"I -- did we -- we must have fallen asleep," Holly
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mumbled to Tyler, then glanced at Alexa, who was still standing by the open door.
Alexa crossed her arms over her chest. "You move fast, don't you?" she asked Tyler snidely.
"It's not like that," Tyler protested, his face reddening as he sprung off the bed.
Alexa couldn't believe what she was seeing. Tyler and Holly, together? They hardly knew each other. Alexa wondered, with mounting anger, if Tyler had hooked up with her old friend out of pure spite. Not that Holly had exactly turned him down.
"Yeah? Then what is it like?" Alexa spat. "Oh, wait. I'll tell you. It's gross."
"Alexa, don't get mad," Holly added quietly, standing up. "We didn't mean for you to see us like this and--"
The way Holly said we, as if she and Tyler were an actual couple, only added fuel to Alexa's fire.
"I can't believe you would do this to me, Holly," Alexa snapped. "After everything we've been through on this trip. Some friend you are."
Holly jerked back, surprised by the venom in Alexa's voice. Then she felt her own anger flare up. Alexa was, once again, tainting one of Holly's perfect memories. Did she always have to act like such a diva?
In one fluid motion, Tyler reached for his T-shirt and hoodie on the floor, pulled them on over his track
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pants, laced up his sneakers, and made straight for the door.
"I'll call you later," Tyler said, giving Holly a soft smile as he turned to go. Then he glanced awkwardly at Alexa. "And I'm, uh, really sorry about this, Alexa. I'll, um, see you, I guess."
And he was gone.
Alexa slammed the door behind Tyler and faced Holly again. Alone in the sun-drenched room, the girls glared at each other, their eyes narrowed and their mouths set in stubborn scowls.
"Why did you freak like that?" Holly asked. "You didn't even let me explain--"
"Did you have sex with him?" Alexa cut in.
"That's private," Holly replied, turning cherry-red. "But, if you must know, we didn't, okay?" She rolled her eyes, irritated by the accusation. "God, Alexa. Do you always assume everyone is like you?"
Alexa gritted her teeth. Did Holly have to go flinging that issue in her face again?
"No," Alexa hissed. "I'm just realistic. I walk in here, see you on the bed with my ex-boyfriend -- how am I supposed to react?"
"But, look, I'm still fully clothed," Holly said. "We met down on the beach, and started talking, and then we came up here to talk more. That's all..." Holly's face warmed at the memory of how she and Tyler had
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cuddled on her bed for hours. Drifting off in his strong-arms had felt so comfortable. "Stop jumping to conclusions," Holly added, narrowing her eyes at Alexa.
Alexa paused. So this is how Holly must have felt that night at the Delano, Alexa realized with a twinge of guilt. She must have had the same involuntary jealous-girl reaction: He's mine!
But Tyler isn't mine, Alexa reflected. I dumped him. And, despite her moment of weakness the other night, Alexa knew she didn't have feelings for Tyler anymore. She remembered how Holly had selflessly urged her to call Diego yesterday, putting aside her own raw emotions. Who's being the baby now? Alexa thought, suddenly feeling a little silly.
Holly watched as Alexa's face softened, and her own anger subsided. She sympathized with how surprised Alexa must have felt, seeing her with Tyler; after all, Holly had been in that same position herself only a few days ago.
"Listen, we're being stupid," Holly said quietly. "We can't get into another fight." It was their last full day in South Beach, after all; Holly didn't want their trip to end in more hostility.
Alexa relaxed her shoulders. "Especially not over a boy," she agreed. She felt a smile tug at her lips. "I'm sorry I overreacted," she added.
"Truce?" Holly offered, smiling back.
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"Truce," Alexa affirmed. She leaned against the dresser, setting down her orchids, as Holly sat on the edge of her bed.
"So ..." Alexa said after a moment. "How did you and Tyler start talking last night?" Now that she was less pissed, Alexa was extremely curious.
Holly blushed, folding her hands in her lap, as she told Alexa about running into Tyler on the shore, and their instant chemistry.
