Page 13 of Best Frenemies

Boozy fruit juice in hand, I stroll away from the counter to the living room and admire the view of the ocean through the windows. It’s amazing how expansive the world seems at the coast. How much it reminds you of your exact insignificance in the universe.

Using my toes for leverage, I kick off my Converse and dig my bare toes into the plush carpet. It feels like a sensory tease for the sand that’s to come.

Moving along, I make my way down the hall and stop at a closed door.

Immediately, I’m intrigued, so I test the knob. It turns with ease, and I grin as I push my way inside. Bright-yellow walls give way to a daisy-comforter-covered bed and a bench seat window with a view of the beach. It’s a cute little girlie setup, and my gaze travels the space smoothly, but a pause is all but inevitable as I reach a wall of much…interest.

Trophies, medals, and photos of fellow Calhoun Elementary teacher Kimmie Ward in some sort of manly-looking spandex getup litter the space, and my eyebrows shoot up to kiss my hairline.

Oh man. Talk about a weird and wonderful discovery.

Kimmie is at least twenty years younger than present in the photos, but that doesn’t do anything to lessen my enjoyment.

Good God. I cannot fucking wait to razz her about this shit.

I don’t even pause before taking my phone from my pocket, snapping a quick photo of the wall of Kimmie, and sending it off with a text message.

Me: Sweet unitard, girlfriend. I’m going to suggest Principal Harris relaxes the dress code on Fridays even more so you can wear what you’re comfortable in.

Her response is instantaneous and only heightens my enjoyment.

Kimmie: SHUT UP! Why did I forget you were going to my parents’ condo this week?

Me: Because you foolishly removed me from the center of your world? Understandable, I guess, given your relationship with Jim and all, but still…

Kimmie: Jim is my husband.

Jim is, in fact, Kimmie’s husband, and he’s an awesome, big-ass, burly dude whom I’ve gotten to know over the years while attending various school functions.

Me: Exactly. And it really unbalances the universe when more than one spouse loves me, and since Jim’s already called dibs on fanboying, I figure this is for the best.

Kimmie: You’re ridiculous.

I tuck my phone back into my pocket with a laugh and smile, but not before snapping a couple more pictures of the Kimmie Shrine for, you know, future reference and such.

I guess staying at a friend’s family’s place is going to be even more fun than I thought it was.

I walk back into the hall, leaving the door open to let some of the beach light into the hallway and peek briefly into the hallway bathroom. A final closed door sits at the end, beckoning me, and I take a swig of wine from my glass as I open it.

The bedroom is big and sunlight shines in through every window, and I silently hope the curtains have enough blackout properties to keep me from waking up at the crack of way-too-early. Pretty nice digs, though, even if they’re bright.

After a couple moments of no movement, the sound of rushing water makes my eyebrows pull together, and a sudden sense of urgency lights a fire under my feet.

Shit. Did a pipe burst or something?

The previously cracked en suite bathroom door bangs open with a crash when I hit it at a run, and a shrill, frightened scream shatters the air.

“Ahhhhh! Oh my God!” a wet woman cries from the walk-in shower at the top of her lungs. “Who are you?!”

It’s uncontrolled chaos for several moments as she gets louder and louder, and my body fights to make sense of what’s happening. My defenses are alert, and my grasp on reality is shaken.

Is that… Could that be Katy Dayton…naked?

No fucking way.

Her hair is wet and soapy, and her body is covered in a sheen of water as the showerhead continues to spray toward her.

I mean, it really looks like her…buthow?

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