Summer Love | TLOS

Ch.3

14/10/12

Micah and I went on our first date. It was so incredibly cute! He asked me to the 9th grade formal dance in school and of course I said yes! Then, when Grandma was sleeping, I went out with him to the beach. He rented a horse by the name of Missy, and we rode on the horse together on the beach while the sun was setting. It was a beautiful sight, and I will treasure it forever.

The next morning, Alex woke to the sound of birds chirping. Her grin was wide as she walked downstairs with Bree.

"What's for breakfast?" Bree asked Conner, who was standing by the counter in their private kitchen.

Conner was wearing an apron that Charlotte had gotten him for his 11th birthday. It read; How can you help? Get out of my kitchen! Alex has never seen Conner wear it until now, which was odd, but Alex didn't live with him anymore so she couldn't judge.

"Pancakes, sausages, fresh fruit," Conner suggested, and then he started rambling on and on about how he loved pancakes but waffles were better in the morning and blah blah blah.

"What are you going to eat?" Bree asked Alex.

Alex's smile dropped. She shrugged nervously. "I don't know," She said. "I'll just have a smoothie."

Conner stared at his sister. She was never one to skip out on pancakes and sausages. "But Alex," Conner couldn't help but find himself saying. "You always used to eat pancakes and sausages!"

Instead of getting upset, like Alex wanted to, she just sighed and said calmly, "Ah, but the keyword there is used. I don't anymore. Sorry, Conner." She tried to joke about it, but it really hit home. Alex would be in such a rush to get to school, she'd only get the time to have smoothies on the go because she had to bike there and it took just about 30 minutes.

Conner was at a loss for words. "But-"

He was interrupted by Charlotte, who ran into the kitchen wearing her scrubs. "Hello Conner, Bree, Alex!" She smiled. "I'm sorry, but I have to get to work. I'll see you guy's later, okay?"

Conner glared at his Mom. "But Mom, you promised we could show Alex and Bree the beach!"

Charlotte sighed. "Well, Conner, you can either go without me or wait until I get back home." She said, a little too harshly for Alex's liking, grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl, and slammed the door behind her as she rushed to work.

Alex bit her lip. She hated this. She hated seeing her brother rude and selfish, and she hated seeing her Mother lose control of herself like this.

"Conner, we can still go to the beach," Alex said. "It doesn't matter, Mom doesn't have to be with us."

Bree nodded. "We don't need Charlotte to have a good time," She said softly. "Let's just go without her. It's not like we're 12, anymore, Conner."

Conner bit his lip. Alex could tell that he still wanted to be 12. "Fine," He snapped. "Alex, we're getting breakfast at the Seaside Breakfast Bar, kay?" He started up the stairs. "They have smoothies there!"

Once Alex, Conner, and Bree were done getting ready, they met downstairs in the main lobby. People were bustling in and out of the hotel, and Alex saw Paisley on her job. She looked up and met Conner's eye, but quickly looked down.

Conner rolled his eyes. "A lot of people here are so nosy," He whispered to Alex and Bree. "Can't she just mind her own business?"

Alex had enough. She stomped her foot on the ground, getting the attention of a few people. "That's enough, Conner!" She yelled. "I am sick and tired of you acting like this! You're being a stuck up snob, and I don't like that look on you at all!" She stomped out of the hotel, not even spinning twice in the door.

Conner stared after her. He turned to Bree. "What did I do? She was the one who stomped out of here like a maniac! I'll get bad reviews on my hotel!"

Bree bit her lip to stop her from saying something nasty. "Whatever," She said. "Let's just get to the beach."

When they arrived at the Seaside Breakfast Bar, Alex noticed that there was a familiar blonde lifeguard at the counter. She hid behind Bree. "Oh no," She muttered.

Bree giggled. "Oh Alex," She grinned. "You have quite a crush on him, don't you?"

Alex stopped squirming and shook her head. "N-no, I'm just..." She looked around for an excuse, but there weren't many options. "Just afraid of getting hit by that beach ball," She said, just as a beach ball bounced by and slammed into Conner's forehead.

He spun around and glared furiously at the two little girls who came running after the ball. They looked about 11, and they both had brown hair but one had gray eyes and the other blue. "What the heck?" He cried. "Why did you throw that ball at me?"

The girl with the gray eyes started trembling. "I-I,"

The other girl whispered in her ear, "Alyssa, this man is crazy."

Conner spun around to face Alyssa's friend. "What did you just say?" He snapped.

"Hey, don't talk to Amelia like that!" Alyssa snapped, then shrunk back and said, "Sorry."

Alex bit her lip. She wanted to interrupt, but she didn't want to face the anger of her brother.

Conner rolled his eyes. "You'll be hearing from my lawyer."

Alyssa stared at Conner, mouth hanging open. "We didn't mean to hit you in the head," She said. "We're sorry."

Conner laughed an evil, wicked, laugh. "Oh, now you apologize!" He laughed again. "Get away from me right now, or you'll really be taken to court."

Alyssa's lower lip trembled, and she clutched onto her friend tighter. Alex stepped between the girls and her brother. "Conner, what is wrong with you?" She hissed. "They're children, they meant no harm!"

Conner growled in response. Alex turned back to the girls. "I'm so so sorry about him, he's..." She tried to find the right word. "Just a little annoyed today."

Alyssa and Amelia ran off, leaving their ball behind.

Bree stared at Conner as if he was crazy. "What's gotten your tail in a twist?" She asked, but realized that was the wrong thing to say.

Conner rolled his eyes and shrugged, his angry mood immediately deflating. "I don't know what got into me..." He trailed off. "I'm sorry."

Alex and Bree glanced at each other and then smiled. "It's fine," they replied in unison.

But Alex knew it wasn't fine. The power was getting to Conner's head. First, he was treating his hotel staff rudely, and now strangers? It was getting out of control. And she knew just the right way to solve it.

A/N I hoped you liked the chapter! I thought the little girls were a little outrageous because I wasn't sure if Conner should go that far, but I guess he did! So yeah!