PAYBACK IS A BEACH

By Pseud O'Nym

Stacy Rowe lay on the soft beach towel and wondered if life could get any better than this. She had just finished her junior year at Lawndale High. And here she was at Ocean Town for a long June weekend with some of her best friends ever, soaking up the sun and fun with a few thousand other high school kids.

She felt the sun beating down on her body, which was dressed only in the briefest bikini she dared to wear. In a few minutes, Sandi's timer would ring, indicating she and her friends had had enough sun for now and should take refuge in the shade. Oh, well. Meanwhile, the hot sun felt so good. Almost perfect.

Stacy glanced over at her friends. Tiffany and Sandi were both laying on their stomachs, Quinn on her back. Quinn should really be careful about the sun, Stacy thought. Redheads always burn, don't they? Though Quinn didn't have the classic freckled complexion of the "pure" redhead, her skin was still rather pale.

Quinn. Only Quinn had marred the vacation. Last night the girls had all gone to an under-21 dance club. Stacy was hitting it off with a cute boy from Maine named Perry and, despite her wariness of strangers in such a place, had decided that she really wanted to be alone with him for a while. Just some necking, nothing more. But then Quinn butted in and started flirting with him and ...

Damn her. Why does Quinn always have to be so damn competitive about guys? She wouldn't have noticed Perry if Stacy hadn't hooked up with him first. Frikkin' Quinn ...

- - - -

Sandi Griffin felt the sun beating on her back. This is the life, she thought. Why would anyone want to live anywhere but near a beach? It was several hours from Lawndale. Why couldn't her parents have lived in someplace like this, where she could visit the beach any time the weather was warm - better yet, live far enough south so the weather was always warm. Then she could always have a perfect tan.

She looked over at her friends. She saw Stacy, eyes closed, with a faint smile. Tiffany was on her stomach. Sandi couldn't tell if Tiffany was awake or asleep. Quinn, with her floppy hat and sunglasses - redheads couldn't be too careful - seemed to be dozing.

It would serve Quinn right if she stayed out too long and got burned, Sandi thought. Quinn had spent much of the night dancing with a hottie named Thad, whom Sandi fancied. Thad was way too tall for Quinn, Sandi thought. Of course, Quinn hadn't even noticed Thad until she saw Sandi trying to catch his eye.

Yep, it would serve her right if she got a bad sunburn - or whatever.

- - - -

Tiffany Blum-Deckler appeared to be asleep, but she wasn't. She wondered if her mother had often lain on the beach like this. Her mother had grown up in Hong Kong, which is on the ocean. She knew that her mother's father had lived on a sampan as a boy. Maybe the ocean just wasn't a big deal to people who lived on it, or near it, all the time. It was to Tiffany, though. She loved it - the sun, the water, all of it.

She was thinking about Hong Kong, which she had never seen, because she had met a boy from Canada at that dance club last night, an immigrant from Hong Kong. The boy, Wong, had lived in Hong Kong until he was 13 years old and was interested in hearing about Tiffany's mother. He was also impressed by the few Cantonese phrases Tiffany could remember hearing her mother use - he said Tiffany had a perfect accent - until Quinn jumped in, took over the conversation, and went for a walk on the boardwalk with Wong.

That wasn't very nice of her, Tiffany thought. Tiffany knew Quinn had done it on purpose. That was so wrong.

- - - -

The timer rang gently, and Sandi stood up and pulled on a terry-cloth robe. Stacy and Tiffany both sat up on the sand. Only Quinn remained on her towel. She was breathing heavily. Obviously she had fallen asleep.

Sandi looked at Stacy and Tiffany and put her finger to her lips, motioning to both of them to be quiet. Then she signalled for them to join her about 20 feet away from Quinn. Both had also put on robes to protect them from the sun.

"I think we should just let her lay there a get a bad sunburn, don't you?" Sandi said.

"Sandi, that's really mean," Stacy answered.

"Last night we were all having a good time and meeting some fun guys," said Sandi. "And instead of finding a guy of her own, Quinn had to horn in on ours. All three of them. It's like a compulsion or whatever!"

"Yahhh, a compulsionn," said Tiffany.

"Yeah, I know," said Stacy. "She pissed me off, too. But that's no reason to do something that could really hurt her. A bad sunburn could put her in the hospital. Do *you* want to explain to her mother how that happened with all of us here?"

"Yeah, well, we ought to do something to make her pay," grumbled Sandi.

"Maybee if we didn't tallk to herr the rest of the tiime we're heere," said Tiffany.

"Uh, Tiffany, I don't think that would bother her so much as long as guys talked to her, and it won't stop her from talking to us," said Stacy. "She might not even notice."

