Sometimes a moment changes things dramatically.

I had applied early decision to university and had to go for a mandatory interview. Mom and dad had a conflict so It meant flying by myself for the first time, which was pretty exciting in and of itself. Aunt Faye was going to pick me up at the airport and I was going to stay with her and Uncle Jack.

They weren’t really my aunt and uncle. They used to be our neighbors until Uncle Jack got transferred to the coast and I sort of grew up with them and their daughter Mia. I just called them that. Mia was my best friend from ages 5 to10. A total tomboy, which meant that she was a lot of fun, aside from when she beat me at soccer, which happened too often. I was looking forward to seeing them again. For a while, as kids, we were inseparable.

The flight was pretty uneventful. I played games on my phone the whole time and Aunt Faye and Mia were waiting for me at baggage claim. Aunt Faye was a little grayer, I suppose just like Mom, and Mia was at least as tall as she was. She was still a bean-pole but she looked so good I did a double take. Like scary good. Like ‘redirect your thoughts immediately Richy boy’ good.

“Dickie!” she shouted, too loudly, giving me a hug.

I still haven’t forgiven my parents for naming me Richard after my dad.

“You know I hate being called that,” I said sighning.

“Why Dickie, whatever are you talking about?” she said with a totally fake innocent expression, then ruined it by laughing. “You look good, nerd!”

“You too nerdette,” I smiled, hugging her some more.

Aunt Faye hugged and fussed over me and got a little weepy about how it had been too long and that I was all grown up. It was sweet.

We loaded my bags in the car and they took me home. They lived on the beach, if you can believe that. Big house too. Uncle Jack must be doing well.

Aunt Faye fed us lunch and told us to go put on bathing suits.

We laid around in the sun and gotta say, Mia is fit. Tiny little string bikini. No boobs, but nice legs that go on forever.

“Nerd, let’s kick the ball around!” she broke my reverie. I swear she knew I was looking.

“I vill bury you!” I said like Ahnuld.

“Ma, we’re gonna play soccer on the beach,” Mia told Aunt Faye.

“OK kids, watch out for the water, there’s a bit of a rip,” she said.

We played keep away. Little shit was still a good tackler, but I’ve gotten a lot better than I was.

“You suck Nerd!” she yelled as she got the ball.

I faked and snaked the ball out from her and she shrieked happily.

Honestly, the afternoon was great. We played, we talked. She’s got great taste in music, but her taste in movies is pure chick. OK, she does like action flicks too, and a couple of the romcoms she ‘loves’ aren’t too bad. That British Christmas one is pretty good, even if it’s dated.

Dinner was great, Aunt Faye can cook. We turned in early,

“My parents go to bed hella early,” Mia said, showing me to the guest room.

“S’Ok, with the time change this is actually late for me,” I said.

I unpacked and grabbed my toilet kit and went to the bathroom. I opened the door without thinking and there was Mia, getting out of the tub. She looked up, surprised, but didn’t scream or anything. Her figure sure didn’t look boyish now. I had seen most of her on the beach, but this was different, this was all of her.

“Um, Nerd, I’m kinda naked here,” she said calmly. “Use the other bathroom, it’s for guests.”

“Oh my God!” I said, startled out of my open-mouthed stare. “Sorry! Uh, sorry!” I repeated and backed out, closing the door.

I bangled my head against the wall lightly. Smooth move, Nerd.

I went to bed with the image of a naked, wet Mia churning through my brain. I honestly didn’t think I’d sleep but I must have because next thing I knew, Mia was shaking me awake.