Chapter Two-hundred Forty-Four: Part Three

Chapter 244

Oakhaven Part Three

Both Ashley and Lena were busy preparing breakfast that morning. Lena, wearing a sleeveless pink floral sundress covered by a heart-shaped apron, made miso soup and rice for herself and Jaxon. Meanwhile, Ashley prepared a large spread of French toast, sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast, along with tea and coffee.

On the beach, Deimos and Celeste were pulling the boats up to the shore. Deimos was dressed in black sandals and blue swimming trunks, while Celeste wore a black bikini adorned with studs.

At the dining room table, Jordi and Tristan sat together. Dressed in a light purple tropical shirt, jean shorts, and white canvas shoes, Jordi drank coffee and ate the breakfast Ashley had cooked. Beside him, Tristan, clad in long white shorts, boater shoes, and a navy-and-white striped button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, enjoyed a meal of bacon, eggs, and toast with tea.

Wearing his dragon robe, Jaxon walked downstairs. Lena’s face lit up upon seeing him, and with a warm smile, she set out a bowl of rice, miso soup, and chopsticks for him.

Jaxon sat down, wrapping both hands around the dark ceramic bowl. A curl of fragrant steam rose to meet him, carrying the comforting scent of fermented soybean paste, dashi, and a hint of sea salt.

He lifted the bowl to his lips, bypassing the spoon entirely. He took a slow, long sip of the broth. The savory warmth spread instantly through his chest, waking up his senses. As the liquid settled, he used his chopsticks to swirl the soup, watching the cloudy patterns of the miso re-suspend themselves in the broth. He fished out a cube of silky tofu, which practically melted on his tongue, followed by a tender strip of wakame seaweed.

Beside the soup sat a smaller, heavy bowl piled with short-grain white rice. It was perfectly cooked—plump, glossy, and just sticky enough to cling together.

Jaxon pinched a small mound of rice with his chopsticks and blew on it lightly before eating. The clean, subtle sweetness of the rice was the perfect counterbalance to the salty depth of the miso. He ate with a deliberate, rhythmic pace: a bite of rice, a sip of broth, another bite of rice.

Jaxon: ‘This is amazing.”

He said breathlessly. Lena felt warmth radiate through her chest upon seeing him and hearing his compliments on her cooking.

Lena: “Thanks, Jaxon.”

She giggled, biting her lip and brushing a lock of purple hair behind her ear.

Fabien strolled down wearing a green tropical shirt open to show his bare chest and torso, and a shiny black Speedo.

Fabien: “Yo.’

He yawned as he sat down. He flicked his gaze to Jaxon’s miso soup.

Fabien: “Oh, that looks good. Can I have some?’

He asked, resting his head on his palm. Jaxon rolled his eyes. Lena quickly nodded.

Lena: “Sure, Fabien!”

Fabien: “Oh, and get me a spoon or something. I can’t use chopsticks.”

He waved his hand.

Jaxon: “Ever think of learning?”

He asked sharply. Fabien drew a long breath followed by a laugh.

Fabien: “Not really.”

He smiled. Jaxon looked away. Of course not, might cut into precious trolling time, he thought.

Lena set out a bowl of miso soup and a bowl of rice for him, bringing over a fork and a spoon as well.

Fabien: “Thanks, hon.”

He smiled a bit.

Fabien dug in immediately, scooping up a large spoonful of miso soup that nearly slopped over the edge. He thrust it into his mouth, eating it hastily, a far cry from Jaxon’s slow appreciation, and chased it with a hefty forkful of rice that he struggled to keep balanced on the prongs. Despite his lack of finesse, his eyes widened with genuine delight as he swallowed.

Fabien: ‘Wow, Lena, this actually hits the spot.”

He managed between mouthfuls, leaning back with a satisfied grin.

Jaxon: “Now put it on the floor so he can eat it like a cat.”

He huffed.

Fabien: “Meow.”

He teased. Tristan raised an eyebrow as he brought the cup of tea to his lips and took a sip.

Jaxon: “You eat like Oliver!”

He snapped.

Fabien: “Meow.”

He laughed.

