" Summer, I don't mean to offend you, but that was terrible."

" Jodie, I don't mean to offend you, but…wait, what am I saying? Of course I mean to offend you. I'm blaming your teaching."

" I'm hurt, Summer," replied Jodie, her smile making it clear that she wasn't bothered at all. " Guess you girls just weren't cut out for surfing."

" I resent that," said Summer. " Maybe you just weren't cut out for teaching us."

Jodie smiled at Summer. " Maybe," she said. " You are kinda difficult."

" I am not difficult! Take that back, right now, or I'll…"

" You'll what, Summer?"

Alex moved over to Summer, whispering something in her ear.

" Alex, tell me you didn't just…" said Jodie warningly. She was cut off by Summer tickling her. Marissa and Alex saw Jodie wink over Summer's shoulder as she started to laugh uncontrollably.

" Summer, as much as I like your hands on me, I can't breathe," said Jodie with difficulty.

Summer backed away immediately.

" Why is everything sexual with you?"

" It's the way I am, especially around someone as hot as you. Anyway, I know how much you love it, Summer."

Summer rolled her eyes, ignoring Jodie.

" I'm hungry," she said. " We're going to eat."

Alex looked a little surprised, and Marissa noticed, saying,

" Don't worry, she's always like that. You'll get used to it."

" Coop, stop talking about me like I'm not here."

" Sorry, Sum," said Marissa, a little amused. " Fine, we can eat."

" What if I don't want to go yet?" asked Jodie.

" Then you stay here, on your own. I'm not waiting for you, I'm hungry now," said Summer.

Jodie looked at Marissa. " Damn, I feel sorry for you now, having to put up with that all the time."

Summer frowned. " I'm a great friend, I'll have you know."

" I wouldn't know anything about that, considering you've been all bitchy since we met. It wasn't my fault you…"

" Right, food now," said Summer, quickly changing the subject.

" No, Summer, you're not getting away with it this time. What did you do?" asked Marissa.

" Nothing," said Summer. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

" Summer, tell me, or I'm telling everyone about that time that you.."

" Tell us anyway!" Jodie interjected.

" Marissa, that was low," said Summer. " Fine. It's totally my fault that Jodie insulted me. I opened a locker into her face, and then I said it was totally her fault, because she got in the way, and I was just distracted because I was thinking about these shoes that I saw that morning, and then she acted like I said something wrong."

The other girls visibly tried to hold back their laughs.

" Hey, don't laugh at me!"

" Sorry, Sum, but that's kinda funny. Those must have been some great shoes."

" Oh, they were," replied Summer.

" But not as great as me, huh, Summer? Cause you were totally distracted by me, don't think I didn't notice," said Jodie.

" Did you forget your medication today or something? Because you are totally hallucinating."

Jodie just shrugged. " You'll be admitting to your feelings sooner or later, Summer. You just can't resist me."

" Look at this. This is me, resisting you. I'm finding it so difficult," she said sarcastically.

"Oh, I know you are."

Summer turned to Alex. " Can't you make her stop?" she said pleadingly.

" Jodie does and says whatever she wants. I'm still looking for a way to control her," said Alex.

" I am not a puppet. Nobody is controlling me. Unless, Summer, maybe if you ask nicely…."

" Don't even go there, Jodie," replied Summer.

" What?" asked Jodie innocently. " I wasn't going to say anything."

" I'd believe that, if I didn't know you were totally delusional, and every other thing that comes out of your mouth gets completely twisted," said Summer.

Meanwhile, Marissa had motioned to Alex to leave, pointing out that Jodie and Summer wouldn't notice. She was right, because it was a few minutes before Summer said, " Where did Marissa and Alex go?"

" Maybe they decided to finally resolve all that sexual tension. You know, Summer, we should go do that too," Jodie replied.

" In your dreams, Jodie."

" It is. Frequently."

" Summer's not going to be happy when she realises we left her alone with Jodie," said Marissa.

" They probably haven't even noticed. I mean, they're not the most perceptive people in the world, are they?"

" You'd be surprised. Summer always notices the things you hope she won't."

" Like with your ex?" asked Alex.

Marissa's expression changed.

" I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable," said Alex as she noticed Marissa's change in demeanour.

" Not your fault," said Marissa. " It's just her, I can't help thinking she's up to something. I didn't think she'd ever be coming back, and now, suddenly she's here. I'm just not sure how to deal with her, that's all."

" I completely understand."

" Oh?"

" Let's just say my ex was a big fan of playing games with people's feelings."

" She didn't happen to be from here, by any chance? That would explain the weird thing you seemed to have against Newport girls when we first met."

" Yeah, that's one of the reasons, I guess," replied Alex. " But, if you don't mind, I'd really rather not talk about her."

" No problem. I guess we should go back to Jodie and Summer, before they kill each other."

" I think Summer's the only one who's even slightly likely to be violent here, and who's to say that would be a bad thing?"

Marissa laughed. " So how long have you been friends with Jodie?"

" As long as I can remember. Sometimes, I really am not sure why though. She drives me crazy half the time."

" And the other half?"

" She's great," Alex smiled. " Anyway, we'd better get back to them. Even those two couldn't possibly fail to realise that we'd left after this long."

" Right. We can't keep Summer away from that lunch she wants for any longer, she'll explode."

Summer didn't look too happy with Marissa when she got back. " Coop, I can't believe you left me here with her" she said.

" Don't blame me, it was all Alex's idea," Marissa said immediately.

Alex shoved Marissa lightly. "I'm not here to direct Summer's attention away from you. Now, tell her that it was all your fault."

" Whatever," said Summer. " You're both to blame. You should have known better. Now, can we eat?"

" Depends on what we're eating," said Jodie. "If it involves y…"

"Don't even think about finishing that sentence," said Summer warningly.

" You ruin all my fun," said Jodie. " But, yes, we can go and eat now."

" Well, Alex doesn't look like we get much say here. Come on," said Marissa. "We're not waiting around while you two start to bicker again."