Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Beach Movie or any of its characters. [Go to 1st chapter for story details/summary.]
A/N: Reminder - this is an AU story.
I am so freaking sorry this took so long. School really didn't allow me to work on my story as much but this chapter is longer than the previous two so yay. Thank you so much for the positive feedback. Enjoy the story! (Any mistakes are my own and will be fixed later...hopefully.)
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Chapter 3: Bathroom Backstories
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The rest of the period was a blur for Lela—a similar introduction from her previous classes was given and the syllabus was passed out—and now she was currently being dragged out of the school by Chee and Giggles for their free period. They hauled her to the back of the school, heading to the beach that was located behind the large building. Many students were scattered all over, either hanging out, studying, or enjoying the warm sun.
"Why are we here again?" Lela questioned, looking to the girls expectantly. She wasn't opposed to going to the beach—she just didn't want to get her clothes messy and become late for class. Especially on the first day. She wasn't ready for a notorious reputation.
"The beach is a great place to hang out," Giggles stated, a wide smile on her face. "Plus, I get some time to surf." She yanked on Lela's arm, pulling her forward.
"And this is legal?"
"Oh, yeah," Chee drawled, trailing behind them. "The school's pretty lenient on us so we get privileges that other schools don't get. And to be honest, we would still do this, legal or not." The ends of lips quirked, her eyes settling on the beach's shore, someone catching her attention. "Looks like Struts beat us here."
Lela whipped her head back to the Latina, clearly surprised by the name. "Struts?" Does everyone have weird nicknames?
Chee shrugged. "Well, her name's Jessica but her walks look like struts so that's what we call her," she clarified as if that made any more sense.
Lela narrowed her eyes at the brunette, not understanding. She finally sighed in defeat. This town is weird...but strangely, I'm okay with it.
"Chee! Giggles!" the "Struts" girl called, walking up to them. She was dressed similarly to Chee but it was lighter and girlish, with more pink. Her eyes froze on Lela and she faltered. "Um, hi."
The raven haired girl stepped forward, smiling widely at Struts. "I'm new. My name's Lela."
"I'm Jessica but you can call me Struts."
Lela pressed her lips together. "Yeah, I've heard."
Giggles turned to the trio before shrugging. "All right, I'm gonna go hit the waves. Join me if you want!" She began to pull off her shirt, revealing a pink bikini top. Lela tried not to stare. Her eyes darted away, cheeks burning. Argh, curse my gayness. "Hey Struts, you have my back-up clothes?" she asked, kicking off her colorful shoes and socks.
The other girl nodded, gesturing to her bag. "Yeah, your blue sweatshirt and red shorts. You owe me food for this," she reminded, pursing her lips.
The surfer grinned, shimming out of her skinny jeans. "Burgers, on me. You can join us if you want, Lae." Her bikini bottom matched her top, both pink and very bold. Giggles shoved her school clothes into her bag. She ran her fingers through her hair, the soft locks shimmering gold.
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.
Bright red flooded Lela's cheeks as she avoided eye contact with either girl. She's just joking... I hope. "It's not a date. It's a...learning opportunity. I just haven't decided when I want to start. Maybe after a week or two after I finally settle in."
Giggles nodded, drying herself off with the towel she packed. "Let's go to the bathroom. It's easier to change in there."
The four girls walked to the girls' bathroom, not far from their original position. There was a bike rack outside by the entrance with two water fountains and a pair of benches. In the large bathroom, there was a changing area and showers, along with the usual bathroom stalls and sinks. There was even a wall of lockers and some benches. Lela took the scene in with large eyes. Wow, the school really doesn't care. It's so cool here! It's almost like a beach's public restroom.
Giggles stepped into one of the showers and closed the curtain. The sound of running water soon came after. Humming emerged from the stall and Lela quirked a brow. She couldn't say anything though. Who didn't like to sing in the shower? She'd always belt out in song in the bathroom when showering. Butchy always complained but it was him who slipped in the tub while dancing. He was seventeen and got a bruise on his knee. Lela smiled at the thought.
