Naomi Foley
Island 278 Lough Corrib
County Galway, Ireland

Gracie Slant
Stoke Hill—St. John’s Lodge
Exeter, Devon
England

• So I've got a problem. It's this straw Stetson hat. I don't know what to do with it.
  
  I first stole it from this local surfer, because I wanted him and his friends to teach Veronica, Abby (Professor Reid's sister), and me how to surf. But he didn't speak a word of English to me so I figured it was a useful way to communicate through the language barrier. After his throwing me off the surfboard a couple of times, his falling off his own surfboard due to his own stupidity, and my learning he spoke English and wasn't just to be a fucktard jerk, he got his hat back.
  
  The next day I went diving with Hannah Harper, Erin's little sister, and we might've swam beneath him and his friends and I might've kicked a fin against his board, which resulted in his falling off a few times. Eventually he lost his sat so I picked it up for him, and then forgot I had it.
  
  Later, he didn't seem too surprised that I had his hat anymore. But he invited to teach me this neat trick so, to my better judgement, I went to surf with him. It didn't happen. He asked me to close my eyes, so I assumed I was going to get thrown off the surfboard again. That didn't happen either. We kissed--  We// He locked lips-- He frenched//sucked my face--okay maybe not that slobbery--maybe softer It was weird\\I guess we were covered in sand and ocean gunk anyway. He grabbed my face too--or touched/really, maybe. So maybe it wasn't so bad, but it was-- he didn't have his eyes open and wasn't even paying any atten-- I don't really remember what happened. He stole a kiss somehow. I threw him off the surfboard.
  
  Anyway, I still have his stupid Stetson hat. I am positive he'll want it back, but I don't know much about him other than his name is too ridiculous to actually say, so I call him the Cowboy. Send me an idea when you get the time.
  
  P.S. I repeat, I am in Egypt. I will not be home to open a random package containing a live snake, expected to be skinned for no other reason than a certain someone's amusement. So tell your grampops NO.
  

Gracie Slant
Stoke Hill—St. John’s Lodge
Exeter, Devon
England

Naomi Foley
278 Lough Corrib
County Galway, Ireland

• Firstly, can I say how proud I am of you? —Ha, wait, don’t rip this up; I was joking, joking... though, ha ha, yeah, that was a lie.
  
  Anyways, seriously—other than a questionable taste in hats and having enough balls to plant one on you, I’m gonna need a little more than that, love. Does he have an annoying laugh? Sweat a lot? Pick his nose when nobody’s looking? And don't tell me you haven’t been looking, because really, Nay—“Cowboy”? Really?
  
  ...You haven’t been avoiding this bloke, have you?
  
  
            P.S.- Granddad says that’s alright, he’s brined it this time and it should be waiting for you at home. Sorry. ;P

Naomi Foley
Island 278 Lough Corrib
County Galway, Ireland

Gracie Slant
Stoke Hill—St. John’s Lodge
Exeter, Devon
England

• You and your gramps are both toads. Why would  I know his name? It's like twenty syllables long, who wants to say a name that long? That's like listening to my mom scold me with my full name. Eleven syllables, without a faint slip in her tone. I can't even say it like that.
  
  We were on a surf board, how was I suppose to know he was sweating? Of course his laugh is annoying, he makes stupid enough jokes--even if I don't know what he's saying sometimes. He made a dumb game of speaking Egyptian Arabic for a while until he slipped up and said something in English, I dumped him off his surfboard for it. We're in a different place in Egypt now anyway, it's not like I have a choice in avoiding him or not. Besides, he's not going to come chasing after me across Egypt for a hat.
  
  ...Haha, enough balls to plant on one me? You think I bite?
  

Gracie Slant
Stoke Hill—St. John’s Lodge
Exeter, Devon
England

Naomi Foley
278 Lough Corrib
County Galway, Ireland

• That’s entirely beside the point, dear (and I’m hurt, hurt that you think you can distract me so easily). You know the deal with nicknames, even if they’re sarcastic. Come to think of it, they’re worse when they’re sarcastic, because the next thing you know bad puns become pick-up lines, and… alright, so maybe between the two of us that is just me.
  
  Anyway, Ny, point is it’s all a game no matter what intentions are. But, since I have this terrible suspicion that it’s going to look dreadfully complicated on paper I’ll save that for later. Beside, I want to see look on your face when I explain things like BT to you~
  
  
            P.S.- Not so much ‘bite’ as ‘hex,’ actually. maybe when you’re older    We’re glad you liked it!