1: Oreos

Summer. Summer was a time when you were supposed to relax, hit the beach, spend time with friends and family or maybe even go on a holiday. But not for this college graduate. This college graduate was going to spend her summer panicking about what her future was going to look like, which so far, looked bleak.

"Will you stop worrying Rosie?" My best friend Liz chided. "I'm not going to have you mope around all summer, being sour faced about what you're going to do next" she said as she continued to flip the switch on the television remote.

"But don't you think I should have some idea about what to do now that we've graduated. I mean- "

Liz put up her hand to stop me from speaking any more. "I don't want to hear it. We are going to enjoy our summer and can worry about our futures later" she said adamantly.

"But..."

"Nope" she cut me off. "Not another word".

"Fine" I huffed, looking outside her bedroom window where it looked so bright and perfect outside. The complete opposite of what my future looked like. "And how are we going to enjoy our summer if we're broke?" I asked smugly. "Now you can see why I'm worrying about getting a job. Having a job equals money. Money equals having fun in the summer".

"Yes, but if you're stuck in a job all day then we won't have a summer to enjoy" Liz pointed out; her eyes still glued to the screen trying to find something to watch.

I gritted my teeth. She had a good point. "So, what is your awesome summer plan then?" I asked. "Besides sending out resumes to every company possible begging for a job"

Liz rolled her eyes at that. "Don't be such a Debbie downer. Just trust me on this. You need to stop worrying all the time and just enjoy our summer before we get thrusted into the big bad adult world"

"Fine" I huffed once again "And will you finally figure out what we're going to watch" I moaned, tired of watching her channel surf.

"But there's nothing good on" she whined. I sighed and grabbed the remote from her hand. "Hey" she grumbled.

"Why don't we just stick on a movie. We haven't had a movie night in ages" I suggested.

"But it's not night"

I shrugged. "I miss our movie nights where we would get together and just watch random movies and snuggle up on the bed with our warm blankets and stuff our faces with popcorn until one of us fell asleep"

"It's usually you that falls asleep first" Liz smirked.

"It is not" I scoffed. "Anyway, you pick the movie and I'll grab the popcorn. Do you have some?"

"Yeah, there should be a packet in the kitchen" Liz replied as she moved off the bed to find a movie from her DVD collection.

"Okay, will be right back" I said as I went to head downstairs towards the kitchen.

As soon as I was in the kitchen, I raided her food cupboard in search for the popcorn. I was so focused on getting the popcorn, that I was momentarily startled when I almost bumped into a figure behind me.

"Oh" I cried out as I collided with the figure.

"Wow. Sorry Rosie. Didn't see you there" Jason apologised.

"No, it's okay" I chuckled. "I wasn't looking where I was going"

"Are you alright?" he asked. I smiled up at him. His eyebrows were knotted together in concern. It was sweet.

"Yeah, don't worry about it. It was my fault. I was totally focused on getting food that I didn't see you"

He chuckled and rolled his eyes. His eyes were the same colour as Liz's, both had the same deep green eyes, and both shared the same long nose. That was where the similarities ended. Liz's hair was dark brown from her Mom's side, whereas Jason had blonde hair and was the spitting image of his dad. He was tall, broad shouldered and was just like a younger version of his father.

"I forgot what you girls were like when you were on the hunt for food" he smiled slyly. "Do you remember that one time you and Lizzie freaked out when there was no Oreos in the house and you made me drive half an hour to the nearest twenty-four hour store to buy some?" he chuckled.

I laughed at the memory. "Just to be clear, it was Liz that had freaked out, not me. I wasn't that bothered about the Oreos" I shrugged, trying to feign interest.

He scoffed. "If I remember, you almost cried and screamed 'you don't understand Jason, I need these Oreos. I need them" he said, putting on a high-pitched wail, trying to imitate me.

I playfully punched him on the shoulder, to which he laughed. "First of all, I do not sound like that" I giggled at his horrible impression of me. "And second of all, I think you're having trouble remembering that night properly. I think you've got me mixed up with Liz" I lied, trying not to burst out laughing.

"Nope, pretty sure it was you" he chuckled. "I can distinctly remember that night. You guys woke me up at one in the morning." he scolded playfully.

"Hey, in my defence your parents weren't home, and you said to wake you in an emergency" I smirked, also remembering that night well.

"You thought that was an emergency?" he raised his eyebrow.

"Erm...yeah" I deadpanned as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

He just laughed and shook his head. "Anyway, what food supplies were you looking for?" he asked.

