Turning Pretty by Alexia Marshall (phonics reading books TXT) 📕

                                                      McKenzie                                                           

After promising not to kill them one hundred times, they finally let me drive. We decided to drive my mom's car becuase my sister wouldn't let me ruin her "precious baby car." 

I have been waiting to drive down to the summer house. My mom's friend always asked if we could go down there every summer with her and the boys, so it became a tradition.The boys, I thought. Kira, mom's best friend, had the most beuatiful boys. Kira would always say one boy for me and the other for Julia, my sister. "Keep your eyes on the road!" my sister growled, interrupting my daze. 

My fingers immediatly tightened. "You promised we wouldn't die," she added. 

"You will if you don't shut up," I replied.

I turned up the music and sang along with Kelly Clarkson's "Behind These Hazel Eyes." I had always been a counrty fan, like the rest of my family. "Mom,  McKenzie is going to break my ears!" Julia complained as she covered her ears. 

"Hey, I'm not that bad of a singer!" I said,having trouble believing my sister was two years older than me.

It had been one hour, and my hands were beginning to cramp. But finally, I saw the yellow house was coming into sight. "We're here!" I screamed, waking up my mom and sister. I honked the horn and the the beautiful Chase walked out of the house with Kira following and then Alex. We got out of the car as everyone hugged. I hugged Kira as tightly as I could. "You're getting prettier and prettier everyday," Kira said smiling. I smiled back knowing only Kira could see my true beuaty. "Hey Kenz! Don't we get hugs?" Alex asked. I rolled my eyes and hugged him and Chase. "I think you got more," Chase said calmly, with joking smile on his face.

I frowned. He knew how much I hated my stupid freckles. He smiled and gave me a long hug. If only he had feelings for me, I thought. 

We unloaded our things and I went to my room that I had in the beach house. It was the same like always. The bed was perfectly made and the room smelled of lavender. The room color was a faded light blue and the picture of Julia, Alex, Chase, and me were on my night stand. "Need help unpacking?"

I turned around, suprised to see Chase. 

Chase

It was nice to have Kenz back in the summer house. I had missed her, but this year she looked differnt. "Well since you offered, sure," McKenzie said. 

I walked in and unzipped on of her suitcases filled with shirts. I folded them and placed them neatly in the closet. Sometimes I tried to glance at her quickly, to see what was so different about her. She didn't look like that girl who was always the youngest and always upset that we older kids excluded her. "What?" she asked, becoming very self concious that I was looking at her. 

"Do I have something on my face?" she asked.

I smiled and nodded. I got up from the ground and walked towads her. "Yes you do. Here," I said pointing at her nose," here and here," I added touching her eyelids and freckles. "And here," I finished as I gently touched her lips. She laughed. 

"You know what I mean! And stop making fun of my freckles!" she said.

"Who said I was making fun of them?" I replied. 

She rolled her eyes. "Go finish unloading my clothes!"

"I can't, you have cooties," I said, feeling a smile on my face.

"HEY!" McKenzie said as she pushed me on to her bed and ran out of the room.

"You're going to regret that Kenzie!" I said as I ran after her, laughing. 

Alex

This summer was definatly goign to be my summer. I had worked up all my nerves to ask Julia out. Chase had helped me and I was finally prepared. Hopefully, I wasn't going to back out the last minute. She had become so prettier over the past few years. In fact, McKenzie was beginning to look like her, except Julia had dirty blonde hair. I could just imangine Chase and Kenzie getting married and me and Julia. My mother had always dreamed of that happening. I walked out of the house and onto the beach. The warm ocean breeze brushed against my face. Then there she was. Julia. 

As usual you was sitting in the sand enjoying the cool beach breeze, like she always does when she first arrives. I sat down next to her. " Want some company?" I asked. 

She looked at me and smiled. " Sure."

I look at the ocean, watching as the waves splash. 

" So...um...how's Virginia?" I asked.

" Boring as usual. I love coming here in the summer." Julia replied.

"Becuase of me, right?" I said jokingly, but hoping it was true. 

She laughed. She had the prettiest laugh. "Yeah, obviously. But it's also the atmosphere," she replied smiling. 

" So, I was wondering something.." I started. 

She turned to look at me. "What?"

"Well, I was just wondering....uh...well you and I have been friends for many years and...." I stuttered. 

I couldn't bring myself to ask. It was nervewrecking and I was being afriad of being turned down. I looked away. 

" Never mind," I said.

Julia looked at me with curious blue eyes. " What? You can tell me."

" Oh it's nothing, " I said.

"Alex..." Julia said, looking at me strangly. 

" It's nothing," I said, forcing a smile.

                                                                 Julia

I knew what Alex was going to say. The problem was, he nevered finished. I would of said yes, but he never officially asked. "Alex, I know you have something to tell me," I said, trying to force it out of him. 

" It nothing," Alex said, getting up leaving me in the sand.

I stared after him. Once he got into the house I turned my attention back on to the ocean. He never asked, but I wanted him too. He never knew that I actually loved him. I knew it was cliche. Two best friends fall in love with each other blah blah blah. But Alex, he ws something special. I heard the door slam and heard footstpes walking towards me. I didn't turn to see who it was. Whoever it was tapped me. I turned around to meet Alex, face to face. Our lips were a few centimeters apart. I wondered if he was going to make the move. His faced moved closer to mine and finally our lips touched. It lasted for a few seconds and pulled away. Behind him, he pulled out a bouquet of roses. "Will you be my girlfriend? I have liked you for a long time now and you just won me over." Alex said, his hands shaking as he held up the bouquet of roses. 

" Alex, of course," I said, tears welling up in my eyes, as I took the roses. 

Alex's face lit up and he lifted me up. We sat down on the beach for a while as I cuddled in his arms. Summer was starting off really well. 

                                                                   Chase

As usual, on the first night of us being back together, we all ate pizza. Such a formal dinner. The table was a long retangualr glass. My mom and Celeste were sitting in fornt of each other, me and Kenz, and Julia and Alex. I noticed Alex and Julia were acting peculiar. Alex probably asked her out. 

Text: Alexia Marshall and my wonderful brain
Images: Photos do NOT belong to me
Editing: Alexia Marshall
Publication Date: 01-21-2014

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To every single girl: Be your own kind of beautiful “Look, let me just say it: He was hot. A nonhot boy stares at you relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at worst, a form of assault. But a hot boy . . . well.” -John Green