She moved toward the sinks in a daze and looked at herself in the mirror. Bright blue eyes stared back at her. Dark, wavy locks of hair sprawled down, brushing against her pale neck and face. She tugged on her light jacket, keeping it opened. Around her neck lay a pearl necklace with a flower. She thumbed the flower, a wistful look forming in her eyes.
"Is that special?" Chee asked from behind her. Her dark eyes were planted on the girl before her.
Lela nodded, swallowing hard. "Yeah. It's Hawaiian. It means 'friendship forever.' Someone special gave it to me." She tried for a smile, one end of her mouth curving upward. The bell rang soon after, jolting her from a past memory.
"It's really pretty," Giggles quipped suddenly, drying her hair. She wore the blue sweatshirt and the red shorts. In Lela's opinion, she looked like a bubbly lifeguard. She smiled warmly at the biker. "It really suits you."
"Not to be a downer here," Struts interrupted, putting her phone away, "but class starts in like five minutes. We outta hurry. Jeez, I got History next." Her eyes landed on Lela and she smiled genuinely. "It was great meeting you, Lela. I hope to hang with ya soon. Maybe with some of those burgers Gigi promised." A small grin formed on her face before she bid her final farewell and scurried off.
Lela ran a hand through her hair, the dark locks a great contrast to her pale fingers. She nodded, agreeing with Struts' departure. "Yeah, let's go to class." She whipped out her schedule, glancing at her last period. "I got English 11 Honors with Ms. Parker."
"Ooh, me too!" Giggles exclaimed, bouncing on her heels. "I hear she's great!" She quickly fixed her hair and organized her belongings. "C'mon! I want good seats!" The tall blonde proceed to drag the two brunettes to class, narrowly missing their own peers. They sat near the back, neither of them minding.
English class went by in a breeze and it turned out that Ms. Parker was an awesome teacher. Though intelligent, she failed many of classes in her freshman year of college due to inexperience and foolish mistakes. She would have been kicked out but she had received a prestigious scholarship so the college gave her a second chance, so they wouldn't look bad, and she graduated as valedictorian, difficult for a black woman in that time. Lela knew that she could have a close relationship with her English teacher.
The final bell of the day rang and the students exited in a hurry, ready to go home from the first day. The trio were currently walking down the hall toward the parking lot.
"Hey, you wanna hang out later?" Chee asked as she shifted the bag strap on her shoulder. "Gigi still owes us burgers. I know a good burger joint."
"Yeah," the blonde agreed. "I'd be happy to deliver now."
Lela smiled brightly at her new friends. "I'd love to but I have work. How about Friday? I'm off then."
The Latina smirked. "Whatever floats your boat, shorty. Give me your phone for a sec." Lela handed her her iPhone and Chee's thumbs dashed over the screen. "Here. I put Giggles, Struts, and my number on here. For 'homework help' and whatnot. See ya tomorrow, Lae."
"Bye Lela!" The two girls left and the raven haired girl sighed heavily. She missed them already.
Turning around, she ran right into Mack. The surfer yelped in surprise and caught Lela by her arms as she stumbled forward. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to sneak up on you like that."
Lela let out a shaky exhale and she looked right at Mack. She momentarily lost herself in the concerned brown eyes. "I... I'm fine, thanks. And it's my fault. I didn't look where I was going." She pulled away from the brunette's warm touch and recollected herself. "So, how are you? Didn't see you for a couple periods."
"Oh, it was great. I missed you though." Mack smiled at the shorter girl. "So, are you heading home?"
The girls began to walk forward subconsciously, neither noticing. They were too engrossed in each other's presences. "Nah. I'm going to work with my brother Butchy. We repair cars and motorcycles. I specialize in motorcycles though. I work Monday through Thursday. My boss Pete gives me Friday and the weekends off. I enjoy it."
"That's really cool. I'm guessing you're wearing your uniform shirt?" Mack inquired in a teasing manner.
Lela blushed, running a hand through her hair. "I just threw something on, to be honest."
