We put more sunscreen on, and Peter filled his backpack with water bottles and snacks, while my father explained our bike ride to the creek to James.

He was as confused as I was between the creek that runs in the resort, and the place called the creek, but was just told by my dad to let it go. When Peter offered to explain, my dad said. "I plan to go to the hike, not listen to that old nonsense story ever again"

"I only told it once to you, what, 9 years ago?"

"I can wait another 9", said my dad laughing.

We all put our shoes on.

But on our way to the back gate, we ran into Lucy and Clark, who agreed to join us. They just had to run back to get shoes.

That conversion didn't even take 12 seconds. They saluted us and asked us what we were doing, and upon explaining, decided to join us.

Billie was surprised.

"She would never, ever even talk to me in a school corridor", he says

"She is cool, isn't she?", says Mindy

"That, she is. But she isn't bitchy, like the other popular girls. She mostly keeps to herself, and to Clark", says Billy

"Wait, you know them?", Mindy said

"Yeah, but I had no idea they were naturists too"

"How do you know them?"

"They go to my school"

"Get out of here. Really? I want to hear all about it", says Mindy

"Well, it's not like I am popular. I mean, sure, I am in the soccer team, but in one for my grade, you know? Not in the varsity team. I am not good enough for that. I mean, I am not even old enough for the JV team"

"JV?", I ask

"Junior Varsity. In short, the varsity team is composed of 11th and 12th grade students, and the JV team of 9th and 10th grades. I am just in 8th but maybe in two years if I keep improving"

"I am in 8th too.", says Mindy. "But you have all the grades?"

"K to 12, but the Kindergarten and 1st to 6th grade are in another building on the other side of the yard"

"I think I saw it", I say.

"I went to a public school until I completed my 6th grade, like a lot of students", he says

"Why pay for a private school when the kids are that young?", says Mindy

"Our parents did", says Lucy, surprising us.

She is back with Clark, and both are wearing running shoes and nothing else. Not even their towels. Clark however, has a sort of sling bag on which two reusable plastic bottles are hooked.

"Why?", asks Mindy, confused.

"They felt it improved our chances in life, and it's easy to get in for kindergarten and then, it's an automatic progression but if you try to get in for high school, there are entrance exams", says Clark

"And my parents were afraid I might be an idiot and fail to enter", says Lucy

"Aren't you on the math team or something?", says Billy

"I am not the captain of the math Olympiad team and if you spread the rumor that I am, I will destroy you, little man.", she says, smiling.

Despite the harsh words, her tone told us the truth. She is kidding. Now, Lucy was brilliant in high school. Captain of the math Olympiad team she helped her school shine in the regionals and in her senior year, she helped win the state finals. Way to go, Lucy!

Despite a few scholarship offers, she decided, with Clark, to travel to Europe, taking a year off before college to visit several naturist resorts in Europe. They ended up moving to CHM-Montalivet, a naturist resort on the West Coast of France to learn French and well, they never left. At least, not at the time of writing this. We still call each other on Facebook and talk all the time, but yeah. Neither of them came back. Apparently, they each found a job at the resort and managed to get a special visa to let them live there and eventually become French citizens.

They did have to visit America every 6 months for their visa renewal for a while and kept the habit, so we see them from time to time. They are a lot more tanned, I can tell you that, but just as cool and happy.

"Wait, you are the captain of your math Olympiad team?" says Mindy, with wide eyes

"See what you did, Billy, now Mindy is going to go all fangirl on me.", she says, laughing

"Wait, you know my name?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"You are cool and I am not"

"Oh, you are not Greg? I got lucky, I guess"

"Seriously, how do you know my name?"

"Relax, Clara told me your name. I did notice you in one of the soccer matches. You played next to a match Clark was in"

"Clark is in a soccer team?", Mindy says

"Just an internal. We are mainly practice fodder for the varsity team, you know?", says Clark.

"Right", says Mindy

Our dads were ready, so we proceeded, Mindy and Billy walking up front, behind the fathers and the two cool teens trailed behind, casually. I walked between the two couples, just happy to be surrounded by friends, without a care in the world.

The back door was quickly opened, and Peter waited for all of us to have moved out before closing it back.

It felt weird to be out in public nude. I know, I did it on my bicycle, but we had speed on my side. Now, I was outside, not even in the resort, wearing only shoes. And socks. Clark also wore socks, but Lucy, cool as ever, didn't.

Mindy and Billy were in a deep conversation about school, and the three fathers, Peter having caught up since, were talking about something I could barely hear.

