The Promise

The Beach(part 1)

"Ella?" Cole called and i groaned. "Are you going to get up so we can go to the beach or are you going to sleep the day away, again?" I groaned again and rolled over. It had been true, i slept so much, but i couldn't help it, the bed was so soft. Cole didn't seem to mind, but he wanted to do things, and i just wanted to sleep. I stretched and sighed as i began to get up. I had promised him that i would go to the beach with him to a party, but i still wanted to sleep. "Ella!"

"I'm tired," I whined, falling back in the bed. 

"Oh no you don't," Cole said, coming in the doorway. I hadn't really felt the need to lock my door, or even close it. "You promised. Up!"

"I don't want to," I said, cuddling into the blanket. "And there's nothing you can do to get me up."

"Oh really?" The blanket was ripped from my grasp and i was tumbling to the ground. "You getting up now?"

"That's not nice," I whined and he chuckled as he left. 

"You have ten minutes," he called and i shut my door. I had learned shutting the door when changing was a good idea, since Jameson wondered around the house and he would sometimes just come up to check on me. One time he saw more then he bargained for. I had learned just how loud Cole could yell. Jameson was no longer allowed on the third floor unless i was gone, which hadn't been a lot. "Seven."

"Cole!" I cried, and i heard him chuckle. I stood up and moved to my dresser. I pulled out my royal blue bikini top and the shorts that went with it. I pulled on a little sun dress on that fit perfectly and flowed just right. Even though i hated being around men, i didn't mind looking pretty, plus i didn't want to make Cole look bad because i couldn't look like a lady.

"Four!"

"I'm ready!" I yelled, grabbing my bag and heading down the stairs. I smiled at him and laughed when his eyes widened. He hadn't seen me in anything besides sweatpants and tank tops. "Is this alright?"

"Yes," he said, holding his hand out to me. I took it and he dragged me outside. I thought we were going to the car, but he held me back. "We're walking."

"Alright," I said, and he must have seen the look on my face. 

"Jameson's off today, he'll be joining us later," he said, winking. "Now, i should warn you. There's no thing called personal space between us, so brace yourself. The guys won't know that you don't like to be touched, so they'll be touchy with you." I stopped walking, pulling my hand out of his. "What?"

"Cole, i've only just gotten used to you and Jameson," i said, bitting my lip.

"Stop that," he said, referring to my lip. "Look, you're here to get used to guys, this will help. Just don't punch anyone." I smiled a little bit and he took my hand again. I didn't know why, but when i held his hand, i felt fine, i didn't feel out of place like i usually did. I knew it was wrong, but i couldn't help the way i felt. I needed to trust another guy, so why not one that i felt safe around. "That wouldn't end well."

"Whatever you say," i said, and he continued to pull me with him. "So how long is this party?"

"All day, pretty much until all the food and drinks are gone and the fires attract to much attention," he said. 

"There won't be alcohol, right?"

"Maybe a beer or two from the older ones, but no alcohol," he said, shaking his head. "We don't really allow it."

"Good," I said, and he pulled me up so that i was next to him. 

"We're almost there," he said, and i looked ahead and i began hearing excited shouts and kids laughing. We climbed up a little incline and there was the beach, and there were already a lot of people there, about forty or so. Most of them were dressed like me. To get down to the beach though, we had to get down a rocky incline. He saw my worried expression. "I'll help you."

"That might be a good idea, or you'll be nursing me with a broken neck," i joked and a dark looked passed over his face for a moment before it returned to its original happy manner. "Are we going to start down?" 

"Yeah," he said. We began making our way down the incline, him catching me frequently as i slipped on the rocks. He had his feet in the sand before me, which was good, because my foot caught a rock wrong and i went tumbling down. "Hey!" He caught me, but we both ended up down, in tangles with limbs and laughs. "You are a klutz."

"I know," I laughed, sitting up with his help.

"Cole, who is this little girl?" a man asked, coming over, trailed by a woman. I wanted to skitter away, but i bite down on the feeling. Cole got up and helped me to my feet.

"Larry, this is Ella; Ella, this is my good friend Larry," Cole said, and to my horror Larry put out his hand to shake. I didn't want to embarrass Cole so i put my hand in Larry's, and to my surprise, i didn't feel anything bad when i shook his hand. "Ella will be staying with me for the summer."

"Well, Ella, it's nice to meet you," he said, and i grinned. "Is Ella short for anything?"

"Carmella," I said, and he nodded. 

"I'm Lucy," the woman said, and i smiled at her. "I hope you like it here."

"I do too," i said, and i saw Cole's grin out of the corner of my eye. 

"Well, come on; we'll introduce you around," Lucy said, looping her arm with mine. "Cole, Kim and John need to speak with you." She began leading me away and i looked back at Cole. My expression must had been one of horror because he smiled at me, giving me a reassuring expression. "So, when did you get here?"

"A few days ago," i said, trying to find Cole, who seemed to have disappeared. I felt suddenly empty without him. Lucy was watching me. 

"Honey, he'll be back," she promised and Larry veered off from us. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," i said, taking a deep breath, knowing i had to get myself together. "I just get weird around people i don't know."

"Well, you'll get to know us then it won't be strange," she said, and i nodded. We were getting closer to a volleyball net that was set up. "Guys!" There were about ten teenagers around the net, planning out a game. "This is Ella. She's here staying with Cole for the summer."

"Isn't she pretty," a guy hooted, and instinct took over and i shrank into Lucy's side. She glanced at me and at the guy. 

"Down, Ian," she said and the others laughed. "Ella, don't let them bite. If they try, give it back to them." I nodded and she moved over to where Larry had gone. I turned back to the group and found they were staring at me. 

"Hi," I said, fidgeting with my hair again. 

"Well, you play?" a girl asked. I nodded. "Good, it's girls against boys and Bree can't play to save her life."

"Hey!" a dark haired girl exclaimed. "Jules, you're mean."

"But you love me," Jules said, brushing her light brown hair out of her face. "Come on, Ella. We want to win. Loser gets to brace the waves first." She saw my confused look. "Surfing."

"I don't know how to surf," i admitted and the boys hooted. 

"Then don't let us lose," Jules said, and she was slipping out of her cover. "You going to be able to play in that?"

"Yeah," i said, not wanting to take off my dress yet. 

"Let the games begin," Jules said, and she set up the serve.