Ann Martin - Mary Anne And Too Many Boys

"Wouldn't it be funny if Alex and Toby showed up again?"

I didn't get a chance to answer because Claire bolted into the room just then and wrapped herself around my knees.

"Can we go to the beach, please, please, please, Mary Anne-silly-billy-goo-goo?"

"We have to finish unpacking," I told her, and Claire's mouth turned down, just like one of those Greek masks that are supposed to stand for "tragedy."

Then she brightened. "What if I help?" she asked. She picked up one of my T-shirts and held it up to her chest. It hung all the way down to her knees.

"The best way you can help is to go back to your own room and get Mal to help you find your bathing suit and beach towel. Then when you're all dressed — and your suitcase is unpacked — we'll hit the beach," I said.

"Promise?"

"Promise." That seemed to satisfy her because she gave a wild whoop of joy and dashed down the hall.

I probably should explain about the sleeping arrangements. Claire and Margo bunk to-

gether, Vanessa and Mallory share a pink bedroom, and Stacey and I have the yellow bedroom. The boys have a big bedroom at the end of the hall. There are plenty of rooms to go around, and there is even an extra room with a window seat up on the third floor. It's one of my favorite places to curl up (Mal's, too), and once she and I went up there to watch a lightning storm. Very exciting!

It took at least half an hour to unpack, because Stacey and I kept reminding each other of funny things that happened with Alex, Toby, and Scott, the lifeguard. Actually, the incident with Scott wasn't exactly funny (Stacey saw him kissing another girl and dissolved into tears), but I was pretty sure that she was over him.

"How will you feel if you run into Scott on the beach?" I asked her.

"I don't know, but I sure won't rush out and buy any more chocolates." She laughed, and I knew everything would be okay. She had actually bought Scott a ten-dollar box of candy as a going-away present, right before we saw him kissing his girlfriend. Talk about bad timing!

Mal stuck her head in the door just as I was putting the finishing touches on my beach getup.

She stared at me, and her jaw dropped open. "Gosh, Mary Anne," she said, "you look like you're going to the desert."

As I've said, I burn very easily, so I have to cover every square inch of myself with sunblock — even on cloudy days.

"This is my beach cover-up, if you'll remember," I said, feeling a little defensive. I was wearing my white caftan that flows around me like a tent. And just to make sure that no rays would sneak in, I put on giant black sunglasses, a straw hat, and covered my nose with sunblock.

Stacey and Mal exchanged a look, and I know they were trying not to burst out laughing. "Are you sure you need all that?" Stacey said, trying to be tactful. "It's pretty late in the day to get burned."

I glanced at myself in the mirror. I did look a little strange, but I didn't dare take any chances.

"I'm ready, Mary Anne-silly-billy-goo-goo!" Claire shrieked. She was dressed in a bright red tank suit and wriggling with joy like a puppy.

"Okay, let's go," I said, scooping her up. We met the triplets and Margo in the hall, and I automatically counted heads as we went down the stairs. "Where's Vanessa?" I asked.

(After the scare with Claire, I wasn't taking any chances.)

"I'm out here," she called from the front porch. Vanessa was curled up in a wicker chair, balancing a notebook on her knees. She had a dreamy expression on her face, like she was lost in thought.

"Beach time!" I said, ruffling her hair as we went by.

She gave a little smile. "I'll be there in a few minutes," she said. "I have something I want to finish."

Stacey raised her eyebrows. Vanessa is usually the first one to plunge into the waves and never complains even when the water is freezing.

"I'll catch up with you later. Honest." She obviously wanted to be by herself.

"Okay," I said doubtfully, "but don't wait too long or the sun will go down."

"Where does it go?" Claire asked, grabbing my hand and dragging me toward the beach.

I was still watching Vanessa, wondering if something was wrong. "Where does what go?"

"The sun!" She rolled her eyes. "Where does it go when it goes down?"

"Oh." I was stumped.

"Behind a cloud?" Stacey suggested.

"Good answer," I said, just like they say on a TV game show.

Stacey grinned at the compliment. "Any time," she told me.

Chapter 5.

You wouldn't believe how many times I rewrote my postcard to Logan. You'd think I was doing a term paper for Advanced Composition class. Of course, it was a lot harder to write than a term paper, because I had to find the perfect "tone," as my English teacher would say. I had to be funny (I thought the part about the mummy was pretty good), and I had to sound like I was having a wonderful time. Of course, I wanted Logan to know that I would be having an even better time if he were there with me. You see what a problem I had. I didn't want Logan to think I was pining away for him, but I also didn't want him to think I was so super-cool, I didn't even miss him. What a dilemma! (Another expression my English teacher uses a lot.)

I tucked the postcard in the bottom of my underwear drawer before I went to bed Saturday night. When I woke up Sunday morning, I discovered that everything I had said about the weather had been totally wrong.

There was no sunshine, and the sea looked grim and choppy. The sky was a flat gray color, like someone had gone over it with a gallon of semigloss paint and a roller. I thought it looked very depressing, although I know that some people don't mind cool, windy days at the beach.

Breakfast was hectic as usual. Mr. Pike was flipping pancakes in what looked like the world's largest frying pan, while Mal was busily making gallons of orange juice. Vanessa buttered a mountain of raisin-bread toast while I micro waved the bacon. Stacey put the triplets to work setting the table, watching to make sure that everybody got the right amount of silverware. You'd be surprised how much planning goes into breakfast for twelve people. Luckily, Mrs. Pike is very organized (unlike my stepmother) and had everything pretty much under control.

"I think it's going to be cloudy all morning," Mrs. Pike said, looking at the overcast sky. "What do you kids want to do today?"

"The beach!" Adam shouted. "What else?" He was polishing off a stack of pancakes at record speed. I noticed he was dressed in his bathing suit, ready to go.

"Not the beach," Mal wailed. "There's no sun today."

"Who cares?" asked Vanessa.

"I do. I want to get a tan." Mal grinned at Stacey and me. "Maybe I'll find a cute guy to impress."

"Only girls care about silly stuff like tanning/' Jordan said. He was practically inhaling a bacon sandwich, fidgeting in his chair. "We're going snorkeling today. Right, guys?" He was holding a pair of goggles and a plastic breathing tube on his lap.

"We are?" Nicky said hopefully.

"I meant Adam and Byron," Jordan told him breezily. "You can do something with Margo and Claire. Maybe you could go into town."

Nicky looked crushed. "Oh."

"Thaf s right," Vanessa said brightly. "We can divide up into two groups and that way everyone can do what they want. Will you take us into Sea City, Mary Anne?"

I glanced at Mrs. Pike, and she nodded. "Sure, if Stacey will take the boys swimming."

Mal and the girls and I set out half an hour later (after we persuaded the triplets to let Nicky join them on the beach). Mrs. Pike needed a few things from the grocery store, so we decided to make that our last stop. We walked along the main drag, watching out for familiar landmarks.

"Look, Gurber Garden," Claire shrieked.

"My most favorite place in the whole world."