"Look at that, Twist, it's like she knows where she's going! Hey, Marie! Slow down, girl!" Otto gained ground on the new girl, coming up on her side. "You don't mess around with food, do you? Anyway, we're going to be taking a left in two blocks. Just try and let me lead, okay?" He directed. Marie laughed and agreed, slowing her bike down then to make it easier. They made it to the Shore Shack within 5 minutes and entered the open building.
The Shore Shack was a small restaurant with a small, but very open seating area. They popped up to the counter and filled the seats.
"Hey, Raymundo! Meet Marie, our newest addition to the gang!" Otto announced, giving a tall, fit man in his 40s a fist bump. Marie extended her hand.
"Pleased to meet you! I hear you guys have incredible fries," she said as she shook his hand firmly.
"Have you now? Twister wouldn't have talked them up, would he? I'm Ray Rocket, by the way. The father of these two crazy kids. The guy back there on the grill is my best friend and business partner, Tito. Tito, come say hello!" Ray shouted to the back of the restaurant. A short, round man with curly hair pulled into a pony tail, a Hawaiian shirt, khaki shorts and sandals walked to the front.
"Aloha! Welcome to Ocean Shores, little cuz! The names Tito Makani. Handshake?" He laughed heartily for a few seconds, the energy of his words and laugh filling the air and making everyone smile. "No, no, I'm the Big Hugger! Bring it in, little cuz!" Marie was laughing with everyone else and reciprocated Tito's bear hug. Ray smiled at the interaction and couldn't help but notice that Marie was more warm and affectionate than any foster child he'd ever met. And he'd met a few in his day.
Everyone settled back down and placed their orders.
"So, Marie, where are you from? Originally, I mean," Ray asked as he filled their cups with soda.
"I mean, probably somewhere in Europe. I've been told my complexion and hair color resemble traditional Irish, but I was born in Virginia. Chesapeake, to be exact. So it makes sense that I'd end up by water again," she said with a smile. "I've been moving around since I was 5, when my mom died in a car accident. Unfortunately, I don't have any other biological family to take me on, so here I am. Hey, can I get my burger with everything on it? I think I forgot to say that."
"Of course you can. And Virginia, huh? Wow. A whole country away. Well, we're very glad to have you in our town," Ray told her as he placed the sodas in front of everyone.
"Thanks! I'm glad to be here. Everything seems really nice so far. And the Stimpleton's are such kind people. I feel pretty lucky to be here. So, other than skating, what do you guys do around here?"
"Well, for me and Twist, that's pretty much it. If we could drop out of school and just skate professionally, I think we would," Otto told her, propping his chin on his hand. Raymundo cleared his throat and Otto rolled his eyes. "Relax, Dad, I'm not dropping out of school."
"I know you're not," Ray replied, cleaning milk shake glasses.
"What about you, Sam?" Marie asked, looking to her right.
"Skating is fun, but I really love working on my computer. I do a lot of programming and gaming. I help Reggie with her 'zine sometimes, too," Squid explained before taking a drink of his soda. "Hey, Raymundo, can I get a chocolate milkshake?"
"'Zine? Like, a magazine?" Marie looked confused. "As in, journalism type stuff?"
Reggie chuckled and spun around to look at the other girl. "Exactly like that. I want to go to college for journalism after high school, but back when I was 12 I started my own magazine for around here. It's just sports stuff that our group does. Since Twister takes video of everything we do, I get stills from it and use those in the 'zine. I'm planning on having it act as my portfolio for college."
"Do you do other stuff with it? Like, events from school? Have you considered doing a website for the videos and flash articles? I could help with that."
"You know stuff about computers?"
"I'm a jack of all trades but a master of none, Reggie. It's a perk of living with so many different people. For instance, I know enough about coding to do the basics, and I play the guitar and drums. Not well, but still. A little practice in any area and I could do all kinds of things at a near master level."
"Computer nerd? Musician? Geez, what a weirdo, huh guys?" A voice from behind them taunted. The group looked and there stood Lars and the other two guys from the day before.
"Really? You're going to insult me even though you were the one that said 'ducks in a barrel' yesterday? It's either 'sitting ducks' or 'fish in a barrel'. What's your name again?" Marie scoffed, having already turned back to the counter and her soda. Twister and Otto were beginning to giggle while Reggie and Sam stared at Marie.
"Ouch, such a harsh attitude from a couch surfer. I guess I shouldn't have expected better," Lars sneered. Her head shot up and she glared at him, everyone else falling silent. She clenched her fists and closed her eyes and forced herself to breathe.
"Fine. If that's how you're going to be about it, okay. I will not continue to converse with such a nuisance as yourself," she stated, anger on the edge of her voice as she tried to keep it at bay. She couldn't help the situation she was in. She was trying to make friends, to get a fresh start. But she had learned from her mother to not tolerate bullies. She only had her advice and the necklace left from her, and she tried to live in a way that her mother would be proud of. She knew her mother would approve of sass, but not rage. Maybe my father was full of rage and that's why it's not okay, Marie thought in an attempt to calm herself back down. She unclenched her hands and breathed out one last time before turning back to her soda and her new friends.
"Wow. Okay. Didn't wanna hang around here anyways. Pi, Sputz, we're leaving. Oh, and it's Lars, by the way. Don't forget it," Lars spat, turning and leaving with his friends. Marie made a face before looking at her friends, an apology already forming on her tongue before Twister spoke up.