"But I don't know if it's anything serious," Holly concluded. "I mean, it might have just been a onetime thing." Though she couldn't help but remember the way Tyler had looked at her while he was making his swift getaway. They'd exchanged cell numbers last night, and he was still staying at the Flamingo -- they could easily see each other again. And, of course, there was school. Holly shook her head. She had to be careful not to get too invested.
"Well, you never know," Alexa said. She tapped a finger to her lower lip, thoughtful. Of course. Holly and Tyler -- it suddenly made perfect sense. They had the whole sports obsession in common. And they were both -- sometimes annoyingly, sometimes adorably -- innocent. Alexa remembered that when she and Tyler had broken up in Oakridge, she'd assured him he would find the right girl for himself. Maybe, in a totally unexpected way, Tyler had done just that.
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"The whole thing's so surreal," Alexa said. "I mean, it's Tyler. And it's you. " She shook her head, then gave Holly a half-smile. "And at the same time, it works. Though it'll take some getting used to."
"That's how I feel about you and Diego," Holly said. "I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it."
Alexa laughed at the absurdity of it all. "I guess we kind of... swapped boys, huh?"
"The great spring break switch." Holly giggled. She looked at Alexa affectionately, thinking about how far they'd come together. Naturally they were both weirded out by their respective boy situations who wouldn't be? But they weren't going to let the weird-ness ruin their bond.
A knock sounded on the door. When Alexa opened it, there stood a wilted-looking Daisy. Barefoot, she wore a tube top and hot pants and held in her hands the red flip-flops Alexa had loaned her on their first day in South Beach.
"Hey," Daisy whispered. "I wasn't sure if you guys were up but I thought I heard you laughing in here. I just got back from Mac's Club Deuce, and I remembered you guys were leaving this morning, so I wanted to return the flip-flops."
"Thanks," Alexa said, accepting the flip-flops. "We're actually leaving tomorrow morning."
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"Great!" Daisy said. "So can you guys come to the bonfire and concert on the beach tonight?"
"Of course," Alexa replied. She'd seen posters advertising the concert tacked up around the beach, and had been intrigued. Daisy said she'd see them there, and headed to her room. Alexa shut the door and looked at the flip-flops in her hand, remembering how Daisy had come to their room their first day at the Flamingo. Alexa couldn't believe how much had happened between then and now.
"Hey, Alexa," Holly said gently. "Is it okay with you if I invite Tyler to the bonfire, too?"
"It's up to you, Hoi." Alexa shrugged. "You don't need to ask my permission."
"I just wanted to make sure ..." Holly trailed off.
Alexa walked over to the bed and sat beside Holly, poking her in the ribs. "I know. I appreciate your asking."
"What about you?" Holly asked, leaning back on her elbows. "Are you gonna bring Diego?"
"No. He has to do family stuff tonight. So we already said our good-byes." Alexa stared off, her expression dreamy.
Holly sat up, her eyes round. "Wait," she said, as if something had just occurred to her. "You spent the night at Diego's!" In all the chaos that morning, that fact had barely registered.
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Alexa nodded, not offering anything else.
"So ... what happened?" Holly asked, holding her breath for Alexa's response.
But Alexa only smiled mysteriously, stood, and glided over her to the dresser drawers to take out a towel for the shower. Holly gave an impatient sigh, and Alexa turned to face her again.
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sp; "As you said, Hoi, it's private, right?" Alexa replied breezily, her eyes sparkling. Then she grinned and drifted out of the room with her towel.
Holly fell back on her bed, secretly relieved. Maybe there were some things best left unknown.
Alexa and Holly spent the rest of the morning packing. Their flight was early the next day, and they wanted to leave their last night free for fun. Alexa felt a twinge of melancholy as she spread her outfit for the plane on top of her luggage: Seven Jeans, a faux-fur chubby, and moccasin boots. Back to winter, she thought. Back to reality. Holly, who was laying out a hoodie and cords on top of her zipped-up bags, looked equally forlorn.
