Elliot flung her bathing suit onto her bed and turned back to her closet, pulling out shorts and t-shirts. She moved over to the bed and packed her clothes away in the compact duffle bag. Her door opened and Cece strode in. In a dramatic gesture, she flopped onto the bed. She rolled onto her stomach and propped her chin on her fists as she looked at Elliot.

"So is writer boy coming?" she asked.

Elliot gave her curious look.

"Have we ever called him that?" she asked.

"The idea came to me, so I went with it."

"It's not your best."

"Pouty poet?"

"He doesn't write poetry as far as I know."

"Arrogant author?"

"Closer."

"Witty wordsmith?"

"I like it, but I have yet to really see his wit."

"Sarcastic scribbler?"

"I believe you have already claimed that title."

"Narcissistic novelist?"

"Can you blame him? With those looks?"

The front door opened and a deep voice called out a hello.

"We're up here!" Elliot yelled. "Just follow the sound of brilliance and you'll find us!"

They heard footsteps on the stairs and a moment later Milo appeared in the doorway. He looked over the scene of Cece laying on Elliot's bed and took the arm chair.

"What are we discussing?" he asked, leaning back, his legs stretched out.

"Beck's title," Cece said.

"Writer boy?" he asked.

"I already said that," Cece said.

Elliot went back to packing.

"Cocky correspondent," Milo said.

"Ponderous producer?" Cece said.

Elliot made a face and Milo shook his head.

"Cavalier creator?" he asked.

Both girls let out loud laughs.

"Not likely," Elliot said.

"Ironic ink slinger?" Cece said.

Both Milo and Elliot looked at her with flat expressions.

"Cece," Elliot said, "maybe it's best you stick with what you're good at. What that is, I'm not sure. But there is bound to be something."

"Cooking is not it," Milo said. "I almost died after eating one of your cookies."

"Then I wish you had eaten two of them," Cece said.

"So you could bring me back with the kiss of life?" he asked.

"No, I've already written your eulogy and I would hate for it to go to waste."

"You have been thinking about me. I'm glad I can inspire your writing. Don't feel embarrassed if your leading man looks like me."

"I've actually thought of killing him off. The main character really is so much better without him."

"Only in her mind. She forgets the whole world can see her heart."

"Turns out she has no heart."

"Why? Did someone steal it?"

Elliot raised her hands.

"Okay, if you two start making out I'm going to leave," she said.

Milo winked at Cece. She turned away shaking her head, trying to cover up her pleased smirk with an annoyed look.

"Where's Tristan and Marilyn?" Milo asked.

"They drove down this morning," Elliot said. "Mom wanted to make sure the house was in order."

"Odd, I thought Marilyn was fond of me," Milo said. "Apparently not, since she left me to drive down with you two."

Cece gave him a flat look.

"I'm not that bad at driving," she said.

Milo raised his hands in surrender.

"Whatever you say. I don't want to anger the woman who has my life in her hands, as well as my heart."

"You don't want to know what I would do if I had your heart in my hands," Cece said.

"Really? Because I've known you long enough to guess. My theory is it involves a knife and my untimely demise."

"I wouldn't say untimely," Cece said, giving him a wicked smile.

Elliot looked back and forth between them.

"You two have the weirdest way of flirting. The only couple that comes close are a hippo and badger."

They both looked at her with offended looks.

"Hey!" Milo said.

"They aren't that weird at flirting, just slightly awkward considering the height difference," Cece said.

"Besides, I'm cuter than a badger," Milo added. "And Cece looks nothing like a hippo. She only has the grace of one."

"It's true and Milo only has the mental capacity of one."

Elliot rolled her eyes and zipped up her duffel bag.

"Is Beck coming?" Milo asked.

Elliot sat down on the bed.

"I believe so. I told him that, although we don't look it, we are actually wonderful to drive with."

"Of course we are," Cece said. "We ignore each other and listen to our own music. What's more inviting than that?"

"I have no idea," Elliot said. "Showing up at the same restaurant together and sitting at separate tables?"

Before they could be sucked into a long nonsensical list the door bell rang. Elliot stood, slinging her duffel bag over her shoulder. She jogged down the stairs and pulled the door open. Beck stood on the other side, a backpack hanging off one shoulder.

