A NEW DAY by Michelle T © 2000 CHAPTER TWENTY They all walked the block and a half to the marina in high spirits. Brian, Nick and Kim walked slightly behind the others engrossed in a low conversation. Michelle looked back at them with a questionable expression. "Something's not right with that picture." She said to AJ, who was walking with her, his arm thrown around her shoulders. Kevin and Howie were walking a few feet ahead talking quietly. "Trust me, Babe, they are conspiring against us. Brian and Nick wouldn't miss a perfect opportunity like this to pull something. You just got to be ready for them." AJ said with a grin while pulling her sunglasses off and putting his own on her. "Hey, I don't want to look like a freak with purple shades," she said laughing, "but, I do like this hat." She pulled his black cowboy hat off his head before he could pull away and put it on her own. He put her pink sunglasses on and batted his eyelashes, "How do I look, Dahling!" "Scrumptious!" "Scrumptious enough to eat?" he asked licking his lips. "Oooh, Baby, pass me a fork!" she shrugged his arm off her shoulders and grabbed his hand instead, pulling him towards Kevin and Howie. "Do either of you have a fork?" she asked them giggling. They turned and looked at the two of them laughing their asses off. Howie smiled broadly and grabbed her backpack from her shoulder. Kevin shook his head and was about to turn forward again when he shouted, "Look out!!" Before AJ and Michelle could react, they were whacked with water balloons from the back. Michelle squealed at the coldness of the water and ran behind Howie to hide. AJ screamed, dropped his bag and flew around to face the culprits. Nick, Brian and Kim were armed with fresh balloons and threw them again, dying of laughter. Nick's hit AJ in his forehead and water streamed down his face. Brian's hit Kevin in his chest and Kim's hit Howie just above his crotch. "You are so dead, Nick!" shouted AJ while lunging for him. "Brian, you ass!" shouted Kevin and ran towards him. "Kimberly Wyman! I'll get you!" shouted Howie and tried to go after her, but Michelle was clutching his sides so tightly to keep herself falling to the ground from laughing so hard. He gave up and turned towards her with a huge smile and wrapped her up in his arms. AJ nearly tripped over the backpacks strewn on the ground, but finally caught Nick by the back of his shorts and tackled him to the ground. Kimberly ran over to them with a couple of balloons in her hands, ready to saturate AJ. While AJ sat on top of Nick he pulled her towards him and grabbed the balloons from her hands. She was screaming and trying to pull free, but he managed to get her down on top of Nick with him. He held a balloon over her head and squeezed it until it broke, covering her with cold water. He released her and she took off running. AJ then turned his attention back to Nick who was trying to throw him off his back. AJ cackled and brought the other balloon down on Nick's butt, bursting it all over his ass. Kevin grabbed Brian who didn't even try to run because he was laughing so hard. Kevin reached behind Brian and grabbed the waist band of his underwear and yanked them up really hard and fast. Brian's laughter turned to screeching as he pushed Kevin away. Kevin laughed so hard he fell backwards onto the ground clutching his stomach. He looked back up at Brian and watched him try to unpick his shorts, causing him to laugh even harder. Five minutes later everyone was sitting or lying on the ground gasping for breath from laughing so hard. Nick was grumbling about his wet ass. Brian was rambling on in a high falsetto voice, cracking himself up even more. Kimberly was trying to glare at AJ for soaking her hair, but ended up crawling over to him and shaking her wet head in his face. He grabbed her under her arms and tickled her ferociously. Kevin was lying on his back, clutching his sides and trying to compose himself. Michelle and Howie were lying on the grass along the sidewalk, wrapped in each others arms and trying to catch their breath, in between giving each other light kisses. "Ok, guys, we better move. People are starting to gather. We don't need to see this scene in tomorrow's paper." said Nick as he got up and rubbed his hands across his butt to clean off the dirt. "Shit. AJ, this isn't over!" They all got up and started picking up their bags when the guys were suddenly surrounded by approximately twenty fans varying in ages from six to sixty. Michelle and Kimberly went back to sit on the grass and watched in amazement as the guys took it all in good stride, signed autographs and charmed and chatted with the folks. A couple of teenagers were eyeing them and whispering to each other. They finally came over to Michelle and Kim and looked at them with a combination of curiosity and jealousy. "Who are you two?" asked a tall skinny brunette. Her eyes were boring into Michelle's and Michelle felt her animosity. "Friends of theirs," she said nodding to the guys. "And you are?" she asked forcing a polite smile on her face. "Someone who would be a lot better suited for Howie than you! I saw you trying to get your claws into him. He deserves someone a lot hotter and younger than you!" she said looking at her disgustedly, hands on her hips. Michelle looked quickly over at Kimberly and saw her look of shock and anger. Kevin had heard the girls talking to Michelle and turned towards them. Before he could speak, Michelle got up, bringing