Maria's POV

There's the skank from Jersey again with Carlos and Lester. I don't understand why they let her hang with them. I mean, she's so beneath us. First off, she's not even a Latina. Then she has that crazy, curly hair. She isn't that pretty, very plain, but it seems that Carlos is hung up on her. She must be putting out. I mean, that's the only reason why a guy like Carlos would go for a girl like her. At first, I thought she was cool. She knows how to apply make-up and has a decent fashion sense, but then, she challenged Carlos to a race and won! After that, she played soccer and beat the guys. No girl does that. Doesn't she know that challenging Latinos only turns them off?

But then again, the guys all seem to gravitate towards her. I saw the other guys flirting with her openly, that is until Carlos claimed her by letting her hang all over him in the ocean. He's been glued to her side. Now, if only I could get her to leave on her own, do something to destroy her trust and faith in Carlos. I mean, why does he call her "Babe?" It's pathetic. Then, she had to go to some appointment this afternoon, and Carlos went with her. Whatever the appointment was, she seems much happier this evening.

"Lucia, come over here." Lucia comes over to me.

"What Maria?"

"I need you to befriend Steph to get her to leave with you, leaving Carlos behind. I need to get him to see what he's missing."

"I don't know about this, Maria. He seems to really like Steph. I doubt she'll go along with it."

"Lucia, you know that we were on our way to becoming the "it" couple. It must happen. I won't lose out to a skank from Jersey. How can she possibly be what he needs or wants?"

I watch as Lucia sighs. We've been friends since we were in diapers, I can't see her turning me down.

"No, I won't do it. If you want Carlos as badly as you say you do, you need to get him on your own merit. You need to win him. I will not play dirty. First, I respect myself too much to knowingly hurt someone else. Second, I respect Lester and Carlos. They are good guys. I won't hurt them because you have your panties in a twist. Finally, I'm done with your schemes. You don't like Carlos, you just like the idea of being with Carlos. Stop being such a selfish bitch."

It felt like I was slapped in the face. I can't believe my best friend just sided with a nobody. I guess this means I'm on my own. I glance around and see that Lester and Sydney have disappeared. Good, one less person to stop me. I look for Carlos and see that he is sitting on the sand, with Steph in his lap. His hands are around her waist, and she is resting her head on his shoulder. Time to break them up.

"Oh, Carlos, there you are. I've been looking for you all evening. I have our spot all set up. I even have the…raincoats…ready. I can't wait to have another earth-shattering night like we had a couple of weeks ago." I say before laying a kiss on his luscious lips.

"Maria, go away. I don't know what your game is, but I'm not interested. You were never anything to me, and you never will be. I don't need sluts like you when I can have someone like Stephanie. Now, as if you didn't notice, I'm here with Stephanie, and I'm not leaving her for you. Go find someone else to seduce because I'm not buying."

"What does she have that's better than me? Certainly, her chest is much smaller, her hair crazier, and she isn't even a Latina. What do you possibly see in her?"

"I see a person who has a huge heart, who is beautiful inside and out, I see a woman who sees me for who I am inside, not just who I am on the outside. I see someone who isn't egotistical and vain. I see someone who is the opposite of you."

I take a step back, and it registers that our friends are laughing at me. Here I am, making a fool of myself in front of everyone from our group. I slowly get up, holding my head high as I begin to head home. I will get Carlos. I just need to try a different tactic. Maybe I should wait until she returns to Trenton this fall. If she's not around, then Carlos won't be interested in her any longer and will turn to me. Yes, that's what I'll do.