Full Body Inflation

Joshua couldn't sleep. It was hot, the windows were open, even the one with no screen and he lay on top of his sheets and comforter. His eyes stared unblinkingly at the jungle of vines that hung down from the red foliage above. At least that's what it looked like from the dim glow from the streetlamp outside the window, but he knew what it really was, a curtain of coiled ribbons streaming down from the tied knots of large 18" red balloons that pressed against the ceiling. His thoughts shimmered back to this afternoon when the new lady from next door appeared at his doorstep.

March 13

Dear diary,

I know it’s probably not a great idea to keep our beach trip plans, but we can’t get our deposit back so we might as well? Gonna try to not think about it and spend more time in my bikinis than I do fully dressed. The weather is gonna be great, the girls all still want to go, and spring break only happens once a year. Let’s do this shit!

-Nicole

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March 21

Dear diary,

SLAM

The door to Shannon's room flew open, rebounding against the wall with a loud report. She started, phone slipping through her fingers, and looked up from where she lounged on her bed. She was tall and slender, hair long and blonde, wearing a snug blue crop top with fashionably ripped jeans clinging to her hips and tight white socks on her feet.

"Don't you ever knock?" she said, staring at the girl standing in the doorway, shorter and dark-haired and grinning like an idiot.