Lovers & Enemies

Chapter 1: Three drinks, Two hearts, One Mistake

Lovers and Enemies

©2011 Kaci Lancaster

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’ll pick you up at ten, yeah?” My mother asked me as we sat in the car. The beach parking lot was packed with cars of all kinds: small, large, red, blue, even a few mopeds. The list could go on and on. “Or would you rather stay a bit longer than that?”

                That’s the thing about my mom. She understands how I feel because like other mothers, she was a teenager once upon a time. She knows what I have to do and what I’d rather do. Unlike many of the other mothers here in my town, my mother has a lower mental age. She’s more youthful than mature. I started to notice that once I hit the seventh grade.

                “It’d be great if you could pick me up later,” I said truthfully, glancing at her reaction-only a smile.

                “Sure, why not,” My mom turned the key in the ignition and started the car. “You better get going; you’re going to get there too late!”

                My eyes widened when I realized that what she said was true, and I got out of the car. Tossing my tennis shoes into the car and switching them for a pair of blue flip flops, I glanced over my shoulder at the beach. There were teens both younger and older than me, running across the beach and eating hot dogs. My lord, I hated hot dogs. Not only because of the fact that I love pigs, but also their taste. To me, it’s revolting.

                “Okay,” I turned back to my mom and smiled again. “I’m going now. I love you.”

                “I love you too,” Mom cooed as she rested her hands on the steering wheel. “I’ll pick you up later.”

                I waved over my shoulder as I started my way to the gate. The lady at the front gate smiled and stamped my hand after I gave her my dollar. As stupid as it sounds, you actually have to pay money to go to this beach. With paying for the food, the decorations, the activities, and the jobs and opportunities, it would make sense that you have to make some donation to the beach. I just wish that I didn’t feel so guilty about not giving more.

                I walked off to the side and out of the way of the entry to the beach to slip on my flip flops, the thong catching on my nail.

                “Hey, Alex!”

                The call brought my attention from my shoes to the person running towards me. Her blonde hair bounced up and down as she ran across the beach with a towel in her hand. I laughed when she tripped on a pair of tennis shoes randomly lying in the middle of pathway. I watched as she flailed her arms side to side as she almost fell flat. Regaining her momentum at the last possible moment, she continued to run.

                “What are you doing here?” I asked her, gripping her arms as she laughed. “I didn’t know you were coming!”

                She gaped. “What, you think I’d miss this? This is the last chance before school for us to have a party with everybody else!”

                “I’m so glad to see you!” I hugged her tight as we both laughed loudly, causing the people around us to smile and stare at us. “Leah, when did you get here?”

                “About three hours ago…”

                Now it was my turn to gape at her. “What? I would’ve come here earlier.”