Broken

Chapter 1

The rash guard I had put on was obviously not working. My green, Walmart bought, thin piece of fabric was no match for the Brazilian sun.

Mother always insisted that I looked wonderful in a two piece, but I'd rather be covered, than burned.

I sit up slowly, my head spinning, from the cushioned beach chair. I peak through the crack that my enormous sun hat had left and looked out at the horizon.

The sun, unfortunately, was right above me. There was not a cloud to be seen in the beautiful turquoise sky.

Scanning the beach, I marvel at the thousands of people packed together like sardines. My eyes catch two people bounding toward me. Squinting past my tinted shades, I see my golden parents hopping around people tanning. No one could guess that we were related, much less my parents. They were toned, sun-kissed, and beautiful. Then there's me.

They never stopped smiling, even on the darkest days. They were one word...perfect.

"Andrea, darling, why aren't you out in the water? It would be good for your skin."

My gorgeous mom snapped me out of my trance. She stood over me and gave me the mom look with her arms crossed. Dad came up beside her and nudged her.

"Yeah honey, people might start to think you're secretly a vampire."

I lean back and pull my hat over my eyes.

"Rather be a vampire than have skin cancer" I said with a smirk on my face.

Even with the smile on my face, I still can't help but think. For as long as I could remember people called me names. Buffy, Ghost Girl, Casper, the list goes on.

Dad chuckles and I can practically hear Mom rolling her eyes.

"Okay honey" Dad exclaimed. "We'll be slowly dying on the volleyball court."

I can't help but smile as I hear them pad away. Sighing, I stretch my aching limbs. Yesterday's rock climbing expedition really left me swamped. I honestly don't get why they take me with them.

From tango lessons or snorkeling or beaches, they always have something planned. The past two days were the only exception this trip, due to the fact that was the last day until we went back home to sunny Florida.

Yay.

We moved to Tampa a couple years ago to take care of my Grandma, but when she passed away we never left. But Florida's kind of grown on me.

My parents are, let's just say, travel freaks. They have gone to almost every place you can think of three times.

And who has to go with them?

Their vampire daughter.

I'd rather be in the warmth of my bed, burrowed under blankets and hot Cheetos bags, watching some weird crime documentary. Or fangirling to my best friend, Clarice about the latest book I'm reading. Or just talking to Damian about everything.

Damian has been around since as long as I could remember. His parents were best friends with mine and when they suddenly died in a car accident, we took Damian in when he was ten and I was eight.