Okay as promised, here is chapter 6, yay!

Please, please, pretty please review.

Like it so far? Or not? Let me know.

Chapter 7 should be up by tomorrow.

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Spencer was sure she would hate Aruba, but Ash loved it. And she was determined the other girl's mind.

As they began to talk about it though, she began to realize how tough that would be.

Spencer didn't like the sun, and wasn't too crazy about sand. She couldn't go swimming until the cast was off. It was the same with all the other water activities too. Tubing, windsurfing, parasailing, snorkeling, scuba diving- it was all out of the question. To top it off, she claimed all sailing and boat rides made her seasick.

If you can't do anything else, at least do me, Ash secretly thought.

Spencer was trying to be difficult, But Ash knew that if had more to do with her parents than with the island paradise.

She wasn't giving up.

Ash had been thinking about giving her the twenty five cent tour of some of the popular tourist shops, followed by a big lunch. She even considered introducing her to to some of the summer boats they would certainly cross paths with.

After some prodding, Spencer finally agreed.

"Just so long as I don't have to get out of the car if I don't want to."

"Of course."

"And only if I definitely don't have to admit to anyone that I had a good time. . . Just incase someone asks me on a later date."

"That goes without saying," the brunette said, smiling.

There were dozens of American high school and college students who's parents had houses down here. They worked, or just bummed around the island in the summer.

If she were asked, Ash would admit that she didn't think too highly of most of them. Like everywhere, the summer set included their set of airheads, self--focused princesses, and weed smoking morons. But there were some fun people she'd met here too. Those were the ones she started hanging out with on occasion. With any luck, they'd run into the good ones.

It was 10:30a.m. when they finally got on the road.

"I was going to give you an all-day whole-island tour, but I've changed my mind," she announced as they pulled away from the villa.

"That's alright, I wouldn't last for an all-day anything anyway," She said. "However, I'd like to eat at noon."

Ash considered skipping the tour and taking her out for a second breakfast, but then quickly decided against it. The blonde's mood changed so quickly that Ash wasn't sure she'd be able to get her to see the island if they ate. At the end of the road, they turned south on the main highway. "Isn't this the same road we drove on last night? The one from Oranjestad?" she asked, looking around.

"Yeah, it is."

"Then how come the sign we just passed said this is route 1A? Last night, it was route 1B."

"One of the peculiaries of the island. The road that have numbers with A are going one way. The one with B goes the other way. I figured it must make it easier for the mail delivery."

The sun was already hot. But the breeze from the open sides of the Jeep felt good. Spencer tied her hair in a ponytail and wore a big straw hat over it. She had on the same sundress on from breakfast. Spaghetti straps and knee length skirt was a bit conservative compared to what most other American girls were wearing on the island. But she looked damned cute in it.

At the stop light, she took a tube of sunscreen out of her bag and started applying it on her arms.

"I guess you know how to keep your skin from burning too badly." The blonde looked up. Ashley had on of

the most amazing tans one could ever get.

"Yeah, I had to live with it for a while."

The brunette's gaze followed the motion of her hand as she spread the cream on her neck, down the neckline of her dress. "Do you ever tan?"

"Not really. I burn. I get sun poisoning. I peel. Then it starts all over again."

Maybe we could fix that," she said, taking the cream out of her hand and looking at the SPF. It was thirty. "This won't cut it. Let's go with 60."

Ash pulled into the parking lot of a convenience store and told her to wait.

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Spencer tried not to moan or melt into the seat as Ash spread some of the sunscreen she just bought on her shoulders and back. Her hands were soft and warm. Her fingers smeared the cream, but dug it gently into her muscles. It felt absolutely wonderful. She held her hair above her head as the older girl's fingers moved up and massaged it onto her neck. Spencer wondered if the other girl knew what kind of effect she had on her in just that simple task.

"So where are we going?" she managed to say. Her voice sounded more like a high-pitched croak.

"I'd thought I'd take you to my favorite place on the island."

"Okay," she said softly, taking the tube.

"Can you manage the rest of it?"

Spencer nodded reluctantly. She would have loved to have Ash continue with what she was doing, but she was a coward. She put dabs on her arms and watch the other girl get the Jeep back on the road.

As they drove, Ash told her about the section of the island they were leaving behind. She talked about the Malmok, where the wealthiest people and most Americans connected with the resorts lived. She told her about the lighthouse at the northernmost tip of Aruba. She told her about the golden beaches and golf courses with it's surrounding villas and homes.

The brunettes feeling was that the northern part of the island wasn't representing what most of Aruba was like, but she'd see that for herself.

It wasn't long before she turned left and started inland. Spencer noticed different in affluence right away. The houses were smaller, but they were still well-kept. As they passed little villages, Ash explained the islanders here seemed to have less, but everyone she talked to said they had everything they needed. Real poverty and crime were pretty much non-existent on the island.

"And Arubans take real pride in their land," she told her. "They feel like they've been blessed with so much even though they don't have the natural resources to show it."

"Aruba seems so dry," Spencer commented, looking at the sparse vegetation on the hilly landscape thay were approaching. "It's not as lush and green as you normally picture when you think of a Caribbean island. It kind of reminds me of Arizona."

"That's true," she said. "And they consider it one of their blessings."

"How is that?"

"One guy who gives tours here told me that the lack of water made it less appealing to conquering Europeans, who set up slave populations on other islands. There were still Europeans here though. The Spainards used it for raising horses, then the Dutch, then British, then Portuguese, then the Spainards again. The Dutch ended p with it."

