Under the Boardwalk, We'll Be Fallin' In Love

The echoes of the fireworks still lingered in the air as Turner and Abby's lips parted. A soft, almost breathless silence fell between them, broken only by the gentle whir of the Ferris wheel as it began its descent.

Abby's cheeks flushed, a mix of surprise and a warm, undeniable pleasure swirling within her. She averted her gaze for a moment, then looked back at Turner, her eyes searching his.

"Wow," she breathed, a small, slightly shaky laugh escaping her lips. "I... I wasn't expecting that."

Turner's gaze was soft, his expression a mixture of tenderness and a hint of nervous anticipation. "Me neither," he admitted, his voice low. "But... it felt right."

He reached out, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Did... did I misread things?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of uncertainty.

Abby's heart fluttered. She met his gaze, a genuine smile spreading across her face. "No," she said softly. "You didn't misread anything. I agree, it felt... really right."

A wave of relief washed over Turner's face, his smile widening. "Good," he said, his voice laced with warmth.

"You know," Abby began, trepidatiously. "I've been... wanting to do that for a while now."

"Oh yeah?" Turner teased, raising an eyebrow. "Even though I'm your sister's boyfriend?"

The Ferris wheel continued its gentle descent, the lights of the amusement park blurring below them. Abby's smile turned slightly mischievous.

"Well," she said, her voice dropping to a playful whisper, "rules are meant to be... bent, aren't they?"

Turner chuckled, a low rumble in his chest. "Especially in this place," he agreed, his gaze lingering on her lips. "But seriously, Abby, I..." He paused, searching for the right words. "I care about Becca. A lot. And I wouldn't want to hurt her."

Abby's expression softened. "I know," she said, her voice sincere. "And I wouldn't want to hurt her either. But... this feels different. It's not about hurting Becca, or anyone else. It's about... us."

She reached out, her fingers tracing the line of his jaw. "And besides," she added, her eyes twinkling, "she gave me her blessing."

Turner's brow furrowed slightly. "She did?" he asked, a hint of surprise in his voice. "When?"

"Earlier," Abby replied, a small smile playing on her lips. "She insisted I come on this date. Said I needed a break. And... she said to tell you hi."

"That's... surprising," Turner admitted, a mixture of confusion and relief washing over him. "She seemed pretty adamant about having this date herself."

"She was," Abby said, nodding. "But she also knows how much I wanted to come. How much I... enjoy spending time with you."

"That doesn't extend to kissing though," Turner pointed out.

"Yeah, but I didn't start that," Abby countered. "That's all on you."

The Ferris wheel reached the bottom, the gentle whirring coming to a stop. They stepped out of the gondola, the sounds of the amusement park returning to their ears.

"So," Turner began, his voice laced with a hint of playful nervousness, "what happens now?"

Abby shrugged, her eyes sparkling. "That's up to us, isn't it?" she asked, her voice light. "We could go on more rides, or get some more cotton candy. Or... we could just walk and talk."

"Walk and talk sounds good," Turner said, his gaze fixed on her. "I think we have a lot to talk about."

They began walking along the brightly lit pathways, the sounds of laughter and music fading into the background.

"So," Abby began, breaking the comfortable silence, "what were you thinking when you kissed me?"

Turner chuckled, a hint of blush coloring his cheeks. "Honestly? I wasn't thinking much at all," he admitted. "It just... happened. It felt like the most natural thing in the world."

"Me too," Abby confessed, her gaze meeting his. "It was like... a spark. A connection."

"A connection that might complicate things," Turner amended, his voice laced with a hint of worry.

"Maybe," Abby conceded. "But some things are worth the risk, aren't they?"

"Risk," Turner repeated, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "This whole place is a risk, isn't it? Every relationship, every challenge, every… transformation." He gestured vaguely around them, encompassing the brightly lit park, the distant hotel, their surreal reality. "So, what's one more?"

Abby smiled, a warmth spreading through her chest. "Exactly," she said, her voice soft. "Besides, we're not exactly strangers to complicated situations, are we?"

"No," Turner agreed, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "We've certainly had our fair share." He paused, his gaze drifting towards the twinkling lights of a nearby carousel. "Do you think… Becca will be okay with this?"

Abby sighed, her smile fading slightly. "I think she will," she said, her voice sincere. "She loves you, Turner. And she loves me. She knows we wouldn't do anything to intentionally hurt her. Plus, there's that clause in there about how she won't be jealous about what you do anymore,"

"But what about things other than jealousy?" Turner asked, his voice laced with concern. "What if she feels betrayed?"

