"Let's go people!!" Natalya screamed into the airport bathroom.
"Coming!!" yelled back Anja from one of the stalls. Dachia dropped a tissue into the wastebasket and snapped her purse closed.
"How do I look?" she asked nervously, worried about what Natalya's family would think when they met her. Natalya looked her up and down, then grinned.
"You look awesome, Dach bear. They won't care what you wear!! Look at me!" she answered. Dachia looked at Natalya's short-sleeved blue hoodie with the attached thermal arms, her dark blue cargo pants, and her scuffed-up boots and smiled back.
Anja and Zoey emerged from their stalls. They washed their hands and then they all headed out to the parking lot. Nick was waiting with his red Mustang convertible.
Zoey, Anja, and Dachia stared at the hottie in front of them. He was slim and muscular, with spiky brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a plaid shirt and jeans with hiking boots, which reminded Dachia of Carson Daly's farmer phase. He piled all their luggage into the trunk and kissed Natalya, then ushered them into the car. Dachia, Zoey, and Anja sat in the back, Nick driving and Natalya riding shotgun.
"Nick, these are my friends, Dachia, Anja, and Zoey. Everyone, this is Nick." Natalya said, as she rifled through the glove compartment looking for a tape.
"Hey." Nick said, flashing his sexy smile into the rear-view and making the girls melt.
When they were finally at the house, the girls stood in the foyer and looked in awe around the house.
"Lala, you live in a castle!" Anja whispered into her ear. Suddenly Derek strode down the stairs, looking rather sharp in a blue suit.
"That's her dad?" Zoey asked Dachia quietly. Dachia just shrugged.
"Natalya dear, you're home!" Derek said, sweeping his daughter up in a tight hug and kissing her head.
"Hi dad." Natalya replied.
"Guess so." Dachia whispered back.
"Dad, these are my friends, Anja Borchevski, Zoey Liv, and Dachia Love. Chicas, this is my dad, Dr. Derek Rayne." Derek smiled at the girls as he shook their hands.
"It's good to finally meet you. Lyla talks about you all the time." the girls just smiled back, his accent, air, and general PHdness making them shy.
"C'mon, I'll show you your rooms." Natalya said, bounding up the stairs and then sitting down to wait as her friends struggled up the stairs with their baggage.
After she showed them their rooms she took them on a tour. They ended in the kitchen. Philip was there.
"Hey!!" Natalya said as she kissed him on the cheek then moved behind him. She put her chin on his shoulder and said,
"Everyone, this is Philip, he's a priest." she grinned as he blushed light pink. "Philip, these are my friends, Dach, Anja, and Zoey. Hey, where are Alex and Rachel?"
"Egypt." Philip replied, stirring his tea.
"Poo. That's too bad. I really wanted them to meet my amigas. Oh well, c'mon girlies, I'll show you the playground."
She took the group out in the forest. They walked for a long time until they reached a clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a gazebo. A huge tree stood nearby, with a treehouse in it and a swing hanging from it.
Natalya pulled herself into the treehouse and then motioned for Dachia, Anja, and Zoey to follow her. Dachia pulled herself up, too, and after straightening her blue skirt, looked around. It was a sturdy treehouse, built high in one of the tall trees behind Natalya's father's house in San Francisco.
"Look!!" she said, picking up a bag in the corner. She handed it to Natalya, who read the card,
"To Bij, gifts for my favorite little jewel." She reached in and began to pull out things. She pulled out ring pops, pixy sticks, jelly beans, milk duds, stickers, glitter, fake flowers, feathers, and several mixed tapes of Natalya and Nick's favorite old rock bands.
"Lala, do you know how romantic that is?" Dachia squealed. Natalya shot her a look.
"Nick and I are just friends." the girls broke down into hysterics.
"Yeah, right Lala. Just friends my ass. He thinks you're his girl!!" Dachia told her. Natalya just frowned.
"No, no way. Nick's my best friend, he knows I'm attached." the others smiled. Natalya was oblivious, which they didn't think was entirely possible, Nick was sending out boyfriend vibes like an SOS. Either she was enjoying the attention, or she really didn't have a clue, which wouldn't surprise her friends.
Later that night the decided to play some N64 games and then watch a video.
"Movie!!" Natalya screamed down the stairs as she dimmed the lights in her room and flipped on the VCR. She grabbed the remote, popped in "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" and jumped onto the bed.
Nick soon came up and joined her on the bed.
"Where's Philip?" she asked, pulling a furry pillow out from under her leg and handing it to Dachia. Nick grinned.
"Philip's a little shy." Natalya smiled, rolled her eyes and started the movie. Zoey watched as Natalya sat back into Nick's arms and played with his hand.
'She's so bad.' she thought, as she turned to concentrate on the movie.
After the movie they watched South Park until they all fell asleep where they were.
The next morning they had breakfast, got dressed, and prepared to head out into the city. Natalya was happy to be home so she could wear all her favorite things, her flamingo pink wig, Nick's leather jacket, her silver slip dress, her rhinestone tiara, her bamboo shoes, her huge sherbet colored sunglasses, and her elastic charm bracelets. In this outfit, she looked like a freak.
Natalya, Anja, Nick, Zoey, and Dachia spent the day by the water shopping. Dachia got some Tony&Tina make-up, Natalya bought comics and glittery stickers, Anja bought magazines and headbands, and Zoey bought CDs and paint.
They got Happy Meal's at McDonalds, then went home.
Later that night the computer beeped. Anja pressed the buttons and Lavender appeared.
"I hope you girls had fun in San Francisco, It's time to come home." the girls all groaned.
The next morning a black jeep showed up to get them. Everyone hugged, and Derek promised they were always welcome.
