This is a HEAVILY edited version of what was called Summer House Trip 4. It was one of the worst things i had written all around, so i finally decided to revise it. It still is miles from perfect, but at least it is not a blatant shame to my name anymore. I hope this is satisfactory!

"Hello Miss Sakaki! How are you?" Kaorin ran excitedly up to her crush and stopped just in front of her, grinning shyly.

"Oh. Hello Kaori. I am doing well for the most part. Yourself?" The taller girl was sitting on the front steps of their mutual young friend Chiyo's house, petting her beloved cat.

"Wonderful! I'm so excited for this trip!" Kaorin was shifting from foot to foot rapidly, almost bouncing up and down in anticipation.

"I am as well. But I am worried about what comes next." Kaorin stopped fidgeting immediately.

"W-what's wrong Miss Sakaki? What happens next?" Sakaki sighed and scratched the content cat's ears.

"Chiyo is moving to America for college as soon as we get back from this trip, and I am not moving into my apartment until late next month. I don't know what to do with Maya... I'm very worried. I do not want to leave him in the care of someone I don't know, and I can't afford to leave him at any sort of professional facility."

"Oh... Well he is welcome to stay with me." Kaorin offered. Sakaki looked up at the smaller girl in surprise.

"You... you'd do that for me?" The tall girl could hardly believe it. Kaorin nodded vigorously and stopped when she heard her own neck pop a little.

"Of course! I have a cat and two kittens, and they are all very well behaved and love other cats! It would be no trouble at all, and you'd be able to visit any time you like. My mother actually really likes having visitors. We host events for the astronomy club a lot."

Kaorin forced her mouth to stop moving. She was talking too much. The girl of her dreams was a quiet and reserved individual. She needed to keep her mouth under control.

"Kaori... Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me." Sakaki stood up and smiled warmly at the shorter girl. She leaned down and held out her arms to the cat, who jumped into them without hesitation. She lifted the animal. "Maya, say hello to Kaori."

"Hello Maya! Would you like to stay with me for a few weeks? I promise I'll take good care of you, and you'll have other cats to play with!" Kaorin leaned in close so her nose was inches from the cat's. Maya meowed once and touched noses with her.

"Well you have his approval. Thank you again Kaori."

"Please call me Kaorin, Miss Sakaki. It's what all my friends call me. And I'm glad I could help! Now you can enjoy the trip without worrying!" The shorter girl was in heaven. Sakaki smiled and nodded.

"Yes, thank you Kaorin. You should just call me Sakaki then. We are friends, after all." At Sakaki's words, Kaorin nearly collapsed. Sakaki had declared them friends! Sakaki was entrusting her with her most treasured possession! Sakaki would be visiting a lot for the rest of the summer!

"Mhm! The others should be getting here soon, Sakaki. Do you know who all is coming? I was sort of a last minute addition to the trip I think... I wasn't in your class last year so I think they almost forgot me." Sakaki looked strangely at her friend.

"I never forgot you, and I don't see how any of them could have. Especially Chiyo. I'm sure there was another reason. But as for who's going, I'm not sure. I was one of the first she called, and the others were still figuring out their schedule for this week last time I spoke to them."

Kaorin closed her eyes and carefully tucked the memory of Sakaki saying she never forgot her away into a special corner of her mind. She opened her eyes and sorted out the rest of what had been said.

"Oh, okay. Well I'm sure we'll have a great time, whoever comes. Is Maya joining us?" Kaorin asked. Sakaki smiled and rubbed her cheek against the animal in question.

"Yes! I think he'll love the beach, and as long as Tomo doesn't bother him, he likes being around people. He's a very friendly cat." The tall girl cradled the animal close. Kaorin nodded and reached up to pet him, enjoying the softness of his fur on her fingers.

Chiyo opened the door and skipped happily down the steps. The grinning thirteen year old high school graduate greeted them both cheerfully.

"Good morning Kaorin! Good morning Sakaki! Would you like to come inside? I just made some tea!"

"Oh, thank you Chiyo. That sounds wonderful." Sakaki followed the prodigy, and Kaorin followed Sakaki.

After a few minutes, a knock on the door gained the attention of the three girls. Chiyo answered it to find a very tanned girl with short hair and running shoes panting at the door.

"Kagura I'm so glad you could make it! Did you run all the way here?!" The athlete nodded and grinned proudly.

"Two miles in fifteen minutes! That is a new personal record! Is anyone else here? You did say ten in the morning, right?" Kagura looked around and then spotted the other two sitting at the table and greeted them. Chiyo invited her in.