"It's okay. It looks good on you." Mack's eyes wandered over the biker's outfit, almost in too much interest. Lela just wanted to melt.
"Hey, Lels!" a gruff voice called out. It was her brother Butchy, who stood by his motorcycle. "We's gon' be late!"
Lela faced Mack and smiled sheepishly. Why did Butchy have to interrupt now of all times? "I gotta go. I'll see you tomorrow?"
The brunette nodded. She then bit her lip. "Uh, could I have your number first? In case you need help or anything," she quickly added. She toyed with a lock of her hair.
Lela's heart stopped and she barely took out her cell phone. Mack hurriedly added her number to Lela's contacts and smiled. "See you tomorrow, Lela. Have fun at your job."
"Yeah, see you." The biker turned to leave and she hardly kept the wide smile off her face. She just hoped that Mack wouldn't notice the little bounce in her steps.
She neared her brother and he looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Okay, why's you so happy and giddy? I know you's a nerd but school ain't that fun."
Lela stuck her tongue out at him and he just rolled his eyes, putting on his motorcycle helmet. "Oh, I just made some great new friends." She gave him her bag, in which he replaced with her helmet. She pulled it on and hopped onto the motorcycle. "I'll tell you more as soon as we get to Pete's."
Butchy kicked up the kickstand and turned the ignition on. "You better, li'l sis. I wants details." He twisted the throttle, the motorcycle roaring. "Hang on!"
The siblings took off, avoiding any fellow students and school buses. They zoomed down the roads, gliding over the asphalt. Lela loosened her arms around her brother's waist and just marveled at the beautiful scenery. California is amazing. Palm trees were hazy from their speed and the people were all kinds of shapes and sizes. The sun kept them warm, shining its gentle rays upon their exposed skin. This was one of the reasons why both Grays enjoyed riding their motorcycle. It gave them a certain freedom they couldn't obtain from just riding a car.
Soon enough, they reached their destination: a local car repair shop. Though small, it was the most known car shop in the area, so it was a bit popular. Butchy parked his bike in the employees' space and cut the engine. Both siblings took off their helmets. "Alright, go tell Pete our new schedule. We can'ts show up at dis time 'cause of school. He'll understand."
Lela nodded, sliding off the motorcycle seat. She made sure she had her phone and I.D. Her school stuff would remain in the motorcycle compartment, safe from any outside hazards. She left her helmet and hurried into the shop. Immediately, she was overwhelmed with new car smells and motor oil. It was a scent she was all too familiar with. "Pete?" she called out, checking at the counter. There was only a bored looking man, looking through a magazine. He pointed toward the back and Lela mumbled her thanks. She entered the storage room and saw her boss, going through the cardboard boxes. "There you are."
Pete was a large man with ginger hair and a matching beard. He was about six feet tall and was broadly built. He had piercing blue eyes, as cold as a winter's night. Lela always described him as a "gentle giant"—she looked ridiculous standing next to him. Pete was Canadian and strangely enjoyed living in Malibu, despite its warmer climate. "Hey, Lela. What can I do for you?"
"Butchy and I were wondering if we could start a half hour later than usual. School's interfering with our original schedule. I know it's only our third day here but we need the schedule change." Lela moved closer, realizing that Pete was checking their inventory, which was usually part of her job.
Her boss scratched his beard and hummed. "I suppose that's alright. Business isn't as hectic now as it was in the summer. You and yer brother better work harder to make up for time lost though." He checked something off his clipboard.
"Deal," Butchy said behind them. He had changed his red t-shirt to a shirt similar to Lela's. He kept the leather vest on top. "I promise we won'ts let you down."
Pete smiled. "Of course ya won't. Now get to work. I want you both working on inventory while Tom, Lucas, and I help with any customers. Tomorrow you can start repairing." He handed Lela the list and left them in the storage room.
The siblings began to check for items and checked them off. They didn't mind the simple task. Pete was just making sure that they could perform all the small but required tasks before moving onto the big stuff: repairing cars and motorcycles. Butchy glanced at his sister while putting a box back. "So, you's gon' tell me what happened at school today?"
