"Yes, I know," Erica Bennett said, "a lot of people think we're sisters."

"Well," her boyfriend Shaun said, "I bet you wouldn't be more beautiful, even if you were sisters."

Erica and her cousin, Amy Peterson, giggled at each other and took sips of their wine coolers. There was a remarkable resemblance between them that was certain. They both had innocent, wide fawn eyes, straight noses, just a little snubbed at the end, and wide, soft mouths. They both wore their brunette hair cascading over their shoulders. The only real difference was that Amy seemed to be the more vulnerable of the two, her face slightly softer. They giggled at each other again, feeling very grown up because they were sitting in a bar drinking wine coolers.

"Well," Willy, Amy's blind date said, "are you two going to share that apartment forever?"

He grinned at them, his strong, handsome face looking closely at Amy until she got to be uncomfortable.

"Oh yes," Erica said with great enthusiasm. "Amy and I get along so well, don't we?"

She turned to her cousin.

"Yes," Amy said. "And I need someone to protect me in the big city."

The boys laughed and ordered more drinks.

"I don't think we should," Erica said, looking at her watch. "It's eleven already. We should be getting home. We have to go to church tomorrow."

"Oh, come on," Shaun said. "You're big girls now," Amy said.

"Well then," Shaun said, "you can't go back yet, the night is young."

"Oh well, not much longer," Erica said carefully as the new drinks arrived. "I don't want my cousin to get ideas that we're all sinners."

Again the boys laughed, and Amy blushed into her drink. She almost wished her cousin wouldn't say things like that. She could look after herself, and say no if a boy tried any thing.