"Well, Stacy, you seem to be good at shooting down our ideas, do you have any of your own?" said Sandi, glaring at Stacy with a challenging look. "Unless, of course, you think she should get off scot-free or something."

Stacy sighed. She wondered if Sandi was making too big a deal of this. As if Sandi wasn't as competitive as Quinn about guys. Still, last night had rankled Stacy, and it wasn't Sandi doing the rankling.

Stacy looked over at Quinn pensively. Then Stacy began to grin fiendishly.

"Yeah, I've got an idea," said Stacy wickedly. "And it won't *hurt* her a bit ..."

- - - -

Quinn Morgendorffer was dreaming. She was slowly walking up the aisle of a giant cathedral, dressed in elegant robes, to her coronation as Queen of ... well, whatever. The crown had more jewels than she had ever seen, a handsome prince waited for her and ...

Quinn suddenly woke. She felt herself being lifted by her hands and feet. She blinked and saw that Stacy and Tiffany each had hold of one of her ankles, and flung her head back to see Sandi holding both her arms by the wrists.

"Hey! What are you doing?" squealed Quinn. She felt herself being dropped into a deep hole in the sand, butt first, her feet sticking up in the air. She tried awkwardly to pull herself out, but Sandi and Stacy and Tiffany were filling the hole with sand and she found herself buried, with only her head and feet sticking out.

"Uh, guys, this isn't very comfortable. And I can't move. Why don't you unbury me?" Quinn asked. She sounded a bit scared, because she saw the other girls smirking like somthing was about to happen. The other girls were patting the sand down so it was firm. Quinn tried to struggle, but couldn't move.

"Oh, no, Quinn," teased Sandi. "We feel better with you right there. We want to meet some guys, and you can't steal them from us if you're buried in the sand."

"Who's stealing?" pleaded Quinn. "None of us have boyfriends here. We were all just talking and dancing with some guys last night."

"But, Quinn, it seems you only want to talk and dance with guys the rest of us have already picked out," said Stacy. Quinn felt fear in the pit of her stomach. There was something ominous in Stacy's teasing tone.

"Yahhh," said Tiffany.

"C'mon! We, uh, all have such great taste in guys that of course we're all going to pick the same ones! The best ones! C'mon, let me out of here!" said Quinn.

"But, Quinn, the rest of us all picked out *different* guys," said Sandi, "and you decided you liked all three of ours."

"Yeahhh, Quinnn," said Tiffany.

"You can't just leave me here!" said Quinn. "I'll get sunburned!"

"Well, Quinn," said Stacy, "most of you is buried under the sand. Oh, I see, you lost your floppy hat when we picked you up. Sorry."

Stacy didn't sound sorry, but she picked up the hat and put it on Quinn's head.

"There, Quinn, now your face won't get sunburned!"

"But, Stacy," said Sandi in that mocking tone only Sandi could manage, "her feet will get sunburned!"

"OK, we have some sun lotion here," said Stacy, grinning evilly. Tiffany handed her a bottle and Stacy began to spread some lotion on her fingertips.

"No, no, no! Don't touch my feet!" yelled Quinn, her eyes wide with fear.

Stacy knelt down in front of Quinn's feet.

"Why not, Quinn?" smirked Stacy. "We don't want your feet to burn."

"Gee, Quinn," said Sandi, "is there some *reason* why you don't want us to touch your feet?"

"Yeahh, Quinnn," said Tiffany, "whyy nott?"

"Um, uh, no special reason," said Quinn, trying unconvincingly to sound nonchalant, but her voice quavering, "could you just undig me here? Now?"

"But, Quinn," said Sandi, "if we undig you, you'll steal our guys again."

Stacy started gently applying the lotion with her fingertips.

"NONONONONO!! HAHAHAHAHA!!" screamed Quinn, "Stop it! That tickles!"

"Ooooh, you're ticklish!" teased Stacy, chuckling with pleasure. She continued applying lotion. "I'll just *bet* that's why you didn't want us to touch your feet."

"HAHAHAH STOP!! HAHAHAHAHA CUT IT OUT!! NONO HAHAHAHAHA!!" Quinn laughed, gasping, "that's enough! I can't stand having my feet tickled! Let me out of here!"

"Did you hear that?" said Stacy, grinning, "Quinn can't *stand* having her feet tickled. And she's completely at our mercy."

"Stacy!! Don't!" screamed Quinn.

"This is going to be so much *fun*" said Stacy, grinning even more.

Stacy delicately applied more lotion with her fingertips.

