Jessica's Fate

Chapter 15

I woke up far too early on Friday.

I mean, maybe not far too early because I was working 6 to 10 at the diner and it was 4:30 am.

No, my excitement that made me too excited to sleep had everything to do with the fact that Zack was picking a picnic lunch and me up at the end of my shift and we were going to North Shore beach for a day of sand and sun and maybe a venture into the water.

Which means there was a lot to run through my brain at this awful hour of the morning.

First up... shower and coffee. I went downstairs in my pjs to grab a bottled coffee from the fridge. Maybe it was girly but you know what? I didn't care and when I was in a hurry or it was hot, the cold bottled coffees that Sang preferred were the ones at the top of my favorite list too.

This morning definitely counted as in a hurry.

I drank half of it on my way back upstairs and turned on my shower.

Mom wasn't home. Again. I wasn't sure if I wanted to bring it up to her that she was never home at night at all anymore or if it would turn into a conversation that I'd been so grown up that it was more than okay that my mom seemed to prefer the bump in pay that working graveyard shifts and a bit of extra overtime over actually making her daughter feel like she was worth spending time with.

I knew it wasn't that at all. She knows it isn't that at all. It just sorta tries to suck all the joy out of a day like today that she isn't here to reassure me it'll be a great day and that I look fine and to make sure to be home at some point around dinner. Oh well. No reminders of a time to be home is a good thing in my books.

I was washing my hair when the idea hit me that there wasn't anything keeping me from having Zack over when she was working.

I was always on my own. We could have a movie night right here at home. That might be fun. I'd have to ask him today.

I finished my shower quickly and wrapped a towel around my body and one around my hair for a bit as I went to go figure out the best way to have what I needed at the beach. Hmm... flip flops. Not the fancy ones from date night, just the plain ones will do. I tossed them towards the bed.

Sunscreen and sunglasses. Beach towels – extra in case Zack doesn't have one. Hair ties – at least 2, Kota taught me the rule of 2 very well and I've found it always applies to hair ties. Bikini... I frowned for a moment. Where did I stash it at the end of summer?

I went to my closet and pulled down a plastic bin that had summer things marked on it and rifled through it for some options. Hmm... I tapped my finger on my chin before reaching into the bin and pulling out a black bikini bottom with ties on the side and rummaged through the rest of them to find a mint and black floral patterned bikini top. It had a halter neckline and I loved this one for the simple fact that it always stayed in place.

I decided to wear it under my clothes for my shift. With any luck, there wouldn't be hardly anyone in the diner this morning anyway. I pulled a halter top dress on over the top of it. I could get away with it because it was entirely covered and socks and converse wouldn't look strange with this particular dress. It was only until I could swap them for the flip flops in Zack's car anyway.

I packed everything else up in my beach tote, including a bra and underwear in case we decided go somewhere after the beach and I needed to not be wearing a wet bikini. I decided to add shorts and a tank top in case I was not in the mood to wear the dress later.

I brushed my hair out and braided it tightly so that it would stay put during work and still look good on the beach. I yelped slightly when I saw the time and hurriedly gulped down the rest of my coffee before I snatched up the bag and rushed out of the house... locking it up securely and taking a quick brisk walk down the path to the diner.