South Beach

by Aimee Friedman

  Hot tears pricked at Holly's eyes. She turned to face the beach across the street, telling herself not to cry. God, she missed her friends. She'd give anything for Meghan or Jess to be here. They wouldn't have even wanted to go to a place like Ohio's. They'd decide to go back to the motel room, where they'd stay up late eating junk food and talking.

  But I can't go back to the Flamingo, Holly thought

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  miserably. Alexa has the only key to our room. The full reality of the situation hit her, and she almost started crying all over again. I'm stranded in South Beach.

  "Can I get you another drink?"

  A short, muscular boy with a blond buzz cut, wearing a white polo shirt, leered at Alexa. She'd been hanging out at the bar, sipping a dirty martini, when he'd loped over to her. Thomas, Aaron, and the others stood nearby, fighting for a bartender's attention.

  Buzz-cut boy practically screamed "Delta Gamma Phi," Alexa thought as she sized him up, but he wasn't terrible. And she could get a free drink out of him. What was so bad about that? The sangria at dinner, combined with the martini she had now, made her feel warm and open to anything.

  "Sure," Alexa said, taking another sip of her drink. "How about a Cuba Libre?"

  "What's that?" the frat boy asked.

  Alexa resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "It's a rum drink," she said.

  "Rock on," the boy said, reaching for his wallet. "I'm Colby." Then he leaned in and kissed her quickly on the lips. "And you're beautiful," he breathed.

  Hmm, Alexa thought. Colby was so not her type, but it looked like the night was getting interesting.

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  As Colby tried to flag down one of the bartenders, Alexa turned around to see Thomas and the others making their way toward her.

  "This place rules," Thomas commented.

  "We told you guys!" Kaitlin said, grinning at Alexa. "Are you having fun yet?"

  Wait, Alexa thought, as she studied the crew around her. Thomas, Aaron, Kaitlin, Daisy, Jonathan ...

  "Where's Holly?" Alexa asked.

  The other kids looked at one another, shrugging.

  "She was with us outside." Daisy pointed to the door. Then her eyes grew wide. "Oh, no, do you think she couldn't get in?"

  Why would Holly not get in? Alexa wondered. She looks good -- I made sure of that. But then she flashed back to their conversation on the airplane that morning. Holly must not have had a fake ID, Alexa realized. She'd probably tried to get in without showing any ID or worse, by showing her real one. Alexa pictured Holly, scared and alone outside the bar. She had to rescue her.

  "I'll be right back," Alexa said, finishing her drink. She waved to Colby, but his back was to her, so she dashed off. Whatever. Either she'd meet up with him when she got back, or she'd find another frat boy. They were a dime a dozen in here.

  Alexa elbowed her way outside. The cool, salty air

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  felt soothing against her sweaty skin. There were even more people gathered outside the bar now, but Alexa saw Holly right away. She was standing on the corner, looking dangerously close to tears.

  "Holly!" Alexa cried, hurrying over. "I'm sorry we went in without you!" Impulsively, she flung her arms around her old friend.

  Holly took a big step back, not ready to be hugging Alexa anytime soon. What was up with Alexa acting like they were pals, especially after she'd abandoned her outside? As far as Holly was concerned, this night was over.

  "Can you give me the key?" Holly asked, her lips quivering. "I'm going back to the motel."

  "Are you nuts?" Alexa said. "It's our first night of spring break! You can't go to bed early."

  "Well, I can't go in there, " Holly said, pointing to the bouncer. Her voice broke. "I don't have a fake ID, Alexa! I told him I left my ID in the motel, but he wouldn't let me -- "

  "I figured," Alexa said. She piled her hair on top of her head and took a deep breath. This called for some serious measures. There was no way she could let Holly mope back to the Flamingo wrapped in self-pity. If I'm going to have the night of my life, Alexa thought, Holly should at the very least be able to witness it. She let her hair fall gently back to her shoulders.

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  "Come with me," Alexa said, grabbing Holly's wrist and steering her toward the entrance of Ohio's. Holly followed grudgingly, and waited in line again until they made it back to the bouncer.

  "Hi there," Alexa said, lowering her lashes. "Remember me?"

