*Ray

Ray was alone with Doug as he put the finishing touches on her armpits and top of her chest.

"As soon as that starts working, I'll let you do the rest, all right, hon?" Doug said.

She tilted her head at him, hair brushing her leg and stinging where she was bright red. "Did I do it right? I didn't push you before you were ready?"

"No. You did exactly how I asked. I needed someone to open the conversation for me and you did. I couldn't walk downstairs while all the guys were watching football and yelling at the screen and casually mention I had I laundry dibs that night and oh, by the way, I'm gay, can someone pass the pizza?"

"You could have." She touched her forehead to his. "But they wouldn't have noticed. Cis dudes' neurons fizzle and short-circuit when sports are anywhere in the vicinity."

"Truth, sister. The absolute truth. Do you feel better yet?"

Lowering her arms, she tested the cream's power. "A little. I'd better get my legs and chest. I'm kind of nauseous, too."

Travis knocked and peeked in. "Your grilled cheese is ready and I found a packet of dried noodle soup. It said add hot water, so I fixed that for you, too. Are you coming down?"

"No, I'm super tired. I shouldn't eat in my room, what with the Vinny the Cockroach just waiting for spare crumbs, but I'm half dead."

"That's ok, I have a tray. I eat in bed all the time. I can come get the dishes when you are done," Travis offered. He disappeared before she could say thanks.

"I suspect that boy has a crush on you," Doug said. He stood up to wash his hands and then helped Ray stand.

She groaned as her body straightened. "Travis? No. He's a sweet-heart, that's all. We're family here."

"Really? Speaking of family, did you see Lokela? He seemed upset. Any idea what was going on with him?"

"Upset? No, I didn't notice. All I can concentrate on right now is my skin that feels freshly barbequed. What kind of upset?"

"It was strange. Like he was mad, but not his usual dark, brooding, malevolent stare." Doug grimaced. "Like that."

"Well, he is usually upset about something, but I don't know what it was this time. I'll ask the next time I see him. Thank you, Doug. You saved me with this." She waved the tube of cream and hobbled from the bathroom towards her room. Sliding gingerly between the sheets that rubbed her sore skin like sandpaper, she closed her eyes. And her body remembered bobbing gently on the waves.

"Ray," a voice cut through the thick fog of sleep. "Heya, Ray."

"Whthe wha?" Ray asked. Whoa, I am sleeping again? I keep falling asleep today. I bet myself ten bucks I spend all night filming myself dancing in different colored saris. The sheets were tangled up, and she was slick with sweat, but at least it didn't feel like her skin was being scraped from her muscle with hot pumice stones. "Who is the?"

"Raaaaay. It's Naia. My god, what did you do to yourself? Sit up and drink this. Now."

"I fell asleep."

"No, I meant to your arms and chest. Dang, girl. You know the sun is dangerous here, right?"

"I fell asleep. I was on the beach and I was tired because of the surfing. Lokela can go for hours. He's like Pele's chosen one. The godling of the waves. The hero of the waxed surf-board. The rippled-abs demigod of the volcano islands."

"Ray, there is something wrong with your brain. Drink this and come home to me." Naia shoved a huge paper cup at her, shaking it. "Mmm. Cucumbers, kale, celery and almond milk."

Ray propped herself up to half-sitting and took a big slurp. "This is nice. Is that honey I taste wading among the vegetables?"

"Agave. Enjoy. Are you normal again? Since when do you spout odes of adoration for your fellow employee? The guy is a walking storm cloud."

"Never. I don' do poetry, not like....Nevermind. But he does have abs and he rides those waves as if he reigned over them in a former life."

"Keep drinking that until your head clears. Then drink some water. You're obviously suffering from emotional trauma. And when you feel better, I need to tell you something."

Her voice set off a prickle of warning in Ray's head. The sleep fog instantly cleared and she wrenched herself fully upright. "I'm ready. I'm listening. No more abs or burned pits can distract me."

"Are you sure? Your eyes are still feverish," Naia said. She chewed on her wide, lower lip nervously.

"Tell me."

"All right. First, I wanted to say thank you. As my most loyal customer, there were probably half a dozen people who came in the shop every day, mentioning you and that you sent them."

"You're welcome, but I don't like where this seems to be going."

"Ray. I'm sinking. I have to close. The market is cut-throat on Waikiki and I need at least twice as many people a day to keep my head above water."

"I will help you advertise. I can put up posters and get your social media game up and rolling. We can do this."

"Ray—"

"There is no defeat, Naia! We will not surrender, we will not give an inch, we wave our flags defiantly in the air, like the college guys in Les Mis, but instead of dying riddled with bullets or at the end of French bayonets, we will be victorious. Say it with me!"

"Ray, I have no money. No fight left in me. All I have is a job on my uncle's pineapple farm." Naia shrugged, a defeated slump to her spine.

"Give me a few days to come up with something," Ray said. "I'll stop by tomorrow. I already have a couple of ideas, but I need to digest the smoothie and howl at the moon for several hours tonight, because sleep is out of the question. Deal?"

"I can hang on for a few days, but...."

Travis popped his head in and sighed in relief. "Ray, you're awake! I have that sandwich I promised you. It's cold, but I can heat it up and make some soup. Or make a new one. What do you want?"

"Travis, you are my nicest roommate, along with Doug, of course. What I need most is for you to tell all your friends and fans to check out the Best Smoothies Ever. Go. Spread the word."

***

*Lokela

He was going to tell her. Ray was in the park next to the snorkel shop, relaxing on a beach mat in the shade of the banyan trees, nose in a book. The dappled light played on the ground around her as the trade winds stirred the tree leaves. He had twenty minutes before his shift started.

