I’m really trying to knock these small stories out so I can start writing UnStoppable because that’s going to be a blast to write.  Anyways, please read and review!

Chapter Quote:

"If there is a heaven for me, I'm sure it has a beach attached to it."

Jimmy Buffett

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Chapter 3: Dunkin Donuts Galore

Luke

For a mid-October day, it was unheard of to have weather in the high sixties.  The sun was shining brightly that morning and unlike his sister, Luke was up, awake, and ready to do something.  He charged upstairs to his sister’s room where he leapt onto her bed.  Silena flipped out on him, hitting him with multiple pillows.  He fell off her bed onto the floor, laughing.

“Come on sleepy head.  We’re going to the beach and we’re dragging Bryn and Derek along with us,” Luke said.

“Luke, it is mid-October.  The water is going to be freezing!” Silena objected.

“It’s almost seventy out already and who said we had to go in the water?!  Come on!  Tucker is coming too!  He came up for the weekend.  Actually, he’s already going and we’re all going whether you like it or not so get up and get ready.  I’ll call the Michaels.”

Silena hit him with another pillow but muttered her agreement to go.  Luke knew mentioning Derek would be going would get her to go as well.  He pulled out his cell phone, dialing Bryn’s number.  She groggily picked up, mumbling, “It is seven in the morning.  You better have a damn good reason about calling me.”

“Get your feisty butt up.  We’re going to the beach.  You, me, Silena, Derek, and Tucker.” Something zapped him in the butt, making him yelp. “How in Poseidon’s name did you zap me in the butt all the way from your house Cat Woman?”

“I’ve been practicing my skills.  Now shut up Sharkboy and pick us up in thirty.” Bryn hung up without saying goodbye.  Luke rubbed his butt; it was still tingling from the electricity.

“Bryn get you?” Silena’s voice queried.  Luke turned around to face his sister.  She was rubbing her eyes.

“Yeah.  Beats me how she did from her house but still.”

“Good.  You deserved it,” Silena muttered, shuffling off to the bathroom.  Luke rolled his eyes as he went to his room to change into swimming trunks.  He stuffed a backpack with a beach towel and a football.  He never tired of throwing a football around.  Tucker always made jokes that Luke was the next superstar in the NFL, but Luke didn’t believe him.  He didn’t feel that he was that amazing of a player.  Derek, on the other hand, really could be the next great superstar, especially with his throwing arm.  Derek was an amazing quarterback.  He definitely was NFL material but of course, Luke would never say that.  It was a guy thing.

“Silena, are you ready?!” Luke hollered.

“Yeah, yeah,” she replied.

“Cheer up, Lena.  I’ll get you some Dunkin Donuts and all will be well,” Luke promised her, meeting her in the hallway.  She had on a white cover up, hiding her royal blue bathing suit which made her eyes really stand out.  Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

“Why do you insist on calling me Lena?”

“Because I’m your annoying older brother and it’s my job to call you nicknames.  Don’t worry, I’m the only one who gets to call you that.  Let’s go.”  Luke slid down the railing of the stairwell while Silena walked slowly down.  He left a note for their parents, telling them where they were going, before they hopped into the Rogue and drove to the Michaels’ house.  Bryn and Derek were waiting for them on the porch steps.  Bryn had on a black sun dress and aviators on her head.  She looked about ready to kill someone for waking her up so early; Luke just hoped she wasn’t planning on killing him seeing as how he woke her up.  Derek, meanwhile, seemed pretty awake and calm.  What was it with the girls being grouchy in the morning?

Bryn and Derek climbed into the backseat.  She fell asleep immediately.  Silena greeted Derek before crashing out, her face pressed up against the window.

“Tucker’s going to meet us there.  Want anything from Dunkin Donuts?” Luke asked Derek.

“Coffee and five glazed donuts,” Derek replied.

“Hungry?” Luke laughed.

“Gods, you have no freaking idea.”

They drove off, heading west to the beach which was only about an hour away.  Luke drove through the drive-thru at Dunkin Donuts, ordering almost enough food to feed every demigod at Camp Half-Blood.  He ordered two dozen donuts: six glazed donuts, twelve chocolate sprinkled donuts, and six strawberry iced donuts.  He then ordered a box of fifty chocolate glazed munchkins along with four cups of coffee.  Silena and Bryn magically woke up from the smell of the food.  They seemed to perk up once they had some caffeine in their systems; actually Silena wouldn’t shut up all the way to the beach after she’d eaten two donuts.  Bryn still stayed silent.

When the group reached the beach, Tucker was tanning on top of his truck.  He sat up upon hearing the crackle of Luke’s tires on the gravel.  He grinned and leapt down.  The four demigods got out of the truck.

