaled off.