9 year old POV
"Are we almost there yet?" You say but it kind of comes out as a whine. You are starting to get fidgety in your seat. The smell of salt water and the sand on the side of the roads tells you that you are close to the destination but you want to get out of the car.
"Almost honey. About five more minutes." She tells you and you nod before looking back out the window. It's exciting to be back here. Your family has been coming here for 4 years now and you spend the whole summer here.
Your dad pulls up to the familiar cottage and you eagerly get out of the car. Your parents get out shortly after and stretch their legs from the three and a half hour car ride.
"Mom? Can I ride my bike around the neighborhood?" You ask excited to be back.
"In a little bit. How about we get inside and unpack then have a little lunch?"
"Okay.." you mumble and get your belongings from the back trunk of the car. You bring your bags to your room and it is exactly as you left it. Smiling, you felt at home. You love this place so much.
You hang your beach bag on the hook. Inside is sunscreen, a towel, sunglasses, a snorkel/mask set and flip flops. Next to it you put your sweatshirt and then your backpack with items like your hand-me-down iPhone 5s with a cracked screen, headphones, another bottle of sunblock, extra keys to the beach house and a water bottle.
You quickly unpack your suitcase and put your toiletries in your bathroom. You also open the curtains to your room to let some light in. As you go downstairs, you see that lunch is still being prepared so you walk around outside the house. In the front there is a little swing and on the side of the house there is an outdoor shower to get sand off from the beach. Once you make it around back you go in through the glass sliding door and that brings you to the kitchen.
"Oh great! Lunch is ready I was just about to call you." She smiles. She hands you a sandwich and strawberries on a plate which you take happily to the counter. Hopping up on a barstool, you eat your lunch and you finish around 12:45pm.
"Can I ride my bike now?" You ask looking hopeful.
"Yes. But wear a helmet! And sunscreen. And please take your backpack with your phone. And be back before dark, that's all I ask."
"Yes mom." you tell her and go to your room. You do as she told you, so you put on sunscreen and put your phone, keys, wallet and your refillable water bottle. Taking your helmet out of your closet from the shelf, you head out to your bike and head off down the road.
It's always relaxing and you love talking with the neighborhood kids. A lot of them are around your age so you hang out all summer. You pass a house that was for sale last summer, but you stop when you see an unfamiliar girl sitting on the front steps by herself.
"Hey! Who are you?" You ask the stranger.
"Who are you??" She asks back.
"I'm y/n. I've been coming here for 4 summers now."
"I'm Rae. This is my first summer here." She says sounding a little shy.
"Well Rae..how about I show you around the neighborhood! I'm an expert around here." You smile.
"I'll ask my mom." She says and goes inside. A few minutes later she comes out smelling like sunscreen and is carrying a helmet in her hands. "I can come with you but I have to be back before dark."
"Okay. Let's go!" You giggle and the two of you ride your bikes. You show her all over the neighborhood. You even bring her down to the beach to the neighborhood kids hangout. It's a small shack made from wood and is decorated all nice on the inside. It is pretty spacious inside and when you open the door you see all of your friends. Corry, Thomas, Imane, Tina, Jack, Karl, and Emma.
"Y/n!" Corry says and everyone's heads shoot over to the door.
"Wait. Who is this??" Jack asks you.
"Guys, this is Rae. She just moved here but I think we will all be great friends." You say taking Rae's hand in yours. There's something about her that you just can't figure out. But you have the whole summer and many more to figure it out.
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Enjoy my lovelies,
-Andy💕