Tristan: “Nonsense, Jaxon. Oliver gets more food on the floor than in his stomach, which is why he’s thin as a rail.”

Jaxon drew a rough breath.

Jaxon: “Anyway…”

He leaned back into his seat.

Jaxon: “Blue bitch was in our lodge.”

Jordi nearly spat out his coffee. He slammed his hands down on the table, glaring at Jaxon. Ashley’s heart sank, and they froze, knowing exactly who he meant.

Ashley: “...Blair was in here?!”

They cupped their mouth.

Jordi: ‘WHAT?! Why are you telling us this NOW and not when he did it?!’

He snapped. Jaxon rolled his eyes.

Jaxon: “Because he did nothing and left?”

Jordi glared at him.

Jordi: “Jaxon, when you see him, you need to tell one of us immediately!”

He said firmly. Ashley looked up at Jordi, taking his hand, feeling safe and secure with him, knowing he was looking out for them. Fabien stumbled over a laugh. Blair is serious fucking business, he thought.

Lena: “Jordi, please. Blair did nothing. He left before Jaxon, and I saw him!”

She wrung her hands and knit her brows. Ashley wanted to believe he did nothing.

Tristan: “How did Blair get in?”

He asked him.

Jordi: “Your boyfriend didn’t lock the lodge up because he was mad everyone complained about his foot stink!”

His voice rose. Tristan raised his eyebrows.

Tristan: “Jordi, I understand your frustrations, but don’t raise your voice at me. I can hear you.”

He said firmly. Jordi looked away and furrowed his eyebrows.

Jaxon: “I saw him go to you after he left. What did he say to you?”

He asked Fabien.

Jordi: “HE WENT TO YOU, AND YOU ALSO KEPT THIS FROM ME?!”

He screamed at Fabien, who gaped at Jordi owlishly. Ashley knit their eyebrows. Fabien snorted. Lena embraced herself.

Fabien: “Chill, Jordi. Blair was blubbering like a little bitch. He’s not going to hurt you and your girlfriend.”

He put his hands up.

Fabien: “He told me you raped Ashley, and instead of trying to save her from the alleged assault, he came crying to me.”

He shrugged. Jordi’s face turned ashen. Ashley’s heart sank, and they felt sick to their stomach. Tristan gaped at Fabien and drained his tea.

Ashley: “...W-what?! W-why would he make up a lie so horrible?!”

They cried.

Tristan: ‘Some of the things that come out of that man’s mouth are absolutely ridiculous and are to be taken with a grain of salt—if that.”

Jordi turned to Jaxon and Fabien furiously.

Jordi: “YOU AND JAXON ARE AS BAD AS EACH OTHER!”

He screamed at Fabien. Fabien just smiled.

Fabien: “Thanks, Jordi.”

He snorted. Jaxon’s right eye twitched.

Jaxon: “Dude, fuck off. Seriously! Blair didn’t hurt your lardass girlfriend, and he’s not going to! He’s a fucking idiot! No one believes that rape story!”

He pounded on the table. Ashley jolted.

Jaxon: “What is that fat bitch doing here anyway? She adds nothing to the group or to you and just is like a lump on a log!”

He snapped, extending his hand to Ashley. Tears welled up in Ashley’s eyes. Fabien cackled. Jordi’s fury soared as his eyes burned like hot coals.

Ashley: “What the hell is your problem? Just because you’re miserable doesn’t make it okay to be mean to everyone else!”

They cried.

Jaxon: “Screw you, pigface pothole! You’re just mad Lazaros dumped your fatass!”

He rasped.

Ashley: “I LEFT HIM!”

They snapped at him.

Jaxon: “Yeah, okay, whatever. You got with him fresh from the breakup.”

He huffed.

Fabien: “Hahahaahaha, he’s not wrong!’

He laughed.

Ashley: “What? Like you don’t jump around to different people all the time?!”

They said to Jaxon. Tristan raised his eyebrows. No kidding there, he thought.

Jaxon: “Yeah, but you’re doing nothing but taking up space!”

He fired back. Fabien roared with laughter. Tears welled up in Ashley’s eyes as they felt attacked for no reason.

