My Story 59
By Corbin
How life tests the endurance, patience, and sometimes faith of one young woman.

**********

Pathetic!

Nikki and I have had on numerous occasions people from all walks of the 
Entertainment world hit on us. Men from that show 'The Bachelor', and from the 
movie industry have hit on us at bars, even married men with rings on their 
fingers, it is foul! It's like they don't even give a shit they have their 
wedding band on! Have you people no morals! No self control! No decency!

Now, just to be clear, Nik and I live down in good ol' North Carolina, ya'll! 
My northern and Canadian friends get a good laugh out of my dialogue when I say 
"What are *ya'll* up to?"

Anyway, NC is not the Entertainment capital of the world, but we've been to NY, 
Los Angeles, and Las Vegas a few times and for what ever reason, the moon and 
stars seem to line up and we end up at some bar or party that is 'THE' place to 
be. There we are, surrounded by singers, rappers, actors, producers, and on and 
on and on! Now, some of the people you flat out recognize, others spout all 
sorts of Hollywood credentials at us, of course they could be lying, but I guess 
it's a quick way to just impress the heck out us. The worst and most annoying 
scene's are the MTV's bashes we have stumbled upon, we get ALLOT of attitude 
when we refuse to sign the waiver that allows them to put us on camera, so they 
have to blur our faces out or edit us out when some looser cast member is 
hitting on us and we just ignore the hell out of them.

Sometimes I do up my Southern, hick drawl at these encounters because I 
love to mock them, and they are too dense to know what I am doing. 
"Dang!" I would say, "Ya'll is kidding! For reeel!" I would act so very 
impressed when these guys would introduce themselves.

"I love your accent!" Is usually what I hear in the first five minutes, yeah I 
bet you do...*snicker* *snort* *giggles* *hiccup*.....you DOPE! 

Now, just a little education, one does not just walk into one of these events, 
well, actually we did by accident one time while in Las Vegas. We were going 
back to the hotel and see big gaggle of press going crazy; So Nikki and I decide 
to scope it out, mingle and there is some door on the side that is left 
unattended for a few minutes, so we walk in. We just keep walking until we open 
another door and there is this hallway and we are now smelling food, so we 
stumble upon some catering service. No one pays us any mind because if we got 
this far we probably belong there, never mind the fact Nik and I have this 
confused lost look on our faces. Well I have that look, Nikki looks self 
confident and assured no matter what she is doing. So now it gets easy, 
following the flow of traffic and noise, turn a couple of corners, dodge a few 
people hustling and bustling back to the kitchen and suddenly we are in some 
big, BIG room that is packed with people. We look at each other, shrug and grab 
free drinks and food being served.

One time we just followed some group, got stopped by this big guy, with a big 
arm blocking our path, until some guy at the center of his entourage looked over 
his shoulder to see Nik and I standing there. Really now, we didn't care, we 
figured we would get stopped before we got a chance to see what was inside, but 
this guy just pauses and smiles at us, then shouts over at the guard "They're 
with me." 

Huh? We are? Nik and I just look at each other and give each other a smirk. I 
guess 'looks' will open doors for you, Nik and I were also showing some cleavage 
that night and THAT will always open a door or two.

The most recent adventure was up in New York this past summer. It's the most 
bizarre thing when meeting someone you are used to seeing on TV, or the Movies, 
99% of the time they are a heck of allot shorter and not nearly as attractive in 
person. Isn't that just harsh and judgmental of me to say? :)

So, while up in New York last year, we did the usual, sight seeing, catch a Play 
and so on. Oh, before I start on my rant, I must encourage everyone who goes to 
New York to eat at http://www.tocquevillerestaurant.com/

No I do not know the owner, this is just a free plug, isn't that generous of me! 
This place is the best restaurant I have ever been to. Nik and I did the Chef's 
tasting menu and it was the most incredible food I have ever had! You people 
must check it out!!!

Okay, GRRR!!! The subway system in New York is a nightmare, I'm sure it makes 
sense to you brain damaged people that live up there, but to me it's a mess. I 
can't tell where one train starts and the other ends. Nikki and I did have 
blast, but after awhile, the 'Big City' wears you down and we decided that we 
definitely needed find some place to chill out and maybe eat a bite and 
definitely get a drink. So we see this line standing outside some fancy-smancy 
place, is this the movies? A stupid TV show? But for some reason as we mingled 
around outside unsure if we even wanted to get into this place, we didn't have 
to wait that long as some big-shot looking guy comes up to us and waves his hand 
towards the door. Actually, it was like he was commanding us to go into the 
place, huh? Uhm-okay. Then Nikki and I get these evil daggers and condescending 
comments as we just walk in past the line. Why and how we got into this fancy 
place called the Pink Elephant, I haven't a clue, the name sounds stupid but the 
design and interior was very nice, okay damn nice. 

So I'm feeling very self conscious as this club is very, very upscale, and I do 
mean high dollar to the extent my eyes are wide open now trying to take in as 
much of the decor as possible. Anyway, as I said, I'm feeling very out of place 
because I just have on a short summer dress that stops about mid thigh, and I 
have on my dirty sandals that were frayed and falling apart. I see tables 
sectioned off with peoples names that you would normally see on a large movie 
posters and I'm wondering 'How do we get ourselves into these situations'.
 
So Nikki is just smiling at me and grabs some finger food off a passing platter 
and hands me some. Nik looks always fashionable, although she's not dressed much 
better then me, she has on this skirt and tee shirt and her own pair of comfy 
sandals, we are both looking like fashion dorks I fear. Well, I am the dork for 
sure.

The big problem with getting in one of these parties, is that we stick out like 
two sore thumbs, we don't know anyone and we don't know the layout of these 
places so we sort of stumble around and stand there, not mingling, just looking 
around like we are lost. But that never lasts more then a few minutes, because 
some big shot person decides he wants us in his or her entourage, which I dread, 
because when we say our goodbyes at the end of the evening it's like trying to 
untangle yourself from an octopus or python that is trying to strangle you. 
Sometimes we just have to 'bolt' from the joint!

But back to the Fat Elephant, or Pink, or whatever; Nikki and I are now standing 
near a long table that Mr. Big Shot had just guided us to, and see this guy who 
is dressed really well, he's not as tall as I thought he would be, they never 
are. Nikki and I make this quirky expression at one another, like 'Is that who 
we think it is?' In fact it is a young black actor, used to be rapper that I 
will omit his name for fear of being sued by the events that are about to 
unfold, events he would not want public (because he is married with kids). So I 
will just call him 'Mr. Smith', ha, very clever of me isn't it.

Nikki, being the eye-catching-exotic-beauty she is, immediately gets his 
attention, he walks up and introduced himself to both of us, and then promptly 
bought us drinks. Now, Nikki and I are suddenly in his entourage which means 
I am now forced to make conversation with allot of strangers. Oh, and did I 
mention that drugs flow rampant around many of these clubs? Anyway, things start 
moving faster then I can process them, which makes me agitated because this is 
not the kind of people that I like being around, and only reinforces my belief 
that the Entertainment business is full of flaky, superficial people. I guess 
when your all jacked up on 'whatever', you move, think and talk faster, and I 
can not keep up. Anyway, we get invited over to a VIP section where some other 
self-important people are sitting and chatting. For some odd reason, Nikki and I 
started getting a good amount of attention, which is odd, because we both have 
on such very casual dresses and sandals and our hair is pulled back into a 
frumpy ponytail, except Nikki is letting hers down around her shoulders now. 
Every other girl looks anorexic and wearing the latest fashion clothing, jewelry 
and perfume, and I am sure I just smell like the subway, 'Oh well!'

I'll tell you this again, people like and admire a great physique! The 
compliments flow and some guys even are bold enough to grab my bicep and even 
squeeze my thigh muscles. So that sets off a full barrage of hateful, jealous 
stares from other girls and gay men. I'm sitting in this booth, and I have 
Nikki's right hand on my left thigh and I look down and see another hand on my 
right thigh that belongs to...Mr. Smith!! What the hell? I thought he liked 
Nikki?! Not that she is noticing or cares anyway, because she has some guys that 
has scooted into the booth on her left and is trying and woo her with their 
tales of status/money/good looks, whatever. 

"Excuse me, gotta use the ladies room." And I excuse myself and Nikki is quickly 
on my tail, "This place is nuts, I'm starving, let's get back to the hotel and 
order room service!" Nikki is squeezing my shoulder as we look for the 
bathroom. "Wanna just bolt?" I ask when we exit the bathroom.

"Uhh, maybe we'll dance a couple of times? Then bolt? I can fill up on a few 
more snacks floating around." Nikki smiles and leans in to kiss me on the lips.

"Hmmmm" I sigh and kiss her back, "Sounds nice."

The music at the club was nice, stuff I could dance to, but not listen to on a 
regular basis, but these goofs all seem to think the likes of Justin Timberlake 
is 'Da Bomb!', eww, yuck. 

I'm almost back to the table when I am intercepted by Mr. Smith, telling me to 
get on the dance floor with him. (On a side note, Nikki and I are not the kind 
of people to be star struck, we think it's amusing and laughable, but not 
impressive. You want to impress us, just be polite, humble and carry on a 
conversation, so far Mr. Smith has only gained points for being polite, but his 
hand on my thigh cost him a deduction in points, so he's back down to zero now.) 

The second we start dancing his crotch is up against me and he is grinding away! 
'just great' I privately sigh, can't any guy just dance without all of this 
'grinding' crap, it is NOT a turn on, at least not to me, well I'll make an 
exception for my 'Ex' Dale :) So I have to keep maneuvering away from him 
because, but I'm a klutz as I've already made clear many times before, so I was 
also trying not to step on anyone's toes, not his, anyone else's, or even my 
own.

Suddenly Nikki is next to us on the dance floor with someone else that looks 
damn familiar (some other big snot nose actor I can't place), suddenly I want t 
remove myself from my current partner and dance with my girlfriend, it doesn't 
help she is taunting me by bumping her butt into mine, on purpose! She knows 
what she is up to, and I enjoy it, so I bump her back.

It's getting late, and someone who appears important in our VIP area keeps 
coming up and asking what Nikki and I are doing 'after'. "Going back to the 
hotel, getting some sleep." That answer is not what they want to hear, so guys 
are around us wanting us to come back with them, WHEREVER they are trying to 
take us I don't know, don't care, and don't want to find out.

