Yeet yoot, new chapter! Sorry it's so short. As always, please enjoy and review!

"Oop, found 'em," Michael said, pointing at Christine and Kaitlyn waving wildly at us in front of the villa. I pulled into an empty parking space and turned off the ignition as Michael unbuckled and got out to meet the girls.

The event organizers had arranged for the competitors to stay in a vacation resort. It was fairly close to the local high school, where the competition would take place. Each team got their own room in the same condo, and we were free to explore the island on our days off. Since Bobby technically wasn't part of the competition, or a minor, he had to stay in a hotel just north of where we were.

I left the car and went around to the trunk to get my suitcase. Kaitlyn broke away from the small group and followed. "Hey, how was the drive?"

"Pretty okay," I said, lifting my suitcase out. "We actually met some competition at the rest stop in Williamsburg."

"Yeah, the couple and the kid. Michael told us." Kaitlyn grinned. "I kinda want to meet this Rayla girl. She sounds spunky."

I chuckled. "She's definitely got a competitive streak, from what we saw."

"Hey!" Michael popped round the side of the car, startling me and almost making me drop my luggage. "Christine has our room key, if you wanna head up. I'll grab my stuff and meet you there."

"Yeah, sure." I glanced at Kaitlyn. "You coming?"

"I think I'll stay and keep Michael company. But a quick word of advice: don't sit on the chairs on the balcony." She shuddered. "Pollen."

I gave a thumbs up, then hefted my luggage and started walking. Christine waited for me on the sidewalk. "Hi." She smiled.

"Hey." Christine turned and started walking with me, heading for the elevator. "So, which floor are we on?"

"The third. We have a pretty nice view over the pool, actually." Christine reached the elevator ahead of me and punched the up button.

"Gotcha." The doors slid open and we stepped inside, the wheels of my suitcase clacking over the threshold. It occurred to me that this was the first time I had been alone with Christine since we broke up.

Shit.

I snuck a peek at Christine as she pressed the button for the third floor. She didn't seem to be in any discomfort, even smiling a little. She was at ease, completely sure of what she was doing and who she was. Unlike me, with my screaming head and quickly beating heart.

"Have you figured it out yet?" It took me a second to register that, despite being the only other person around, Christine was talking to me.

"Figured wh—oh." I shook my head. "No, no I haven't."

"Really?"

"Nope." I squinted at her. "You seem surprised."

"Kind of, yeah." The doors opened with a bing and we left the elevator. "I mean, everyone's pretty much already guessed it at this point, I thought it would've been obvious after a day or two. We're going right." She led me down the corridor, the breeze blowing her hair to the side, like a black veil.

"Wait, so everyone knows?"

"Yeah, Rich, Jake, Brooke, Kaitlyn—probably Bobby at this point..."

"Does Michael know?"

Christine paused. "Um. I think he knows who has a crush on you, but I don't think he knows you like them back." She stopped in front of door 3490. "Here's your room."

"I didn't even know I liked someone until you...told...whoa." I trailed off as Christine swiped the room key and opened the door. The room was large, with wine-red walls and forest-green carpeting. A couch and several armchairs took up the living room space, along with a dining table and chairs, a shelving area, and a flatscreen T.V. mounted on the wall. I saw a mini-kitchen to my left, a door on one side of the T.V., and a door by the couch on the opposite wall. Rich, orange evening light streamed in from the large window by the door leading to the balcony. "Holy shit."

"Pretty nice, huh?" I turned to see Christine leaning against the door frame, grinning. She pushed off and strode inside. "Kaitlyn and I are right beside you in 3489. Since we're a special case, the organizers gave us connecting rooms." Twisting the knob, Christine opened the door by the couch and I saw a practically mirrored version of Michael and I's living room.

I heard a gasp from behind me as Michael came in, along with a giggling Kaitlyn. "This is huge!"

"I know, right?!" I parked my suitcase by the coffee table and flopped onto the yellow couch. "God, it's so comfy, too!"

"Really? C'mon, get up, I want to try." Michael dropped his bag onto the floor by the door and came over to me.

I wiggled around on the couch mockingly, shifting and messing up the cushions. "Nope, I'm too comfortable now. Don't think I'll move for a while."

"Jeremyyyyy."

I smiled, trying to contain my laughter as I tucked one arm behind my head and let the other loll off to the side. "My couch now."

"Duu-uu-ude!" Michael was chuckling now.

I closed my eyes. "Might just take a nap, driving that last leg made me tirHUEFF!" A large weight crashed on top of me, scrabbling and wrestling. My eyes flashed open to see Micheal fighting for my hands, and I immediately started to retaliate. "Mic—jeez—gack!"

"Surrender!"

"Never! The couch shall be JesUS GAHAHAHAH!" Michael started tickling my sides, and I had to fight the urge to squirm and clamp my arms down.

"Right, so we're gonna go..." Christine said, but she may as well have been underwater. I barely registered the closing of the girl's door before Michael grabbed my waist and tossed me gently onto the floor.

I panted, trying to recover the air that had been knocked out me. "Seriously? Unfair tactics."

"Sorry Jer, but it's my couch now." Michael flipped onto his side to smile at me. "And as king of the couch, I say totally legal tactics were used in this takeover."

I stuck my tongue out, heaving myself back up onto my feet. "Whatever. I'm gonna check out the bedroom." Feeling Michael's gaze on me, I stepped past the T.V. and opened the door beside it.

The walls were the same dark wine shade, and curtains the color of molten gold covered the window. Another door off to the side probably led to a bathroom, and another T.V. hung on the wall right by the door.

It was a nice room, yeah, but I could just see one issue with it. Well, not really an issue, more like a minor question with a difficult answer. "Hey, uh, Michael?"

"Yeah?"

"We've only got one bed."

"What?" I heard a light thump and Michael walking the short distance to the bedroom, stopping just behind me. The fabric of his hoodie brushed against my back and I could hear him breathing. My face started to heat up. Fuck, no, not here, not now. "Hmm. That's fine, I can just sleep on the couch. Problem solved!"

The warmth immediately disappeared as I turned to face Michael incredulously. "What?! No!"

Michael looked a bit taken aback. "No?"

"No, I'll take the couch." I walked back into the living room, Michael following. "It was your idea we do this; you played for us to be here! I haven't done anything, so I'll sleep on the couch."

"Dude, no."

"Yes."

"But I—" Michael stopped, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This'll go on forever, won't it?"

"Probably."

Michael craned his neck and took another glance at the bedroom. "You know what? The bed looks big enough. How about we share for tonight, and if you're still uncomfortable, then we can figure something else out?"

"Um..." I argued with myself, trying to think clearly. It'll be fine.

No, it won't!

Yes, it will! This is Michael.

Exactly! This is Michael!

"Jeremy?" Michael's voice snapped me back to reality. "You ok?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine, let's do it," I agreed quickly. "Just, ah, no homo, right dude?" I punched him jokingly on the arm, grinning.

Something flashed across Michael's face. Had he not been my best friend, it would've been barely noticeable. But he smiled back and nodded. "Yeah, no homo, bro. I'm gonna go to the store and grab some food for dinner while it's still light out." He walked to the door, grabbing his keys as he went. "You want anything in particular?"

"Uh, no, no I'm good."

"Okay. See you."

"See ya." I watched confusedly as Michael waved a quick goodbye and shut the door.

That was the second time in two days that Michael hadn't seemed himself. Could it have been something I said, or did? No, Michael's my best friend. I trust he would tell me if I was doing something wrong.

With that in mind, I grabbed my suitcase and pulled it into the bedroom to unpack my game console and get AotD going. Time to get some practice in.