I was the only person alone, and while I didn't mind much, I felt... I don't know, isolated?

I was nude, outside, with people I enjoyed, and they were all busy without me.

I don't know. Something weird was in my mind. Like a dark thought.

That's when Lucy decided to talk to me.

"Hey Ji, are you ok? I am sensing something weird from you"

"No, I am. Perhaps it's just...", but I trail off

"Your new best friend is preoccupied with a boy, and you feel rejected a little?"

"Hum..."

"Hey, we've all been there. I have a best friend too. She isn't a naturist, but we can't all be perfect like the two of us, right?", she says, gently bumping me with her elbow in a friendly manner.

"I am far from perfect"

"Oh, of course not. But wait until you are my age, Ji. You are like the late bud that is trying to open to reveal the most beautiful flower in the garden. You'll get there. Physically, mentally, emotionally. "

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

"I didn't do it"

"What?"

"Anyone who told you I did is a liar", she says, smiling

"You are joking?", I say

"You can't prove I am not", she says, laughing. "Sorry, ask away. I'll tell you if you pry too much"

"Does Robert really check you out when he drinks too much"

"Fuck. You heard me say that?"

"Lucy, now it's you", says Clark

"You said it first. And I didn't say it to the girls, I said it to Ji. She is cool"

I smile. I am?

"Still. You can't beat me for it and then do it"

"I can, and I will if I'd like to.", she says, pulling her tongue at him.

"Oh, and why would I tolerate that?"

"Because you need me more than I need you, and we both know that", says Lucy.

I wondered then, and now, if this was a sexual comment or a relationtional one, but Clark just nodded.

"So, you know my mother is Lisa, right?"

"I do"

"Now, we are naturists, so you know what her body looks like. Well, when Robert met Lisa, they were teenagers. Barely older than I am."

"Ok", I say

"Well, I've seen pictures. Both classic ones and naturist ones, and she turned heads. I can tell you that"

"I bet she still does", says Clark

I nod. Lisa is a good-looking woman.

"Well, I am my mother's daughter, and well, many say that I am hotter now than she was then.", says Lucy

"Even her mother"

Lucy laughs, "Like that was an endorsement. Mothers are unreliable on that level"

"True, but I endorse it"

"And you are my boyfriend"

"Fine. But the point still stands. The point is, my father is of the same opinion"

"That, he is. Now, he is a perfect gentleman. He loves his wife. If my mother went to see him in secret and asked him to take her back, he would refuse"

"He is married and happy", says Clark

"Only, when he drinks, his regrets fill his mind and if he sees me, he doesn't see his son's girlfriend. He doesn't see the daughter of his friends. He sees the crush of his high school years that got away. He doesn't want my mother now, but the teenager inside him wonders how his life would have been if it had worked with her."

"Wait, so he loves his wife, and doesn't love your mother, but in him, he still desires her?"

"No, the teenager in him, desires the teenage girl he had a crush on and who he shortly dated. Like he never got proper closure. It doesn't cause problems with my mother or his wife, but when he is drunk and sees me nude by his side, he gets..."

"Confused", says Clark

"That's one way to say it", says Lucy, laughing.

"Do you think he could do anything?"

"Oh no. And it's not even that bad. My mother and his wife didn't notice yet. All I know is that his eyes sort of linger below my eyes. But only when he drinks. He is a perfect gentleman otherwise. If anything, the emotion I see in his eyes is one of sadness"

"I see", but honestly, I don't really. Can't he just get over her?

Today, as I am writing this, after a few heartbreaks, I got it. There was one in my senior year which haunted me because we had classes together after the break. That was harsh, and I think my eyes also lingered a little too much in that case.

"So, are you good with him?"

"When he doesn't drink? Sure. He even plays some video games with us, and we have a ton of fun", says Lucy.

"Good. As long as he doesn't drink", I say

"As long as he doesn't drink in the evening. In the afternoon, it doesn't do that."

I look at Clark, wondering what he means, but they drop the subject and even today, I am not sure why Robert would be ok in the afternoon and not in the evening. Perhaps lighting? Being tired?

The sort of no-man's-land between the resort and the field was quickly traversed and soon enough, we were now in familiar territory.

Granted, it was on our bicycles that we came here, but looking around, I could see the features of the area, only, closer, slower and, well, nicer.

Why nicer? Because on your bicycle, all you worry about is not falling. Ok, maybe not all, but any inequalities on the ground is a risk, but on foot, it's no worry!

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