Human Batteries

~~~~~Chapter 1~~~~~

~~~~~Chapter 1~~~~~
It's a great day for summer break to start. The sky is clear, the Florida air is warm, and my best friend's car is loaded up.
I've been counting down the days since last month almost. I'm going to California with my best friend, Bailey Byrd, and her family for the first week of summer.

I turn to hug my twin brother, Daltin. He's a head taller than me, but we look just alike, being twins and all.
He has dark brunette hair with red highlights, and tan skin. All the girls at school have a crush on him. They say his green callidiscope eyes, freckles, and the scar across his right eyebrow add to his hottness.
Ew. But I guess it's different if you're not his twin sister.
Long story short, everybody loves him. He's the popular, cool kid.
Which doesn't really make sense, because I never get a second though.
But that's why Bailey and I are best friends. She lives out side the box.
One time she recorded me drawing on Daltin's while he was sleeping. That was our first sleep over, we've been unbreakable ever since. Sadly, my brother didn't let that video go virual.
"See ya later, pea brain," I say to him when I hug him.
"Have fun, dork," he replies. We've always gotten along about as good as any brother and sister can, but we still enjoy calling names.
Then I hug my mom. She has the same hair as Daltin and I, and the same freckles. We can't deny each other, we all look so alike.
"Have fun, sweetie," she says. "And don't call your brother 'pea brain'."
She smiles, and I smile back.
Then I climb in the back seat next to Bailey. We wave one last time before pulling out of the drive, and set out for the airport.
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After an hour of driving, about five hours on a plane, and one more hour of driving, we finally arrive.
A giant, pink ocean front, house.
Bailey's dad work's for some kind of government hoop-la, so it was pretty, uh- well you could tell they didn't have to worry about money.
We start carrying all the luggage up the stairs and inside to the bedrooms.
Excited, Bailey and I hurry to put our swim suits on so we can get down to the beach before sun down.
We grab our shades and a beach towel, then run down to the beach.

The music's loud, as the sun slowly starts to sink behind the horizon.
We set our towels down, and walk along the water's edge.
There are teens playing volley ball, kids splashing in the water, and dancing around to the music.
We walk past a group of local teens playing volley ball.
"Hey, mind if we play?" Bailey says to a small framed girl with choppy black hair.
"Nah, we got plenty of room," the girl says back with a friendly smile.
So we jump on either side of the net, to keep the teams even.
We play until it's almost dark outside.
"You guys wanna come to our skate park?" Asks the girl with dark hair. I think I heard someone call her Zoe. "We're going there now if you want to come," she continues. I look at Bailey to see what she thinks, she smiles and nods. I shrug "Why not?"
Zoe smiles "Cool. C'mon, we're about to leave."
So we follow her up the beach.

We arrive at the skate park, which was only about a ten minute walk.
The place is packed with teens. They're milling around talking, and laughing with skateboards by their side.
Bailey fits in perfectly, but me, I'm a little more awkward. If it weren't for Bailey, I'd probably be a loner. I know how to be social and interact with other people, I just choose not to most of the time.
But I grab a board and jump in with Bailey, and Zoe on the half pipe.
When we were nine, Bailey showed me how to skate. Though, she wasn't very good because she learned from a YouTube video. But over the years, we've gotten better by helping one another.

I sit on a near by bench to re-tie my purple Converse. Bailey plops down next to me and hands me a soda. I smile. "Thanks."
"Are you playing dumb? Or do you seriously not notice the guy at nine 'o clock that's been staring at you?" She says nodding to the left.
"I honestly didn't. Is he cute?" I ask as I start to turn my head to see for myself.
"Stop it! What are you doing?! Don't look." she says in a hushed voice. I stop and look back down at my shoes.
"But is he cute?" I ask grinning and raising my eyebrows.
"Eh, he's pretty cute. Blonde, tan, tall, skater."
"Obviously. Tell me when he looks away so I can look. You know the rule, if he's cute don't make eye contact. And if he's not cute, don't make eye contact."
"Right. So- oh, okay!" I look over on her que. He is tall, and tan. He's wearing a white t-shirt and a backwards flat-bill cap with shaggy blonde hair sticking out. I nod and shrug.
"Where have I seen him before? He looks so familiar."
"Go talk to him." She suggests.
"Go slide down the half pipe on our butt." I reply. She rolls her eyes.
"Y'know, you might have to actually speak to a human being at some point in your life."
I scoff "I know that. But you know me, I'm a professional procrastinater."
"Okay, but at least ask Zoe if she knows him."
"She probably does. She knows everyone here almost."
"See! There's your connection! Am I going to have to get involved?"
"No! Last time you 'got involved' I was locked in our sixth grade classroom with Chris Miller. We hated each other, but you insisted we were cute together."
"Well, that was back when I wasn't such a good match maker."
"You're still not a good match maker."
"Okay, fine. I promise no locking you up, but I'm going to ask Zoe if him and his little friends wouldn't like to come over."
"Don't you dare! He probably wasn't even looking at me!" But I'm too late, she's already taken off.