Making Friends

Mariana Pov

I woke up on Wednesday morning feeling more rested than I had in years. It turns out that I slept away the entire Tuesday, since we got home way past midnight on Monday after we watched the movie. It felt wonderful to catch up on the sleep that I needed very badly. I think I also slept off the concussion I had when my head made contact with that log three days ago.

I have to thank Maria and Papa for letting me sleep this long. My mother would never allow it. She is always strict and we had to follow her everyday schedule. Thinking of my mother, I realise how much I miss her and my father, even my four annoying older sisters. I wonder how they're doing, if they are even still alive.

I turn on my side and look at the clock on the nightstand and it says it's almost nine. I get up, go to the bathroom to take a shower and wash the sleep away. I turn the dial on the coldest setting and hop in, under the spray. It feels like standing under a waterfall back home. The salty smell in the air and the cold water on my skin. It's just...bliss. As I scrub my arms, my stomach growls loudly. "Someone finally up and hungry, hey?"

"Aaaa!!" I jump so high, I knock my head against the showerhead, drop the soap, slip on it and land with a thump on my butt. I sit on the cold tiles of the shower trying to steady my by breathing and calm my galloping heart that's racing a million miles a minute. Maria opens the curtain while she's laughing at my misfortune. "Lassie? Did I frighten ye?" She asks me, while continuing to laugh. I can't help but to start laughing with her, at least the morning is on a good start.

After my exciting moment in the shower, I get dressed. I pick out one of my new blue shorts with a sleeveless yellow top and a pair of white sneakers. I comb my hair and tie it up in a high ponytail. I give myself a once over in the full lenght mirror Papa put up on my room wall, and feel satisfied with how I look. I walk into the kitchen and see that there are three plates on the table. I know Papa is already at the harbour, so Maria must be expecting a guest.

I look at Maria and ask, "For whom may I ask is the third plate for?" Maria raises an eyebrow at me. "Trying to teach me yer proper language? That's for a friend comin' over. He usually comes 'round tenish." I hum and nod my head, okay. I just shrug and as I was going to sit down there's a knock on the door.

"That must be him. Put the bacon on the plates while I go get the door." Instantly my sarcastic brain activates and I call Maria back. I tell her that I'll bring the screwdriver so we can remove the door safely, all I get in return is a very ugly scowl. I just chuckle and move to the stove to get the sizzling bacon on the plates. I pick up the frying pan and place three pieces of bacon on each plate. I can see Maria already prepared the rest of the food and I plate that up aswell.

When she's back she thanks me for dishing up the food and introduces me to the boy behind her. "Anna, this is Carlo, he lives down the street, at lucky number twelve." I smile at Carlo and put up my hand to greet him. He takes my hand and shakes it, his hands are rough and feels like he works with steel or wood all day. "I haven't seen you 'round here, you new to town?" He sounds just like everyone else here on this part of the island, but I can tell his pronunciation is a bit better.

"Yup, I got here on Sunday. I'm visiting family friends, but here everyone is family, right." He laughs lightly at my comment and nods his head. Maria moves between the two of us and pokes Carlo on the chest. "Well, ye're just in time for breakfast, mister. Now eat up so I can order you and Anna around." Hearing this makes me smile, I get to know him and maybe make a friend.

As we eat I take my time to study him. He has long black hair tied in a ponytail, pale blue eyes that shine bright even though he's sitting with his back to the sunlight, tanned skin and tattoos lining his arms and parts of his chest that I can see. He's wearing a band t-shirt with the letters, AC/DC on it and faded blue jean shorts. He has a well toned body aswell. Just as he looks up to catch me staring at him, I notice a bird at the kitchen window.

"Maria, isn't that Papa's seagull?" She looks towards the window and shakes her head. "What had he left this time?" She asks to herself. She removes a piece of paper from the bird's band around its foot and reads the note Papa sent her. He found the bird a few years ago by the harbour, fallen out of the nest after a huge storm. He brought it back and kept it as a friend.

