Write Me Back By Deborah Escobar

Chapter 1: James

James

I put the last letter in the outgoing mail. It hurt me as I did it.

"Fulton!" A guard yelled.

"I'm ready!" I yelled back.

"Alright say your goodbyes." She said.

"Don't have any." I walked passed her to the door.

"Alright." She guided me out. When we got to the main gate she gave me a bag of my stuff. "I hope I never see you again, kid!"

"You won't! Believe me." I walked out. I was free! My mom booked me a flight to Malibu. She would meet me there. My plane leaves in 4 hours.

I don't know why I'm doing this. I'm going to the beach. I call a cab and before I know it I'm standing in the airport. I check in and then I find gate 14. July 14th is the day we started talking. The day I got a letter from the girl of my dreams.

"Flight 12 to Malibu, this is the last call." A flight attendant says sweetly.

That's me. I give the attendant my ticket.

"Sweet boy like you flying all alone? " She smiles. "You meeting someone?"

"I hope so." I smile back.

"Well you have a nice flight ok? Don't worry too much." She gives me a wink and goes back to her desk.

"Thanks ma'am" I wave and go down the walkway into the plane.

I go to my seat and sit down. There's an older woman in the seat next to me. This should be a quiet flight. It's only 4 hours long. I put my headphones in and take out my iPod. I plug it in under the seat. I don't play any music yet. I start looking through my bag, wondering what's inside. I find a book. Hope Was Here. That's the book Renee sent me. I open it. I read the whole book in 3 hours.

It was about hope and Hope Yancey. She's a 16 year old waitress who brings hope everywhere she lives. She's lived everywhere. She's been through so much and yet she remains smiling. It gives me hope that when I get to Malibu. I will see Renee. It's crazy and insane and no normal teenager would be doing this, but I'm not normal. I'm James Fulton. I was in juvie. I have feelings for a girl I've never met. My life feels like a movie. It has changed drastically within the year.

"Are you cold?" The woman next to me asks as she reaches for the air switch.

"You can turn it off if you want." I tell her as I take my headphones out. She leaves it on, but pulls her blanket closer to her face. She has dark grey hair and brown eyes. She looks about 40.

My answer to a lot of questions is simply I don't know. Do I love Renee? I don't know. Will Renee be at the beach as promised? Will I find her? I don't know. I don't know.

"You have a lot on your mind?" The woman asks.

"Yeah, how'd you guess?" I'm used to people striking up a conversation with me. I've been told I look approachable.

"I see worry written all over that young face of yours." She looks out the window into the infinity of the sky.

"I'm doing fine miss, don't worry about me." I smile at her and she smiles back.

"Don't let her get to you. She'll come around." She smiled again and closed her eyes.

These people can read me like a book. Damn.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen we've arrived in Malibu. Have fun in the sun!" A voice on the loudspeaker says.

I grab my charger and get up. I wait for the crowds ahead of me to clear and then walk up the aisle. I exit the plane. I'm in Malibu, California! What am I supposed to do now? I walk outside and get hit by the sun. My iPod says 1:46. 3 hour time difference from here and Colorado. I get a cab.

"Take me to Zuma Beach please." I ask the driver.

"Yeah kid, sure." He tells me.

I'm assuming that's the beach she means. That's the most popular one in Malibu. We get there around 2:45 on account of some traffic. I hand him the money and get out of the car.

Girls. That's all I see. Miles of gorgeous girls in bikinis. Alright now time to find my girl. Holding my book in hand I walk around the beach. I have no idea what Renee looks like so I look for someone who looks like they're waiting.

After 4 hours and 15 girls I can't find Renee. I sit down on a bench next to a girl with a notebook. Her hair is long and light brown with bits of gold. She's tan, but not California tan. Her eyes are bright green. She's writing furiously. I better leave her alone. I stand up and sit on the next bench over. A tall, tan, blonde California girl sits next to me.

"Hey you!" She smiles at me.

"Um, hi?" I look at her strangely.

"What's your name?" She asks me.

"James." I tell her.

"I'm Nellie. Nice to meet you. My friend Cindy over there thinks you're cute and wants you to come sit with us." She grabs me by the hand and before I know it I'm sitting with Cindy the brunette and Nellie the blonde.

"His name is James." Nellie tells Cindy as we sit down in the sand.

"I'm Cindy." She blushes.

"Nice to meet you." Her name is Cindy. Could it be? No, it's just coincidence.

"Where are you from?" Nellie asks.

"Colorado." I tell her.

"What are you doing all the way in California?" Cindy asks.

"Looking for someone. I was hoping they'd meet me here." I look away.

"I knew you'd have a girlfriend!" Cindy says. "Nellie, I told you to leave him alone."

"Oh stop it Cindy!" Nellie takes a drink of her lemonade.

"She's a girl I have feelings for. Not my girlfriend." I clarify.

"Why isn't she your girlfriend?" Cindy looks at me sadly.

"I'm not sure she likes me that way." I shrug.

"Why not? You're so adorable!" Nellie laughs.

"I don't know." I start to stand up. "I better leave now. I want to look for her."

"Good luck." Cindy says.

"Have fun." Nellie rolls her eyes. "You'll never find her."

"I will." I walk away.

I'm more determined now than ever. I have to find her! I need to find her! I ask about 100 girls their names. None. Not one was Renee. This is so frustrating! It's almost dark. Renee loves the sky! I'll find her here! At night! I feel hopeful.