"What a cutie." Corey commented as he looked at Jude, asleep on Mikes shoulder as they flew through the air. "He brought three books just to sleep."

"Randle says he's a growing boy and sleeps a lot more." Mike shrugged his shoulders as he flipped through Jude's book alone. "He's a jerk."

"Yeah, just a little." Corey agreed. "Mike, I need advice on El."

Mike gave an awkward look, but Corey didn't seem to notice. "I like her. I do. But, we aren't together. And not just like together as in standing next to each other, we aren't boyfriend and girlfriend either. But, we kinda act like it. So, does that mean I missed something? Or, how do I ask that? And I know you guys use to date, and-"

"El usually makes her own mind up." Mike cut him off as he shifted uncomfortably. "I'd let her come to you if she likes you. What better way to do that then over spring break?"

Corey smiled. "I knew you were smart enough to tell me. Thank you."

"Don't worry about it." Mike wanted to laugh at this obliviousness. Before anyone could react, Jude gave a small gasp as he sat up. Mike winced when he hit his head. "Ow."

"Sorry." Jude mumbled, rubbing his head for him. "Bad dreams."

"Hate those." Corey shook his head, grabbing his bag.

"Wait, I need to get my suntan lotion on so I can stop looking like Mike 2.0." Jude hurried to grab it from his bag.

"Thanks." Mike hummed.

"I love the vampire look you have going on." Jude reassured him with a shake of his head. "But me? Not me."

"I think you'd made a good vampire." Mike argued as he passed him his bag. "You do like garlic bread."

"Exactly why i'd make a terrible vampire." he pointed out as they walked off the plane. "I'd end up killing myself just for some good bread."

"That's true." Mike nodded as their arms pressed together when they walked.

"Corey!" El called out, getting their attention as the trio turned to the right.

"El!" he smiled, running to meet her in a hug. "California is treating your good looks well."

"She gets those from me." Jude confirmed, dropping his bags as El hugged him. "Jesus, you're getting so tall!"

"PE teacher says i'm 5'5." El nodded as she held onto him. "Missed you so much."

"Missed you too." he held her in return.

"Hey. How's it going?" Mike patted Wills back when he went in for a hug.

"Hey, Mike. Jude. Corey." Jonathan greeted the boys.

"Oh, hey." Jude cleared his throat, a little flushed in the face. "I like this new hair you've got going on."

"Oh yeah? Thanks." Jonathan smiled as him.

"William." Jude lifted him off the ground as El wrapped her arms around Corey again.

"I planned a whole list of things we need to do before you go home." El nodded her head. "I made it this morning when Jude called and said you were coming."

"Yeah, he started hitting me with a pillow and said we were going to California." he explained with a shake of his head. "I just went along with it."

El grinned widely up at him.

"Nice shirt, man." Jonathan's unknown friend spoke up as he stared at Mike, who stood rather awkwardly in between two set of hugging duos. "Ocean Pacific?"

"Oh, hey. Mike, this is my friend, Argyle." Jonathan cleared his throat. "Argyle, Mike, Jude, and Corey."

"Nice hair, man." Jude nodded at him. "I dig it."

"Thanks, little man." Argyle nodded at him. "Make my own conditioner."

"No shit, really? So so I!" Jude grinned as he pointed to his head. "Everyone loves the curls. Who am I to deny them?"

Mike went to say something before Argyle pulled him into a hug. El gave an odd look as Corey rose his eyebrows, looking to a confused Jude. Argyle looked at the tag. "Oh, no, no, no. It's a shitty knock off. Don't worry, i'll get you the good thread out here."

"Let's go get my list." El tugged on Corey's hand before things could get awkward.

"Let's go with them." Jude agreed, pulling Mike by the wrist to follow. "Did you bring sunscreen?"

"No, you brought the sunscreen." he shook his head.

Jude gave him a look. "You said you were bringing the sunscreen!"

"No, you specifically said you were." Mike faced him in annoyance. "You didn't bring it?"

"Because you said you were!"

"I think I should move to California." Jude said honestly as the group walked into the skating rink El dragged them off too. "I bet i'd fit in."

"You would." Will nodded his head.

"Do people often kill ladies here?" Corey frowned his eyebrows.

"Egh, sometimes." Will shrugged his shoulders slightly.

"Do you guys come here often?" Mike questioned from Jude's other side.

"Yes." El said just as Will said no. "Will does not. But, I go to parties here."

"Woah, she's a real Cali girl now." Jude grinned as they headed toward the counter. "I bet you have a lot of friends now too."

"I do." she nodded. "Like Angela and-"

"Angela?" Will spoke in disbelief.

