Stay

30

EVIE

The sun was beating down on our faces. I push my sunglasses up my nose and run my hands through my hair. Instead of driving down in Leah's soccer mom van, Maggie's father trusted us with his mustang convertible, somehow managing to fit all four of us plus our luggage into it. The wind cut through our hair as the music blasted.

Even though it was late December, it was warm enough to have the top down. It felt freeing as the wind whipped through my hair. I raised my hands above my head, yelling and laughing as Presley joined me. We giggled like little girls in the backseat while Leah shushed us.

"Don't distract her," Leah scorned, nodding towards Maggie. "The last thing I want is for her to crash us into the side of the I-5."

"She's fine," Presley replies, leaning over the console and turning the music up louder. "Now relax and enjoy the ride!"

We had been driving through California for a day and a half now after stopping in Redding the night before. We were nearing our first destination- Malibu. Maggie's uncle owns a beach house and had entrusted us with the keys for a few days. I was still shocked that he was okay with a bunch of college girls in his multi-million dollar home, but he didn't bother to think twice about it.

After another hour of driving, we finally made it to the beach. I could smell the sea salted waves throughout the air. I shut my eyes for a few moments, taking in the sounds of the seagulls above and the distant waves. I always found comfort in the oceans lullaby. It made me think of home and that in itself was comforting enough.

Christmas this year hadn't been anything out of the ordinary. Mom had went all out once again with the decorations. Dad had remembered to buy his tree on time in which we all decorated as a family. However, there was this unusual tension between mom and dad. Something that I had never seen before. It wasn't like they were fighting or awkward with one another. But at the same time, there was something off in the air. When I brought it up to my mom, she was quick to brush it off. She claimed that everything was perfectly normal and that I just needed another cup of eggnog. Maybe it was the one two many glasses that were giving me these mixed signals. Either way, I hoped that everything was okay. Home was always the one place that I felt a sense of control.

"Ladies! We're here," Maggie sings as she pulls up in front of a big beach house. It looked like it was a ground level home. It was protected by a wall of trees and bush, but you could still see snippets of the neighbouring ocean.

We grab our bags from the trunk of the car and follow Maggie up the steps. "Okay, I've only been here twice. I don't remember much about the place but I do remember it being really nice!"

Nice was an understatement. Walking into the home was like walking into an episode of MTV Cribs. I felt like if I touched anything, it would easily shatter. Even though I was smooth on the field, I was the biggest klutz in my day to day life. It was probably best that I walked with my hands in the pockets of my shorts and walk slow. That way I was sure to not break anything.

"Bedrooms are this way I think," Maggie leads us down a short hallway. Three doors line the way. "These are the guest rooms. I'm going to take my aunt and uncle's room upstairs."

She left us to pick our choice of rooms, scurrying back down the hallway and towards a set of stairs, leading her to the attic. I walked towards the farthest room, claiming it for myself. On the other side of the door was a bedroom much bigger than my apartment.

The walls were painted white. A bed made for a queen sat in the middle, against the far wall. There were flowing white curtains that covered a glass door which lead to a small patio. "Well done," I say to myself, pleased with my bedroom picking skills. I placed my duffle bag on top of a yellow ottoman and slip my sandals off.