3Disclaimer: I don't own Rocket Power
Title: Young Forever
Summary: Reggie reflects on her childhood.
Words: 1,115
As if in a daze, Reggie Rocket laid contently on her surf board watching as the sun slowly rose, illuminating the blue depths directly beneath her. This was officially the last day of summer before school started the next and she would be a senior like Sam while Twister and Otto would be starting their second year of high school. She really couldn't believe how fast time had gone by. As cliché as it sounded but it really felt like it had just been yesterday that they were kids, shredding it up on the half-pipe at Madtown, playing a faux game of hockey against Lars and his cronies or making fun of shoobies and eating burgers at the Shore Shack. Back then, there hadn't been a day when they weren't together.
Now they were all, well older and more independent from each other, so unlike how they used to be. They each had their own thing now, things that they did on their own. She had finally caved into her friend's, Trish and Sherry's (not to mention their coach's) requests and finally joined the volleyball team. They hadn't lost a championship yet and not only that but she was on the school's softball and soccer team. And when she wasn't busy with sports, she was busy with working on the school newspaper, leaving little time for much else.
Sam had been real caught up in the robotics club, the school scholastic competitions and some anime club that he seemed to be really into. He had even tried to get them into it. Otto and Twister blew it off and she just wasn't interested in it like Sam was.
Twister had broadened his range with his camera. No longer did he exclusively tape Otto, but also whatever caught his interest and what could get him out of class. He frequently videotaped for any athletic team that requested him. But more surprisingly was how much time he put into the drama club. Not only did he tape them but he also helped the drama teacher direct the school plays.
Otto was the only one who hadn't really changed much. His interests mostly stayed the same which didn't surprise anyone. He was a skateboarder at heart and there were many teams who were looking into recruiting the fifteen year old. But Raymundo had somehow managed to convince him to hold off signing with anybody until he was sixteen and had finished his sophomore year and what more, the recruiters were willing to wait something that only seemed to inflate his ego even more.
Life was happening so fast and it scared her. She hated that they were no longer close like they had been when they were younger, that they could go weeks without seeing the other (sans her and Otto, they did live together). It was bad enough that her and her friends were growing distant but Ray had been pressuring her about college and about what she wanted to do with her life. She was only seventeen; she didn't know what she wanted to do yet.
Sighing, she closed her eyes. Sometimes she just wished she could stay out here on the waves forever. The waves never changed, only in size, which was something you could expect, something you knew that wouldn't alter.
She wasn't sure how much time had passed before she heard the voice of her brazen, annoying younger brother.
"Yo, Earth to Rocket Girl. Is Rocket Girl even there?"
"Dude, she's right in front of you!"
That would be Twister.
"Man, how did you ever make it to high school?"
And lastly there was Sam.
"Summer school my friend. Lots and lots of summer school."
She must have been really out of it. She hadn't heard any of them approach. Slowly she opened her eyes and sat upright on her board.
All three boys had shot up and were now consequently taller than her with ironically enough, Sam being the tallest of all of them. Over the years Otto had lost the headband and the dreads but kept his glasses. He still had his sun-kissed skin but with a new addition, a tribal tattoo on his left peck that Raymundo had gone ballistic over. Twister had long lost his hat and now sported a crew cut. Like Otto he was still pretty lanky. It was Sam's physique that had changed the most. He had grown his hair out and it was now well pass his ears and no longer was he chubby, it was all muscle now.
"You alright Rocket Girl," Otto asked.
"What, oh sorry. My mind's just at another place right now," she waved off his worry.
"Right," Otto snorted. "It was probably on Trent."
Reggie rolled her eyes. Her brother was just so sensitive.
"I told you Oswald, that things are over for good."
"Uh-huh," he stated unbelievingly. "I've heard that before, Regina."
"C'mon Otto-man. You didn't spend all morning looking for Reggie just to argue," Sam stuck up for his best friend, earning an appreciative nod from her.
"Yea bro, we're missing out on all these awesome waves," Twister added.
Huffing haughtily, Otto spoke, "Fine, whatever let's just get some decent waves in before we hit Madtown and head to the Shack."
At his words Reggi smiled, but there was a deep melancholy in her dark eyes. This was probably the last summer they'd ever be able to do this.
"Hey, seriously now, are you alright Reggie," Otto sincerely asked, his voice raw with emotion.
Reggie was momentarily shocked. Otto Rocket was many things, but very rarely was he serious, or this concerned. Though his gaze was still on Twister and Sam, Reggie had to look away from him so he could not see the tear that fell down.
She hastily wiped away the tear. Things may change, but one thing never would. They were still family, all of them even though neither Sam nor Twister were related by blood.
"I'm good Otto," she answered him before changing the subject, "So you were worried for me this morning?"
Otto flushed as much as his tanned skin would allow him to. Shaking his head, he turned to his older sister.
"So what? You weren't there when I woke up and we always spend the last day of summer together," he explained, justifying his actions.
Reggie affectionately rumpled his unruly dread locks before responding, "C'mon Rocket Boy, it our turn up and we gotta show them how it's really done."
"Pfft. We'll show them how it's done and more," he proudly boasted.
Reggie laughed. It really lightened her mood to know that some things really never did change and her brother was living proof of that. She had been wrong earlier, and they weren't as distanced from each other as she had originally believed. Though they were all exploring new, more independent hobbies, nothing could ever break the bond they had.
AN: I started this a few months back, just never got around to typing it. It's short, shorter than I would've liked but I'm satisfied with it. I wrote this one shot for myself, and in a way it's a reminder to myself about when I was young. I miss the good ole days, but it's time for me to move on.