Nine.

Kristy

"Kristy?"

"Mmmph." Picking my head up, I opened my eyes slowly... God, my neck...

Alan is smiling at me from the drivers seat. "We're here."

I blinked and looked around. We were parked in a driveway in front of a house. I smelled the ocean. "Wow... that was fast." I said, pulling down the sun visor to check my makeup in the mirror. I wiped a smudge of mascara from my cheek and smiled back at Alan.

"Well, you slept most of the way." He got out of the car and I followed suit. I looked around. Mary Anne was sitting on the porch steps smoking a cigarette. I decided to join her.

"Sleep well?" She asked with a smile as I sat next to her. I made a face at her and lit my own cigarette, watching Alan unload my trunk. "I met one of our neighbors," Mary Anne said from beside me. "This guy Trent? Him and a bunch of his guy friends are staying there..."

Alan set the bags he was holding down and pulled his shirt off. He looks good without a shirt. He has this tattoo of a girl on his right shoulder. The girl's almost nude, but I actually think it's pretty sexy on him. He picked up the bags again and headed toward us, winking at me as he walked past.

"...fun. Don't you think?"

I shook myself out of my trance. "Huh?"

"Kristy! Were you even listening?"

"Something about the guy next door."

Mary Anne sighed. "They want us to come over for a barbeque tonight. Sounds like fun, right?"

"Sure."

"You're really falling for him, aren't you?" Mary Anne asked quietly.

I looked into Mary Anne's eyes. It's amazing, after so long, after all that changed, that she still knows me so well. I decided to be honest. "Yeah, I guess I am."

She grinned. "I love it." She stabbed out her cigarette. I did the same, and we headed toward my car to get the last of the bags. Only one of mine and Mary Anne's stuff remained.

As we entered the house I called out. "Alan? Where's my stuff?"

"Back here!" He called. I followed his voice and found him in the first room in the hall. My bags he had brought in were on the bed. So was his duffle bag he was digging through. I cocked my head.

"Huh." Was all I could think to say.

Alan looked up and smiled. "What?" He asked.

"Are you... staying in here, too?"

He looked down at his bag, and back up at me. "It crossed my mind."

Honestly, I had been thinking the same thing, but wasn't about to tell him that. "Huh." Was all I said.

He looked at me seriously. "If you don't want me to..."

"No, no, I mean, your stuff's already here." God, I'm an idiot. Blushing, I made my way past him to the dresser. He quickly snaked his arms around my waist and pulled me to him.

"I'm not making you uncomfortable, am I?" He asks in a barely audible whisper.

I touched my cheek to his bare chest. "No." I whisper back, letting my lips touch his skin softly.

Alan tensed and tightened his arms around me, running one hand slowly up my back. I look up into his eyes and he's leaning down--

"Guys! Beach time! Let's go!" Stacey called as she walked down the hall.

Alan groaned. I sighed and pulled away from him. "Sorry." I don't know why I'm apologizing. Maybe because she's my friend.

"It's okay. Really." It didn't sound okay. "But if that's going to happen every time we..." He didn't finish. I understand. I don't quite know what to call these little moments that keep getting inturrupted myself.

"It won't." I stood on my tiptoes and gave him a peck on the lips. "I need to change into my bathing suit anyway."

Alan didn't move.

I stared at him. "Alan?"

"Yeah?" He asked with a grin.

"Get out."

He laughed. "It was worth a shot..." He said, heading for the door. "I'll see you on the beach."

I shook my head as he walked away. Funny, I think if maybe he had put up a little fight I probably would have just changed in front of him. As I change, I wonder (okay, daydream) about what would have happened if Stacey hadn't inturupted. I kind of want to wait with Alan, as far as sex goes. I've made the mistake of too much too soon in the past. On the other hand, one more moment like we just had and we're both liable to explode.

I put on a bikini - black with tiny pink dots - and check myself in the mirror. I brush my hair. It's getting really long. I had it permed six months ago and now it's relaxed to slight waves. I put on my big Chanel sunglasses - another Watson perk - and study myself. I still wonder how I've changed so much. This girl in the mirror with long blonde hair, big sunglasses, and a push-up bikini causing much cleavage is so much different from who I used to be. Sometimes I miss the old Kristy, but then I look at myself like this and I feel gorgeous.

I tie a black sarong around my waist and prepare to make my entrance. Or exit, I suppose, since I'm leaving the house.

I make my way out slowly, taking in the sight of my friends on the beach. Mary Anne, Stacey, and Mallory were crowded under an umbrella. Mary Anne was attempting to slather herself in SPF 50 while holding a cigarette. Stacey was waving away smoke and tuning a portable radio. Mallory was reading a magazine and bobbing her head to an Ipod, oblivious to it all. Claudia, Dawn, and Alan were a few feet away in the sun. Dawn was already stretched out and ready for her tan, Claudia was opening a bag of cookies, and Alan was watching me.

