Room switch. Victoria wonders what. Heather wonders why. Taylor wonders what next.

"Yeah," Victoria said. "Suddenly Madison said that she needed me to switch with Zack, and Brandon and Ashley backed her up."

Gavin raised his eyebrows. "Something must have happened," he said.

Chloe's cheeks flushed pink. "They had sex," she said. "That's what, I bet."

Gavin frowned. "Zack and... Madison? I thought he liked Victoria. Or...um." Or you, Chloe, I thought you and Zack were gonna be my One True Pairing.

"Oh?" Victoria said. Her lips twisted into a sideways pout. "Oh."

Gavin could practically see the gears grinding in Victoria's head. Maybe he could offer something else for her to grind on.

"Zack said you like mysteries," Gavin said. "Do you have an e-book reader? Or you could borrow mine, I have an extra."

Victoria gave Gavin a blank stare. After a moment her mental gears re-engaged. "Yeah," she said. "That would be nice."

"I'm, ah, going to go sit on the deck," Chloe said. "Maybe take a little walk, just nearby." She didn't want to look at anyone's face or talk to anyone right now.

"Okay," Gavin said. "I think they were going to start getting dinner put together in an hour and a half."

Gavin sat next to Victoria and showed her how to select the MYSTERIES list on the e-book reader. Ten minutes later she was happily lost in the plot of the one Gavin suggested.

Heather was sitting on the bed in the bedroom with Taylor and Hannah. Hannah was inspecting her face with a hand mirror, a pair of tweezers in the other hand.

"For once you're using that mirror for its regular purpose," Taylor said.

"Its regular purpose is sex education," Hannah said. "That's why it was in the bag with the rest of our kit. Usually it's for looking at your other lips." Hannah tilted her head, holding the mirror to look at her chin from one side, then the other. She straightened her head, sighed with satisfaction, and put the mirror back.

"In the living room," Heather said. "Madison was bouncing up and down in Zack's lap, excuse me, on his dick, in the living room."

Hannah grinned. "That's some Spring Break energy for sure," she said.

Taylor frowned. "That's really irresponsible of Zack," she said.

"I haven't heard any screaming or breaking crockery," Hannah said. "I mean."

Taylor shook her head. "I just don't want anyone to get hurt, you know? And I especially don't want Zack to hurt anyone."

Heather sighed. "I think this was Madison's idea. I don't know if she had a crush on him and jumped, or if this is a caper to get Brandon off her ass," she said. She spread her hands. "Or to rub his nose in you're not the boss of me."

"I hope it works," Hannah said.

"I hope it doesn't turn into a dumpster fire," Taylor said.

"Brandon and Ashley and Zack and Madison are all in the same room now," Heather said. "They all agreed. You think you know a person, being on the team together, talking in the locker room, and then." Heather shrugged. "I don't know, maybe Ashley put Madison up to it."

"I think it was just impulse," Hannah said. "Catch me, Zack!"

"You know that it must have happened right after I caught Zack peeping through the door at us," Taylor said.

"Oh ho ho!" Hannah said.

"What?" Heather said.

"We didn't start the fire..." Hannah sang. "Or maybe we did, sugarbees." She winked at Taylor.

Heather's face flushed red. "So Zack saw me...?"

"Your mouth is hanging open, Heather," Hannah said. "There must be something better to do with it."

Taylor broke out into a laugh. "Sorry, Heather," she said. "Hannah was just trying to snap me out of it."

Heather looked from one to the other of the "not girlfriends" she was sharing a room with. The ones she had just shared a hot threesome with. Her face felt like it didn't know what expression to put on.

"I think we're gonna have to be in cruise director mode for this evening," Hannah said. "Like when the freshmen show up at the dorms."

Taylor nodded. "La la-la LA la-la la, Hanners," she sang. She looked to Heather. "If that's all right. I mean, you're the host."

Heather nodded. "Hmm." She considered. "Whatever," she said. "I expect everyone to behave like decent human beings at least."

Hannah looked to Taylor. "You think?"

"There's hope," Taylor said. "Goddammit Zack."

Hannah shrugged. "Well, on a cruise, you don't have to go to a formal dinner seating. You can just load a plate at the buffet if it comes to that."

Heather chuckled. "Nobody hates each other, at least."

"No way, Zack?" Kurt said to Lisa. "Doing it for an audience? My man is bold. Brash, even. I'm impressed. What did you s-?"

Lisa hissed out a breath. "Don't ask me for the details," she said. "But that's why Victoria and Zack are switching."

"I understand why there's a little color in your cheeks, now," Kurt said. "You need a little alone time?"

"Kurt!"

"Just asking," he said. "Can't I be a good roommate?" He spread his hands wide and made an oh-shucks face.

Lisa couldn't help but laugh.

"Um, no," Lisa said. "I'll go look and see if dinner needs any early prep."

"It's pizzas, what's to do?" Kurt said. "I mean, it's not too early for a beer, if you take it slow."

"Later," Lisa said.

"La-" Kurt began. The door to the hall closed behind Lisa. "-ter," he finished. "Huh, I bet she's all cranked up from watching her old boyfriend's dick in action. Mercy, mercy, mercy me."

His nose wrinkled, finally figuring out the scents that had followed Lisa in. Nail polish and popcorn? Funny combination. Girls' slumber party, maybe. He shrugged and started laying out his options. He'd give Lisa every opportunity to throw herself at him, if she needed something to take her mind off the drama around her ex, but he wasn't going to give her any trouble as a roommate. Why be the asshole when it looked like someone else might have that covered? Zacky, Zacky, heh. Now, if he was going to make a play for someone, he thought that Vicky gal was giving off the right kind of vibes. Chloe, eh, same as Lisa, don't push her, but don't push her away if she's open. That Vicky gal, now, hmm. She might be worth a play.

"Maddie was watching us," Brandon told Ashley. "You and me, that time." He explained how Madison had coached Zack into the same position, guiding his finger between her buttocks, just like Ash had asked him for.

Ashley's mouth quirked into a crooked smile. "I'll have what she's having," she said, putting a hand up to stifle a giggle. "At least she'll be where you can keep an eye on her."

"Ash," Brandon protested.

"I don't mind," Ashley said. "It's not like I haven't seen your sister naked in the cheerleader dressing room. Looking isn't cheating."

Brandon gulped. Ash had said exactly what Lisa had said while they were watching his sister and Lisa's ex having sex in the living room.

"What? What did I say?" Ashley said.

"No, yeah, you're right," Brandon said. "Looking isn't cheating."

"I'm glad you agree," Ashley said. She tilted her chin up and pulled Brandon in for a kiss.

Brandon couldn't help but wonder if Ashley had been the one to catch Zack and Madison together, whether she would have stuck around to watch the climax. Yes. Just like her big sister Hannah, Ash would have watched to the finish. Brandon wondered if he should have stayed to see his sister get off on Zack's cock. Yes? No! Yes? Maybe?

Maybe he still could. Looking isn't cheating.

"Less thinking, more kissing," Ashley complained.

Room Update

Master bedroom: Brandon, Ashley with Ashley's BFF Victoria Brandon's sister Madison and Madison's sudden Friends With Benefits partner Zack.
Lake bedroom: Heather, Taylor, and Hannah.
Small bedroom 1: Gavin, Zack Victoria, and Chloe.
Small bedroom 2: Lisa and Kurt.