"HAHAHAHAHA!! (gasp) DAMMIT!!! HAHAHAHAHAH!! (gasp) STOP!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Quinn was gulping desperately for air. She fought against the wide smile forming on her lips.

"Gee, Quinn," mocked Sandi, "you're smiling. You *must* be enjoying this. Tiffany, I think Quinn needs some lotion on her other foot, too."

"NONONO THAT'S ENOUGH!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! STOPPPP!!! HAHAHAHA!!!"

Tiffany knelt down, took the bottle from Stacy, and began applying lotion to Quinn's other foot. Quinn was desperately trying to squirm free, but couldn't budge the wet, heavy sand.

"HAHAHAHAHA!!!! NO NO NO!!! HAHAHAHA!!! PLEEEEEASE DON'T!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"Heyy, Quinnn! Are your tooees ticklishhh?"

"NONONO TIFFANYY!! ... HAHAHA!! (gasp) HAHAHAHA!! NOT MY TOES!! HAHAHAHA!!"

"Quinn, I never noticed you had such high arches," grinned Stacy. She lightly traced the length of Quinn's arch with a fingernail.

"NOOOOO STACY!!! (gasp) HAHAHAHAHHA!!! (gasp) NOT THAT!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"Ooooh, Quinn! Does that tickle? Don't you just hate it when I do that?" taunted Stacy, slowly running her nail down Quinn's arch again.

"HAHA!! (gasp) HAHAHA! (gasp) DON'T (gasp) DO (gasp) THAT!!! HAHAHAH!!"

"I hope you had as much fun with Perry as I'm having with you, Quinn," said Stacy, slowly running her nail up and down Quinn's arch again. "It would be such a shame if you didn't."

"AHAHA!!! (gasp) AHAHAHAHAHA!!! (gasp) STOPITTTTT!!! STACYYY!!! YOU CAN HAVE PERRY!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!! NOW STOPPPP!!! HAHAHAHA!!!"

Quinn was shaking her head violently. Her usually well-combed hair was now matted in sweaty strands across her face. He lips were drawn back almost to her ears in a huge, involuntary grin.

"This little piggy went to market ... " teased Tiffany, "and this little piggy went for a walk with Wong."

"NONO TIFFANY!! HAHAHAHAHA!! NONO!! STACYYYY!!! HAHAHAHAHA!! STOOOOP IT!! PLEASEPLEASEPLEEEASE!! GODDAMMIT!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! QUITIT!! HAHAHA!!"

"You've lost your hat again, Quinn" said Sandi, picking it up off the sand. "We don't want you to get sunburned, after all." Sandi put Quinn's hat back on Quinn's head.

"HELP ME!! HAHAHAHAH!!! (gasp) NONONO!!! HAHAHAHHAHA!!! PLEEEEEASE STOP!!! HAHAHAHA!!!" Quinn's head was thrown back, her neck muscles straining, her mouth open with laughter. Tears ran down her cheeks.

"That looks like fun, Stacy," said Sandi with exaggerated politeness, "may I please have a turn?"

"NONONONO!!! NOT SANDI!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"Of course, Sandi," said Stacy, "I'm not one to monopolize things. You know, like guys - or feet."

"HAHAHAHA!! STOPPPP!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!! DAMMIT!! NONONO!!"

Sandi carefully and softly rubbed lotion between each of Quinn's toes. Quinn was now drenched in sweat, her face beet-red, her hair tangled, but her teeth-baring grin seemed to have grown even wider.

"HAHAHAHA!! (gasp) NONONONOTMYTOES!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!! CUTITOUT!!! HAHAHAHA!!! PLEEEASESTOP!!! (gasp) HAHAHAHA!!!"

"What was that thing Stacy did with her fingernails? Was it like this?" Sandi slowly ran her fingernail up Quinn's arch as Stacy had done.

"GODDAMMIT!!! HAHAHAHA!!! (gasp) NOT THAATTT!! (gasp) HAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

"Such a racket you're making, Quinn. And I'm barely even touching you," Sandi teased, tracing Quinn's arch back in the other direction.

"PLEEEEEASE (gasp) STOPIT!!! (gasp) HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! (gasp) DAMMIT SANDI!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Quinn was still trying to move the sand, but could barely wiggle her fingers.

"Gee, Quinn, it's for your own good that we're protecting your feet from sunburn," mocked Sandi, "it's just too, too bad that you're *sooooo* ticklish!"

"HAHAHAHAHA!!! ICANTSTANDIT!!! (gasp) STOPPPP!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"You know, Quinn," said Sandi, "I'm beginning to think you don't like being tickled. In fact, I think you *really* hate being tickled. Like we really hate you stealing the hot guys we saw first."