Ashley: “Leave me alone! Jordi wanted me here, and I’m here to serve your meals!”

They cried.

Jaxon: “I am not eating your pig slop.”

He rolled his eyes. Fabien snorted.

Ashley: “Then don’t! Just leave me alone!”

They cried.

Jordi: ‘Jaxon…. Shut up. Not another word from you!”

He rasped, pointing at him.

Jordi: ‘And you… You’re encouraging him!”

He snapped at Fabien. Fabien smiled.

Fabien: “Hey, man, you and she are overreacting to BLAIR.”

He grinned.

Tristan cleared his throat.

Tristan: ‘Jordi, no one believes Blair’s tall tales, and you have been snapping at Jaxon and Fabien for this. No one was hurt, nothing was stolen.”

He said firmly.

Jordi: “Funny, you never chide Jaxon for insulting Ashley! You seem to just undermine their issues! YOU encouraged them to remain with Lazaros!’

He snapped at him. Ashley’s eyes widened. Tristan narrowed his eyes on Jordi.

Tristan: “Yes, because, at the time, they were supposedly in love with him, and I was EXPLAINING he is a traumatized man. I didn’t know they were going to jump into a relationship with you on a whim. Are they blaming ME for remaining with Lazaros despite Deimos’ warnings?! AS WELL AS MINE?”

He snapped, slamming his fists on the table. Ashley jolted.

Tristan: ‘I told them NOT to move in with him, and they ignored my warnings, so I am not the bad guy for telling them to be patient with Lazaros?!”

He rasped. Ashley bowed their head.

Fabien: “He’s got ya there, Jords. I think your girlfriend wants to blame someone for staying with a loser like Lazaros. Before him, it was Blair.”

He shrugged.

Jaxon: ‘Don’t forget MAXX.”

Ashley: “I never dated Blair or Maxx!”

They cried.

Ashley: “Though I did make the mistake in dating Lazaros, and I should have listened to their warnings about him…”

They bowed their head in shame.

Tristan flicked his gaze to Jordi.

Tristan: “Who’s to say you will last?”

He challenged Jordi. His words cut him like a razor, and he stepped back. Ashley knit their eyebrows, feeling hurt by Tristan’s accusatory statement.

Ashley: “Because he’s nothing like Lazaros or Blair, and I love him…”

They cried, looking up at Jordi. Jordi glanced down at Ashley and then looked away.

Tristan: “Yes, and you told me the same thing about Lazaros, and we are.”

He smiled. Ashley closed their eyes.

Ashley: “I was a fool, and I didn’t know better… It wasn’t the same feeling as I feel about Jordi…”

They cried.

Tristan: ‘Yes, Ashley, I heard those same words about Lazaros.”

He smiled. Ashley’s bottom lip trembled. Why is Tristan being like this? They wondered.

Jordi: “Tristan, knock it off, okay?”

He put his hand up to warn him not to push it.

Tristan: “Apparently, I am being vilified for telling them to remain with a traumatized man. They fought tooth and nail to live with him despite Deimos’ and my warnings.”

He drew a breath.

Ashley embraced themself.

Ashley: “...W-why did you tell me to remain with him?”

They asked in a small and curious voice.

Tristan: “Because I thought that’s exactly what you wanted, and I am being put on the hot seat for doing that. Excuse me.”

He huffed. Ashley looked up at him. He feels like he’s on the hot seat? I feel like I am, they thought.

Ashley: “I’m not trying to put you on a hot seat, I just wanna understand… I was having a lot of doubts, but I stayed because you advised me to be patient with him because he’s traumatized, but I think you meant well and were just trying to help me… and I still made the choices I made, so it’s my fault!”

They cried into their hands. Tristan rolled his eyes.

Tristan: “I explained in the most RUDIMENTARY terms why I advised that. Why didn’t you ignore that as you did Deimos’ and my warnings not to move in with him?”

He challenged them. Fabien raised his eyebrows and snorted. Ashley recoiled at his harsh and condescending tone.

