"What? I told you the island is shaped like a peanut, you can totally see it up on the rocks."

They all looked at each other and made the decision, nodding their heads.

Jonathan slapped himself on the knee as if banging a gavel. "Peanut Island it is."

"And today, Jonathan is the king of Peanut Island because he found the water!" said Sarah.

"Hey!" said Kevin, in mock injury.

"Don't worry," Sarah a.s.sured him, "a new king will be crowned each day, depending on his contribution." She smiled sweetly at him and then at them all.

"And I suppose you're the queen of the island?" asked Candi.

"Of course."

"And what does that make me?"

The question hung in the air above their heads. There was a challenge in her eyes; there was an answering challenge in Sarah's.

They all knew this was a game changing moment here on Peanut Island. Even though it was going to pa.s.s in a mere second or two and seemed kind of silly, the answer Sarah chose to give would have far-reaching consequences. Would she answer as the old Sarah the Sarah that never deigned to even acknowledge Candi's existence at school? Or the new Sarah the one who had started to let her guard down? The one who had begun to form a delicate connection with Jonathan ...

"Well, you are the other queen, of course. There are two queens on this island permanent queens. The kingship, on the other hand, is a rotating crown." She smiled serenely out at her subjects.

Candi grinned, satisfied with the outcome. Something had changed in her too. She wasn't going to take the back seat anymore. Going to this faraway place at the ends of the earth had shown her that reality was not the reality created for her by other people at high school; it was what she created for herself. There was something much bigger at play here, and she was going to be a player. No more getting played for Candi Buckley.

As they finished dinner, talk turned to their parents, a subject they had all deliberately avoided discussing. There were plenty of tears all around as they wondered aloud what had happened to them, wondered if they had gotten off the ship okay. They a.s.sumed they had they had to in order to avoid the pain of the alternative. Even Sarah, who wasn't her father's biggest fan, didn't like the idea of losing him to the depths of the ocean. They had seen firsthand those swarming sharks, and the idea of people they loved in the midst of something like that was too much.

As they were talking about their parents, Kevin started to feel uncomfortable. He couldn't help but think about what his father had been planning to do with the Buckleys' dad. He wasn't sure that it would have hurt them, but if it had been entirely on the up and up, his dad wouldn't have been such a jerk about it when the subject came up or tried hiding what he was really doing.

He knew his dad was under a lot of pressure, and he wasn't the nicest or fairest of guys in those circ.u.mstances. Kevin wanted to share his thoughts with the group, but he was ashamed. He was embarra.s.sed for his dad and didn't want to hurt the relationship they had all started to build together here on Peanut Island. Besides, he thought to himself, who knows if we'll ever get off this island? Maybe they wouldn't, then it would never matter what his father did or didn't do over in the real world.

Kevin's reverie was broken up by Sarah calling out to Candi across the fire Jonathan had made.

"Candi, so what are your plans for your hair?" she asked, innocently.

"What do you mean, 'plans'?"

"I mean, it kinda looks like a giant knot on your head, and I was thinking I might have some thoughts on what we can do with it."

Candi eyed her suspiciously. "Like what?"

"Like dreads."

"Are you serious? No way."

"Why not? We're on an island. You have frizzy hair, which is nearly impossible to keep combed with no conditioner. Besides, it would look good on you."

"You're nuts." She shook off the comments. "I'm more worried about clothes."

Sarah thought about that for a second. "That is a problem." She looked down at her leopard print dress that had definitely seen better days. "I think you and I should see what we can find out there in the jungle that might be useable as a cloth or something that can be woven. We don't need it yet, but eventually we will if our rescuers take their sweet time getting here."

"You guys should see if there is any hemp growing here," suggested Jonathan.

"What's hemp?" asked Candi.

"It's a member of the cannabis family a very fibrous plant that makes excellent cloth, rope and other useful things. I saw a special on it on TV once."

"Of course you did," responded Sarah with only a little sarcasm in her voice this time. "Do you remember what it looks like?"

"I think so. I could probably draw it in the sand tomorrow when we have light."

"Perfect. The Queens of Peanut Island will forage for clothing and rope material on the morrow. And now, I'm off to bed." She dipped her head towards Candi. "Your Highness."

Candi dipped her head in return. "Your Highness."

Jonathan and Kevin just shook their heads but were smart enough to stay quiet.

Candi joined Sarah over on the sheet that was their makeshift bed for one more night. Both of them fell asleep instantly.

CHAPTER NINE.

A New Home "Okay, everybody up! Let's go! Rise and shine! Time to get the lead out and get the dead out! Time for our morning workout!"

Candi was having a nightmare; a nightmare where her life's biggest crush had turned into a drill sergeant and was planning to make her do jumping jacks until she died of exhaustion.

She felt something touching her ear. She reached up to brush it off and her hand b.u.mped into a face.

She opened her eyes to see Kevin's face about an inch away. He was staring at her, unblinking. She didn't move a muscle she just closed her eyes and wished him away, groaning.

"Wake uuuup sleepy head, time to exercise!" He snuck a kiss onto her forehead, making her mad and happy at the same time.

Then from above her head she heard, "Okay, crew, you have exactly one minute to meet me on the beach for sunrise calisthenics. After that, if you don't show, better be prepared to take a bath in the very cold and very sharky morning ocean! Come on, team, up you go!"

And then the sound of retreating footsteps could be heard.

"Is he frigging kidding me?" asked a sleepy Sarah.

"He sounded serious," said Jonathan.

Candi peeked her eyes open and watched him sitting up and wiping the sleep out of his eyes.

