Heartstrings (Prequel) Forbidden Heart Series

11| A switch being flipped

"I still don't understand why you left the hotel with him in the first place, Karma. He's my brother. And annoying."

Determined to keep my gaze away from Lanie, I eyed the bathing suit rack in front of me. When she asked if I wanted to go shopping with her and Harper today, I jumped on it. After spending the day with Nathan yesterday, I was in serious need of some girl time.

But instinct and experience had me treading softly. Lanie had a knack for finding out anything she wanted to know. And the whole USF thing, plus mom drama, and basically spending all day with Nathan was something that I didn't want her to know.

"Believe me, Lanie, I didn't want to go anywhere with him. But I needed to get out of the hotel for a little while."

"So why not come down to the beach with me and Harper? You missed flirting with all the hot guys."

I didn't know about that. . .

A red and black bikini caught my eye and I pulled it off the rack to examine it. "I told you I wasn't feeling well, L. I just didn't want to be in the sun. I ran into Nathan in the hall and he told me he was going to get food for everyone. I was pretty much using him for his ride."

In a way it was true. Except the part about using him. And running into him in the hall.

"I guess that's good then," she mumbled, pulling a tank top off of another rack. "By the way, we're doing our little break-out tomorrow."

"Wait, we're going to the club tomorrow night? Why tomorrow?"

"Why not?" Harper asked. "Seems as good a day as any. Besides, we already told Lanie's mom that we're going to the movies tomorrow night for the ten o'clock showing of Step Up."

"That's out already?" I frowned. "Wait, I told you I actually wanted to see that movie."

"We can see it again back home," Lanie went on. "you promised me, Karma. There's no getting out of tomorrow night."

"Fine," I groaned. "I just feel weird about it. I've never been good at the whole sneak-out thing, ya know?"

"Yeah," Harper quipped. "you're more of a by-the-book kinda girl, aren't you?"

"Are you calling me a goodie two shoes? A do-gooder? Basically a princess-y good girl?" I snapped. "I will have you know, Lanie Jenkins and Harper Lewis, that I can be as much of a bad girl as the two of you."

They both laughed and Lanie pointed a finger at me.

"Please! I would love to see you break a rule! Actually, I would pay good money to see it."

With a glare I carried the red and black bikini to the fitting room. "I hope you're willing to put your money where your mouth is, Lanie, because I am more than prepared to show you how much of a bad girl I can be."

"I don't know, Karma. Jaywalking and staying up till ten at night playing sudoku doesn't really cut it."

Harper turned towards Lanie with a frown. "That's a little harsh, L."

"Thank you, Harper."

"Well, not really harsh as much as inaccurate." Harper shot me an amused expression. "Karma doesn't jaywalk."

They both burst out laughing and I rolled my eyes. I loved these two to death, but once they got started with the jokes, it was almost impossible to stop.

"Laugh it up," I said through the door of the fitting room. "I'm going to surprise the both of you. I'm going to be known as Karma: The Rule Breaker!"

I tried the bathing suit on an studied my reflection. It was really cute. The top was red with black stripes along the sides. Then the bottoms were just solid black.