“WELL,I LIKE MOST OF THE PEOPLE HERE.” DAVE SAID NERVOUSLY.CLAE’S

         HEART SANK.SHE HAD HOPED FOR A BETTER REASON.WITH A SHOCK SHE REALIZED

         JUST HOW MUCH SHE LIKED THE RESERVED FIFTEEN YEAR-OLD.
         
           BUT,I’M THREE YEARS OLDER.AND AT LEAST TWO INCHES TALLER THAN HIM.HE
         
         PROBABLY THINKS I’M A FREAK.CLAE SADLY THOUGHT.JUST THEN SHE FELT A TERRIFIC
         
         PULL ON HER LINE AND WITH ALL HER STRENGTH PULLED IT UP.DAVE CHEERED AS HE
         
         SAW THE FLOUNDERING FISH.IT WAS PRETTY GOOD SIZED WITH A BRILLIANT STRIPE
         
         OF GOLD RUNNING DOWN IT’S BACK.
         
           “OH,COOL!” WAS ALLCLAE SAID.DAVE LAUGHED AND UNHOOKED THE FISH.HE IMPALED

         THE FISH ON THE SURVIVAL KNIFE.
         
           “YOU LIKE STICKING THINGS.” CLAE SAID AFTER A MOMENT.DAVE,WHO WAS STILL

         SMILING LOOKED UP AT HER.SHE HAD CHANGED HER POSITION TO SITTING INDIAN

         STYLE AND SHE WAS STARING AT THE POOR FISH.
         
           “YUP!” DAVETOOK HER GOOD ARM AND PULLED HER TOWARD HIM.HE POKED HER IN THE
         
         STOMACH PLAYFULLY AND SHE SQUEALED.SHE LAUGHED AND HE POKED HER AGAIN.
         
         SHE TRIED HALF-HEARTEDLY TO PULL AWAY BUT SHE WAS LAUGHING SO HARD IT WAS
         
         ABOUT IMPOSSIBLE.SHE TRIED TO POKE HIM BACK BUT HE DUCKED AWAY.AFTER ANOTHER
         
         FEW MINUTES,THEY SET BACK AND FISHED.
         
         
         
         
         
         DRAKE STARED DOWN AT THE TWO ON THE ROCKS.HE HAD HEARD A SOUND HE THOUGHT TO
         
         BE CRYING BUT HE HAD SEEN IT WAS DAV E ONLY TICKLING CLAE.DRAKE GLARED AT
         
         DAVE AND THEN LOOKED AT CLAE.SHE HAD SETTLED DOWN,HER BEAUTIFUL BLOND
         

         





         HAIR FANNING OUT BEHIND HER.DRAKE CLOSED HIS EYES AND REMEMBERED WHEN SHE
         
         HAD HUGGED HIM WHEN THEY HAD FIRST ARRIVED.EVEN AFTER SWIMMING AROUND IN THE
         
         SEA TO SAVE THE YOUNGER BOYS,SHE STILL SMELLED SWEET AND HER SMILE HAD