I should have known that swimming would be a bad idea when Marissa agreed so quickly. She never agrees to do something that someone else suggests without a fight, even if she wants to go. Its just in her nature.

With Aunt Barbara off at work, we could use her pool. And the hot tub. Plus her pool was heated and really nice.

While I had no problem baring flesh in my new black string bikini, Marissa had on a tankini that met at the middle, obviously trying to cover as much as possible. I was surprised since usually when we go to the beach she wears this little blue two-piece that she bought when she was twelve, and completely flat-chested. Today she slightly resembled a nun in training.

I heard Isaac let out a low whistle when he saw Libby. Figured. Libby had on some teeny weenie thing that just barely covered what needed to be covered, and Marissa's suit couldn't have covered more.

I sighed. Why couldn't I ever go for the easy ones?

Sometimes shy people find it easier to open up to funny people. And who's funnier than me? So I had put on a pair of neon pink swim trunks that one of my friends had gotten as a joke last year, and I decided funny I was gonna be.

But who could be funny with Aimee looking so uncomfortable? She had on a long black T-shirt over her bathing suit and appeared to have no intention of taking it off.

"Aren't you hot in that?"I asked, swimming over to where she was dangling her legs in the pool.

She shrugged.

"Why don't you take it off?"I suggested."You don't have to be shy with Libby running around with those tiny little triangles barely keeping everything in place."

Smiling, she drew her knees up to her chest."I guess I could."She stood up slowly and pulled the T-shirt off.

My mouth dropped open. She had on a blue flowered one piece that was backless and clung to every well-placed curve on her tiny body. I must have been staring pretty bad, because she started to look really uncomfortable and started to put the shirt back one.

"No!"I exclaimed, jumping out of the pool, taking the shirt out of her hands and tossing it onto a chair."Leave it off."

At least Taylor didn't wear a speedo.

Otherwise the day couldn't have gotten worse. He kept making cat noises at me and running a finger up my arm. The boy was really starting to creep me out.

If he didn't stop soon he was really going to get it.

While everyone else got into the pool Libby and I headed straight for the hot tub.

I was one happy guy.

"So have you always wanted to be an author?"I asked her.

She smiled."Since I could write. I've been seriously writing stories since I was in the fourth grade."

"Wow."I was really impressed."Most people don't know what they want to do with their lives that early."

"You did,"she said simply.

"True, but most people don't."

"I guess we're not most people."

"You most certainly aren't."I stared at her. Since the second I'd met her and she'd been so calmly playing with my sisters, I had been drawn to her. She was unlike any girl I'd ever known.

"Libby, I think-."

"Loser!"Marissa shrieked.

I looked up to see Marissa attempting to drown Taylor.

That was not good.

I rushed over, jumping into the pool (at which point the shock of the cold water almost paralyzed me), and dragging Marissa away from Taylor.

He bobbed up to the surface, gasping for air.

All I have to say is that he deserved it. The loser pinched my butt.