“Hey, all I know is I’ve gotta walk around in the sun all day and be up till like, whatever time tonight, so I’m just tryin’ to get some sleep now. You don’t wanna deal with me when I’m grouchy, Jilly.”
Jill giggled again, loving how he called her Jilly. He had just randomly started calling her that one day last year; no one else had ever called her that before him. “Oh, don’t I?”
Suddenly Todd shoved the seat back even farther, so that it was on Jill’s lap. He looked up at her with a grin.
“You brat!” Jill mussed his long sandy brown hair roughly. He looked so hot right now, in his tight white T-shirt and Hawaiian swimsuit. Electric waves flowed through her fingers as she touched his head.
“Oh, Jilly, you know you love me.” Todd reached up and grabbed her head with both hands, pulling her face down toward his.
“Ahh!” Jill shrieked with a laugh. “Get off me! Stop it!” She pushed him away.
“Hey, turn it up!” Hilton cried suddenly. “Jill, listen!”
It was “Love Shack,” one of Jill and Hilton’s favorite songs to dance to at school dances.
Jill grinned at her, and they both began singing loudly. As Jill sang, the thought crossed her mind that a year ago, this situation would have been completely out of the question. She never would have been singing in a car with anyone other than her family, and she definitely wouldn’t have felt so comfortable with three people who weren’t Hillary, Lorylyn, and Sam.
Wow, Jill thought suddenly. These really are three people I didn’t even know a year ago – all people I felt intimidated by when I first met them – and now I’m on my way to Cedar Point with them, having the time of my life.
She hadn’t ever even hung out that much with Landon, but for some reason at his party last week, she’d come to suddenly feel much more at ease around him. It was probably the way he had come up to her and Hilton and joked around with both of them, she decided now. Instead of only talking to Hilton, like in the past.
And now the four of them were hanging out together, sharing an adventure that would always be just between the four of them...or the eight of them if she counted Hillary, Dirk, Lorylyn, and Brady. She, Jill Sherer, was making memories with Landon Kessler, one of the most popular guys in school. And he treated her like she was completely cool. And, even better, she was with her two new best friends, Hilton and Todd.
As she and Hilton continued to belt out “Love Shack,” Jill thought how much fun this foursome was. For the first time, she realized, she actually felt like she was a part of this group, not just someone they let tag along.
Maybe I’ll start dating Todd, she thought. And Hilton will start dating Landon, and the whole summer will be perfect, just like this...
***
“Oh my gosh, this is so great,” Lorylyn sighed dreamily as she leaned against the bathroom wall, waiting for Hillary and Jill. “I’m soooo glad we came with the guys.” She flashed a mischievous grin.
It was almost two in the afternoon, and so far the day had been wonderful...sun, fairly short lines for the rollercoasters, lots of laughter and flirting.
“Me too!” Hillary agreed, running her hands under the tiny stream of water leaking out of the faucet. “What are you gonna do with Brady tonight?” She raised her eyebrows devilishly at Lorylyn.
“I told you, nothing. I’m not ready....You don’t think he’ll be mad, do you?”
“Probably not,” Jill assured her hurriedly. “He said he wouldn’t pressure you.”
“I know. I’m just excited to be alone with him though. And not in his car or one of our houses.”
Hillary gave Lorylyn a knowing grin. “I hear ya!”
“Are you gonna have sex with Dirk?” Jill asked, dying to know.
Hillary hesitated, but her still-in-place grin told her answer before she did. “Yeah, I think so. Oh my gosh, you guys...I’m so excited, but I’m really nervous too. I kinda wanna ask Hilton about it....Do you think she had sex with Reed?”
Jill snickered, then quickly covered her mouth. Hillary and Lorylyn looked at her. “Sorry, no, it’s nothing, but I don’t think she did.”
“So do you think anything’s gonna happen with you and Todd? Or Hilton and Landon?” Lorylyn asked as they started toward the exit.
“I don’t know,” Jill said with a coy smile that widened as Hillary and Lorylyn both squealed.
“You better make out with Todd, Jill!” Hillary said.
“Sssshhh!” Jill cried. They were almost outside, and what if Todd was right outside the door?!
