Tyler's POV

It's been almost two and a half months since my parents took Sabree in. I'll admit the kid has grown on me and everyone else. Everyone except Jay, that is. A normal person would have been used to Jay's attitude far by now, but not Sabree. Oh, no. Even after two months, they're still at each others throats. I can't say I blame Sabree though. Jay can be an ass at times. If they could have a conversation without insulting each other, they would be best friends. I'd have to say that Sabree is defiantly closest to Tony by now. They come from the same background, I suppose. Tony's dad is abusive, as well, just not like Sabree's.

She seems to like it here, despite the occasional squabble between her and my mother. Over clothes, they way she talks, how she lives, stuff like that. Their last major fight was about two weeks ago, but they're on speaking terms again. I think that Sabree is the one that refuses to talk first, but you never know with my mom.

"Hey, Ty, where is everyone?" I look up at the sound of Sabree's voice. She looks...different somehow. Probably because she just got out of the shower. Her platinum blonde hair was a shade darker now, tumbling past her shoulders in soft waves as if often did when it was wet, curling slightly at the ends. A few strands fell in the way of her gray eyes. They were extremely haunting at times, I've decided. They match well with her tough personality. Little by little, I've seen her metal walls deteriorate. I've seen her transform into a happier person. I've seen sides of her that no one else has seen. I've seen her cry. Her, Sabree Ann Thomas. She's confessed things to me that know one else has heard. Her plans for the future, her entire history, as it would seem. I guess that's part of living in the same house as her.

I shrug, watching as she yanks on the strings of my basketball shorts. "Parents are out for the weekend and you must have ran out of my mothers cutesy outfits, other wise, you wouldn't be wearing my shorts."

She gives me one of her looks and groans at the mention of my mothers shopping trips with her. "Ugh. The clothes she buys me, I would like to burn. They just aren't me. You're mother has a hard time taking 'no' for an answer, doesn't she?"

I laugh, "Yeah, yeah she does. Just keep fighting with her, she'll give in eventually."

"Well, since your parents are out for the weekend, I'm gunna go have some fun." She says and runs out the front door. Sabree's defintion of 'fun'usually means trouble. I'll admit-- I am a pretty good boy. I run from cops, but I don't smoke or drink or anything. According to Tony, that makes me just as straight edge as Stacy, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

A few hours later I have Jay, Stacy, Tony and Sid in my front room. God only knows what monstrosities would occur if my mom actually knew I had the kids she despised hanging out in my front room. I seriously don't know what her deal is.

"Seriously, Sid, just drain it. You're parents will never know!" Jay cries, yet again trying to persuade Sid to drain his parents' pool while they're out on official "business" trips, with my parents. My parents and Sid's parents are friend, but it's more of a snobby, rich type relationship. My parents are aware that Sid is friends with Stacy, Jay, and Tony. Again, that whole disliking the lack of money thing comes into play.

I laugh and wave my hand in Jay's face, "Dude, the last time I checked, Sid isn't the only one with a pool."

Tony looks up at me and gets a mischievous smirk on his face, "Haha, that's right! Tyler's a little rich boy, too." He comes up to me and sets his arm around my shoulders. But in a guy-ish way, not a gay, 'I'm hitting on you way'. Not that I have anything against gays.

"So, Ty, when are we gunna have a gnarly pool session at your place?"

"Um, how about never?" I say, peeling his arm off my shoulders.

Tony looks disappointed, "Then why bring the idea up if you're just going to crush my dreams that way?"

I shake my head, and mutter the words 'drama queen'. I hear the clicking of the door and jump up with a scared look on my face. My parents? No, they can't be home. It's too early for their "business" trip to be over. "Shit. Oh, I'm so fucked. Uh..." I stand there like an idiot and stutter, looking around. The door flings open and I know that minute I'm a dead man standing. My mind races for a reasonable excuse.

Sabree swaggers in and my jaw drops. I swear, it could have easily torn away from my face and hit the floor. I shake my head. She smells very strongly of ocean water and pot. I examine her eyes. I've become quite the expert at knowing if my friends were stoned or not. She didn't look like she was, but I knew she had been smoking. She's coming down, maybe?

"Sabree? Have you been smoking?" I ask just to clarify things.

She nods, grins, then puts her face right into mine, and blows straight in my face. I wince as the smell of pot floods my nostrils. That answers my question. "You snuck out, so you could smoke weed?"

She draws away from me to look at me. "Tyler, do you know how long I've been in that foster home?"

I shake my head. Where was she going with this?