I watched Alan as I came out of the shadow of the porch. First his mouth opened a little... then a little more...

Awesome. Just the effect I wanted. I sat next to him in the sand.

"Wow." He told me, nodding approvingly.

"Thanks." I said with a grin.

Later Mary Anne, Alan, Stacey and I were inside, hanging out in the kitchen. Mary Anne and Stacey had gone to the little grocery store in town to stock up on food, and Mary Anne was now cutting up potatoes for a salad. She was killing two birds with one stone - being polite by bringing something to the barbeque and ensuring that Dawn and Stacey had something they could eat. She's always thinking of everyone else.

Stacey was sitting on the counter crunching on a celery stick, raving about this guy Trent. I had not seen him yet, but apparently Stacey ran into him on the way in and, according to her, sparks were flying. Mary Anne was not taking her eyes off the potatoes and shaking her head occasionally. Uh-oh. Stacey had zeroed in a a guy Mary Anne had hoped to hit it off with, looks like. I want to say something to Stacey but I know Mary Anne would kill me, so I keep my mouth shut.

Alan is sitting across from he at the kitchen table. He's still wearing his sunglasses, leaning back in the chair, arms crossed. I know his eyes are closed behind those sunglasses. The trip down plus a day in the sun must have worn him out.

"Maybe I should sleep with him." Stacey said suddenly. I don't know if the girl thinks out loud, wants attention, or just doesn't care, but she sure is up front these days.

I glanced at Mary Anne, who seemed to have no reaction to Stacey's declaration. She must be used to the outlandish crap that comes out of Stacey's mouth. "Stace," I say carefully. "You don't even know him."

She shrugged. "Yeah, but he's really cute, and he seems nice. I'm eighteen, it's about time already, you know?"

How do you answer that? "I thought you were waiting for Tom Cruise?" Was all I could think to say. When in doubt, make a joke.

Stacey wrinkled her nose. "That was a long time ago. I'm much more in to Johnny Depp now."

"Well I haven't seen Trent yet, but I'm willing to bet he looks nothing like Johnny."

"Mmmm." Stacey replied. It was pointless, I'd lost her.

Alan sat up suddenly. "I can't take this anymore, I'm going to lay down." He was looking at me. I can't see his eyes but he's raising one eyebrow. He wants me to with him. I shake my head. He shrugged and stood up, tugging my hair as he walked by.

"Why didn't you go with him?" Stacey asked in a low voice when he was out of earshot.

"I'm not tired." I answer simply. Last thing I need is Stacey broadcasting my business.

Mary Anne dumped the potatoes in a pot of water. "I doubt he was thinking about sleep." She said with a grin. Good. She's cheering up.

"He can think all he wants." I stood up, not wanting to talk about this. "Are you done, Mary Anne? Let's go back outside for a while."

She wiped her hands and followed me to the front porch. I flopped into a chair and lit a cigarette. Mary Anne did the same. Stacey came out of the house, made a face, but sat down anyway. "I wish you guys wouldn't smoke so much."

"You could always go back out on the beach," I replied, gesturing to Dawn, Claudia, and Mallory.

"No..." Stacey looked uncomfortable. "Dawn and Claudia are pissed at me. I said something kind of stupid."

What else is new? "What did you say?"

"It... it was just stupid. Oh, hey, I think Pete Black is coming tomorrow. I heard Claudia talking to him on the phone."

Claudia was inviting more people? She could have at least told me. I'm the one paying for this trip... well, Watson is. I'm the one with the money. I must look irritated because Stacey sat back looking as if she regretted telling me that. She also looked a little smug.

Does Stacey always play these little games? I wish she would buzz off so I could ask Mary Anne.

"Hi, girls." A male voice called out. Approaching the steps was a very good looking guy in his early twenties. He stepped on to the porch and held out his hand to me. "Hi, I'm Trent. I'm one of your neighbors."

I shook his hand. "I'm Kristy."

"Nice to meet you, Kristy. Hey, Mary Anne." He said, smiling warmly at her.

"Hi, Trent!" Stacey said in a chokingly sweet, flirty voice.

"Oh, hey Stacey. So you guys are all coming, right?"

"I'm making a potato salad." Mary Anne replied with a smile.

"Awesome, I can't wait to try it. We're going to fire up the grill around seven, but come early, there's plenty of beer."

He was looking at Mary Anne the entire time he spoke. Stacey was attempting to adjust her cleavage, leaning forward to show it off.

The girl doesn't know when she's lost.