So begins the painfully slow process of trying to get out of there, Nikki and I 
usually divide and conquer at this stage of the evening, she distracts and says 
her goodbyes to one group of people and I handle another. And now the freaking 
owner is bugging us (I guess it's him, he's been bossing staff around all 
night), puts his arm on me and goes "You do know who you guys are hanging out 
with, right?" Any other chump that puts his arm around me gets an elbow to the 
gut, but this is his place, and he has allot of people that could eject us 
faster then I could blink, so I would rather not be arrested or eating the 
pavement outside. Besides, I am more stunned by how damn determined this group 
is to keep Nikki and I around! Should I be flattered? I mean what is 
the deal?

So Mr. Big-Shot tries to smooth talk me some more, so we are walking and 
talking and I am right back at the table where Mr. Smith is sitting, and it's 
just him and me now, the owner backs off and I'm standing there looking down at 
where he is sitting. "Hi, I gotta go, sorry." I smile, trying to be polite and 
he gives me that big screen smile that I guess would have more girls giddy and 
melting in the palm of his hand, or lap, and he starts running his left hand up 
the back of my leg, then higher up the back of my thigh.

"What are you doing later?" He asks.

"I've got my girlfriend here, so you know, came together, leave together." I 
look over my shoulder and I see Nikki waving me on to get a move on! And then, I 
am startled, I literally almost squeal when he pinches the back of my thigh to 
get my attention and he is smiling up at me. 

"I just thought you and I could spend some time together, 'hook up' back at my 
place."

There you have it, it's all very uncomplicated, so that even a blonde like me 
can figure it out. All of this just to get me in bed?

I know, 'Corbin' from North Carolina would have decked him after the pinch on my 
leg, but I am on totally strange turf here so I try to be diplomatic, my right 
hand grabs his shoulder and squeezes, firmly, he really likes that.

For nice effect, I smirk, raise an eyebrow and lay it on the line, "I do not do 
that, not ever, and I'm not starting now."

"Your gorgeous, maybe we could just spend some time talking a little more, and 
honestly your body has me tripping." He says leaning toward me.

"Bye." I wave and back away, blowing him a kiss, spin around and briskly walk to 
where Nikki is waiting. The cab driver thought we were a couple of drunk goofs, 
well we were drunk, as we giggled all the way back to the hotel.

Who needs to plan a fun vacation when Nik and I roll up on this kind of crazy 
shit all the time when we are out of town.

**********

The whole photo thing with Gary lingered like some ghost that haunted me almost 
every day. I know I sound very, very dramatic about the whole thing, but I 
really did not want this to go beyond it's initial purpose, and that was to have 
some intimate pictures taken of Nikki and I, JUST FOR NIKKI AND I!!

Actually, the most troubling thing in all of this was my past, my gymnastic 
past. Nikki had just come back from taking a box of stuff over to our new place, 
we had decided to move in together and bought a townhouse. I was going 
thru some clothes when I pulled out a gym bag I used for gymnastics back in High 
School and some in College. Wow, did that cause me to spiral into a funk as I 
sat on the edge of the bed and stared at my College leotard. 

"You okay? What's that?" Nikki asked.

I just shook my head and clutched the fabric, "Wow, just having a flash 
back, it's the only thing I really regret, never really pushing myself harder. I 
kind of feel like a just gave up, that I chickened out."

"But love, it was taking a terrible toll on your body." Nikki sat down 
and rubbed my shoulders, "I remember, I know, I was there."

Nik was right, and as always she took good care of me, stroking my head gently. 
I leaned down and dug thru some other stuff and found some photos of me and the 
rest of the gymnastics team, pictures of us on the balance beam, the vault, 
floor exercise and I just eyeballed every detail, feeling thousands of memories 
flooding back.

"It wasn't that long ago!" Nikki smiled, which was true, I really don't look 
that different in the photos, well I'm more physically built and muscular now, 
and my hair is longer.

"Wow." Nikki says as she looks at me performing a handstand on the balance 
beam, right before getting ready to do a dismount, "Pretty good."

It didn't end with me simply digging thru all my old gymnastics stuff, it was 
like finding an old friend and wanting to reconnect. No I don't mean I want do 
gymnastics again, but I wanted to be involved in it again, maybe as an assistant 
coach or something. I really did love the sport, the elegance, the precision, 
the demands that are placed on you as an athlete. It's just that I ran into one 
too many coaches that were starting to brow-beat me to get as lean as possible, 
to train thru a pulled muscle, it was getting too 'hard core', so I walked away. 

So why go back? 

Well, I admit I wanted to eventually see if I could still perform some of the 
routines I used to be able to, I'm in better shape then I have ever been, but it 
would also mean going back to that fanatical stretching regimen.

So first thing I did was to call Gary, surprised by that? Maybe, but I had an 
agenda to accomplish now, but unfortunately he was out of town for several 
weeks, but the ever reliable Jaden was there and we talked for about an hour. 
She offered to shoot the pictures, which was a brilliant idea, why didn't I 
suggest that? She and I get along great, and Jaden is so talented with the 
camera, almost as good as Gary. I bring along some photos of other gymnasts in 
professional poses, a whole variety of gymnastic positions that I want to be 
taken in. The right lighting, set and just the basic of poses will take on a 
whole new dramatic look.

Unfortunately, that will have to wait, Jaden is backed up with doing her own 
stuff as well as filling in for Gary while he is away. Actually, I would not get 
back with Jaden until spring time of 2007 because I was so backed up with work, 
moving in with Nikki and being pulled in a dozen other directions time wise, as 
well as volunteering my time at a nearby gymnastics/cheering gym. 

Speaking of Gymnastics, it brings up another subject that I am constantly asked 
about; How can I be so conservative and self conscious about what I wear, swim 
wear in particular, but then turn around and wear a leotard while performing 
jumps, tumbling runs and especially full splits. In what may sound rather odd as 
an answer, I don't see gymnastics as this provocative, lewd, or even sexual 
activity that challenges the more modest side of my personality. It was a JOB, 
to some extent, to get out there and simply be the best, to personally challenge 
myself to be exact and perfect, the leotard was just an outfit, or uniform to 
me and I never paid any attention to the crowds. Once I was off the balance 
beam, uneven bars or the floor exercise, I just put on my warm-up suit and sat 
down or stretched, I was really in my own little world.

**********

Okay, moving right along...

For some wacky reason, Sharon got it in her little brain to do a beach trip 
during Spring Break, and in Panama City of all places!! Has she lost her mind, I 
hate all that spring break crap! But for all of my bitching and complaining, I 
wasn't going to turn down free lodging, but in hindsight maybe I should have. 

The plan looked to include myself (of course!), Nikki, Sharon, Dale and a bunch 
of Sharon's sorority sisters. Dale's head must have grown in size by ten fold 
being in the midst of so many girls, okay...some very hot girls. Fortunately 
some of the girls also brought along their boyfriends so his status as the 
'only' guy was short lived. Thank God everyone was out of College and a little 
more mature, I can't tolerate allot of juvenile Spring Break behavior. 

(Warning, the next section will make your stomach turn as I state a few FACTS 
about how I perceive myself, and my friends. So be ready to hurl as I perform a 
self congratulatory, ego pumping self assessment.) 

So I was feeling pretty damn smug as Nikki and I stood waiting on Sharon 
and her little group to meet us at the airport. But like I was saying, we were 
just standing around near the Airport's main entrance gathering allot of 
attention, but I suppose that when you have a couple of beautiful, tall and 
fit girls, that sort of thing will happen. 

But I hate standing around and waiting, I feel like my life is ticking away 
while I do nothing but stand and wait on something or someone. Much in the same 
way I feel precious time in my life is wasted waiting on a red light to change, 
I mean COME ON!!! ALREADY CHANGE TO GREEN!!! What the hell, I've got places to 
go and things to do!

So here comes Sharon and Dale, and what an odd sight, I still find myself 
adjusting to the site of one of my dearest friends seriously involved to my 
first serious boyfriend. Anyway, I can see Sharon's motor-mouth is running a 
mile a minute, blah...blah...blah...blah, and she has poor Dale lugging all her 
carry on crap for her. She  pulls this shit every time, always trying to take on 
more carry on luggage then she knows she should or can, and then throws a hissy 
fit when she has to have them stowed away under the plane!

Well, I was sort of into my own zone of travel, otherwise I get very antsy and 
irritated when traveling on planes, I hate being confined to spaces. There is 
about twelve of us total, a few introductions are made and we were about to head 
toward the gate when Sharon did a head count and noticed a couple was missing.

"Where's Mallory?" Sharon pipes up, spastically looking around.

"I'm here!" Says a girl with a laugh and a smile, appearing out of thin air 
almost. Well I was stunned, this girl was built, maybe more then I was, well 
probably more then I was.

Mallory seemed personable, attractive, but had dyed her shoulder length hair 
blonde about halfway leaving her brunette roots showing for sure. With her ready 
made tan poured all over her body her muscles really stood out. But I was 
concerned that she might have some chip needing to be knocked off her shoulder, 
just a vibe you can pick up on with some people. But I kept my attitude positive 
for the time being and felt Nikki elbow me a little bit with regard to Mallory, 
she was also picking up on how fit the girl was. Part of me was trilled 
initially when this girl showed up looking very buff, she was a sorority sister 
of Sharon's that had taken to lifting weights. Sharon also assumed we (Mallory 
and I) would hit it off, but apparently that wouldn't work out to well down the 
road. You see Mallory's boyfriend also came along, was also a bodybuilder (WOW 
big shocker there!), and he had an issue with Nikki and I, actually make that an 
issue with any girl that threatens Mallory's self imposed status as Alpha Body 
building Woman. Actually, Mallory shared the same snot nosed attitude as her 
boyfriend Steven, no surprise there.

The more I observed her body in her dark blue tank top the more I realized she 
was in fact slightly more 'cut' then I was, but after all she truly did aspire 
to be a body builder and was already well on her way, having competed in a few 
competitions.

So, enough of that junk, things were going very well initially, Mallory and her 
boyfriend Steven had not started their attitude, yet, it was still early into 
the trip. They even seemed very pleased when we shook hands, complimenting me on 
how 'in shape' I looked.

"Why thank you, I try." I shrug a little bit, "But you put us all to shame!" I 
just smiled and redirected a compliment back at her. 'There, that should pacify 
their egos for a little bit.' I thought. 