But, with the packing out of the way, there still remained a full day of sunshine to savor. As he'd promised, Tyler called Holly, and they agreed to go for an afternoon run on the boardwalk. Meanwhile, Alexa mellowed out on the beach and talked to Diego on her
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cell. Diego told Alexa that he hoped to get a summer internship at Princeton, meaning he might be up in New Jersey as early as June. They also discussed the tantalizing possibility- of taking a whirlwind trip to Paris. Alexa was so satisfied with what lay ahead that she was able to tell Diego, sincerely, that she didn't mind his not being able to attend the bonfire that night.
"You'll just have to make it up to me the next time I see you," she teased, before they said good-bye again.
Over on the boardwalk, Holly and Tyler were also talking about that night's bonfire as they ran side by side, keeping pace with each other. Holly had invited him along, and a psyched Tyler said he'd call Holly before he was ready to head out.
Tyler makes things so simple, Holly thought. When they'd met up in the Flamingo lobby before their run, Tyler had kissed Holly hello, and asked if things were patched up with Alexa. When Holly assured him that they were, he'd grinned and they'd headed out. She glanced at him now. In the daylight, with his burnished-gold hair and lightly tanned skin, he seemed to glow. Holly couldn't get over his ridiculous hotness.
"So are we gonna keep this up when we're back in Oakridge?" Tyler asked Holly as their sneakers pounded the wooden slats of the boardwalk.
"What?" Holly gasped, momentarily thinking that he meant their relationship. "Oh, you mean, running?
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You bet. I try to go every morning. And I expect you to keep up with me," she added teasingly.
"I hope I can," Tyler said. He slowed down to a walk and gave Holly a long, steady look. "And I hope we see each other, you know, when we're not running, too."
Holly slowed her steps, but now it was her pulse that raced. Tyler stopped walking and took hold of Holly's hand.
"I have an idea," he said, smiling. "I know you're leaving tomorrow, but I think you should change your plane ticket. That way we can go back together on Saturday."
Holly searched Tyler's face, her heart tip-tapping against her ribs. Yes, she'd told Alexa that kissing Tyler might not lead to anything more. But now Holly felt, with utter certainty, that this was already something more. Neither she nor Tyler could deny it.
"I'd love to," she told Tyler honestly Still, Holly knew she had to return to Oakridge tomorrow. Her parents were expecting her. And, most of all. Holly wanted to fly home with Alexa. They'd made the voyage out together. It seemed only fitting that the trip back be the same.
"But I can't," Holly went on reluctantly. "My parents would kill me."
Tyler nodded. "My mom and dad are pretty strict,
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too. They barely even let me come down here. It's like I have to map out a plan of attack whenever I need their permission to do something."
One more thing we have in common, Holly thought, tightening her grip on Tyler's hand.
"So that's cool." Tyler sighed, looking disappointed. "But can call I you tomorrow? What time does your flight get in?"
Holly gave Tyler the details, then kissed his cheek, and they resumed their run. Now that Holly knew they would still see each other in Oakridge, an array of possibilities opened up in her mind: Tyler driving her to school in the mornings. Tyler coming over to her house. She and Tyler making plans for the weekend. And she was sure even her parents would like him. Holly grinned.
Suddenly, going back to New Jersey didn't seem so dreary after all.
By the time Holly and Alexa had returned to the motel and showered, the sun was setting, and the other Flamingo kids had left for the bonfire. When a towel-clad Holly received the call from Tyler, she insisted that he go ahead to the beach without her, and that she'd meet him there. She'd feel bad making him wait around the Flamingo while she got dressed. And,
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besides, Holly thought, feeling very girl-power, even if Tyler was sort of becoming her boyfriend, that didn't mean she needed him to escort her everywhere.
She and Alexa threw on their clothes -- Holly in capris and a racer-back green tank, Alexa in a lavender strapless cotton dress. They picked up their bags and towels -- in case they wanted to stargaze while at the bonfire -- and Alexa locked the door behind them. The girls flip-flopped noisily down the stairs, and crossed Ocean Drive.
