Fifteen:
Stacy stood and did a victory dance after beating Chris for the third time in a row. He sighed and glared at the Playstation while Stacy laughed and chanted “I kicked your butt! I kicked your butt!” Finally, it got to be too much and he tackled her. He had found out earlier, quite by accident, that she was very ticklish along her ribs and he was intent on using that to his advantage. She shrieked, more in surprise at being tackled than tickled.
JC shot straight up, heart pounding. Sarah was already awake and he looked at her, eyes wide. “What was that?”
“Stacy.”
“What?”
“From what I heard through the walls, she and Chris were playing some kind of video game and she won. My guess is that he found out she’s a tiny bit ticklish.”
“Ah. He’s had practice tickling females.” Sarah gave shot him a look that plainly said he better explain right away. “Not like that! Chris is a big kid. He could never get Gina with his pranks because she always managed to find out. Then he realized how ticklish she is.” Sarah nodded, accepting that explanation for the time being. She was too tired to question him any further (with good reason). She lay back down, resting her head on his chest. The beating of his heart and his steady breathing lulled her back to sleep.
“All right, guys, where am I gonna sleep?” Gina said as credits rolled on the movie she had been watching with Lance, Justin, and Joey.
“Oh baby, you know you can sleep with me anytime,” Joey said lecherously.
She ignored him and turned to Justin. “You’re the one with the whole extra bed, AND I’m already here . . .” she said, batting her eyes.
“Ooooo! Scandalous!” Lance said. “I’m telling Britney.”
“Shut up, Snow White,” Gina said, giving the back of his head a playful smack. “So, Tonic, can I stay? Pretty please and if you say yes I won’t tell Brit about that girl the other night . . .”
“We were just dancing and SHE grabbed ME. You wouldn’t really tell her . . .” At her look, he groaned. “You are pure evil, Lola.”
“Oh, yay!” she cheered. “I win.”
“You always do,” Justin muttered, pretending to pout.
“Joey?” she said sweetly.
“Yes?”
“Go get my bags out of Chris’ room.”
“Why can’t Lance do it?”
“Because, he has to go get the stuff I left in his room.”
“Ha! That’s right!” Lance nodded. “Wait a minute!”
Gina laughed and they left the room, grumbling the whole time. “You’ve got them whipped, Lola,” Justin said.
“I don’t know about that.”
“Oh, come on, they both jump before you finish the words.”
“What are you saying, Justin?”
“Nothing, really. It’s just . . . never mind.” He shook his head and yawned.
“I’m not out to hurt anyone,” she said softly. The conversation ended there as Lance and Joey stumbled into the room, moaning about the weight of her bags.
“They aren’t that heavy.”
“Yeah, yeah, so you say. You aren’t the one getting a hernia,” Lance said.
“Oh, poor baby,” she said, kissing him on the cheek.
“Where’s mine?” Joey pouted. She laughed and kissed Joey as well.
“Good night, guys,” she said as they left. Justin was already in bed and facing the wall, so she turned out the overhead light and headed for the shower.
Stacy didn’t comment when Joey showed up for Gina’s bag, but as soon as he left Chris was bombarded. “Oh, do you think they think we’re . . . well, anyway. I hope she doesn’t think I hate her. Am I running her out? Do you need to get to bed? Should I leave?”
Chris tried in vain to answer her and in the end had to shut her up the only way he knew. He kissed her.
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