The Summer I Actually Turned Pretty

Ch.1

*picture above: Mandy*
The fact that I have lived right next to the ocean my whole life kinda means I have to at least go to the beach at least once. According to my mother that is. So not ever going since I got ran over by that stupid car makes my mother a little concerned.
"Come on, June! Just once. I'll take you today myself if you'ed like." My mom says to me but I block her out by concentrating all on the music blaring from my ear buds. Im pretty sure mom can even hear it. And that's saying a lot concidering she's...old.
My mom yanks my buds out of my ears and I whine in protest as I sit up on my bed. "Mommm." I say to her angerly. "Don't mom me. You need to get some fresh air whether it's the beach or not. It's summer. Enjoy it, your a kid. Go make some friends."
   I cross my arms and point to my walls that are covered in pictures of Pearl and I. And even my desk where I have me and her doing gymnastics framed. Mom sighs. "Pearl is one friend. Uno. Im talking about plural here. Friend-s." I roll my eyes which my mom hates. She sends me a death stare that says don't do that again.
And the look she gives me just makes me want to roll my eyes. Again. She puts her hand up, warning me. I exhale a deep breath. "Fine. I'll go outside. But not to the beach." Mom shakes her head and asks,"I know your scared of getting hurt after that accident 2 years ago but what does the ocean have anything to do with what happened to you?"
I let mom touch me as she runs her long fingers over the thin scar that runs all the way from my forhead to my upper lip that I had gotten because my skull had split open when I had hit the glass on the front of the car. "Mom. It's the same road where that car hit me. You have to cross it to get to the beach."
                                                                         ...
   I run my hand down my black hoodie, smoothing it for no reason at all. Then I run my hands though my straight hair. I promised mom I would make friends so that's what im gonna do. I think as I round a corner. Im jogging along the side walk that is next to the road and past that is the beach. I try to ignore all the cars driving by me. What if one flys off the road and hits me?
I decide not to risk it so I move away from the highway's noisy traffic. And that's when I run into someone. Smack! I collide with the person and fall to the pavement with a loud thoud.
   I rub my head. "Sorry." A girl says. I look up at her. I quickly cover my face with my hood, making sure she does not notice my ugly scar. "No problem." I notice the girl has medium length black hair and dark brown eyes and looks around my age. "I've never seen you at school before." I say to her. She nods and points to her left. "I came from Texas. Or at least I think it's that way, I don't know. I wanna be a navigater when I grow up." I smile up at her. "Really. That's so cool. I wanna be a gymnast. Or possibly a dancer. I used to be friends with this amazing dancer. Her name was Francesca...but she died from a heart attack due to cancer."
The girl gives me a simpathic look. "Im so sorry." I shrug and find myself not being able to meet her eyes. "She wasn't even that close to me. Her real best friend was Brit who moved to Hawaii about a year ago. Their both older then me. I guess I was just so good they put me in Francesca's class. Anyway, I just quite dance and started gymnastics after Franny died. I think I enjoy gymnastics more to be honest anyway so...
Im sorry. You proably don't wanna hear me talk about my whole life story. Im June by the way." The girl laughs and sticks out her hand. "Im Mandy." We shake hands and the whole time I feel a joy surround me like a second skin. I made a friend. I actually did it. "Well. I have to get home but I'll see you later?" I nod then we both jog off in opposite directions. And that was that.