"HAHAHAHA!!! THATSENOUGH!!! SANDI!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!! CUTITOUT!!! HAHAHA!!"

"You didn't even notice Thad until I did, Quinn," said Sandi, "I hope he was worth it."

"HAHAHAHAHA!!! STOPPITTTT!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!! NO MORE!!!! HAHAHAHA!!!!"

"Having fun, Quinn?" teased Stacy, now standing and watching, ",'cause *we* sure are!"

"HAHAHAHA!! THIS ISN'T FUNNYSTACY!!! HAHAHAHA!!! LETMEGOSANDI!!! HAHAHAHA!!!"

"Thiss waas such a coool ideaa, Stacyy," said Tiffany, "didd you knoow she waas soo ticklissh?"

"SANDI! STOP!! HAHAHA!!! NO MORE!! HAHAHAHAHA!!! QUIT IT!!! HAHAHA!!"

"One day in the library at school," said Stacy, "I overheard her sister telling that friend of hers that when she and Quinn were little and she got really mad at Quinn, she'd sit on Quinn's legs and tickle her feet and Quinn would just go ballistic."

"HAHAHAHA!! THATSENOUGH!!! HAHAHAHA!!! CUTITOUTTT!!"

"Yeahhh, shee's *reallyy* ticklisshh," said Tiffany, smiling.

"HAHAHAHAHA!!! DAMMIT STOPPP!! HAHAHAHAHA!!! QUITITTTT!!! HAHAHAHA!!!"

"And she just absolutely *hates* every second of this. Such lovely, sweet revenge," said Stacy, smirking. "It's so funny even Quinn's laughing about it," Stacy chuckled and grinned wickedly at Quinn, "aren't you, Quinn?"

"HAHAHA!!! (gasp) HAHAHAHA!! (gasp) STOPPPP ITTTTT!! HAHAHAHAHA!! IT'S NOT FUNNY DAMMIT!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"Oh, but it's *very* funny, Quinn - for *us*, not for *you*," said Sandi. "and we're not going to stop until we're really sure you won't steal our guys when we go back to that dance club tonight."

"HAHAHAHAHA!!! STOP IT!!! I PROMISE!!! HAHAHAHA!!! NOW STOP!!! HAHAHAHA!!"

"Sorryyy, Quinnn," said Tiffany. "I'm nott convinnnced yettt." said Tiffany, "tickle, tickle, tickle!"

"HAHAHAHAHA!! (gasp) QUITIT!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!! I PROMISE!!! HAHAHAHA!! I REALLYYY PROMISE!!! AHAHAHAHAHA STOPPP!!"

"Your promises are not very convincing, Quinn," said Stacy, "we'll just keep tickling your feet until you sound sincere."

"NONONO!! HAHAHAHAHA!!! ICANTTAKEANYMORE!!! (gasp) HAHAHAHAHA!!! I REALLYY REALLLYY PROMISE!!! HAHAHAHA!!!"

Stacy happened to glance into the distance, at the boardwalk. She recognized someone there.

"HAHAHAHA!! (gasp) HAHAH!! (gasp) STOPPP!! (gasp) HAHAHAHA!!"

"Hey, Sandi, Tiff. I'll be right back." Stacy sprinted off toward the boardwalk.

"HAHAHAHA!!! STOPITSANDI!!! NONONO!!! HAHAHA!!!"

"Gee, Quinn, you've lost your hat again. You could get sunburned being so careless. Put it back on her, Tiffany, and then work on her other foot. Run your fingernail along her arch, that gets her the worst ..."

"DAMMIT!! HAHAHAHA!! TIFFANYYY!!! NOT THAT!! HAHAHAHA!!! STOPPPP!!! HAHA!!!"

- - - -

Up on the boardwalk, Stacy found the three boys she'd seen from a distance. They were all in swim trunks.

"Hey, guys!"

"Stacy!" said Joey.

"Hey, there, Stace!" said Jeffy.

"Hey, Stacy, where's Quinn?" asked Jamie.

"I thought you guys were going to Sea City?" asked Stacy.

"The hotels were full up," said Joey, "and Jamie forgot to get a reservation."

"I told you I *got* it. The hotel musta lost it or something." grumbled Jamie.

"So we called and found a room here," said Jeffy. "Only an hour and a half away. So where's Quinn?"

"You always have fun when you're with Quinn, don't you?" asked Stacy, grinning.

"Sure. Yeah!" said Joey.

"You guys really want to have fun with Quinn?" said Stacy, with a broader grin. "C'mon down to the beach with me ..."