I slid the key into the lock on our apartment door, my sisters and I lived with our guardian Janelle Richardson, our parents died in car accident on their way home from a vacation, and the judge sent us to a home, and we ended up here, I just got home from school. Opening the door, the slight smell of smoke and perfume hit my nose, immediately looking to the back balcony where Janelle sat, a cigarette dangling from her fingers, and the sliding door slightly open.

"I'm home" I called through the small living space.

"Hey baby, the other girls are still not home yet, how was school? Do you have homework?"

Nodding my head I smiled and walked to my room, a room I shared with my sisters, Ashley and Natalie, we have always been friends, always. We have always been the only thing each other had; until we met Janelle. She is the closest thing to a mom that we have had since our real mother died. Opening the door to the cramped guest room I walked in and pulled out my algebra book, starting on the long assignment, I began to use my pencil as a drum as I thought about a particularly hard equation. sighing as I gave up after hearing the door open and slam close and hearing Natalie's usual singing to the non existent music in the air, or more like her head, I stood and walked into the kitchen, opening the door to the fridge I pulled out a cola and popped the top on it. Taking a drink of it I turned to look at Janelle, who was currently cooking something that looked like stir fry. Turning to look at me she raised a delicate eyebrow,

"What" she asked.

Shaking my head slightly and then turning to laugh at Ashley, who came in looking like she just had sex, great sex; Janelle obviously getting the same impression asked,

"Was he good?"

Turning bright scarlet Ashley answered, "For your information, I did not have sex! I fell and I couldn't fix my hair, it was too knotty! So, im going to shower and then change"

"Ok well hurry up, dinner is almost ready, and, we, need to talk" Janelle said, still amused by her 'daughters' state.

Ok, so maybe I need to tell you about Janelle and us, she isn't really like our mom, she might be legally, but in reality she is more like an older sister to all of us. She really, is like a sister, she cares about what we do, but then again she is very lax in how she lets us act. She knows when to stand up to the plate, an also when to stop and leave us alone, unlike most mothers, so, she is our sister and mom. If that makes sense, I listened to the soothing sound of the water turn on and run through the pipes, making the sound as if a waterfall is running through your wall, that sound always calmed me down, water in general calmed me down, I always go to the lake, or river to calm down after I get in a fight with one of my sisters, or Janelle, I would kill to live near the ocean, that would be were I was most comfortable for me and I know Ashley and Natalie would like it, maybe Janelle to, but im not sure. I have to ask on that one. snapping out of my thoughts and finding my self confused at the fact I was on the couch, I stood to go to dinner, Janelle began to put various pots and pans and plates on the table, I took my seat, on the left side by the window, we had all established that I always get the left side by the window, that was my seat, that's all there is to it.

"ok guys before we eat I have something to tell you" Janelle said, making Natalie put her fork down, she eats like cow, and doesn't gain an ounce I swear that girl has a bottomless pit of a stomach. It's not fair, I gain weight easily, that's why im always active, I can't surf or skate if I gain weight, it would throw off my balance.

"we are moving, to somewhere called Venice beach California."

Natalie dropped her fork and stomped out of the room slamming the bedroom door and then we heard it, the crash of something valuable and a scream. I guess Natalie doesn't like the beach as well as I thought.

Ashley and I looked at each other at the and at the same time said, "Sweet!" Ashley and I lived for the water, we surf we skate, we skate because you cant always get a good wave, but you can always ride the pavement! We both asked the same question, "When?" next week, Janelle said. Another crash came from the bedroom, signaling that Natalie heard everything. Jumping out of my seat I yelled, "im gonna go pack!"

"Me too!" Ashley yelled and with that we ran to our room and began to pack everything we could.

1 WEEK LATER

Looking around my room one more time to make sure I wasn't leaving anything i smiled at the wall where Ashley's Natalie's and my initials were engraved. We had good memories in this room. I heard the horn honk again and I left the room, surprised at the tears that sprang to life in my eyes, climbing into the back seat with Ashley I laid my head on her shoulder, soon feeling tears hit my face, and they weren't mine. Looking up at Ashley I smiled a watery smile, and she returned the favor. I don't remember how long we were driving, I just remember waking up to Ashley's shouting of "We are in Venice beach baby!" snapping up from my position on her shoulder I looked out my window and saw 4 boys sitting on the stairs to an apartment complex looking at us like we were crazy,

"It's called dog town, if you want to fit in."

One of the boys called as we got out of the car and stretched. a few cat calls were made, Ashley and I had opted for short shorts, where as Natalie went for a mini skirt and all of us were wearing tank tops, mine was lime green with a skull on it, Ashley's was hot pink with black lace at the bottom and around her cleavage line, and Natalie's was black with white polka dots, and Janelle, was still in her PJ's. Grabbing my skate board I threw it on the ground and got on, I skated around the parking lot until Janelle came back down stairs and said,

"The door is unlocked and read for your shit, hurry and put the boxes in there, we are going out tonight for dinner, and it's almost 7:30, I want to get there before everything closes."

Nodding and smirking at the boys I walked up the stairs, swaying my hips a little more than normal. Yea, I was gonna like living in dog town; I was gonna like it a lot.