When we travel or heck, when Nikki and I are simply just out and about, shopping 
or whatever, we don't even think about how we act around one another. We 
sometimes hold hands, or Nikki will wrap an arm around my waist but we don't do 
it constantly and are somewhat discrete about it. So that's the way it was on 
this trip, if Sharon had not already clued her friends in on the status of Nikki 
and I they quickly put the clues together as we looked after one another much 
in the same way a boyfriend and girlfriend would. That and the subtle touches, 
pat on the back, squeeze of a forearm or thigh as we would sit close together 
and talk. So yeah, we could be a little touchy-feely with one another, but that 
is how loving couples act.

These trips usually start off with allot of energy, the very next night allot 
of people wanted to go out partying. Which meant going to some dance clubs and 
bars and whatever, but being that we were in Panama City and during spring 
break, it was very chaotic. 

Prior to any evening of 'clubbing' there is the usual amount of primping that 
all the girls and guys go thru, and yes I am sometimes guilty of doing that as 
well. I just try to keep it to a bare minimum.

I am hanging out in our room as Nikki finishes getting ready, I also hear the 
constant clicking of hair dryers, frantic chit chat about what to wear and if 
one girl could borrow the other's makeup.

But I just sit on the edge of the bed, left leg folded over the right while I 
rock my left foot back and forth. I contemplate turning on the TV, but just then 
the bathroom light clicks off and Nikki steps out, looking stunning, as usual.

As we ascend the stairs to the upstairs kitchen I am assaulted with the aroma of 
perfume and cologne;

*GAG* *COUGH* *HACK*

"What is that rank smell?" I ask when I get to the top of the stairs, "Come on 
guys, what is with all the heavy cologne!" I'm waiving my hands around in front 
of my face. "What is wrong with just regular deodorant?" 

So I proceed to give the guys allot of grief about all of the cologne, more does 
NOT mean better!
  
Thankfully the first place we went was a bit more upscale than the usual cheap 
cover charge bars, packed with drunk college students. I put on a nice skirt 
with a short sleeved front v-cut sweater, Nikki had on a sleeveless short dress. 
The dance club was packed, I observed people firing off cell phone pictures left 
and right, how damn rude! Only the soothing effects of Nikki and the Alcohol 
kept my blood pressure from boiling over fromsuch bold actions on the part of so 
many drunk spring breakers. 

Nikki is very tuned into my moods and noticed I was tensing up, I also got a 
little 'twitchy' when I am crammed in a bar full of people. I start flexing my 
fists, adjusting my dress and tugging at my strands of hair, there is also no 
point in trying to talk in a place like this as the noise level requires one to 
yell into the ear of someone to communicate. To quickly sooth my nerves Nikki 
took my drink, set it down on a table and pulled me thru the crowd to the dance 
floor and wasted no time 'getting busy' with me. Nikki can dance her ass off and 
kept me pulled tight against the front of her body as she swayed and gyrated her 
body to the music. It was the exact remedy I needed and soon enough I was lost 
in my girl's embrace, we attracted allot of attention and had several guys try 
to dance with us. 

Nik and I seem to draw allot of admirers whenever we go to a club and especially 
when we get out on a dance floor. We are NOT vulgar in our moves, but we are 
very 'intimate' and 'seductive' toward one another while dancing, combine that 
with our short outfits revealed allot of skin, especially our muscular legs, 
arms and shoulders. We started getting hit on ALLOT, more then either of us 
anticipated and this was also the beginning of the attitude Nik and I started to 
get from some of the other people in the house, most directly from Mallory and 
Steven. 

Nik and I reason that we are perceived as being stuck up, but we just sort of do 
our own thing and then kick back and hang out when and where we want, we don't 
really think much of it. I guess we could be more inviting towards other people, 
but sort of assumed that most of the other girls don't want to go to the gym 
everyday. Although we did purposefully avoid going at the same time as Mallory 
and Steven because they had a real competitive attitude when in the gym down at 
the beach. They were always asking Nik and I if we wanted to go for a run or 
something, but we would just hang out and be like 'Nah, we're cool.' Then Nik 
and I might go for a jog later in the day which kind of pissed off Mallory and 
Steven cause they thought we were snubbing them or something.

Can you believe all these petty games!

Our problem (our because it involved both Nikki and I) with Mallory, errr...let 
me rephrase that, Mallory's problem with us started the day after we arrived at 
the Beach House. I had just walked out to the pool in my bikini, I've always 
been proud of my abs and it seemed to grind away at Mallory's sense of pride 
that I out-classed her in the abdominal, legs, and butt department, but her 
arms, shoulders and thighs were easily a match for Mine, if not more so. It was 
also the moment when Steven locked in at me like he had turned into a heat 
seeking missile.

So aside from all that little drama, we had a great time, and I loved to taunt 
Sharon every chance I got where Dale was concerned. Everyone was out by the pool 
and I spotted Dale already in the water cooling off, so I walked out of the 
house and toward the far end of the pool. Nikki reached out and gave my leg a 
playful grab when I walked past where se was laying stretched out on her lounge 
chair, I just smiled down at her and kept walking, I had more mischievous things 
on my mind. I was now at the end of the pool furthest from the house, and also 
the least crowded, there was just Jeff laying on a towel drinking a beer.
"Corbin," Jeff said in a somewhat hushed tone.

"Hmmm?" I said in response but didn't look at him, I was observing Dale lazily 
swim the length of the pool, soon he would be close to where I was standing.

"You have the finest, most beautiful ass I have ever seen on any woman, period."

"Oh, thanks." I said, I really wasn't paying him much attention.

"Your most welcome." He says, adding with a faint sigh "Flawless." 

My back is mostly to Jeff and I can feel his eyes drilling into my butt, barely 
covered by my blue bikini bottom. I don't really care much anymore, the facts of 
life I suppose, when I was in High School and my early College days I dressed 
'down' most of the time to avoid the male 'gawking' that takes place, I even had 
some hostility towards men in general because they were not able to keep their 
urges 'in check'. Wow, I've grown/matured allot in the past couple of years, I 
am more grounded, at ease, and overall happy with where I am in life. I suppose 
you readers do not need another essay about how Nikki is a major factor in all 
of my changes. (If you do need a lengthy explanation, then what the hell is your 
problem! Have you NOT been paying attention!!!!) Anyway, yes I still dress down 
to some degree, but because it's comfortable, and as for men who make comments 
and stare, that doesn't bother me so much. Just as long as the comments do not 
get overly vulgar.

Dale is close enough now that I jump in and get a little playful, yeah, I can 
actually relax and have a good time people, gheesh, I'm not uptight all the 
time. 

There was a nice, reminiscent feeling to the moment as I swam up next to him.

His head pops out of the water and he wipes the water from his eyes, he gives me 
a big smile upon my approach, "Hi gorgeous." (He would always say that to me 
whenever Sharon was out of ear shot, I knew he was still was in love with me and 
that caused me to keep my guard up some.) Today however, I was feeling a bit 
aggressive and was looking forward to another session of 'pissing off Sharon' 
because she puts on such a big fuss when she gets mad.

"What are you up to!" Dale suddenly said as I hugged him from behind and climbed 
up on his back, wrapping my arms around his neck, careful not to choke him :). 
As I got my balance, I hugged him some more and wrapped my strong thighs around 
his waist, and he enjoyed every second of it.

"Unhand my man bitch!" I heard Sharon bark as she stormed out of the house in 
her bright red bikini, wagging a finger at me. 

"That didn't take long." I whispered into Dale's right ear.

"You've done it now." Dale laughed.

"He was my man first!" I yelled back and smiled, our exchange got a few laughs 
from everyone lounging around the pool.

"Well just see about that!" Sharon snapped and dove into the water, I was ready 
for her and went to climb off Dale's back when she emerged next to me. I fully 
expected her to pull me under, try something underhanded, but instead she 
started to awkwardly flail her arms around me in some bizarre fashion before 
disappearing under the water. Her fingers began to tickle me, she knows how 
ticklish I can be, and I started to violently twist my arms and upper torso to 
get away, and then she was gone! It only took me a split second to realize what 
had happened, thankfully I was in the deep end of the pool and up 
to my neck as I tread water, but even though I was mostly submerged under water 
I quickly moved my right hand to cover my chest.

"Give that back!" I yelled, feeling myself getting a little pissed that Sharon 
had taken my bikini top, partly I was mad at myself for being so dense as to not 
even notice it was gone until after the fact. But Sharon was already climbing 
out of the pool and held it up in the air with her left hand while performing a 
little strut over to a nearby chair and draping it carefully over the back. Now 
several guys were clapping and encouraging me to get out of the pool to retrieve 
it. I was actually a little impressed with how swift she was able to get the top 
off of me.

"Hell yeah, let's see these legendary boobs we've all heard about!" a few guys 
and girls taunted me.

"I can attest," Dale raised his right hand into the air, "they are perfect!"

My face was beat red, flushed from anger and embarrassment, everyone was now 
sitting up and paying attention to what I was going to do next. But it was 
Mallory who I noticed to be paying me the most attention, especially when people 
started commenting about my breasts, she had this look of intense curiosity as 
she and her boyfriend Steven watched the whole scene unfold. Mallory would cut 
her eyes over to Steven several times as he stared directly at me, never 
flinching once.

"And yes, they are REAL!" I snapped, but felt a little regret at such a boastful 
statement, since a couple of girls in the house had implants, Mallory being one 
of them. Anyway, as I indicated my face was several shades of red and I pointed 
at Dale, "Go get my top, now!" I ordered.

"Don't put me in the middle of this, I'm just an innocent bystander!" He 
shrugged and swam to a corner of the pool.

"Damn it!" I snapped and snacked the water with my left hand, but I really 
wasn't getting that mad, actually I was smiling and realized that there is no 
sense in getting all pissed off because of a silly prank. In any case I had my 
ace up the sleeve and looked over at Nik who was laying on a chair.

"Nikki, go get my top please!" I called out.

"Gheesh, I'm sorry Corbin, I'd love to help you out but I'm kind of busy." She 
said and rolled over onto her stomach."

"WHAT! YOUR WHAT!? Fine...FINE! BE THAT WAY!" I fumed, Sharon was now laughing 
and clapping her hands at Nikki's refusal to fetch my top. This is what I get 
for trying to yank people's chains and be a smart ass, it always comes back to 
bite ME in the ass.

"I'll fucking get it myself." And carefully maneuvered to a nearby ladder, I 
swiftly switched arms and now my left forearm covered my chest while my right 
hand carefully gripped the ladder to pull myself up. My eyes spotted a discarded 
towel on the ground, Sharon saw the towel and made a jump for it, but was too 
far away.