Twenty minutes was either not nearly enough time or way too much, depending on her reaction. His gut told him it would be more than enough. It didn't take a genius to know where her heart belonged. Who would she choose? The lady's man Zach, or the bull-faced islander who hadn't been on a date in years?

Lokela might not be a genius, but he'd been his best friend's wingman for three years. He knew how this would go down.

Thirty seconds after approaching Ray, he'd be heading off to work, nineteen minutes early. She'd frown and say something about him not being her type, and she'd love to stay friends. And that would be it. So what was the point of telling her?

He didn't have a chance with a beautiful girl like her—no, not a beautiful girl—a caring, funny, future marine biologist. In school she was smarter than him, at the shop she was a better salesperson, at the house everyone loved her. There was nothing attractive about him, and even pretending that she might fall for him was a cruel joke. He was playing himself and it hurt.

Watching her from the parking lot hurt. But when a sliver of coral slices your skin and gets stuck in your hand, the only way to heal is to pull it out and let the blood flow.

If he wanted to get over her and not drag this out, he had to act. He bowed his head a moment, searching for the words.

"Hey, buddy!" a voice shouted.

Lokela spun. The sight of Zach jogging up to him was a punch in the gut. Hoping his friend didn't see Ray, Lokela stepped off to the side as if heading for the shop. "What's up, man?"

"Getting in an extra lap around Diamond Head. You should have told me you would be here."

"Nah. I have to be at work in a few minutes. I'll catch you next—"

"Whoa," Zach said, hitting Lokela's shoulder. "Is that who I think it is? Should I go talk to her?"

"Talk to who? Oh, her." Lokela faked seeing Ray for the first time. "Yeah. I don't do advice when it comes to chicks."

"She isn't some chick. That's Ray. Fuck. Look at how sexy she is, laying there on the ground. Even reading a book in a park makes her look hot. Shit. What should I say? Just walk up and say hi?"

"Yeah. Just walk up and say hi." Lokela bit back a scoff of disbelief and kept heading for the family shop at the far end of the park.

"But what about that thing you wrote for me to ask her out. Shouldn't I say something like that?"

"No."

"But, Lokela, bro, seriously. Like what should I say?" Zach grabbed his arm, desperate.

"Tell her what you told me—that she looks sexy despite the fact she's reading a book."

"Really?"

Lokela turned to face him. "What do you usually say to chicks?"

"I don't know. I don't say much. They just talk to me and then I score."

Pressing his lips together, Lokela nodded once. "Then try that. Normally, Ray never shuts up, so you two should get along great."

Zach rolled his shoulders and bounced on the balls of his feet a few times, as if warming up for a boxing match. Sweat dripped from his hair and soaked his sun-protection shirt, but he didn't seem to notice. With Lokela's luck, Ray was into sweaty guys.

"Wish me luck," Zach said and took off in a lazy jog over the park grass.

Lokela shook his head. He had no intention of hanging around to watch, or to wish him luck. Luck with what, exactly? He already had a surfing date set up with her that Saturday.

But he couldn't help stealing a couple of furtive glances their direction as he walked to the shop. Zach hovered awkwardly several feet away from her at first. Her face lit up like the sun. Then Zach swooped down, getting closer and she was confused. Yes.

She sat up, scootching away from him. He reached her for hand and she grimaced at him. He went in for a kiss. Like out of the blue. What the hell? Ray's nervous laughter reached him from thirty yards away. She stood up.

Lokela stopped pretending not to watch and took up position behind a banyan tree where he had a good view. Zach was shifting from foot to foot and ran a hand through his dripping wet hair. She was not impressed. Lokela was right. He knew she was smarter than she first appeared.

Zach waved and backed up, then broke into a run, going straight for the shop. Lokela waited for Ray to sit down with her book before he ran to intercept his friend.

"Well, how did it go, Romeo?"

"Shut up. Fuck. Shit, fuck. I screwed up. I need your help. I need your help again," Zach said. "Can you write me another poem to send?"

"Hell no. I said it was a one-time deal."

"But she must think I'm a dickhead. I didn't know what to say and then I said she was so sexy with her book, I couldn't take it and I tried to kiss her. Like kiss her all of a sudden. I've never been rejected before."

"Life hurts. Welcome to the real world."

"Come on, come with me," Zach clapped his back and dashed into the street. There was a café on the beach side of the road where they got coffees and egg sandwiches after running.

Lokela shook his head and checked left and right. Cars were coming, but not too close. He sprung forward.

At the same time, he heard his name being called. Ray. His brain jolted to a stop at the same time his body did. He pivoted to look for her.

Ray screamed, waving her hand frantically. A body slammed into his. Car tires screeched. He hit the scorching pavement, rolling, rolling, rolling. A sickening thump sounded. The car stopped. He stopped. Everything stopped.

Zach was crumpled on the pavement in front of the car. Not moving.

Ray ran past him, phone in her hand. She was asking for an ambulance. She touched Zach's neck. She turned to face him. "Are you all right?"

Lokela couldn't react. A dozen people streamed into the street, from the beach, from the cars. He couldn't react.

"Lokela, are you all right?" she asked him, before speaking into the phone again. "Please come quick, there are two young men injured. Yes, near the intersection of Kalakalua and Monsarrat. Hurry!"

"He saved me," Lokela whispered. He pushed hands away and stood on shaking legs. He lurched to Zach's side. "He threw himself in front of that car to save me."

Tears filled Ray's eyes and she reached up for his hand. "It's going to be all right. Somehow. Can you hear me? Lokela?"

He collapsed.

*** Friendship. It's complicated. ***