Sex, Lies and a kiddie wading pool!

The boys all boarded the bus after an interview and all headed their separate ways. Nick and Amber to the entertainment room to play Nintendo, Kevin and Brian to the kitchen, AJ up front listening to his discman and Howie grabbed his cell phone and headed to his bunk.

“You want a drink Howie?” Kevin called as he saw his friend quickly retreat to the back of the bus.
“No thanks…” Howie forced a smile and continued to walk.
“Ummm is everything alright with him?” Kevin asked Brian.
“I’m not sure….” Brian replied.

Howie lay down in his bunk and sighed. He rolled over and faced the wall. There was a picture of him and Julie as well as a picture of Julie just on her own. Howie rolled back over and quickly dialed her number on his phone.
“Hello?” Julie answered the phone.
“Hey sweetness…” Howie smiled.
“Oh, hello.” Julie replied.
“How are you?” Howie asked concerned.
“I’m fine…”
“Did you watch the interview?”
“Yes.”
“Look I’m sorry….I just couldn’t say it this time….I promise, next interview..”
“Jesus Howie, how hard is it to admit that you’re actually in a serious relationship! How the hell do you think I feel when you just brush us off in public all the time.” Julie was letting all her feelings out.
“I’m so sorry baby! It’s just the fans…” Howie tried to reason.
“Fuck the fans and fuck you…..” Julie’s cold reply hit Howie like a slap in the face.
“Jul..Julie…you can’t mean that…” Howie couldn’t believe his ears.
“No I mean it Howie, until you realise that you can’t push me away for your career….we’re through..” Julie kept her voice steady.
“Baby…please…don’t….” Tears began to well in Howie’s eyes.
“No Howie…” Julie replied before the phone went dead.

Julie looked at the phone in her hands. She hated to do that to Howie….but things had to change. Julie had to feel needed. And she did feel needed now.
“Julie…baby..where are you?” A male voice came from the bedroom.
“Yeah Ryan?” Julie’s voice purred down the hallway.
“Why don’t you come back to bed…..I’ll make it worth your while…” The voice laughed seductively.
“Coming baby….” Julie looked at the phone once more before walking into the bedroom, undoing her robe as she went.

Back in Orlando

“My god….why is it so hot!!” Becca fanned herself while lying on the couch.
“I have no idea….this is worse then back home!!” Cassidy’s voice came from the kitchen.
“Cassidy get your ass out of that fridge now!!” Becca yelled from the couch.
“But it’s so cold…” Cassidy’s voice started.
“CASSIDY!” Becca yelled.
Cassidy reluctantly shut the fridge door and walked into the lounge room.
“We need a pool…” Becca sighed.
“We live in an apartment!” Cassidy laughed.
“SO! Umm…well there’s that pool store down the road…maybe they’ll have a pool in there that you can swim in or something??” Becca thought aloud.
“Hey….that’s not a bad idea you know….” Cassidy replied.
“Let’s go!” Becca and Cassidy raced out the door and down the street to the pool store. (BN: Cassidy actually lives NEXT DOOR to a pool store but we thought that’d be too unrealistic! Anyway the following scenes are based on true events that yours truly, Cassidy and Becca, did in the Christmas holidays…it’s summer at Christmas time here..)

The girls arrived at the huge pool store. They walked around looking at the various beach balls and lounge chairs when they saw it. The display pool…a haven of cool, clear water.
“Umm…can I help you ladies?” A middle-aged assistant asked the two girls.
“Can we swim in your display pool??” Cassidy asked with pleading eyes.
The assistant laughed. “If you have enough money to put a deposit on the display pool you can!” The girl’s faces fell. The assistant felt immediately bad.
“Hey…I can do you a deal on a wading pool if that would suit your budget better??” The assistant offered.
“A wading pool!! That’s it Becca!! A wading pool!! That would fit on the balcony!” Cassidy said excitedly.
“How much?” Becca asked ignoring Cassidy.
“Well today they’re on special for $28.95….” The guy showed them a display of the blue wading pool.
“Hmm…how much you got on you Cass?” Becca asked reaching for her wallet.
“Just give me a call if you decide anything ok?” The assistant smiled and walked over to some other customers.
“Ummm…I’ve got 10…what about you?” Cassidy said counting the money in her purse.
“I’ve got 15….shit we’re $3.95 short!” Becca cursed.
“Have we got any at home?? I need this pool Becca…” Cassidy pleaded.
“I’m not sure…and dammit I want that pool too!” Becca laughed as they quickly walked back down the street to their apartment building.

“We’re poor buggers!” (BN: hehe I love that word! And yes most of the time we are poor buggers!) Becca said looking between the couch cushions for some loose change.
“There’s got to be $5 round here somewhere…” Cassidy said not wanting to give up.
“Oh well…no wadding pool for us,” Becca sighed and flopped back down on the couch.
“The change jar!!” Cassidy yelled running into her bedroom.
“The what?!” Becca asked confused.
Cassidy returned holding a large jar full of coins triumphantly in the air, Rebecca laughed. “Ummm you reckon that guy’ll care if we pay him in five-cent pieces?!”
“Dammit we’re getting that pool!” Cassidy grinned and they walked back to the pool shop with handfuls of coins.

“Umm we’d like to get that wadding pool please..” They asked the assistant who smiled and took a box from the shelve.
“Oh crap…we have to assemble it..” Becca whispered to Cassidy.
“You can take the fully assembled one if you like…” The assistant offered.
Becca blushed, “Yeah that’d be great….”
“Ok we’ve still got a couple of dollars left, wanna get this beach ball too!” Cassidy suggested.
“Yeah cool….we’ll have this beach ball as well thanks..” The guys took the ball and added up the total. “Today that’ll be $30.00…” He smiled.
“Hey that means we’ve got $3 left..”
“Oh my God! Kirstie would love this…” Becca said holding up a little foam penguin. (p.s Yes Kirstie this is on it’s way!)
“We’ll have that too thanks..” Cassidy smiled handing over the money.
Becca and Cassidy took their “fully assembled” wadding pool and started back to their apartment.
“Have a nice day girls..”
“Yeah you too...Thanks!” They called and ran down the street to avoid embarrassment.