  "Could never forget you." The bouncer grinned.

  Alexa fingered the spaghetti straps of her beaded cami. "Listen, my best friend here"-- she linked her arm through Holly's --"left her ID back at the motel! Don't you feel sad for her? And I can't have a good time unless my best friend is with me...."

  Holly wanted to laugh at the irony of the best friend reference, but she knew she should keep a straight face.

  The bouncer didn't budge. "I can't let someone in without an ID, honey."

  "Forget it," Holly said, trying to extract her arm, but Alexa wouldn't let her go.

  "I love your accent," Alexa told the bouncer. "Where are you from?"

  "Haiti, originally," the bouncer replied.

  Why is she asking him that? Holly wondered, still trying to remove herself from Alexa's grip.

  "So you must speak French, then!" Alexa said. When the bouncer nodded, Alexa immediately launched into fluent, beautiful French.

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  ''S'il vous plaît, monsieur. J'ai besoin de mon amie! Je vous promets qu'elle ne boirera rien. " As she spoke, she batted her lashes. French was her first language, and she spoke it even better when she was a little tipsy.

  "What did you just say?" Holly hissed. She took Italian in school, so she hadn't understood a word.

  The bouncer's face broke into a huge smile. "D 'accord, " he replied, stepping aside to let them in. "Go in, chérie. Both of you. But keep to that promise," he warned Holly.

  "What promise?" Holly asked Alexa once they were safely inside.

  "I told him you wouldn't drink!" Alexa laughed. "But he'll never know. Come on. Your first one's on me!"

  After Alexa had treated Holly to a Cuba Libre -- and downed her own, which Colby had waiting for her -- they all hit the dance floor. The crew from the Flamingo formed a big circle, and Colby joined some of his buddies, but hovered near Alexa. The dance floor was packed with wriggling, sweaty bodies. Alexa closed her eyes, threw her arms up, and began to rotate her hips, letting the hip-hop beat course through her. As she twirled around, her skirt flared up naughtily. She felt good and drunk now, which loosened her limbs and made her moves even more fluid. Practically

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  every boy on the dance floor was watching her, which she could sense even with her eyes closed.

  Holly was so grateful to be inside Ohio's that she cast aside her usual inhibitions and started shaking her shoulders and wiggling her behind. Kaitlin and Daisy shook it next to her, and Jonathan swayed, clearly lacking any rhythm. The twins danced side by side, dipping and curving their arms, raver-style. Holly grinned. She'd never gone out dancing before, but here she was, at a real club, and sort of enjoying herself. It didn't hurt that she'd drunk half of that Cuba Libre she hadn't wanted any of it at first, but the sweet liquid had slid down her throat too smoothly to resist.

  The DJ switched to Outkast and the crowd cheered. Holly turned to look at the rest of the dance floor, and suddenly felt a pair of hands on her hips. She gasped and whirled around, only to find herself pressed up against Aaron's chest. He kept his hands tight on her hips and began moving in time with her. It was obvious Holly didn't know what to do with her arms so Aaron took them and draped them around his neck, then pulled her in closer. Their faces were only inches apart. She could feel his breath on her ear.

  What is going on? Holly thought frantically. Did Aaron like her? He was probably just drunk. But did he want to kiss her? Did she want to kiss him? Holly

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  imagined his mouth on hers, and her heartbeat
sped up. It would probably feel nice. But then she thought back to her first kiss. That had been such a wonderful, dreamlike moment. Holly didn't want her second-ever kiss to be in a skanky club, with some boy she barely knew. Especially not if Diego was in this same city. She'd much rather save up her kisses for him. Holly started to back away, shaking her head.

  "What's the matter?" Aaron whispered, stroking her bare arms. Suddenly, he didn't seem so shy.

  It was too much. Holly loosened his hold on her arms, mumbled, "Sorry," and walked backward, letting the crowd swallow her. Her face burning, she pushed past the hordes of dancers and went back to the bar. Now, she was regretting that Cuba Libre. She asked the bartender for a glass of water and gulped it down while watching the dance floor. Maybe the bouncer had been right in the first place. She didn't belong in here. She should go back to Grandma Ida, and play canasta with her and Miles in peace.

