88 and 89 stood in front of a large pool.A tall wooden privacy fence spanned the length of the backyard.The water hole itself curved like a lima bean and had a long white diving board also.

Their official method of skipping summer school.

Today,I re-define the phrase 'fun under the sun."89 declared.

"Yup,for once you did somethin' right.How'd you get the folks who own this pool to let you use it all alone anways?"88 asked.

"Oh.I have my ways..."

(flashback...)

An uptight man in a blue suit stood sorting his mail in front of a mail box.His eyes followed every one without a hint of interest.

"Bill,bill,bill..."he paused to read a flashy,decorated one."Dr. Sir or Madame,we are delighted to inform you that you and your whole family are invited to a four day cruise to the Caribbeans."

His eyes widened considerably and he jumped up into the air to touch his heels together and run back calling out as he did this.

"Honey,call the rents to tell them the kids are coming to visit!"

From behind the tall fence next door,89 chuckled as he closed his lap-top.I knew those fraud ticket classes would pay off.

"Sike'em Jaws!"

He huffed down the street with a vicious Yorkie on his tail.

"Nice,puppy!Good girl!"

(End flashback)

"Sweet!"The short,stocky boy agreed."And I've finally lost just enough weight to fit into the size I use to wear when I was six."

Glancing down 89 noticed the oxygen-constricting boxers and adopted a disapproving look."You know,I'm throwing a party."

"Yeah,I know we are and you know it aint a party without me."

"Actually,"89 crossed his arms."It will be.You can't swim."

"Can so!

"Can not."

"Fine!I'll prove it!"

88 ran over to the sliding glass door,spread his fingers upon the back porch as he got it a runner's start and sprinted forward in a mad rush.He got to the edge of the pool before inching back.

89 burst out laughing."Yeah,a regular fish!"he fell to the ground.

"Screw this.I'm out of here."88 stalked away to the fence door and glanced back from by it."Fine,have your party!I'm gonna be out makin' a profit off my new business venture.Have a blast!"

The fence rattled a bit as the door was slammed.89 kept right on laughing for a few minutes before he noticed 88 was gone.

"88?"he turned this way and that."Pfft!Who needs the loser?In less then an hour,I'll have this par-tay star-tated.And just to be sure I've got the edge,I'm bumping admission up to five bucks."

He dug into his swim trunks and took out his cell phone.

"Yes siree,less then an hour I'll have called over eighty peeps."

(Four hours later...)

The punch pitcher that had once held ice cubes had long since melted and diluted any trace of flavor.Much as 89's hopes had.

"I don't get it."he moped in his fold-out chair."Free food and I let them haggle me into four dollars.Where could all my friends from school be.Not including water weakling but really,where-"

Noises from the house over brought him out of his swag and on over to the fence side.Through a knot hole in the fence 89 was flabbergasted to see a large pool party in full swing next door.

A long white banner in bold red letters was strung from the tips of the house with the theme."Lemonade Land."And then,came the worst part of it all;88 was mingling with a few pretty older girls.

The fifteen-year-old looked away with a grumble."Darn!"

"Howdy neighbour!"

89 fell on his butt with a yelp and looked up to see 88 leaning an elbow on the very top of fence,a refreshing beverage was in one hand as he observed the other backyard with a smug look.

"A little on the deserted side,huh?"

"No!"89 jumped to his feet in defense."My guests are...uh,you know,snorkling.Only the snorkles are so thin you can't see'em."

"What do you think I was born yesterday?Tell ya what,I'll take pity on you and let you join us if you wear a ballerina disguise."

"And prey tell,why would I degrade myself like that?"

"Cause I made a deal with the guy who lives here that I'd keep you away forever if he let me host this bashin' blow out today."

89 felt his jaw drop."B...but how'd you get all these guests?"

"Oh,that.Simple.I tapped into the cable lines and intercepted all your calls.Then let's just say I made a few calls myself as well."

"Wait,"89 rushed to look back in the hole."They're my guests!"

"Uh-uh-uh.I wouldn't look in there if I were you."88 warned.

"Oh,why?Are you gonna make out with my crush?Hey,what're you standing on anyways?"He bent down to take another look.

"Not 'what'.Who."

"YOW!"89 felt a sharp instrument drove into his eyeball.

"Tried to warn you,dude.It's pin the tail on the donkey time!"