"I'm so glad you've made friends, El." Corey smiled at her.

"Corey, what size do you wear?" Mike looked over Jude's head.

"Ugh..." he trialed off. "I think...i'm not sure."

"When was the last time you bought shoes?" Mike shrugged.

"We share shoes all the time." Jude cut in. "I know your size."

"Mike, you need socks." El spoke up.

"Oh, shit. Yeah." he realized it too.

"They sale them at that counter." Will pointed toward the one opposite them.

"I'll go with you." Jude spoke up, following him away. "I'd hate to go to a party here."

"I'd hate to go to any party." Mike said honestly.

"Me too." Jude shook his head. "Not a big dancer."

"I can't even imagine you dancing." Mike laughed as they neared the counter. "I can't even imagine you skating."

Jude rose his eyebrows. "Is that so?"

"Jude! Jude, i'm gonna fall again!" Mike yelled as the shorter boy drug him around the skating rink.

"You said you couldn't see me skating so i'm showing you!" he laughed, grasping his hand. "I won't let you fall."

"You said that last time." he argued, nearly loosing his footing as Jude steadied him with a loud laugh, taking off again.

"Try mine." El encouraged as her and Corey got two different milkshakes. "It's better."

"It's not b-" he started, taking a sip of hers as his eyes widened. "We should switch."

"What? No!" El shook her head and laughed as he tried to take it from her.

"Mines better, i'm putting you out of your misery." he shook his head, taking another sip of hers and shoving his toward her.

"Milkshakes?" a high pitch voice rung as El's face fell. Corey looked over. "Where have you been hiding this handsome thing?"

"I haven't been hiding." Corey gave an odd look.

El cleared her throat. "Angela. This is Corey, a friend from my old school."

"She talks about you all the time in her letters." Corey smiled at her, shaking her out reached hand. "I'm glad I got to finally meet all her friends."

"Friends?" the blonde asked as the girl behind her laugh. "Super cool. Let's go skate, friend."

"I wanted to finish-" El started.

"I'll hold that." a brunette boy smiled, taking the cup as Angela pulled El on the skating rink. A laughing Mike and Jude looked over, seeing it happen.

"Guess those are El's new friends." Jude frowned his eyebrows. "She doesn't seem happy about it."

"Jude, Mike." Will called them over, catching their attention.

"Is something weird going on here?" Jude skated over first, holding onto the side.

"El's been lying." he said in return.

"Lying about what?" Mike finally got over there.

"Hey." Corey jogged over. "Am I over thinking this or are those kids not as nice as they look?"

"They aren't." Will took a breath as the spot light suddenly focused on El in the middle of the rink.

"This next song is dedicated to Jane, the local snitch." the DJ called over the speakers, hitting a button as Wipe Out played loudly, the kids starting to circle El and call her names.

"Okay." Jude looked to the boys. "Mike, go get the music to stop. Corey, Will, try to get her out of there."

"What are you gonna do?" Mike gave him a crazy look.

"You said you can't imagine me skating." he shrugged in return.

"I'll go to the other side if she come out over there." Corey hurried toward the other side of the rink while Mike yelled at the DJ.

Jude skated over toward the crowding students, leaning down as he skated past the boy with the large camera, his skate colliding with his ankles so he fell and the camera crashed on the ground.

"Wipe out!" the DJ yelled once he stopped the music, the boy that held El's milkshake throwing it in her face as she fell back. Jude reached over, grabbing him by the back of his shirt to pull him back, leaning down so he fell over his back and hit the ground.

"Wipe out." the Mackenzie boy shrugged down at him.

He looked back in search of El, skating off toward the side toward Will. "You see her?"

"I lost her." he shook his head.

"She ran off." Corey ran back over.

"Where'd she go?" Jude looked in disbelief. "Why'd you let you leave? Those kids could go after her again."

"What was I suppose to do?" Corey defended himself.

"Follow her so they wouldn't." Jude said back obviously and annoyed as he got his skates off and started looking around for El.

"They get her?" Mike hurried to his side.

"No, just let her walk away." he rolled his eyes. "I'm gonna look around for her, can you take that side?"

"Yeah, i'll come get you if I find her." Mike nodded quickly, hurrying off.

"El." Jude looked in a few of the storage closets, not being able to find her anywhere. He looked around in worry, not being able to locate any of her bullies except the two he tripped on the rink. But, they weren't the two he was worried about.

"Angela!" the familiar voice rung as Jude turned, moving past the lockers just in time to see his cousin collide a rolling skate with Angelas face.

•

kylie speaks

ilyjm