"Sweetie, what are you taking to Abigail's today? Have you decided what clothes to take?" Mom asked from the hallway.

When I had called Abi for Christmas, she told me we were to come over to her place for a sleepover on the 29th. Since then I'd been counting the days! It had been ages since the three of us - Abigail, Heather and I - had met.

"Um not yet mom. But she's kept a pink theme! So I've got to take all pink things," I said smiling widely.

"Don't you girls get tired of pink or are you planning on doing a 'Mean Girls' 2.0?" Mom sighed, peeping in. She was totally against pink but hey! That's a girls favourite colour right?

"Because..... mom", I began, "pink symbolises girliness and is the main thing that differentiates us from boys. It is something we automatically get attracted to by the age of two and well, the Mean Girls thing isn't such a bad idea, you know!"

My mom stared at me, surprised.

At that moment the phone rang. I ran downstairs and answered.

"Hills residence." I answer.

"Heather here. Summer when do you plan to get your ass to my house?"

I could sense she was a teenie bit annoyed. Shit.

"What time is it?" I asked gulping. I was so dead.

"A quarter to one. You were supposed to be here by......"

I cut her short. "12 o' clock. Yes I know. I'm sorry. I'll be there soon." I said apologetically.

"Okay."

Only an okay? An okay means she's really mad at me now. 

"You know you're my bffl right?"

I could hear her giggle.

"Come soon".

I hung up. Gotta rush then.

"Mom! Heather called. She's mad at me. I've gotta run before she kills me!" I yell.

I heard her coming downstairs with my bag. 

"You've taken everything I hope? And a lot of warm clothes?" She asks me quizzically.

"Whatever my small brain could remember. And if I do forget something......." I grin at her, "I could always ask Abi for it. After all we're un-biological sisters."

My mom rolled her eyes, clearly cringing, but I could see her smiling.

-----

"If anybody wants to learn how to be late, they should learn it from you," Heather said sarcastically.

I managed to run out the front yard with only one arm in my coat and scarf flying above my head in the next 15 mins of hanging up with her and reached her house.  She didn't live very far; a few houses down on the opposite street, so it was fine.

I rolled my eyes at her comment and gently punched her arm.

Why I loved  coming here was because she had a pet dog named Snow. Snow was adorable!  She was a poodle pup and was really tiny and fluffy and white! Extremely white. You know how poodles are. Like she could barely climb up the stairs and so she had to be picked up. Whenever I was at her place, I'd carry her in my arms. She was used to me by now, so she never made a fuss.
I never really get  jealous of anyone,  but this was the only reason I ever envied Heather.

You might ask, why I never asked for a pet too. In fact I did, but well mom said I was enough of a handful for her. And over the years I've come to know that that's a stereotypical answer every parent gives their child when asked to keep a pet. Ugh.

-----

After having lunch, we left for Abi's. Heather's mom was to drive us there and my mom would pick us up after our sleepover. She lived a bit more further into town  so we had to be driven.

Sometimes I wish I was 16 already. I'd have my own car, drive to school, could go anywhere I wanted without having mom to drive me and all that. My life would be perfect!

Wouldn't it? Or was it all a façade, I wouldn't really know till I got there.

The good thing was, where Heather's, Hunter's and my house was surrounded by woods, Abigail's house was closer to the beach. By close I mean it was a 15-20 minute walk from her house, but yeah it was at least reachable unlike ours.

The thing was, my mom wouldn't let me go to the beach alone unless I'd be staying at Abi's or it was a family's day out. That's why in summer we usually had sleepovers at her place.

Sly, I know!

Heather's mom took the turn towards her house. The ocean was towards our right and I gazed out. The beaches were empty. Obviously in this weather no one would be out but in the summer it was a place to be. The beaches would be flanked by kids playing in the sands, building sand castles. I really don't want to embarrass myself but I haven't been able to build even one  sand castle without anyone's help. It's a shame I know.

Nevertheless, I felt really lucky to be staying in a place like this. We had one of the finest beaches and climate here in the country. Those days were rare when you'd find people complaining about any of the two except when there was a storm, of course. Everyone hated the storm.

"God I love the ocean. It's so peaceful and comforting," Heather remarked.

"Yeah, me too. I love the way the ocean kisses the shore even after being pushed away every time."

Heather turned behind to look at me, jaw slacking. I gave her a mischievous smile and looked at the rear view mirror. I could see her mom was smiling too.