"Just popcorn. We're about to watch a movie in the hopes that it might make us forget that our futures are doomed. Well, mine anyway" I exaggerated.

He chuckled as he went to the food cupboard to find the popcorn. "Oh, c'mon. Life after graduation is not all that bad. You'll find something"

I sighed. "It doesn't look like it'll be anytime soon. I've applied to so many jobs and have hardly heard back from any of them." I groaned as I went to grab a bowl for the popcorn.

"It's tough, but you'll get through it, trust me. I was in that exact same position last year"

"Oh yeah. It seems like a lifetime ago that you graduated. I can't believe that was just last year. How long did it take you to get a job after graduating?" I asked, curious to know. He grabbed the bowl from me and opened the bag of popcorn, ready to be placed in the microwave.

"It was a few months but that was because a friend helped me out and told me about a position in the company that he worked for. I got an interview and then got the job afterwards"

I sighed. "See, you had contacts. I have no one"

Jason chuckled. "Rosie, just relax. Enjoy your summer before you start your career. Seriously, you deserve to have a little break after studying hard for four years"

I groaned "God, you sound like your sister" to which he laughed. "She said the exact same thing to me."

"Well, great minds do think alike" he laughed. Just then the microwave dinged. He took out the popcorn and said, "It's hot just now" and let it sit out on the counter. "If I see any job openings, I'll let you know. It was finance you did, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah. That would be great thanks".

"See, now you do have contacts" he smiled.

"Thanks" I grinned and took the bowl of popcorn to take upstairs.

"Oh wait" Jason stopped me. I turned around to see him rummage around the snack cupboard.

"What is it?"

"Here" he said and smiled as he handed me a packet of Oreos.

I laughed. "Awwww, thanks Jason. You always know how to cheer me up"

It was true. We practically grew up together. Along with Liz, Jason used to play with us all the time when we were kids. The three of us were inseparable.

Then we went to high school where he made his own set of friends and, as he went through his moody teenage phase, Liz and I were deemed 'uncool' to hang out with him in public. I would still see him and talk to him whenever I went over to Liz's house but then saw less of him when he moved out for college. But now he was back home for a while and no longer deemed his little sister and I 'uncool' to hang around with. We hung out with him and his friends quite a bit.

"Well, we always have a supply of Oreos in the house. Don't want a redo of that night again" he fake shuddered.

"Oh shush, you enjoyed that night. Getting fresh air at one in the morning and getting some Oreos, to which we offered you some"

He folded his arms and raised his eyebrow at me. "It won't happen again. Now go enjoy your movie" he smirked as he pushed me outside the kitchen with me laughing my head off.

I decided to stay the night at Liz's house that night. We had ended up watching three movies and stuffing our faces with so much junk food that night, that I couldn't move from the bed, so decided to stay over. Talk about lazy.

I woke up groggily, the sunshine blaring from the open windows. I groaned and ducked myself back into the covers. "Close the curtains Liz"

Liz scoffed as she stood in the middle of her room with her hands on her hips "It's such a nice day outside, I don't want to waste it"

"Okay then" I said, the pillow muffling my voice "You go enjoy it. I'm sleeping for another few hours"

There was no response, just the sound of the birds tweeting from outside. I figured Liz had decided to take her positivity outside the room, so I snuggled in deeper to the bed with a contented sigh.

The next thing I knew, cold air hit me like a ton of bricks as she yanked the covers off me. I gasped and sat up with a start "Liz" I screamed.

"Good, now your awake. I'm hungry, let's eat breakfast" she smirked as if nothing had happened and made her way out the bedroom.

I groaned as I looked at the clock that lay on her bedside table. "It's only nine o'clock. You're crazy" I said to a now empty room. With a huff, I got out of the bed and followed her out the room. I really didn't have much of a choice, I was awake now.

As I made my way down the stairs and passed the living room, I could hear the low mumbling of the television. Jason must have also been up too. Gosh, this family were early risers.

"What would you like to eat?" Liz asked as I walked into the kitchen.

I shrugged "Do you have any cereal?" I asked, not feeling like eating something too heavy this early on.

Liz nodded and took a box of cereal from the cupboards beneath her and lay it on the counter. I opened one of the cupboards that was above me to take out a bowl for the cereal and proceeded to pour my cereal while Liz went back to preparing hers, which was a bowl of bananas and strawberries, drizzled with honey. She was always good at being .

"Are you're parents in?" I asked.

