\n\t\t\t\t\tdustmeat Jointly commissioned by \n\t\t\t\t\trabbitfangs and myself. It was Megan's first trip to the beach in she didn't know how long. She lived a long way away from the coast, so trips to the ocean were a luxury she could scarcely afford these days. Still, when Liane invited Megan out for a weekend getaway at a beach she knew, and offered to pay Megan's way in the bargain, it was too good a chance to miss. Megan threw some clothes and supplies in a duffel bag and hopped in the car. As long as they'd been friends, it was high time she got to meet Liane in person, anyway.
She reached the beach just before noon. It was a clear, hot summer's day, like the sort you always saw in travel brochures for the sorts of cruises only millionaires could afford. The sun shone on the sand and sparkled on the impossibly blue water. Even more amazing was the fact that the beach was nearly empty. She had no trouble spotting Liane, who had evidently seen her first and was running full tilt down the beach toward her. She barely had time to brace herself before Liane wrapped her in a hug tight enough to make her squeak.
“You're here. You must have flown down the road,” Liane said.
“Yes, well, you know how rabbits are. We can't ever take things slow,” Megan said.
“You're just in time. The water will be perfect. Let's go get changed,” Liane said.
To Megan's relief, there was a small wooden shack on the edge of the beach where they could get dressed. It wasn't that she was averse to showing off, as such, but there were proper ways to do it. There was something distinctly undignified about changing clothes. She unpacked the duffel she'd brought with her and laid out her towel, her bottles of water and a pair of purple striped bikini bottoms. The top, however, was missing. She searched through the bag twice more, and found nothing each time.
“Never mind. It's not like anyone's going to mind,” Liane said.
“That's easy for you to say. You're used to hanging out on the beach in the nude, and showing the pictures to your friends, too,” Megan said.
“I haven't gotten any complaints yet. Besides, it's not like you'll be the only one. Why do you think I picked this beach when there was one much closer to home?” Liane said.
Before Megan could answer, Liane grabbed her hand and pulled her outside. Megan blushed and tried to pull away, but Liane was stronger than she was and, besides, she hated to be rude when Liane had been so kind to her.
“Let me at least go back for my towel,” Megan said.
“Relax. How often do you get to break the rules and get away with it?” Liane said.
The beach that had looked so empty just a few minutes ago was beginning to fill up now, and the two of them had already attracted a number of stares from the people nearby. Liane treated their audience to a sly smile and struck a pose Megan knew she'd seen in a magazine somewhere, though there was no doubt Liane pulled it off much better. Megan could only shake her head, give her friend a smile, and strike a pose of her own. Together, she knew, they were dazzling.
“You're such a show-off, Liane,” she said.
“Then that makes two of us, doesn't it? When you look this good, it's a crime not to flaunt it,” Liane said.
Art is copyrighted to
\n\t\t\t\t\tdustmeatLiane (blonde) belongs to
\n\t\t\t\t\trabbitfangsMegan (brunette) belongs to, and is, me.