OCEAN AVENUE

CHAPTER 1

“This House is Not a Home”

The waves splashed up onto the gorgeous shores of the beach in the small, rich town of Madison Beach, California as 21-year-old Vivian Pazzolini walked up her pebble-covered walkway. As she opened the door to her 3-story white beach-front house she was greeted with the loud sound of Underoath coming from her sister’s 2nd story room. “Great.” She said, before screaming, “Lacy Renee, turn that down!” When she heard the scrambling and the music go off she laughed slightly and rolled her eyes. Lacy quickly came down the stairs about five minutes later.

“Sorry about that, Viv. I was… thinking.” She flashed a smile as fake as a Barbie doll.

“Right.” Viv looked outside. “There's a guy climbing out your window. Is that Connor? Nice. Yeah, except that’s the third guy I’ve caught in your room this week. You need to straighten up. I'm serious.”

“Yeah. I’m gonna do that right away.” Lacy shot back, every word dripping with sarcasm.

“You know what. You’re grounded. Get your ass up in your room.” Viv half-yelled as she picked up a Coke.

“You can't ground me. You’re not Mom.”

“Nope, but I'm pretty damn close.”

“What are you talking about?” She rolled her eyes.

Viv sighed. “I didn’t want to tell you. I got the call last week. Mom signed the papers.”

“And you didn’t want to tell me… Why?” Lacy half-snapped.

“Because that means it’s final! It means Mom doesn’t care anymore.”

“Newsflash. Mom never cared.”

“But it makes it official, Lace. You don’t understand.” She sighed and opened her drink.

“Actually I think I do. You’re a coward. And didn’t want to tell me to protect what little dignity you have left in that scrawny-ass body of yours.” Lacy went to grab a Corona but Viv shoved a Coke in front of it.

She imitated a buzzer. “Wrong. I didn’t tell you because I cannot handle this. I can barely take care of myself. How the hell am I gonna take care of you too? Especially since you’re acting like me when I was 16. You can’t be known as the easy girl of Madison Beach… Trust me. It’s not a title you want. I know.”

“This is a big house. Ask Landon to move in. And Luke… And Johnny. You know they would be happy to help you. Plus, they, like, love me.”

“Yeah well, that’s debatable sometimes. Anyways, you need to change and spray on some perfume. Sex doesn’t exactly work on a 16-year-old. Or her room.” She tossed her a can of air freshener. “Clean your room, I'm going to meet Landon at the coffee shop. If Jake calls… Tell him he’s an ass.”

Lacy saluted her big sister. “Will do, Captain.”

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Viv grabbed her iced cappuccino off the counter and turned to her best girl friend, Landon Speer. “I don’t even think I should consider asking you guys to move in. I mean, weren’t you planning on moving in with Noah?”

They sat down at a table and sat down their drinks before Landon answered. “Yeah, we decided that wasn’t exactly gonna work. Well, more me than him.”

“Why? What happened?”

“I kind of caught him in bed with Cameron Matheson.”

Viv thought for a second. “Wait… Isn’t she still in high school? Yeah. She’s the student council president. Ew. That manwhore. I never liked him.”

“Bull. You loved him.” She laughed and took a drink of her macchiato.

“Well, he was really hot.” She closed her eyes and pretended to think about him.

“Watch it. You have a boyfriend.”

“Yeah, well, he’s pissing me off.”

“What did he do now?” Landon sighed.

“I don’t want to get into it right… now…” Just then Landon’s twin brother Luke walked in the door, with the only other guy in their “group”, Johnny Walker. Viv looked over and couldn’t take her eyes off of Luke. She smiled at them when they walked up to the table and greeted them by saying a brief, “Hey.” And looking down at her drink.

“You ok?” Luke asked, concerned.

“Her mom signed the guardianship papers. She’s Lace’s legal guardian now.” Landon recapped.

“Oh.” He hugged her from behind. “Well, we’re here for you. You know that right.”

“Yeah. I know.” She smiled and he went to kiss her cheek right as she turned her head towards him, so he more or less got the corner of her lips. Her cheeks turned bright red.

He blushed and let go of her. “I—I think I'm gonna go get a drink.” Him and Johnny walked up to the counter and Viv took a drink and stared after them. A couple minutes later Landon smacked her in the head.

“Ow! What was that for?!” She placed her hand on the spot where she had been hit.

“Stop staring at my brother’s ass.” She laughed.

Viv got defensive. “I wasn’t! I—I wasn’t… I swear.” She blushed again and looked down.

“Oh. My. God. You like my brother! You like Luke!” Landon giggled.

“Oh snap. My time machine works… We’re back in 10th grade.” She said in a monotone voice. “Shut up, Landon.”

“So, you admit it. You do like him.”

“Landon, we’re 21. Stop acting like we’re back in high school. But yes, I do like him, a lot. But there’s nothing I can do about it… He’s one of my best friends.”

“You know, statistics show that 67 percent of people end up with their best friend.”

“You just made that up. Objection.”

Landon sighed. “Ok, fine, statement withdrawn. But still… why can't you do anything?”

“Because he’s one of my best friends! And besides I'm with Jake… And he’s with the whore. And I don’t think he even likes me like that.”

“I know something you don’t know. I know something you don’t know…” Landon said in a singsong voice.

“What exactly do you know that I don’t know?”

“That Luke is crazy about you. He talks about you all the time.”

“Really?” She smiled.

“Really. Look over at him, right now.” Viv glanced over at Luke who was talking to Johnny but looking back at Viv. “Who cares if he’s one of your best friends? Go for it.”

“You’re telling me to go for it… With your brother? Are you on drugs?”

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Luke looked back at Viv. “She’s gorgeous, man. So beautiful.”

“Then do something about it! Seriously.”

“What? No. I couldn’t. I'm with Cassie…”

“Who she has ‘affectionately’ nicknamed ‘The Whore’.” Johnny interrupted.

“And she’s with Asshole. Besides, she doesn’t like me like that.”

“Look back at her. 5 bucks says she’s looking back. You want to know why?”

Luke looked back at Viv and sure enough she was staring back. He turned quickly back to Johnny. “Why?”

“Because she’s crazy about you! She talks about you all the time when it’s just me and her.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

"You know... For a girl, you're a pretty good listener." Luke kidded with Johnny.

"I'm not a girl." He laughed. "I just like guys. There's a difference."

Johnny and Luke grabbed their drinks and walked back to the table. Luke had a smile on his face as he sat down.

Viv looked over at him and asked, "What are you smiling at?"

"Not a damn thing." He replied, still smiling.

TBC