When I was little, I had two best friends. May and Lila. They are two amazing girls. The reason why I mention them is because I met them at church. We were so close and my parents were delighted I found two girls of the same religion. They were my foundation, my support until Lila moved to Cuba and May went back to England. I was left to brave my school alone, forced to make new friends. And then I met them. Kim and Sandra. My next two best friends. Try to understand that with May and Lila, there were no big risks in our friendship. But Michelle and Sandra were a totally different breed altogether. We made each other laugh, I think that's what kept us together. Kim was the African-American prep girl. Flirty, outrageous and spontaneous. She was a real cutie, petite with a kick ass body and a booty she was so proud of. Sandra was the loud and fun loving South African girl who was always making jokes and just laughing at silly things. Sandra was also pretty short with a sweet smile a chubby cheeks. They introduced me to a whole new world of short skirts, lip gloss and slumber parties. I survived some years with them without too much trouble. Enter Michelle. Michelle was a blond bimbo. A strawberry blond bimbo. I hate to say it, but it was true. She just wasn't very sharp and everyone made fun of her for it. It was me, Kim and Sandra who stood up for her. We were all friends and everyone knew our line, "It's The Four of Us!". Michelle made it up and whenever it was all four of us together alone, we would group hug and say our line. However lately, our group had been drifting apart. Michelle made new friends and she began to dabble in some things that I don't like to talk about. Kim went out with this one guy, Michael. He messed with her mind so much, but she just couldn't break up with him. He asked for so much, physically speaking, and when Kim finally gave it to him, he broke up with her. It was me and Sandra who had to pick up the pieces. I thought it was bad then, but it seems it had just begun.

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"Ashley!! Hey!! You're here!!" called out Michelle from the trampoline. She was wearing a tube top and a white bikini underneath with her only jean mini skirt. The party had started about half an hour ago and music was blasting from the patio where Michael was dancing with some other people. I could see his acorn shaped head bob up and down as he lamely tried to grind with some girl from a grade above. I chose to ignore him.

"Hey Michelle! Kim's got our present ok? It's from both of us." I smiled at her and hesitated before throwing off my shoes and clambering on.

"Aww! Thank you! You didn't have to get me anything!" She then proceeded to hug me and we struggled to hold it while still bouncing. It didn't really work. We broke out into giggles and continued to bounce away. It's times like those that I remember why I'm friends with her. Michelle is quite sweet at heart. She really is.

"Oo! Sean, looking sexy!"

That slut. Looking for a refuge from the flirt fest, I saw Sandra arrive. Lovable dear!

"Sandra! STAY THERE, I'M COMING TO YOU!"

Sandra and I spent most of the party playing foos-ball and talking to Jamal and Malcolm. Those boys were loads of fun. Jamal is this formidable guy at first sight. Tall and large with spiky black hair, and he was so dark it kind of took you surprise. But when you get closer, he has warm, sparkly eyes that always had a funny mischievous way about him that made you like him. Malcolm was also black but he was smaller and athletic and seemed a lot friendlier. Once you got to know him though, the charm switched off and he was very straight up, in your face.

"Go! Go! Shoot!" I screamed at Malcolm as he was engaged in an exciting and tense game against Sandra!

"Stop yelling!" he shouted back, his eyes not leaving the miniature soccer match below him. Jamal let out a cackle as Sandra broke through Malcolm's defense line. Sandra started to laugh her evil laugh and Malcolm yelling in protest at his defeat.

"It's all your fault Ashley! You broke my concentration!" he said furiously.

"My fault?! How do you see that! You were so busy spinning those little men at random that it hardly seemed possible to break that concentration!" I snapped back

"Oh please. I can hardly expect you to understand the subtlety of foos-ball!"

"The subtlety of a game that loser's resort to when they can't play the full sized version? What's to understand?" I replied smoothly. Sandra and Jamal snickered in the background as Malcolm stormed off. Kim strolled over just a few seconds afterwards. She frowned slightly and jerked her head back towards Malcolm's retreating back and mouthed,

"What's wrong?"

Sandra and I just shook our heads and Jamal gave a little sigh.

"He lost and now is having a hissy fit." Jamal explained, "I'm going to hit the dance floor. See you guys." Jamal grinned and sauntered off, shaking his butt at us as he left.

"Crazy -" started Kim.

"Psycho." finished Sandra.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I want to go swimming. Join me?" answered Kim. She stood wearing a skimpy blue bikini with Thai thong slippers. Sandra shook her head and I contemplated the situation. The party was nearly over and it needed some more excitement.

"Yeah, I'll swim with you. Let me just get changed."