Kimberly with her. "Let's go, Babe." She started moving away, but stopped and turned back to the brunette, "If you think you are so much better for him than me, then please go right ahead and introduce yourself and ask him out. Have a nice day!" Michelle saw Kevin looking at her with concern and she indicated that she and Kim would meet them at the marina. He saw and felt the hurt in her eyes. As Michelle and Kim started walking down the street, the brunette stared at her and shouted, "Bitch!!" Kevin saw Michelle's shoulders flinch, but she kept continued walking with her hand in Kimberly's. Kevin strode over to the girls, "Ladies, please, that's no way to treat someone you don't even know." "Who cares about her! Can I have your autograph, Kevin?" said the brunette with a huge smile on her face. "Sorry, but we're late for an appointment and have to get going. Maybe some other time?" he smiled politely and walked away. The brunette stared at his back in shock, then shrugged her shoulders and walked over to Howie. Howie had seen the confrontation, but hadn't heard what was said. By Michelle and Kim's reactions, he knew it hadn't been pleasant. As the brunette neared him, he looked her straight in the eyes and shook his head, then walked over to pick up his stuff and jogged over to walk beside Kevin. "What happened, Kev?" he asked him with concern. "The usual, being nasty to anyone who happens to be with us. Michelle handled it pretty good though, but I know she's upset." He grabbed Howie's bag and said, "Go talk to her." Howie nodded and took off. Brian, Nick and AJ caught up to Kevin and they continued to the marina. When Howie reached Michelle, he heard her talking softly to Kim. "Kim, please don't be upset. We can't take that sort of thing personally. Those girls were just being jealous because we happened to be with some very famous people. I keep forgetting how famous and sought after they are. If you want to be their friend, you'll need to learn to live with crap like that, ok?" Michelle squeezed Kim's hand. She was really thrown by the girl's reaction, but for Kim's sake shrugged it off. Howie came closer and put his arms around both of them. "Sorry about that, girls." "Don't be sorry, Howie! I found it fascinating having all those people recognize you guys and swoon over you," she replied smiling at him. "Wasn't it neat, Kim?" Kim nodded, "I don't like the way that girl was being so mean to you, Mom. You didn't do anything to her!" "Kim, some fans just get a little too jealous, but trust me, most of them aren't like that! They're really great and treat us so well," Howie leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Let's go boating!" After everyone was aboard, Nick put the boat in gear and eased it smoothly over the ocean. Kim sat at the end of the boat with Brian and AJ, absolutely loving the ride and yelling for Nick to go faster and faster. Michelle, on the other hand, was sitting on the bottom of the boat right behind Nick's captain seat and clutching tightly to Howie's leg as he sat on a side seat. She hated the ride and was petrified someone would fall overboard. Everyone was laughing and teasing her, but she just groaned and kept her head on her knees. Finally Nick slowed the boat after a hour half, announcing that this looked like a great place to swim and snorkel. He had selected a small cove area near Torch Key. Michelle finally got up and stretched her legs. She didn't mind being in the boat when it was so close to land. She sat on the bench seat next to Howie as he was removing his sneakers. "So, you think I'm a big baby?" she asked with a smile. He chuckled and pulled her sandals off her feet for her. "Depends. You coming in the water with me?" he asked pulling his white tank top off to reveal his gorgeous torso. "I really don't want to, but, how can I resist you!" she laughed and removed her t-shirt and shorts. Howie let out a low whistle and winked at her. She was wearing a black strapless one-piece with tiny gold stars and moons on it. "Yummy!" he said as he reached for her. She backed away from him shaking her head. "Nope, not when the children are around, Dear." she backed up again laughing and fell onto Kevin's lap. "Oops, sorry about that, Kev," she said starting to get up, but he scooped her up in his arms and turned to Kim and Nick "Who wants me to throw her in?" he asked with a devilish grin. "Yeah! Throw her overboard!" laughed Nick as he jumped in the water. "Wet that woman!" urged AJ as he picked up Kimberly quickly and threw her in the water near Nick. She resurfaced coughing and screaming at him and Nick grabbed her to keep her afloat. "KEVIN! Put me down now! No way are you throwing me in the ocean twice in one day," she yelled while struggling to get down, but laughing anyway. "Howie, please, save me!" she looked at him imploringly. He was laughing at them and shook his head as he climbed up onto the seat and neatly dove into the water. "Brian! Save me!" she asked seeing him at the end of the boat. "Are you kidding? There is no way I will suffer the wrath of Kevin Richardson any further today." He replied and jumped in the water pulling AJ as he went. "Ok, Babe, just you and me left. Now, what shall I do?" asked Kevin as he walked to the end of the boat. "If you throw me in, I swear I'll make you pay!" she said trying to sound evil. He laughed and jumped into the water with her in his arms. When she surfaced, she said, "You are all evil and you will suffer!"