Puppy Love

Her parents dragged her off to sunny Malibu, California in the middle of the school term.  Dad got transferred and promised she’d make friends, and this is where he snapped his fingers and said, “Just like that.”  But, several weeks later, Tess remained the new kid on the block. 

She missed all her old friends, especially, Emmy and Jack.  Emmy, being her bestie, kept her up-to-date via texting.  It seems Jack was interested in Bethany Stark.  The news made Tess’s eyes water.  They hadn’t really been girlfriend/boyfriend, but they had always hung out together.  She wore her sadness like a blanket.

Valentine’s Day, so far, had been uneventful.  The school was having a dance in the evening, but Tess would not be going.  Who would she hang with? 

Even her mother tried to console her by offering to go to the mall.  When Tess declined, her mother said, “What teenager doesn’t want to go to the mall?”

“I’m okay, mom.  I just want to take a walk along the beach.”  The beach was practically in her backyard.  And, so she dug her toes into the sand and walked until she came to a secluded part of the beach.  Plopping down she let the water lap at her feet and just stared out into infinity while listening to her iPod.

So when the tap on her shoulder came, Tess was startled out of her mind.  She looked up into the face of a sandy-haired boy with blue eyes and then got licked to death by a frisky golden retriever.

“Hi. I’m Jason,” he laughed.  “Sorry about Sammy, here. He loves everyone.”

Tess laughed with him, petting the wiggly puppy. “My name is Tess.”

“Well, Tess, do you mind if we join you?”  Before she could answer, Jason kneeled down in the sand.  “I’ve seen you walking here a couple of times.”

Noticing he was about the same age as her, Tess said, “I don’t remember seeing you at school.”

“Oh, no.  I’m homeschooled with my sister.”

“Isn’t it kind of lonely?”

“Nah. We have a soccer mom and we both take music lessons.”

“Me too!  I mean I play piano.”

“Well then, we have something in common…because I play piano and a mean guitar.”

They chatted and got to know each other some more before Sammy became restless and tugged Jason to walk.  “Listen.  Why don’t you come over later.  We live in the blue place over there.” 

Tess looked to where he pointed.  It was only two beach houses down from hers.

“You sure it’s alright?”

“Better than alright.”  He dug deep into the pocket of his shorts and pulled out a small package wrapped with pink string and handed it to Tess.  “My sister made this.  I'd like for you to have it.”  Jason blushed, if truth be told, he made it for Tess.

“What is it?”

“A friendship bracelet.  See ya later,” a smitten Jason called as he took off running with Sammy.

Tess slipped on the braided bracelet of many colors.  Her heart swelled with new beginnings.