“Get it, get it!” Hillary whispered, slapping Jill on the shoulder as they left the restroom.
Todd, Landon, Brady, Dirk, and Hilton were sitting on a bench several yards away. Hilton was giggling at something Landon had said and pushing him away.
“Oh, they’re so hooking up,” Lorylyn giggled, then skipped up to join the group. She slid her arms around Brady’s waist and looked up at him happily, her black ponytail shining in the sunlight.
Brady leaned down and kissed her, and Jill smiled. They were so cute. But it made her jealous too; being around couples made her want to be with Todd even more than normal.
“Where next?” Landon asked.
“The Raptor!” Hilton said, jumping up and bounding a few steps ahead. “Come on!”
***
Jill and Hilton both bought their group picture from the Raptor. The seats were four across, and Hilton and Jill were in the middle, with Landon and Todd on the outsides. They had all made faces at the camera, and Todd’s hair was flying about more wildly than Jill’s or Hilton’s, who both had theirs in ponytails. It was a blissful moment frozen in time, two best friends with the boys of their dreams, and Jill knew she and Hilton would both treasure the picture for a long time.
***
“I’m so excited! I love the light show!” Lorylyn said as she snuggled back against Brady’s chest.
They sat on the cement, several yards back from the huge screen and surrounded by hundreds of people, waiting for the Summer Spectacular to begin. The show included lasers, music, and fireworks, and Jill, Hillary, and Lorylyn had always referred to it as the “light show.”
“I can’t wait to hear ‘Proud to be an American,’ ” Jill said, smiling contentedly as she pulled her knees up to her chest.
“Aww, me too!” Lorylyn grinned at her. “That’s my favorite part!”
Jill rocked back, then stretched out her legs and crossed them in front of her, leaning back on her hands. She couldn’t get comfortable, and she desperately wanted to be leaning back on Todd like Lorylyn and Hillary were doing to Brady and Dirk.
“I wish it would start!” Hilton said impatiently. “My back’s killing me from sitting here like this!”
“I’ll give you a backrub,” Landon offered.
“Oh, I love you, Landon.” Hilton giggled and scooted over in front of him. Once she was in place, he started kneading her shoulders with his large hands, and Hilton smiled delightedly at Jill out of the corner of her eye.
Jill grinned back, but now she felt totally left out. She and Todd were the only ones not acting couple-y.
“Come on, Todd, give Jill one,” Hilton said. “You’re not being a very good friend.” She winked at Jill with a wicked grin.
Jill glared, but she and Hilton both knew she was really saying, Thank you, Hilton!
“All right, why not? You want it, Jilly?”
“Um...I guess. But not like the way you’re making it sound. Just the backrub.” She sat between his legs, savoring the feeling of being close to him. Their bare legs were touching…
Todd began to massage her shoulders, and Jill practically shivered. His touch gave her tingly feelings all over her body. His fingers were long and wiry and strong, and he was a little rough, but it felt good. Jill wanted so badly to look at Hilton, because she knew they were both loving this, but she didn’t want Todd or Landon to see.
Todd moved his hands from Jill’s shoulders and slid the
m down her arms, rubbing circles with his thumbs and fingers. Suddenly his hot breath was on her ear and Jill gasped.
“Maybe we could do this again later, with some hot oil and without the clothes.”
Shocked, Jill froze for a second. Then, realizing he was joking, she squirmed and tried to elbow him, but he had too good of a grip on her arms. “You’re such a dork,” she laughed, glad he couldn’t see her face.
Todd laughed, sitting up straight behind her again and moving his hands back to her shoulders.
Jill let out a whoosh of breath and raised her eyebrows at the baseball cap of the guy a few feet in front of her. A tiny smiled curled the corners of her lips.
***
Later, at the hotel, the eight of them relaxed in the hot tub for a little while. Todd and Dirk both got out to dive in the pool, then climbed right back in the hot tub.
“Damn, that was cold!” Dirk yelled, shivering as he plunged back into the hot tub. Hillary wrapped her arms around him, and he held onto her tightly, their nearly naked bodies pressed closely together. They started whispering. Hillary had a cat-like smile on her face.
