"And now I understand why we name hurricanes after people."
Annabelle Gold is just starting to settle down in her new house, new town and new school when Melanie Washington comes along and turns her entire world upside-down. What will happen between...
"And I know she gives you everything but boy I couldn't give it to you Baby I don't care if you got hurt the hard way, All I really care is you wake up in my arms." -Ariana Grande: One Last Time
*****
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Half the school walked into class that day soaking wet and smelling like the ocean. That morning's waves were amazing, and most of the student body took advantage of the swell before school began.
This meant that Melanie Washington walked into class with tangled golden hair, a tank top and a sweater over her bikini, a flowy chiffon skirt that moved with her when she walked so gracefully down the hallway, and classic Vans. Her skin was naturally glowing, showing off all of her freckles on her face and arms.
"The surf today was good?" Annabelle asked before class started.
"Oh, New York, it was phenomenal. I managed to score myself a pipe, and that's not too common around here."
"No?" Annabelle questioned, prolonging the conversation.
"Not particularly. That's what made this morning's swell so great. You're dry, though. Why didn't you go out?"
"I don't know how to surf." Annabelle answered with a slight shrug, not thinking it was a huge deal. Melanie, though, was clearly surprised and shocked at her statement.
"You've got to be kidding me. You don't know how to surf?" Melanie asked, as if the words were poison or forbidden from ever passing her plump red lips.
"I really don't. I spent my life in New York, remember?"
"Well, that's going to have to change. I'm going to teach you how to surf, Anna. It's going to be so much fun, you have to believe me."
"Oh, I do. I'm upset that I didn't learn earlier on family vacations. It seems like everyone knows how, so it's good that I'm going to learn."
"I've even got a spare board that should fit you perfectly. How about I come pick you up Saturday morning and we bike down to near the end of the boardwalk in the direction of Atlantic city. The surf is always nice there, and it's the perfect spot to learn. I leaned there. So how about it?" Melanie proposed, excitement clear in her voice and written all over her face.
"Sounds like a plan." Annabelle accepted with a smile, and then class began.
*******
"Hey there, babe! What's up?" Jonah called to Annabelle in the hallway. She turned around, recognizing his voice. She still hadn't gotten used to the fact that everyone calls everyone "babe" here. Either that, or Jonah was hitting on her.
"Hey there, Jonah. I'm going to learn how to surf this weekend." She answered, turning her head to talk to Jonah, who was walking next to her.
"You don't know how to surf?!" He asked, surprised.
"That seems to be the reaction of everyone I tell that to." Annabelle chuckled.
"Well, why didn't you ask me, I can teach you!"
"I didn't know you were the one to ask."
"Alright, but I don't think anyone is more qualified than me to teach you." He said with a slight hint of arrogance.
"Melanie is teaching me, and I doubt you're the best." Annabelle answered.
"Okay. I admit it, she is better. I'm surprised she's doing that, she doesn't talk to many people and doesn't get close either. You must be something special, babe, because the coolest girl in school wants to hang out with you. You gotta tell me how it goes, okay?"
"I promise." Annabelle smiled, and they both went their own way to their next class.
At cheer practice after school, Annabelle saw that Melanie was doing what everyone called the "mysterious dark flirt" with the quarterback. She was standing quite close to him, almost as if either one of them was about to lean in towards the other and start making out.
Annabelle felt a pang of hurt in her chest, if hurt was the right word to describe that exact emotion. She tied her cheer bow into her hair and tried to ignore Melanie playing hard to get with James Harper AND his twin brother, a defensive tackle, Marshal Harper.
"You okay, Goldie? You look like you just saw a ghost or are about to throw up. You don't look good, how are you feeling?" Hannah, another flyer, asked compassionately, breaking Annabelle out of her head.
"A little nauseous. But I'll be fine, I'll lead the stretch." Annabelle responded truthfully before rounding up the girls and leading the stretch.
Meanwhile, while Melanie was ignoring the two football players flirting with her- and not very well at that- she did her signature move. Look away every once in a while, act vaguely interested, shoot them a sultry glare every once in a while and let a smile pull at her lips just for a moment.
She had learned to block out an incredible amount of bullshit, so while they were talking her up, she was really watching the cheerleaders. She noticed that Annabelle's profile looked amazing when she turned her head, and the sea breeze was flowing through her hair and knocking strands out of her ponytail as she tried to tie it back.
Then, Annabelle had turned her back to Melanie, beginning the stretches. She was wearing a fairly loose fitting gray crop top that tied in the front, black shorts and Nike sneakers, her top revealing her waist when she stretched.
After they stretched, their warm-up was a series of handsprings, front and back. Then, the girls had a competition to see how many handsprings they could do and how far they could go. Melanie was watching this with interest. She was curious to know how many and how far Annabelle was able to go.
Annabelle had started like a gymnast, preparing herself. Almost like a goddess, she almost floated over the field as she went. It was so graceful, and it was as if the turf were made of lava and if she touched it too many times, something bad would happen. She finished with a tuck, and Melanie was mesmerized.
"Hey, Melanie! Why are you staring at the cheerleaders when we're talking to you?" The twins asked.
"Sorry, I gotta go boys." She said as she aggressively pushed them aside, walking through the gap she created between them.
"Oh, and I AM NOT INTERESTED!" She turned around and yelled back to them.
When Annabelle got a chance to turn around, she noticed that neither Melanie nor the twins were there. For one, she was thankful that she wasn't all over them, but she was sad that Melanie wasn't around there anymore.
Annabelle knew that Melanie was cuter than cute, and was certainly making her jealous.
