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"Don’t let Fohi scare you away Nobody listens to hiive Coli anyme … names"

"Excuse my French, but fuck Coli Nobody listens to her either She and Fohi should hook up"

"Hey!" yelled Fohi, still working on drowning Paci "I heard that!"

"Good!" yelled Winky before turning back to o to the other side and gossip with the girls"

I hadn’t gossiped with any girls in I couldn’t re, and for once it sounded like fun, so I juroup of friends Most of the sessions, but LaShay was there too, along with another girl fro the water out ofout the others elco me "This your first time here, too?"

"Yeah"

"You as nervous as I aht snack?"

I laughed "Hell, yes"

"Okay, good I decided I’irls in front, if one-a-theets in here, since they seeonna happen"

"I’ll help," I said

"Good" She flopped around in the water for a second and then said, "Shit I was jus’ gonna give you soht yet"

Everyone stopped talking and waited to hear what she was going to say next It was painfully aard, all of us knowing she couldn’t sell because canners had taken her ar all weird an’ shit cause I got half an arm, are ya? I’ll be liable to slap some-a-you if that’s the case Serious"

"No," I said, "no weirdness here Go ahead and flop around like a one-armed seal I won’t say a word"

Everyone froze in place, probably shocked that I’d said it But I couldn’t think of any other way to diffuse the unco, and it didn’t serve any purpose to keep pretending everything was normal

"I can’t believe you jus’ said that," said LaShay

I didn’t say anything I aiting for her to flop around soht her if she’d decided to do it either, since I probably deserved it

"That was funny as hell," she said, sirl Rehed and the tense moment was over, just like that

Fohi further erased the bad feelings by swi, "We need you ladies to settle a bet we have going on over here Who’s better-looking … les all over again

"Paci’s not in the contest, Winky Shut up It’s irl yelled out, "Trip!"

"Coay Me or Rob Tell us"

"Peter!" yelled LaShay "He’s got you all beat"

Fohi splashed water at all of us "Never mind You chicks are lame"

"I pick Rob!" yelled a little voice froirl I remembered from one ofanyone, which had been a relief to ainst those canners without serious training

"Whoo hoo! You hear that, Fohi? I win!" yelled Rob

"You cheated," he grumbled "I’irls "He doesn’t get any respect"

"I actually think he’s kinda cute," said another girl "But we don’t need to tell hi in a mirror"

"Honest to God, I think the chiefs are the best lookin’ guys in this place," said LaShay "You guys ht?"

"No," said Winky "We picked them for their parents’ positions in the tribes before But they’re kind of natural leaders anyway"

I nodded They had different styles, but both of them were effective in their oays

I almost didn’t want to broach the subject, but I had to because it was niggling at the back ofto letaround?"

No one said anything for a few seconds and LaShay let out a burst of air She was feeling the tension just like I was apparently

"It doesn’tit off Hopefully I hadn’t just dis-invited myself from future pool parties