"Wow, I have never seen someone shut down my brother so calmly before. He really gets under everyone's skin, ya know? That was pretty cool."
"Definitely! Man, I thought you were going to blow up for a second! Oh, and calling him out on his stupidity. Priceless!" Otto laughed, hitting his hand on the counter. The tension started to melt away and their food came out.
"Oh, my god, Mr. Rocket, this is the best burger I've ever had. And these fries are to die for! Twister, I totally get it. If bad cholesterol wasn't a thing, I'd eat these forever," Marie complimented, genuinely loving the food. The Shore Shack was great. Ocean Shores was great. Marie hoped beyond hope that she could actually stay here. For once, she not just wanted, but needed this place to be her permanent home. Get a grip, girl. It's only been two days. But what a wonderful two days this has been, the thought making her smile.
"Thank you! And call me Ray, everyone does," Raymundo replied, refilling everyone's sodas. The gang hung out for another hour and a half before decided to go to Madtown.
"You in, Marie?" Sam asked, putting on his helmet.
"It sounds fun, but I should really head back home real fast and let Violet and Merv know that I'm still alive. I can meet you guys there, though!"
"Okay, well, if you come back down this way and keep going straight that way, it'll be on the right hand side. It's huge, you can't miss it. See you in a bit!" They all waved to Marie as they skated off towards Madtown. Marie put on her borrowed helmet and got on the bike and sped back home.
Once she reached her street, she took off her helmet and padding, deciding to prop the bike against the side of the house and taking the equipment in with her. Marie opened the front door, calling into the house.
"Merv, Violet, I'm back!" She sounded so cheerful and was full of smiles until she saw her foster parents sitting in the living room. Merv looked livid and Violet looked worried sick. She immediately knew she was wrong in not telling them she was going to the Shore Shack.
"Young lady, where were you?! We've been so worried! We weren't sure if we should have called the cops or not! Actually, given another half hour we would have! Do you know what would have happened if we did? You would have been pulled from our custody! Marie Smith, it has been two days! Two! This type of irresponsible behavior will not be tolerated! Period!" Merv wasn't yelling, but he wasn't speaking softly either. He was obviously distressed. Violet tabbed a couple of tears from her eyes while nodding with what Merv was saying. Marie gently set her borrowed equipment down and walked cautiously up to the couple.
"I'm sorry. I truly didn't mean to worry you guys. I thought that because I was with the other guys that you would know I was okay, but I thought-"
"You thought wrong, sweetie. I know you have such a sense of autonomy, that it's been a necessary part of your personality to survive. But you have to remember that Merv and I, well, we've never been in this situation before. And your social worker was so serious about how strict the rules are. I understand how you would have thought we'd be alright and not worry, but we did. And we need you to take our inexperience into account. The next time you want to go out with the kids, just tell us first. We need to know where you're at in case anything happens," Violet explained as she stepped up to stand next to Merv. Marie inhaled and then exhaled and then nodded.
"You're right. I'll be more conscious of it next time, I promise. I really didn't mean to worry you both." That being said, Marie hugged them both, and they hugged back.
"You're a good girl, Marie. We see so much potential in you. We just don't want something to happen to you," Violet said softly, hugging her extra tight before letting her go.
"All of this being said, we're going to ask you to stay in for the night and think about what happened," Merv asserted, also releasing Marie from the hug. She took a step back and nodded.
"I agree. Actually, I can one up that. How about I make dinner tonight and then we can do a jigsaw puzzle together? I make one mean spaghetti," Marie added, smiling softly at the couple. They agreed, thinking a night in would help their relationship grow.
Marie did make a great spaghetti dish and a good salad to go with it. They decided to do a puzzle of a farm and about 15 minutes in, the doorbell rang. Marie got up and opened the door to find Reggie and Twister standing there.
"Hey, guys! I hope I didn't worry you, too. Merv and Violet were really upset that I didn't tell them I was going to the Pier with you, so I got grounded for the night," she confessed, looking down at her bare feet. The toe nail polish was badly chipped, she'd need to re-do it soon.
"Ah, you're fine. We figured that's what happened," Twister began, smiling gently. "We came over to see if you wanted to come to the bonfire at my house tonight, but I guess not. Another time, though. For sure."
"Yeah, I figured that wasn't going to pan out well, but I wasn't really thinking," Reggie confided, rubbing her arm.
"A bonfire would be fun, but definitely another time. Oh, Reggie, I still have your stuff! Your bike is at the side of the house, let me get the other stuff…" Marie trailed off, starting to turn back into the house.
"No, it's fine! Keep it for now, until we can get you your own! I'm serious, don't worry about it!" Reggie interjected. "But I'll take the bike and put it away in the garage. Just know that you're welcome to it any time you want. I'll make sure Dad and Otto know, too." She put her arms up for a hug. "Well, since you're grounded tonight, we'll see you tomorrow, okay? Maybe we can catch a movie."
Marie grinned and pulled Reggie into a tight hug. "Yeah, of course! That sounds like so much fun! And thank you so much, I'll see you guys tomorrow! Have fun, and don't play with fire!" She let go and waved as the two teens left before closing the door and turning back to her quiet night in.