It's five in the morning. Normally, a beach girl like me would be up, into a swimsuit and out to the garage to grab her board. But no, I'm not. One reason why I'm not enjoying the cool salty ocean on my skin is my dad. Why, you may ask. Because right around now, he either gets off the couch to go out driving, still drunk from the thousands of cans he drank yesterday or he comes to my room and my brother's to hit us countless of times before we black out or he sees our blood on the floor.723Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBVMjCrRym

I'm hoping he goes out driving, because I can't deal with being hit again and lying to my best friends, Brody, Chelsea, Maya, and Sage. They know why I'm not following my mother's legacy; of being a pro surfer. I love the water, just not the waves. Why? It killed my mother. I have to lie to them about every new cut, bruise and broken bone I get.

I squeeze my eyes shut, listening for any sound of movement. Then I hear it, the shuffle of feet and the whooshing sound of things falling. Something breaks, sounding like glass, and I hope it wasn't mother's ocean mosaic picture. Finally, the front door opens and shuts. I wait a few minutes to hear the faint sound of an engine starting and I hear it, clear as day. Relief washes over me and I peel one eye open, headlights move across my room as he backs out of the driveway and onto the road.

Just one more minute and I can get up. My breathing quickens as I count the seconds:

Fifty-eight, Thirty-two, Twenty-one, Ten. I'm almost there. Three, two, one. I made it! I spring from my bed and change from my pajamas and into my blue and white swimsuit. Pulling a cover over dress on over my swim suit, I grab a hair tie and put my hair up in a pony tail while continuing to run out of my room and towards Adrian's. I knock on his door and within seconds he swings the door open.

He smiles, because he knows: we have one day until freedom. Before Adrian legally turns eighteen and can become my guardian. Not that I can't take care of myself, I am seventeen, but a year and three months younger than he is.

I turn around and walk towards the garage with Adrian close behind me. Adrian's VW Van sits untouched by dad and has covered dust from the years of not using it. Along one side of the garage are rows and rows of boards. I grab my favorite board, that I use every day, and slip it underneath my arm. Adrian grabs his long board and we make our way out of the concrete box of cement, also known as a garage.

"What are we going to do about school?" I ask as we walk away from the grass and onto the sandy beach.

I only stay maybe ten feet away from shore, but I never go to catch a wave. Some say I'm brave for even daring to get in the water, but my best friends try to push me into riding with them. They never pry more than once or twice a day. But my answer is always no.

Adrian sighs, "I guess, we'll be fine."

"Have you seen our accounts lately?" I look over at my brother. "Dad used our money, the money mom saved up for both of us. We don't have anything. They'll take away our house soon and I'll have to enter the system."

He clenches his jaw and says through his teeth, "I'm not going to let that happen to you Al."

When we reach the water I stop, only the moon light is illuminating the water and I barely noticed it was pitch dark outside, I had memorized the walk from our house to the beach years ago, even before my mother's accident. And it felt normal, like I couldn't live without first being in the ocean. It is a weird relationship I have with it; the ocean. I like the water, and swimming, but not the waves. They are two different things but one in my mind.

Adrian starts forward from my right and turns around to face me."Are you coming?"

I take in my breath and nod before setting off in a run and dive with my board at my stomach and my hands grabbing the sides.on the surface I begin paddling until I make it to my normal spot, a few feet behind the line up. I've grown accustomed to the dark, the moonlight helps but soon the sun will come up.

Maneuvering myself in a sitting position on my board, I watch my brother charge towards the wave that is beginning to form. I smile and cheer him on. I hear whoops and hoppers behind me and I turn effortlessly on my board to face the people cheering. They are no other than my best friends; Brody, Sage, Chelsea, and Maya. Brody has dark chocolate colored hair and the bluest eyes I have ever seen. Chelsea on the other hand has firey red hair that she always leaves up, in or outside of the water.

Sage is opposite to us beach people, she likes the colors black, purple, and blue in that order. She always wears those colors, even in her swim wear. She is somewhat of a goth to others, but she is actually a very nice person. (Not that I'm saying people who are goth aren't nice, it's just what the stupid stereotypes do to everyone.) She just doesn't like bright colors and would rather be hiding behind a book (like she does at school, cafe, etc.) and people think she is a goth because of how she looks. That is not true. 

Finally Maya, sweet, sweet Maya. She is like Chelsea in any other way, we sometimes joke that they were twins separated at birth. Their only difference is Maya's Hawaiian culture and Chelsea is originally from Australia. Each of my best friends have different sized boards underneath their arms. They run towards the water and start to paddle towards where I am sitting. Then there leaves Adrian and I, I take after our mother with her bleach blonde hair and ice colored eyes and Adrian who takes after our dad, not his personality, just his looks. Which sort of haunts me from time to time.

"Hey Alana." Sage says as she approaches me.

I wave, "Hey, did you sleep last night?"

"Nah," She replies while shrugging her shoulders, "I couldn't sleep, I was too excited."

