"Don't do that," she said.

"Come on," he told her, jogging up to the boardwalk. Gabby ran behind him to catching up.

***

Jeff threw a rock into the water that landed with a splash. Lily threw one and it skipped along the water surface. "If you pick a flat one, it skips," she whispered. He threw a big heavy one again.

"But throwing big rocks makes big splashes," he said quietly. Lily sighed and scooped up a handful of sand, letting it slide out between her fingers slowly. Jeff picked up a rock and inspected it. He sighed, then put it down, looking up.

"I know you're mad at me, and probably don't want to talk to me right now...but I'm sorry," she said finally, softly. She pushed herself up on her hands and stood up, brushing the sand off of herself.

"No...you shouldn't be sorry," he replied. Lily sat back down.

"Why not? I should have just told you what you asked. Instead, I just made it seem like something it's not."

"No...its not your fault at all. I was talking with Matt and...if you don't want to tell me whatever it is, then you don't need to."

"I was going to eventually tell you what we talked about...but I didn't feel right telling you yet...besides...it was nothing that important...I just needed to vent, that's all." She looked up at the setting sun, thinking quietly. Jeff nodded.

"I just got too angry. And...I really am sorry. I didn't mean to."

"I know you didn't. I should have realized that before and not stormed off..." she said.

"But...I shouldn't have said what I did."

"I know you didn't mean it....I hope," she breathed.

"Of course I didn't...I could never ever mean that."

"Promise?" she asked timidly.

"I promise forever," he assured her.

"Only forever?"

"And ever and ever." Lily smiled.

"I'm glad that's over with then." Jeff grabbed her hand.

"Never again is that happening."

"Agreed." Jeff smiled.

"Good. Wanna watch the sun?"

"Sure," she agreed. Lily looked up at the sun. "Hey Jeffie."

"Yeah?" he responded.

"Try the flat rocks...they skip the bestest," she whispered. Jeff smiled.

"I'll remember that," he whispered back. Lily looked back at the sun.

"I wonder where Matt and Gabby went," she pondered out loud. Jeff shrugged.

"They're awfully friendly today."

"I was thinking the same thing myself. They talked three times in the past 24 hours, and they didn't argue once. And she was surfing! did you see? I was so proud...I've been trying to get her to do that for soooo long," Lily said.

"Does that scare you?" he asked.

"It scares me out of my mind," Lily admitted.

"She wasn't just surfing, she was surfing with Matt..." Jeff reminded her.

"Scary thought. I guess the many conversations I've had with them were good for the all of us...except Edge and Chris."

"She didn't bring them today...I wonder what’s going on there?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. I was out surfing with you when they were talking...remember?"

"I know. But girls have ways of knowing weird things that we can't pick up on," Jeff said.

"Are you trying to tell me something?" she asked with a smile. "You guys pick up things we can't too, you know." He grinned.

"Oh, I know."

"I meant other than foul odors," she added with a smile. "You guys are great at picking them up." She held her nose. "Pee-yew."

"Hey, its a useful talent!" he defended.

Useful? How?" she inquired.

"Did I say useful? I meant...useless. Yeah."

"Stop covering tracks Jeff...I know you too well by now."

"Yeah yeah...I’m just playing around. You know that too," he said.

"Most times...." She grabbed a small, smooth, flat rock and placed it in the palm of his hand. Jeff looked up at the sky.

"Sun's down...wanna go find Gabby and Matt?"

"I'm afraid to go looking..." she replied. He closed his palm around the rock, smiling.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because....for the simple reason that Matt plus Gabby equals trouble. That's why."

"But what if they're just sitting around eating ice cream or something?"

"It's a possibility," Lily replied. Jeff grinned evilly.

"Why Lily? What did you think they'd be doing?" Lily returned the evil smile and pressed her forehead against his, nose-to-nose.

"It's Gabby and Matt...I wouldn't put anything past them."

"Such an evil little mind," he commented.

"I get it from you," she contended.

"I get it from Matt," he remarked.

"Yes...it may be an evil mind...but at least it's a cute evil mind. And you do not get it from Matt you liar!"

"It’s hereditary. Or contagious."

"It has got to be contagious. Hey...at least I'm still normal." Jeff nodded.

"We all got it from Gabby. She got it from Edge. It's all his fault."

"Somehow, I doubt that," Jeff muttered.

"I don't..." she began. "He has an evil little Canadian mind. Oh...speaking of Edge," she trailed off, punching him lightly in the shoulder. "Why were you picking on him the other morning? I saw the pictures."

"Yeah, she's got an evil little Canadian mind too. And it was her idea!! See how evil she is?"

"No...it was yours...she told me so herself," Lily argued.

"But she suggested we do something to wake him up! So its her fault."

"You're the one that offered the warm cup of water and the shaving cream/feather thing. "You're evil Jeffy, pure evil."

"And you wouldn't have it any other way," he added with a smirk.

"Basically. Just as long as it doesn't come back to get me later...cause then you'll see how evil I can be," she said, poking him.

"Ooww. Well, if you can be evil, then I'm sure I can be all innocent."

"No way. I'm the innocent one...you're evil...everybody knows that already. I got it...I'll get innocently evil...sound better?" she asked. He nodded.

"Sure. That works."

"Okay," she said with a smile. Jeff pouted.

"So I'm just evil?"

"Yes...you're evil. But you're cute too," she assured him.

"So I'm...cutely evil?"

"I suppose...that sounds awkward though. I can sum it alllll up in one word."

