Unintended Love - 1. Chapter 1

When we pulled up to the resort in Hawaii, I knew that this vacation would suck right away. What kind of vacation can a kid have at a resort? Especially a seventeen year old kid. At least at our other vacations I had Jenna, my older sister, to keep me occupied. This time, she couldn't make it. This is going to be the longest two weeks of my life.

"Rain, honey, cheer up!" said my mom. "We're on a vacation."

Yes, my name is Rain.

"Whoopee..." I said sarcastically.

It's not that the resort wasn't nice, there was just nothing more for me to do other than sit on the beach or by the pool. That's fun for about two or three days, but after that, it get's kind of boring. Especially since I can't legally drink.
When we parked in front, the valets came rushing to the driver's seat door. The three of us got out; me, my mom, and my dad. A bellhop quickly came out with his bellhop rack and loaded all of our bags onto it.
I quickly got out my iPod and blasted the volume. The three of us walked into the gorgeous open lobby. My father walked up to the check-in desk and my mother and I waited in the lobby for him. When he came back, he had three key cards in his hand, and he was putting his wallet away in his back pocket.

"Okay, we're on the fifth floor." My dad said. "I think I'm going to get a drink. Rain, make sure to call the bellhop and give him our room number."

"Yes sir!" I mocked, giving my father a salute.

My mother and I walked through the lobby and over to the elevators. It was an outdoor hotel, so all of the hallways had great views of the ocean.

"Here, honey." said mom, handing me a card key. "This year, we've booked you your own suite."

My eyes opened with shock. Every year, Jenna and I always stayed in the same room with mom and dad. This vacation was suddenly looking up now that I would have my own suite.

"Your grades have been so great lately that your father and I decided to surprise you."

"Thanks mom!"

"It's the next door over."

She pointed to the door of my first hotel room that I would be staying in by myself. I took a deep breath and walked over. I put the key card into the slot and walked into my room. MY ROOM. It was all my own for two weeks and my parents didn't have the key. At least I don't think that they do.
I immediate went to the bed and threw myself onto it. After a few seconds on there, I got up and walked to my balcony. I could feel the cool breeze coming off the ocean. I closed my eyes and took in the breeze. I looked down and saw a bunch of younger people down at the beach. I knew that was my chance to have some fun.
I quickly changed into my board shorts, flip flops, and beach t-shirt. I walked over to my parents' room. I told my mom I was going down to the beach. She agreed to call the bellhop. I put my sunglasses on, grabbed some sunscreen, put on my sun glasses, and started down to the beach.
I rode in the elevator with this really cute girl, but she was way too old for me. She was like Jenna's age, around twenty-three. She had long, curly blonde hair and tanned skin. She was almost perfect. I hated that I couldn't see her eyes. She was wearing really dark sunglasses. Also, a really hot bikini that showed off her tanned body.
I was sad when the elevator ride ended, but I knew that we were both headed to the beach. However, once we got there, I thought it was best to go an opposite way. I didn't want her to think that I was stalking her or something.
Anyway, I found an empty beach chair. The chair had a complimentary towel on it. I put the towel on the chair, took my t-shirt off, and sat down. Once I sat, I got my bottle of sunscreen and put it on. It was just sunscreen because I wanted to tan, but I didn't want to burn. I needed a tan when I go to my new school in September or I'll look like some creepy pale kid that came from New York City. This way, I'll definitely fit in in LA.
After putting on my sunscreen, I laid back on the chair and closed my eyes. I sat there, listening to the people around me, the waves lightly crashing on the beach, and the easy sea breeze.

"Heads up!"

This voice came out of nowhere and it seemed awfully close. So, I opened my eyes. When I looked to my right, a Frisbee was flying right towards me. It hit my chest. It kind of hurt, but I kept my cool. I even caught it.
I took my glasses off and this kid with black hair and sort of pale skin was running towards me. He caught up to me and I gave him the Frisbee back.

"Sorry about that," he said in a deep voice.

"It's cool," I said back.

He walked away and I laid back onto my beach chair and closed my eyes once again and got back to my tanning.
I stayed tanning for about twenty minutes before my dad started calling my cell phone. It was time for lunch. I grabbed my iPod from my pile of stuff that included my t-shirt, flip-flops, and sunscreen. I put it on. It was still were I left it; halfway into Saosin's "I Keep My Secrets Safe", the EP version.
I got up from my chair, slipped my t-shirt back on, as well as my flip-flops and started back towards the hotel. I made my way to the elevator. This time I was in the elevator with that kid who hit me with his Frisbee.

