Hi to all the people starting to read my book! This chapter is basically about the narrator, Lara, her life in a way, and how she begins her summer, so if it's only detailed on her life, don't worry because it'll help later in the following chapters. The chapters will get better as you continue on. ♡
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• chapter 1: s u m m e r h o m e
It's May 22nd, 2014 - the last day of school; I should be in class right now, but instead I'm inside a plane on my way to California. Yea, this is my second year missing the last day of school, but I honestly don't care. By now, I can already picture everyone at school saying their 'goodbyes' and 'farewells'. People are crying their hearts out as if they'll never see their friends again. It's like the end of the world to them. However, for me, it's not like I'll miss anyone there because everything in my school made me miserable: the homework, the teachers, the student population. I've been dreaming about summer for a while now... It's an escape from my insanity. Every minute that passes, I feel like stress is escaping my body. School has affected me a lot this year, and I honestly needed this break.
It takes roughly seven hours to get from Alaska to the lower 48's; I've been planted in my seat for 2 hours already, my laptop is dead, and the only thing keeping me busy is my sketch pad. I've been drawing nonstop ever since I got in this plane. There's nothing else to do. Anyways, even though my butt is numb to the core, I'm actually excited to go to California. I'll finally see my relatives after ten years; I bet a lot has changed since I was six years old. I really miss them - more than anyone can imagine. Well, I guess until then, I'll draw till the flight's over.
About six and a half hours have passed, and my plane finally landed here in Los Angeles. I take out my iPhone and check the time, it's 5:32 p.m., "I hope Tita Lea is here at the airport already."
I call her, and she said she's on her way. That meant she was about 15 minutes away. I can't wait to see her... she's like my second mom. But anyways, I go through all the lines and dealt with the paperwork, got my suitcases, and waited outside the airport for my aunt. I take my phone out and wait for my aunt to call me.
Two minutes later, my phone rings and I answer, "hello?"
"MARIAN LARA ESTRADA! Where are you?" screams my aunt from the other side of the line.
"Tita, I'm outside already. Where are you?"
"Oh! I see you!" She hangs up the phone, and I see this silver Mercedes Benz coming my way. A smile appeared on my face as I saw my aunt come out from her door.
"TITA LEA!" I scream at the top of my lungs, I dropped my backpack and purse just to jump into her arms.
She hugs me and I felt like I was in a new environment. She let go of me, and she took my suitcases and put them in the trunk. I slide inside the Mercedes, and with a surprise, my uncles and aunts were in the back of the car. My vacation finally begun.
*****
I stared outside the car window looking at the scenery of Los Angeles. I don't even know where my aunt lives anymore. It took about 30 minutes before we all got to my aunt's house.
When I got out of my aunt's car, I dropped my things - my best friend, the one I haven't seen for two years - was standing right in front of me. I couldn't believe my eyes.
"AUBREY! Oh my gosh! Is that really you?" I ran screaming towards her. She hugs me, and I was bawling my eyes out. "Lara! It's been so long since we've... Oh my gosh!"
My aunt walks toward us and smiles. "She lives around the block. When she moved here we visited them, and our families have been friends ever since."
Aubrey smiles and says, "Yea. It was hard to hide this from you since we always text, but still, I wanted to surprise you!"
I was so happy to see her. Aubrey had my back ever since seventh grade. She made me confident, strong, and she always had my back whenever I got bullied. I can't believe that she lives near my aunt. It's so weird, but oh well... I'm happy that I'll be able to hang with her this summer.
"Lara. Come on! We gotta get you inside your room. Come on, Aubrey. You can help her with her stuff," my aunt says while bringing two of my suitcases with her. Aubrey and I walk into my aunt's house."Tita Lea, the house seems bigger now." "Yea, I got some renovations through the past years." "It looks really nice Tita!"
It was more than nice, it was like my dream house. It was five floors high with a basement. The walls were painted clean with a pearl white color, and it was stamped with family photos and modern art. The basement was the family game room. There was a karaoke, a bar, pool tables... almost anything you could imagine.
The first floor contained the first kitchen, dining hall, and living room. You heard me right, the first kitchen. My aunt thought it was necessary to have more than one kitchen - one for main courses and one for desserts. There were also two bathrooms. The second has this pool and jacuzzi with one bathroom. The third floor had my aunts' and uncles' bedrooms with their own bathrooms. The second kitchen was also in there.
The fourth floor had a music room, an art room, and a library. The fifth floor was the guest bedroom. Well, guest floor. It had two bathrooms, one with a complimentary bath and shower, and another just to stuff with towels and toiletries.I bet you guys think I'm on the fifth floor... However, my bedroom was on the fourth floor. There was no bathroom. I couldn't believe that. I guess that's okay though. I have a full floor to myself, and I have my own entertainment.
"So, here's your room, Lara. You get settled in, okay? I fixed it up since you're not a little girl anymore, but there's still some princess stuff from when you were six," my aunt said as she stood by my bedroom doors.
