"I'm so glad we got to do this," Ariel said as she and her sisters walked around Pleasure Island. "I can't remember the last time we all got to hang out."

Alana nodded. "It's nice that all of our Spring Breaks are at the same time."

Ariel had six older sisters and they were all a year apart in age. Attina was twenty-three and the oldest. After their mother died, Attina took on the motherly role which made her mature quicker than her other sisters and she grew to be quite bossy. Right now she was attending Harvard and studying to be a lawyer.

Next there was Alana who was twenty-two. She was the beauty queen of the family; she had been in many pageants in high school. Now she was a senior at Andalasia University studying business and also taking cosmetology classes. She wanted to own her own cosmetic and beauty store one day.

Adella, twenty-one, was a little bit wilder than the other girls. She liked to party on the weekends and stay out all night. She was a junior at a culinary school in New York, but was easily distracted by the boys in her school.

Aquata, twenty, was the middle child. She was a bit of a klutz, but good-natured. She was currently in her second year at Andalasia County Community College, working on getting her Associate's Degree. She wanted to study early childhood education and become a first grade teacher.

Arista, nineteen, was adventurous like Ariel. She was in her first year at Andalasia County Community College, also working on getting her Associate's Degree. However, after her two years at ACCC she wanted to get a job as a flight attendant so she could travel all over.

Andrina, eighteen, was still in high school but was graduating this year. She wanted to skip college and go right into acting, but their father told her she had to at least get her Associate's Degree so she'd have something to fall back on.

Ariel envied her sisters. They all knew what they wanted from life and Ariel didn't. She loved singing, but wasn't sure she could actually make a career out of that. Aquata had suggested that she become a music teacher, but Ariel wasn't sure she'd like being stuck in a classroom the rest of her life. She, like Arista, wanted a job where she could travel.

"Let's get something to eat," Adella suggested. "I wonder if that cutie still works at Pizza Planet."

"Really, Arista?" Aquata cried out as they were walking towards Pizza Planet.

The sisters all stopped and looked at Aquata.

"What's wrong?" Arista asked.

"That's my belt!" Aquata exclaimed.

The other sisters rolled their eyes and got in line to order their food. Arista was always borrowing Aquata's stuff without asking. The only sibling rivalry among the sisters was between Aquata and Arista.

"Ariel, hey!"

Ariel turned around to see Eric standing in line behind her.

"Hi!" Ariel gave Eric a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Ariel, who's this?" Attina asked.

"This is my boyfriend, Eric," Ariel said. "Eric, these are my sisters Arista, Aquata, Adella, Alana, Attina, and you know Andrina."

Eric smiled at them. "It's nice to meet all of you."

"Ariel, has dad met this boy?" Attina asked.

"Um, no, not really," Ariel replied.

Attina slowly shook her head. "Don't you think he should?"

"Um-" Ariel didn't get a chance to answer before Attina interrupted her.

"Eric, come over for dinner tomorrow night," Attina said. It was more of a demand than an invitation.

Eric nodded. "All right, I'll be there."

Ariel felt her heart sink. She was not ready for her dad to meet her boyfriend.

XXX

Aurora sighed. "This is great."

"It's even better in the sun," Philip said. "You're gonna be stuck inside everyday from now on; you should get some sun."

Aurora was having trouble accepting that school was starting up again tomorrow, so she convinced Philip to go to the beach with her.

Aurora glanced at Philip from under her umbrella. "That's not the point, Philip. This is our last chance to relax before we get crammed with all kinds of homework."

Philip nodded as he stretched out on the blanket. "Yeah, I'm not looking forward to returning to the real world."

"Plus, this is our first actual alone time since Spring Break started," Aurora said.

Philip reached over and took Aurora's hand. "Yeah, I've missed this."

This wasn't working. Aurora thought that going to the beach with Philip would distract her from thinking about Belle, but it wasn't. She hadn't heard from her since they got back two days ago. Aurora hoped Belle wasn't mad at her, though she knew that Belle most likely was. Part of Aurora understood that, but a bigger part didn't. Why couldn't Belle see that Aurora was just trying to protect her?

"I'd say, 'penny for your thoughts', but I'm pretty sure I know who you're thinking about," Philip said.

"Did I do the right thing?" Aurora asked.

"Of course you did," Philip said, sitting up. "I know this is hard for both of you, but it was for the best."

Aurora pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. "What if Belle never talks to me again?"

"That won't happen," Philip assured her. "I mean, she may not want to talk to you for a while. But, in the end she's going to understand why you did this and she's going to forgive you."

"How do you know?" Aurora asked. "What if this it? What Belle and I will never be friends again?"

Philip moved closer to her and put his arm around her. "You two will work this out. You've been friends too long for something like this to end it all."

"I really hope you're right," Aurora said.

XXX

Pocahontas sat down in John's yard while she waited for him to come outside. Meeko walked over to her and pulled him onto her lap. He looked up at her and she stroked him under his chin.

"Sorry about that," John said as he walked over to Pocahontas.

Pocahontas set Meeko back on the ground and stood up. "It's okay."

John led Pocahontas to the patio table. "Thomas has been pretty upset today."

Pocahontas ran her hand through her hair. "Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

John gave Pocahontas a wary look. "What do you mean?"

"John, Meg's right; this is between her and Thomas. You shouldn't be butting in," Pocahontas said.

"Butting in? I'm not butting in. That slut hurt my brother," John said. "I'm just trying to be there for him and look out for him."

"I understand that, baby," Pocahontas said. "But, I don't think you should be trying to influence what he does. Let him make his own choices."

"He chose to date Meg and look what happened," John said. "He got his heart broken."

"Everyone gets their heart broken," Pocahontas retorted. "You can't protect him from that."

"I know that," John said. "But I can protect him from Meg."

"John, I really think Meg genuinely cares about, and loves, Thomas. What if Thomas feels the same way about her? Don't you think you'd be hurting him by keeping him away from her?" Pocahontas asked.

"Whose side are you on?" John demanded.

"That's just it, John! There shouldn't be sides; we shouldn't be fighting this for them. They need to work this out for themselves," Pocahontas said.

John slowly shook his head. "I can't believe you're turning your back on Thomas for that tramp."

Pocahontas frowned. "John, it's not like that."

"That's what it sounds like," John said. "I think you should leave."

"What? No! John, don't be like this," Pocahontas said. "This has nothing to do with us and it shouldn't come between us."

"Thomas is my brother and he comes first, Pocahontas." John stood up and went back inside.

Pocahontas put Meeko back in the shed and left.