"Hey," he said in his deep voice.

I just cleared my throat and didn't answer.

"Look, I'm sorry again for hitting you with my Frisbee. It was an accident. My little brother threw it in the wrong direction."

"I told you that it's cool," I finally spit out.

"Well, it doesn't look like it's cool."

"I'm just tired. Jet lag."

"Where'd you come from?" he asked

"New York," I said.

"California," he answered.

I reached my floor and I left the elevator. I walked down the hall, still feeling the breeze on my face, blowing my t-shirt a bit. I reached my suite. I changed into regular shorts and then went to my parents' suite. I knocked on the door and my dad opened the door.

"Finally, your mother's hungry."

"Sorry, I was down at the beach." I said.

"Well, let's go."

We went back down to the lobby and sat down at one of the three hotel restaurants. The waiter brought us water and the table was silent.

"What did you do while at the beach, Rain?" My mom asked.

"I tanned," I answered, not really trying to get into a conversation with them.

"Is that all?"

"There's not really anything else you can do on the beach, mom."

"Don't get smart with your mother." said dad.

"Sorry mom."

"That's okay." She paused. "Ya know, there's lots of young people at this hotel. Maybe you can make friends with some of them for the time we're here."

"I met a kid at the beach. He's from California." I said this so she wouldn't keep going with the subject.

"Ya see. There's no reason you should be alone while you're here."

The waiter came again to take our drink and food orders. My mother went first, ordering a Screwdriver and a turkey club sandwich. Then my dad ordered his scotch on the rocks. With that he ordered the salmon. I ordered a coke and a chicken Caesar salad.

"I called ahead to Jenna. She says that everything at the new house is settled and ready for us to come home." said my mom to dad.

"Mm..." My dad grunted.

He didn't want to move to California, but he had to because of mom's job. She's an architect and is working on a big job there. And my dad's a academic writer. He can do that from anywhere. So instead of going back to New York after this vacation, we're going to our new home in LA.

"Charles, I know that you don't like that we're moving to Los Angeles, but that's where my work is. I wish you would at least pretend to be on my side here."

My dad grunted. The waiter came with our drinks and my dad quickly took a sip of his scotch. I desperately needed a drink to get through that lunch. All I wanted to do was order a Jack and Coke and down it in two seconds.
Instead, I had to sit there and listen to my parents go back and forth. Their voices never raised, but the tension at the table was excruciatingly high. My parents had this way of having an argument without it ever getting loud. It was practically an Olympic sport to them.
When the lunch was over, I was so exhausted from just watching them that I went straight to my suite and knocked out for at least forty-five minutes. When I woke up, I decided that I wanted to go for a swim. So, I changed back into my board shorts, put on a little more sunscreen, grabbed my sunglasses and went back down to the lobby.
Walking through the lobby, I spotted my dad at the bar. I shook my head. He's been drinking more and more these days; ever since my mom told him that we needed to move. This was about a month ago. I walked out to the pool. I set my stuff down on one of the deck chairs and then slipped into the pool.
There were lots of kids in the pool. Well, it was the kids pool. I really wished I could just relax, but I couldn't because of all of the noise. So, I just sat as far away from the kids as possible. I rested in the water, felt it splash up against my chest, then closed my eyes.

"Heads up!"

There was that voice again. I opened my eyes and a volleyball was flying right towards me. This time, I caught it. If I didn't, it wouldn't have been too pretty. The same guy was walking towards me. I took my glasses off and then handed him the ball back.

"Shit, I'm sorry we keep doing this to you," he said.

"Maybe you should teach your brother how to throw," I said.

"I'm Zack," he said.

"I'm Rain."

"Rain?"

"Yeah...don't ask."

"So...do you wanna play?" asked Zack.

"Um...I'm not much of a volley ball guy."

"Come on. It's gotta be better than just sitting here by yourself. A pool is supposed to be fun," said Zack.

"Unless you're trying to relax."

"What're you thirty? Come on and play some volleyball."

I decided to just agree to play volleyball so he would stop bugging me. He introduced me to his little brother, Jacob. He told me that Jacob and I would be playing together against him.
We started to play and let's just say that I wasn't going to go play volleyball in the Olympics anytime soon. And, let's just say that Zack almost died from laughing watching us.