  Holly's eyes fell on Alexa. She was sandwiched between Thomas and Aaron, dancing sexily. Holly felt a pang of jealousy. Naturally, Alexa was making sure that all the boys flocked to her. Suddenly, Holly was feeling strangely possessive of Aaron. She set down her water and considered going back to the dance floor, but there were so many people crowded around

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  that she couldn't move. So Holly stayed where she was, and kept watching.

  Out on the dance floor, Alexa was eating up the twins' attention. Thomas was facing her, their foreheads touching as he moved his hips against hers, and Aaron held her waist from behind, dancing just as close. She dipped her head all the way back, her hair spilling everywhere, and smiled up at Aaron. When he leaned toward her, his lips parted, she straightened up again. It was Thomas she really had her eye on.

  Aaron drifted into the crowd and started dancing with another girl, so Thomas and Alexa wrapped their arms around each other. Alexa shivered at his nearness. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. He lifted her chin and lowered his lips to hers. She responded to his kiss, fiercely. Soon, they gave up dancing and stood pressed together, kissing. Alexa smoothed her hands up and down his chest. Thomas ran his hands along her waist and cupped her behind. Alexa was thrilled. Tyler and his hesitant kisses were out of her life. She'd moved onto bigger and better things.

  "Get a room, you two!" Jonathan called, dancing over to them with Daisy.

  Thomas and Alexa pulled apart. Alexa licked her lips and stared at Thomas, wanting more. Thomas

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  looked flustered. His sweaty shirt was sticking to his chest and his eyes were glazed over.

  Alexa stood on her tiptoes and nibbled Thomas's ear. "Why are you stopping?" she whispered.

  "I need to take a break," Thomas said. "I think I drank too much."

  "Are you going to be sick?" Alexa asked, stepping away from him and cringing.

  Thomas shook his head, but he lurched away from her unevenly. "I'm just going to the bathroom. I'll be back." He squeezed her arm. "Wait for me."

  The too-drunk thing was a bit of a turnoff, Alexa thought, but who cared? It wasn't like she was sober herself. She started dancing again, alone. Oh God, she was drunk. Her head was suddenly spinning so badly she felt like the room was tilting. But it was fine. She knew what she was doing. Kind of.

  Then she felt a guy's arms go around her, and a pair of lips against her throat.

  "That was quick," she said, turning and expecting to see Thomas. But instead there was Colby, along with three other drunken frat-boy types. One of them was eyeing Kaitlin and the other two were gawking at Alexa.

  "We've been watching you dance all night," one of Colby's friends slurred to Alexa. "Is that guy your boyfriend?"

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  "No!" Alexa said as emphatically as she could, considering her own speech was a little on the slurred side. "I do NOT have a boyfriend."

  "Good," Colby said. He came up to her and planted a long, wet, sloppy kiss on her lips. Alexa drew back, caught off guard.

  "Could you not shove your tongue down my throat?" she asked, but Colby didn't hear her. Or maybe she hadn't even spoken. Her head was spinning even more now. She glanced to her left and saw Kaitlin was making out with one of Colby's friends. Beside them, Jonathan and Daisy were going at it, looking like they needed to get a room themselves. Everyone's hooking up, Alexa thought. Suddenly, she felt tired. She wondered where Holly was, and if she still wanted to go back to the motel.

  "Hey, come with us," Colby said, taking her hand and leading her to a table near the bar.

  "Okay," Alexa said, trying to perk up. This was fun. This was what she wanted to be doing. Why did she feel so turned off by the whole scene?

  "Do you know what body shots are?" Colby yelled above the din. He took her by the waist, lifted her, and set her down on the table.

  Alexa nodded, thinking back to what they'd talked about at dinner. Colby eased her back so that she was half-lying on the table, and Alexa rolled up her cami,

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  exposing her midriff. She noticed that Colby and his friends were now all holding shot glasses full of tequila.

  "Can I do some off your stomach?" Colby asked. "I'm just gonna get some salt and limes from the bar."