"We'll talk to her," Abby said, her voice firm. "We'll explain how we feel. And we'll make sure she knows that our relationships with her hasn't changed."

"And what about… everyone else?" Turner asked, his gaze drifting towards the distant hotel. "What will they think?"

"Honestly?" Abby shrugged. "I don't really care. We can't live our lives worrying about what other people think. Especially here. That seemed to be Sara's belief when you did whatever with her a few days ago."

"That's… a refreshing perspective," Turner admitted, a hint of amusement in his voice. "I tend to overthink things."

"I know," Abby teased, nudging him playfully. "That's why we balance each other out."

They walked in comfortable silence for a moment, the sounds of the amusement park fading into a gentle hum.

"You know," Turner began, his voice thoughtful, "this is the most… normal I've felt in a while."

"Me too," Abby agreed, her gaze fixed on the brightly lit pathways. "It's nice to just… be us. Without the cameras, without the challenges, without Kendra."

"Speaking of Kendra," Turner said, a hint of worry creeping into his voice, "do you think she saw us?"

Abby chuckled, a low, mischievous sound. "Probably," she said. "But so what? What's she going to do, turn us into matching amusement park mascots?"

Turner laughed, the tension easing from his shoulders. "That's… actually a terrifying thought."

"Matching amusement park mascots," Abby repeated, a playful glint in her eyes. "Imagine. You'd be a giant, fuzzy bear, and I'd be... a sassy carousel horse."

Turner chuckled, the image bringing a genuine smile to his face. "I think I'd prefer the bear," he admitted. "At least I'd be warm."

"Oh, you'd be warm alright," Abby teased, nudging him with her shoulder. "Sweating buckets under all that fur."

They continued walking, their laughter echoing softly in the night air. A comfortable silence settled between them, a silence that felt charged with unspoken emotions.

"Abby," Turner began, his voice serious, "about Becca..."

Abby sighed, her smile fading slightly. "I know, I know," she said, her voice soft. "You've said it a million times already. We need to talk to her. Soon."

"And not just a quick, 'Hey, we kissed, everything's fine' conversation," Turner added, his brow furrowed. "We need to explain how we feel, and... and reassure her that she's not losing anything."

"Agreed," Abby said, nodding. "We'll find the right time. Maybe tomorrow, when we're all a bit more... settled."

"Tomorrow?" Turner echoed, a hint of irony in his voice. "She's probably in the penthouse right now, where we're headed, you know that, right?"

"Maybe, maybe she won't," Abby shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "But we'll see what happens."

They paused by a brightly lit cotton candy stand, the sweet scent filling the air.

"I know we had some already, but...you up for some more?" Abby asked, gesturing towards the fluffy pink clouds.

"Sure," Turner replied, his eyes twinkling. "As long as you promise not to get any on my face."

"No promises," Abby teased, purchasing two large cones. They began to eat, the sugary sweetness melting on their tongues.

"This is ridiculous," Turner said, laughing as a strand of cotton candy stuck to his nose.

"You look adorable," Abby retorted, wiping the strand away with her finger.

Their eyes met, and a sudden wave of warmth washed over them. The playful banter faded, replaced by a moment of quiet intimacy.

"Abby," Turner began, his voice soft, "I..." He paused, searching for the right words. "I'm really glad we had this night."

"Me too," Abby replied, her voice barely a whisper. "It's been... perfect."

"Almost too perfect," Turner said, a hint of worry creeping into his voice. "Like a dream."

"Maybe it is," Abby said, her eyes sparkling. "Maybe we're dreaming this whole thing."

"And if we are?" Turner asked, his gaze fixed on hers.

"Then I hope we never wake up," Abby replied, her voice sincere.

Content with that answer, the two of them exited the amusement park and headed back to the hotel. Neither Abby nor Turner remembered taking the other's hand, but they couldn't bring themselves to let it go. Their playful banter started back up again as they talked all the way back to the lobby of the hotel, as they rode up together in the elevator, and walked into the penthouse, where a certain someone was waiting for them.

"Oh, hey you two," Becca neutrally said, lounging on the couch lazily. "Have a good night?"

Turner, still holding Abby's hand, felt a jolt of nervous energy. He glanced at Abby, who offered a reassuring squeeze. "Yeah," he managed, his voice a touch strained. "It was… great. Really great."

Abby gave a small, nervous laugh. "Yeah, it was really fun."

