Kissing Is the Easy Part

Chapter 21 The beach

Carmen stretched her legs and started to add another layer of sunscreen. "Janet has way more talent than a lot of the artist on the market. Her band is called fishnets. You really should give her a listen."

"Okay. That should be...entertaining," Leslie chose her words carefully, finally deciding on an adjective that seemed positive yet showed the exact opposite effect. "None of that heavy metal stuff, I hope."

That did not sound condescending. I gripped myself on the shoulders mentally and willed myself to believe it. I felt like she just crushed something precious in me before acting as if she stepped on a piece of gum.

She looked down on my band with her arrogant musician's pride like we didn't count as music. It annoyed me the way it always did when people praised Beethoven and bashed The Doors.

"Do you know there are many rock subgenres?" I took it upon myself to educate her, but Flora patted me on the shoulder.

"Wait, hold that thought," she said, sitting up straighter. "Something more important just came up. Look, they get their slow motion entrance!"

We followed her gaze and saw a group of surfers emerge from the water. They were total hunks. She was referring to the fact that whenever hot people appear on the screen in comedies, it always turns to slow motion.

"I'm glad I wore my metallic gold bikini today." Sandra propped herself on her elbows to get a better view. "Eating only chocolates and black coffee for a week really helps."

"I'm surprised you survived," Carmen said. "How does it work?"

"Well, the caffeine gives me the energy I need, and the coco oil keeps me from drying up. You should totally try, Carmen. Losing a few pounds will work you wonders," Sandra explained, then she turned her attention back to the beachfront. "Look, the one on the left. He's a nine."

"I can't rate them when there're at least 32 packs of abs staring back at me," Flora said in her usual boy-crazy way. "My ovaries are in pain."

We giggled and took turns giving them scores. Rarely did we find ourselves in a situation where much debate was needed. Most of the time a hot guy was accompanied by some of his mediocre friends, but this gang had the potential to be a boy band.

At this moment Leslie spoke up voluntarily for the very first time. "Janet, don't you have a boyfriend?" It was as if she caught me frenching the guys.

"Yes I do, and?" I didn't bother to hide my irritation. Sandra had a boyfriend too but even Leslie knew not to mess with her.

"Nothing," Leslie said quickly, but not quick enough to stop from adding another layer of tension to our lovely girl talk session.

"Janet's boyfriend is a doctor," Flora said enthusiastically. I couldn't tell if she was trying to make something good out of this topic, or she was just oblivious. "Well, premed, to be exact, but he'll get there eventually, which makes him an automatic ten. By the way Leslie, you haven't voiced your opinion yet. I want to know which of these guys you find the best-looking."

"I'm curious too," Carmen chipped in.

Flora's eyes danced. "If you tell me Sean is hotter than all of them, I'm going to go right off to the ocean and drown myself."

We giggled. Flora was very cool for an ex-girlfriend, and for a while the atmosphere relaxed a little, like a rubber band which lost the ability to contract after being stretched for too long.

Leslie pulled her plaid shirt tighter, then she tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ears. She looked flustered. "I don't want to play this game," she muttered and glanced away.