Thirteen.

Stacey

There's a storm rolling in.

It's funny, I went into the house for just a minute to grab a diet soda, and a few carrot sticks. I ran into Mallory, who was hadn't really come out of her room since Pete and Logan got here. It was warm and sunny when I walked off the beach where Claudia, Pete, and Logan had been hanging out. Everyone else, besides Mallory, had gone to the boardwalk. Probably to keep Mary Anne away from Logan and give her time to think. When I finally caught Mallory out of her room, I asked if she was feeling okay, but it was a dumb question. She certainly looked okay, in full makeup, hair done and perfectly placed, wearing a cute little summer dress. When she said she felt fine I asked if she was going somewhere. She just shook her head and scampered off to her room again.

I had been in the house less than five minutes, but when I walked back onto the porch, the sun was covered in clouds and the wind was picking up. Claudia and the guys were gathering our stuff on the beach to come in. I moved to help them and was stopped by a voice from next door.

"Big one coming in!"

I looked over and saw Trent standing on his porch, looking out at the ocean. I followed his gaze and saw what he did - the ocean turning grey and angry, and a wall of black clouds rolling in. I moved closer to Trent to be heard over the wind. "It's not a hurricane, is it?" I asked, worried, remembering a hurricane I'd rather forget by the name of Bill.

Trent chuckled. "No, not a hurricane. Just a squall. Big one, though. Weather station said high winds and hard rain til tomorrow morning."

I edged closer. "Is there anything we need to do?"

Trent glanced from me, to the guys now trudging up our steps, and back to me. "Your boyfriend show up?"

"Now, they belong to the other girls. Do we need to do anything?"

"Just close all the shutters. Don't leave anything on the porch that can't get wet. The usual."

As if on cue, Logan and Pete came trooping back outside and started on the front shutters. It's good to have guys around. I looked back up at Trent. I was now standing directly below him as he leaned agains

t the rail. "So what are your guys' plans tonight?" I asked him sweetly.

Trent puffed out his lip thoughtfully. "Dunno. Guess some drinking, maybe a game of poker. How about your crew?"

"I have no idea. I don't think many of us knew there was a storm coming." A fat drop of rain landed on my shoulder. I looked at the sky nervously for a second, then back at Trent. "Why don't you guys come over? We'll make you dinner this time. Our house is bigger anyway. And bring the poker cards."

"Only if we can play strip poker."

I was a little startled by his comment. He was giving me a sexy, smoldering, flirtatious look. I responded immediately. I knew he would get bored of Mary Anne. I flipped my hair and gave him that smoldering look back. "Okay. But you can only play in what you're wearing right now."

Trent looked down at himself. He only had on a pair of swimming trunks. He winked at me. "You're on."

"Good. Gather up your boys, I'll see you soon." I winked back and spun around to head back to the house. Just as I reached the porch the sky opened up and started pouring. I looked down the street to see if the rest of our house was returning yet. Not so far.

Maybe they'd stay gone a while.

Pete and Logan came running around the corner of the house, soaked. When they got on the porch Pete shook like a dog. "We got all the shutters closed." Logan informed me, looking irritated. "I can't believe it's raining like this our first day here." He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one. He didn't used to smoke, when he and Mary Anne were together. I wonder if they know how much they have in common now?

"It's a squall. It's supposed to be raining hard and windy til tomorrow morning." I told him, trying to sound like I knew what I was talking about. Logan just grunted. Pete finished shaking off and headed into the house, to find Claudia and hang all over her, I'm sure.

"Who was that guy you were talking to?"

"Trent. Mary Anne likes him." I glanced at Logan to get his reaction. He just gazed back at me evenly, saying nothing. I wonder if I can get the two of them back together? Then Mary Anne would most certainly forget about Trent. Even if Logan has something with Mallory, which she still swears she doesn't, he'd pick Mary Anne any day. Yes. This could work. I could start right now. "Mary Anne still talks about you all the time." I said quickly, conversationally.