"Eight miles per hour for fifteen minutes is very good. Is it practice for swimming? I'm surprised you were able to get time off for the trip." Sakaki was looking at Kagura as if she were some strange new creature that might be dangerous or might be soft and fuzzy.

"Coach let me have one week off since she's coming too. But she's going to make sure I get some practice in while we're there. Oh, Chiyo, Coach and Miss Yukari will be here in about ten minutes." Chiyo nodded and thanked her for the update.

"Are... are we taking the Yukari-mobile?" Kaorin looked terrified as she asked. Chiyo shuddered and closed her eyes, taking a moment to repress the terror the very name brought to her.

"No. We rented the van again. It will hold all nine of us comfortably." More knocking came from the door. This time it was three deliberate polite knocks, followed by a sudden rapid explosion of noise from the door bell mixed with random pounding. "That will be Yomi and Tomo, I believe." Chiyo smiled and answered the door.

"Hey Chiyo!" Tomo bounded into the building, nearly running over the small genius. Yomi apologized to their host and shook her head. The girl was never going to change, and she had come to terms with that. "Thanks for inviting us again, Chiyo."

The small girl just waved it off.

"It wouldn't be the same without you! I'm glad you were both able to make it! I hope this doesn't put you behind on your studying too much." The prodigy said. Now it was Yomi who waved it off.

"No, I was actually way ahead. Tomo's been neck deep preparing for her own classes, so I've had a little peace and quiet now and then. It's been kind of boring, actually, but don't tell her I said that." The bespectacled girl blushed slightly and grinned at her young friend who nodded in understanding.

"I'll keep that to myself, don't worry. Oh Osaka! You made it!" Chiyo waved at the girl who had just rounded the corner and started walking up the drive way, her eyes roving lazily around the landscape. Yomi turned and waved as well. The spacy girl focused on her friends and waved back.

"Hey Yomi! Hey Chiyo!" Osaka wandered slowly up to the door. Just as she got there, a car pulled in and an energetic woman with long wavy hair leaped out of the passenger side, yelling at the driver in rage.

"Jeez Nyamo, do you have to drive like a shriveled old woman?! Osaka even beat us here! I bet we're the last ones here and it is all your fault!" Yukari shouted. The driver got out. A fit, dark haired, well groomed individual who was doing her best not to let her best friend irritate her into homicide.

"Yes, Yukari, I know it must be horrible for you to arrive somewhere without hearing police sirens along the way, but not everyone finds that a comforting sound. Hey girls. We aren't too late are we? She decided to wait until I got there to start packing." The responsible teacher gestured at her companion.

"You're right on time, the others just barely got here! Miss Kurosawa, would you mind driving the van again?" Everyone waited anxiously for the response.

"Sure! Oh and I'm not your teacher anymore. You can all call me Minamo or Nyamo. I'm here as your friend this time, not a chaperone."

"Alright! Well now that we're all here, let's load our stuff and go!" Chiyo announced.

As the others packed their belongings into the van, Chiyo entered her house to change into a more suitable outfit for a trip to the beach with her friends.

Yukari was the first to notice the young girl's change in style.

"Hey Shorty, you look different. You're a legitimate teenager now aren't you? I like the new look. It's pretty cool." Everyone stared between the two in shock. Yukari had complemented someone? Yukari had noticed a small change that no one else had? What was happening to the world?

Chiyo was grinning with pride at her old English teacher. She now wore her pigtails even lower than before, nearing the point of becoming a pony tail. She had one a long sleeved white shirt with a red jersey over it, and blue jeans.

"Thank you Miss Yukari! I wanted to try out a more American style to see how it felt, and I kind of like it." The teacher glared down at her.

"Call me 'Miss' again and I'll stomp you down a few more inches, midget." Chiyo cowered slightly.

"Y-yes Yukari." The teacher's grin returned as suddenly as it had left. Her mood swings were scary sometimes.

"Alright, we're all packed. You give the word, and we're off." Chiyo was shocked again. Yukari was actually acknowledging that she had some authority.

"I'm ready! Let's get going! Adults in front, Sakaki and Kaorin next, so Maya can see out the windshield, Tomo and Yomi next, so we can keep an eye on them from both sides, and Kagura, Osaka, and myself will ride in the back."

Everyone was pleased with the arrangements. Chiyo was smiling to herself. She was the only one among the group who knew all of the groups crushes and relationships. As the youngest and most innocent, she seemed easiest to trust with secrets, and as the smartest, she seemed the best choice to ask for advice.

So now, Chiyo was playing both referee to jealousy as well as junior match maker for the group. What a trip his was going to be.