The bonfire was being held a few beaches over, and Alexa and Holly decided to walk on the sand for a while, not the promenade, to get there. Holly noticed that the beach nearest to the Flamingo was already empty at this hour; most people were probably on their way to the concert. Alexa and Holly strolled along the sand, and then they both stopped, captivated by the sight of the sun sinking into the ocean. The sky leveled off into different colors: peach, cranberry, indigo. The sun's rays shone very brightly for an instant, and then began to fade softly.
Holly had the most acute sense of time passing. Soon, twilight would shift into night, and night into morning, and then -- they'd be gone. "Wow," she murmured, her eyes on the horizon. "That's a nice send-off for us."
Alexa grabbed Holly's arm. "It's not over yet!" she
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cried. Alexa never liked to admit when her travels were corning to a close; she had to soak up every last moment.
"Almost," Holly said. "Though I wish we had more time here."
"We have plenty of time," Alexa said, still holding Holly's arm. "Time to make spring break official."
"What are you talking about?" Holly asked, a slow smile spreading across her face.
"Remember when I told you to tell your parents that you're supposed to go crazy on spring break?" Alexa said. "Well, we've done a lot on our trip, but I don't know if any of it qualifies as truly crazy"
Holly's stomach jumped as inspiration struck. She looked around to make sure the darkening beach was truly empty, and then gave Alexa an impish grin.
"Have you ever gone skinny-dipping?" Holly asked.
"Tons of times," Alexa replied, laughing. "And you?"
Holly shook her head. She'd missed out on the experience when her friends had gone without her to the Jersey Shore. And, at summer camp, she'd almost done it, but the thought of anyone seeing her naked had been too mortifying. Holly thought back to Aaron walking in on her in the shower; she'd been ashamed, yes, but it hadn't killed her. Standing on the beach this evening, Holly felt much more secure in her own body.
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She was, after all, the Pulse TV bikini contest champion.
"Do you want to go now?" Alexa asked, accurately reading the mischievous twinkle in Holly's eyes. She, too, scoped out the beach for any witnesses. "Before the bonfire?" she added.
"Well, haven't you gone skinny-dipping tons of times, Alexa?" Holly challenged, nudging her friend. "Are you chickening out?"
Alexa grinned at Holly. "Is that a dare?"
"Double dare," Holly said, heading toward the water and motioning for Alexa to join her. "Now or never."
"Okay, but just for two seconds," Alexa said, following her.
Since when am I the cautious one? she wondered as she and Holly raced to the shore.
Stifling their giggles, the girls shimmied out of their clothes, and tore toward the ocean. They shriek
ed as they dove into the Atlantic, swimming out, and under. The water was surprisingly mild, and the gentle waves lapped against their bare skin. Alexa immediately relaxed, enjoying the sensation of floating totally nude as night fell around her. She and Holly smiled at each other, only their heads visible above the dark-blue waves.
Holly was loving the feel of the water against her skin, and not feeling embarrassed at all. Now she
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understood skinny-dipping's appeal; it was completely liberating. Intoxicating. Holly spread her arms wide and leaned back into the ocean's embrace, looking up at the endless sky.
When they started getting goose bumps the girls decided to swim back to shore, grateful for the blanket of near darkness -- and their waiting towels. Wrapped only in terry cloth, they collapsed onto the sand and broke into gales of laughter.
"Did we really just do that?" Alexa gasped, and Holly could only nod, giggling helplessly.
Once their laughter had subsided, the girls sat still on the sand, listening to the gentle rhythm of the tide. Both of them felt tingly and refreshed, their skin still damp and cool. They let the wind dry their hair as they watched the sky come alive with stars.
"It won't be like this when we're back in Oakridge," Holly spoke quietly.
"Like what?" Alexa asked.
"Like ... how close we are right now," Holly said, choosing her words carefully. "South Beach is a break from reality. When we're back at school on Monday, all of this will disappear." She gestured to where they were sitting on the beach.
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