Becca's eyes narrowed slightly and she sat up a little bit, taking in their flushed cheeks and the lingering tension in the air. "Fun, huh? Seems like more than just fun." She gestured between them with a pointed look. "Care to elaborate?"

Abby and Turner exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing between them. Abby took a deep breath. "Becca," she started, her voice soft, "we... we kissed."

Becca's eyebrows shot up. "You kissed? As in, you and Turner?"

"Yeah," Turner confirmed, his voice low. "It just... happened."

Becca sat up, her expression unreadable. "Just happened? On my date night?"

"It wasn't supposed to be like this," Abby said quickly, "I swear. I know you wanted to go on this date, and I feel terrible. But you told me to go, and then..."

"Then you decided to make out with my boyfriend," Becca finished, her voice flat. "Right."

"Becca, please," Turner said, stepping forward. "It wasn't planned. It just... felt right. And Abby and I, we talked, and we both care about you. We wouldn't do anything to intentionally hurt you."

Becca looked at Turner, then at Abby, her gaze searching their faces. "So, what, you two are a thing now? Just like that?"

"No, not like that," Abby said, shaking her head. "We just... we wanted to tell you before things got more complicated. We wanted to be honest."

Becca sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Honest," she repeated, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Haven't heard that one before on this show."

"Becca," Turner said, his voice pleading, "please try to understand. We know this is complicated, but we care about you. Both of us do."

Becca looked at them, a mixture of emotions swirling in her eyes. "I know you do," she said softly. "And I know you wouldn't intentionally hurt me. But... this is still a lot to take in."

"We know," Abby said, stepping closer. "We're not asking you to be okay with it right away. We just want you to know that we're here for you, and that our relationships with you haven't changed."

Becca was silent for a moment, her gaze fixed on the floor. Then, she looked up, a small, hesitant smile playing on her lips. "You know," she said, her voice thoughtful, "I was actually wondering when something like this would happen."

Abby and Turner exchanged a surprised glance. "Wondering?" Abby asked.

"Yeah," Becca said, shrugging. "I mean, you two have always had a connection. And with all the weird stuff going on here, it was only a matter of time before something like this happened."

"So... you're not mad?" Turner asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

"Mad?" Becca chuckled. "I was a little surprised, maybe. But mad? Nah. Besides," she added, her eyes twinkling, "you two look kind of cute together."

Abby and Turner exchanged a relieved and somewhat confused smile. "Really?" Abby asked.

"Really," Becca confirmed. "Just... promise me you'll be honest with me. And that you won't let this whole 'love triangle' thing get in the way of our friendship."

"We promise," Turner said, his voice sincere.

"Absolutely," Abby agreed, nodding.

"Good," Becca said, leaning back on the couch. "Now, can we order some pizza? I'm starving."

"Pizza sounds great," Turner said, a wave of relief washing over him.

"Me too," Abby agreed, her smile widening. "Pepperoni?"

"Definitely," Becca said, grabbing her phone. "And maybe some garlic knots?"

As they ordered their pizza, the tension in the room eased, replaced by a sense of comfortable familiarity. They laughed and joked, their conversation flowing naturally. It was as if nothing had changed, as if the kiss and the confession had never happened.

"You know," Becca said, as the pizza box appeared in front of the trio, "I'm actually kind of glad you two...you know."

Abby and Turner exchanged a surprised glance. "Glad?" Abby asked.

"Yeah," Becca said, shrugging. "It means I don't have to worry about Turner anymore."

"Worry?" Turner asked, his brow furrowed.

"Yeah, worry," Becca said, rolling her eyes. "About trying to make this whole 'harem' thing work. It was exhausting. Now, I can just focus on being friends with people here."

"That sounds...nice," Turner said, a genuine smile spreading across his face.

"It does," Abby agreed, her eyes sparkling. "And it means we can all just be ourselves, without any pressure."

"Exactly," Becca said, nodding. "Now, who wants the first slice?"

---

Paige and Lauren found Mandy sitting alone on the boardwalk, a forlorn figure against the backdrop of the setting sun. They exchanged a knowing glance and approached her cautiously.

"Hey, Mandy," Paige said gently, sliding onto the bench beside her.

Lauren sat on the other side, offering a small, sympathetic smile. "How are you doing?"

Mandy sighed, her gaze fixed on the waves crashing against the shore. "Not great," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "I messed up with Lana. Again."

"We saw," Lauren said softly. "It looked... rough."