"Not today. They've got a new product being launched soon, so they've had to head into the office early to do some last-minute marketing for it. Perks of having your own business" Liz shrugged.

We both made our way to the living room, where indeed, Jason already sat on one of the couches, his legs propped up on the table, with a bowl of cereal in hand. He smiled as he saw us walk in. When he saw my bowl of cereal, he raised his own in acknowledgement. "Seems like great minds think alike" he smirked.

Liz just shook her head. "You do realise that cereal is very high in sugar", she stated as we both took our places on the other couch across from Jason.

"Yeah, we know but we don't care" I grinned as Jason laughed in agreement.

"Whatever" Liz said as she took a spoonful of her healthy breakfast "What are you even watching anyway? Isn't there anything better on?" Liz scowled as she went to reach for the remote control on the table.

"No, there is not" Jason said through clenched teeth as he lunged forward, trying to grab the remote before Liz did. On the television were highlights of a football game that must have been on last night.

"Oh, who won?" I exclaimed. I liked to watch the football every now and again. I knew my dad would have been watching this game at home last night and I would have watched it too except that I was here and then ended up staying the night watching movies instead.

"See, Rosie wants to watch it" Jason grinned and tugged the remote out of Liz's hand. Liz growled and slumped back on the couch; her arms crossed in anger. Jason stuck his tongue out at her and grinned triumphantly as he put his feet back on the table.

"You are such a big kid" Liz groaned. "And you" she said turning to me "are a traitor" and went back to eating her breakfast in silence.

I gasped in mock horror, pretending to be offended, knowing that she didn't mean it. "How could I, your best friend in the entire world betray you, Elizabeth Agreste" I exaggerated, my hand held to my heart as Jason was in a fit of laughter on the other side of the living room.

Liz's glare was focused on the television screen, determined not to look at either Jason or me. I shrugged at Jason with a grin tugging at my lips, knowing we had annoyed her slightly and would probably be like this for the rest of the morning. Rest assured, she would be back to her happy and energetic self by lunch time.

I continued to finish my cereal, the sugar finally kicking in and waking me up fully now.

"So, what's your plans for today Jason?" I asked, knowing there was no point in initiating any type of conversation with Liz right now. "You're not working today, are you?"

"Nope, not on weekends. The guys and I were planning on heading down to the beach later. Wanna join?" Jason asked.

"Sure" I agreed and turned to Liz. "You want to go?" I was responded with silence. "C'mon, it'll be our chance to show off our new bodies we've been working on" I smirked as I nudged her at her side.

During our last couple of years at college, we decided to make time to hit the gym at the campus, whilst also juggling our studies. We found that going to the gym helped us focus better on our coursework as well as making us feel good too. We had also seen a slight transformation on our bodies, which was a bonus, and damn, did we look good!

"You're always saying you want to walk down the beach showing everyone your newly acquired six pack" I joked. I wouldn't go as far as saying that we've got six packs, but Liz's body was pretty close to it. "And you said you wanted to show off to-" I stopped abruptly as Liz turned, with her eyes sharp and her mouth taut, daring me to go on.

"Show of to who?" Jason asked, his eyebrows raised curiously. I was hoping he hadn't noticed my slip up, but he had hearing like a hawk.

"No one" I said frantically. Jason's eyes crinkled, not quite believing me. "No one you know" I clarified, hoping I had saved us. That was a lie of course. It was some he knew. Someone he knew very well indeed.

Liz had a huge crush on Ian, Jason's best friend, for a while. I wouldn't say it was a crush, she really liked him and if Jason ever found out, well, I don't think he would be too ecstatic about it.

"So, what time did you say you were going?" I asked, as I could see Liz now tensing up.

"Later on, in the afternoon. I'll let you guys know when to be ready" he said as he got up of the couch and headed towards the kitchen to put his breakfast away but not without looking at us with suspicion.

We both plastered smiles on our faces, until he walked out of the living room, where we both breathed a huge sigh of relief.

As I sank back onto the back of the couch, a pain jolted in my shoulder. I bolted upright, glaring at Liz. "Hey, what was that for?" I accused, touching my shoulder at the place she had just hit me.

"For being the worst best friend ever" Liz complained, her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

"I'm sorry, it just came out" I defended "but at least I didn't say his name"

Liz sighed and leaned her head back against the couch. She looked deflated, like she couldn't find the answer to the problem she was trying to solve.

"So, what do you say about going to the beach. I know for sure; you know who" I whispered, "will be there"

That got a smile out of her and we both looked at each other and laughed .