"That's cheating!" Sharon cried out as I safely covered my chest with it before 
getting out of the pool.

"BOOOooooooo!" a chorus of guys called out as I safely concealed 'the twins', 
quickly I walked over and snatched that damn top off the back of the chair, 
heading over to a shower stall to reattach my garment.  

BTW...I put the puzzle pieces together where Mallory is concerned, even though 
she had a nice set of implants, that wasn't enough. Sharon told me that Mallory 
had challenged that my breasts we not real, but Sharon told her 'I've seen them 
and they are real!" For some reason that wasn't enough for Mallory and Steven 
and they cornered Dale when he had several drinks in him, asking him for his 
expert opinion. Apparently, his swearing that my breasts were ALL real and in 
his opinion as perfect as they come, sent Mallory into a tailspin of 
jealousy. I can't figure it out, maybe just a combination of her competitive 
nature and how much money she invested into having her chest altered, she had 
some sense of entitlement as 'best chest' I guess? 

Actually, Nikki gets my vote for best chest!

But let's be honest about something else, Mallory is my exact opposite: She dyes 
her hair, is very loud and cocky, has a couple of tattoos, piercing on her eye 
brow, nose, navel and multiple ones on her ears. She has also had some plastic 
surgery, all in all, the list includes EVERY-thing I am opposed to and refuse to 
have done.

**********

It would have been nice if things stayed lighthearted throughout the 
remainder of the trip. But that did not happen, it rarely does and honestly 
anytime you pack a house with that many people, it can wear on your nerves.
 
But the attitude really started to fly when Nikki and I were sitting upstairs 
watching TV, it was about 8:30ish PM and we both had several glasses of wine in 
us. So we were a giggling, drunk mess when Mallory and Steven came bouncing up 
the stairs, making allot of racket as they had just come from a pretty intense 
run, all covered in sweat and gulping large glasses of water.

One thing that annoys me about people who compete in anything athletic (not 
everyone but most people) they love to talk about themselves. (Hey, I'm one to 
talk! All I seem to do is write page after page about me and my friends, does 
that make me a hypocrite? Who cares! :P so sit back and enjoy!)

So, as I was saying before I so rudely interrupted myself, Mallory and Steven 
are banging around in the kitchen talking loudly about what a great run they 
just had. (Who gives a crap? Gheesh, talk about self absorbed.) All the while 
Nikki and I are sort of tuning into some Movie on the TV, but more 
like making fun of it and giggling like two dorks as Mallory and Steven pace in 
and out of the kitchen taking loud gulps from their water bottles.

"Yo woman! Get me another beer!" I slur jokingly when Nikki gets up to refill 
our wine glasses.

"Kiss it!" Nikki snaps and gives her hips a firm thrust to the right to stick 
her butt at me.

I just smile and pucker my lips.

Mallory is standing at the other end of the sofa sucking down on her water, very 
loudly I might add, while eyeing us with this look that hovers between amusement 
at our drunken bantering and something condescending, all the while shifting her 
weight from one leg to the next, taking deep breaths and making sure we all see 
how drenched in sweat she is. Well, I try to be nice wave my hand to the sofa, 
"You and Steven want to sit and have a drink?" I look up and smile.

"No thanks." Mallory says almost instantly, telling me she didn't even have time 
to think it over.

"Where are you from?" I faintly hear Steven ask Nikki from the kitchen area. My 
eyes instantly, but discreetly, dart over to Mallory just in time to 
catch her shoot a very suspicious and menacing look towards Steven. I wish 
I was a bit more sober so I could really assess the jealous glare *I think* 
Mallory is giving Steven as he engages Nikki in small-talk.

"Portugal" Nikki says as she re-corks the bottle of wine and smiles at him. 
Well, he's done for now, Nikki's exotic looks and personality can charm anyone. 
I also knew from the way Steven had been eyeing 'my girl' since the beginning of 
the trip, he had the 'hots' for her, and in a very, very serious way. 

"I was close, I was thinking Spain or maybe Brazil." Steven says.

"Steven, I'm going to shower." Mallory abruptly calls out and heads down the 
stairs to their room. 

'Damn she is pissed.' I think to myself and a terrible feeling of satisfaction 
comes over me, I try to kill any pleasant thoughts over Mallory's emotional 
state of mind. I just don't like gloating over other people's misfortune or 
misery, especially since Steven really starts laying it on thick to Nikki when 
Mallory leaves the room. 'Such a lame thing to do to one's girlfriend' I think.

I'm not at all bothered by Steven's behavior, it's a common enough occurrence 
for guys and girls flirt uninhibitedly with us, even when Nikki and I make it 
perfectly clear we are 'A COUPLE!'.

"You really should get into weight lifting some more, you've already got such 
beautiful muscle definition as it is." Steven says while raising his water 
bottle up and down in front of Nik's body, and what a sight she is, her skin has 
gotten very dark from the sun, it's just natural for her to get dark even with 
allot of sun protection on. Her tank top shows off her perfectly smooth, tan 
cleavage that makes any man's mouth water, as well as MINE! :) But Steven's eyes 
don't stop there; It's her strong, toned legs revealed by her light gray short-
shorts that almost compel your hands to want to rub all over them. (And I do 
with great frequency) 

(Oddly enough, even as I sit her lavishing attention on my girlfriend's super-
fine body, Nik always just shakes her head, cast a humble smile and say that 
she fortunate to have me! She actually says this to people; "I can't believe 
someone as beautiful as Corbin would share her life with me." I always get weepy 
when I think about her kind words. But its true, Nikki actually admitted that 
even with all of her big talk about our spiritual and emotional connection, she 
lusted after me first and foremost. The first time she saw me naked in the 
women's shower after soccer practice, she went back to her dorm room and 
masturbated to fantasy's of me. It was the first time she had ever fantasized 
about another woman before. And well, the rest is history!)

Now where was I?

Oh yeah, poor Steven, or is it poor Mallory?

Anyway, 'Here we go' I privately sigh and roll my eyes. I look back over and 
Nikki smirks while nodding her head, "Well thank you for that input, but I'm 
very happy where I am." And she picks up the glasses of wine and heads back into 
the living room rolling her eyes several times while making this goofy look. I 
turn my head away so I don't laugh because Steven is hot on her trail out of the 
kitchen.

"You've heard that one before." Steven says as he recaps his water bottle.

"Yep, I have." Nikki says and sits back down, practically in my lap, but I'm 
fine with that!

"I'm sorry, it's just habit I guess, you know that type of guy I am, just driven 
to push people where fitness is concerned, especially girls." Steven smiles.

"Especially girls." I smile and look up at him.

"Yep, and you as well." He suddenly looks at me, "ESPECIALLY you Corbin." He 
gives me this bantering smile now, but I just shake my head, he's 
already hit me with several discussions on how I should get into body building 
so I know where he is going with this dialogue.

"Okay, both of you have a goodnight." He waves and heads down the stairs maybe 
realizing how futile his efforts are.

What more is there to say? Nikki rests her head on my shoulder and we curl up on 
the couch together before heading down to our bedroom. As we lay curled up on 
the couch, I rub my hands up and down those smooth legs I was telling you about 
earlier. I kind of felt bad for Mallory, why? well you see hardcore guys like 
Steven have a thing for fit women, and they will 'change up' to another girl 
quite frequently. I see this happen at my gym all the time, some guy will start 
dating a girl, push her hard into exercise or bodybuilding, then dump her when 
he sees some 'new' girl with potential come along. A sad cycle of events if you 
ask me.

Mallory is feeling very vulnerable right now, she's a little bit older then 
Nikki and I, and watching Steven fawn over the two of us is turning her into an 
emotional mess. Nik and I are watching the whole thing unfold right before our 
very eyes, hopefully Mallory will set him straight before the trip is over. 
Unfortunately, she probably already feels she needs to one-up Nikki and I before 
this trip is over, just to prove to Steven he needn't look any further then his 
current girlfriend.

**********

The beach is packed and it's almost the end of the week, Nikki and I are laying 
out on a large beach towel side by side, just chatting and people watching when 
Sharon storms over to us with this look like she is on a mission. She firmly 
places her left hand on her hip, "I'm entering that contest and I expect you 
girls to come and cheer me on, not that I need it," Sharon gives her usual 
arrogant smirk and hooks her right thumb over her right shoulder, pointing to a 
plane flying high in the sky towing one of those banners. It was advertising a 
'Bikini contest' at some such-and-such location/bar. 

"Why Sharon?" I shake my head in disgust.

"You see them!" Sharon then hooks her left thumb to a group of girls pointing at 
the same banner moving across the dark blue sky. "Those bitches are annoying me 
and when I overheard them scheming to enter the contest, I plan on showing up 
and grinding my win into their smug, little faces."
"Why do you even care what they do?" Nikki shrugs and shakes her head in 
despair.

"Just be there!" Sharon orders and points a finger at Nikki then me.

"Stupid." I moan reach for the bottle of sun block.

"Let me." Nikki rolls over and takes the bottle form my hands, to which I smile 
lay back, "I love doing this." She whispers down to me.

"Sounds fine by me." I say as Nik runs a bead of liquid over my stomach and 
thighs. We get the usual intense stairs from all the guys around us, allot of 
the College boys with their poor social skills are very direct in their attempt 
to introduce themselves and take over for Nikki or to help put some on Nikki. 
But we just send them away.

"What?" I say looking up at Nik, she's moved her sunglasses up on top of her 
head so I can see her eyes, fact is, she wants me to see her eyes.

"What?" She smiles back down at me.

"Your up to something, that's WHAT! I can tell, I can always tell." I pinch my 
eyebrows in suspicion. She doesn't say a word but keeps smiling at me, it's 
faint and she stops rubbing the lotion on my abs. At first, I think she wants to 
go back to the house and make love, but then I see the plane circle back around 
with the banner Sharon had just pointed to.

"THAT!" I blurted out, quite loudly, as my left hand shoots straight up into the 
air. Nik's right hand started to slowly rub the lotion on my abs again and then 
moved down to my thigh, her smile never wavered as she went back to rubbing the 
lotion on me.

"Haha!" I laughed out loud, "You've spent too much time in the sun!" I rest my 
head back down on the towel.

"Shhhhh" Nikki sighs and reaches over to squeeze my shoulders, "Calm down, I've 
never done one of these contests either."

