The house was surprisingly quiet.

Surprisingly.

I worked quickly, trying my best to make a sandwich in record timing. Though I was completely unaware of the Guinness World Record for pbj making, I was pretty sure then I beat it. I hummed a soft tune as I spun to open the cabinet and snagged the bag of crab chips, quickly throwing the bag into my jean beach bag along with the sandwich and a few sodas. Yeah, yeah, healthy eating and all that was not my thing. Never will be. Footsteps thundered up the stairs that connected the surf shop to our house and I frowned, not knowing of anyone who would be home. I ignored it, as it was a normal occurrence for random teenagers to show at my place of residence. I rapidly folded my beach towel and stuffed it in my bag as someone rounded the corner. Well, actually two someones.

"Hey, where's your sister, beach bum?"

Meet Jason Prescott and Sadie Turner. My school's two biggest jerks and some of the scariest people of all time. Jason was a two-timing jerk who was often was seen sucking the faces off any girl who he could get his hands on. Enjoyed dabbling in drugs and other exciting things such as that. In 9th grade, Jason had decided to host the Sharktooth Crest's largest and wildest beach party the town had seen in (and I quote) "centuries and decades, dudes." Beer and other illegal substances had been present and some kid, I wouldn't be surprised if it was Jason himself, had brought a stray dog which was found dead the next morning. The cops were called and everyone was ratted out. I was thankful I didn't go, but I heard every excruciating detail about the night from everyone else the next day. I will never repeat some of the things I heard that day. Jason also dabbled in hair dye. This week, apparently, it was red with black tips. It was a miracle he still had hair to dye. Maybe when he's old and wrinkly he'll still have hair unlike most old men. If it could live though all the horrible dye jobs he's given it then then it could survive wrinkles.

Attached to his hip was Sadie Turner. Sadie is a barbie doll. As pretty as one and just as hollow. She and Jason have been dating since 8th grade and she knows of his two-timing, but chooses to not say anything to anyone about it. Rumors are that she encourages it. Unlike her boyfriend, her natural blonde hair had never been tainted by hair dye and it passed her hips. She had cried for weeks about the dog incident. She has the worst grades in the whole school, yet still she really knows how to manipulate people. Could probably win a talent show or something.

"I haven't seen Dani today." I grumbled, not looking up at the two as Sadie swirled a piece of her long blonde hair around a finger. Jason scoffed, disbelief setting in his features.

Oh, and the best thing about these two? For some reason my daft twin sister had chosen them as her best friends.

"You're like, her twin." Sadie drawled and I winced, prepared for what was to come. "Aren't twins psychically linked?"

"Thankfully not." I droned, hoisting my bag up on my shoulder. I gave the two a cold smile and took a deep breath in. "She's not here. So, may I suggest you look elsewhere?"

Jason smiled wickedly and my blood ran cold as he leaned close to me, his lips close to my ear. "Watch yourself, little miss. There is a lot about us you don't know." He pulled away and raised his eyebrows at me in a challenge.

I seethed, anger turning my face red. I stopped short of opening my mouth to say something as a voice called up the stairs, my dad's. "Hey, cupcake, there's someone here for you!" He hollered and I replied with a quick "coming!" before rushing past the trouble two. Jason shoved me and I fell into the wall with a thud.

"Good chatting!" Sadie called with a little wave as I slid downstairs.

My dad stood at the bottom of the stairs, a unknowing smile on his lips. His eyes were soft and kind and I pressed a kiss to his cheek in goodbye. "See you later, dad! I'm going to the beach." I called as I pushed open the door to the shop.

"Hey, I was thinking we could go diving next weekend..." He started, a longing look in his eyes. My hand slid from the doorknob and I sighed before nodding.

"I don't have anything better to do." I said with a shrug, to which he smiled.

"Also, while you're here, is pizza okay for dinner tonight?"

"Of course, as long as you get cinnamon sticks." I challenged and stuck out my tongue out at him playfully.

"Can do, kiddo. Don't get sunburnt."

"No promises!" I smiled wide before sliding out the door and into the shop. I closed the door behind me and leaned up against it with a sigh.

"Good morning." A voice said, startling me out of my moment of peace. I freaked, sliding onto the floor before opening my eyes to see Julien. He leaned over the counter to look at me and I stood with a grumble and a sigh.

"Morning." I mumbled and pulled my bag higher up on my shoulder. "Can I help you with something?"

"Actually, I was hoping to speak with you. I wish to explain everything that happened." Julie offered with a gentle smile. I narrowed my eyes in response before shrugging.

"Well, I was hoping to get some sun today, so lead the way, Julie."

He stilled beside me as he held open the shop door for me. "I actually go by Zane now."