Ashley: “I-I’m sorry, I realized I should have listened to you, so I listened to you, because you’re smart, and clearly know more than me!”

They cried. Tristan looked away, rolling his eyes.

Jordi: ‘This conversation is over. I don’t want to hear another word from YOU and YOU!’

He pointed to Fabien and Tristan. Fabien smirked, and Tristan glared icily at him.

Jordi: “And especially not YOU!’

He snapped at Jaxon. Jaxon glowered at him.

Jordi: “I am going to confront Blair.”

He stormed out, slamming the door.

Fabien: ‘What’s up his butt?”

He laughed.

Tristan: “Ashley’s tendency to grouse about others behind one’s back. They did the same to Madelyn. People talk.”

He grinned. Ashley bowed their head.

Ashley: “I’m sorry…”

Jaxon: ‘Yeah, no shit, she stole him from Madelyn! A great friend you are!’

He huffed.

Ashley: “I didn’t steal Jordi from Madelyn ‘cause he’s not an item to steal and they broke up mutually.”

They explained.

Lena: “Jaxon, I asked you to be nice to them!”

She cried.

Jaxon: “He laid into ME about blue bitch!”

He said flippantly.

Fabien: ‘Blair is serious fucking business.”

He said dryly.

Tristan: “Lena, Jordi attacked Jaxon for something foolish Blair did. I will speak to Deimos about locking up the lodge because there could be serious threats looming. Jordi’s actions were uncalled for, nonetheless.”

Jaxon folded his arms over his chest.

Jaxon: “No fucking kidding.”

~

Fabien was out on the beach with Celeste. He filled her in on what happened in the lodge and with Blair.

Celeste: ‘Come on, no one is gonna buy that bullshit story of Blair’s.”

Celeste meticulously squeezed a dollop of sunscreen from a vintage, neon-pink bottle. Beside her, Fabien sat on a faded, patterned towel, squinting slightly against the midday glare.

A relaxed smile spread across his face. He felt the cool cream on his skin as Celeste’s surprisingly gentle hands began to spread it across his shoulders. He leaned back on his hands, his head tilting naturally to accommodate her reach. She worked methodically, the movement a ritual they had performed countless times. She continued her work, her fingers tracing the curve of his shoulder blade, then moving to his neck.

Celeste: “Look at me, handsome man. Let’s do your face before the sun fries that pretty nose of yours.”

Fabien turned to look up at her. He caught her hand for a brief second, squeezing her fingers before letting her get to work. She squirted a tiny dab onto her fingertips and gently dotted it across his nose, forehead, and cheekbones. Fabien watched her expression soften, that fierce, energetic edge she usually wore melting into something incredibly tender just for him.

Celeste: “There.”

She said softly, wiping a stray bit of cream from the edge of his jawline with her thumb.

Fabien: “So what do you think about Ashley jumping onto Jordi from Lazaros?”

Celeste sat by him.

Celeste: “Ash says they dumped him; Laz says he dumped them. From what I gathered, they were just plain sick of each other, and maybe Ash wanted Jordi, which is why they left him quickly.”

She explained.

Fabien: “Before that, it was Blair.”

He laughed.

Celeste: “Yeah, so Ash just… falls in love with people on a dime. It was Makayla, whatever they had with Blair, Lazaros, and now Jordi. Like… they don’t spend time alone, but… It’s not my life and not my business.”

She explained, tracing a finger over Fabien’s chest.

Fabien: “Sounds almost like Jordi himself… or… Jiro.”

He twisted his mouth.

Celeste: “Yeah, I think when you get rid of someone shitty, you have to be alone for a bit and get that crap out of your system.”

He put his arm over her, rubbing her back.

Fabien: “Think Tristan is wrong?”

Celeste shook her head.

Celeste: “No, I don’t. They wanted to be with Lazaros. If they didn’t wanna be with him, why not leave him? Sounds like they’re blaming him for staying. Yeah, no one wants to admit they made a mistake when they got with someone. I don’t blame others for why I stayed with Jax. A part of me knew he fell for Chelsea. I just didn’t wanna see it. I didn’t say it was Tristan’s fault or Deimos’ fault. I stayed. I think Ash doesn’t wanna admit they fell for Lazaros and he dumped them. Also, Tristan did save them from Blair. Seems kinda shitty to blame him now for this.”

