Growing up on an island, Julienne Khan has always loved the familiarity that comes with the ocean and competitive surfing. Even someone who she has yet to beat-Alana Wong.
The two of them don't dislike each other, but they also have never made an e...
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Julienne watched the waves crash with appreciation, fingers digging deeper into the warm sand. If she cared much for the hot temperature, she'd be inside of her house, relaxing beneath the comfortable air conditioner like the rest of her family. But she didn't.
In fact, this sort of temperature was her favorite. Even as a child, she loved the feeling of the sun beaming on her dark skin. She closed her eyes, leaning back onto both elbows that replaced her fingers in the sand.
Her lips curled into a lopsided smile, a piece of dark curly hair falling onto her forehead. Just as she reached up a hand to sweep it backwards, a figure stands itself before her, blocking the perfect feel of that sun she loved so much.
Julienne peeled an eye open, groaning inwardly at the sight of her older brother. He stood there, quietly staring at the girl below him, as though waiting for her to notice him.
"What do you want, Noah?" She says lightly but still stoic enough so that the older boy understands she's in no mood for banter.
He leans down, frantic pieces of blond hair seeping into his clear blue eyes. He doesn't bother pushing them away, sending his younger sister a playful smile. "Mom says that's enough sunbathing for today—she's starting dinner in thirty."
Julienne nods in understanding, a hand lifting itself and reaching out for Noah's. He reciprocates the action, using his back leg to pull the younger one onto her feet. "What's she making?"
Noah shrugs, running a slender hand through his full head of light hair. "I don't know. She says pasta but you remember how badly that turned out last week."
She laughs as she and Noah beginning a leisure walk up the tall hill of warm sand and toward their home. Their mother was always learning about new recipes from food blogs and becoming obsessed about trying them herself. But unfortunately for Julienne, her father and her brothers—it never went well.
"Gosh, I wish she'd just give it a rest already. It always comes out like shit." The closer they get to their house, the quieter Julienne's words become.
Noah shoves her shoulder lightly, laughing along. "Don't be a prick. You know she tries really hard."
The younger of the two doesn't say anything else, her stomach grumbling in hunger once her nose catches the smell of fresh noodles and stirring in a boiling pot. Noah pushes open the back door, leaving it ajar for Julienne to walk through.
She shuts it firmly behind her, latching the door locked after realizing that the sun was beginning to set and the moon would soon stake its claim on the sky.
She watches with curious eyes as Heather, her mother, slides a pan of garlic bread into a preheated oven, her oceanic blue eyes frantically searching a piece of paper that Julienne assumed was the recipe.
