Kelly giggled and leaned back in her deck chair. Sara looked over at her best friend and stuck out her tongue.
Kelly laughed again and grabbing the nail polish she began to paint Sara's toenails.
Kelly glanced briefly up from her task, her voice taking on a more serious tone,. "So has anyone asked you to the dance yet"?
"Nope", Sara sighed…
"Maybe I'll just go stag", she said grinning as she leaned back in her chair.
"You can't go stag, Sara", Kelly said as if Sara were actually serious.
"Everyone would talk. Poor, poor Sara", Kelly said in a dour tone. "She can't even get a date for the dance and her mother practically owns the country club".
Sara opened her eyes and gave her friend a sour look.
"She doesn't own it"…Sara began, but stopped speaking when she noticed Kelly gazing intently over her shoulder.
"Oh, my God.. Who is that"! Kelly asked excitedly.
Sara knew it was Michael before she even turned around.
Glancing briefly over her shoulder, Sara turned back to face her friend. "That's my step brother, Michael", she said casually.
"When were you going to tell me that he is gorgeous"? Kelly said in a whisper as she leaned in close.
Her head popped up when Michael drew near. Sara watched with disdain as Kelly stuck out her ample bikini clad chest.
"Hey, Sara", Michael said smiling at them both as he came to a stop beside her chair.
"Hey, Michael", Sara said.
"Um, Michael this is my friend Kelly, Kelly this is my step brother Michael.
"Hi", Kelly said in a sweet voice oozing with friendliness, as she stuck out her hand.
"It's really nice to meet you", Kelly cooed as Michael's hand closed over hers.
"Sara has told me so much about you".
Michael's glance fell on Sara. "Really, He said smiling.
"Well I hope it was all good things", he added as he turned back to smile at Kelly.
"Oh, yeah the best", Kelly said smiling.
"Well I should get going. I want to change out of this suit", he said as he began tugging on his tie.
"How did it go"? Sara asked, suddenly remembering that Michael had tagged along with his father that morning.
"It was pretty cool, actually", said Michael stuffing his hands in his pockets.
"I could really see myself doing that someday, structural design".
Sara grinned up at him. "I know that would make Aldo really happy. If you were to follow in his footsteps, I mean".
Sara felt her friend's eyes move from her face to Michael's as they spoke, as if she were at a tennis match.
Kelly watching them so intently was making Sara nervous.
Could she tell that Sara had the hots for Michael?
Was she as obvious to her friend, as Kelly was to her?
"So yeah, I think I might do it", Michael was saying, and Sara realized she hadn't heard a word he had said.
"Um, yeah, great", Sara said pretending she had a clue.
"Well, I guess I'm off to change", Michael said with a smile.
"It was nice meeting you Kelly".
"Nice meeting you too, Michael", Kelly said a bit too cheerfully for Sara.
Sara and Kelly watched as Michael made his way to the door and stepped inside the house.
Kelly turned to her friend and after a few moments of what looked like deep thought to Sara, "Do you think Michael would go to the dance with me"?
Sara looked at her for a second as Kelly's words sank in.
"Um, I don't know, Kel. I mean I guess he might ask you. I mean he is new..And my mom might insist that he go to the dance".
Sara knew she was babbling, but couldn't seem to stop.
"Then again he might not want to go..And my mom might let him slide this time, you know"?
Kelly sat looking at her for a moment and then jumped up.
"Wait, where are you going"! Sara said and jumped up to follow her friend.
She grabbed Kelly's arm.
"What are you thinking"? Sara asked trying to keep the anxiousness out of her voice.
"I'm thinking I'm going to go ask your step brother to the dance", Kelly said and started to walk away, but Sara didn't let up her grip.
Sighing, Kelly looked at her questioningly.
"What if he says no"? Sara questioned.
"What if he says yes", Kelly shot right back.
"Why don't you just wait and see if he asks you"? Sara suggested hopefully.
"Sara, you and I both know that if Christy sees him she'll be all over him", Kelly said emphatically.
"This time I'm going to beat her to it", Kelly said with a smug look. "Just this once I want first dibs on the hot guy".
Sara looked at her incredulously.
But before she could open her mouth to protest further, Kelly took off and headed towards the house.