"On the plane trip down here, I read an interesting article about the Native heritage," Spencer told her.

"Something about archaeological artifacts dating back to forty-four thousand years ago."

"Yeah. Stuff from Indians or their predecessors. And they've been coming here from South America ever since the stone age. As recently as the 1900's, over one-third of the population was non-Europeans. Once your out of the cast, I can show you some rock drawings around the local caves at Arikok. I think the whole thing is pretty cool."

Spencer considered it a good sign that Ashley would still be talking to her two weeks from now. The brunette had been very caring for her ever since she'd gotten here. She made a mental note to make it up to her somehow. "So, where exactly are we going?"

"The eastern side of the island. Also known as the windward coast."

"Is that a figure of speech, or is there actually a breath of wind there?"

"There is wind and plenty of it."

"But only nine months a year," she said, finishing the sentence for the older girl.

"Wait and see."

Spencer wasn't entirely convinced. She just wasn't sure she was built for a place like Aruba. At least, not in the summer. Her arms were sizzling from the rays of the sun. She spread more cream on them. . . And thickly.

"Our jet circle the island at least a half-dozen times before landing. There didn't seem to be much on the eastern shore."

"Most of it is parkland. A lot of rock, cacti, and brush. The wind and tides are so strong on that side, that the ocean over there is not safe for swimming." she shrugged. "To me, that's part of Aruba charm, though. You he nature, wild and untouched, right over the hill of from some of the most calming water and beautiful beaches of the Caribbean."

"Beauty and the beast huh?"

"Yeah, and now you get to meet the beast."

The Jeep reached the crest of a hill and suddenly, Spencer felt the wind change. No longer just the effect of moving the vehicle, the wind was already cooler. The breeze whipped her hair into her face and almost whipped her hat right off her head.

The sea glistened in the morning sun. The white- capped surf was heavy here, while rolling breakers crashed into explosions of foam against the shore. The sound of the sea was in her ears as well, and for the first time, she could smell the salt in the fresh air. As she looked at the gorgeous sight, Spencer didn't think she ever saw so many shads of blue and turquoise. Ash drove the Jeep down the winding road toward the shore. As they descended toward the base of the hill, she could see a large white building and a parking lot. It looked like it was built on the edge of the cliff of light-brown rock. The pavement looked almost white n the sunlight as well, and a small tour bus and a dozen white cars were parked along a fence on one side of the lot.

"The air is actually cooler," she said.

"Wait till we get down there, then you'll really feel the difference."

"This is your favorite place in Aruba?" she asked. As Ash pulled into the lot.

"Well, one of them," she responded, pulling the car in against a low, stone wall. "Aruba is so beautiful, it's hard to have just one favorite place."

Spencer looked back at the white building. It was a restaurant and a tourist shop. She looked at the other girl, somewhat perplexed.

"Not the shop," she said. She pointed to a rock formation beyond the wall. "The call that the natural bridge."

Spencer looked across the flat-top arch of rock stretching over the incoming waves. It connected to a miniature island fifteen feet into the water. The arch had been carved out b he force of wind and the waves, and it was truly a magnificent sight. Morgan saw kids holding their hands out like wings as they walked across the bridge. On the beach, there was a gazebo-like building. She looked back at the sea and was speechless for a couple of minutes, stunned by the sheer beauty and power of the spectacle.

"Does this meet your definition of wind?"

She nodded. "Let's get out."

"Of course, she replied, but Spencer was already getting out of the Jeep. This time, she was careful of not landing on her hands and knees. By the time Ashley came around, she already had her crutches tucked under each arm and was headed to the bridge. She caught up with her.

The wind was so strong that Spence took of her sunglasses and hat. Reaching the rock-strewn bridge, she moved across until she was in the middle of the span. Facing he water, she soaked up the feeling of the wind, spray, and sun landing on her face.

There was something very cleansing about standing there. It was as if she could give up all her thoughts, troubles, and her soul up to the beauty of nature.

She understood why Ash liked this spot so much.

Finally, the blonde looked at the other girl. She was standing beside her, watching her. "I don't think I've ever seen any sea or ocean so. . . So. . . Impressive I guess," she said over the sound of the wind. "It's incredible."

"I totally agree. But I highly doubt you'd want to climb all of those stairs." She pointed to the Gazebo on the beach. She had to agree. As they walked to the side of the bridge, Spencer noticed a tall blonde woman come out on the beach and start waving madly at them.

"I think someone is trying to get your attention."

Ash looked, and after a lengthy, pause, waved back.

The woman pointed up the stairs.

"I think she wants to meet you at the top of the stairs."

"I'll be right back," she said ,a note of reluctance in her tone.

Spencer watched her make her way off the bridge. After breakfast, shed changed into a pair of orange girl boardshorts and a tight-fit, navy blue polo shirt. She had all three of the buttons down, exposing a decent amount of between her breasts. She had on a shark-toothed necklace as well, and pearly white sandals on. Spencer thought the look fit Ashley well. She had that beachy hot attitude attire. Only, she couldn't stop herself from thinking of how she'd look in a bikini.

Her bubble burst with the same speed that it had taken shape.

The blonde finally reached Ash at the top of the stairs. Wrapping herself around Ash, she put a lip-lock on the brunette like the wife of a sailor whose ship had just come home from a very lengthy tour of duty.

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Have no fear. Spashley always prevails...