*Thump* *Thump* *Smack*

*Thump* *Thump* *Smack* *Smack* *Giggle*

*Thud* *Smack* *Smack*

Green eyes shot open. Anna sucked in a deep breath as she adjusted to her surroundings. Soft sheets lay tangled around her right arm and leg beneath the thick comforter. Heavy curtains blocked any sun that might have entered the room. The pounding on the door continued and she knew any second one of the four other people on this little trip would be ramming down the door. She moved to sit up but felt something heavy across her stomach.

“Just pretend you can’t hear,” a gravely grunt replied from underneath a pillow beside her.

Quickly running a self conscious hand over her hair and pulling it back up into a ponytail with the rubber band around her wrist Anna pulled Justin’s arm off of her stomach and kicked back the covers. “I’m already awake.” She hissed when the cool air of the room hit her burnt skin and she reached for her sweatshirt that was laying on top of her suitcase. Quickly unlatching the chain and unlocking the door Anna pulled it open just in time before the two people on the other side of the door launched into another round of knocking.

“Anna Banana,” Zoe cried engulfing the girl in a hug, “we thought you were dead.”

“What time is it,” Anna asked rubbing the back of her hand over her eyes as they adjusted to the light in the hallway.

“That is the least of our worries,” Tani replied peering into the room as Anna stood dead center in the doorway.

“What? Why? What happened,” Anna rushed unsure if something really had happened since they were banging on the door like madmen.

“Oh, you know, just Trace and Kendall, spending the night together,” Zoe nonchalantly answered.

“Wait, what!?” Anna cried out, and then remembered Justin was still trying to sleep. “What,” she whispered.

“Oh, yeah,” Tani said with a roll of her eyes, “note to self: don’t stay next to Trace again.”

“Do they even like each other like that,” Anna choked out.

Zoe shrugged, “Apparently they did last night.”

“I don’t beli-” Anna started when the door across the hall opened. The three girls stood in silence as Kendall slowly shut the door behind her. Her nearly always perfect hair was a tangled off-centered bun. One shoe hung loosely from each hand.

“Hey Ken,” Zoe smarted.

Kendall shot around. “Hi.”

“Looks like you had fun with your cuddle buddy. Tani wouldn’t let me cuddle.” Zoe gave the girl beside her a light shove.

With a shrug Kendall replied, “Yeah, I guess. You know Tani doesn’t cuddle with anyone anyway.”

“This is true,” Tani put in. “So, eating?”

“Well-” Kendall started before Zoe cut her off.

“To the continental breakfast it is. Anna, you coming?”

Anna shook her head, “No thanks. I’m not really hungry.”

“Suit yourself,” Tani answered already making her way down the hallway, “I need some carbs to ward off this stinking hangover. Remind me to smack Trace when he wakes up.”

“Done and done,” Kendall said linking arms with the other two. She turned over her shoulder and yelled out to Anna. “Remind me to tell you what I found out last night.”

Trying to stay composed Anna waved to them then turned quickly back into the room. She slumped onto the bed and squeezed her eyes shut. Trace and Kendall? What the hell! She felt a knot forming in her throat and turned onto her side. Pulling her knees up under her chin she wrapped her arms around herself and stared at the wall. It shouldn’t bother her, she knew that. But she had started to think maybe she and Trace were working their way past the flirting stage and possibly into something else. Her brain started working itself up and overanalyzing everything.

“It’s fucking freezing in here,” Justin whined next to her. She didn’t respond. “Anna? Did you leave?”

She heard a chuckle and realized it was her own voice. Before she knew it she was full out laughing. Beside her Justin pulled his head out from under the pillow and looked at her in confusion.

“What is so funny? Damn.” He rolled over onto his side so he could rest his head on the pillow but still look at Anna.

Laying on her back Anna turned toward him, “Would I have answered if I had left?”

“Huh?” His eyes were closed again.

“Nevermind,” Anna answered. Tentatively she reached over and gave him a small, one armed hug. “I needed a good laugh this morning.”

“Uh huh,” Justin mumbled latching his arm around her, forcing her head against his shoulder. “Now keep me warm Annester. I’m not used to waking up without someone next to me.”

“Oh please,” Anna groaned in mock protest. “What if I wanted to get up and do something?”

Justin pulled back, eyes fully open now. “Like what? Go surfing in the sun? Anna, right here in this room in this bed is the safest place you are going to go today.”

Letting her arms relax and placing her head on his chest she sighed in defeat. “You’re probably right.”

“Yo Ken, grab me another one of those omlettey things,” Zoe pleaded from her seat in the intimate lobby. Most of the tiny hotel’s guests were gone and the hotel staff was starting to clean up the breakfast so the girls were getting all they could before it was gone.

