It was the summer before her junior year in high school. Diana was unsure of what would happen. She was new here in this small town. Her parents had moved the family to this coastal area as soon as she and her brother had completed school. Now they were getting adjusted to living in a town that had the amount of people found on one block of her old home city. She still thought of her last home as her real home.

Diana was a shy girl. She hadn't always been that way. But coming of age had caused changes in her. She hadn't been able to handle them as well as she would have liked. Too many silly boys teasing her about her growing breasts. It was just dumb actually. But she developed a shell. Her girl friends had seemed to become mature much faster than she did.

For a sixteen year old girl she was still quite young. No one had ever kissed her. She hadn't even gone out on a date. She had been asked by several boys. But it had always seemed wrong to her. They ogled her and didn't seem to really care for her as a person. She just ignored them all starting from when it all went bad.

But her mother and father always told her she was pretty. Her brother didn't pay much attention to her. He was a year older. They had to share a room in their apartment in the city. But they tended to forget the other existed unless they were actually together. He was popular and had been seeing several girls at the same time. He hated the move as much as she did.

Now, in the cottage their parents had bought, they each had their own room for the first time ever. That part of the move was good for both of them. Diana had the privacy she had always craved. She could play her music and read her books and know Bradley wouldn't be interrupting her. He had always teased her about the magazines she read.

Getting married was not something she thought about a lot. In fact, she was wondering if she could decide to never get married at all. She only had one aunt who never married. It wasn't so common in her family. But the idea of just forgetting about boys appealed to her. That was not why she read her magazines. The ones with all of the girls in their wedding gowns. Diana just liked looking at the pictures.

Looking at pictures in the women's magazines was a pleasure she kept to herself if she could. Not only the publications for weddings but others with lots of women in ads. She would even look at some of the men's magazines on the racks in the stores. She didn't understand what it meant. But she liked looking at other girls. Especially if they were younger, like her.

Even if it embarrassed her a lot, she still looked forward to gym class in school. As long as no one was teasing her about her breasts it was fine. She wondered to herself why other girls seemed so attractive to her. And she also wondered if she was attractive to them. It was the best part of the day, after getting sweaty playing games, to take a shower with the other girls. They would laugh and giggle. Sometimes they would tickle each other.

Diana had been left out a lot since the other girls became more interested in boys. They ignored her, over in the corner of the shower. But she couldn't help noticing the way their bodies were all changing. And hers too. She would look when she had the chance. And it gave her a nice feeling. Deep inside. It felt a little strange, too. In the parts of her body that were changing. Her nipples often got hard, and the hairy triangle between her legs might tingle a little.

She was naive, but she wasn't ignorant. She had learned some things in school classes. And from reading. Diana read a lot. So she knew that she might not be exactly like the other girls. Or maybe she was like some of them, and she didn't know who they were. It was confusing. It was hard growing up. She didn't know what was going to happen now. She felt so alone.

Their new town was a fishing village. And there seemed to be lots of artist studios. Diana had spent days wandering through the streets. It didn't take long to learn where everything was. It was so small. Their cottage was only about a five minute walk from pretty much everything. The small port and the beaches were there to be visited whenever you wished. That was nice. She actually liked that.

One day, while her parents were both working in their office, she gathered up her beach things. She had a woven basket that would hold all she needed. She was wearing a bikini beneath a long-sleeved shirt and some yoga pants. She had on some sandals. She tied up her silky brown hair into a bun before leaving. Then she put on her large straw hat to protect her skin. She had on her sunglasses covering her green eyes. She set out to the shore.

Diana walked slowly through the narrow streets. They still had some lanes with cobblestones. She supposed it was picturesque. The tourists seemed to think so. They were out in droves today. Each was taking pictures of everything seen to prove they had been here. She knew she would never be accepted as a local but she surely wasn't a tourist anymore. She had to live here for goodness' sake. She made her way down a path to the shoreline.

The beach was crowded. It always seemed to be that way since she had been here. Diana wondered what it would be like in the fall and winter when it got cold around here. Maybe she would be able to sit here by herself once in awhile. She walked as far away from the people as she could and settled down on a blanket she spread out. She had some lunch with her. And lots of reading material.