"The waves here are the best." Chelsea comments.

I nod, "It's the middle of the summer Chels. The waves are always the best here.

Everyone laughs but then Brody turns to me, and I know what he is going to ask. "Are you going surfing with us, Ala? Please, just one wave, you know how to surf, why won't you go ride with us."

"Brody," Sage scolds. "She's already been through enough. Why are you pestering her? If she doesn't want to surf she doesn't have to. She's already in the water and out this far, that is all we can ask her for now. You just need to accept that Brody."

"Fine." He mutters under his breath and I give Sage a small smile.

I glance over at Maya who is looking dreamy eyed over at my brother who is surfing contently. I am the only one who knows Maya has a crush on my brother. She made me promise to keep her secret, and I am keeping my promise.

"Maya!" Chelsea yells and she snaps out of her state. "We're gonna start, you coming?"

Maya simply nods and I watch as they line up just as Adrian finishes his ride. He manages to spray me with water. Gasping, I fling water at him from my side and spray him. I smile triumphantly at him and stay back as everyone paddles to get the next wave.

After three hours of surfing and laughing with my best friends, we decided to head up the peer to our favorite hang out space outside of the water: Ocean Cafe. It is a total hotspot for surfers, and other teens alike. We'd normally just sit at a booth and talk about competitions or what we wanted to do for the rest of today.

When we finally pull ourselves up onto the boardwalk, we set out boards on the railing and walk inside the cafe. The restaurant, like it's name, is Ocean themed. The table's and chairs are coral colors and the floor is a soft brown color. Different lights hang down above the tables and the walls have pictures of waves on it. Along with wall hangings of surfboards, stuffed crabs and fish and other nautical items.

We each slide into a booth in the corner of the room. I sit in between Sage and Maya and across from me Chelsea is stuck in between Adrian and Brody. A waitress, Claire, comes over to our table as soon as we sit down.

"Hi, welcome to Ocean's Cafe. My name is Claire and I will be your waitress today." She says while getting a pen and notebook out of her apron. "Is there anything I can get you?"

I shake my head but everyone else orders; Chelsea with her Blueberry smoothie, Adrian with a small plate of shrimp, Maya with her Mocha and Sage with her sweet tea.

"Ala, why aren't you getting anything?" Sage asks as Claire finishes writing down our orders.

I shrug, "I'm ok."

"I was wondering if you guys wanted to go on a sort of surfing safari."Brody says. "It would only last a month, and I wanted to start it next week. All you'd have to do is get your parents permission, I can pay for the housing."

I look over at Adrian, and he frowns, "I'm sorry Brody, but I don't think we can go."

"Why not? Is it because you hate surfing?"

"I don't hate surfing," I try to explain. "I just don't think I can go." Maya reaches over and touches my arm, and with her eyes I can tell she suspects why I can't go.

Knows i goes deeper that just my fear of the waves, more than money problems. She suspects it is something with my dad. And If I tell her the truth, I'm afraid she won't be my friend anymore and leave me.

"If its money problems you know I'm here for you." Sage comments.

I smile over at her and say, "Thank you." She smiles back.

"So," Byron starts as silence starts to creep in around us, "Are you guys in?"

We all nod, but Adrian doesn't, he looks over at me, his face contorted with anger. And I know exactly why he is angry, if we go, we will be broke to the sense of no return.

The week flew by in an instant. I was packed and ready with two of my favorite surf boards underneath my arms. We would be taking Adrian's van and a small trailer. Stuffing my giant bag full of clothes and other necessities into the trailer, I walk to the van and strap my boards onto the top of the van.

Everyone else comes out of their cars with their belongings. This week Adrian and I were lucky enough to stay at our friend's house instead of staying at our dreaded home. I stick my hands in my pockets and wait for everyone to get situated so we can get on the road and into our first stop; California, which, might I add is very close to where we live in Brookings, Oregon.

"Guys, I want to get on the road." Chelsea yells from the passenger seat of Adrian's can.

"It's only thirty-two minutes to Crescent City, Chelsea, you'll be fine." I comment, walking over to her.

She crosses her arms at her chest and pouts like a three year old would when they don't get what they want. I shake my head at her and get in the back seat. Through the window, I see Sage pull up the driveway either her line green board strapped effortlessly on her jeep. She hops out of the vehicle and moves to the back of it. grabbing her bag she walks over to the trailer behind us and sets it inside before walking back to her car and getting her board off the top.

"Hey Sage." I yell to her.

She turns around, sees me and waves. I wave back and she walks over to us. She begins to tie her board on the other side.

"How are we going to fit three more boards on the van?" I ask Sage, who shrugs and says, "We could put them in the trailer."

I nod as everyone else comes and puts their stuff in the trailer. Once everything is packed, we all get into the van and wait for Adrian to start the van. We strap on and I get out my phone and earphones, slipping my earphones into my ears I begin to play my playlist.

Adrian backs the van out of the driveway and we start on the road down to Crescent City, California.