Cost: Free.98

"Are you coming out tonight?" River asked as he reapplied sunscreen to his arms. Quinn didn't understand if it was a dig at her not being useful to her sister's crisis. Her sister August and whatever Riley was to her seemed to be stuck in their own personal version of hell. "Is it Free.99 or 98?" she smirked. "Party girl, I see," he said, placing his bottle to his side, as they sat on his lifeguard chair overlooking the crystal water that was seasoned by ocean salt. "You say that like it's a bad thing," she scuffed. "It is," he said. "What would you know," she sighed. "

"Let's say for a mill second, I believe them, why I don't know, um make them, um how do I put this nicely." She paused. "Hot? Probably to play on their insecurities," River replied as he watched the beachgoers tan and splash around on their boogie boards. "Does anyone actually ever get pulled in?" she asked, looking onto the water. "Rarely," he said. "No, I meant why make them the opposite sex," she added as she reapplied her sunscreen. "I'm sorry, what?" he replied. "Yeah, it's odd," she said. "What's their sexuality," he asked. "My sister is straight, and he's gay." she scoffed. "Maybe she's not so straight and maybe he's not so gay." he speculated aloud. Quinn pulled his glasses off and looked him in his gray eyes and shook her head. "What I'm just saying, maybe you don't know her so well," he said, grabbing his glasses back. "Fine, he's bi, but my sister no way," she said. "When's the last time you've really sober with her," he asked. "You don't get to judge me," she said. "Quinn, is it possible she kept you in the dark," he said. She became quiet. Had she been keeping secrets?

"Quinn, you're never going to believe who I saw hooking up with August at Chicks," Bernice screamed. "Um, Riley?" she guessed. "No, his ex," Bernice nearly shouted. "What?" she said. "And then Riley walked in, and he was pissed," Bernice said. Quinn had ignored Bernice. She had a habit of telling tall tales. Besides, if her sister was gay, she would have known.  

"I love my sister, regardless," Quinn said. "Really why are you sitting here and not in the town library helping them with research?" he asked. "Excuse you?" she said. "I'm just saying, tanning while your sister and friend are in their own personal hell seems a little low on the list," he answered. "If you had the morning I had, you would be drunk right now," she said. "Tell me about then," he said. "Right, you believe in that paranormal crap," she said. 

*****

"August," she said, knocking on the door. "Don't come in," a woman shouted. Quinn didn't recognize the voice. She slammed the door open. Puzzled by the look of a man who was chiseled, tan, could use a shave, very tall compared to her, he had amber eyes and scruffy brunette hair. The man was barely hiding under the bed. Quinn was beginning to think she was still drunk, but that was hours ago as she closed the door. "Who are you two?" Quinn asked. The woman was wrapped in a sheet, it was discombobulated around her body. It couldn't make its mind if it should touch the floor or be a makeshift dress. She had long beautiful auburn hair, her eyes were gray, she had the full figure of a model, curves in the right places, and asses that hung appropriately to her body. "Um, this is a dream Quinn, you are very drunk," the woman claimed. "That's not believable," the man shouted. 

“Hold on, you know who we are,” the woman pleaded. “I’ve never seen you two in my life,” Quinn said. “Yes, but no…. ugh!” the man said, crawling out from under the bed. “I’m calling the police,” Quinn threatened. “Listen, Quinn, it’s us.” the woman shouted. “You say that like I know what that means,” Quinn said. "But you do, I should have stayed home for the summer." the man said. “There are two strangers in my sister’s room, “Quinn said. "That's August and I'm Riley." the woman said. Quinn took out her ponytail and shook her head. She noticed they have removed the sheets from the mirror, there's a bottle of empty whiskey on the floor. “I can prove it,” the man said. “Fine two minutes,” Quinn said. 

“In fourth grade, I broke my leg by falling on my ass in kickball,” the man said. “August?” Quinn questioned. “Yeah and that would be Riley” August replied pointing at the woman. “What the duck happened to you two?” She asked “I apparently started a problem with a ghost” Riley replied, picking at his cuticles. “Yeah, okay... bravo where are Riley and August” she replied. "Hey Quinn, would I ever admit to going down on your sister," Riley asked. "We all know the two of them denied it, but let's be real we all know those guys fuck when bored," Quinn said. "Excuse you!" August shouted. "Oh, shit, this isn't an act," Quinn noted. "Hey Quinn, do you think I would have blown this man if I knew it was August," Riley asked. "Ew, stop talking about that!" August shouted, turning away from the two. "Besides, we pissed off a ghost, blah, blah," Riley said, pointing at the mirror. "Um, I'm going to go. I don't want to be here for the sexual tension you two clearly have going on," Quinn said, backing up to the door. "Ew, enough," August said."I thought a lucid dream!" Riley shouted. "That doesn't make it better!" August shouted. 

Her sister August and her friend Riley, she thought, were in for an interesting summer. She was unsure how she was going to explain this back home to anyone. She knew their friendship had been rocky, but she hadn't bothered to ask why. Asking questions involved her sister being able to ask them in return. There are some she's just not ready for. "You've turned into a bitch," Riley screamed. "No, I stopped being your puppet and that pisses you off!" August shouted. "If you were a puppet, you would have never done that thing!" Riley screamed. "What thing?" Quinn asked. "Not important," August said. "Um, seems important," Quinn noted. "Do you know anything about the ghost who haunts this place," Riley asked. "A little, bickering awakes it according to River," Quinn responded. "Are you kidding me, River still lives here?" August said. "He bartends at Ralphies. Maybe he could help you." Quinn said. "What about work, I'm supposed to start today?" Riley said. "I guess, I'll go and you head to the library. I'll meet you on my lunch break." August said. "You're concerned with work?" Quinn asked. "If we don't go to work, we get kicked out, and then we'll be stuck like this," Riley said. "You said that like a bad thing," Quinn said. "Get out, Quinn!" the both of them yelled in unison. 

*****

"Sounds like they were already at odds. Why did he come down here again?" River asked. Quinn blew her breath before biting the side of her lip. She put her hair up in a ponytail. "Um so I did something really horrible things back home and Aug, really hasn't forgiven me," she said. He took his sunglasses off and looked her in the eyes sternly. "Quinn Simmon, did you bring him down here, knowing they were at odds, so you could party without your sister being up your ass?" he asked. "Well, when you put it that way, it sounds bad," she said. "It is bad!" he shouted. "Okay, Dad, tell me something I don't know," Quinn said. "I saw your sister in town before this. She seemed different, more outgoing. She was making small talk with everyone, she was not the girl I remember who only whispered." River said. Quinn stared blankly onto the water, where occasionally a helicopter ad would appear. She was out of the loop. Maybe her sister had started going out, maybe her sister had balanced a relationship, work, an exercise routine, and school. "The guy that was with her, I assumed, is Riley but he seemed afraid to even order an iced coffee from Lilian's." River noted. "That's odd, it's usually the opposite," Quinn said. "Are you coming tonight, after all, it's free.98," he sneered. "Fine, I'll come with you to that stupid haunted house tour, but you're getting me ice cream after." She huffed.