Chapter 19

Last seen: Emma Graham, Amanda Peters, Elizabeth Patrick, and Nicky Woods (seniors of Patricia Loyalton School for Girls) sunbathing in St. Barts, topless. Nearby, their male equivalents from Kingston School for Boys played beach volleyball with a few other teenage boys they had met.

Look ... Emma dropped the magazine onto the middle of the table where the girls were sitting outside next to the beach bar, eating lunch. She had just picked it up at the resort's connection-to-the-world-outside-this-resort-and-St.-Barts store.

They found us? Elizabeth joked, and stuffed another bite of her chicken caesar salad into her mouth.

She nodded, Yep.

At least the little squares of other colors were blotting out their boobs.

Nicky's polished-right-before-she-left-by-Juliet-of-the-Aveda-Salon-and-Spa fingers plucked the magazine off the table. It was three days into their vacation, and the girls were already browned from their tanning and their Lance'me or Estee Lauder self tanning lotions. They had downed on-the-rocks or blended alcoholic or fruity beverages, flirted with the resort's workers, flirted with the other seniors who were there with their families, partied it up like mad in town, and then spent the entire day after sunbathing and sleeping with huge Emma Spade, Gucci or Chanel sunglasses on. She needed a taste of the real world.

Jen and Brad are debating getting back together, she was always the one to skim and tell them whatever important things were happening, she was the best at skimming and plucking out the important info.

No one cares about them ... God, don't people realize that? Amanda barked. She seemed like she was getting her period, so everyone was being really sweet around her. Period + St. Barts + bikinis and hot guys = disaster. Thank God for tampons.

Agreed, Liz said, casting a sympathetic glance at their best friend.

Emma's sundae arrived ... thick hot fudge chocolate sauce on perfect vanilla ice cream. Probably vanilla bean, she decided, noticing the black/dark spots in the white icy goodness. She picked up her spoon, and stuffed a bite into her perfectly-beautiful-and-straight-thanks-to-Dr.-Goodman mouth.

I think I'm gonna be sick ... Amanda moaned. Even with her beautiful tan, she was looking sickly pale.

Do you wanna lay down? Nicky asked.

She half nodded, I think I should...

Do you want one of us to come with you?

No ... just remind them to put mine on my family's check.

They nodded, and each girl blew air kisses to her as she stood up, blew one back, and departed in a whirl of Missoni bikini strings, auburn hair, and the scent of beach, suntan lotion, tanning lotion, and her favorite Chanel perfume.

Poor girl ... Emma murmured, watching her best friend stroll back to the villa.

Agreed ... Liz stared at her quesedilla. She turned to Nicky, Want some?

Hello? Cheese?

Right, sorry, Nicky was lactos.

This was getting bor-ring.

At least she was in a resort on the other side of the island...

Wait, her?

No one really could have cared less...