Kendall balanced her bowl in one hand and pulled out another plate. “You two should be doing my bidding today.”

Zoe exchanged a look with Tani. “Please, you know it wouldn’t have worked any other way.”

Placing the food in front of Zoe, Kendall protested, “Doesn’t mean I had to enjoy it.”

Tani laughed under her breath. “We probably should buy her a spa treatment or something. Cuz God knows I wouldn’t be locked in a room with Trace all night.”

“Oh my gosh,” Kendall burst out, “you have no idea! I needed a freaking gas mask. And I think you owe me more than a spa treatment. I’m thinking Bentley.” She beamed and bit into her bagel.

“Girl please,” Zoe waved her off with her glass of orange juice.

Tani chewed her granola quickly before taking a sip of water. “But it worked. Did you see her face?”

“Oh man,” the darkest of the three nodded, “I kinda feel a little guilty. It looked like her dog just died or something.”

“But be honest,” Tani reasoned, “We’re saving her in the long run. I mean, it’s Trace.”

“This is true,” Kendall answered using one of Tani’s favorite phrases.

“Again,” Justin demanded when the knocking on the door started again. This time he was the one who had to pull the sleeping figure off his stomach before pulling back the blankets. He looked into the peep hole and groaned. He pulled the door open and crossed his arms. “Can you not read?”

Trace’s eyes widened. He didn’t know how to comprehend the situation so he replied in the only logical way he could. “What?”

Justin pointed to the sign on the door, “Do not disturb. Look. There’s even a picture for you.”

“Where’s Anna?” Trace asked giving the sign a flick to show he didn’t really care what it said.

One hand reached to lean against the doorframe and the other scratched his bare stomach, “Sleeping.”

“Still?”

“Yes still. The girls came in and woke us up about an hour ago. Can I go back to sleep now?”

Trace tried to look around Justin into the room, “Oh. Um. Well.”

“Yes?”

Trace slumped in his spot. “What are we doing today?”

Justin shrugged. “I planned on staying inside most of the day.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” Justin answered.

“So no beach?”

Justin was tired and cranky and not in the mood for this. Trace was a grown man and could decide what he wanted to do for himself. “Do whatever you want Trace. I’m not going out until later. Anna’s probably going to stick with me since she had too much sun yesterday anyway.”

“Oh.”

“We’ll come and find you later and do something tonight, okay?”

Trace didn’t really have a choice, “Sure.”

“Ok. Night,” Justin answered stepping back into the room and swinging the door shut on Trace.

The shorter man stood looking at the door for a few minutes unsure of what had just happened The more he thought about what had just happened, the more he remembered that this trip was supposed to be all about Justin apologizing for spending the night with Anna.

“Oh Tracey,” a girly voiced called down the hallway. “You’re room is across the hall.”

“I know that,” Trace spat.

“Oh, whoa,” Zoe stopped in her tracks, “Someone is Pms-ing.” Trace flicked her off. “Now is that any way to treat the person who brought you the last chocolate chip muffin?” Trace took the muffin and started pulling back the wrapper.

“You’re welcome Zoe. You’re the best,” Tani spoke in her best attempt at a deep voice from behind Trace’s back.

“Why thank you Trace,” Zoe teased back giving his shoulder a pat. “Anything for my best guy, huh?”

“So,” Kendall asked tapping her fingers against her thighs, “Beach round number two?”

“What else,” Tani asked sliding her key through the slot and pushing the heavy door open. Trace’s eyes wandered back to the door across from his.

“What else.”

“Ewwww,” Anna sputtered sitting up. She felt Justin’s hand slip from her back to her waist while he laughed. “No, honestly, I didn’t even know a stomach could make that much noise. You should have that checked out Jay.”

“I guess we should eat, huh?” He pulled himself up into a sitting position against the headboard and reached for the room service menu.

Anna crossed her legs in front of her and nodded in agreement. She finally caught sight of the alarm clock behind Justin and gasped. “It’s two o’clock!”

“No wonder I’m hungry,” Justin answered. “I wonder if their macaroni is good. Should I try it?”

Anna shrugged and scooted next to him so she could read the menu too. “I think we need that.” She pointed to a picture of a strawberry sundae.

“For lunch?”

“It’s lunner,” Anna stated.

“It’s what?”

Anna took a deep breath before explaining, “You know. Lunner. Lunch and dinner. Like brunch, but later in the day.”

“How does ice cream sundae’s fit into that?” Justin asked unsure.

“It doesn’t. It just looks good.”

Justin laughed. “Ok. Well how about you have real food and then if you’re a good girl I’ll get you a sundae.”

Anna folder her hands and batted her eyes, “But Justin, I’m always a good girl.”

“Bah. I don’t believe that for a second,” he chortled.