June 16th. 2:30 PM. Finally, the last day of school had come.
Amongst the midst of thrown papers, laughing students, relieved teachers, and the occasional bust of a senior vandalizing school property, Meredith was ready to leave her old life behind and venture into the summer. Making her way through the crowded hallways, she could almost taste the salt on her lips, the sand between her toes, the sun warming her skin. It was the perfect set up. Right after school let out, Meredith and her family would fly halfway across the country and spend their summers at the Jersey Shore. Her cousin, Mark, had a house right on the beach and every year, the family of three would venture out of their comfortable, chilly home in downtown Seattle and become apart of warm, crowded New Jersey.
"Are you coming to my party Saturday?" Christina asked, catching up with her friend. "My mom is letting me have booze. How random is that? She sucks at being a mother, I swear. But it's good for me. So I'm guessing you're in?"
"I can't," Meredith smiled, finding it hard to control her excitement. "I leave for Jersey tomorrow morning."
"Ugh you have got to be kidding me! What's so great about the Jersey shore anyways?"
"You don't get it," Meredith laughed, "It's the best time of the year."
"I thought that was Christmas," she responded bitterly.
"Chill!" Meredith yelled, grabbing her friend by the shoulders. "Your visiting me in August remember!"
"Yeah well that's almost 2 months away!" Christina whined. "And so much shit happens in the summer…and you are not here!"
"I'm sorry!" Meredith tried, knowing just what buttons to push. "I'll buy you 10 pounds of salt water taffy if it makes you feel better."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever…have fun," she sighed, giving her friend a hug. "Call me when you get there."
"Okay," Meredith grinned, waving goodbye. "I'll call as soon as we land."
The plane was hot and sticky. A woman in front of her had a cough that was definitely not letting up anytime soon while the man behind her was trying to control his crying, moaning baby.
Meredith sunk down in her chair, turning up her already deafening iPod.
"Make that lower!" her mother insisted, swatting her on the arm. "I can hear that!"
"Well what am I supposed to do?!" Meredith snapped, "We were supposed to have taken off an hour ago and I can't hear a damn thing with that woman that sounds like a dying mule and that baby from hell!"
"Shhh!" her mother warned, "They can hear you, you know! Calm yourself, please. We will get there soon enough."
"We better," Meredith huffed, crossing her arms. "I have work tomorrow you know."
"You start so soon?" Kara, Meredith's adopted sister asked. "I don't start work till next week."
"Well I asked to start early," Meredith said, trying hard not to blush. "I want to see Derek."
"Oh yes. He's a nice boy. I love that you two are best friends! I swear from when you were three years old, all you two did was play with each other! I remember, Karen and I found you two slashing around the pool completely naked and-"
"We get it, mom," Meredith said.
"He's hot!" Kara exclaimed. "You wouldn't mind if I got with him would you Mer?"
"Bite your tongue Kara! You are only 15!" Ellis spat.
"So?" Kara said indifferently. "He's 17. Not that much of a difference…"
"You are not getting with him Kara," Meredith cut in. "Like he'd be interested in you anyways…"
"Shut up!" Kara whined. "He'd totally be into me if I talked to him!"
"Yeah well you don't."
"Yeah that's only because you two are like best friends and you hog him all the time!"
"Girls! Shhh!" Ellis pressured. "People are complaining."
"Exactly. He does not want to talk to you! If he did, he'd at least ask me about you. He tells me everything," Meredith spat at her sister.
"No! You just don't want me to date him because you're secretly in love with him! Seriously, you gotta cut the drooling act soon because he thinks you're his best friend and best friends do not date."
"That is not true!" Meredith defended.
"Oh come on Meredith it is too!" Kara growled. "And you know it."
"This discussion is over!" Ellis screamed, stopping all talk on the plane, including the crying baby. "Now be mature before I decide to cancel this trip right now."
Kara and Meredith nodded solemnly, sinking in their seats.
"He is hot though…" Kara sighed.
And that was at least one thing Meredith could not disagree with.
The wind whipped at her hair, the salt flying into her nostrils. This was it. This was what she lived for, why she spent 9 horrible, dreadful months in school…all to come back here. To the place that was truly her home. She took in a deep breath, taking it all in. This was the start of the summer, the start of the best 3 months of her life.
Kara stumbled out of the packed van, her five suitcases falling out haphazardly. She struggled to pick them all up, while still trying to keep her extremely short skirt from showing her bare bottom. She was wearing an extreme push up bra with extra padding, making her tiny A cups look like C's. Her low cut shirt exposed some of this while her long, freshly highlighted hair draped against her shoulders.
"You look like a hooker," Meredith stated, zipping up her sweatshirt. "It's freezing outside and you look like a hooker. You could probably make a buck or two if you stood by that street corner…"
"Shut up!" Kara hissed, tripping over her high heels. "I got this under control."
"Why in God's good name did you wear that?!"
"It makes me seem older!" Kara quickly explained, taking huffs of breath as she struggled with her suitcase. "Plus you never know who could be watching." She gave a quick wink to Meredith and motioned to her breasts.
"You're sick!" Meredith barked, turning away.
"Oh you are just jealous!" Kara yelled back.
Meredith shook her head, even though it was true. Kara had long, curly auburn hair with huge emerald eyes. She was only 15, yet twice the size of Meredith, reaching close to 5'9. Her caramel skin was spotless and her body was arranged perfectly. With the exception of her small boobs, she had everything going for her. All the guys loved her. The girls were jealous of her. Ellis adopted her from Italy when she was one and she was raised with Meredith ever since.
"Girls! Come help your aunt with setting up the table! She wants to see you too!" Ellis shouted.
"Ugh," Kara moaned, "Coming!"
"Well, well, well…look what the wind blew in," a strange voice echoed behind the two girls.
Meredith stopped, her sea green eyes growing big. "Oh my God," she whispered, a smile dancing on her lips. She instantly ran towards the voice and flung her arms around him, too excited to even care about the spectacle she was creating.
"I can't believe you're here!" the voice laughed, tightening his grip around her.
"Oh my God, Derek!" Meredith giggled, looking at him for the first time. "You look so different!"
"So do you!" he agreed, his eyes scanning her tiny body. "Gosh I've missed you."
"I know," Meredith chuckled, "Phone calls and e-mails definitely do not cut it with us anymore."
Derek grinned, pushing back her hair. "This summer is going to be crazy."
Meredith returned the smile, and whispered, "I know it is."
A/N: I swear I'm not going to abandon this story. Its summer. Its fun. Its hot. It's the best story to write. Watch out for the seductive Kara. She may be making a move on Meredith's bff. =) Love or hate, comment please so I know if I can continue with this or not.