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head toward the cooler and the tequila bottle Tyler carried. “For when the State troopers stop to find out why a RV is parked on the side of the road.”
    “Now I know who the designated driver will be.” He winked at her.
    She looked for a spot in the sun to sit down. There weren’t many smooth areas; tree roots punctured the water, and rocks and moss framed the river. Her only option was to walk up the bank and sit on a weedy patch of grass relatively far from the rest of them.
    Kevin, Matt, and Tyler made a game of walking up-river several feet past a big rock near the other bank and floating down while trying to land on it, which proved rather difficult because of the strong current that pulled them away. From time to time, she glanced at them and at John who leaned against a tree drinking a beer. Under the warm sun, almost an hour went by, Kevin sat on the rock with a beer can in each hand. Matt, Tyler and John were talking near the water.
    “Audrey let’s get in the water. It’s not too cold. You have to do it at least once for memory’s sake,” Matt shouted, startling her. She turned her face toward him and blocked the sun from her eyes with the book she was reading. The temperature was about fifty degrees, the sun felt warm, but there was still a cold bite in the air. No way the water wasn’t freezing.
    “John hasn’t made any memories yet and I don’t hear you asking him to get in the water.”
    John was fully dressed, sitting on the cooler, and holding a beer when Matt gave him a pleading look. John snorted, put down his can, and yanked off his boots.
    “Yee-ha! It’s on,” Tyler said.
    John stood and pulled his T-shirt over his head. Audrey propped herself on her elbows and inhaled deeply as his abdominal muscles expanded and the fabric, rubbing against his skin, revealed his bronzed shoulders and messed up his hair.
    She wasn’t sure if what bothered her was he looked so attractive or that he was getting into the cold water to make her get in. When he stripped to his boxers, she had to remember to breathe. “Snap out of it! He’s not into you,” her brain warned her.
    Without ever looking at her he stepped into the water. “Fuck,” he said, his skin raised in goose-bumps.
    Even from far, she could see his body hair glistening against the sunshine, making him glimmer like a deity. When the water reached his knees, he turned to face them and fell backwards until it covered his whole body. Simultaneously, Matt and Tyler turned to her.
    “Go Audrey. You can do it.” Kevin lifted his beer enthusiastically.
    She placed her book on the ground. Okay, at least, you’re gonna put down that fire. She was wearing a yellow tank top and cargo shorts. She could just get in the water dressed, but she hadn’t brought a towel, and the thought of walking back to the bus soaking wet stifled her inhibitions. She unbuttoned her shorts; all eyes were on her. She gave Matt and Tyler an irked look, but focused her gaze on the water. She wobbled the shorts off her hips with her thumbs and it fell down her legs, revealing a purple leopard-print boy shorts-style panty. Then, she took her top off and adjusted the strap of the white bra that had fallen off her shoulder. Her eyes met John’s before he turned away and waded toward Kevin.
    Disappointed her stripping didn’t seem to affect him as much as his had affected her, she walked casually toward the river. A wave of shock traveled through her body when she stepped into the water.
    “I hate your guts,” she shouted as the air escaped her lungs. After the initial shock, numbness replaced the pain. She and Matt stumbled up the river carefully diving forward where the water seemed deep enough — no more than her waist line, both laughing whenever there was a slip and the other lost their footing.
    “My feet hurts.” Matt turned around and floated his way down.
    “Chicken.” She continued walking, but suddenly shrieked in pain and tumbled in the