The Summer Of Max and Jessica

Chapter 3- En Route to Summer

It was 6:15 AM, and my alarm began to force my eyes open, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP! I slammed my hand over it to silence it and got up. It wasn't quite as hard getting up knowing I was heading on vacation and not to school, but I was heading on vacation all alone. The idea of that sort of confused me, I like being alone but I was afraid of getting too lonely. I brushed it off and ran to the bathroom to take a shower. I let the water hit my skin to wake me up but I tried not to take to long. When I was done I turned the water off, wrapped a towel around myself and headed back to my room. 

I wouldn't wear a bikini today I thought because by the time I get there it will be late afternoon and there would be no point in going through all that effort. I settled on my go to outfit when I can't decide on anything else; jean shorts and my favorite black tank top with gold buttons down the front. I also wore my brown leather flip flops and finished, the outfit with all of my silver rings and bracelets . I would let my hair air-dry, I always did.  My hair, when it air-dried, would dry in a heap of waves and curls, and each of the separate curls seemed to be a different shade of golden, dirty, honey or bleach blonde. Taylor was always jealous of my hair because she called it "no maintenance (no heat, no product, no dye)" Taylor however was gorgeous, it was more than obvious that she's prettier than me, but her hair is straightened every day and bleached every three weeks. Her blonde a little less "natural." I finished off with my makeup. Just the basics, eyeliner, mascara, and a golden-brown eyeshadow. Then I started grabbing a few of my bags and ran down the stairs.

I placed the bags by the front door and ventured into the kitchen for some breakfast. "Morning sweetie, Are those all your things?" My mom asked, she was at the table having toast with jam and coffee while looking at some files for work. 

"No" I said. "there are two more bags at the top of the stairs." 

"Alright, John dear?" She called to my father who appeared shortly after in the doorway, then disappeared again to put all my things in the car. We would have to be leaving in about 20 minutes, so i found a pack of pop tarts and sat next to my mother. As I ate she asked, "Are you sure your okay with this? I sprung it on you last night and didn't give you much of a choice but are you worried about anything, excited, scared?"

"No mom" I wanted to reassure her. "I am excited to spend the summer where we always do and I will call you to check in, besides you and dad will be really busy with work."

"True." She said as I ate my last bites of pop tart. The my dad came in. "Alright is everyone ready? Let's get this show on the road." He said. He loved the beach house, he had fixed it up over the years. I had a feeling he was sad not to be going this year. We hurried out to the car. 

We had about 5 more minutes of the drive left. The streets we were on now felt like home. Our house was right outside of a very tourist heavy town with many little shops, resorts, gift shops, restaurants, ice cream stands and well... tourists. I always walk into the town almost every day or night. I love to people watch sometimes it inspires a drawing or painting, or I will bring my camera and take pictures. Other times I just watch, the preppy teens who stay at the resorts scattered around, the beachy people who just got out of the water and the pure tourists, fanny pack, visor and tall white socks included. 

I took everything in, the sights, the oceans smell, the feeling of vacation and a lazy summer  and finally I heard our tires hit the gravel driveway. "We made it." Mom said and then she continued, "We''ll make sure your settled Jessica and then we actually have a dinner meeting later tonight. So we'll have to get going."

"Alright" I said and got out of the car. I stared at the cottage. I loved it here. Our cottage was off a main road on a small street with about six houses on it. Our cottage along with the Danlee's, the old couple who lived next door year round, were the only two on the street who's houses hadn't been renovated into mansions and rented out over the course of the year. Our cottage was bright yellow, one floor, two bedrooms, and the backyard was the sand of the private section of beach we were on, which we shared with the others on the street, usually just us and the Danlee's. The family's who rented out the other houses seemed to always head to the country club or the tourist section of the beach. Mrs. Danlee and I used to always tease as we were all alone on the beach how we must scare off the stuck up rich people. As I laughed to myself I noticed my parents had brought all my things inside. My mom came out to meet me, "Are you leaving now?" I asked

"Just about, are you sure you're all set?" She asked me, unsure.

"Mom, don't worry about me. Besides, the Danlee's are right next door." I gestured to their light blue cottage which hovered close to our own. Same size, same shape, the only difference was the color.

She followed my gesture and looked at the house then back to me. "Oh, honey. I didn't tell you, Mrs. Danlee is still living there but Mr. Danlee is in a nursing home not far from here. Mrs. Danlee is doing well, I was just talking to her actually, last night I called her, she said you two would keep an eye on each other, but she misses having him there."

"Of course she does, I will too." Mr and Mrs. Danlee were the kindest, sweetest, happiest people I knew I loved them like my own grandparents. 

"Well we best be going." My dad said as he made his way to us. "We can't be late to that meeting, Cheryl. I'm Going to miss you kiddo." he said I said the same to him as we hugged then he headed to the car. My mom kissed me and hugged me over and over again. "Come on Cheryl!" My Dad called after her. We laughed and she got in the car. "I will call tomorrow" She said. I nodded. Their car scraped out through the gravel and I was alone.