Changes

Chapter 1

"And make sure you use sunscreen. Oh and..." I zoned out as my mom droned on and on about what I needed for a simple day-trip to the beach with my friends. I was too excited to listen to her! My best friend Emily, her boyfriend Alex, my boyfriend Dylan, me, and the rest of our friends, alone at the beach, with no parents around. That sounded like my paradise. "Sophie Geller! Did you hear what I just said!" my mom yelled. "Oh. Um, yes mom I did. I'll stay the night at Emily's house, don't worry." "Okay, love you sweetie." "Love you too mom."

 I hung up the phone and squealed. I've been out at parties and places by myself before, but this will be my first time as a Junior in high school. I ran up to my room, threw some clothes in a bag, and then fumbled to get my bikini on. When I looked in the mirror, I smiled. My curly, dark brown hair looked pretty, and my light blue eyes were shining. I was glad that the California sunshine had already tanned my skin, which was really brought out by the blue color of my bikini. I was fit physically because I played three sports; soccer, volleyball, and softball, and I was thinking about starting track in the fall. I go to Side View High School and I live in Side View, California. I started thinking about track, which led me to think of school, which led me to think about my grades and my 4.7 GPA, when the sound of Emily's Jeep's horn snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked in the mirror one last time, smiled, then grabbed my bag and ran down the stairs.

I hopped into the front seat of her Jeep and hugged her. Emily is blonde, thin, fair-skinned, and has green eyes. She is funny, smart, and has been my best friend since we were seven years old. "Hey hottie, you ready to go?" she said to me after I threw my bag in the backseat. "Always, sexy," I said back. She smiled and backed out of my driveway.

"So tell me Soph, have you let your sexy boyfriend hit that yet?" Emily asked me. I laughed and looked at her. "No, I haven't, although when we were 'studying' the other day, the making out started getting heavy quickly," I said back. Emily shook her head. "Tell me you're at least on birth control." I looked at her in shock. "Emily! I'm not going to sleep with him right now! We have only been together for four months," I said back.

We pulled into a gas station and Emily put the car in park. As she was unbuckling her seatbelt, she looked over at me and said, "Look Soph. You can never be too safe. Condoms only go so far, that's why I'm on the pill. You should think about it." She jumped down from her seat, then turned around and motioned me to follow her inside.

She grabbed a few waters and chips and went up to the counter. "Hello ladies," a middle-aged man said to us as he started scanning the items. "Hello," Emily said with a smile. She paid for the items, winked at the man, and grabbed my wrist to pull me out of the building. "You are a crazy flirt," I giggled as we made our way back to her Jeep. "Yeah, I'm a flirt, but its so much fun. Don't act like you never do it," she said, starting the engine. "So, at this beach party," I said, "Is there going to be beer?" "Um, duh dummy, our boyfriends are seniors," Emily said back, as if it was obvious. "Right," I mumbled. "What's your problem now?" Emily whined. "Its just beer and alcohol is really bad for you, especially weight, and-" "I'm going to stop you right there fuddy-duddy," Emily interrupted. "You are going to let lose tonight. You've drank before, you liked it, you let loose, and it was great, right?" "Well yeah, but-" "Stop with the excuses! You're going to have fun if it kills me!" Emily yelled. "Okay, okay. I will," I said with a sigh. "Thank you," Emily said with her own sigh.