Everything Has Changed

1. Wayyy Back

Years back...  

6yrs, First Grade.

Narrator

A little girl with long wavy dark brown hair, green eyes and tiny brown freckles walks along the shore of a beach in Waikiki, Hawaii the ocean lapping at her small feet. She has on a pair of denim shorts, a yellow tank top, red sandals and a canvas backpack. She walks up the beach, turning to a row of houses surrounded by tropical bushes and tall trees. She plants herself in the front yard of a pale blue family house.

From her bag she retrieves a notebook, turning to a blank page. Pencil in hand, she starts a smooth curve, her wrist mimicking the movement of waves creating ribbed petals. She continues adding four more identical petals, the middle of the flower remaining vacant.

The wind blows, rustling through the palm trees, the scent of sea salt and sweet hibiscus flowers blowing through the air. The girl continues drawing, adding the stigma adorned with its tiny pollen filled pods to the center of the flower. Her hand holds steady as she finishes off the center.

Out of the house comes a little boy, in a blue and white striped tank top, khaki shorts and blue sandals. His dark brown curls cling to his head, bouncing a little as she jumps down the steps. He has a red backpack on and a pair of drumsticks in hand. He walks up behind the girl but she doesn't notice him.

"Cool flower," he says leaning over her shoulder marveling at details.

"Thanks!" She smiles at him "Ready?"  

"Yup!" He chimes back. The little girl packs up her things and the kids walks to school together. The boy banging his drumsticks on anything he can find.

_______

10yrs, Fourth Grade.

"Beat you to the water!" the boy yells, pulling his shirt up over his head as he bolts to the ocean's edge.

"Bet you can't!" the girl replies, kicking off her flip-flops. She takes off down the beach, the salty wind getting caught in her dark brown curls. The two take the water, limbs cutting into the waves like blades. Their splashes echo in the breeze, joining the sound of the sea kissing the shore. The sun continues its assent in the sky.

"First one to the reef and back buys the snacks after school!" the boy calls out, head just above the waves.

"Well I hope you brought money!" The girl replies back pedaling as she turns around headed for the shore. She shoots through the water, the shore growing nearer until she stands and exits the water. "Yes!" she exclaims jumping up and down. The boy joins her on the shore moments later.

"You SO cheated!"   

"I did not," she says pushing on her flip-flops a smirk growing on her face.

"Then you've been practicing because I always turn back before you to win," he mumbles under his breath a smile tugging at the left corner of his mouth.

"You what?!" her eyes go wide as she runs over to him. She shoves him back in the water. "You suck!" The boy rocks on his heels as he falls back into the water. The girl grabs her bag and takes off running up the shore to the main road. The boy flails for a moment before he stands, watching the girl, his soaked towel drips in his hands.

"Really Rosi?! Really!" he yells gathering his things.

"Yep!" the girl yells back.

He puts on his shirt and flip-flops, shrugging his bag over his shoulder then he reaches for his ukulele. Just as he is about to walk off something yellow catches his eye. A yellow sketchbook with a hibiscus flower print lays in the sand. He retrieves running his hand over the cover, dusting the sand off; the initials LR can be seen in the bottom right corner. "Rosi, I think you forgot something," the boy says