Weekend - By Christopher Pike Page 0,26

she..."

"What about her?"

Park couldn't remember, it seemed. "Nothing. Let's do it, yeah."

Shani kept her eyes closed while they skipped off for their erotic aqua sports. But she had to smile when they opened the front door.

"Hi! We made it!" Robin exclaimed, her voice as sweet as an angel's. Shani opened her eyes. Sol stopped the music by kicking the turntable, quickly putting distance between him and Kerry. Wearing a short dress the exact shade of red as her hair, Lena swept into the living room and claimed her man. Arm in arm with Park, Robin followed, with a frustrated Angie bringing up the rear. Quickly, Shani closed her eyes again. "Hi, Kerry," Robin said. "You look hot. Were you dancing?"

"Sol and I were," Kerry replied thinly.

"Hi, beautiful," Sol said, kissing Robin. Sol often called Robin beautiful. "You're late."

"Lena and I went to the movies. We sawBrainstorm . You just got to see it! The ending is so inspiring.

Anyway, afterwards, we stuffed our faces with junk at Jo Jo's and then Lena wanted to drop by and check out the action. So here we are."

"Looks like we missed a good time," Lena said. "This place is a mess. What's Shani been smoking?"

Park giggled. "She's a lightweight. One beer and she goes into a coma." He pinched her big toe through her tennis shoes. Shani opened her eyes slowly.

"Where am I?" she asked, knowing full well; best she act like she was out cold lest Angie realise that she had been listening. The toilet flushed and the bathroom door popped open. Grabbing the arms of her chair, she pulled herself up. "Excuse me, I've passed overflow." Laughter followed her wobbly steps.

Bert was splashing cold water on his face from the bathroom sink. Between them, he and Sol had killed a quart of whisky.

"Do you feel all right?" she asked.

"Great!" He roughed a towel over his red cheeks, shaking like a horse. "I was just taking myself a little nap in here."

"Do you know how long I've been waiting to get in here?"

"Since I fell asleep?"

"Exactly. Are you done?"

"I heard music. You want to dance?"

"I can hardly stand up."

"Throw up, you'll feel better."

"I don't have to throw up. I have to pee. Hurry up!"

"Stick a finger down your throat." Bert demonstrated, not improving her condition. "Works every time."

Shani put her hand on her stomach as it lurched three inches to the left. "Get out!"

Ten minutes later, tucked back in her chair with her bladderand stomach empty, Shani felt better, though still extremely sleepy. On her left, singing to himself, Bert was flipping through the record collection.

Sitting on the floor at Robin's feet, Park was eating Angie's cookies, his girlfriend all the while running her fingers through his hair, talking about the movie. Kerry and Angie were fretting together on the couch.

Lena and Sol had disappeared, probably into a bedroom to discuss Euclidean geometry.

"And at the end," Robin was saying, "he got to experience the record of the woman's death. It was so beautiful! What happened was... I probably shouldn't tell you. I don't want to ruin it. All of you have got to see it. They have it on the big screen at the mall."

"Where's Lena?" Park wondered aloud, floating in the ozone. "She can go swimming with - "

"I was surprised to see Lena show up," Angie cut him off.

"It wasn't planned," Robin said. "After we ate, she insisted on coming. Sorry, Kerry, if her coming upset things for you."

"Why should I care?"

"Where's Sol?" Park asked, blowing it left and right.

Robin lightly rapped the top of his head with her knuckles. "This poor little boy can't seem to hold his medicine."

"I'm bouldered," Park nodded pleasantly.

"Anyway, for myself," Robin said, "I was hoping you'd still be here, Kerry."

"Why?"

"Nothing important, just wanted to talk."

"About what?"

"A private matter. We can discuss it later."

Kerry chuckled sarcastically. "Nothing's supposed to be private with me, any more. Say what you want.

I don't give a damn."

"I had a long talk with Lena," Robin began. "I'm convinced she had nothing to do with it."

"I'm thankful for your objective opinion," Kerry said.

"I know my sister. She acts the tough cookie, but she would never intentionally try to hurt anybody."

"Her subconscious must be the culprit," Shani mumbled. The conversation was heating up, but her head was cooling down. She couldn't remember having closed her eyes, but a moment came when there were only voices to distract her dreamy thoughts.

"Come off it, Robin," Angie said. "Lena did it. She delayed Kerry; she drenched