My Summer with New York

I'm Obviously Not From Here, Duh.

Rose's POV:
"Rosaline Ellis Beckett get out of bed and join us downstairs now!" I hear my mother yell for the twentieth time. I groan and throw the flat pillows over my head; staying out so late last night was obviously a mistake. "What time did she get home last night?" I hear my father ask her. "I don't know but I hope she isn't going to be making a habit out of it." My mother says with obvious disdain. I throw the flat pillows onto the floor and get out of bed. I'm as angry as a whole swarm of Yellowjackets, and my mother will be the brunt of my anger. "I'm up! And if I feel like staying out late I will! I'm 18 years old and you people wanted me to be this different girl so here I am!"
I screech. I whip open the sliding glass door and stomp outside. "Elaine you said you'd take it easy on her." My father says. I roll my eyes and walk down to the beach.

"I hate the beach and now I'm running to it!" I grumble. "Jesus you're such a Debbie downer!" I hear a familiar voice say. I turn around to see Colby standing there with a little boy with sandy brown hair. "Shut up Colby!" I say laughing. He cracks a smile, and the little boy tugs on his arm to get him to lean down so he can whisper in his ear. "My little brother would like to know if you'd join us on the beach today?" He asks me, grinning from ear to ear.
No.
No.
No.
No. My head is screaming at me to say no, but I find myself nodding and saying I'd run and change. "I'll see you two in ten!" I tell them.

When I get back to the house, my mother isn't downstairs. "Why are you in such a hurry?" My dad asks playfully. "I'm going to the beach to join my friend and his brother." I tell him honestly. I can always be honest with my father; my mother is a different story. "You made a friend after one day?" He asks. "Sort of. It'll help my days pass quicker." I admit with a shrug. He relinquishes me to change, and soon I'm on the beach walking towards Colby and his brother.

"Why are you so pale?" Abel asks me a short time later. "Because I'm not from here, Duh." I tell him. Colby is working on preparing the towels so they wouldn't get sand all over them, so he's paying little attention to us. "You're like ghostly white!" He tells me. I laugh and say thank you, and Colby finally looks up at us. "Come here Abel. You need sunscreen." He says. Abel looks so sad that he has to have sunscreen rubbed all over him. "Are you going to put sunscreen on Rose too?" Abel asks. He's the first person who's called me by my actual name since I've been here, besides my parents of course. "If she wants me to." Colby tells him. "I just need you to put it on my back, I can manage everywhere else." I say. Abel shoots me a wicked grin before running off to the water. "He's a crazy little thing isn't he?" I tell Colby. "Yeah he's wild. Ever since our dad died he hasn't really been the same, but this year was better for him." Colby says as he puts on sunscreen. "I'm sorry for your loss." I say automatically. Colby smiles at me, and shows me his hands as if he's asking me if he can put it on me now. I lift my hair for him, and he places the cold lotion on my back. He laughs when I jump away from his touch, but the way his hands feel against me feel more different than Justin's ever had. His hands are lingering a little too long, and I'm leaning too far into him, so I pull away to keep things from getting too awkward.

I mumble a thank you, and he nods as he walks towards the water and to Abel. I make baby steps as I try to get in the water. I barely dip my toes in before I'm ready to retreat back to the warm sand. "Come on New York!" Colby calls. I flip him off as I try to wade in as far out as he is, but the water is way too cold. "She's scared Colby!" I hear Abel say. I roll my eyes knowing he can't see me and take more baby steps into the cold water. Colby swims over to me and holds out his hand. "Let me guide you, young one." He jokes. I swat his arm but gladly take it. Colby pulls me in front of him so I can't try to slip away. The deeper we go the colder it gets. "Oh god it's so cold!" I squeal as I jump onto Colby. He catches me with a laugh and says "Aren't your winters colder than this?"

I glare at him; he's got to be joking. "It's hardly the same thing Colby." I say icily. "Aw your voice is almost as cold as the water!" He teases. I swat the top of his head which only makes him laugh harder. "Where's Abel?" I ask. Colby points to the shore where Abel is playing with some other kids. As soon as I get down off of Colby, I'm knocked down by a wave. I come up from the water sputtering and angry. Colby's laughter doesn't make it any better. "I hate the beach!" I yell. As soon as the words leave my mouth, I'm knocked down yet again and drug to the shore. Colby is practically dying of laughter when I resurface; I flip him off and head back to the towels. "Let me work on my tan." I complain. The family next to me laughs at something a dumb seagull is doing, and that only fuels my hatred for the beach.