Jill watched them, half jealous, half annoyed. By the looks of it, they were definitely going to have sex. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other.
Dirk pulled back from Hillary and stretched, an innocent grin spreading across his face. “All right, we’re goin’ to sleep. I mean...to bed.”
Hillary giggled and pulled on his hand, and they climbed out of the hot tub and walked back toward the hotel with their arms around each other.
Jill, Hilton, and Lorylyn shared a knowing grin, their eyebrows raised eagerly.
“You guys have fun,” Todd called loudly.
“Well,” Brady said, pushing himself up out of the hot tub into a sitting position on the edge, “I’m ready to head in too. Do you guys mind if we hang out in your room for a while?” He shot a glance toward the hotel. “I’m guessing we should give them a little time.” He grinned and pushed his always-present black curl away from his eye. It immediately fell back into place.
“That’s cool, man,” Landon said.
“Yeah, just don’t mess around on our beds!” Hilton said.
“Oh, shut up!” Lorylyn giggled as she climbed out after Brady and grabbed his hand to pull him to his feet.
“My key’s right there,” Landon said, pointing to a lounge chair where his plastic hotel card lay. Brady grabbed it.
“Have a good time, guys,” Jill said, winking at Lorylyn.
Lorylyn and Brady walked off hand in hand, teasing each other about something. Lorylyn squealed and jumped away from Brady, and he grabbed her and put her in a headlock. Her giggles wafted back across the still night air.
Jill sank down in the hot swirling water with a contented smile. This whole day had probably been one of the best days of her life. Everything was going so well, and she was having so much fun....If only she could figure out some way to hook up with Todd tonight. What could she do to make it happen? He’d been flirting with her all day, but that was just like always...she still couldn’t tell if he was interested or not. Lorylyn was always telling her he had to be if he flirted with her that much, but Jill wasn’t sure. That was kind of just his personality.
“Hey, let’s go skinny-dipping,” Hilton said suddenly, a gleam in her golden-brown eyes. She looked around to see who was interested.
“How about you girls go and we’ll just watch?” Landon asked with a grin.
Hilton raised her eyebrows. “Jill?”
“All right, I’ll go.” She was feeling daring, and maybe it would turn Todd on. She grinned at Hilton, and they walked up the steps of the hot tub.
They approached the pool slowly, looking down at the still black water.
“It’s gonna be freezing,” Jill said.
“I know. Come on, let’s just go.” Hilton grabbed Jill’s hand and jumped, pulling Jill with her.
Their hands slipped apart as they descended to the bottom of the pool. When Jill surfaced, feeling a shock from the abrupt temperature change, Hilton was pushing back the loose strands of hair that had escaped her ponytail.
“All right, boys!” Hilton called. She rustled around in the water, then all of a sudden she raised her right arm to show her pale pink bikini top in her hand. She grinned at the boys and tossed it onto the deck, then started to take off her bottoms.
Jill followed suit, tossing her black bikini onto the deck beside Hilton’s.
“Sure you don’t wanna join us?” Hilton called.
“I think you should come join us,” Landon called back.
“Nope, you’re the ones missing out; if you want it, come get it!”
Landon suddenly pushed himself out of the hot tub in one motion and lunged toward the pool.
Hilton and Jill shrieked, quickly treading backwards in the water.
Landon laughed. Then he turned and walked over to where Hilton’s and Jill’s swimsuits were lying. He picked up Hilton’s top and dangled it from his fingers.
“What now? What now, huh?”
“Landon Kessler! You better put that down!”
“Oh, yeah? What if I don’t?”
“Oh, you will.”
“Damn, pretty confident. What makes you think that?”
“ ‘Cause if you keep it, all that’ll happen is I’ll get out with my arms across my chest and run inside, and you won’t even see anything. But if you leave it there for me to put on when I get out, I might let you take it off again later.”
Jill’s mouth dropped open. Hilton was teasing, and yet she wasn’t....Jill could suddenly tell by looking from Hilton to Landon that something was going on there.