"Pleaase do," he begged.

"You're Jeff," Lily said, nodding her head. "That's exactly it."

"Lily?"

"Hmm?"

"That was two words," he remarked with a smile.

"Smart ass. You know what I mean," she explained, poking him softly in the side. Jeff smiled.

"I know."

"Evil, evil child," she said.

"Innocent little princess," he replied. Lily nodded.

"Sounds about right. Lookie."

"Where?" he asked. Lily pointed at the moon and the stars. Lily closed her eyes and made a wish on the first star she saw. "What did you wish for?" he whispered.

"Can't tell ya...won't come true if I tell ya," she whispered back.

"I don't need to make a wish."

"Why not?" she asked, curious.

"Because. I've got everything right here."

"Awww...that's sweet," she said with a smile. Jeff shrugged.

"It’s true."

"I wished for one thing...but I'm not gonna tell you...you’ll figure it out," she whispered.

"I will?"

"Poetic, evil child. Yes...eventually."

"Eventually means how long?" he asked.

"Eventually means soon I suppose," she pondered aloud.

"Soon like...tonight?" he asked hopefully.

"Soon like maybe if you're not a pest."

"I am not a pest. I may be evil, but I'm not a pest," he protested.

"You can be from time to time..."

"All right. I won't be a pest anymore."

"Okay...good. If you keep your promise...I’ll tell you what I wished for later tonight...okay?" Jeff nodded. Lily scoops up a flat rock and skips it along the water. "You try."

"Why?"

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"I don't wanna move rocks anymore. I want stuff to stay the same."

"But if you don't move rocks, things go plunk...like this." She demonstrated by tossing a round heavy rock into the water that landed with a splash. "You don't want that to happen....do you?"

"No...but that’s not going to happen."

"I know..." she agreed.

"They're just rocks."

"This is true. There's nothing special about rocks."

"Well...except the one you gave me."

"It's just a rock though...you said it yourself," she said, confused.

"No....its a rock you gave me,"

"But other than the fact that I gave it to you, it's just a rock. I could have given you a shell and it would mean the same thing, wouldn't it?" She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Is this going to turn into you being mad? It was a really nice rock..."

"Not at all...I'm just trying to figure something out, that's all," she explained.

"What is it?" he asked.

"You said you didn't want things to change...and I said it would go kerplunk like that heavy rock...and you said they're just rocks. I'm confused...but oh well...I'll figure it out later."

"Lots of stuff happens later, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. Are Gabby and Matt ever going to come back?"

"Of course. They wouldn't just disappear on us. They'll probably come strolling over any minute now."

"Maybe...if they're acting un-evil that is...unlike somebody I know."

"I am being un-evil," he protested.

"For now..."

"For all of tonight. Unless I have to be evil, that is." Lily smiled.

"Oh well. I think they got lost." Jeff pointed over to the boardwalk.

"Do you see who I see?" he asked.

"No...I'm blind in the dark," she said with a laugh. She squinted and looked.

"So guess." Lily poked him. "That’s not a guess."

"Yeah I know..." she said, pouting.

"Don't pout. Just guess. Its easy."

"Umm....Jimmy-leggs and Gabby?"

"Jimmy-legs?" Jeff asked.

"Yeah...you're his brother...didn't you notice that his knees stick out a little? You know...bow-legged a bit. The opposite of pigeon-toed.

"And you say Gabby's mean to him."

"I am the nicest to him! Who let him cry on them? Who told everyone to be quiet when he was sleeping? Unlike someone I know who threw a Rubik's Cube across the room," she said matter-of-factly.

"I know Lily. You're really nice to him. We're all meanies compared to you."

"Yes...yes you are....evil people."

"Well you were right anyway. They're just sitting on the edge of the boardwalk."

"This whole time?"

"I don't know. I just noticed them," Jeff admitted. Lily poked him. "Yes?"

"You're no fun...Matt laughs and squirms when I poke him. You're non-pokeable..."

"I'm too relaxed to laugh and squirm," Jeff informed her.

"Oh...so that's your reason?" she asked with a smile.

"Yup. Just try me later."

"Maybe I will...maybe I will." Jeff smiled.

"I like maybes."

"Yeah, I know you do. And you like the word soon too, don't ya?" she asked. Jeff grinned evilly.

"I like the possibilities it entails." Lily climbed to her feet and dusted herself off. "What ya doin?" She poofed away the 4 surfboards and 4 wet-suits, replacing them with normal clothes.

"The sand was sticking to my wet-suit. I was starting to feel like a fish."

"That’s funny...you don't look like a fish."

"How would you know? It's dark out," she observed, sitting back down.

"I know these things. If you were a fish, I'd smell it."

"We had this discussion before...guys always pick up the foul odors."

"And see? It is useful."

"You said it was useless," she noted.

"Did not."

"Did so!" she argued back.

"Nuh-uuuuh."

"Yeah-uuuuuuuh."

"All right. You win," he conceded.

"Of course I win."

"You'll always win."

"Not always. Most times."

"9 times outta 10. 9 and a half times outta 10."

"And you win the other half a time....which is most of the time. Grump."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Okay. You win," he said.

"Look-it...the moon." Jeff looked up.

"It’s bright." Lily did the same.

"Yes...that it is."

"Know what?" Jeff asked.

"No...what?" Lily replied.

"We should sneak up behind Gabby and Matt and see what they're doing."

"Good idea...." Lily said, poofing them silently behind Gabby and Matt. The two sat in a tree listening in on the conversation.