God's Spare Parts

Chapter One

It was a strange time for me personally, but honestly I couldn't possibly think of a better time for Thoro Pennet to waltz into my life.

I was seventeen years old, about to enter my final year of high school. Like any other day that summer, I spent it at the beach with Ashley Burnard and Sandra Diaz. it wasn't abnormal to find the three of us along with tons of other kids hanging out along the shoreline of the small town of Southampton, what was abnormal however was Thoro.

'Excited to see Vincent?" Sandra purred from behind her oversized sunglasses aimed directly to the sky as if awaiting some sign from the heavens. Her smug grin told me she meant the remark as doorway to a conversation which had remained closed through the summer.

'Have you even seen him this summer?" Ashley sat up quickly and peered at me with her stark blue eyes that I had always been envious of.

I sighed, of course I had known the conversation of Vincent DeGrass would come up but we had been so close to going the whole summer without discussing him. 'Once."

'Details please?" Ashley pushed. I could see Sandra smirk.

'We went out for ice cream on the board walk in August." I started as if the ordeal wasn't as big as Ashley was sure to make it out as.

'And?" Ashley scooted closer to me, her towel scrunching up in the sand underneath her.

'And it was nice," I replied, still gazing into the lapping waves of the afternoon sun. 'Nothing special obviously otherwise I would've gone out again."

'Hes no good in bed is he?" Sandra asked.

'Its not that..." I responded a little hesitantly, 'we just didn't click."

'That's because Vincent DeGrass is not the kind of guy that you can see yourself settling down with," Sandra stared matter of factly, 'you need someone whose loyal, not cute."

'Sandra." Ashley whimpered.

'Its true!" Sandra lifted her head to peered through her sunglasses at Ashley, 'you know it too Ash."

'And may I ask why it is you didn't say anything sooner?" I half jokingly asked.

'You were infatuated sweetie," Ashley sympathized.

'Hmm," I mumbled, standing from the sandy beach and stretching my toes into the tan colored earth below me, 'good to know I can count on you two for honesty."

'Look out!" Someone cried in the distance a moment before a football connected with the side of my head and I fell on top of Ashley. She squealed in surprise and Sandra was on her feet within moments.

'What the hell man?" Sandra barked at the approaching stranger.

'I'm so sorry, my little brother hasn't figured out how to aim just yet, we're still working on technique." The stranger ran up to us in his red and blue striped swim shorts and short blonde hair ruffled with lake water. 'Are you okay?"

'Yes," I placed my hand in his outstretched one and he pulled me back up to my feet.

He smiled at me, I still remember his face that day on the beach; his dimples deep with the tan he has received through the summer months, his green eyes a reflection of the water during a storm, and his smile meaningfully and kind. 'I'm glad, Aiden didn't mean it,"

'Aiden?" Ashley asked, she too had risen to her feet with the aid of the stranger.

'My brother." The blonde explained.

'Hey!" Another voice called, 'everyone  okay?"

'Huh," Sandra watched the red haired athlete run across the beach towards the group, 'your brother is Aiden Folley?"

'Guilty." Aiden smiled, not quite as charming as his brother's smile but definitely still something of a head turn. 'You ladies alright?"

'Maybe you should stick to swim team." Sandra growled, her hands planted firmly on her hips. She stood the shortest out of the five of us but definitely was the one to be feared.

'Dont worry Diaz, I'm not joining the football team," Aiden bravely wrapped his arm around the shoulders of Sandra, 'just helping my bro practise,"

'I didn't know you had a brother Aiden," Ashley had that tone in her voice like she was going to begin flirting and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Aiden's brother saw the action and laughed quietly to himself.

'Brother?" Aiden furrowed his brows for a second, then it seemed to click and he continued, 'Thoro isnt really my brother, we just call each other brother but really, hes my cousin."

'Thoro?" I asked.

Thoro nodded.

'Well it was nice meeting you Thoro," Ashley purred, 'will we be seeing you at school tomorrow?"

'Yeah," Thoro straightened, 'I'll be the new kid."

I giggled at that, 'of course you will."

'Alright that's enough, I want beaver tails before we get out of here ladies and the sun is setting." Sandra clapped her hands together, 'time to go."

Ashley and I listened of course, Sandra and food was not something you wanted to put yourself between. As I packed up my stuff I told Aiden to be more careful and asked Thoro to be a better teacher.

He laughed, 'maybe you can give me some pointers sometime."

He said it more like a promise than a question and my brain leapt a little with curiosity, I had the sudden interest to get to know this stranger with the strange name.

The day ended with beaver tails and each of us going out own separate ways for the evening. As I walked home down the quiet streets of my hometown, I thought about the first day of school and what would become of Thoro.