When the Sun Goes Down

"Well look who decided to finally wake up this morning," Nicole pointed out over a plate of Belgium waffle and strawberries. Her exclamation caused both Cara and Jesse to turn from where they sat at the kitchen counter and couch.

Jesse rose from the couch, a grin similar to the one Travis had spread across his face. "Waddup, Trav man. How'd you sleep you last night?" He wrapped his arm around his neck, pulling his head to his chest and rubbing his fist in his hair with a noogie. Travis laughed and playfully elbowed him in the stomach.

"Like a baby." Jesse released him and he headed over to the girls, his hair sticking out at all ends and his black shorts hanging below his ass.

"Trav put a shirt on and pull up your shorts, no one wants to see your scrawny ass," Nicole said with a mouthful of waffle.

"I beg to differ," he laughed and reached over her shoulder, grabbing a piece of waffle and tossing it in his mouth before she could yell at him.

"Get your own, Trav," she shouted and swatted at him. He smiled and walked around the counter, stopping at where Cara sat over her own plate of food.

"I bet Cara'll share with me," he slid his arms around her chest and hugged her from behind. He pushed his lips into her cheek, making obnoxious kissing noises.

"What the hell are you doing?" Nicole barked from across the counter, her jaw practically on the floor.

"Kissing my girlfriend?" He acted like it was common knowledge and she was dumb for not knowing.

"What? Since when!?" She hopped up from the counter in excitement.

"Since now," he turned his head so he could see Cara's face and she smiled to him in reassurement.

"I knew it would happen! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" She ran and wrapped her arms around both them.

"Finally it's out." Jesse sauntered into the kitchen.

"You knew?" Cara and Nicole shouted in unison, both turning their heads to look at him. "You told Jesse and not me?" Nicole slapped Travis on the arm.

"No, he figured out on his own." Travis threw his hands up defensively.

"Does it matter guys? Let's celebrate." Jesse walked away and reappeared with an enormous bottle of champagne in one hand and 4 glasses in the other. "Parent's secret stash." He smiled like a little kid on Christmas.

"At 10 in the morning...I like the sound of that!" Travis grabbed a glass and waited for Jesse to pop the cap off and pour him a cup. He handed the glass to Cara and then waited for another. Once he had his glass, he pulled Cara over to the couch with him, leaving Jesse and Nicole alone in the kitchen.

"Want one?" He asked, holding up the champagne bottle.

"No," she muttered and practically ran to her room, slamming the door behind her.

~~~~~~~

Half an hour later, the four of them were trotting through the hotel lobby with towels and beach bags thrown over their shoulders and intrigued looks on their faces. Jesse watched the other three and smiled to himself as they looked left and right, taking everything in. They agreed to go to the beach first, and stopped to grab some drinks on the way.

The day couldn't have been worse for Nicole. She was already in a bad mood to begin with, and the fact that she had practically lost the girl she was supposed to go out and meet guys with to her brother was pretty upsetting. Not to mention that it left her having to hang around Jesse, the last person on earth she wanted to talked to. It also didn't help that he was being overly nice to her, mainly because he wanted to piss her off more. She also hadn't heard from her parents, and without her mom she had no one to vent to.

Leaning back on her lounge chair, she put her headphones into her ears and flicked her sunglasses onto the top of her head. She might as well take advantage of what she did have, and that was sunlight, free drinks, and a perfect body to enjoy them with. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she felt thick arms wrap around her stomach and lift her right off her chair.

She immediately knew it was Jesse. Although he had her draped over his shoulder in a fireman carry, she could see his white, brown, and light blue bathingsuit trunks. She slapped at him, yelling "Put me down, Jesse! I'm serious." But he ignored her and carried her into the waveless, clear blue ocean and tossed her as far as he could. She stood up, coughing and rubbing at her eyes. "You're such a jerk." She glared at him, and then shot a dirty look at Cara and Travis, who were laughing loudly at her. Of course, Cara's legs wrapped around Travis's waist and after a few seconds of laughter, they turned back their attention to each other.

Before she said something she didn't want to, she stomped out of the ocean, slamming her hand hard into Jesse's shoulder as she passed him. He watched her go, wishing he hadn't done it. She was already mad at him, and he had no idea why. God how hot she was when she was mad. Even hotter when she was mad in that tiny little white bikini she had on. He watched her grab a towel and head off the beach. Glancing at a busy Cara and Travis, he decided to go after her.

"Pina Colada," she said to the bartender. She would have gotten something stronger, but she wasn't really up to par with her alcoholic beverages.

"Make that two," a voice said next to her. She turned to find a decent looking guy standing only a few centimeters higher than her. "On me," he lifted up his shades and winked.

"Thanks," she said with a half-hearted smile. She wasn't really in the mood to be hit on and she didn't have to pay anyway, but she decided she'd be nice. He wasn't a bad looking guy. His skin was reddish-tan and his body was pretty built. His sandy blonde hair was shaggy, and he looked and talked like a surfer.

"I'm Jason," he stuck out his hand to shake hers.

"Nicole," she reluctantly grabbed his hand and shook it.

"Two Pina Coladas," the bartender slid the drinks across the counter and smiled.

"Thank you, Dominic," Jason said smoothly.

"Anything for you Mr. Jason." The bartender smiled and headed for another customer.

"Wow, on a first name basis with the bartender?" She said, raising an eyebrow.

"I've come here since I was in diapers. My family is pretty good friends with the Lamores."

"Oh really, do you know Jesse Buchanan?"

"Yea, me and him are pretty good friends. In fact, he's right over there." He looked past her and to the left and waved to where Jesse stood, glaring at them. Nicole turned and slightly waved, but he only shook his head to her and walked away, clearly pissed off. "Are you his girlfriend or something?"

"No, he's my brother's friend."

"Good." Jason smiled.

Jesse couldn't believe what he had just saw. Jason Triaste talking to Nicole...no, flirting wth Nicole. He always somehow managed to take his girls from him. He was a liar and was always up to something. Even when they were younger, he'd do something and blame it on Jesse. He was the 'friend' that his long lost girlfriend had been screwing behind his back, and now he was going to sweep in and take Nicole right out from under him. Well, he wished she was under him. If Nicole figured out who he was, he was sure she'd get with Jason just to make him mad. He grabbed his towel and and bag and headed over to the basketball courts, it was the best way for him to blow off some steam.