"Hi," Elliot said.

Milo and Cece descended the stairs, luggage in hand and appeared in the doorway.

"Beck," Cece said. "I'm happy you decided to come!"

Without looking at each other, Milo pulled out a ten dollar bill and Cece took it.

"Shall we go?" Milo asked, stuffing his hands back into his pockets.

Beck glanced between the two of them.

"I'm ready," he said.

Cece clapped her hands.

"Splendid! The recorded time from here to Cape Cod is around two hours. Let's see if we can't knock that down!"

Cece skipped passed Beck and descended the stairs, her brown ponytail bouncing behind her. Beck looked at Elliot.

"Should I be afraid for my life?" he asked.

Milo placed a conciliatory hand on Beck's shoulder as he passed.

"Only if you know what's good for you," he said.

Elliot smiled at Beck and waved towards the Mercedes parked at the curb.

"Adventure, possibly bodily harm and waffles await!"

************

Cece pulled the car into a wide circular driveway in front of a modern, two story house. Windows lined both levels, reflecting the setting sun. Just beyond the house lay the ocean, blue waves crashing against rough, golden sand. Elliot stepped out, the salty tang of the sea greeting her.

"See," Cece said, climbing out of the car, "I told you I could shave forty-five minutes."

Still looking over the house, Milo pulled out a ten and held it up. Elliot took it and tucked it into the pocket of her red shorts. He turned to her.

"Do you want to be the one to dramatically fall to the ground, weeping and blessing the stars for making it here alive or shall I?" he asked.

"We could rock, paper, scissors over it."

"You cheat."

She patted his chest.

"Then it's all you," she said.

She turned back to the car and pulled out her duffle bag. Beck rounded the car and stood beside her.

"This is your's?" he asked, nodding at the house.

"Nope," Elliot said. "We just rent it for two nights every year. Too expensive to keep a house like this all year around. Come on, I'll show you where you'll be sleeping."

Elliot left Cece and Milo to gather their things and led Beck inside. A spacious, tiled entryway led to an open living room that held a wall of glass. Pass the windows there was a patio covered in couches and chairs encircling a fire pit. Just beyond was a pool and then the beach.

"That's the kitchen," Elliot said, pointing to the right. "Past that is the dining room, but we only eat breakfast there. Other meals are usually eaten at the kitchen counter, living room or patio. Rooms are upstairs."

She jogged up the curved staircase. At the top a hallway diverged to the left and right. She picked a room at random and stepped in.

"Looks like no one has claimed this one, so it's all your's," she said.

Beck looked around, taking in the simple setup of bed, dresser, desk and arm chair.

"It's good we got here before every else," Elliot said. "It's first come, first service here."

Beck laid his backpack on the bed.

"Who is everyone?" he asked.

Elliot shrugged.

"The normal group. Jay, Ryan, Andrew, Joe, Mia, if we're lucky and she's stored up some social hours. A bunch of other people. Sometimes it varies. It's kind of an open house sort of situation. If you're in the area or the next state over you can come."

"You do this every fourth of July?"

"Yup! You'll like The Crowd. They are a bunch of artists."

"In what sense?"

"Jay is a dancer. Ryan is a photographer, but he choreographs as well. Andrew is a playwright as well as Mia. Joe is the best, he does nothing, but he is awesome."

Before Beck had time to ask her to elaborate, the front door opened and a warm voice spoke.

"You alive? Or am I dealing with ghosts for the next two days?" her mother asked.

"I'm a ghost but only in the sense that I'm ridiculously pale!" Elliot called out.

"Alright as long as you don't try to haunt me. I'm going to make a late dinner, come down when your settled and help or I'll burn it."

"Alright!"

Her mother's footsteps faded and a second later they heard Milo cry, "Marilyn!"

"Take your time getting settled," Elliot said. "You won't have to stress about meeting everyone until tomorrow. They usually arrive late tonight or really early in the morning. Should just be us for now."

Beck nodded. Elliot turned to leave, but paused in the doorway, looking back.

"I'm glad you decided to come," she said. "The people can be crazy, but in the best sense."