Aubrey opens the doors, and my eyes widen like never before. My room was beautiful even though there were little childish things in some ways. There's this six foot tall window with a balcony, one black couch across from my queen-sized bed draped with white curtains, a walk-in closet filled with all my stuffed animals from my childhood, and a pink and black computer desk. It seemed so surreal.
"LARA! This is amazing! Your room is so pretty! Let's get everything out of your luggage!" Aubrey sounded more excited than I was.
"OK, Aubrey. Let me get out my chargers, all my electronics are dead."
"Gosh, you're still slow, Lara. Come on!" she runs towards my suitcases and throws all my things all over the glistening bamboo floor.
"You're staying the night, Aubrey. You already made a mess," I laugh as I plug in my phone and laptop.
"Who said I wasn't? I already told my mom like two weeks ago that you're coming. She KNOWS I'll be here a lot!"
"Ohh, okay! Fine, but you're sleeping here in my room." "Why? I wanna go to the guest bedroom... Just kidding. You're still scared to be alone in your own room, huh?" she laughed as she continued to put stuff in my closet. She knows me too well.
******
Thirty minutes pass. "Lara. I'm done helping. You're doing the last suitcase." "Okay, let me just check my texts."
My phone had one message. "Be safe in California, Lara. Love you. -Papa" My dad bought me this ticket because he knew I needed a break. Other than that one text, no one texted me. Of course, my best friend was the only one who texted me, and I'm with her.
I checked my Twitter and my eyes sparkled. "Marian Lara Estrada, I know that smile from anywhere. You're looking at Jake aren't you," Aubrey had a smirk on her face.
"Shut up. Don't say my first name. You know I hate it, AND you know I've liked him ever since whenever Wizards of Waverly Place started," I blushed and put my phone on lock.
"Ohhhh, girl. Watch you meet him this summer!" Aubrey's eyes gleamed. "That's impossible. Never gonna happen," I roll my eyes at her.
"Don't you roll your eyes at me! I'll stand up and smack you with this pillow. You'll never know till you experience it. I mean look at me. I finally got my guy just by attending his sold out concert," Aubrey said in confidence.
"Well, you and you're boo actually met in concert."
"Forever Austin Mahone, my dear child," Aubrey smiled at me as she showed me her screensaver collage of her boyfriend and her, and me on the bottom pictures.
Right before I put my phone down, I took a picture with her and changed it to my new screensaver. "Nothing will happen. Let's just have a good summer together," I smile and I finish unpacking.
We ate dinner with my aunts and uncles and got ready for bed right after. That whole night, Aubrey and I ate and talked. She reminisced every little moment she had before her and Austin were a couple. All my peptalks I've told her when she was about to give up on him were incorporated in her story. It made me feel like I was gonna be a third wheel this summer, but at least I'm spending it with her and my family. Just as I was losing interest, I hear her saying my name.
"So Lara. I know you think it's impossible, but don't you really want to meet Jake?" Aubrey asked with full sympathy. I sit up straight and directed my eyes towards her, "Aubrey Lynn Bautista. Do you really think a five foot four Filipino girl will meet Jake?"
"Of course. Anything is possible. I'm the same height, and I'm 25 percent your ethnicity, so ANYTHING is possible," she had so much confidence in me.
"I guess you're right, but - " "NO BUT's. You're always so negative when it comes to yourself." Aubrey said while cutting me off, "Marian Lara, you will meet him and that's final." I honestly wanted to meet him, but he's already out of reach. I couldn't do anything but agree, she won't stop till I did anyways.
"Lara, Aubrey... It's time to sleep!" my uncle yelled from the second floor.
"Okay! We're going to sleep after we make our vlogs on Youtube!" I scream back. About an hour passed. we made our vlogs, and got in our beds. Well, Aubrey was on the couch texting her boyfriend.
"Lara. Sweetie," my aunt opened one of my doors, "I know you'll be busy for these few days, but on Saturday do you wanna go to work with me?" she asked in such a gentle voice.
"Sure Tita, but I wanted to go to the mall, and - " "Oh, it'll only be a few hours. I just have to put makeup on some people and we'll go to the mall right after." "Oh, okay, Tita!" She smiled when I agreed to go. We said our good-nights and went to sleep.
*****
"Good morning, Marian Lara!" Aubrey said with a loud, cheerful voice as she stood up on my bed the morning after. I wasn't a morning person, and I was also scorched by the beaming sun rays. "Aubrey... It's too hot," I moaned as I covered my face with a pillow.
"Get up, lazy butt! I'm usually lazy, but COME ON! We need to go and explore Los Angeles!" I get up and she pushes me up the stairs in order for me to wake up. "Okay, I'll walk and get my car, okay. See you in 30 minutes. Be dressed by then," Aubrey says as she ran down the stairs.
It's finally summer. I'm in my summer home. I'm with my best friend. I'm finally free.
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Hey you guys! This is just the beginning of the story. It really didn't show a lot of Jake in it, or any other character, but I promise you it will get better as you continue reading on!