Mandy nodded, her eyes welling up with tears. "I just don't know what to do anymore. I keep trying, but it's like I'm speaking a different language. She just... pushes me away."

"Sometimes, people need space," Paige said, her voice thoughtful. "Especially when they're hurting."

"But I want to fix it," Mandy pleaded, her voice cracking. "I want to be a good mother. I want to understand her."

"We know you do," Lauren reassured her. "And we believe you. But maybe... maybe you're trying too hard. Maybe you need to step back and let her come to you."

Mandy looked at them, her eyes filled with confusion. "But what if she doesn't?"

"Then you'll be there, waiting," Paige said, her voice firm. "And you'll show her that you're not going anywhere."

"We've all had our... issues," Lauren added, her voice laced with empathy. "And we've learned that sometimes, the best thing you can do is just be there. Be present. Be supportive. Without trying to **** anything."

Mandy nodded slowly, absorbing their words. "You're right," she said, her voice barely audible. "I need to give her space."

"That's a start," Paige said, patting her shoulder. "But you don't have to go through this alone, Mandy. We're here for you."

"Yeah," Lauren agreed. "Remember our little... misfit alliance?"

Mandy managed a weak smile. "How could I forget?"

"Well," Paige said, her eyes twinkling, "we're thinking it's time to reactivate it. We could use your... perspective."

"And your strength," Lauren added. "You've been through a lot, Mandy. And you've come out stronger. We need that kind of resilience in our corner."

Mandy's smile widened slightly. "You really think so?"

"Absolutely," Paige said, her voice sincere. "We're all outsiders here, Mandy. We're all trying to find our place. And we're stronger together."

"We've been talking," Lauren said, "about how Kendra seems to be playing favorites. It's time to start watching out for each other."

"And," Paige continued, "we've also been thinking about how to help Lana, without you getting in the way. We think we have some ideas."

Mandy's eyes lit up. "You do?"

"We do," Lauren confirmed. "But we need your help. We need your insight. We need you to be part of the team again."

Mandy hesitated for a moment, then nodded, a genuine smile spreading across her face. "Okay," she said, her voice filled with newfound determination. "I'm in. What do we do?"

"First", Paige began, her eyes sparkling. "We need to get the spotlight away from all of those fan favorites who are constantly running the top of the charts. And then...well then I don't know. There are a lot of thens."

Mandy's brow furrowed. "But how? They have such a strong hold on the audience. It's like they can do no wrong."

Paige smirked. "Everyone has a weakness. We just need to find theirs."

"And exploit it," Lauren added, her voice laced with a hint of disdain.

Mandy's gaze drifted towards the ocean, her mind racing. "You know," she said slowly, "there's something else we need to consider."

"What's that?" Paige asked, her eyes narrowing in anticipation.

"This new person," Mandy said, her voice thoughtful. "The one Kendra's bringing in for the next round."

Lauren and Paige exchanged a glance. "What about them?" Lauren asked.

"Well," Mandy continued, "they could be a wild card. They could shake things up in a way we can't predict."

"Or they could be another one of Kendra's puppets," Paige countered, her voice skeptical. "Someone designed to keep the fan favorites on top."

"That's a possibility," Mandy conceded. "But what if they're not? I imagine they won't be too happy about being relegated to the bottom of the charts, which'll most likely happen due to the audience not knowing them as much."

Lauren's eyes widened slightly. "You think they could be an ally?"

"Maybe," Mandy said, her voice laced with a hint of hope. "Or at the very least, a distraction. Someone to draw attention away from the usual suspects."

Paige tapped her chin thoughtfully. "It's a gamble," she said. "We don't know anything about this person. They could be just as much a threat as they are an opportunity."

"But it's a gamble we might have to take," Mandy said, her gaze meeting Paige's. "We can't afford to ignore any potential advantage."

"Okay," Paige said, nodding slowly. "Let's assume for a moment that this new person is someone who could shake things up. How do we play that?"

"We observe," Lauren said, her voice firm. "We watch and wait. We try to get a sense of where their loyalties lie."

"And if we think they're on our side," Mandy added, "we reach out. We offer them a place in our alliance."

"But we do it carefully," Paige cautioned. "We don't want to scare them off or reveal our hand too soon."

"Agreed," Lauren said. "We play it cool. We act like we're just as curious as everyone else."

"And in the meantime," Mandy said, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "we work on those other plans. The ones that will really throw Kendra for a loop."

Paige grinned, her eyes sparkling. "I like the way you think, Mandy. It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," Mandy said, her smile widening. "Now, let's get to work."