"Howie hurry up we're already late!" Nikki shouted from her jeep. Howie ran out of his house and quickly got in. "Sorry, I over-slept," he said while catching his breath.

"It's all right. It's not like anyone is going to kill us if we're few minutes late," she said as she pulled out of the driveway and headed to the beach.

Howie smiled and sat back in his seat. He looked over at Nikki and noticed that she seemed a little flustered. "Nikki is something wrong?"

"Wrong? No, nothing's wrong. Why would anything be wrong?" she answered quickly.

"You just seem a little stressed. It's not like you to be that way."

"I'm fine Howie. Nothing is wrong," she said with a sigh and gripped her hands on the steering wheel.

"Did something happen before you came here? If so you know can- - "

"Howie for the last time I'm fine! Let's drop this before I get really mad," Nikki shouted.

Howie was hurt, but understood. "Okay, but I'm here if you want to talk."

"Thanks," she said quietly then parked the jeep by the beach. "We're here," she said then got out.

Everyone had already arrived and were already eating. "Hey you guys couldn't wait for us?" Howie asked as he put his beach towel down on the sand.

"Sorry D we were all hungry. Dig in," AJ said as he took a bite out of his sandwich.

Howie picked up a plate and began filling it up with food. Nikki took a seat next to Amanda and sighed. "So did you tell him yet?" she asked in anxiety.

"No," Nikki said as she looked down at the sand.

"Why not? Girl you know he likes you."

"I don't know. I just don't want anything to happen to our friendship."

"Nothing will happen to your friendship. It will enrich it. Trust me I know. AJ and I were best friends before we started seeing each other. You know that."

"I know," Nikki said with a sigh.

"So what do you have to lose?" Amanda asked her with a smile.

"You know what, I really don't want to talk about this right now," Nikki said then got up and walked over to the shore.

"What's with her?" AJ asked as he put his arm around Amanda.

"Nothing, just girl stuff," Amanda answered.

"Hey anyone up for some volleyball?" Brian asked as he twirled the volleyball on his finger.

Rachel stood up and snatched the ball away from him. "You think I'm good at basketball wait til you see my spike."

"Oh come on! A shorty like you can play volleyball? Please!" Brian said with a grin. Kristin let out a snicker. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing except for the fact that you just made the biggest mistake of your life by saying that."

"Hey Rachel didn't you say that you play for--" AJ started, but was interrupted by Rachel's facial expression for him to shut up.

"Why don't we split up boys and girls and see who's better," Rachel said in a cocky tone.

"All right you're on!" Brian said with a confident grin. "Losers have to swim in the ocean naked."

"I'll go for that," Rachel said as she picked her side of the net.

"Umm Rachel maybe this isn't such a good- -" Amanda said, but was interrupted by Kristin.

"Don't worry these guys don't stand a chance with her. Trust me she's good."

Amanda grinned. "Do they know that?" Kristin shook her head. "This is gonna be good," Amanda said with a laugh then she and Kristin walked over to Rachel. Sarah was sitting on her beach towel by herself when Kevin noticed her. "Come and play with us Sarah. It'll be fun."

"No that's okay you guys go ahead and play," she said as she put her sunglasses on.

"Are you sure?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah, I'm not too much into volleyball."

"But we'll be uneven if you don't play."

"Don't worry about it Kevin we'll be okay with only four girls," Rachel commented. "Sarah you keep score."

"You're going down Crawford!" Brian shouted.

Rachel snickered. "Dream on Littrell!" she said then made the first serve.

The game went on and Sarah kept score. Rachel made one final spike and Brian surrendered. "Okay I give up! The girl is good!"

Rachel laughed and turned to Sarah. "What was the score again?"

"Boys 24, girls 45," Sarah said then started laughing.

"Hmmmm, I guess we all know what that means," Rachel said with a devious smile.

"Hey I was just kidding when I said that you know," Brian said innocently.

"I wasn't," Rachel said as she moved toward Brian. "Swimming trunks are going bye bye," she said as she ran her finger down his chest. Brian moved back nervously as Rachel continued to move forward. "Do as I wish and you'll get something in return sexy," she whispered in his ear and licked his ear lobe.

"Come on guys you heard the lady! Let's go!" Brian said as he headed to the ocean. All the guys followed him and took off their swimming trunks when they were far enough into the water. The girls all laughed at the sight.

"Oh my god this is cold!" Nick shouted.

"You'll get used to it," Kevin said.

"How would you know?" Kevin raised his eyebrows and grinned. "That's disgusting! I don't even wanna know about it."

"Has little Nicky never been skinny dipping before?" AJ said with a chuckle.

"Shut up!" he shouted and dunked AJ under water.

"Okay lets get our trunks and get out of here," Howie said as he looked around for his trunks. "Hey where are my trunks?" The boys looked around for their trunks.

"Oh boys!" Kristin said in a sing song voice. "Looking for these?" she asked as she held up Nick's swimming trunks.

The boys looked up and noticed all the girls holding their trunks.

"Okay very funny give them back now," AJ shouted.

"Come fetch!" Amanda said with a laugh.

"Aww that's not fair!" Nick whined.

"We're not coming out until you give us back our trunks," Brian said.

"Too bad. Must be awfully cold in that ocean," Rachel said as she started to walk away.

"Okay all you girls can kiss my white ass!" AJ said as he stood up and flashed them his butt.

The girls cracked up and fell to the sand laughing.

"Okay you big babies you can have them back now," Rachel said as she grabbed all of their trunks and tossed them to the boys.

They all put their swimming trunks back and ran toward the girls. They all screamed as the boys grabbed a hold of them and threw them into the ocean.

"Oh cold!" Kristin shouted.

"Now you know how we felt," Nick said with a grin.

The girls got out and wrapped themselves up in beach towels. "Brrrrr cold!" Kristin said as she leaned up against Nick. He laughed and rubbed his hands up her arms to warm her up. Her teeth were chattering.

"Geez you are cold aren't you," he said as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Uh huh," she said as she shivered.

"Hey guys why don't we warm these ladies up with a bonfire," AJ suggested.

"Sounds good to me," Nick said as he went with th guys to get some twigs.

By dark the fire was fully lit up and everyone was sitting around it. Everyone was talking and having a good time except for Nikki. She felt out of place so she got up and walked out toward the shore. Howie noticed her leave so he followed her.

"Nikki?" he said gently as he touched her arm.

"Howie just leave me alone," she said as she turned away from him.

"What's wrong? Why won't you tell me?"

"I don't think you wanna hear about it."

"Try me," Howie said with his hand on her shoulder.

Nikki turned around and looked at Howie. Her eyes glistened with tears. "Howie I. . .I. . ,"she said with her voice quivering.

"You what?"

Nikki sighed. "Never mind," she said as she ran off to her jeep.

"Nikki!" Howie shouted, running after her.

Amanda noticed Nikki running away so she followed her, catching her before she got in the jeep. "Nikki what's gong on?"

"I can't do this. I'm sorry I can't," she said in between sobs.

"You can't do what? Nikki what are you talking about?"

"Nothing! You wouldn't understand!" she said as she started to open the door. Amanda grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the jeep. "I'm not letting you go out like this."

Nikki jerked her arm away. "Just leave me alone!" she shouted then sped off onto the road.

"What was that all about?" AJ asked as he ran up to Amanda.

"I don't know. Something's going on. I just wish I knew."