Page 55 of Best Vacation Ever

Night Three of Cuba

Lori

Tonight is a perfect night to leave the resort and go to a local club, La Cueva. At least, that’s according to Faye, who has experience with these kinds of things, thanks to her fake ID.

It’s only a little humid out, so I leave my hair down instead of braiding it since it won’t frizz too badly. We’re walking on the sidewalk beside the road because the club is only five minutes away. The night is calm, and a few cars drive by. As they do, I stare at their beauty; they all seem perfectly preserved from the fifties.

We walk a few feet behind Kiara, Anaya, and Priyasha, with the guys following along behind us.

“I can’t believe Alessio invited them,” Faye huffs, glaring at the girls ahead of us.

“Don’t be mean,” I reply, nudging her with my shoulder.

“You just don’t want Kellan to flirt with Kiara.” Plus, they’re nice, but I’m sure Faye doesn’t want to hear that right now.

The three girls ran into us as we were leaving the beach after our volleyball game. They overheard us talking about heading to a club off the resort this evening, so we invited them. I think it’s fine, the more the merrier, but Faye’s a little salty about Kiara and Kellan, even if she refuses to tell me.

“I don’t own him,” she mutters sourly, adjusting her shirt as we walk.

She borrowed my white crop top to wear tonight, but she fills it out much better than I ever could. She’s shorter and curvier than I am, so I try not to feel like a twelve-year-old standing beside her in my blue halter top and shorts.

Faye glances back, probably to check out Kellan, and I follow her movement, but when Adam stares back at her, she swings her gaze back to me.

“Would it really be so bad,” I say, treading carefully, “if Adam found out about you and Kellan?”

For a full five seconds, she stares at me like I’ve grown a second head before saying, “Are you serious? Adam would kill me. Plus, there is no ‘me and Kellan.’”

There issoa her and Kellan, but she doesn’t want to admit to herself how much she likes him. “I don’t think Adam would mind if you got with Kellan.”

Her mouth drops open. “Did you say something to him?”

“What? No! Of course not! I didn’t say anything!” When she breathes out in relief, I continue, “All I’m saying is you wouldn’t be so stressed trying to hide everything if you came clean.”

“I’m not saying anything to Adam because there is no me and Kellan. Plus, Adam already hates me, even more after what happened with Zach, and I don’t want to give him another reason to do so.” She straightens her spine to stand taller before I can argue with her. “So, screw Kellan. I’m going to find another guy to take my mind off him tonight, if you know what I mean.”

I know exactly what that means. I resist the urge to groan.

“Can you at least put the ‘do not disturb’ sign up, so I don’t walk into anything?” I wonder how long I’ll have to sit out in the hall tonight. Maybe I can hang out with Dean and Dylan again like last night.

“Yes, I promise. Are you excited for your first time in a club?” she asks. She’s been going to clubs back home since someone made her a fake ID, but I was too chicken to get one with her.

My parents would’ve grounded me for eternity.

“Yes,” I answer. “Plus Dylan promised he wouldn’t drink as much as last night.”

“Dylan lied.”

“I certainly hope not. I don’t know how we’ll carry him back to the resort from here.”

“That’s whatDeanis for.” She waggles her eyebrows as she glances back at him, and I grab her arm to pull her front-facing again. She’s so obvious!

“Stop that!”

“What? Don’t you think he lookshottonight? We should tell him you think so.” She takes a deep breath and turns around, shouting, “Hey, Dean! Lori thinks—”

I cut her off by shoving her and pulling her to face forward.

She erupts into laughter as my own face heats.