"Actually, this is probably a good idea. We should stay in good physical condition, it'll keep us from getting bored and going nuts."

"Speak for yourself," said Candi. "I'm perfectly happy being unhealthy and bored. Good night."

"I second that motion, Queen Candi. Good night."

Both girls turned over and went back to sleep. They missed the whispering that went on above their heads for the next two minutes.

Suddenly, Candi felt herself being picked up and carried at a fast pace down the beach.

"Whaa ... ?"

SPLASH! ... SPLASH!!.

Both girls came up out of the water, sputtering. Candi was still not exactly sure what had happened.

"My hair! My hair!" wailed Sarah.

"Holy s.h.i.t, you did NOT just pick me up while I was sleeping and throw me into the ocean!" yelled Candi.

"If you say so!" yelled a maniacal Kevin.

Sarah and Candi jumped up, minds set on seeking revenge. The boys ran away as fast as they could, easily outrunning the wet and still groggy girls.

"That's it, ladies! Hup, two, three, four! Get those legs out the door! First exercise: a one-mile run up and down the beach!"

"Screw you!" yelled Candi.

"Okay, if you say so!" responded Kevin, making an immediate u-turn. He fixed Candi with his gaze and started bearing down on her. She took one look at him and turned around, running in the other direction.

Candi heard Sarah scream from behind her. "Oh no you don't, Jonathan, you know I have bruised feet! Jonathan!"

Now both girls were screaming and running down the beach but not out of fright. It was more from the rush of being chased. Candi couldn't keep the crazy anxiety from rising up and bursting out of her lungs.

Kevin finally caught up to Candi, wrangling her around so he could pick her up. He carried her complaining over his shoulder back to where Sarah and Jonathan had finally given up the chase, Sarah holding her side, trying to ease the running cramp there.

He set Candi down and put his hands on his hips in a determined stance. "I decided last night that just because we're on this stupid Peanut Island, it doesn't mean I need to lose all that I've worked for in my rugby career."

Sarah made a scoffing sound, which looked to be about all she could manage since she was so out of breath.

"Mock me if you will, but you don't get a body like mine," he paused to flex one of his biceps and wink at Candi, "by sleeping in and eating bananas all day."

They all looked at Sarah as she opened her mouth to get ready to sing, and yelled in unison, "Don't!"

Sarah closed her mouth and looked at them crossly. "d.a.m.n Gwen haters."

"I agree with you in principle, Kevin," said Jonathan. "I just think maybe your methods could use a little work. I'm used to running a lot, but maybe we could not get up at the crack of dawn. Say, more like, I don't know, eight o'clock?"

"It's too hot then, we'll get exhausted."

They all looked at each other and shook their heads.

Kevin looked a bit defeated. "Come on, guys! This is important to me, seriously, don't make me do it on my own." He turned his most powerful puppy dog eyes on the girls. Then he turned to Jonathan with his tough guy look.

"Come on, man, don't leave me hangin'. Besides, I can get your rubber band arms looking like this in no time." He flexed for emphasis, and Candi felt her heart leap once again at the sight of his bulging muscle.

"Really? You think I could get muscular like you?"

"Well, maybe not as muscular, but pretty close. Look at you, man you've only been out here in the sun a few days and you're already looking leaner and tanner. Now we just need to get some protein into that body and start doing some workouts; you'll be big in no time. Chicks like big muscles, don't you, chicks?"

Sarah just raised her eyebrow at her brother.

Candi's face turned red, but she nodded her head. No use denying it, she thought. They are impressive.

"That's my girl! Now, Jonathan, whaddya say, are you in?"

Jonathan thought about it for a second. He looked over at Sarah who caught his eye and gave a very slight shrug of her shoulders.

"Fine, I'm in. But I prefer not to wake up at the crack of dawn if you can manage it."

"I'll see what I can do. Don't worry you'll be very happy with your decision. Exactly one month from now you will be well on your way to being the second biggest stud on Peanut Island."

Jonathan frowned. "Aren't I already in that position?"

"Nope, Jonathan, you're not." Kevin clapped him on the back and then went running down the beach, turning some pitiful cartwheels on the way.

"Where does he get that energy? Wasn't he on his death bed yesterday?" asked a mystified Candi.

"I have no idea. I think he sucks it out of us. I'm feeling more tired already."

"Yeah, me too. Let's go eat some bananas; and please, for the love of G.o.d, don't sing the bananas song."

"Fine."

The girls made their way back to the campsite, deciding that their energies were better off channeled into packing up to move to their new home rather than doing crazy cartwheels down the beach.

Jonathan watched everyone go in different directions as he mulled over the idea of getting buff. He'd never considered it before; not because it was a bad idea it's just that he never saw himself that way.

He looked down at his arms, noticing for the first time that he was getting tanner. All his life when he had looked down at them, he'd seen the lily-white, freckled skin of a kid with distant Irish ancestry. Today he saw something else. The idea that he could be something different, someone other than who he'd always been, was intriguing.

The fact that he had looked to see Sarah's reaction to his decision of whether to commit to working out was also interesting. She was a girl that was so far out of his league, he never would have considered he could be a part of her world. But now here they were, in a very small world, indeed but he was in it and she was in it. And if he played his cards right, pretty soon he would be the second biggest stud on Peanut Island. And that could be pretty hard for someone like Sarah to resist. Or at least, he hoped so.

Jonathan walked up to the campsite just in time to hear Candi say, "Well I think we should do it."

"Do what?" he asked.

"Candi thinks we should each be in charge of some sort of activity. Become an expert in it and train the others."