“I was wondering when you were going to show up,” Tucker chuckled, hugging the two girls and shaking hands with the boys.

“We stopped by for sustenance,” Bryn explained, pulling out the box of chocolate glazed munchkins which Tucker eyed hungrily.  Luke grabbed the rest of the boxes of donuts before the five all headed down to the beach.  The warm sand felt good between Luke’s toes; he felt the water before he saw it.  Once they were over the hill, the water of Lake Erie welcomed him.  It took all his willpower to not throw the donuts into the air and dive into the water. 

They put the donut boxes on a towel and sat down in a circle around them, chowing down.  The girls gave up after eating half the munchkins.  The boys ate a lot more although there were at least a dozen left.

The girls lie down on their beach towels, soaking in the sun while the boys went out to toss around the football.  Tucker pushed Luke into the water.  Deciding to scare his friend, Luke stayed under for about a minute.  When he saw Tucker’s feet coming near him, he surfaced.  His friend swore colorfully at him, telling Luke never to scare him like that again.  Luke merely laughed; Derek grinned over Tucker’s shoulder, knowing fully well Luke had been entirely fine.

Around noon, the girls got up and started to play with the boys.  Tucker decided no one was safe from getting thrown in the water so he went for Silena first.  Luke decided what the hell and grabbed Bryn, throwing her over his shoulder.  She screamed at him to put her down but he didn’t listen.  He dove into the cold water with her.  He surfaced immediately for her sake and was greeted by a wave splashed at his face.

“You complete jerk!” Bryn laughed.

“Tucker, I really hate you,” Silena snapped jokingly.  Derek popped up behind Bryn, about to dunk her in the water, when Silena jumped onto his back, pulling him underneath the waves.  They reappeared a few feet away; Silena was grinning while her boyfriend looked stupefied.

“Let’s get back on land.  This water is flipping cold,” Tucker commented.  No one argued although Luke would’ve liked to stay in longer.  Silena, without permission, hopped onto Bryn’s back.  Surprisingly, Bryn didn’t seem to mind and hauled the granddaughter of Poseidon up onto shore.

“What?  You’re not going to zap her like you do me?” Luke demanded airily.

“She hasn’t done anything wrong,” Bryn answered, smiling mischievously at him before he felt something electrical hit him on the back of his leg and jumped slightly.  He tried to glare at her but failed miserably. “Deal with it Sharkboy.”

The group went back to their towels, drying off, and relaxing onto the sand.  Around five, the group decided to head back.  Luke and Bryn got in the backseat while Derek drove Luke’s car.  Silena rode shotgun with him.  Tucker followed them back home.  On the way there, Bryn slumped over onto Luke’s shoulder, fast asleep.  He looked at her, smiling.

Conversation was small on the way to the Jackson’s house.  Bryn stumbled into the house and onto the couch where she fell asleep once more.  Silena grabbed a pillow and blanket before curling up on the recliner.  Derek simply lay flat on his stomach on the floor, crashing out.  This left Luke and Tucker the only ones awake.  Mr. and Mrs. Jackson were at a business meeting for a new cruise ship that was being developed.  Mr. Michaels was probably there as well.

Tucker and Luke went into the kitchen where they pulled out a bag of chips and began to eat them ravenously.

“All right, answer me seriously: is Bryn single?” Tucker asked.

Luke barely avoided choking on the chip he’d been swallowing. “Yeah, she’s single.  Why do want to know?”

“Is her dad really that bad that you two can’t date?  You two act as if you already are for one.”

“Her dad… there’s really no way to describe him.  I’ve never even met him but trust me, I don’t think I want to.  I’ve heard enough about him from her.  Bryn’s temperamental but she’s got nothing on him.”

“Have you tried talking to him about dating her?  Man to man?”

“I can’t even reach him.  Believe me, I’ve tried.  He’s just dead set against me dating his daughter and to be honest, even my grandfather’s starting to become more against it.  My dad’s on my side, so is my mother; they don’t know why my grandfather suddenly doesn’t want me dating Bryn.  He used to be cool with it.  In fact, I think he wanted us to.  And then something changed.  He barely wants us being friends, but I think her father and my grandfather have figured out that we’re always going to be friends.” Luke realized he was saying too much.  Tucker knew Luke like that back of his hand, and knew he’d be hiding something.

Sure enough, his next question was, “Your grandfather on your mother’s side?  Why is he against it?”

“No… my grandfather on my father’s side,” Luke mumbled, taking a swig of his Diet Dr. Pepper.