She discarded her shirt and pants. She was now wearing only the bikini. She glanced around to see if anyone was staring at her. They didn't seem to be. She was far enough away to be isolated. That was good. Now she needed to put on sunscreen so her pale skin would not burn. Sitting crosslegged she spread the lotion over herself. As she did her legs she extended them up and out. She thought they were pretty. She rather liked her feet too.

Diana had done a lot of tumbling in school during her gym classes. And she had always walked everywhere in the city that she could get to without taking the subway or a cab. She was trim. The breasts that she was so embarrassed by were not actually that huge. Not really. She had exaggerated that in her mind when being teased. They were sort of like a pair of oranges in size, with rather puffy nipples.

She had a small pillow that she placed under her head as she laid back. The summer sun was still not completely up in the east. And lots of puffy cumulous clouds were keeping it from shining to brightly. She was reading a fantasy book. Like many of them it concerned a young girl who discovered one day that she was a princess. Diana didn't take it seriously. It was just fluff for the summer vacation.

Something blocked out the sun and she took her eyes off of the book to look up. It appeared to be a girl about her age. She took off her sunglasses and squinted up at the smiling face.

"Hey. I'm Tony. They named me Antoinette, but that's a stupid name. I mean, I'm French. Or actually, French-Canadian. But why would I want people walking around calling me Antoinette. Hey, Antoinette, want to go swimming? Hey, Antoinette. What's happening girl? You know what I mean. So I'm Tony. That's cool don't you think? So who are you anyway?"

Diana was a little mixed up. But she didn't know what else to do, so she responded.

"I'm Diana. Just Diana. I didn't change it. I guess it fits me. Hey." She rose up on her elbows.

Tony plopped down on the blanket beside her. Diana could see that she had wavy brown hair, too. She had styled it shorter, but still left it curly. And her eyes were deep brown. She was in a bikini too. But a little smaller than Diana's. Tony had an infectious smile. That meant that Diana caught herself grinning like a ninny. She stopped that abruptly as she sat completely up and tucked her legs beneath her.

"So I see a unicorn on your book cover. You're into that kind of thing? I tried it but it bored me. I mean, that stuff doesn't really happen."

"No, no. I just read it for fun. I read other stuff. I've read all of Jane Austen. I like nineteenth century novels. I read good stuff too. This is just for wasting time."

"I'm teasing you, girl. It's cool. You can have your fantasies. I have a few of my own. So who are you then? You're not from here. I know everyone here. Who are you?"

"I told you. I'm Diana. We moved here last month. I think the real estate person called our cottage the old Liddle place. I guess they used to live there. I don't really know. I hope I'm not intruding in your town." She was feeling a little huffy now.

"You're funny. You can go where ever you want, girl. I don't mind. I know exactly where you live now. Not too far from me. But nothing is, is it? And I like new faces. I like yours. So how old are you? What grade are you in? Are you just here for the summer or for good?

Diana's head was trying to take in this creature. She was beautiful to Diana's eyes. But she seemed terribly nosy. What did she want to know all of that for? Was she just being friendly? No one had really been friendly for weeks now. They tolerated tourists, but newcomers were kept at a distance.

"Okay. I'm sixteen now. I know I'll be in the junior class. I found the school. Awfully small. And yes, I'm afraid we're here for good. My parents've quit their jobs and are trying to be full-time writers. I've no idea how long that will last."

"Hey, cool. That's great. I'm a junior too. We'll have some of the same classes. Yep, it'll be cool. So do you like the beach? I love it. I think it's my favorite thing about this place. I do some surfing when it isn't too cold. I love to swim. Do you like swimming? We don't have that for a sport in school. Too small. But I do it out here when I surf and just for fun."

Diana could tell that Tony was athletic. Her legs were long and strong looking. Her skin was tanned, but still soft looking. It seemed to glow in the sunlight. What would it be like to surf, she wondered. She could barely swim as it was. They didn't go to the pool much in the city.

"I need to learn to swim better. I don't do it often. But I suppose I should be good at it if we have to stay here. I'm not sure about surfing. I never really played sports, except in gym class."

"We don't have gym class here. They cut that along with lots of good stuff. We don't have any music or art classes. It seems a little funny, you know? 'Cause this is supposed to be some kind of artist's colony or something. I'm just noticing how white your skin is. It's kind of like cream. You don't get out much, do you?"

