Our parents were at the hotel already, sitting on white lounge chairs that faced the beach just outside of the rooms. They had already cracked open some beers, were laughing over some college story it sounded like when Beau and I arrived.

“There they are, we were starting to think you got lost,” Dad teased, smacking me playfully in the stomach. He swiped a card key from the small table between him and Mom. “Here. You guys are actually two doors down.”

Beau and I must have caught the same two words seeing as we both said, “What?”

“You guys?” I added, holding the single card key of potential doom.

“Yeah, we got a double room for us and a single for you. It was cheaper,” Mom explained like it was no big deal, although she was making it even worse! “You’ve shared a bed before.”

“When we were, like, seven!”

“So?”

“So!” I didn’t actually have an explanation other than; I don’t want to and I hate the fucker so obviously I don’t want to share a bed!

Beau wasn’t helping either. The hope drained from his eyes. He looked like someone pissed in a glass and he only realized after taking a drink.

“Room 104.” Aunt Zoey tossed the car keys. “Your bags are still in the car though because I ain’t workin’ extra on vacation.”

Beau narrowly caught said keys, fumbling with them once seeing as he, too, was in shock. But there was no turning back and, because I was a sucker for punishment, I asked, “Our plan is to be here a week, right?”

All nodded.

“Then we’re heading to a beach down south and the castle afterwards, so two more hotels?”

More nods.

“Are Beau and I sharing a bed there too?”

Nods. All fucking nods.

Beau breathed quietly under his breath when he turned to walk away, “Damn it.”

Well, there was something else we agreed on because he took the words right out of my mouth.

There was no discussion between the van and the room. Pretty sure neither of us even acknowledged the single bed until all our belongings were packed in. Then we glared as if that would somehow cut the bed in half, which obviously never happened. Where was Cyclops when you needed him?

The place was cozy, the typical sort of beach locale, I think, with white boarded walls like the planks of a ship and a soft pale blue comforter. There were a handful of fluffy pillows with seashell details on the bed. Those same seashell details matched the few knick knacks scattered throughout the room on the two end stands, the TV stand, and the desk. There was even a little mini-fridge and microwave. Directly across from the door was a bathroom, nearly all white save for tiles along the center wall with more seashells. The towels and shower curtain were the same pale blue as the comforter to add a splash of color.

“I call the left side.” I swiftly rounded the bed to the side away from the window.

“I get first shower then.” The bathroom door slammed shut behind him.

I mocked Beau once he was gone, childishly prancing around the room. I was half tempted to kick his bag if I wasn’t fearful of the possibly expensive camera equipment within. My parents surely wouldn’t let me get away without paying him back for it so his belongings were safe, for now.

With my phone plugged in to charge, I finally acknowledged the group chat with my friends, smirking at the handful of messages that were sent sometime earlier when I feel asleep in the car;

Anthony: Twenty bucks Beau’s body is found in a ditch by the end of the trip
Who’s in?

Niel: I’m putting twenty on Devin getting whacked.
Dude is way more annoying ;D

Gwen: I say they’re both dead because their parents drown them in the ocean. If I had to put up with the two of them on vacation, I’d surely get rid of them both.

Devin: Your faith in me is most appreciated, dear friends. I am here to inform you that no one has died yet
HOWEVER!
This may change soon as I have discovered something that will certainly spell our doom.

Gwen: dooooo telllll

Anthony: Color me intrigued.
Go on.

Devin: Since the room was cheaper…
Our parents got us one room with one bed.

Niel: Wow, I expected you were gonna get whacked, but not in that way.
Save thy ass for marriage.
Do not give in to sin, my child.

Gwen: The hate fuck will be intensssssseeeee

Anthony: After you’re beat
Give the deets
Let us know what happened in the sheets

Devin: I hope you all die.
THIS IS SERIOUS!!!! LKDSAJFLSKDJ

Niel: oop, he mad cause it tru
But seriously that sucks, please don’t get whacked

Anthony: How’s dickwad taking it?
And I don’t mean that sexually

Gwen: He probably needs it sexually since I bet he’s in a piss poor mood

Devin: No shit. We agreed on a truce to spare ourselves and our parents these two weeks, but you know how we are

Anthony: Not like you have to hang out during the day though, right?

Gwen: There’s others at the beach, swim, hang out, steer clear so you only see each other at night

Niel: what they said ^ lol
Find a stranger and spend the night with them instead ;D

I hesitated to respond; the thought lingering in the back of my mind like a heavy weight.

Find a stranger? Honestly...I would if I could. One night stands weren’t my thing, never were. Sex in general was almost a foreign concept that others spoke of vehemently while I struggled to keep up, to fit in. Not to say I didn’t always enjoy sex or never wanted some. My one and only girlfriend, Stacia, who was a close friend prior and was luckily all of my firsts, was the only one I could say I actually, honestly, enjoyed having sex with. Sometimes I wondered if we’d still be together if she didn’t move across the country last year. However, since her, there hadn’t been a time where I really wanted sex? Or enjoyed it?

Twice I hooked up with girls. Twice there was alcohol. Twice I went through the motions, was happy they enjoyed it, only to realize afterwards that what I felt was vastly different than what others did.

And, wow, the notion of sleeping with a stranger or obsessing over celebs, I never got that. They were attractive in the sense that they were visually appealing, but if given the chance to sleep with one? I’d say no in a heartbeat. And that also applied to the so-called hot people I met in day to day life. 

Sometimes I desperately wished my brain would shut up and let my nether regions do the talking, something others didn’t seem to struggle with nearly as much. Have one night stands, be capable of sleeping with someone on the first date without alcohol or overthinking every damn thing, or be able to crack jokes with friends without worrying they’ll somehow see right through my lies.

Sometimes I wished I had the courage to be myself.

The bathroom door swung open with an abrupt thud. Beau stepped out dressed in boxers and an open side tank top. Ruffling the damp locks of his hair with a towel, he took a silent seat on the edge of the bed. Although nothing was said, the air was thick enough to choke on. My previous thoughts were set aside.

Devin: gtg my turn to get a shower and gonna try to sleep
Updates will be given tomorrow

Niel: don’t forget condoms

Gwen: you could delve into the world of BDSM and claim it was accidental choking?

Anthony: *spits tea*
HA!

Devin: Die, assholes

I clicked off before my useless friends could piss me off further. They always teased because, well, I always teased and karma is a bitch. What else were friends for? Beau and I have been stuck to each other like glue since birth because of our parents so he was easy ammunition. Now we were stuck even closer, sharing a bed for two weeks when we could barely share a room.

“Hurry up,” he growled. “I’m not putting up with you clamoring around all night. I want some decent sleep.”

“Don’t get your panties in a bunch. I’ve been dead quiet since we got here,” I argued, huffing when I hopped off the bed to grab my own clothes.

He finished drying his long mane, moving on to briefly dry the faded undercut when I entered the bathroom. A single eye pierced me beneath the towel when I scowled and said, “I’m not happy about this either so don’t take your frustration out on me.”

“Whatever.”

He threw the damp towel at my face. I caught it with a hissed curse, threatening to reply with a hit of my own, but he was already crawling under the covers. The grumbling lump settled, breathing evening out almost instantly. I wasn’t sure if he fell asleep that fast or not, but I made sure to be quiet after getting out of the shower.

We fell asleep with our backs to each other and enough space for another to fit between us.

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