2 Chapter 2

Brad’s face lit up, so at least one of us was excited about the prospect.

Strains of electric guitar were wafting through the air from a boombox somewhere while I took my first bite of dinner and watched another couple emerging from the river. It was Marianne and Tom. Like Brad, Tom had elected to float down the river in an old pair of cut-off jean shorts, and river water continued to stream down over his legs as he walked onto the shore.

Marianne on the other hand, was sporting an electric blue Lycra one-piece racing suit that glistened in the sun as it dried and did very little to hide her broad shoulders and narrow hips. I wondered what she would look like in a little red two-piece like mine and quickly decided that the sporty look suited her much better.

Tom and Marianne had been dating for as long as I can remember and made a cute couple. They were also both rather quiet, and after a full day of shenanigans on the river that was just fine by me. I motioned them over and they ambled up with paper plates and beers in their hands.

Tom was in a couple of my classes this past year, so we got along fairly well. Marianne I hardly knew. Even though they were always together outside of school, she had a different schedule during the day, and as a result I mostly knew her as the tall, shy girl on Tom’s arm at social occasions.

“You look a little pink, Tom,” I said. “Better put some aloe on that or you’ll be hurting later.”

“Yeah, I suppose.” He grinned.

Marianne didn’t say anything, but I wasn’t surprised, she really never did. She just sat down and tucked into her dinner.

“You decide what you’re going to major in yet, Marianne?” I asked her between bites, trying some easy conversation to make sure she didn’t feel left out.

“Not really,” she said. “Not even sure where I’ll be going to school.”

“Seriously? You’ve only got about a month to figure it out. I guess I figured you and Tom…” I paused. Marianne wasn’t looking at me. Tom wasn’t looking at me. And I felt like I had just stepped in something.

Maybe they weren’t as solid as I thought. I didn’t get a chance to ask her about it though.

“Shit! Look out!” I heard, but too late. Some guy was running after a volleyball that just so happened to bounce right smack in the middle of our table sending Marianne’s beer can over onto its side with the contents ending up as a puddle in her lap. “Sorry!” the guy yelled as he ran past, still chasing after the ball.

“Ick,” was all Marianne offered.

“No kidding,” I agreed.

“I’m gonna need a shower,” she said and got up from the table.

“Hang on, I’ll go with you,” I said. “Got to rinse this river muck out of my hair or I’m going to be smelling like a dead fish all night.” I didn’t want Marianne going off alone in an unfamiliar place, but selfishly, I was kind of interested in what the heck was going on with her and Tom.

* * * *

I stood in front of a mirror that looked like it had seen better days and ran a towel over my long blonde hair. I was still wearing my bathing suit and had even kept it on in the shower, since this was a public facility, and I did not want to become an accidental exhibitionist. I could wait to change once I got back to the privacy of the tent.

Marianne emerged from her shower stall a minute later. She must have had the same idea I did, because she was still in her bathing suit too, and it was shiny from being wet. Ever the shy one, Marianne didn’t really meet my gaze as she stood next to me toweling off her short hair. Though every so often I swear I caught her checking me out in the mirror. I smiled.

I’m not surprised. My body had really filled out over the last year and I would catch plenty of guys fixing me with a lecherous gaze, and even some of the girls in what I decided must be minor fits of jealousy.

Marianne probably had it worse than most. Throughout high school she never really made it out of the gangly pre-adolescent tomboy stage and had very little going on in the chest department. She certainly grew up, just not out. Her slim figure was nicely tanned, and even I was well aware of her enchanting green eyes and full honey-colored lips. I could certainly see why Tom found her attractive.