“When did he come into the picture?  Hasn’t he been like MIA your entire life?”

“Yeah, business or something.  I wasn’t really listening.  Kind of shocked he was there in the first place.”

“When do you see him next?”

“No idea.  He comes and goes.”

“Next time he comes over, ask him why he’s against you and Bryn dating.”

“I’ve already asked him.  He wouldn’t budge in telling me.  He wouldn’t even tell my parents.”

“Weird,” Tucker commented.  Changing the topic much to Luke’s relief, Tucked questioned, “Mind if I crash here tonight?  Parents aren’t home but my sister is and I don’t really want to be near her and her husband right after they’ve just gotten married if you catch my drift.”

Luke laughed. “Yeah, go ahead.  You can stay in the guest room.”

“You’re a life and sanity saver.  Are Derek and Bryn staying over?”

“Probably not.  Their house is only about a ten minute walk through the woods from mine.”

“Get them to stay.  We’ll have a movie night!” Tucker exclaimed.

“Shh!  Don’t wake the grizzlies!” Luke chided drolly.  The two boys peered out into the living room, making sure the three people were asleep.  The only difference was Bryn had curled up into a ball against the pillow.  How she compacted herself into such a tiny ball was beyond Luke considering how tall she was, but he decided not to question it.  This was Bryn after all.

“Dude, I’m starved.  Want to go get something to eat?” Tucker queried, browsing Luke’s fridge.  Despite the fact they’d eaten a ton of food that day, Luke was starving too so he agreed.  He left a note for his friends telling them where he was going before he left.

He and Tucker went to a barbecue place where they ordered five pulled pork sandwiches.  They ate theirs at the restaurant and got the other three to-go for Bryn, Derek, and Silena.  When they got home, the three friends were awake, intensely watching an episode of NCIS.  It was an older show, but it never got old, particularly DiNozzo’s jokes.

“We have food!” Luke announced, holding up the bags.  Bryn, Derek, and Silena snatched their meals out of his hands, saying thank you through their full mouths.  Luke plopped down on the couch next to Bryn who was nearly done with her sandwich.

“Anyone want to have a movie marathon tonight?” Tucker inquired.

“I don’t know.  Do we need to get home, Derek?” Bryn queried, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

“I’ll text mom and dad and tell them we’re staying here for the night.  Hey Luke, I’m going to have to borrow some pajamas.”

“Consider it done.  I’ll go get some for you.  You guys choose the movie.” Luke bounded up off the couch and ran upstairs.  He changed into a pair of sweatpants but eighty-sixed the shirt.  He was hot and a shirt would just make him even hotter.  He grabbed a pair of sweatpants and a shirt for Derek and another pair for Tucker before heading downstairs.  The girls had disappeared.  They’d apparently gone upstairs to get dressed for the night too.  When they came down, Bryn was in a tank top and sweatpants.  She took one look at Luke before hurriedly looking away.  She still sat next to him however.  Actually, she leaned against the pillows and stretched her legs out over Luke and Tucker’s laps.  Tucker made the mistake of tickling her foot; Bryn flipped and slammed her heel into his thigh.  Tucker whimpered, completely shocked by how strong she was.  Luke was laughing his head off.  Bryn sheepishly apologized.

Finally, the group settled in, watching Star Wars.  Silena and Bryn were practically drooling over Han.  Around two, Silena and Derek fell asleep along with Bryn.  Tucker passed out a few minutes later.  Luke was last to fall asleep.  The last thing he remembered was Han shouting at Leia, “You could use a good kiss!”

When he woke up, it was still dark out; the television was still on, but the movie was over so only the menu was showing.  Bryn was gone.  Curious, Luke got up.  He decided to get a glass of water before going to find her. 

He didn’t need to look for her, however.  She was in the kitchen in one of the bar chairs, staring at nothing while holding a glass of water.  Bryn didn’t even stir when he entered, telling him either she was asleep with her eyes open or she was in really deep thought.  Luke hoped it wasn’t the former because that would freak him out.

“Bryn?” Luke asked hesitantly. “Are you okay?”

Her head snapped up.  Luke wasn’t sure what he expected; maybe a tired expression, maybe even an angry one for being up at this ungodly hour, but not this.  At least he never thought he’d see this expression on her.  He didn’t even think she had that expression in her expression storage place or whatever.  Luke had seen Bryn beyond sick, he’d seen her beyond angry, he’d seen her beyond happy.

But never sad.

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Hmm, what got to Bryn?  Please review!  The picture is of Bryn and even though you can’t see her face, that’s supposed to be Silena :)  There seriously aren’t many chapters left in this haha again review please!