The next morning I woke up to a strange feeling; like I was well rested but there was an underlying ache to my whole body. It takes me a minute, but I realise that I'm not in my bed at home. Right, West Coast Harbour... I was jet lagged, which explains the aching muscles.
I walk towards the full length mirror next to my bed and look at myself. I'm wearing pajama bottoms and a loose t-shirt. My chestnut brown hair is a mop of frizzy knots on the top of my head and my grey eyes are dazed from sleep.
I'm not someone who'd starve herself to look good, but I'm also definitely not they type to lie around and grow fat. I do a solid hour of physical exercise everyday, whether it's going out for a run or doing an indoor workout. I love doing it and the results definitely show.
Excitement bubbles up within me at the thought of spending my day at the beach and I run to get dressed like a little kid.
##
After an extremely unhealthy breakfast- courtesy of Aunt Becky; Steve, Taylor and I make our way to the beach with the sun beating down on us.
It was a picturesque view, the deep blues of the sea in stark contrast to the green palm trees scattered on the beach. The stretch of sand was totally empty and a gentle breeze was blowing. I could feel the spray of salt water as we got closer to the water.
The water was shockingly cold, making me shiver slightly. We splashed around for a bit, getting used to the frigid temperature of the water. I stared out to the horizon, marvelling at the calmness of the ocean.
Next thing I knew I was gasping for air, feeling a little woozy from being dunked in the water. "Steve!" I screeched, chasing him around and jumping on his back, dragging him underwater with me.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" He choked, trying but failing to hold in his laughter.
After we calmed down, we swam for a while, then decided to lounge on the sand and warm ourselves up. Taylor forgot her towel at the house, so she ran off to get it.
"So? Do you like it here?"
Yes! I love it!" I said. "You have to show me around though," I added. I hadn't seen anything of this town except for Aunt Becky's house and the beach.
"Sure! We'll go tomorrow. I'll take you to all the best hangout spots," he grinned then, " and the best places to go with your boyfriend so you don't get spotted," he playfully winked at me.
"Har har." I shot him a dry expression, but he just snickered back at me.
"We're glad to have you here Roxy, we're going to have so much fun!" Steve seemed so genuinely excited to spend time with me, and I had never seen anyone except Taylor so excited before. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
"That means a lot to me, Steve. Thank you." I smiled at him. It really did mean a lot to me. I was afraid that he and Aunt Becky thought I was imposing on them and that maybe they just agreed to us staying with them out of courtesy.
"No problem, Roxy."
Just then Taylor ran up to us, huffing and puffing, towel in hand.
"Geez you're so fat," I say at the same time that Steve says, "It's not that far," and we grinned, high giving each other. Taylor just rolled her eyes at us, used to my silly antics, and Steve's apparently.
We lazed around a little longer and then went back to the house, in anticipation of a delicious meal.
##
"Have you finished unpacking, Roxanne?" Aunt Becky walks into my room later that evening, just as I was closing the chest of drawers after neatly arranging my clothes inside.
"Yep, I just finished."
"Great! Do you mind helping me out in the kitchen?"
"Sure, I'd love to!" I jump up and dust off my jeans. It was the least I could do after she so willingly welcomed Taylor and me into her home. Even though entering the kitchen to do anything else except eat was unheard of for me. I could only boil water. That's where my culinary skills ended.
That's how I found myself in Aunt Becky's kitchen, surrounded by the latest appliances wearing an apron and stirring cake batter. Never thought it would happen.
It was silent for sometime, until she spoke up. "Do you like it here?"
Why does everyone keep asking me that? First Steve and now Aunt Becky. Do I have some sort of expression that makes them think I don't like it? Finally, I reply, "Yes, I really like it!"
"I'm glad. I thought you wouldn't like it because you were so set on not coming, so you wouldn't even bother," she replies.
"Well...I didn't want to come, because mom was sending me off; and for something that I didn't do. She probably told you I was a delinquent or something," I grumble under my breath.
"I'm not going to lie, she did say that, but I honestly don't see it. You seem to be a very well behaved girl. But, even though I think that, she is my sister and she's asked me to look after her daughters, so it's my duty to do that."
"I understand that."
"So, I don't need to put down strict rules or anything. Thank god. I'm awful at doing that," she mumbles under her breath, but I still hear her and laugh.
"Don't worry Aunt Becky, I swear I won't get arrested or do drugs," I jokingly reply.
"Oh you better not," she warns me before playfully smacking my arm.
I put my arms around her in a hug, forgetting the bowl of cake batter in my hands and successfully sending it crashing to the floor.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" I yelp and jump back, scrambling to pick up the broken pieces of the bowl, the contents of which were now all over the floor and our clothes.
I was freaking out, on my hands and knees on the floor, while Aunt Becky just stood there, clutching her stomach and laughing at me. I narrowed my eyes at her.
"Sorry, sorry. It's just that you looked so petrified when it fell," she huffed out, before falling into another bout of laughter.
A lot of the batter had fallen on me, whereas she got hardly a drop on herself. I stepped closer, an evil grin spreading on my face from ear to ear as I held my arms out to her, "Aunt Becky? You want a hug?"
She shrieked and threw her arms out to fend me off. "No! Stay away!"
I kept chasing her around the kitchen, trying to hug her, while she kept running away from me, yelling at me to stop but still joining in my hysterical chortles.
"Okay, okay. I'll stop. Is the cake done yet?" I ask, trying to catch me breath.
"I have to make it again silly."
"Okay, but how long?" I was hungry and she was making chocolate cake. Can you blame for being impatient?
She smirked at me. "Some time. But who said you were getting any?"
##
Hey guys!
I updated! Finally! And I say the same thing every time! Seriously though, I just didn't know what to put in this chapter. So I went looking for a little inspiration. Clearly I found it.
And! Chapter 6 is almost done too! I promised myself I wouldn't take this long to update again. You can expect chapter 6 by Saturday evening, latest by Sunday.
Vote, comment and make my day!
-Mishi