Chapter 1

James:

"Come on Sis, you can't really be serious, can you?"

"Yes, I am. I want to go."

"Well, it's not going to be a walk in the park you know. This is real hiking. There won't be anybody else around to talk to, there aren't any bathrooms, no showers, no place to primp, no curling irons."

"I think you're being unfair," Mom said behind us. "Your sister is in good shape, and she's grown up a lot while you've been away at school. It would be a good time for you two to really get to know each other again."

"We already know each other, Mom. We've been living in the same house for years. It's not like I've been gone for a decade you know. I mean, I was home for Christmas for crying out loud."

I took a look at Mom's frown and at you standing there, stubborn and unwilling to back down and sighed. "Look, it's not just up to me. Carl and Paul have to agree, too."

"Well, why don't you call them and find out then," Mom replied.

Aimee:

I stood there, glaring at my brother James, determined not to back down. It was true that I had been working out, including running on the school track team, and was no longer the scrawny kid sister he remembered. And if he thought I was hung up on curling irons and mascara, then he really had been gone to college a long time. But really, I wanted to get some up close and personal time with Carl and Paul. They and James had been the three musketeers for as long as I could remember, and I had watched shyly as they went from gawky teenagers to young men to college hunks. And now I wanted to show them just how grown up I was. As he went off to call the guys, I headed to my room to pack a duffle bag -- I knew I was going to win this battle.

The next morning Carl and I climbed in the back seat of Paul's Explorer, while James rode shotgun with the map for navigation duty. We were headed for the national park about two hours away, and the guys had reserved a campsite for the weekend and packed tents, cooking gear, even fishing poles. This was their annual end-of-summer trip, and they had it down to a science. We were having an Indian summer, and I was wearing denim cut-offs and a tank top under a fleece. It was cool starting out, so I had also put a blanket in the car with me, just 'til the sun came out and warmed everything up. Carl and Paul weren't thrilled I was coming along until they got to our house this morning, and then they saw what James had obviously missed. Their guy-time disgruntlement turned into wary speculation as they eyed my toned legs and cute ponytail. I just smiled, threw my duffle in the back, and jumped in the car.

James immediately turned on the radio, loud enough to wake the neighbors as we drove through town on our way to the highway, and it was hard to hear his conversation with Paul, so Carl and I naturally turned towards each other. "So, uh ... what have you been up to?" Carl asked, clearly not sure how to interact with his best friend's little sister. "Oh, just busy with school," I answered. "You know, college applications, the SAT, that kind of thing. Plus I stay busy with the track team ... What's it like being a senior at State?"

Just then we ran into some road construction and bumped our way across the unpaved road. In all the jostling, I ended up closer to Carl, and the hand I threw out to brace myself landed on his arm. "Sure is chilly this morning," I commented. "Would you like some of this blanket?" He was looking at my hand on his arm, looking at me, looking at the blanket, and then it was like a light bulb went on.

James:

I wasn't surprised that Paul and Carl weren't happy about Aimee's coming along. Paul was the harshest critic. "That little split tail is just gonna slow us down," he exclaimed angrily when I called him the night before.

I privately agreed with him but didn't want to add fuel to the fire. "Calm down, I don't think it's the end of the world. It might not be perfect but we'll still have a good time."

He only grunted and hung up, but fortunately didn't refuse to go, which I halfway expected. Carl was kind of down about it, too, but he wasn't as negative and only said "Bummer."

After I hung up the phone, I brooded for a little bit. I got a little pissed when I knocked on Aimee's door to tell her that it was ok for her to go and saw that that she had already packed her bag. I almost blew up at her, but since I knew that Mom and Dad would take her side, knew it wouldn't be worth it. Damn it! We were about to graduate and move out into the real world. This might be our last trip. I just went to bed that night hoping that she wouldn't screw things up too badly.

The next morning she bounded out of bed and was very chipper and perky. It actually made me smile, though I was careful not to let her see it. Then Carl got there and Mom had him come in and join us for breakfast, and I saw him looking at her. What the ... My best bro was checking out my sister! Sure she was pretty enough, but...

Paul was even worse. He didn't show up until it was time to go but he was pleasant enough to Mom and Dad. He bitched to me a few times in a quiet voice but otherwise things went fine. When Aimee came out, he just stood there for several seconds and, I swear, licked his lips. He still made a few snide comments, but when she climbed in the Explorer, I know he was checking out her ass. I got in the front and turned up the radio. Paul turned it up higher and leaned over to me. "Well, it could be worse. She could be an ugly bitch. But she's actually quite fuckable."

I turned red and looked back quickly to see if Aimee had heard, but she was too busy looking out the road. I reached over and punched him in the shoulder. "Cut it out, asshole."

"I'd like to fill that ass," he said, and laughed out loud. I punched him again harder and he swerved on the road. Fortunately there was some construction going on so I don't think Aimee or Carl noticed. In fact, when I looked back I noticed him and her talking with their faces real close. Of course with the music so loud that was the only way they could hear each other, but still it seemed a little odd to see Carl looking so animated and Aimee with her eyes shining bright.

My punch didn't do much to dissuade Paul. It only made him laugh. I looked over at him and began laughing myself.

Aimee:

As James and Paul joked and punched each other up front, Carl and I were discovering just how nice it was under the blanket. As soon he pulled it over his lap, I let my arm slide casually over his thigh, testing the shape of his athletic quads. I noticed he was taking shallow breaths, like a rabbit in the headlights. I already knew that Carl was the quietest of the three guys, never quite as sure around the girls, never quite the same ego. But he was cute and smart, and it was time for some fun.