Saving Elliot ©2015 Sydney Wray

Chapter 4~ Dead Dogs, and a Jaxx

I stood on Venice Beach nervously, holding my hands in front of me. I received looks around me, though I couldn't understand why.

Dressed in one of my new suits, black dress shoes, and sharp red tie, I thought I looked suitably adequate for a date on the beach. Informing my father I would be at the library researching, little did he know I had picked up a bouquet of sunflowers and was waiting anxiously for Hailey.

I suddenly spotted her trudging up the sand, shoes in hand and looking positively beautiful in a casual white throw-over and wild hair pulled into a messy ponytail.

I smiled, straightening my posture and clearing my throat.

Hailey saw me, parted her lips in question, then shut them and reluctantly ended up in front of me. "Hey, stranger."

I nodded, grinning excitedly. "Hailey."

Hailey looked around us, her eyebrows arched amusingly.

I handed her the bouquet, almost forgetting.

Hailey happily gasped, taking them. "Wow, thank you. No one's ever given me flowers before."

I was a bit taken back. "No one?"

Hailey bit her lip, her blue eyes blinking. "Well, now someone has."

"You should get flowers more often." I softly said.

"You're quite the formal type, huh?" She asked, a growing smile forming.

"I try." I smiled, laughing.

Hailey motioned to walk and I followed next to her.

"So, please tell me you have a bathing suit with you..?"

I swallowed, looking at her questioningly and leaning loser. "Am I not dressed properly? I thought this was suitable."

I felt extremely awkward, walking off beat with her.

"No! No, it's fine." She assured me. "But I was hoping we could go surfing? A Californian like you must've done it before, so I only thought.."

I almost winced. I've never been surfing and haven't swam in the California water in over five years. "I'm ashamed to say I haven't."

Her mouth widened in shock. "Really?"

"Prim!" A familiar, southern voice suddenly yelled.

I looked around in alarm, willing for the voice to dissapear.

But Hailey either didn't hear, or chose to ignore it.

"Prim!" It was closer now, so I started to panic as I looked behind me. Jaxx was jogging, a crop top jumping along with her brown hair.

This time, Hailey noticed. She looked behind us, then to me. "Do you know her?"

I looked back, then to Hailey with a blank look.

"Nope." I lied hurredly. "No idea."

But Jaxx caught up to us and ended in front of me.

"Hey, Prim. Aw, look-he's all dressed up again. Found your girl, yet?" She asked, eyebrows raised.

Please Lord, let the earth swallow me whole.

I stared at Jaxx, eyes big.

Hailey cleared her throat and started to laugh. Obviously, she found this amusing. "Hi, I'm Hailey."

Jaxx looked at Hailey, then at me with an 'o' shaped mouth. "Hi, I'm Jaxx. I'm a friend of Prim, here."

I pressed my lips, mumbling more to myself than to anyone, "She's a friend, all right."