"You really aren't good at volleyball at all are you?" asked Zack as we got out of the pool.

We got towels from the towel rack and started to dry off.

"So who are you here with?" I asked.

"It's just me and my two brothers." said Zack. "My parents work a lot. How about you?"

"Just me and my parents, but at least I have my own suite."

"Really! Cool. I have to share a room with Jacob."

"You can come by some time if you just wanna get away." I said.

I didn't know why I offered. I don't even know this kid. For all I know, he could be some kind of petty thief or something. Anyway, I doubt that he is.

"Well, my brothers and I are going for a hike after this. It's not going to be too rough since we have Jacob. You can come if you want."

"I would, I love to hike, but I don't have the clothes for it."

"That's okay. You can borrow some of mine. You're a little skinnier than me, but I'm sure they'll fit."

"Um...okay."

It was better than sitting around all afternoon doing nothing.

* * *

I followed Zack and Jacob to the lobby. Their brother was at the bar. Zack called him over. I couldn't help by eye my dad my dad as I saw Zack's older brother walking over.

"Greg, this is Rain. I invited him to come on our hike. Is that okay?"

"Well, it was supposed to be a brother thing." said Greg.

"It's okay. I-I don't have to go." I said. It seemed like I was intruding.

"No," said Zack. He turned back to Greg. "Come on Greg. He's stuck here with his parents."

"Did your folks say that it was okay?" Greg asked me.

"I didn't ask them yet. But I'm sure they will." I answered.

"If they say yes, then I'm okay with it."

"Awesome," said Zack. "Come on. I'll take you up to my room to borrow some clothes."

"Wait, Rain's gotta ask his folks first."

"Okay, then we can go up to yours and wait for your parents to say yes."

"Oh-okay, um...let's go."

"Can I go?" asked Jacob.

"Come on Jake. We can go raid the candy machine." said Greg.

Zack and I walked to the elevator. The ride up to my floor was silent. Once we got there and were walking down the outdoor hallway, the conversation picked up.

"So, how often do you get to hike?" asked Zack.

"I guess whenever my father can get sober enough to peel himself off of his computer to take me."

"Bummer. You don't have uncles or a brother or something?"

"No. My dad's an only child and my mom only has sisters. I have sister too, her names Jenna. She's probably only a few years younger than your brother."

Zack chuckled. "Maybe they can get together."

"Oh, she's not here. We're moving to LA and she went ahead to make sure everything was okay with our new house."

"I live in LA! Where are you moving to?"

"I can't remember. I don't really care. It's not gonna be as cool as New York."

We finally reached my door. I let us in and Zack walked around the room in shock.

"Shit, this room is fucking enormous!"

"I'm guessing you've never been in a suite before?" I asked.

"Not one this huge. This shit is fucking awesome!"

"Well, you stay here. I'm gonna go next door to see where my parents are."

I walked over to my parents hotel room and knocked on the door. My mom answered the door.

"Hey mom, remember the kid I told you that I met, well, he invited me to go hiking with him and his older brother so can I go?"

"No! Absolutely not! I'm not going to let you go off with some stranger."

"Mom!"

"No, I'm sorry, No. Absolutely not."

I literally wanted to kill her. Could she seriously ruin my vacation any more? I was absolutely furious. I almost wanted to leave Zack in my room without telling him what happened. I didn't want to be embarrassed. But, I knew that I couldn't do that, so I went back to my room.

"Ready to go?" asked Zack.

"I can't." I said with my head down.

"What?" Zack sounded shocked.

"My mom said no."

"Well...we can just tell my brother that she said yes. He won't know."

"No, if I go and parents find out, I'll end up being grounded for the rest of the time I'm here. I think I'll just stay here. I brought my XBOX 360, so I think I'll set it up."

"Are you serious? That sounds crazy." said Zack. "I can't let you sit here alone when I almost killed you twice."

I smiled. "You didn't almost kill me."

"Well, it was pretty touch and go."

He made laugh. I haven't laughed liked that since I last saw my best friend, Kyle. He's a major jokester.

"No really, just go." I insisted.

"Nope. I'm gonna stay here and game it with you. My brothers and I are brothers for life. We have lots of time for brotherly bonding." He smiled. "Wait here. I'll be back."

He left and I found myself anxious for him to get back.