She twisted her mouth.

~

Tristan lay in a lounge on another area of the beach under an umbrella. He had a sunhat on, his boater shoes kicked off, while Deimos sat on the sand, idly stroking Tristan’s feet as he ranted to Deimos about what had happened. Deimos felt his fury soar as he relayed the events.

Deimos: “What the FUCK is Jordi’s problem?! I told Ashley NOT to move in with Lazaros! You told them! They didn’t listen to us! Now they’re blaming you for staying?! Why the fuck didn’t they just leave?!”

He huffed.

Tristan: “They didn’t exactly secure Jordi at that time or another man.”

He said dryly.

Tristan: “When I advised them to be patient with Lazaros, they could have ignored me as they did when I advised them not to move in.”

He scoffed.

Deimos: “They had to have Lazaros, until he wanted them to leave because they cramped his style and he got bored! I know my brother inside out! You can’t know someone from his shitty cookbooks, and those are only decent because you corrected his fuckin’ spelling errors!”

He huffed.

~

Seated at the dining room table alongside Demetrio, Sylvia, Stewart, and Yoshi, Blair was visibly seething. Dressed in a Batman shirt, blue shorts, calf socks, sneakers, and a bucket hat, he shot furious glares toward the room occupied by Vanessa and her friends. His anger stemmed from the fact that she and her companions had completely devoured his Fruit Loops and taken the prize from the box, which were Spider-Man trading cards. He had to fish in the trash for his cards, which are as good as muck now. Tears welled in his eyes as he tried to choke down some scrambled eggs and toast the chef had made when he wanted Fruit Loops.

Stewart sipped his tea as he read the newspaper, thinking about his encounter with Fabien the night before and wondering whether he should see him again.

Storming inside was Jordi, as angry as a hornet disturbed in its nest. Demetrio brightened when he saw Jordi.

Demetrio: “Jordi! What a pleasant surprise!”

Jordi’s fist flew across Blair’s face, knocking him down onto the floor. When Blair hit the floor, he cried loudly. Sylvia gasped. Stewart gaped at the scene and raised his eyebrows. Well, it was bound to happen, he thought. Yoshi smiled dumbly. Demetrio rose to Jordi.

Demetrio: “Jordi, what is the reason for this?!”

He asked sharply.

Sylvia: “Jordi, what on Reona has gotten into you?!”

She asked in a high-pitched squawk. Jordi turned to her.

Jordi: “That little bastard snuck in OUR lodge and told Fabien I raped Ashley!”

He barked. Demetrio’s eyelids dipped, and he swung his gaze to Blair, showing his disappointment. Blair wailed loudly.

Blair: “It’s TRUE! Ashley would never want sex with you!”

He bawled.

Jordi: “LEAVE ASHLEY ALONE! How dare you sneak into our lodge?!”

He bellowed. Blair scrambled to his feet, glaring at him with anger.

Blair: “I WILL WIN THEIR HEART! NICE GUYS FINISH LAST, BUT THEY GET THE BEST, YOU FAT PIG!”

He stomped his feet as he cried, snot coming from his nose, and tears from his eyes.

Jordi: “Save me the sob story about how ‘nice’ you are. No one is buying it. Stay away from Ashley!”

He snapped.

Just then, Vanessa and her friends stepped out of their room, giggling and laughing together. Vanessa wore her hair up in a ribbon-fastened ponytail and a pink two-piece swimsuit with frilly trim. Chloe sported a hot pink tiger-stripe swimsuit, Minha wore a strapless two-piece with purple, yellow, and blue stripes, and Mattie wore a green bikini featuring a geometric pattern.

Mattie stopped and gazed at Jordi, thinking he was so sexy and attractive. With her mass of bouncy, honey-orange curls and a smile that always seemed a little bit wider than everyone else’s, she saw an opportunity.

Mattie: “Hey, there!”

She smiled. Jordi turned to look down at her.

Jordi: “Hello, sorry about this.”