She went to leave again, but stopped.

"Oh," she said. "I'll answer these questions now. Yes, he's odd but that's just Andrew. Ryan is joking. Jay really did just say that. Yes, but she's brilliant so we forgive her." Elliot smiled. "See you down stairs."

****************

Elliot and Cece sat at the edge of the pool, their legs dangling in the cool water, the silvery moon peering down on their two lone figures. A hint of humidity still lingered in the air. A peaceful stillness hung about the house and the beds filled with dormant forms.

"I think tonight went well," Cece said.

"I agree," Elliot said. "Beck didn't at any point run screaming from the room and I think he managed to get in at least three words. It took me years in this family to get in at least one. Even then, it was drowned out by everyone else."

"Well, you can't blame yourself, you were a baby and your vocabulary was very limited."

"True, not much has changed since then."

"You got in at least two words tonight. I was very proud."

"Yes, but it was on a subject that had already passed by four minutes before. I was completely humiliated."

"It's okay, I'm sure no one noticed."

"Well, that's very likely."

They fell silent, both of them contemplating the constellations. Elliot tugged on bits of grass.

"Milo seemed to hold his own in the conversations," she said.

Cece looked at her.

"We're going with that transition, are we?"

"Yes."

Cece turned away.

"What if I took a bunny trail to a different topic?" she asked.

"Then I would burrow a hole back to the original."

"Fair enough."

Elliot looked at Cece, half her face cast in shadow.

"Do you like Milo?" she asked.

"How very blunt of you," Cece said.

"I could beat around the bush, but there's not one close enough and in all honesty, I'm not a huge fan of stout foliage. So, do you?"

Cece didn't reply for a long moment, her gaze never leaving the velvety sky.

"Yes. I like Milo."

"Really? Because you seem to always treat him like a jelly donut."

"Hey! I gave up cannibalism a long time ago."

"Yes, and we are all proud of you. The neighbors were thinning and the police were getting suspicious. But why not admit it to him."

"I thought that would be very clear."

"Spell it out for me."

"You got a pencil and a piece of paper?"

"We'll rough it and stick with words for now."

"Fine. It's because he's too smart, too good looking and has a smile that flirts with everyone."

"You know, now that you have put it that way I totally see the problem."

"Right?!"

"I'm sorry I didn't notice it before."

"I'm glad you get it."

"Yeah, it's so clear."

"It is."

"He would be the pretty one in the relationship."

"Now you see my dilemma."

Elliot sank back on to the grass and Cece joined her.

"We could always break his nose," Elliot said. "That might even the playing field."

"He does have a good nose."

"Shave his head as well."

"I don't even understand how he gets it to look so perfect all the time. I could spend hours on my hair and it still wouldn't come close."

Silence fell around them once more. Elliot turned her head towards Cece.

"Are you going to tell me the real reason you won't tell him?" she asked.

Cece shrugged.

"I already gave you one."

"Okay, then how about giving me a second one."

Cece sighed.

"I don't know. I just don't want a relationship right now."

"But you do realize if you don't do anything you'll lose him."

"Maybe that's for the best," Cece said, her voice soft. "I'm not the best at relationships. You and I have only lasted this long because without me you would be completely lost. I feel it's my sisterly duty to stick around."

"I still think it's a sucky excuse not to give Milo a chance."

"Yes, it is, but until I think of a better one I will stick with it."

"How about the fact that he has blue eyes?"

"Or he reads books and keeps them in his back pocket?"

"He pays attention to you when you talk?"

"He's a spy and trying to brain wash me?"

"He is a jewel thief casing out our house?"

The moon slid across the sky as the list lengthened, keeping the two girls oblivious to time.

**********************************************************************

Bonjour!

Alright people the moment of truth is upon us, we are forced to make decisions. These decisions will define us for the rest of our lives but they are ones that need to me made!

Walk on the beach or talk by a poolside?

Restaurant dinner or romantic dinner on the floor at your house?

Pizza or pasta?

Dance party or slow dancing?

Book or movie? (That's just in general not books made into movies)

British accent or Australian accent?

Tux or casual?

Vote, comment, follow, answer the questions and we shall conquer the world, cause why not?