"I get out lots. I just try to cover up. My skin really burns. I mean, it really burns, and then I get all freckly. I don't like that much. So I cover up. I hope I don't look odd. I don't want to stand out or anything."

"Girl, you look great. I mean, I really think you've got pretty skin. Yeah, you're a pretty girl. I'm not too bad, so they tell me. Do you think I'm attractive?"

Diana knew she was blushing now. She could feel the heat in her face. How embarrassing. Of course Tony was lovely. Did people ask that question right out like that? Tony was so frank and open. Was she like this all the time?

"I guess you look nice. Yes, you look okay. Thanks anyway. Only my parents ever said I was pretty."

Tony laughed. "I look okay? Gee, girl. How sweet of you to say that." She laughed again and slapped Diana on the thigh. She just sat there grinning with her legs crossed. Then she reached up and adjusted her bikini top.

"My tits always want to fall out of this thing. You probably don't have that problem. Your suit is not as small as mine. It looks good on you though. Probably better for swimming. I lose my top half the time when I'm out on my board. Oh, say. I know a place you can get rid of it completely if you want. There's a hidden beach up the coast. It's a cove that's below a cliff. I'll show you sometime."

Again Diana felt herself flushing. There was something about Tony that made her feel so naive and inexperienced. Then she realized, that was just the way she was. Naive. She looked into Tony's eyes. Tony was waiting expectantly. Her eyes crinkled.

"I'll think about it. I'll be honest. I've never been to a place like that. I don't know. I suppose it's almost the same as being in gym class and taking showers together. Are there boys there? I would never do anything like that with guys around. I'd die. I'd just die."

"I found this place. I know others have been there. You can see footprints sometimes. But all the times I went there it was just us. And I never went there with any boys. Just us girls. That's all."

"Do you think your friends would want a stranger around? They don't seem to like newbies here in town."

"Oh, don't worry about that. If you're my friend then you're their friend. We're going to be friends, aren't we? I kind of thought we were already, Diana. Besides, I think we might go there alone the first time or two." She paused and grinned. "When I make someone blush I also make 'em a friend." She laughed from her belly.

"Well, I gotta go. I'll see you around. You come here everyday? I do. I'll be here. Don't mind me. I'm just this way girl. You're cool Diana. We're already friends. No sweat."

Tony was up on her knees now as she leaned forward and took Diana's head in her hands. Then she quickly pressed her lips to Diana's. Jumping up she waved as she strode away in the sand. She was overdoing it a little, twisting her butt around. Looking over her shoulder at Diana, she laughed again and continued up the beach.

Diana's face was scarlet again. She seemed have been blushing for most of the time that Tony had been with her. She put her fingers on her lips. She didn't wear lipstick yet, but Tony did. Her fingers had a trace of the pink color on them. And the odor of the fragrance the lipstick carried. She could smell it. Just as she had been smelling Tony's aroma too. It must have been a perfume. Anyway, it lingered in the warm air around her.

She didn't feel like reading anymore. She was lost in her thoughts, watching the clouds coming together and parting above the sea. A breeze picked up and she felt the gentle touch of sea spray. She was hugging her knees together. Finally she looked at her cell phone to see what time it was. It was getting close to dinner time. She had forgotten to eat the lunch she brought with her. She was ravenous.

Gathering up everything she noticed the only footprints around her blanket were hers and Tony's. The sea would come in and wash them away in the night. There would be no trace of either of them. She would have to return tomorrow and put more traces in the sand. Perhaps Tony's feet would be making footprints again, too.

Diana walked slowly home. It had been a big day for her. She felt that. She knew it. She wanted to believe that. She wanted to feel this way again and again. Like she was floating, just a little, just a bit, off the ground. When she got home her mother was in the front room.

"Hi, sweetie. Say, I found something on the front porch. I went out to sweep it off and I found this. It can't be for me or your dad. Maybe Bradley. But I think it's for you. Did you meet someone recently?"

Her mother was smiling with pleasure.

It was a little garland of flowers. Diana walked over and took them into her hand. She remembered now. They were Sweet Williams. The genus was Dianthus. Close enough to Diana, she supposed. Each blossom was two colors. One color was creamy white. The other was a pink. Just like Tony's lipgloss. She smiled.