Day 2 - start of weird vibes

Bryce stretched as they stepped into the elevator, the soft hum of machinery filling the silence between them. Cortney leaned against the mirrored wall, arms crossed, watching the numbers descend. "So," she said, a smirk playing on her lips. "We just… pretend last night didn’t happen?" Bryce rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding her gaze. "I mean… do you want to pretend?" Cortney laughed, shaking her head. "Nah. But I also don’t wanna make it weird." The elevator doors slid open, revealing the hotel’s bustling lobby.

The hotel restaurant was half-empty, sunlight streaming through tall windows as waitstaff moved between tables. Bryce pulled out a chair for Cortney with an exaggerated flourish, earning an eye roll before she sat. As they scanned the menus, a waiter with tired eyes approached, his smile strained. "Coffee to start?" "Yeah, black," Bryce said, just as a crash echoed from the kitchen. The waiter didn’t flinch. Cortney leaned in. "You notice how no one’s reacting to that?" Bryce glanced around. A couple at the next table stared blankly at their untouched food. The man’s fork trembled in his grip, clinking against the plate in a slow, uneven rhythm.Bryce chuckled, swirling his coffee absently. "Yeah, maybe we should've gone to that show last night. Sounds like it was wild." Cortney smirked, tearing open a sugar packet with her teeth. "Oh, so now you regret staying in?" Bryce’s grin turned wicked as he leaned forward. "Not even a little." His foot brushed against hers under the table, and she kicked him playfully in response. Just then, the waiter returned, balancing their plates precariously. "Pancakes for the lady," he announced, sliding a syrup-drenched stack toward Cortney, "and the lumberjack special for you."

After breakfast, Bryce stretched with a satisfied groan, patting his stomach. "Damn, that hit the spot." Cortney wiped a bit of syrup from the corner of her mouth with her thumb, licking it off with a smirk. "You’re such a mess." Bryce shot her a grin. "You love it." She rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it, standing up and grabbing her jacket. "So, what now? We still have the whole day." Bryce glanced out the window at the small island village "Wanna just walk around? No plans, no agenda—just see where the day takes us?" Cortney nodded, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

Cortney’s fingers brushed against Bryce’s as they stepped out into the salty island breeze. "Lead the way," she said, squinting against the sunlight. Bryce smirked and took her hand without hesitation, pulling her toward a narrow cobblestone street lined with colorful market stalls. The scent of grilled seafood and ripe fruit hung thick in the air. A vendor waved them over, holding up a skewer of glistening, spice-rubbed meat. "Hungry already?" Cortney teased, but Bryce was already digging for his wallet. "Live a little," he said, passing her a skewer before biting into his own.

Bryce and Cortney wandered through the market, their fingers still loosely intertwined when a burst of laughter caught their attention. Two identical girls—Anne and Wendy Loose—stood near a jewelry stall, their matching sun hats tilted at the same angle as they examined a pair of seashell necklaces. Their parents lingered a few steps behind, John and Rebecca, looking exhausted but amused as the twins bickered playfully. Anne: (holding up a necklace) "This one’s better, Wen." Wendy: (snatching it from her) "No, this one’s better." Bryce nudged Cortney with his elbow. "Bet you twenty bucks they swap personalities by noon."

Cortney snorted, watching as Wendy dramatically clutched the necklace to her chest while Anne fake-pouted. "Forty says they start finishing each other's sentences before lunch." Bryce grinned, fishing a crumpled bill from his pocket and slapping it into Cortney’s palm. "Deal." Just then, Wendy spun toward them, her eyes lighting up. "Ohmygod, you’re Bryce and Cortney from—" "Youtube..you both talk about myths and play video games" Anne finished, bouncing on her toes. Bryce blinked. "...Okay, that was way faster than noon." Cortney groaned, pocketing the cash as the twins descended in a whirlwind of overlapping chatter.

Wendy grabbed Bryce’s arm, her eyes sparkling. "You have to play something with us! We brought our Switch!" Bryce raised an eyebrow at Cortney, who smirked and shrugged. "Oh, this’ll be good." Anne was already digging through her bag, producing a neon-yellow console. "We’ve got Smash Bros., Mario Kart—" "Mario Kart," Bryce cut in immediately, grinning. "Unless you’re scared of losing, Wen." Wendy gasped, mock-offended. "Oh, it’s on."

Rebecca Loose chuckled, shaking her head as the twins practically vibrated with excitement. "Sorry about the girls—they get excited about the oddest things. But we have seen both your channels on their TVs lately." She glanced between Bryce and Cortney with amused curiosity. "You two married, or… maybe just friends?" Bryce opened his mouth, but Cortney beat him to it, squeezing his hand just a little tighter. "Oh, we’re definitely not just friends." Wendy gasped. "I knew it!" Anne grinned, nudging her sister. "Told you they had vibes."

Rebecca Loose chuckled, adjusting her sunhat. "Oh, we caught the tail end of it—just enough to see the fire dancers before these two started complaining about the late hour." She gestured at the twins, who were already huddled over the Switch, selecting characters. John Loose rubbed his temples with a weary smile. "Would’ve stayed longer if it weren’t for the… unusual vibe in the crowd. Felt like half the audience was staring at us instead of the stage.not to mention that dizzing flowery smell" Bryce hesitated, the skewer suddenly heavy in his hand. "Yeah, we noticed that too. Hotel staff kept giving us this look—like they were waiting for something.like us to go to it, but we stayed in, we arrived yesterdayon te last flight in of the day to the island"