He laughed awkwardly and raked his fingers through his hair.

Mattie: “It’s okay! I’m Mattie! And who are you?”

She smiled. Jordi returned the smile.

Jordi: “Jordi! Jordi Vaquero! It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

He extended his hand out to hers and shook it.

Mattie: “So…”

She began, pitching her voice a little higher than usual, a lazy grin playing on her lips. She let her eyes travel from his face down to his chest and feet, and back up.

Mattie: “The girls and I wanna play volleyball. Do you think you could help set up the volleyball net?”

She looked at him beseechingly.

Yoshi: “I can do that!”

He shouted.

Minha: “Yoshi… Ewwwwwww!”

She groused.

Jordi: “Yeah, I can do that for you!”

He nodded. Mattie chuckled, her orange curls bouncing. She stepped in even closer, putting a playful hand on his forearm, just above the cuff of his short sleeve. Her fingers were cool against his skin.

Mattie: “You’re a great guy, Jordi…”

She purred. He looked down at her hand, his expression softening, then back into her face.

Jordi: “All right, I’ll go out and get started.”

He went outside to the beach. Mattie, Chloe, Minha, and Vanessa followed.

Blair angrily rose.

Blair: “This breakfast sucked! I am going to the gift shop to get Ashley a swimsuit! They need to dress better!”

He snapped and stormed outside.

~

Jordi picked up the tangled bundle of white mesh from the sand. The heavy plastic stakes were buried at the bottom of a weathered canvas bag, and as Jordi knelt down to rummage through it, Mattie leaned against a nearby wooden stand, watching him with an amused grin.

Mattie: “You know…”

She began, shifting her weight and crossing her ankles.

Mattie: “For a guy who spends so much time looking effortlessly cool, you're actually putting some muscle into this.”

Jordi pulled out the first yellow stake, wiping a layer of fine sand off his palm onto his denim shorts. He stood up, carrying the net over to the court boundary line, his gold chain catching the sunlight. Mattie followed close on his heels, the sand warm beneath her bare feet.

He walked the center line, pulling the top cable of the net taut until the white mesh snapped straight across the sand, perfectly dividing the makeshift court.

Jordi: “All right, I think it’s set up!”

He said, admiring the work he had done.

Mattie: “Thanks, Jordi…”

She purred.

Mattie: “Are you on my team or am I going to have to crush you?”

Mattie took a step backward into the court, her bare toes digging into the warm, powdery sand. She reached up, tossing her mass of orange curls over her shoulder, and gave him a playful, challenging look.

Jordi: “Oh, you want me to play?”

He pointed to himself.

Mattie: “I want to see if you’re actually any good on your feet, as you are with your hands.”

Jordi flushed red at that comment.

Vanessa and Chloe jogged up, kicking up a small cloud of sand. Chloe bounced on the balls of her feet, full of energy.

Chloe: “Yeah, come on!”

She chimed in, grabbing the neon pink volleyball from the side of the court and spinning it on her finger. Minha walked up at a more leisurely pace, adjusting her oversized, neon-green triangle earrings with a chuckle.

Jordi slowly backed up toward the other side of the net.

Jordi: “So you girls are against me, huh?”

He said playfully. Mattie crouched down slightly into a playful receiver's stance, her hands resting on her knees. She gave him one last, lingering wink through her bangs.

Mattie: “Bring it on, Jordi!”

Jordi jogged backward to the baseline, his white sneakers digging into the deep sand before he kicked them off. He picked up the neon pink ball, giving it a quick spin between his palms, his eyes scanning the four girls across the net.

Jordi: “All right, ladies…”

He called out, his voice smooth but carrying a clear competitive edge.

Jordi: “Don't say I didn’t warn you.”

He tossed the ball into the air, his hair catching the wind as he leaped, connecting with a solid, powerful jump serve. The ball zipped over the net, heading straight for the gap between Chloe and Minha.

Chloe dived, her hair flying, and just managed to get a forearm under it, and popped the ball high into the air. Mattie was already moving. She tracked the ball’s arc while monitoring Jordi’s position on the other side. He had moved up to the net, ready to block.