"So why start now?" I ask. "But no matter, forget it, I can't believe YOU of all 
people Nikki are even thinking such a thing. You know how those contests repulse 
me. I've never done one of those and never will." I was getting flustered and 
mad now. I simply can't believe this is Nikki sitting next to me, suggesting 
this, what is going on with her?  I start moving around my legs and arms as I 
start getting all 'twitchy'.

"You also swore you'd never pose in the nude." Nikki sighs with a faint smile.

"No comparison!" I snap back, "Those photos are something we did just for us, so 
there is no comparison." I snap right back.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, we could wear our flip 
flops, you could also wear your white two piece and I'll wear my black one."

(See how she just manipulated the whole thing? Nik is now already planning what 
we are going to wear before I even have given my consent! She's slowly rubbing 
my legs and arms with lotion which has it's own soothing effects, and 
unfortunately she has some kind of power-of-suggestion over me that I'm 
ultimately powerless against.)

"Why do YOU want to do it!" I fire right back at her.

But Nikki, being the soothing, soulful person she is calmly runs her fingers 
down the length of my right arm until she grasps my hand. With her feet tucked 
under her butt and looking right into my eyes she begins to speak. "It's an 
experience we can share, this is just something silly. If we get there 
and it turns out to be some classless, tacky event, well..." Nik shrugs her 
shoulders a little "...we can just cheer on Sharon and then head on home."

I start shaking my head in despair, "When did this come to you?"

"Just now." And she beams that beautiful smile at me, "But if you back out, I 
back out."

I can't believe this is happening as we walk back to the house and I can't 
believe I am actually contemplating doing something that I vowed was a repulsive 
exhibition, so much so that I would never participate. I am so frustrated and 
anxiety ridden that I tell Nikki I want to go to the gym and blow off some 
stress. I see the dark clouds rolling in and pray the event, which is out doors, 
will be rained out, 'Please Lord, let a tropical storm come along and blow the 
entire location off the face of the earth.'

Oddly enough, as I am laying on the bench pushing the barbells up I hear the 
heavy patter of rain drops hitting the window of the small gym. A smile creeps 
on my lips as the sweat pours off my body. I set the weights down and walk over 
to a large window and watch the rain begin to fall, then fall even heavier. 

"Did you do a rain dance?" Nikki looks over at me from where she is sitting on 
butterfly machine that works upper back. I smile at her and look back out the 
window, because I am superstitious I look up at the sky and think to myself, 
'If the storm breaks and the sun comes out, then maybe I was meant to be in the 
competition. But please Lord, forty days and forty nights of rain sounds good 
right now!'. I said 'please' because I would never insult God with a real prayer 
for rain that is based on some superficial event. I turn my back on the storm 
just as the wind picks up, and for some reason the whipping winds outside 
get me really worked up and I launch into one of the hardest, sweatiest workouts 
I have ever had. Arms, legs, back, chest, calves, I do it all and I probably 
over did it. At one point Nikki abandons her own workout to help spot me as I 
press a pair of 55lb dumbbells into the air through several reps. The 55's were 
the biggest that gym had so it had to do. I'm so into my workout that I don't 
notice how the gym room in illuminated brightly now and for some reason a bit of 
concern suddenly fills my brain, 'oh shit' I freeze and then turn to look over 
my shoulder.

"Damn!" I blurt out and briskly walk toward the window, barely a cloud in the 
sky now! The storm is moving out almost as fast as it came in! I feel Nikki 
right behind me and she wraps her arms around my waist pulling me in tight.

"Hot and sweaty, just how I like you." Nikki whispers and kisses my neck, 
running her tongue up and down. I turn my head to the right and she tilts 
her head a little, thank god no one was there because we started to kiss very 
passionately for about five minutes. It took every bit of strength to regain our 
composure and head back to the house. As we walk back to the house I am feeling 
really good, damn good, a solid workout really sends my attitude and confidence 
way into orbit. All of my muscles feel alive and swollen, my tee shirt is soaked 
thru with sweat, Nikki and I get allot of attention from the guys that pass us 
on the sidewalk. It all gets me thinking, which is dangerous as I wonder what 
kind of reaction I would get if I actually enter that contest.

Everyone was upstairs in the kitchen and we find out that every girl in the 
house has been talking with Sharon, and they ALL are also going to enter the 
contest. All of the guys in the house are super enthusiastic, and 
for some odd reason the feeling of safety in numbers is rather comforting, we 
find out even Mallory is entering the contest and has the supreme air of 
confidence (arrogance) that is most annoying.

"You two joining us?" one of the girls asks when Nikki and I reach the top of 
the stairs.

Sharon just laughs, "Uh NO..." pointing at Nikki and then "HELL NO" points at 
me.

"I guess we might." I shrug and smile, everyone freezes, stops laughing and 
talking.

"WHAT!" Sharon slaps her hand down on the kitchen table, looking rather stunned, 
meanwhile Mallory is shooting me these evil daggers, that I might be upstaging 
her moment.

"Is the Earth suddenly flat! Stopped spinning! Hell has frozen over!" Sharon 
starts babbling, she is only half joking, like Mallory, Sharon is pissed off at 
me and Nikki.

"Okay, okay, I know totally unexpected, so we'll see." I wave my hands in front 
of my face, trying to calm all the outbursts of shock. "If this place is some 
dumpy, crappy setup then hell no, we won't sign up." I sigh.

"It's not." Several guys and girls chime in.

I pass Steven on the way down the stairs, "Damn Corbin, your looking 'shredded' 
from that work out earlier, I really wish you'd let me give you some tips the 
next time you go, even if it's just to give you a spot."

"Thanks for the offer Steven, but Nikki's already got the job." I smile, again I 
feel for Mallory a bit, he's been hitting on Nikki and I all week when Mallory 
is not around. Maybe she will wise up and dump his ass first!

It was a dream like sequence that unfolded, where I was participating but felt 
disconnected. Nothing special to report, I'm sitting in the back seat of our 
rental car, wedged between Nikki and another girl at the house. I have my 
sandals on, baggy shorts and tee shirt over my white bikini, pretty much the 
same attire for all the other girls. There is allot of giddy, excited talk as we 
get closer to the contest, but I just cannot relate to any of this, I never 
could, like I said I loathe these lewd displays of female flesh. But here I am, 
or I should say, here 'we' are as I look over at Nikki and force a smile, she 
knows it's stressing me out and wraps her arm around my shoulder.

My eyes suddenly bug out as I lean towards the back seat window, 'oh shit' I 
think, there are banners, a radio station truck and A STAGE! NOBODY SAID A BIG 
FREAKING STAGE WAS INVOLVED IN ANY OF THIS!!!

Well of course there is a stage, I realize that, I'm just being melodramatic.

And look at all the guys! Oh lord, I'm having a panic attack, I don't want to do 
this now. Nikki's looking just as nervous as me, so I give her this glare and 
say "So, you still in favor of doing this?" 

"Hmmm" Nik just sighs as we pile out of the two rental cars we came in, "Let's 
play it minute by minute."

"What? You okay?" Dale says when he notices my tense expression, not to mention 
he is very concerned for me, this is totally unlike me.

"So many girl's, so many ATTRACTIVE girls entering the contest, I'd have better 
luck making a snowball right now then winning this thing." I shrug, but Dale 
just gives me this smirk and shakes his head. (Wait, did I just say 'Winning?' 
haha that's funny, I won't even make it into the top ten!)

"Corbin, you still have no clue how badly your going to knock the competition 
dead." Dale sighs and gives me a hug.

"Hey!" Sharon snaps and spins around lightly whacking him on the shoulder, "I'm 
part of that competition!"

"I mean except for Sharon!" Dale suddenly grabs Sharon and hugs her.

"Don't worry Sharon, you'll win like last time." I pat her on the back. If you 
kind readers have already forgotten me mentioning, Sharon entered one of these 
back in College on Spring Break and won, I was in the audience then and wish I 
was in the audience now. But as I look around some more maybe I will do fine, 
allot of the girls are looking pretty sad physically, never participated in any 
sports their entire life, let alone been inside a gym.

"Regardless, this will be one for the history books and a day I will never let 
you live down." Sharon says giving me this devilish grin. 

"Yeah, I'm sure." I sigh.

"All the shit you've given me over the years for doing stuff like this." Sharon 
says, really enjoying this moment.

So I'm tuning out Sharon now because I had to fill out the entry form, 
get a rundown on the contest rules, such as NO flashing of the privates, but you 
could strut, jump, gyrate for the crowd as much as you wanted and that was 
somewhat encouraged. Over all, it was run very efficiently, we never stood 
around wondering what we were suppose to do next. I also noticed the large 
number of sponsors at the event, "Wait a second, this isn't televised is it?" I 
turn to Nikki.

"I don't think so." She says looking around. But there were plenty of personal 
cameras, video and still-shot, so it's not even really worth bothering with. 

I kept on my shorts and top as long as possible and Nikki and I caught grief for 
not wearing heels, but when we opted to drop out, the event managers backed off. 
I was rather impressed with all of the security between the rowdy crowd of guys 
and the stage, and was very appreciated of the security when I took my top and 
shorts off.  I started getting yelled and whistled at in a torrent of attempts 
to get my attention. Some girls were eating this up, blowing kisses, 
wagging their butts in their direction, then some guy from a local Radio show is 
trying is sticking a microphone in front of my face and I'm looking at him like 
he is some alien from outer space as he tries to interview me.

"What made me want to enter the contest?" is one of the questions, or something 
to that effect.

She made me (I point at Nikki)

I glance around and realize I am getting nasty looks from the other girl's, like 
'Why are you interviewing her!' So now I'm kind of enjoying the attention 
because it's pissing off these other brats who are more than eager to make a 
total ass of themselves on stage just for some stupid first prize, whatever that 
was, I didn't care!

"What are you going to do with the prize money if you win?" 

"Huh?" I balk, "What prize money?" my mouth drops open, "Uhm, give it all to a 
charity." It's the only thing I could think of and it was a true response.

He picked away with other questions, about what great shape I was in and all of 
the other usual questions I get hammered with before he found another girl to 
talk with that was really doing up the whole ditzy, dumb act for his show.

"Give it all to Charity!" Sharon looks at me, "Your such a dork!"

"No she's not, that's a beautiful thing to do." Nikki smiles at me and rubs my 
arms.

"Well, AFTER I win, I am going to spend it on clothes." Sharon snorts.

"Sharon!" Dale gives her a disappointed look.

"Well, maybe I'll give some to charity." She shrugs a little.

