Chloe stirred awake, stretching her limbs as she slowly sat up in bed. The room was quiet except for the faint hum of the air conditioner. Glancing around, she noticed that Tyler and Emily were nowhere in sight. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, then got up to head toward the bathroom.
Without thinking much, Chloe casually swung open the bathroom door. Her eyes went wide for a split second as the scene before her unfolded—Emily and Tyler, completely naked, tangled up in each other. The steam from the shower still lingered in the air, and the sound of heavy breathing filled the small space.
"Oh, well… maybe this is bad timing," Chloe said, a playful smirk creeping onto her face.
Tyler jolted back, scrambling to grab his clothes. "Damn it, Chloe!" he muttered as he hastily pulled on his shirt. He shot Emily a sheepish look before squeezing past Chloe to exit the bathroom, his cheeks flushing crimson.
Emily let out an exasperated sigh, running a hand through her wet hair. "Seriously, Chloe? A little privacy would've been nice."
Chloe burst into laughter, leaning against the bathroom doorframe. "Hey, don't blame me. You're the one who left the door unlocked." She winked. "Besides, I'm not gonna lie—it was kinda hot. Didn't know you had it in you, girl."
Emily felt a deep blush creeping up her neck, and she quickly wrapped herself in a towel. "You ruined the moment, you know," she said, trying to sound annoyed, but there was a hint of amusement in her voice.
Chloe grinned. "Yeah, but I've gotta say, I didn't expect to walk in on a live-action show. If only I had some popcorn." She laughed again, then gave a dramatic sigh. "Man, I wish I had someone like that to… you know, keep me company. But nope, here I am, all by my lonesome."
"Can we not talk about this?" Emily said, feeling her face heat up again. "Let's just get ready. The others are probably already waiting to head down to the lake."
Chloe chuckled and raised her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll shut up… for now."
A few minutes later, they emerged from their room just as the door to the guys' room swung open. Kyle and Jake stepped out, looking more like best friends again, their earlier argument forgotten.
Derek clapped his hands together, his energy renewed. "Alright, crew! It's time to hit the lake," he announced. "We didn't come all this way just to sit around in our rooms, right?"
The group began the short walk down the wooded path that led to the lake, the night air cool and crisp around them. As they reached the water's edge, the glimmering surface of the lake stretched out before them, moonlight shimmering on its dark waters.
"Yo, check it out," Jake said, pointing toward the other side of the lake. The second group of teenagers, the ones they had met earlier at the motel, were already there. The tall, handsome guy was setting up a portable speaker, while the others gathered around a small firepit, talking and laughing.
Derek grinned. "Looks like we're not the only ones with the same idea." He started walking over to join them, and the rest followed.
Chloe glanced at the handsome guy and gave him a friendly smile. "Hey," she said as she approached him. "Looks like we're sharing the lake tonight."
He looked up, flashing a charming grin. "Seems that way. I'm Gavin, by the way," he said, extending a hand.
"Chloe," she replied, shaking his hand. "You come here often?" she joked, giving him a playful look.
Gavin chuckled. "Nah, first time. Just figured I'd check it out since it reopened. Didn't think we'd be making new friends out here, though."
The two groups slowly began to mix, and the atmosphere grew lively with chatter and laughter. Chloe and Gavin talked easily, finding it surprisingly comfortable to joke around. Meanwhile, Emily found herself standing near Tyler, her earlier embarrassment fading as they watched the others mingle. The night had just begun, and despite the strange feeling Emily had earlier, she tried to shake off the unease and enjoy the moment.