  Alexa paused for a moment, considering. It would be kind of funny to have Colby licking salt off her belly. But then she looked across the room and saw Holly, standing by the bar. For a second, she and Alexa made eye contact, and then Holly looked away again. Alexa felt a flash of sobriety. Was Holly judging her? For an instant, Alexa saw herself through Holly's eyes: trashed and half-clothed and lying on a table in front of three horny boys.

  "Get away from me, you gross-out morons," Alexa managed to say, standing up and pushing Colby aside. She flung her hair back, readjusted her top, and made her way toward the bar.

  At the bar, Holly gazed sadly into her glass of water. Alexa was out there having a blast -- hooking up with boys, dancing, being wild -- while she was stuck in a corner, playing the wallflower role to the hilt. Holly wished some of Alexa's sparkle and spontaneity might rub off on her. She just felt so bland.

  "Hey," Alexa said, appearing beside her. She looked a little woozy, Holly noticed.

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  Alexa reached for her clutch, which she'd stashed in the corner. "Do you want to head out?" she asked Holly.

  "Aren't you having fun?" Holly asked, gesturing to the dance floor.

  "Of course," Alexa lied. "But you need to end the night when it's at its peak. Stay out any later and you're, like, desperate."

  "I guess," Holly said, her eyes scanning the dance floor for Aaron. He was nowhere to be seen. She shrugged, and slid her bag onto her arm. "Okay. Let's go."

  They left Ohio's, waved to the bouncer, and walked slowly back to the Flamingo. This time, Holly noticed that the silence between them didn't feel uncomfortable. They were just being quiet, letting the ocean breeze wash over them. The loud music from different clubs blurred together as they passed. It felt good to be getting away from that blur, for now. Holly looked at Alexa. Her eyes were half-closed, and her hair was tousled.

  "I can't believe you made out with all those boys," Holly said to Alexa quietly. She felt dumb bringing it up, but her curiosity was nibbling away at her.

  "Only two," Alexa sighed. She'd done better. Once, on a good night in Cannes, she'd kissed five.

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  Two more than me, Holly thought. Maybe she should have let Aaron kiss her. But, no. Her first instinct had been right. It was Diego's kisses she wanted to savor. If only she knew for sure that she'd be seeing him before she went home.

  "But it felt... not as good as I'd thought it would," Alexa added, startled by her own honesty. "I mean, at first it was great. But then, I don't know. I wish I hadn't been so drunk." She wasn't sure why she was saying these things to Holly. They were things she wouldn't admit even to Portia. What was with her tonight?

  It was Ohio's, Alexa told herself as they walked into the Flamingo. The place was off. Not her. Tomorrow night, they'd go someplace much more glamorous and cl
assy. Then, she'd be back to her old self.

  After all, she couldn't leave South Beach without breaking her Cannes record.

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  CHAPTER SIX

  Looking for o Boy

  "How hung over do I look?" Alexa asked Holly the next morning. They were on the beach, sprawled out on towels while the ocean lapped at their toes. It was another blindingly gorgeous day.

  "Not bad," Holly said, taking off her sunglasses to get a better look at Alexa. "Maybe a little tired." Alexa was wearing a canary-yellow string bikini. Her hair was swept up in a bun, and with her oversize shades on, she looked like a mysterious old-time movie star.

  "Well if I'd gotten more sleep ... " Alexa said in an accusatory tone. She shot Holly an evil glare, then tilted her face back up toward the lemony sun.

  Much earlier that morning, Holly's miniature travel alarm had gone off, startling both her and Alexa

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  awake. When she was going to bed at two a.m ., Holly had ambitiously set the alarm for seven thirty, thinking she'd go for an early run on the promenade along the beach. Of course, she hadn't counted on feeling like utter crap when the alarm went off. Alexa, pissed, had thrown her lone pillow at Holly's bed, and was unable to drift off again. Holly turned off her alarm and fell into a restless sleep, deciding she'd go for a run some other day. Now, four hours later, both girls were groggy and grouchy -- and Holly was feeling guilty about her laziness.

  "Sorry," Holly said defensively as she readjusted the straps on her Speedo. "I'm just trying to keep healthy and active." Ever since Alexa had rescued her outside Ohio's last night, Holly had been feeling a bit warmer toward her old friend. But now; her irritation had returned.