Every girl, except Nikki and I, was primping, making adjustments to their suite 
and even pulling it up their butt cracks a little bit more. As for me? I'm 
just adjusting the stupid strap on my sandals, I think it's about to give out 
any second and I'll probably loose my footing and fall face first.

'Let's get this over with.' Is all I think as I stand there, "Another fine mess 
you've gotten us into!" I turn to my right and scold Nikki. 

"We'll be okay." Nikki says and takes a deep breath.

"Wait, what do you mean WE!" I look over at her, "Your suppose to be the cool 
confident one here!" I grab her by the hand and squeeze.

"Sorry, I'm having my own anxiety attack right now." And she squeezes my hand in 
return.

'Well that is just dandy, I'm looking to Nik for support and she's having a 
breakdown as well!' I think.

It all happens so fast and I feel some sense of relief when a couple of girls 
almost eat it going up the stairs to the stage, thankfully I am not the only 
klutz in the world. My heart is racing as I begin to ascend the stairs and see 
an ocean of heads that makeup the audience, I am slipping into a state of shock, 
my stomach goes into knots. I look over at Nik and he normally dark olive skin 
has gone pale around her face, she's freaking out like me.

"I can NOT believe you got Corbin to do this Nik, you definitely have some 
influence over her like no one before." I hear Sharon say to Nikki from behind 
me.

"This is nothing, you haven't seen the photographs we did." Nikki says and I 
just about faint, my head jerks around with a look of shock.

"What photographs? What is she talking about?" Sharon eyes are wide open as she 
looks at me, then back at Nikki frantically, "What are you talking about?!"

"Later." Nikki waves her hand at Sharon and then soothingly rubs me on the 
shoulders.

It's not a big deal, Sharon's one of my dearest friends in the world so she 
would probably end up seeing them anyway, but she is so damn nosey and will not 
let up until she finds out the whole story.

"WHAT..." Sharon hisses, "...PHOTOS?" 

"I'll tell you later!" I snap and try and focus on not tripping over my sandals 
as the velcro straps start to come loose. 'This is retarded, I feel retarded up 
here.' Is all I can think about, 'Also, there is NOT suppose to be this many 
people here!' I'm sweating profusely again as my heart is hammering violently. 
Let's just get this over with! So now I'm getting impatient, which causes me to 
get angry, I want to punch someone. 

"You look awesome Corbin." A couple of girls from the house tell me.

"Huh? Oh, thank you." I manage to squeak out, but I fear I am loosing my voice 
as well. There is so much noise, I can't make out anything, and my eyes are 
darting all around as I see this is no small event. So I need some distraction 
and try to focus on counting all the different sponsors, beer trucks, or 
estimate how many drunk males are actually in attendance. I look up and down the 
row of girls and wonder how so many of them can appear so at ease, so confident 
and look like they are actually having fun! To help suppress my panic attack I 
start to nervously clutch my fingers, as I usually do when I get into a state of 
despair, then my left foot starts to bounce on it's heel involuntarily. 

I look back down the row of women to my left and some how I ended up to the 
farthest left side when facing the stage, and all I can think about is how 
unbearably hot it is and how I forgot to put sun-block on! Then I look down at 
the audience and I hear several guys pointing at me and waiving, or is it Nikki 
they are pointing at because she is at my immediate left. "You, the blonde!" 
They are yelling. Damn, I guess they ARE talking to me I think and look around 
to be sure, but crap there are no other blondes in close proximity. 

I try to discreetly raise my right hand as I point to myself, while I am giving 
a very obvious perplexed and annoyed look, "YES, YES!" comes several chants of 
affirmation and a barrage of other things are being yelled at me, but I am just 
getting more annoyed now because I can't understand what they are saying and why 
do I even care. I don't care, so I wish they would shut up and go away and that 
is what I tell them! :)  

'GO AWAY!' I mouth at them but that only seems to encourage them further. I then 
give an unfriendly sneer while bringing my finger up to my lips, signaling them 
to BE QUIET! This also further incites them to go wild. What is wrong with you 
guys! Can't you take a hint! I don't want to be up here and I don't want you 
looking at me or trying to communicate with me, so I try to slip behind Nikki 
who is to my left.

"What are you doing!" Nikki looks over her left and then right shoulders, then 
grabs me by the elbow and drags me out from behind her, "Don't hide behind me."
Apparently my shy antics are getting more and more attention from the guys in 
the crowd.

"Why not, your to blame for this!" I snap, "I will never let you talk me into 
anything again."

"Just relax a little, your going to give yourself a heart attack, we'll get thru 
this fine." Nikki sighs.

"I'm going to get thru this fine, but you won't be so lucky when this is all 
over, you just wait." I fume.

"Aww, you don't love me any more?" Nikki teases and strokes my left bicep with 
her right hand.

"Yeah, your going to get some lovin' when we get back to the house all right." I 
shake my head and give those guys down in the crowd an evil glare and sneer, but 
they think I am just flirting with them. MORONS! 

"Sounds promising." Nikki says.

I notice now that the guy hosting/announcing/introducing/whatever the clowns 
official title is, is working his way down from the other end, which means I 
will be last! Damn, this is hell! Everything is going wrong! I thought they 
worked from left-to-right! Isn't that RIGHT? Or is that wrong? I don't know. I 
just want this to be over with.

"I am dumping you after this fiasco! No real Girlfriend would do this to me!" I 
turn to Nikki and say.

"You can't dump me, I won't let you." Nikki just looks over at me and smiles, 
"Besides, don't you enjoy your new fans down front?"

"Then I won't speak to you for a long time!" I throw another useless threat out 
there, "I'm so mad at you!"

Nikki turns her head and looks at me, she has this knowing smile on her face and 
says "I love you." 

Bitch, she knows I have no powers of resistance, I am unable to deny any request 
that leaves those full gorgeous lips.

"I love you too." I smile and I feel a little bit at-ease suddenly, but that 
only lasts a minute. "That wasn't fair, I am suppose to be mad at you." I huff.

Nikki doesn't say anything, but I feel several fingers of her right hand stroke 
my forearm gently. She's knows what to say and when to touch me, to help sooth 
my concerns and emotions.

But I was still a wreck, and didn't think it was possible, but I'm getting even 
more impatient and annoyed with girls that have already been announced as they 
walk down this runway, strutting, shaking, dancing and jiggling everything they 
have for attention and crowd favor.

"Bunch of flabby asses, they look like idiots and the guys are going crazy!" I 
bitch at Nikki, "And I can tell you this right now, no way in hell am I walking 
down that runway." I lean over some more to emphasis. I give a majority of the 
girls a break, because allot of them are very fit, beautiful and well, drop dead 
beautiful!

"I don't think I want to either." Nikki says.

I catch a glimpse of Mallory when it's her turn and she does several muscle 
posses which the guys go crazy over, and I admit she looks pretty damn good.
Once again I get distracted by the large crowd of goofballs in front of me when 
some guy takes off his shirt, wads it up and throws it in my direction, the 
little crapper has pretty good aim as it lands at my feet. I look down, give him 
this disgusted sneer and reach over to carefully pick it up with my thumb and 
index finger, holding it out from my body like it's contaminated with the 
plague, I simply toss it aside. Stupid fool, he loves that I did that, 
he actually is laughing and clapping that I treated his sweaty shirt like it was 
some stinking baby diaper I chucked to the side. All of his friends are also 
eating it up giving him shit for the way I just treated his shirt.

I am not joking here, the sight of those sweaty guys out there is making my 
stomach turn. Allot of them have those stupid tattoos that run a ring around 
their biceps (chuckle-snort-laugh...what biceps???!!), and the cookie 
cutter short haircut that all guys seem to get now...BORING!

So, just to have some fun, and see their reaction, I give the guys down front my 
best evil sneer and quickly stick my tongue at them before looking away. To my 
dismay none of my attempts to brush-off or insult these guys seems to be 
working, they just keep coming back for more, they like the abuse and word 
spreads quickly thru the crowd.

"What are you doing!" Nikki jerks her head to the right, her eyes are bugging 
out of her head as she observes me in the process of scratching my neck with my 
middle finger, obviously directed at the crowd of guys.

"Nothing." I quickly say and drop my hand to my side.

"Yes you are, I saw that!" Nikki looks out at the audience for several seconds 
and seems to be studying their reaction. "Your flipping them off? How long 
have you been making ugly gestures at them?" She gives me this stern look.

"Ever since we got on stage." I kind of shrug, and then instead of scolding me, 
she raises her sunglasses, gives me this wonderful smile and even laughs a 
little! There is no audience when I look into those eyes, no competition to be 
worried about, Nikki simply keeps looking right into my eyes with this amazing 
smile and says, "You are such a whacky girl, I love that!" and I don't believe 
it, she leans over and kisses me on the cheek. My heart started racing faster 
then I ever thought it could and even though the crowd could not know what was 
being said, her simple gesture of affection was obviously misread by the crowd 
as an act done for their viewing pleasure. But that was so not the case.

Oh my Lord! I've lost track of time and I see Sharon strutting down the walkway 
eating up the attention, she does her best cat walk performance and blows kisses 
to the crowd, even throwing out some high fives to some guys close enough. She 
really puts on a good show, nothing vulgar at all by the way.

Next the Host is beckoning Nikki forward and the crowd becomes it's loudest yet, 
and why not, Nikki will surely win. She's the most exotic looking beauty of the 
lot, and that black bikini with the pirate skull and bones over her left breast 
and right bikini bottom makes her hotter then any heat-wave the Sun could 
produce. I whistle, clap, pump my fist in the air, and cheer her own as loud as 
I can, my heart is bursting with pride as I watch Nikki walk down the platform, 
gracefully spin around and walk back. No gyrations, no dancing, no vulgar acts, 
she does it with class and style.

I give her a big hug when she gets back into line, "You are so beautiful and 
stunning, you will win!" I gush. Nikki hugs me back and thanks me repeatedly.

"Not bad." Sharon begrudgingly says with a snort. Nikki thanks her, and isn't 
offended, she knows Sharon well enough now to know that is just how she is.

OH NO! It's my turn, I'm going to faint! No, seriously, I felt lightheaded, uh 
oh. The guy is right in front of me, I don't remember his name, I forgot, where 
am I? Who am I? What am doing here! I don't remember my own name!

I take a step back when he asks me to step up.

I take another step back when the crowd begins to chant my name after I am 
introduced.

