SERENDIPITY

CHAPTER ONE

I have always adored how sunny California was.

I have always adored cranking down my car-window and popping my head out like a dog, as the blisteringly hot air caresses my cheeks and the wind drags is kind fingers through my hair.

I have always adored dancing in the sand of Shell beach while the salty spray of the ocean flecks my face.

Every year, me, my mom – Elizebeth – and my older sister – Steph – would drive down to Shell beach to visit our cousins, Jules, and her brother Cove. We always would blast the music on the way there, and roll down our windows of course.

Sister Golden Hair by America was playing, and I knew every word, so did my mom. We both screamed the lyrics, perfectly in-sync. Whenever it played, I would think of how Cove always called me his Sister Golden Hair because of my lush blond locks.

Steph grumbled, tugging down her knee-length brown skirt. I thought it was plain and ugly, but she always argued it was perfect for being "not too showy" or "too fitted". Sometimes I really hated Steph.

"Hey, Steph," I trilled, "Don't you wanna sing?" I grinned, shouting the chorus of the song right in her ear. She shoved me away, and I slammed into the corner of my seat in our car.

"No." She spat, scowling at me through her signature slitted eyes, "I want to sit here, Goldie. Now leave me alone." She hissed, but, in a dangerously cheerful mood, I slid closer to where she was sitting with her legs crossed politely, and tugged on her hazel pony-tail.

She screeched as I teased, "What, are you still thinking about Your boyfriend?" I giggled. Steph had supposedly gone steady with some disgusting guy from our high school, according to my best friend, Julie. "You know he smokes right?"

"No, Goldie, I am not thinking about my boyfriend. He ditched me for Pearl yesterday. And, yes, of course I know he smokes. I see who he sits with at lunch, you know." She growled sharply, reaching up to turn down the music.

Mom swatted her hand away and cranked the music back up. Now Magic Man was playing by Heart, who I had a poster of above my little yellow bed at home. "Now, now, Goldie. Don't tease your sister. Now quiet down, I want to hear the music." My mom quickly began humming along. She was never one for music until dad died and we started going on long car rides together.

I remember the crushingly sad silence, even with the music playing. I never had anything to say to comfort her. Well, I guess, I kinda did, but I never knew how to say it out loud. Even in my head, the words were scrambled and wrong. No, dad wouldn't have wanted us to be glad he is at peace now. No, dad wasn't any happier now than he had been. You can't blame me, it was three years ago, I was only fourteen at the time.

Anyway, I taught mom all my favorite bands, Fleetwood Mac, America, Heart, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. She was a fast learner, and over two months, she knew each and every lyric to all my favorite songs.

Even so, I knew she didn't enjoy it. She would have rather been snuggled up on our brown-and-rose-patterned sofa, watching television with dad.

After he died, Steph became Stephanie, and she began wearing long, fitted skirts and cardigans for her job. Instead of working at the diner with me, she quit and started a job as an intern for the local newspaper-company. She never came with me and my friends to the Hill to watch the sunrise, she never rode her bike with me down our little street, and she forgot about al her favorite music. Forgetting about music is a big step for anyone.

But I shoved those grim thoughts away, and focused on the brick smudge in the distance. It was Jules' and Cove's parents house, and every summer when we finally neared it, I felt my heart leap and hammer with excitement. I knew my mom's and Steph's were too. And that thought got me through the car-ride. Mainly through Steph's scowls and complaints.