Mattie jumped and tipped the ball gently over his outstretched hands, aiming for the empty space right behind him. He twisted around, lunging backward, but his foot caught in the loose sand and he went down, tumbling onto his back as the ball hit the sand with a soft thud.

A chorus of cheers and laughter erupted from the girls’ side. Vanessa pumped her fist in the air.

Vanessa: “One point for us!”

Jordi pushed himself up to one knee, wiping the sand from his chest and unsnapping the buttons of his tropical shirt. Mattie gazed at his chest, marveling at his toned torso and chest.

The game kicked into high gear. Jordi was a powerhouse on his own, using his height and quick reflexes to cover the court, but the girls had the advantage of numbers and coordination. Vanessa was a wall at the net, Chloe was digging up every low ball, and Minha’s precise serves kept Jordi constantly on the move.

But Mattie made sure she was his primary distraction.

~

By the time the game finished and Jordi won by one point, he had caught his breath and was adjusting his gold chain. He glanced at his watch. It’s almost time for dinner, he thought.

Before he could pull away from the net, she dropped her gaze with a wicked glint in her eyes. Jordi was still completely barefoot. With a lightning-fast drop, Mattie slipped under the bottom wire of the volleyball net and sank into the warm sand right at his feet.

Jordi: “Hey—what are you doing?”

He laughed, blinking down in confusion.

Mattie: “Securing my own victory.”

Without giving him a second to react, she dug her fingers straight into the arches of his bare feet, wiggling her fingernails aggressively against his soles. Jordi’s eyes went wide. A high-pitched, breathless bark of laughter burst from him as he immediately tried to yank his foot back.

Jordi: “WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHAA!!”

He stumbled backward, losing his footing completely in the loose, deep sand. He went down hard on his back for the second time that day, his purple hair flying wild. But Mattie wasn't about to let him escape that easily. She scrambled forward on her knees, tracking his movement, and pinned his ankle down with one hand while her other hand mercilessly tickled his toes.

Jordi: “STAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAP!!”

Jordi choked out, completely defenseless. He writhed in the sand, throwing his head back and laughing so hard his shoulders shook, his unbuttoned shirt flaring out around him. He kicked his legs weakly, his Byzantine eyes watering from laughing.

Jordi: “WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”

Jordi finally managed to twist his leg away, curling his toes into the sand to protect them, gasping for air with a massive, genuine smile on his face.

He sat up, resting his elbows on his knees as he tried to catch his breath, his chest heaving. He looked up at Mattie, who was still kneeling right in front of him, looking incredibly pleased with herself.

Jordi shook his head, feeling a wave of conflicted emotions. He brushed some sand off his feet. Mattie stood up, brushing the sand off her own legs with a satisfied smirk. She looked down at Jordi, who was still sitting in the sand with his floral shirt draped open.

Mattie: “Go gather some wood for a bonfire, Jordi. Show us some of those rugged survival skills.”

Jordi arched an eyebrow, hooking his thumbs back into his denim shorts.

Jordi: “A bonfire, huh? So you want me to do the heavy lifting while you sit back and play the music?”

He smirked.

Mattie: “Exactly.”

She teased, stepping closer until she was just inches away from him, tilting her face up. She reached out, her fingers lightly trailing down the lapel of his shirt, leaving a faint trail of goosebumps.

Mattie: “But if you bring back a really good pile… I might just let you sit next to me by the fire. I’ll even keep my hands away from your feet. Mostly.”

Jordi let out a low chuckle, his gaze dropping to her with a confident, lazy grin.

Jordi: “Sounds good.”

He stepped back, turning toward the edge of the beach where the dunes met the tree line. Mattie smiled as she watched him walk away across the sand.

She walked back over to where Vanessa, Chloe, and Minha were already spreading out a large, neon-striped beach blanket.

Blair crouched in the bushes with Yoshi’s video camera.

Blair: “I got everything I needed!”

He grinned.

Blair: “I knew he would go with Vanessa’s dumb friends. Meanwhile, I still love Ashley despite their fatness because I am so nice!”

He said smugly.