Teen Beach Movie: Your Eyes Gave Me Hope [Discontinued]

Chapter 3

Chee rolled her eyes at her friend's actions while Lela bit her lip. "You had a bikini underneath your clothing the entire time?" she dared to question.

"Oh, yeah. I go surfing a few times a week, during break of course." Giggles grinned and began sprinting down to the shore. She proceeded to borrow a senior's surfboard—how, Lela doesn't know—and entered the ocean, paddling along the shallow ends with the large red board in hand. She waved at them from afar, diving into the sea.

She really is a surfer. Mack taught her well.

"Strange, right?" Chee quipped, glancing at the ocean. Her lips were pursed. "Some upperclassmen guys let us borrow their boards during break so we can surf." She shrugged. "I mean - I don't mind it as long as they don't want in my pants."

Lela flushed, still adjusting to the Latina's crude humor. She rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah. You guys come here for every break?"

"No," Struts intervened, her eyes glued to her cell phone. Her thumbs rapidly dashed across her screen. "We sometimes go to the little shopping center around the corner or just hang out around the school."

"It's betta' than going to the library and studying," Chee admitted, her nose scrunching up at the idea. Her eyes strayed on Lela's awkward displacement and sighed. "C'mon."

The trio headed to one of the benches that was set under some palm trees, giving them a great view of the beach, with the benefit of shade. A gentle breeze passed Lela's face and she slowly closed her eyes, enjoying the tranquil moment. For just a brief second, she could forget that it was her first day of school in a new town, far from home, and her developing crush on a girl she just met. She gripped the edge of the bench, her thighs pressing together.

"You okay, shorty?"

Lela managed a smile, her eyes still closed. Chee's presence brought her back to reality. "Aren't I taller than you?"

The Latina chuckled. "By a mere few inches. Two inches at most."

Lela mimicked her chortle, opening her eyes. "Have you ever moved?" the raven haired girl inquired curiously, curious about the shorter girl next to her. She turned her head, focusing on Chee.

Chee faltered, her smile falling. She exhaled through her nose. "Yeah, I have. I moved from Miami when I was four. My mom thought life would be better the farther we got from Cuba. She was too paranoid in Florida. She had a rough past in Cuba, which she still refuses to talk about." Chee toyed with the sand with her sandal clad feet. She was quieter than her usual loud and sarcastic self. "I don't mind though. In my mind, Malibu was similar to Miami so I didn't think much about it." A loose smile tugged on her lips at the thought of her seven-year-old naive self.

"Is your mom okay?"

"Oh yeah. She still yells at me to clean the dishes and to study more. Nothing's changed." Chee grinned at her eye roll. "You'll get used to it here, Lela. Give it some time. I mean, you already made some awesome friends on your first day."

"Hey guys!"

Both girls turned—Struts was still on her phone—to Giggles. The blonde was dripping wet, various droplets of water trailing down her athletic body. Her eyes were bright, her face flushed. "The waves were great! I wish we could stay longer." Her blue orbs met Lela's. "You should join me next time, Lae. I can teach you how to surf." Struts handed her her spare clothes.

Lela offered a small smile. "I could definitely take you up on that but Mack already promised to teach me."

The Latina raised a brow. "Ooh, you gots a date with Mack?" she joked lightly.