Lela bit her lip while crossing an item off the list. She wrote a small note in the margin and turned to her brother. "I made friends with Chee, Giggles—"
"The tall blonde and the sassy Latina?—"
"—Brady, Tanner—"
"The gay couple and halfback?—"
"—Struts, Alyssa, and Mack - Quit interrupting, Butchy!"
The brunet held his hands up in defense. "Hey, I'm just making sure I know these peoples." He wiped his hands on his pants. "You met a lot of people, Lela, and it was only your first day!" He grinned. "I'm impressed. Especially after being so nervous this morning."
"Oh, shut up. Who did you meet today?"
Butchy ran a hand through his hair and shrugged. "I met these guys named Lugnut, Seacat, and Rascal. They're pretty cool—one of them even likes to ride motorcycles while the other two surf. I guess Californians love having weird nicknames, but then again, my name's Butchy."
Lela giggled, recalling when her brother got the unusual name. "This kid in middle school called you 'Butchy' because you were acting out that Grease movie character for spirit week. The name stuck with you since."
"That character was Danny," Butchy corrected, searching through a box. "And yeah, I don't mind the nickname."
"You also got that Jersey accent, even though we were only in New Jersey for like two years."
The Gray family first resided in Texas but moved to New Jersey for their father's promotion—around the time Butchy started fifth grade. To become popular, he quickly learned the local accent and was one of the most popular kids in the sixth grade. The family moved back to Dallas in that following summer where they stayed until a week ago. The Jersey accent was engraved in Butchy's mind and he couldn't break the habit. Occasionally he could speak without the accent but it always came back. Fortunately, Lela never picked up on it.
"Hey, respect the accent. It's great," Butchy argued, scanning through the checklist. He replayed what happened in the parking lot earlier. "What was up with you and that brunette from the parking lot?"
Lela froze, the pen stilling in her grasp. Her mind scrambled to create a coherent answer. "I... I, uh, might... You know how I'm not exactly straight?"
"Lela, you're gay," Butchy deadpanned, his eyes on the clipboard. Lela told Butchy she was gay two years ago, at the start of her freshman year. She just found girls more appealing than guys. Hot guys were just "aesthetically pleasing" to her, nothing more.
"Yeah, well, I might have a crush on her. Her name's Mack."
Butchy blinked, placing a toolbox back. "Oh, the girl you were talkin' to? She's cute."
Lela scrutinized him for a moment. "Yeah. Did anyone catch your eye, Butch?" she inquired, attempting to change the subject.
"Nah. It's hard to impress to me, Lels. 'Sides, I didn't really talk to any girls, so we'll see." Butchy didn't want to get into any relationships, seeing he was turning nineteen and graduating in less than a year. Having a relationship would complicate things and Butchy enjoyed the simple aspect of life better than its challenging counterpart.
"Lela! Butchy! We need you two at the counter!" Pete hollered from outside the storage room. "Tom and Lucas are busy fixing up some cars. Some truckers need yer help! Get to it, kids!" If he wanted to, Pete could be a pretty intimidating man—a man the siblings did not want to upset.
"Got it, sir!" both called out, setting their lists down.
Lela brushed her hands off and took a deep breathe. She exchanged a look with her brother. "Well, we better get to work."
Butchy smirked, tugging on his gloves. For some odd reason, he still had them on. "Ditto."
And with that, the Gray siblings donned a professional attitude and stepped out of the storage room, immediately going to work. Lela still thought about her first day at Windy Bluff and thought, this is going to be a long year. She couldn't be more right.
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A/N: That's it for this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. There will be more Mack/Lela interaction next time. I just wanted Lela to get "buddy-buddy" with Chee, Giggles, and Struts, and to have some sibling-bonding time with Butchy. I will try to update faster and I might even post a chapter during Thanksgiving Break - who knows? Definitely not me.
Please tell me what you think in the comments! Till next time!