"Three years. That's three years I've had to go without a joint. I think I much more than deserve to smoke."

Three years? A girl her age shouldn't even be smoking. Oh, God. I sound like my mother. "Um, you know that if you get caught smoking, they'll send you back right?"

"Yeah, I know. That's why I have no intention of getting caught. You just gotta know how to play your cards, Ty."

By now, the whole crowd forms around me. Jay's holding back laughter, Stacy, I'm sure, is thinking the same thing I am, Sid is laughing his ass off, and T.A has this stupid grin on his face. He pushes through us and slings his arm casually around Sabree's shoulders, and lets their heads slowly and gently collide.

"So, Sabree, I'm having this party Wednesday night. And, I don't know what you've heard about my parties, but. . . Anyways, even before then, if you ever wanna just hang out and, you know, 'talk' I'm here for ya, okay?" He says, slyly, putting the classic Alva charm on her. It obviously doesn't work, because a laugh only rises from Sabree, where as other girls would have melted like butter at that very moment.

Sabree's POV.

I can't believe it. Tony Alva, the one Z-boy I've grown the closest too, was standing here, arm draped around my shoulders, hitting on me. This is just ridiculous. In a funny way, of course.

I bite my lower lip, making eye contact with him. This must be what his girlfriend keeps yapping about. "Tony…" I say softly. He actually believes that I'm falling for his act. I fake the most innocent smile I can, but then push him away gently. He looks stunned. Rejection is obviously something new to this kid.

Everyone looks so stunned at the little stunt I just pulled. Jay, being the ignorant asshole he is, burst out in laughter, and soon Stacy and Sid erupt, joining in with Jay.

I hear a knock at the door, and catch Tyler going to it out of the corner of my eye. "Shit. Hide you guys." I command, and push them all into a spacious, empty room. I really have no idea what it's for, maybe its' just an extra room. 'Okay, quick Sabree, think…' I think to myself. If there was one thing I was good at in life, it was avoiding trouble.

"Um, I'm Paula Walker from the Foster Home. Can I speak to Sabree?"

"Uh..sure. Hey, Sabe?" Tyler taps me on the shoulder. "Some lady from foster care is here to see you."

I moan in displeasure, 'What could she possibly want?' I stalk out of the boys' hiding place, only to see Paula standing in the door way.

Her chocolate colored hair, streaked with honey blonde, is twisted up into a bun, and she has her gray suit on. She's too attached to that suit, I decide.

We talk for a bit, she questions me about the past two months, I answer flatly.

She smiles at me, "Well, a quick check up is all I came by for. It sounds like we might have found a place for you at last." She says, in her 'perky' voice and ruffles my hair.

I put on a cheesy smile and watch Paula leave. After she's out of plain sight, I slam the door shut. "Dude that was fuckin' awesome."

The boys emerge from the kitchen, and stare at me blankly.

"I am half way fuckin' baked, and she didn't even notice. Shit like that doesn't slip past Paula. She didn't even smell the pot on me."

"Maybe its' because the ocean scent is just a bit more over powering than the pot smell," Tyler suggests, "What were you doing at the beach, anyways? Not an ideal place to get stoned."

This is the part I've been waiting to explain, "Surfing, of course. I must say, surfing stoned works a hell of a lot better than surfing drunk."

Stacy shakes his head. He looks, disappointed, almost. Like he's never seen his friends stoned. Kathy wasn't like me, neither was Blanca, so maybe this was new to him? "You don't even have a surfboard. Who were you with?"

"Fuck...what's his name? Red Dog, there we go. He was so shit faced, it was great."

"Alright, Tyler. Your little friends gotta go. There's only so much cleaner in this house that will disguise the smell. You know how your mother gets." I jumped, startled at the sound of Josephine's voice. I froze. How much of my conversation did she actually hear? Would she tell Larry or Mia?

"You heard the lady, out. Thanks for lettin' them over, Joey."

Joey? Josephine nods, shooing them out.

"So, um, Joey.." the name felt odd coming off my lips, "how much of that did you actually hear?"

"The whole thing." Ouch. That hurt.

"Thought so." My hand flies to the back of my head, tangling itself within my ocean damp, now dirty blonde locks.

"But, you're secrets safe with me, chicka. I was your age once, too, ya know." A smile tugs at her lips, as she pulls out a cigarette. "I won't tell if you won't." she chuckles, lights it, and takes a long drag. "Now, off to bed, you too. Stay in your room for the night, Sabree. I know your type." She winks at me, taking another drag.

I laugh, then follow after Tyler up the stairs.

I could get used to this.

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