Never Forget (Memories) Read Free Page A

room.
    I snatch my phone from my pillow and dial her number.
    She picks up after three rings.
    "Hello?"
    "Hey, is this Jen?"
    "Yeah, who's this? Oh, oh! Lexy, is that you?" she exclaims.
    "The one and only!" I laugh.
    "Oh it's so good to hear your voice. What's it been?"
    "Five years," I say, almost regretfully.
    "Wow, that's ages. How have you been?"
    We get the pleasantries out the way and I find myself laughing and smiling as if we'd never lost contact.
    "Anyway, what are you doing tomorrow?" Jen asks.
    "Nothing, why?"
    "I'm heading down to the bay with my boyfriend, Carl. Fancy coming with us? He'll be surfing and it's sooo boring on my own."
    "Yeah, sure. What time?"
    We make plans and I hang up. I lie back on my bed and sigh.
    Maybe it won't be so bad to spend the summer here after all.
     

CHAPTER TWO
     
    ALEXIS
     
    I roll over in bed, stretching before I rub the sleep from my eyes. I reach under my pillow for my phone.
    "Oh crap!" I exclaim and jump out of bed. My phone reads 10.10 and I'm supposed to meet Jen at 10.30 at the Bay.
    I scramble through my half unpacked suitcase in search of a bikini, sun dress and sandals. I find some sunglasses and grip the arm of them between my teeth before triumphantly finding the objects of my search.
    I change quickly and apply some mascara to my long lashes, rubbing some concealer under my eyes to hide the fact I've just got up. I release my hair from its messy bun, letting the crazy curls cascade down my back. I groan at the mess and run a brush through it, untangling it all. A little mousse smooths it out and I nod, satisfied at my appearance.
    I slide my bag onto my arm, grab my phone and make a break for it downstairs. Grammy is pottering around in the kitchen doing whatever it is she does when I get downstairs.
    "Good morning, Lexy girl." She turns to me with a smile and looks me over. "Off out?"
    "Yeah, I'm meeting Jen in about five minutes on the Bay." I walk over to her and kiss her cheek.
    "Will you be back for dinner?"
    "I'm not sure. I'll text mum and let her know, okay?" I open the front door.
    "Okay, love. Have fun!"
    "Bye, Grammy!"
    I walk outside and shut the door behind me. The sun glares at me and I push my glasses down onto my eyes. I can feel the heat on my arms as I walk down the street, and I smile to myself knowing I'll have the beginning of a tan by the end of the day.
    The bay comes into view a few minutes later and the beach is deserted except for a few surfers in the sea and one lone figure sitting on the sand. The blonde hair lets me know it's Jen, and I feel excitement rising up at the prospect of seeing my childhood summer friend again.
    Every summer since I was five, I'd play with Jen whenever we were here. The friendship started that year we were both five, and she stole my crab from my net when I was rock pooling. She gave me her fish in return, and we've been friends since.
    "Lexy!" she cries and gets up when she sees me approaching.
    She looks the same as she always has. Bouncy blonde hair - which now contains a pink shadow under her fringe - and big, blue eyes. She smiles and we hug excitedly.
    "You look good!" she says as I set my towel down on the sand.
    "So do you." I smile at her and sit down. "I can't believe how long it's been."
    "I know, seems like yesterday we were climbing over the rocks," Jen muses. I laugh and shake my hair out, looking out at the sea.
    "Tell me about it," I agree. "So, which one of the surfer kids is yours?"
    Jen stretches her arm out and points to the guy furthest to the right. "That's Carl, he's got the red board. And next to him on the blue board is his best mate, Alec. Oh my god, Lexy, seriously, that guy is hot. He works for your grandma, have you met him yet?"
    She's looking out to sea so doesn't realise I've frozen. Alec's here?
    "Yeah, yeah, we met last night. At dinner," I manage to say.
    Jen glances at me and smiles knowingly. "He's hot, hmm?"
    "He's not bad." I shrug one shoulder.
    "Not bad?" She raises