"She's just shy." Nikki says and grabs my arm, Sharon pushes me from behind as 
my whole body tenses up. No, I am not going to faint, I am going to puke, I feel 
sick to my stomach.

"Get your ass out there!" Sharon snaps.

Reluctantly I shuffle forward, and the guy is really nice, I just smile a little 
and raise my right hand to perform a little wave to everyone out in the 
audience. Now, all of those guys that I had been taunting, making ugly faces and 
gestures toward are now going berserk, throwing their beer cups into the air and 
the effect begins to spread every time I try to speak.

"So you're shy one out of the group?" the MC (I guess that's the appropriate 
title) asks me. 

"Just a little." I say, so he falls back and expects me to do, well, whatever I 
wanted to do, I take another few steps and try to walk down that narrow runway, 
but the stupid thing seems to stretch out for miles and I know I will fall into 
the crowd, never to be seen again. Several guys toss their hats and shirts in my 
direction, which really annoys me, so I just make this yucky face and kick it 
off the stage before turning and running back into line on the stage next to 
Nikki. I reach around back and pull my stupid bikini out of my butt, I hope they 
enjoyed the view as I scooted back into line, cause that was the last shot of my 
butt they will see, ever!

"That's as far as I'm going, I'm too shy to out any further." I tell the MC as 
he just shrugs and waves at the audience like 'what can I do.'

So they drag out the announcements for EEEVVVVVEEEERRRRR!!!!

Guess what?

I make the top ten cut, wow, yippee, can I get off this stage now?

Now the top five are announced and I think I hear my name, CRAP! I find myself 
more interested in watching the phony reactions of the other girls that didn't 
make the cut and how they smile and clap but then turn around and scowl while 
obscenities fly from their mouths.

Wait, something is very wrong here, it is down to me, Nikki, Sharon, Mallory and 
some other girl, how did this happen! No wait, I'm wrong, we must be the bottom 
five! The five biggest losers! Right? Nope, I'm not that lucky, now we are asked 
to go out and 'entice' the crowd one more time because the audience's enthusiasm 
has a large hand in who wins.

Will this living hell ever end! AHHHHHH!!! Now I'm pissed!

Mallory and the other girl go out there and really put on a show, Sharon does as 
well. Nikki is a bit more reserved, as I expected, but still gets a huge crowd 
reaction.

When that guy with his stupid microphone gets within arms reach, I snatch it 
from his hands. He looks like some great protocol has just been breached, but 
that reaction is short lived because I shove the business end of that microphone 
right into his open mouth!

Not really, but I thought about it.

With said microphone now in hand, I walk to the edge of the stage while tensing 
my abs a little so they really stand out, and then I loudly say "You clowns 
cheer for me or I will kick all of your asses, and the line forms here!" then I 
spin around and toss the microphone back to the stunned MC. That's right, I toss 
it back at him, I don't hand it to him, because I'm in a foul mood now, they 
have you bend over backwards to enter this stupid show, take pictures, want the 
rights to user you image for advertising, just so they can drool and gawk over 
my body? And then they expect me to be THANKFULL and perform like some clown for 
their amusement??!! 

Let them BOO me off stage, I don't give a crap anymore!

Sharon, Mallory and the other girl have this dazed look on their face, like what 
just happened?

Nikki is grinning from ear to ear and clapping.

I also do a little swagger from side to side with my hips as I strut back into 
line and wait for the resounding BOOOOO's to rise up. That lame finale of mine 
will surely get me kicked out of the contest, and then I can go home!

But obviously my speech was not that threatening, in fact, they only cheered 
louder. You idiots! You stupid, retarded drunks! I am not kidding when I made 
that threat! To top things off I have to dig the bikini bottom out of my ass 
again, stupid bathing suite!

So it's down to me, Sharon and Nikki. Mallory is looking VERY perturbed at this 
point, totally annoyed that she's out of the competition, I glance over a few 
times and watch her firm jaw line clench repeatedly. If I could have, I 
would have switched places with her, she can take my place standing up in this 
sweltering heat.

"Congratulations Sharon." I tell her before her name is even read, the 
conclusion seems obvious with it being down to just me, Nikki and Sharon. I'm 
just being honest here, this event is based on a good amount of crowd 
feedback and I did everything I could to not get attention or endear myself to 
the crowd. Granted, Nikki is more attractive then Sharon no matter what the 
attire, Sharon still worked the crowd allot more then Nikki did.

"Thanks Corbin." Sharon smiles and reaches over to warmly grips my forearm, I am 
genuinely happy for Sharon, she really likes this kind of stuff, even if I 
despise it. I guess I feel a bit disappointed. 'Oh well' I sigh and take a deep 
breath, at least this is almost over!

"Third place goes to SHARON!" 
Well he didn't say it like that, much more dramatic and stuff, but I'm trying to 
move this along as fast as possible. There was mass confusion on all our parts, 
Sharon blinked, appeared stunned, momentarily thought he had made a mistake or 
jumped to the First place announcement? She seems confused but puts on a brave 
face, gives Nikki and I an evil glare that basically conveys 'You two will be 
sorry for fucking up my plans' kind of look.

Now wait a darn second, that leaves just Nikki and I! Right?

ONE and TWO (Nikki and I, that's two, it's just the two of us now! And I use my 
fingers to ensure I don't loose count as well.)

Nikki looks at me a bit stunned, she's stunned? Well I'm just flat out gonna-
blow-my-top-pissed!

"This is all your fault!" I spat at her, not even realizing what was coming out 
of my mouth and have to get myself in check because I am feeling some real anger 
at this point.

"Sorry." She says and looks as shocked as me with this very confused expression.

"Another fine mess you've gotten us into!" I shake my head in disgust and now 
I'm not sure what to do as every bit of attention, eyes, camera's are on Nikki 
and I, it's very embarrassing to be in the spotlight like this. So I start 
getting all twitchy and my fingers begin to clench as I chew on the inside of my 
lips and cheeks.

Then, when I think nothing else could happen to annoy me, I hear this ear 
piercing scream come from my left. My left hand swiftly goes to plug up my ear 
canal hoping that I don't have a burst eardrum now, but it's Nikki voice and 
before I can asses the cause of such an outburst she is hugging me and kissing 
me on the cheek.

"What's wrong? Why are you screaming in my ear? What happened?" I look around.

"YOU WON!" She beams at me with this look of pure joy on her face.

"Huh?" I just grunt like some dope as I am pushed and pulled to the center of 
the stage. This is simply terrible! I want to cry now, because I don't perform 
well under such stress.

You know what? I thought *Hell* was suppose to be little Devil's poking you with 
pitch forks for eternity, nope, *My Hell* is winning a bikini contest that I 
didn't want to enter and did everything to try and loose. I am once again thrust 
into unwanted attention, handed some flowers, a sash, a fat check for some money 
and then expected to pose for photographs and do a bunch of interviews. My 
entire life is unraveling before my very eyes and I awkwardly shuffle forward in 
my tattered sandals while waiving to the crowd that goes ape-shit. My heart 
feels like it's about to burst from racing so fast and hard, my right hand comes 
up to do that stupid little wave and so I force a smile on my face. 

There are women who live for this, and probably would die for these moments, 
they practice walking and good posture, I know plenty of these girls, Sharon is 
one of them, but I am NOT one of them. I have waged a long, hard fought campaign 
over the years to distance myself from all pageants. What has all that 
hard work gotten me? FIRST DAMN PLACE!!!

And it's all HER FAULT! As I keep glaring over at Nikki!
 
I was a deer in headlights.

I was more excited for Nikki, I was so happy for her and she got some very nice 
runner up prizes, very nice indeed, shopping stuff and a 2nd Place plaque and a 
fancy sash. More importantly, she didn't have to deal with all the 1st Place 
crap that I had to put up with.

"This is bullshit! Third place, what a scam!" I kept hearing Sharon bitch 
endlessly, man-oh-man was she pissed. Good, she's always such a brat anyway, 
won't change anything but it's funny watching her throw her little temper 
tantrums. 

I guess it made for a good story because when the local radio station found out 
I didn't even want to enter the contest, they spun it from some kind of angle 
that sounded good I suppose. The conversation then took a quick turn to 'How do 
you stay in such good shape?' and on and on. 

Look people! I am just some regular person, why do guys want their picture taken 
with me? But Nikki encouraged me to go ahead and enjoy the moment. How annoying; 
'Stand this way!', 'Turn to the side!' I have never seen so many camera's going 
off in my life, and all because I look good in a bikini? I kid you not, guys 
lined up to stand next to me, even asking if they could put their arm around my 
waist during the picture. Fine, I guess so why not, they were funny, so loud and 
rowdy in the crowd but when they were right next to me they were so quiet and 
tried to impress me. Same for Nikki and Sharon, they were asking for pictures 
with all of us. I was only on stage for about an hour and suddenly I am like 
some celebrity, how odd, they would slip me cards with phone numbers and email 
addresses, ask me where I was staying and so on. Even a bunch of girls, mostly 
lesbians, wanted to come up and get a picture or pass me their phone number. 

Don't put me on some pedestal. Not because I don't belong there, but I would 
probably trip and fall off, I'm that klutzy. Anyway, I couldn't wait to slip on 
my shorts, tee shirt and get the heck out of that place. It was exhausting! 

"Thanks allot!" Sharon turned around from the front seat, "You two totally 
sabotaged my plans, you were not even suppose to enter!" She spins back around 
to face the front with a big huff and folds her arms across her chest, "Third 
place! How dare they!"

Nikki was excited for me, she was constantly on me, holding me and kissing me 
on the cheek, "I'm so proud of you! I told you you're the most beautiful girl 
out there." She whispered. Yeah, whatever, she's just trying keep me from 
beating her ass when we get back to the house.

All the while Dale is trying to calm Sharon down as we drive back to the house, 
Nik and I just smile because it was just Sharon's way of venting, she really 
didn't have any bad feelings towards us. Mallory on the other hand was fuming 
deep down inside, she barely spoke a word to Nikki and I that evening.
If I wasn't so drained I would have gotten really mad as I flipped thru all the 
paperwork that I signed, giving away all rights for the organizers to use video 
and pictures to promote future events. 

So what the hell am I going to do? I can't stay mad at Nikki and no one forced 
me to enter the contest, and after all I did win, which just blows my mind.
Everyone got back to the house and was in really good spirits, joking and so on, 
I realized that I could launch into one of my lectures about how it's all 
superficial junk and not to get so caught up in it, but that would just be big 
downer and nobody wants to be around someone like that right now. Besides, all 
of the girls and guys in the house were very happy for me, so what was I going 
to do? Piss all over everyone's good time? 

