Becoming Strong

Did I want to go on this "family trip"? No. Did I want to spend time with my new "brothers"? No. I didn't want to even look at them, much less share the same car space with them. But when Mom married Daniel, I was expected to bond. Bond with my new "dad". Bond with my new "brothers", Dane and Jack. Yay.

So, I loaded my backpack with my iPod, notebook, pencils, and a Harry Potter book, and got into the red Suburban that Daniel owned. I sat in the back, silently praying that Dane and Jack would sit in the middle seats. Thank God, they did.

I put my earphones in and started playing NeverShoutNever's "Can't Stand It." But that didn't last long, since Jack pulled them out and started talking to me.

"Where are we going again?" he asked. I sighed.

"The beach, stupid." I replied, grabbing my earphones back.

"Dude, I bet there'll be tons of hot chicks there," Jack said, looking at Dane. I rolled my eyes.

"Can you think about something else for a change?" I asked.

"You're just jealous because we can TALK to people and you can't," Dane cut in, laughing.

"Shut up."

I could, in fact, talk to people. I just didn't want to. And they didn't want to talk to me. And forget about talking to boys. I was a social mess in front of them. I put my earphones back in, listening to the music. Only if guys like Christofer Drew, Kellin Quinn, and Adam Young existed around me. But NO. Every guy my age is too obsessed with "swag" and "YOLO".

I looked out the window, taking in the grassy fields that surrounded the road. I wanted to be out there, sitting or sleeping. I liked the beach, don't get me wrong. But there were so many people at the beach. And I have to put up with Dane and Jack's "girl talk" the whole fricking time. I curled up and eventually went to sleep.

I woke up to Jack shaking my shoulder hurriedly.

"What do you want?!" I sleepily said, looking up.

"We're here, butt-face," he said, getting out of the car. I got out of car. I wasn't even wearing a swimsuit. Just blue-jean shorts and an Owl City T-shirt. I started walking towards the shore, my grey Converse sneakers trudging through the white, soft sand. Daniel and Mom set up chairs and Dan and Jack walked off, looking for girls. I, meanwhile, sat in a chair, turned on Sleeping With Sirens, and looked at the blue, rolling sea waves.

I was getting pretty comfortable until a giant, black Great-Dane rammed into me, flipping both me and my chair over and into the sand.The dog licked my face.

"Moose! God dammit Moose!" I sat up to see a bright red-haired boy holding the dog's collar back. He held his hand out to me and pulled me up. He blushed.

"I'm so sorry. He's never been to the beach before...and he sort of ran off. Are you okay?"

"Erm...yeah..I'm fine..." I said. I'm not the biggest "boy-freak" but this guy was cute and I'm not. And I'm a social train-wreck.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry...again. I'm Eric," He said, smiling. He had braces, like me. At least I wasn't the only brace-face out there.

"I'm Kat," I said, smiling back. Why was I smiling?! How had he not run away?! How had I not socially shut down?!

"That's a cool name, better than mine. But oh well, right? So how come you're here?" he asked.

"My family want 'bonding time'. But my brothers are off and my parents went swimming."

"Haha, I'm here with my sister and her friends. I was forced. Oh my God! Your shirt!" he said, looking at my yellow Owl City shirt.

"Yeah...you like Owl City?"

"Yes! I didn't know anyone else listened to him!" he said, smiling again.

"I didn't know anyone else did either! And I like your hair," I said. Then I realized what I had said. 'I like your hair'? Why did I say that?!

"Thanks, my mom and dad didn't like it when I dyed it but they've gotten over it. Do you wanna go get, like, ice-cream or something? Oh my God, was that awkward? I'm so sorry," he said, blushing again.

I smiled. This never happens to me. "God no, it's okay, I'm really awkward. And I'd love to come."

"Okay, come on!" he said, taking my hand and running, Moose following behind. I slid my iPod into my pocket and ran with him. Maybe this trip wouldn't be Hell after all.