A hint of interest sparked in Logan's eye. "Does she?"

Well she does. She hasn't shut up about the possibility of him and Mallory for a week. Maybe she does still love him. Who knows. "Yeah. Especially lately."

Logan shifted in his seat and stared at me, waiting for more. I didn't say anything else, just walked into the house. Always leave them wanting more.

It was around seven when Claudia gave up on the other four and made dinner. We'd tried to wait them out but were all starving. Neither of us can cook for the life of us, but we do know how to boil water, so together we whipped up a huge pot of spaghetti with sauce from a jar. The guys all scarfed it down, and I felt good to have satisfied them. I myself ate a salad, and Claudia had ice cream. Mallory finally came out of her room and picked at a plate of the spaghetti. She was sitting on the counter, because the guys, who had inhaled their food within five minutes, were setting up for a poker game at the kitchen table. I simply leaned against the sink and watched. Claudia had Pete hanging on her, and occasionally urging her to go to her bedroom. Logan was in the game. He seemed to be sizing Trent up.

I watched, amused, as Trent lost three hands to Logan, who kept bluffing him out. Logan is a killer at poker, this I know for a fact.

Trent threw down the third hand with a groan, having already lost twenty-five dollars. He looked over to me. "Are you any good at poker?" He asked.

"I hold my own."

"Come here and play with me."

I raised my eyebrows but went to stand behind him. After the ante, the first guy bet two bucks. Logan called. I studied Trents cards. He had crap. But --

"I'll see two and raise two more." I said breezily, throwing in Trents chips. He twisted his neck and gave me a pained look, but said nothing.

When it came time for cards, I asked for only one. Logan got two. I can read this guy like a book. We've played poker before. Trent picked up his card and I had to fight to keep a straight face. A pair of fours. It's all he has. Logan bet's five dollars. I raise him another five and the rest of the table folds.

Logan gives me a withering look. "I'll see you. Raise another ten."

I smiled slightly at him, threw in ten dollars worth of chips, and picked up another thirty. "I raise thirty."

Logan looks at me for a minute, then at Trent, then back at me. Sighing, he throws his cards down. "Whatever."

Trent howls. I just won him his money back. "You," he said, putting his arm around my waste and pulling me toward him, "are not going anywhere, my gorgeous good luck charm. Have a seat."

He pats his leg and gives me that wink again. Daintily, I sit on his left knee. His arm moves all the way around my waist, his hand ending up on my left hip. I look over at him with one raised eyebrow and decide to up the ante. this is poker, after all. Quietly, I swing my right leg over and scoot back so that I'm now straddling his thigh. It's an incredibly suggestive move for me. Trent reacts immediately and slides his hand from my hip to my lower back. My very lower back.

We were sitting like this for about five minutes when Logan excused himself to the restroom. A moment later the door burst open and I could hear Kristy, Dawn, and Mary Anne laughing in the hall. I jumped up quickly. If they see me sitting on Trent's lap they're going to have a cow. Trent said nothing as I headed out of the kitchen. I went toward my room, and ran into Logan in the hall, on the way back. He only grunted at me, still pissed that I'd beat him. I told him to shut up.

Passing the bathroom, I stop short. The door is slightly ajar, and Mallory is sitting on the closed toilet seat. She looks flushed.

"Mal?" I asked, pushing open the door. "Hey, you okay?"

Mallory looks up at me, and I see tears shining in her eyes. They haven't fallen, yet. "I'm okay, I guess."

"Come on, you're upset, let's talk."

Mallory reguarded me for a moment, staring into my eyes. Then she nodded, sighing. "Yeah, okay. Close the door."

I shut the door quickly and locked it for good measure. I sat on the floor in front of Mallory and gave her my full attention. "Out with it."

Mallory looked away from me, at the wall behind me. A tear finally escaped, bringing a trail of mascara down her cheek with it. "You've been so good to me these past few days, Stacey."

I waited.

She sighed again, and angrily wiped the tear from her chin. She looked me in the eye. "I want to tell you something."