“I wanted to show Cody my new bikini.” Sally moaned as we settled into two lounge chairs next to the lake. The sun felt warm on my skin and I closed my eyes as I listened to her complaining that I’d dragged her from the room to the lake without her getting to flirt with Cody.
“He was all up in Barbie’s silicone,” I mumbled as I settled into the lounger and flexed my toes. “He didn’t deserve your presence this morning.”
“I can’t believe she wore a white T-shirt and no bra. Who does that? Next thing she’ll be suggesting a wet T-shirt competition.” Sally sounded annoyed.
“You know you’d enter.” I laughed as I rolled over and opened an eye to look at her. “By the way, just in case you didn’t know, you look hot in that bikini,” I said honestly as I gazed at her. The crisp white material of the bikini complemented her honey complexion, and her long black hair hung past her shoulders and to her back, straight and frizz-free. “It’s so weird seeing you without your curls,” I said as I reached out and touched her hair. “I miss pulling your ringlets.”
“As soon as I hit the water, I’ll be curly again.” She laughed, her eyes crinkling as she gazed at me. “Your face is looking red,” she said as she peered down at me. “I think we should put on some sunscreen before we get burned.”
“Yeah.” I nodded and sat up. “Do you have any?” I asked sheepishly. “I forgot to bring any.”
“You were too focused on your sexy underwear.” She giggled and I nodded. “You know it.” I sighed. “Not that it matters. TJ is driving me crazy. I don’t know what he’s thinking or feeling. And I don’t think I have the nerve to make a move on him.”
“Just do it.” Sally sighed as she pulled out her sunscreen. “And get on your front. I’ll do your back first.”
“Just do it. Yeah, right. You know how hard that is. I don’t want to be rejected.”
“It’s obvious that he has the hot’s for you,” Sally said. “The way he looks at you and teases you, and didn’t you say he asked you to skinny-dip last night? Who does that? None of my guy friends have ever asked me to skinny-dip.”
“He’s Cody’s best friend. I bet he feels like he’s my brother.” I sighed.
“Trust me. Your brother and any guy who felt like he was your brother would not want to skinny-dip with you.” She laughed and I yelped as she put the cold cream on my back and started rubbing. “Unless he was that freaky guy from that book.”
“What book?”
“Flowers in the Attic,” she said. “I saw the movie on Lifetime and whoa.”
“Whoa what?”
“She hooked up with her brother. And not step-brother, either.”
“Eww, that’s gross.” I made a face into my towel as she rubbed the cream into my shoulders. “Do my lower back as well, please.”
“You want me to unhook your bikini?”
“Sure,” I said and then laughed as I felt her untie it. “This is the most action I’ll be getting all weekend.”
“Haha, that’s sad.” She groaned. “It’s just our luck that the same ditzy bitch is after both of our men.”
“I know,” I said, feeling sorry for myself. “Screw you, Barbie,” I shouted into the wind and then lowered my voice, just in case someone could hear me.
“So you really think Cody was into her?” Sally said softly and I could tell from her tone that she was hurt. I wasn’t sure how to respond. I wanted to be the positive friend. I wanted to tell her go for him. I wanted to tell her that any man would be happy to have her. I truly wanted to tell her that. I believed it as well. She was great, but I also knew Cody. And he was a player. And he liked big blondes with big boobs. And he didn’t care who knew. Or got hurt. And I knew that he would most probably spend a night with Sally if she really pushed it. But I also knew that it would only be a night. If he were really interested in her, I felt like he wouldn’t even be entertaining Barbie. He wouldn’t be giving her a naked massage on her bed.
“Do you think they’re going to have a threesome?” Sally asked, her tone low, and I froze.
“Who?” I said and nearly rolled over, but then remembered my bikini top was undone. “Who?” I said louder, my voice rising.
“Cody, TJ, and Barbie,” she said, her voice still low.
“What?” I almost shrieked and she sighed loudly.
“Don’t ‘what’ me. You can’t be that shocked. Let’s be real. Cody is a player. We both know that. I’m not blind and dumb. And TJ, well, I’m sure TJ is a player too and an undercover freak.”
“He’s not an undercover freak! Why would you say that?” My voice was indignant, but I knew exactly what she was going to say.
“Come on, Mila. Remember when we found that horse whip and those handcuffs in his backpack, when he was visiting you guys that summer?” she said quickly. Her tone sounded as freaked out and excited as it had that day when we’d been moseying around in Cody’s room and looking through both guys’ stuff.
“I guess,” I said, my legs tingling as I remembered seeing those fuzzy handcuffs.