How did Hilton pick up on that, and always know whether a guy wanted to hook up with her or not?! She’d never made a move with Landon before because she said he thought of her like a little sister, when Jill had been sure Hilton could get him if she tried. But it was like Hilton had been exactly right, and now all of a sudden something had changed between the two of them. The way Landon and Hilton had acted all day up until now hadn’t seemed any different from normal to Jill...and yet the two of them both just seemed to know it was different. How would Jill ever know with Todd?! How would she know when that line was being crossed from goofy flirting to the real thing?
Landon hesitated a moment, mirroring Hilton’s teasing yet challenging gaze, then dropped her swimsuit top back on the ground.
“Hey, guys, I think I’m headed in,” Todd said with a yawn as he pulled himself out of the hot tub. “I’m about ready to pass out.”
“I guess I’ll go too,” Jill said quickly, swimming to the edge of the pool and pulling her swimsuit into the water and back onto her body. There was definitely something in the air here, and Hilton and Landon probably wanted to be alone. Plus Jill wanted to be wherever Todd was.
Jill hurried after Todd, pausing for a brief second to glance back at Landon and Hilton. It looked like Hilton was putting her swimsuit back on under the water. Jill hastily turned away and quickened her steps to keep up with Todd.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so cold now,” she said, shivering and folding her arms tightly across her chest.
“Maybe that hot oil massage will warm you up,” Todd said with a grin, and Jill laughed and shoved him.
When they entered their room, it was empty. Lorylyn and Brady must have been able to go back to their own room...Jill wondered what had happened with Hillary and Dirk. Right now, at this very moment, Hillary might not be a virgin anymore! It was crazy to think about.
Todd flopped onto one of the beds and turned on the TV.
“Todd! You’re gonna get the bed all wet!”
“Ah, whatever, it’s all good.”
Jill stood awkwardly, her arms still crossed in front of her. She wanted more than anything to go sit down on the bed with Todd, but that would be way too obvious...if she sat on the same bed as him when there was another empty bed. Plus, she’d just complained about him getting the bed
wet, and she was wet too, and freezing...
“Okay, um, I’m gonna take a shower, I guess,” she said reluctantly, afraid Hilton and Landon would be back by the time she got out and she’d miss her chance with Todd.
“ ‘Kay, cool. I’ll be here.” Todd nodded in her direction and continued flipping through the channels.
Jill’s heart sank as she quickly pulled boxers and a wife-beater out of her duffel bag and headed into the bathroom. She knew it was stupid and totally improbable, but she’d almost been hoping Todd would make some comment about them showering together, and then she’d say something sexy and seductive like Hilton had to Landon...and then...
Stop it, Jill! she told herself. Just hurry and shower and get back out there...maybe something will happen before Hilton and Landon get back!
***
When Lorylyn and Brady had gotten back to the hotel, they’d gone into Jill, Hilton, Landon, and Todd’s room to give Hillary and Dirk some time alone.
“So, we’re alone too...” Brady said suggestively as they dried themselves off with towels from the bathroom. His eyes grinned at Lorylyn from underneath his curly hair. Suddenly he tackled her, sending her crashing backwards onto the bed with him falling on top of her.
“Brady!” she squealed with a giggle. “Stop it! We can’t, this is somebody else’s bed!”
“Oh, it’s just a little making out.” He planted a playful, sloppy kiss on her, and she squealed again delightedly.
“Stop it!” she giggled, turning her head to the side. “Seriously, it’s weird...what if they walk in?”
“All right, hold on.” Brady pushed himself to his feet and walked toward the door.
Lorylyn sat up. “Where are you going?”
“I’m gonna check what’s goin’ on in our room. I’m ready to go back. Enough of this not making out stuff.”
He grinned at her as he stepped into the hallway, and Lorylyn grinned at the carpet, happy and excited. This was so much fun. She was so glad they’d come with the boys!
A moment later Brady was back. “They’re in the shower,” he said with a disbelieving grin, raising his eyebrows in laughter. “Come on, I’m sure we have some time.”
Lorylyn followed him back to their own room, and he pulled her down on the bed beside him. As they kissed, Brady rubbed his foot up her leg, then threw his leg over hers, pulling their bodies closer together.