I get into the nice A/C house and Nikki and I unload all our stuff onto the bed, 
Nikki hugs me from behind and brushes aside my blonde hair, "Still mad?" she 
asks softly.

"Nah, I shrug." And feel her tug on my shoulders, so I turn to face her as she 
drapes her arms over my shoulders, wrapping her hands about the back of my neck.

"Although I think you should have won." I say and hug Nik around the waist.

"Well, thank you for saying that. But aren't you the least bit excited about 
winning?" Nikki gives me this sly smile.

I blush and look away, it's hard to admit, but after all of my bitching and 
fussing I do feel excited, "Yeah, I guess I am, but that doesn't mean I will 
ever enter another contest!"

"Don't' worry, I won't be encouraging us to do anything like that again, 
definitely not our 'thing'." Nikki smiles.

A soft knock at the door and we both turn to see Sharon poking her head around 
the door that is slightly closed.

"Come in." I say.

Sharon enters and comes right up to Nikki and I, giving us both big hugs and 
congratulates us on the win.

"Now spill it! What is up with these pictures Nikki mentioned?" Sharon steps 
back and puts her hand on her hips.

"Those?" I sigh and roll my eyes, "Nikki and I went to a professional 
photography and did some photos, and allot of them are very, uhm...sexy." I sort 
of smile while Nikki just nods her head 'yes'.

"Sexy? Like how sexy?" Sharon begins to drill us for details.

"Like in the nude sexy." I finally just blurt out. Sharon's eyes and mouth 
slowly go wide and she stands frozen, rooted in one spot.

"Oh my god!" She gasps, "You two did nude photos?"

"It was just for us Sharon, we are not showing them to anyone." I quickly say.

"Can I see them? Do you have any of them here?" She keeps digging away, "Who is 
the photographer? How did you find him?"

"No they are not here, they're back home." Nikki says, but we agree to let her 
see them when we get back into town. 

**********

"You looked so beautiful today." Came his voice from behind me as I stood under 
the car port of the beach house, placing a bag of trash into the large plastic 
trash bin. (Isn't this a man's job? Taking out the trash? Only thing you guys 
are good for.)

"Thanks Dale." I say and turn around.

"Will you and Sharon be joining Nikki and I out in the Jacuzzi later?" I ask.

"Yep, but..." He sighs and rests his right shoulder against a wall, looks down 
at his beer and takes a sip.

"But what?" Curious to know what he is driving at, I swipe some beads of sweat 
off my brow because it was very humid this night.

"You just looked so hot." he smiles, "That's all."

"Yeah, it was hot up there." I smile back.

"You know what I mean." He straightens up and takes a step forward, I now 
realize he is buzzing pretty hard and wonder where this is all going.

"If there is even the slightest chance for us again." Dale suddenly blurts out.

"Don't Dale." I sigh and shake my head 'no'.

"I still love you Corbin, I'll never get over that." He says and I wonder how 
long this has been building, it's not the alcohol talking either, I can see the 
emotion in his eyes. I know that look, back when we dated in College I knew Dale 
very well, and I still do.

"I love you too Dale, but I love Nikki most of all, she's the one I want to be 
with, to spend the rest of my life with. Besides you and Sharon really seem to 
love one another." I try to reason with him.

"I do love Sharon, but what do you do when you love someone else even more?" He 
asks and stares right into my eyes.

"I don't' know, I really don't know, I wish I had the answer for you." But I'm 
not sure Dale is even listening now, he steps in and leans down, I turn my head 
a little and I give him a hug even though I know he was going for a kiss. We 
stand holding one another for awhile, not a word is spoken for several seconds.

We start to pull away, "Better get back inside." He says and gives a shrug 
before looking over at me one more time, "See you at the Jacuzzi." 

"See ya." I say softly. Crud, I feel terrible for Dale, I really do love him but 
it's just not destined to be I guess. I don't go back into the house but walk 
around the left side of the house that leads to the backyard, its more isolated 
and that's good because I wanted some time to digest what just happened.

"Nik?" I gasp when I see a dark figure step out of the shadows.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't snooping, I just came out looking for you." She's 
got one arm folded across her stomach while her right hand nervously appears to 
rubbing under her chin. It's really all hard to make out because the lighting is 
so poor, most everything is covered in heavy shadows.

"That's okay, Dale and I were just talking." I say with a smile, give a little 
shrug and step forward. Her voice, smell, face, and that body, wow it rocks me 
every time, my heart jumps and that warmth spreads thru my body, if Dale 
affected me this way then I would definitely be with him. But this is Nikki, my 
dearest friend from College, the girl that fell in love with me and I fell in 
love with her. I don't care about us being two girl's, it feels so right and no 
words can properly describe it.

"I heard Corbin." Nikki says and walks straight up to me, "I heard those 
wonderful things you said." And when her face is in front of mine I can tell 
she has tears in her eyes. 

"Nikki!" I gasp, "You heard?" and she grabs me by the shoulders, pushes me 
between two tall bushes until my back hits the house, we are covered in total 
darkness now and that will turn out to be a good thing.

"Shhhh love" Nikki says and gives me a quick kiss on the lips before she 
disappears. I look down and she is kneeling before me, pushing up my short 
skirt, my panties are hastily pulled down my quivering thighs.

"I want to make you cum." Nikki moans.

"Right here?!" I gasp and look around but my knees buckle a second later when 
her mouth and tongue find the outer lips of my pussy. Another second goes by and 
she's on my clit.

"Oh fuck" I moan and I my whole body is rocked as I struggle to stay standing, 
the orgasm hits me as I pull up my dress and look down, her mouth is suctioned 
to my crotch and I feel helpless as she brings me to a third orgasm. My whole 
body lurches and squirms against the wall. I don't even know how loud 
I've become but I have to stop her, I force her head away because my clit is so 
sensitive now I can't stand it.

I'm gasping and dripping with sweat from the workout Nikki's mouth and tongue 
just gave my sex.

"My god Nik, that was fucking amazing." I slowly straighten myself up, while she 
carefully pulls my panties back up my legs and into place over my hips.

"Your so welcome love." She moans and stands, her mouth and mine kiss deep and I 
can taste my juices all over her lips and tongue. Wow, I need to let her 
ease drop a little more on my conversations if that is the kind of reaction I'm 
going to get!

**********

The last night, everyone was getting pretty lit as it was our last night in the 
beach house, unfortunately Mallory was to play one last card in an attempt to 
drag me into some contest. I sensed this moment was coming, my guts had this 
nervousness going on that is like some sixth sense.

I was sitting at the kitchen table when Mallory plopped down in a seat next to 
me and said "Your not getting out of this one." And propped her elbow up on the 
table, indicating she wanted to arm-wrestle. She was a bit drunk, but all I 
could do was slump back into my chair and shake my head in disbelief at this 
girl's persistence I slide aside my glass of wine and put my right hand up on 
the table, Nikki stepped behind me.

Sharon's stepped right up to the table and said, "Your in trouble now Mallory, 
no girl's ever beaten Corbin." Came Sharon's big mouth.

"First time for everyone." Mallory said in a cocky tone.

We gripped palm to palm and I could tell she was tense, ready to explode, damn 
she wanted this bad. My success has always rested in the belief that power comes 
from within, not just the will to win, but that your body has a 'central core' 
that your energy and strength are guided by. Yeah I know, sounds odd, but if 
you've done enough martial arts and strength training exercises you will come 
across this philosophy and ways to actually use it. You would be amazed at what 
you can do when your whole body is working as-one toward a single objective.

Well, all of that sounds nice but I also like to have a strategy as well, so 
while it may look like nothing is going on up in my blonde head, I 
definitely have some planning going on. In this case, Mallory looks ready to 
explode right out of the gate, reminds me allot of Jenna when we arm wrestled. 
And like Jenna, she will try and end this quickly, which means she will probably 
burn thru allot of energy, but not me, I'm in for the long haul and a big 
finish. (Allot of IF's to factor in, but let's see what happens shall we).

Steven grabs our hands, makes sure everything is lined up and fair, then jerks 
his hand away and says "GO!".

Sure enough, Mallory pours everything she has into slamming my arm down and it 
takes allot of effort on my part to keep my hand from getting pinned. The whole 
time I am controlling my breathing, focus on keeping my wrist and shoulders 
properly angled and lined up. Shit she is strong, a little stronger then Jenna, 
but not by much and I keep holding out, even pulling back to the even mark, 
almost, as our arms bulge, sweat and shake under the strain. I observe Mallory 
squirming in her chair as her forehead is almost touching the table, her face is 
beat red, her breaths coming in uneven, deep inhales and exhales. 

My arm still feels good and I wait another minute, but can I afford to wait 
another minute? I'm getting tired now, and I look over thru sweat drenched 
eyelids to see Mallory really straining and now I think she is holding nothing 
back. So I then throw all of my energy reserves into rotating my arm, not just 
my arm but my entire body seems to clench and twist a little as I slowly grind 
her arm over the half way point, and down, slowly it goes down and my heart revs 
as I see the back of her hand get closer to the table top. POW! In one last 
effort I smack her hand down to the table and I feel Nikki's hands grip my 
shoulders in support. Sharon, ever the show off, pumps her fist in the air and 
says, "Still undefeated!"

To my complete shock, Mallory takes it all in stride, she sits up and takes 
several deep breaths before pounding her other fist on the table, "Damn, you are 
one strong bitch." She sighs with a faint smile. I expected allot more attitude.

Well, I'm glad that last bit of drama is over. That night Nikki and I made love 
like we were sex deprived, normally we start out slow and easy, but as soon as 
we got back to the room we all over one another. Actually it all started in the 
Jacuzzi with me, Sharon, Nikki and Dale. Sharon and Dale had been cuddling and 
kissing a little in one corner of the juacuzzi while Nikki and I were cuddled 
up in the opposite corner. I don't like showing allot of affection around other 
people, but my comfort level with Dale and Sharon is such that I didn't mind 
that I was 'making out' with Nikki while Dale and Sharon were in such close 
proximity. Besides, Dale and Sharon were very much into their own 'make out' 
session, although I did catch Dale eyeing Nikki and I on several occasions, he 
was getting a real eyeful I assume. Later he would tell me it was the hottest 
thing he's ever seen as Nikki and I kissed in the tub. And yes, we all had 
our bathing suites on.