It didn't take the girls long to find the perfect swimsuit for Juice.

"I dunno," said Justin.

"But it's great!" said Shabeez. "It's got this crazy pattern, like one of those magic eye posters!"

"What's so great about that?" asked Jenn.

The bandeau-style bodice was made as part of a tank top and the bottom had a panty with a skirt, all in a nearly psychedelic print of violet and navy lines on a white background. Across the breasts, the twisting lines made a fool-the-eye pattern that looked curved and full, even on the hanger.

Shabeez held the suit up next to Juice. "See? If she wears this top, no one can tell how flat-chested she is!"

Carmine laughed but the other girls looked to see how Juice would take this.

"I dunno," said Justin.

"And the skirt is perfect, too," Shabeez went on. "No one's going to see anything they ought not see." She widened her eyes to emphasize this point.

"I dunno," said Justin.

"How much is it?" asked Ell.

Shabeez looked at the price tag. Her eyes widened again. She stared at Juice for a moment and said, "You don't want this one," and hurriedly put it back on the rack. "Whose idea was it to come to Nordstrom's to look for suits anyway?"

"Yours," said Carmine.

Ell reached out and flicked the price tag around. "Ché cosa!" she exclaimed. "It's a Robin Piccone."

"I think I like it," said Justin.

Jenn and Carmine checked out the tag too. Jenn blinked and Carmine chuckled.

Justin had a twinkle in his eye as he said, "I've got excellent taste. And I know I like it."

"It's a hundred and forty-four dollars, you goof," said Jenn.

Justin nodded. "I definitely like it now. My taste in clothes is just that good."

Ell snatched the suit back off the rack. "Go try it on," she said.

Justin stared at her.

"It won't hurt to try it on," said Ell. "That's one of the fun things of coming to the mall."

"Go ahead," said Carmine. "We want to see you in it."

"Do any of you have swimsuits that expensive?" Justin asked.

"I do," said Ell. "I got given two on a shoot once."

The other girls shook their heads.

"I dunno," said Justin.

"Oh, go ahead," said Jenn. "I'll go in with you and help you see if it fits."

"Is it the right size?"

"It's a small, that should fit."

"Maybe she needs an extra small."

"Hey, guys, guys?" Carmine pointed.

A sign they had not noticed said, "All swimsuits, 50% off for Labor Day."

"So it's only $72?"

"Still a bunch."

"More than I've ever paid for a swimsuit."

"My Dad would kill me."

"It's gorgeous, though."

"Duh. It's a Robin Piccone."

Jenn stopped them. "We can't all go into the dressing room with Juice, we won't fit."

"Yeah, huh?" Shabeez giggled.

Ell looked thoughtful and wandered away. Shabeez and Carmine headed for the display of pocketbooks on clearance.

Jenn and Juice walked up to the lady at the dressing room desk and showed her the swimsuit and took the small card that said "1" that they were given. "Keep your undies on when trying on swimsuits," the lady warned.

Justin wondered how anyone would know whether such a rule was followed. But then it occurred to him that it was advice, not a rule. Who knew if the last person to try on the swimsuit had followed it?

"Eww," he said under his breath.

"Eww, what?" said Jenn.

"Never mind."

Jenn laughed, perhaps guessing what Justin been thinking.

He followed Jenn inside and down the narrow hall to the big dressing booth on the end.

"I don't know why we're doing this, even at half-price, even with you guys loaning me some money, I can't afford this swimsuit."

"Ell's up to something," said Jenn. "If it fits and you like it, we'll figure out something."

Juice stared at the person in the mirror, pale blue shorts, baggy yellow tank top, white Keds, charm bracelet, ear studs and the little straw hat with the pink ribbon. A cute if skinny teen-age girl with shaggy blonde hair.

"Why am I doing this?" he asked Jenn.

She didn't answer but hung the bathing suit on a hanger. "Are you wearing undies?" she asked.

Justin nodded. "'Course."

Jenn took the hat and hung it on one of the hooks on the back wall.

Justin still stared at his reflection. He took his fingers and fluffed out his hair a bit. "Clark," he said.

"What about him?"

"Who am I trying to fool? Him or me?"

Jenn just shook her head.

"It's just not normal," said Justin.

"Who wants to be just normal?" she asked.

Justin sighed and pulled the tank top off over his head.

Jenn blinked. "What's that for?"

* * *

A few minutes later, Jenn came to the door of the dressing area and asked the lady at the desk if there might be another swimsuit in the same violet-and-navy pattern in a size XS.

Shabeez and Carmine wandered back over. "I said she might need a smaller size," said Shabeez.

"I don't know," said the lady. "The suits are pretty picked over, that's why they're on sale. It's the end of swimsuit season. Even in California."

"Girl's got nothing to hold the suit up, no hips, no tits," said Carmine.

Jenn had a funny look but said nothing.

Ell walked up just then. "I found one," she said. "I thought about it and decided that most of us would wear small so Juice would probably need extra-small." She held out the hanger with the tiny swimsuit on it.

"Oh good," said Jenn. "The other one looked good on her but it was too big."

The desk lady approved the trade and put the larger suit on the returns rack behind her.

"Look at the price tag," said Ell.

"Wow? It's on clearance? For sixty?"

Ell grinned. "I found it in the little girls section. Don't tell Juice. I think someone put it away wrong and then it got marked down."

Jenn nodded and disappeared back inside.

"Teeny, tiny girls need itsy bitsy suits," said Shabeez.

"Teeny tinys give me a pita," said Carmine.

"Huh? Isn't that a kind of bread?" asked Shabeez.

"Watch me get this suit for half of the clearance price," said Ell. "How much money have you guys got left?"

"Twelve dollars," said Carmine. "And I ain't bought myself nothing yet."

"'Bout the same," admitted Shabeez.

"I'll put it on my emergency card and you can pay me back later," said Ell.

"If it fits her," said Shabeez.

"If it fits," agreed Ell.

"Why are we doing this stuff for Juice again?" asked Carmine.

"Because Zoe is a putz," said Shabeez.

Ell blinked. She had traveled more than the other girls and had heard the word in New York where someone explained it to her. "I don't think Zoe can be a putz, she's not equipped."

"Maybe she is," said Carmine. "She sure stuck it to Juice."

"Huh?" said Shabeez.

Juice appeared in the doorway of the dressing rooms entrance wearing the tiny bathing suit, the straw hat and the Keds.

"Wow!" said Shabeez. "You look great!"

"It actually makes you look like you got more shape than a fifth grader," agreed Carmine.

Juice posed, blushed and giggled.

"Okay, we're buying it," said Ell. "Juice needs a swimsuit for her date."