I slipped through the door and it closed, the bells jingling. "Really? You hated your first name when we were little kids."

"Yes, I am aware."

"Well, old habits die hard so you will forever be Julie to me." I wagged a finger in his face and smirked. "You can't get a stubborn mule like me to change that easily."

We sat on my beach towel, me stuffing my face with the prior made, record breaking pbj. Julien sat beside me, cross legged. He wore ice blue trunks and a black surf shirt, his blond hair swaying in the breeze. I had shed my cover-up dress to don my cute new halter top bikini with high waisted bottoms. His blue eyes focused on the crashing surf before he looked over and caught my gaze. "Alright, mystery man. Ready to spill your secrets?" I asked and munched on the last piece of my sandwich before rifling around in my bag. I offered a soda to Julien, which he snagged from my hand and opened with a loud crack and pop.

I did the same and sipped it, raising my eyebrows at him. He sighed, shoulders falling a little. "Our second day of third grade, my mother fell ill with some sickness that closely resembled the flu. My father was worried that it was something more as her symptoms worsened and she did not seem to get any better."

"I know this part of the story." I piped up, pulling my legs close to me. "Your dad packed up your whole family and left. Got it. Where did you go?"

Julien nodded and took another swig from his soda before continuing. "Right. My father moved our family up north to a forest near the Glacier Barrens."

"Birchwood? My dad used to go there on hunting trips with his buddies years ago."

A nod and I absently played with my necklace, rolling the beads between my fingers. He pressed on and I leaned in closer to listen. "My father thought that the cold weather would help bring her fever down. It was a quiet place and he worked day and night to nurse her back to health." He paused and his eyes met mine. "She did not make it. She died just a few weeks after we left."

My breath hitched and I placed a hand on his forearm. "I'm so sorry. I wish I could have been there for you..."

He took a sharp breath in and pulled his gaze away from me. "I contracted the sickness as well, but... I," he paused, eyes darting as he searched for words. My gaze narrowed, confused. "I recovered." He finally spit out and fell silent.

"Just like that? Thats it? Why didn't you call or visit or send snail mail?" I asked exasperated and threw my hands up in the air. A couple who walked by us down by the water gave me a odd look before continuing on.

"I assume you know of the Ninja?"

I nodded and shrugged. "We don't bother to keep up with the news but I know there's ninja, sure."

He sighed and shifted his position uncomfortably. "After I recovered, a man visited our house speaking of how I had a power of the elements."

"What the actual heck is that supposed to mean?"

I watched, wide eyed, as he held up a hand and instantly it turned to ice. "Oh." I squeaked as he continued.

"His name was Wu and he trained me and the others to be ninja."

"Woah, hold up there, Julien. You're meaning to tell me you and your buddies are the ninja? And you have powers?"

"Yes." He said, as if it was that simple. "Kai is the master of fire, the red ninja, Jay the master of lightning and blue, Cole the master of earth and black, Lloyd the master of energy and the prophesied green ninja, Nya the master of water and gray."

I took a moment to soak in everything he had just told me. "So you didn't call because you were saving the world...?"

"In short, yes. Many different times, actually."

I sat back, letting my mind process this information. Questions pressed to the front of my head and I let them loose, rapid fire. "Why did we never knew you had ice powers when we were kids? Do I have powers? Do other people have powers? Can you make bomb icecream? Probably. How come you got better and your mom didn't? What happened to your dad?"

Julien blinked at me, taken a bit aback at the questions. He turned to face me and took in a deep breath. "I believe it was due to the fact that elemental powers take years of training for them to be fully present that I did not display characteristics of the master of ice when we were kids. I assume you are not an elemental master considering all elements are accounted for currently. Yes, there are others other than the ninja that have elemental powers. Yes, I can make a mean ice cream, ask Jay and Lloyd." He paused and rubbed the back of his head. "We are... unsure of why I recovered and my mother didn't. Father also passed away a few years ago, due to natural causes."

"Oh my gosh," I breathed and launched forward to hug him. Julie was caught off guard but soon enough returned the embrace. "I'm so sorry."

He gave me a smile as I pulled away from him. "It is alright, it is a thing of life." His eyes fell to his hands and my hands returned to absently playing with my necklace. I flinched as he reached forward and rubbed the beads between his fingers. "You still have it." He commented with a soft smile.

"Uh, of course. Why wouldn't I?" I scoffed as if what he proposed was preposterous. The necklace in question was one he had purchased for me for my 6th birthday and one I had worn ever since. Its little black beads were made from driftwood and a little turtle pendant hung from the middle. The next year, for his birthday, I had gotten him one similar, except with a sun pendant. I watched, in shock, as he reached under his surf shirt and pulled out said necklace to show it to me with a smile.