With that,he vanished.89 laid there with a groan and an idea.

x.x.x

From atop the roof and behind the chimney,89 spied.The party seemed to be winding down a bit with less crowds and it was enough to make him mad.Grinning,he held up a metal colander.

"Sorry,guys."his other hand revealed a hose with an adjustable spray nozzle."But for once the weatherman's prediction is true."

Down below 88 lounged around the pool,inches from a girl.

"Oh,Bernie.Tell me again what happened after you saved those poor orphans from a flaming school bus?"She sighed dreamily.

"Well,Kellie-kat.Big B-"he paused and held up a hand."Is it..."

"Raining!"Several shots rang up as people rushed around.

Nervously,88 stood up on the lounge chair."Don't panic y'all.It doesn't mean the party's over.We can still finish it up indoors."

"Or,"89's voice came somewhere from the top of the roof."You can all come over to my place where it's tented in,there's kickin' music and free barbecue all around.I call it,Barbecue Bonanza!"

There were cheers of agreement and the many people rushed to leap over the fence to 89's pool party where everything that had been promised to them was found.88 glared up wrathfully.

"Guests stealing traitor!"

"Swimmingly challenged wannabe wangsta!"

"Buck tooth tyrant!"

"I know you are but what am I!"89 exited with a dark chuckle.

"You're a-"88's shoulders dropped as it still poured."Forget it."

x.x.x

No one seemed to care that the rain had subsided and 89 had went about removing the tarp while laughing on about harmless showers.Him and his re-stolen pool party goers danced away.

"Slammin' jams,man!Can't believe we use to wail on you."

"Yeah,of course there's always next near."

The two muscled jocks bumped chests over 89.

"Uh...yeah.I'm gonna go dance over there."

He walked around after an hour's worth of partying to survey his progress with a smile.88 could never out do him now,never.

With a cheesy grin,he sprinted over to and climbed on up to the diving board.It moved up and down as he nimbly jumped on it.

"Everyone,watch my perfect execution of the jack knife dive!"

All eyes turned on him as he broke the surface with his feet and sent a large splash onto everyone.The soaking many moaned in exasperation but then gasped as the water turned bright yellow.

The few people inside of the pool slowly climbed the edge and wordlessly vacated the premises.89 emerged with arms spread.

"Ta-daaaaaa!"

He looked around in confusion."Where'd everybody go?"

"Home I'd 'spect after the water got a little warmer."88 said.

"What?"he looked around and saw the problem."But,I didn't-"

"Nope!I did."88 held up a large empty pitcher,grinning."I had a spare batch just in case.Now all this stuff needs is some sugar."

89 dog-paddled to the side and got up in his face."You mean to say you filled the Bentley's entire pool with ice cold lemonade!"

"Relax,at least I'm keepin' my cool on the matter...Heh.Get it?"

89 gritted his teeth."No!"

"Because I'm keepin' my pool and then the ice cubes..."

"RAAAAAAWWWWWWRRRRRRR!!!!!"

In a last ditch effort to get even with him,the scrawny boy went to tackle 88 into the pool but the other boy only stepped over.

"Sucker...whoa!"He was jerked into the water by his ankle.

The two wrestled about as the sun set and the backyard began flooding with light that came from all the way by the back porch.

It was Mr. Bentley,coming out to look at his backyard.

"Great,a misleading cruise and someone's trashed this place."

Both 88 and 89 came up gasping for breath as he came closer.

"Whoa,"89 swiped at his forehead."Glad we got all that out."

"I'll say.I've been needin' to whoop butt all summer long."

"Partners?"89 offered his hand.

"The best."88 shook it.

"A-hem.Hate to break up this loving moment."Mr. Bentley was over them and glowering."But who's going to clean all this up?"

"Uh..."89 drawled."Not us."

The man smirked."Correct Mr.Phony Baloney Travel Agent."

88 breathed a sigh of relief."So were gettin' off scout free,huh?"

"Not exactly."he whistled towards the door."Fluffy,sike'em!"

"Hah!"89 shot back."I've lived through one dog attack."

"Yeah,and what kinda name is 'Fluffy' anyways?"

(half a minute later...)

The boys ran off into the last remnants of the fading sun with a Pit bull on their case,their bare cheeks exposed to the elements.

In unison:"We should've gone to summer school!

The End.

LP