“And who is the favored winner of this one?” Skylar asked, sucking her Diet Coke loudly.

“Amanda Beard, probably,” Ashley replied, gabbing a Pop Tart out of the box Skylar had in her lap; the promised Coke and Pop Tart were a day late, but at least they’d gotten there. Skylar wasn’t the type to let Ashley forget she owed her her favorite snack.

Skylar made a face. “Don’t like her.”

“No?” Ashley looked at her. “Why?”

“Just don’t.” She took a large bite out of her Pop Tart; crumbs were sprayed everywhere when she spoke next. “Can we leave after this one?”

“Aaron’s next,” Ashley stated, sipping her water.

“I know, but we’ve seen Ian, and he’ll be out soon so we can go. Right?”

Ashley gazed at her inquisitively. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Why?”

“You’re acting really weird.”

“Weird how?”

“Twitchy weird.” Ashley set her Pop Tart in her lap and put a palm to her friend’s forehead. “You haven’t got a temperature, but I was never very good at this.”

Skylar laughed faintly. “Yeah, I remember that time I was really sick and my mom sent you upstairs to see if I had a temperature while she was on the phone with the doctor. And you took, like, an hour and finally went back downstairs, crying, saying you were pretty sure I wasn’t normal.”

Ashley bumped her elbow against Skylar’s in a friendly sort of way. “That was the first time I realized you were weird.”

She smiled. “Yeah, and I keep proving you right.”

“So, what’s the matter with you and Aaron?” Ashley asked, never one to beat around the bush.

Skylar scoffed. “Nothing. Is all that water doing something weird to your brain?”

Ashley shook her head sternly. “Do not skirt around the issues, Skylar. I’m the inventor of that and I’m not going to let you get away with it.”

Sighing in resentment and anger, Skylar turned to her friend. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I’m not letting you off the hook.”

“I didn’t think you would, but I’d prefer to talk about it, if I MUST, in privacy.”

“Fine. But as soon as Ian drops us off, you’re telling me everything. Got it?”

Skylar rolled her eyes heavenwards, sighing heavily. “Fine.”

There were just some things you couldn’t get out of.

*

“Spill.” The two girls were in the empty bathroom about twenty minutes later; Ian was waiting patiently outside, signing autographs and posing for pictures.

“Ashley, in case you hadn’t noticed, we’re in a public restroom,” Skylar said, turning the tap on and running her hands underneath it. “You pulled me in here under false pretenses.”

“Yeah? Well, maybe I have something to tell you.” She leaned a hand against the counter, peering at her reflection.

Skylar turned the water off and grabbed a paper towel. “What do you have to tell me?”

“I know what’s going on with you, and I wanna tell you that you’re wrong.”

“Wrong?” Skylar repeated blankly. “Did you inhale too many nail polish fumes?”

Ashley rolled her eyes in the way she always saved for Skylar. “No. Would you listen to me? Shut up for a minute.”

Skylar leaned a hip against the counter. “Fine. What.”

“I heard Aaron talking to Ian last night.”

Shaking her head, she pushed off the sink and headed for the door; Ashley caught her wrist and spun her around. “Skylar, you’ve got it wrong.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Skylar stated, deadpan.

“You saw Aaron and Amanda Beard kissing, didn’t you.” It was a statement, not a question, and Ashley’s blue eyes were probing Skylar, willing her to tell the truth.

“I may have,” Skylar admitted, crossing her arms across her chest. “Not that I care.”

She rolled her eyes again. “I’m your best friend; I know you better than anyone. I can tell you’re lying, and I can tell you’re hurt.”

“I have nothing to be hurt about.” Skylar’s voice was soft, and yet harsh; she was examining her hands for a while until she found the words she wanted to say. “He kissed me, Ash. That’s all.”

“That’s not all,” Ashley said quietly, “And I know it.”

“You’re not always right.”

“No, I’m not,” Ashley agreed, taking a step closer to her, “But I am this time.”

Skylar backed up against the hand dryer. “What do you want me to say? That I like him? Fine. I like him. I like your brother. I’ve had a crush on him since I was about fourteen. Happy, now? This is embarrassing enough without bringing you into it.” She huffed out a breath, blowing hair from her face. “Just let it go. I know I am.”

Ashley closed the distance between them, engulfing her sulky friend in a hug. Skylar didn’t move for several moments, until she finally gave in and hugged her back.

“We can fix this,” Ashley whispered, pulling away and holding Skylar by the shoulders so she couldn’t escape.

“What if I don’t want to? What if I want to just forget it all happened?”

“Well,” Ashley said, considering her words carefully, “If that’s what you want, I’ll go along with it.” Skylar was about to thank her when Ashley put a hand up to stop her. “But I know my brother, Sky, and he’s crazy about you.”

“He barely knows me.” A pause. “And, also, don’t care if he’s crazy about me.”

“Oh, Skylar,” Ashley said, using her best pitying voice. “You’re so blind.”

*

The airport was crowded with people the following afternoon when Ashley and Skylar were scheduled to leave; both Ian and Aaron were there to see them off.

Skylar hadn’t spoken or looked at Aaron the entire duration of the day, and everyone, including Aaron, had noticed.

Their flight was called, making Ashley jump up and hug Ian while Skylar grabbed all her bags and started walking to the gate.

“You’re not even going to talk to me?” Aaron asked, following her, his voice sounding hurt.

“Didn’t plan on it, no.”

“I’d like to know why you’re so pissed at me.”

She spun around, nearly knocking into him, he was so close behind her; she took a quick step back, out of reach. “I’m sure you would. You know what I’d like to know? I’d just like the truth. You know, people just telling me things they want to tell me, or not telling me. Depending on how they feel. Also, I would kind of like it if a guy didn’t kiss me and then immediately hook up with some other girl.” She spun on her heal and had given her ticket to the flight attendant before Aaron had figured out how to respond.

“Good luck with your last race,” Ashley told her brother, giving him a quick hug as Ian hung back; he had a flight out later that evening, and probably wouldn’t be seeing Ashley for quite sometime. Aaron was scheduled to leave the next night, after his last swim.

“Thanks,” Aaron said, giving his sister a wane smile. “Have a safe flight.”

“I’ll talk to her,” Ashley stated, blowing a kiss to Ian and then giving her brother one last reassuring look before boarding the plane.

Ian slung an arm across Aaron’s shoulder. “Tough one, mate.”

“You’re telling me,” Aaron mumbled, turning around.

“It’ll work out, I’m sure.”

Aaron cast him a disdainful look. “I’d like to take advice from someone who is not having sex with my sister.”

Ian chuckled. “I’m sure you would, but I’m all you’ve got.”

A loud groan escaped Aaron’s lips. “You’re supposed to say you’re not having sex with my sister.”

Suddenly Ian was very caught up with a trashy magazine by the duty free shop.