Cassie opened her eyes

Cassie opened her eyes. Sunlight streamed into them as she turned over. Another boring Saturday.

Cassie rolled out of bed and began to walk into the bathroom when –

"OOF!" Cassie fell over. Rubbing her eyes, she looked up. Rachel stared down at her.

"Ahhhh!" Cassie cried, crawling back. "Rachel! You scared me. What are you doing here?"

"Just getting an early start," Rachel said. "Oh and do you always mutter 'Jake, oh Jake,' in your sleep?"

"How long have you been here?"

"Since seven, waiting for you." Cassie looked over at the clock. It read 8:07.

"Waiting for what?" Cassie asked, standing up.

"Shopping," Rachel said quickly. "Shopping."

"Shopping for what?" Cassie asked as she walked into the bathroom and yes, closed the door.

"A bathing suit, oh wait," Rachel said, her face pressed against the door. "A bikini."

Cassie stopped using the bathroom. "A what?"

"A bikini, Cassie," Rachel said, rolling her eyes even though Cassie couldn't see her. "Don't act like a baby, Cassie."

"Rachel, I do not need a bikini," Cassie said. "The one I already have is fine, isn't it?"

"Cassie, you don't even have a bathing suit," Rachel said.

"Yes I do."

"Oh, the long piece of clothing you call a bathing suit. Face it, guys like girls with bikinis."

"What's got you to thinking that I want to impress guys?"

"Just trying to help your image, Cassie," Rachel said.

"Image? My image is fine," Cassie said, washing her hand and flushing the potty and coming out. "I don't need any adjustments."

"Yes, you do," Rachel said, turning her head and Cassie stripped and dressed. "You look like a farmer."

"I don't look like a farmer," Cassie said defensively. "Do I?"

"I won't even answer that question," Rachel said. "But, don't come crying to me when all the guys look at you and think, 'Well, well, well, look who the cow dragged in.'"

"I don't look like that."

"You do too," Rachel said, pointing a finger at the boot Cassie was putting on. "That boot has bird poop all over it. Do you even notice that?"

"Yes, I do, Rachel," Cassie said, occupied. She looked up. "It is the boots, isn't it? It is the boots. That's why Jake hasn't even asked me out."

Rachel nodded. "Or Jake is just being an idiot."

Cassie smiled. "Okay, Rachel."

"Okay?" Rachel said. "Okay as in, 'Yes we can go to the mall and buy a bikini and you get to pick it out? Okay as in, 'Yes, Rachel, I will allow you to drag me around the mall for as long as it takes for you to find the perfect bikini for me?"

"Whoa, hold up," Cassie said. "The mall? Isn't Wal-Mart cheaper?"

"Wal-Mart?" Rachel said, gasping in mock horror. "You want to go to Wal-Mart!"

"Besides, they have less bikinis and it won't take all day to find one."

"Wal-Mart?" Rachel said. "Are you some kind of a sicko?"

"What?" Cassie asked. "What is wrong with Wal-Mart?"

"Nothing." Rachel shuddered. "It's just that it's…it's Wal-Mart."

"Why don't we just go to Wal-Mart first? Then the mall?"

"Because…it's Wal-Mart!"

"Rachel…"

"Okay, okay. Wal-Mart first."

Cassie nodded and the girls headed out.

"Okay," Rachel announced. "Here we are."

"All right," Cassie said and told Rachel her size.

Rachel took action. "Oooh! Look at this one, Cassie. This one might fit you!"

"Were is the top at?" Cassie asked.

Rachel pawed through bikini tops. "I…I don't see it."

"Maybe we should ask someone," Cassie suggested. "Maybe someone misplaced it?"

"No, it's gotta be around here somewhere," Rachel said, looking some more. "It will be here somewhere."

Rachel looked some more.

Fifteen minutes later…

"Let's ask someone," Rachel said.

A woman that worked there walked by.

"Miss!" Rachel cried, waving the bikini bottom.

The woman turned around. "Can I, uh, help you?"

"Yes," Rachel said. "This bikini bottom has no top and me and my friend –well, actually me –has looked this place over and…I just can't find it."

The woman smiled and nodded and walked over to the men's section. She came back with an identical top. "I saw this here the other day and I forgot to put it back."

Rachel took the top and took Cassie's arm. "Come on, this place is giving me the creeps," she whispered to her.

Cassie didn't know what to say.

Cassie went into the dressing room while Rachel waited outside. Just as she was wondering what was taking Cassie so long, Cassie came out.

Rachel applauded. "Oh, well, we can go to the mall another day."

Cassie looked down. The top was way too big.

"The top, Rachel."

Rachel waved her hand back and forth. "Details. We'll do something about it later. Go change and we'll purchase it," Rachel said.

"Uh-huh," Cassie said and went back.

A couple of minutes later, she came out and they purchased the bikini.

Rachel smiled and stretched out. The wet, ocean wind whipped at her hair and blew it back into a small halo of hair.

"Isn't this wonderful?" Rachel said, striking a pose for a guy not to far away.

Cassie nodded. "Right, Rachel."

"No, seriously," Rachel said. "This is fun."

"Okay," Cassie said. "Well, while you look at guys, I'm going for a swim."

"Right, Cassie."

Cassie got up and sprinted across the sand to the water. The walked out till it was up to her chest then above her head. She began to swim then.

No, this is wonderful, Cassie thought. The cold ocean water lapped against her back as she swam around a bit. "Perfect."

Perfect wasn't the word to describe the event that was to happen suddenly. Without warning, a wave rushed up and knocked Cassie in the back. She went under and when she surfaced, she made a horrible discovery.

"My top!" Cassie cried, sinking back into the water. "Were is it?" She went under and looked around. It was no where to be found.

Cassie said a word our author won't repeat. "I told Rachel the top was a bit too big. Now look." Cassie spread her hand in front of her chest.

Then she heard a noise. She looked across the waves up the shore where a small Chihuahua was tugging playfully at her top. The dog ran off with it.

"Come back here with that!" Cassie cried, jumping up. Blushing, she jumped back into the water. "This is bad."

Then, Cassie had an idea. "RACHEL!" She cried, waving her arm. "Rachel, come and bring a towel!"

Cassie had brought two towels, one for a spare.

But Rachel was too busy to hear the frantic calls. She was busy watching a cute guy play volleyball.

"Rachel!" The voice drifted from the sea. Rachel snapped from her little daydreams and into reality. "Cassie?"

"Rachel! Bring a towel! Help!" Rachel looked out to see Cassie waving her arm.

"Cassie!" She cried, reaching for a towel and running out into the water. "Cassie, I'm coming!"

It was a tense moment.

"Quick," Cassie said, grabbing the wet towel. "My top…"

Rachel shook her head. "I'll go home and get your old bathing suit."

"It's okay," Cassie said, swimming the best she could with a towel. "You don't have to."

"Nonsense," Rachel said. "You stay here."

They're feet touched sand and they walked back up to the towels spread out in the sand. "Thanks, Rachel."

"No problem." Rachel began to pack up her stuff. "Come one, we'll come back later. It's only 12:00. You go change and we'll come back."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "Okay," she agreed.

"All right."
Then with that, the two friends walked merrily in the sand as Cassie's towel fell off.