I met the bloody bird on my first day here. He came and sat atop my head and did the nasty. Papa and Maria obviously found it very funny but I thought it was quite gross. His name is Patsy.

A scowl had formed on Maria's face. "Lassie, when ye're done eat'n would ye take the toolbox from the shed to Pap. He needs to fix another engine." Carlo and I nod our heads at Maria and finish our food. "I'll take her." Carlo offers.

I nod and get up, put my plate in the sink and go brush my teeth. After brushing my teeth I go outside, around the house to the shed to get the toolbox, when Carlo calls me over. He lifts the toolbox, showing me he already has it. "So pretty girl, you ever been on a motorcycle?" he questions. I look at the motorcycle behind him, looks more like a beast. A Harley Davidson. Hm, good taste, how the hell does he afford it, though? I find the vehicles more entertaining to learn about than the shopping centres. Though I thought it would be the other way around.

"Nope, but I would like to." I answer him. He smirks at me and pats his hand on the seat. "Well then, my fair lady, your chariot awaits." I laugh at his attempt to charm me. William would certainly have thrown him in the deepest dungeon he could find for talking to me like that, well at least once upon a time when William still had the intention to keep me alive. I'm not so sure anymore.

Carlo climbs on and starts the engine. He looks at me and I climb on, once I'm seated behind him he tells me to hold on. He lets the brakes go and we start to drive along the road. He picks up speed and I move my head from behind him to get the wind in my face. To me right now, this is what freedom feels like.

Opening my eyes, squinting a little from the wind, I can see the harbour all the way down from the top of the mountain. It's a really beautiful sight. A laugh bubbles up my throat and escapes my mouth and I realise just how much I was pressured into doing something I didn't want to.

Feeling this free, I don't think I'll allow anyone to take it from me, and the cherry on top, a complete stranger made me feel this way! This is what I wanted all my life, I guess this is what Mary feels when she comes to the surface.

We reach the harbour and find Papa waiting at the entrance. We park the motorcycle and Carlo takes out the toolbox from the inner compartment. It's like a tiny trunk built into the seat of a motorcycle. I definitely want to read more into it. While Carlo handles the toolbox I run over to Papa, gaining everyone's attention, and hug him. "Morning Paps." I beam at him. "Morn'n lassie. Ye finally up and runnin'?" I nod my head at his words, remembering that he called me a sleeping beauty when I first arrived and slept most of the time.

Carlo walks up to us and passes the toolbox to Papa and shakes his hand to greet him. "Listen Paps, I already asked Mama if it's alright but, um, you think it's okay if I take Anna with me to the beach party tomorrow night? We're celebrating independence day."

I look at Carlo and then at Papa. A beach party? What do people do at a beach party? Hopefully they don't put on their fanciest gowns and do the sea waltz like my people do. And what is independence day? Why do humans even celebrate every day? It's odd...

Papa looks at me and shrugs. "Well, I'm okay with it, and if Mama's fine then it's good. But, ye"ll have to ask Anna." Carlo turns to me with a hopeful smile. "So...you wanna come?" Just to tease him I say, "No. I don't like parties. You can go by yourself." I give him a sweet yet sadistic smile to emphasize my declining and it looks like I just crushed him.

His smile disappears and he looks like a puppy that had just been thrown away. I admit, I have a twisted sense of humor. I start smiling, then giggle and finally full out laughing. Carlo looks at me puzzled and then at Paps. Papa smiles at him, "This one's got a mean sense of humor. She's just pullin' ye're leg."

He looks at me with big eyes, "You minx! You had me believe you! That wasn't nice in any way, do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to get rejected by a girl?" He keeps yelling at me and it just makes me laugh harder. When I've calmed down enough to speak, I wipe away the tears at the corners of my eyes and nod at him, "Yes, Carlo. I'll go with you" I say, still smiling.