A Little Scheming

Dinner came off as a pleasant affair for most everyone but Sean. Unlike Newt and a few others who didn't like seafood, Sean found Jeff's cooking to be delicious. His issue came from the feeling of being watched. Whenever Lacey's eyes went elsewhere, Austin's hard stare sought to burn a hole into Sean. When their attentions were flipped, Lacey seemed to be concentrating on a plan as her eyes darted back and forth between him and Ramsey. Kimberly's predatory gaze continued with a similar smirk now showing on Lana's face as she studied her best friend's brother. And then, of course, were his mother's concerned looks. She still worried about his head injury.

After finishing his meal, Harvey asked for everyone's attention. Glancing at the wall clock, he announced that he would leave for the Vandermeers' lake house in less than two hours.

"Who all is coming?" the cabin owner asked.

Jeff and Fred quickly said they would. Clive appeared to continue his uncertainty by mentioning that he didn't want to go for long if he did.

"We can always take two cars. I suspect we might need to anyway, depending on how many want to go," Harvey commented. "It's a short drive on the same road, so we don't have to worry about anyone getting lost in this weather."

"Alright, I'll go for a short bit and take my car," Clive agreed.

"Austin's going too," Lacey proclaimed, causing her boyfriend a shock.

"I am?"

"Yes, you are," Lacey whispered. Although her parents couldn't hear her plan, her friends could. "This is a great chance for you to spend time with my dad. I want him to like you more. Just go until he leaves, and come back with him. Please?"

"Alright, I'll go for a little while," Austin informed the others. Fred Singer appeared particularly pleased by the decision.

"Poker, right?" Owen queried, getting an affirmative response back. "Then I'm up for it."

"You're going to leave me all by my lonesome?" Whitney questioned.

"Lacey had a great point. This will give me a chance to talk to your dad."

"Aw, that's a sweet idea," Whitney beamed. None of her previous college boyfriends ever showed a willingness to get to know her father. Only Henry Valko took the time to chat with Harvey, mostly because his parents were good friends with her father.

"Let me think about it," Sybil said, causing her brother to frown. "We can't only send men over."

"Is that everyone? Okay, now what should we do until we leave? Any ideas?" Harvey asked.

A suggestion for a short game of billiards earned support. With Harvey moving to rearrange the furniture, Sean offered to help carry down the two barstools brought up to add more seating for the last three arrivals. The owner of another pair of eyes that darted back and forth to Sean during supper joined him by grabbing the other stool.

"Do you think we can talk for a minute?" Jared asked as they started down the stairs.

"I guess we should. JoJo told me what you did," Sean replied.

Silence ensued between the two teenagers until they finished placing the stools in their usual spots in the rec room. Both of the old friends seemed unsure about how to begin the conversation.

"I'm sorry for bringing JoJo into this. It was wrong, but I felt I had to know," Jared started with an apology.

"And I'm sorry for not telling you the truth when you asked," Sean apologized too.

"Why did you lie to me?"

"Uh, well..."

"I believed you, but when I noticed you still acting weird, I thought back to our talk at breakfast. It crossed my mind that you thought I wasn't good enough for Ramsey. Or that I would hurt her," explained the stocky teen. "I'll admit the idea kind of hurt."

"No! I don't think you're not good enough for Ramsey. Maybe more experienced than she's ready for, but I know you wouldn't try and hurt her," Sean responded forcefully.

"Look, I get that you would tell JoJo and Newt about your crush. I know we don't see each other as much since I moved, but I hoped our friendship was still close enough that you could trust me. I would never make fun of you for liking a girl, especially one like Ramsey, and unlike like your two best friends, I have dating experience."

"That experience is why I was afraid to tell you," Sean admitted.

"How so?"

"You've got this confidence about girls. No worries about walking up to one you like to ask them out. Or straight-up telling them you just want to screw them, not date them," the blond-haired teen pointed out. "I don't have that. I turn into Mr. Worrywart. Beyza's the one that came after me, or else we would have never dated. I freeze up whenever I try to talk to Ramsey. I'm always worried about what can go wrong. When she dated Micah last year, I tried to move on and asked a girl to prom. She shot me down hard, granted she does that to everyone, but it hurt. Maybe I should try and date a brunette again. Blondes, even the strawberry ones, seem like too much trouble."

"I've been shot down plenty of times. You know that. Sure, it hurts, but less and less each time. And you know what? Sometimes those girls come back around later and ask me out once they're ready. I already told you I would help if--"

"No, no, no. That's why I didn't want to tell you about my crush," Sean interrupted, but upon seeing Jared's crestfallen face at his rejection of help, he felt the need to explain further. "It's not that I don't appreciate your offer; it's just I don't need more pressure. I already put enough pressure on myself; that's part of the problem. Maybe Newt could use your help in being bolder, but I think I need a different kind of help."

"Well, I guess I could try and help you make some different approach than I usually use," Jared said, still wanting to help his old friend.

"Thanks, but Lacey found out yesterday about my crush. She's working on a plan, and that might be what I need. I think this is my last chance, well, unless Ramsey chooses you." Sean looked away from his friend in discomfort at the possibility.

"What? Wait, that's not going to happen. No, I mean it. I'm completely backing off of her," Jared stated. Sean's look of disbelief led him to continue. "Sean, you're one of my closest and oldest friends. I would never go after a girl you liked, especially one for so long. What kind of a person does that?"

"But Ramsey seems to like you. If she's not interested in me, then why shouldn't you be the one?" Sean questioned.

"Not happening. Even if you decided to move on from her, I'm going back to my original outlook about her. She's not the type of girl to have a fling, and I'm not interested in any relationship right now. I might have slightly considered it, but the long-distance thing would be a killer. Being in one of those at this point in senior year is worse than dating someone at my school. Talk about a lack of fun."

"Oh, I guess I can see your point. But I'm obviously the opposite. I want a relationship, no matter how short, to end my time in high school." Sean planned to add a few more words but clamped his mouth shut as footsteps sounded down the stairs. Kimberly appeared with a smirk for both teens. However, she didn't make one of her remarks because Fred and Skye were behind her. All three headed to their rooms.

"Say, I could use some of your help. Um, I need JoJo to know how awful I feel," said Jared.

"The Tickle Monster? Really? Shit, JoJo's going to need a full-court press of apologies from you for that," Sean suggested with a laugh.

"Great, Mr. Worrywart. You know how to bring the rest of us to your level."

"He was actually crying? Oh, no!" JoJo exclaimed to Mrs. Lockett.

Moments after her son and Sean left to carry the two stools downstairs, Gabriella asked to talk to the brunette for a moment. They two went out into the sunroom for some privacy. Once there, Gabby convinced JoJo to tell her everything that happened, minus the part about Sean's crush. Then the mother proceeded to fill in the teen about her son's reactions.

"I need to go find him right now and tell him that it's not that bad," JoJo continued. Her sweet side showing concern for her old friend.

"So, you aren't mad anymore at Jared?" Gabby inquired.

"Well, yeah, I am, but I've calmed down a little after talking to Sean. I'm still not happy with what he did, but I could never hate him." JoJo appeared to get a little misty in the eyes at the thought of Jared thinking she hated him. "The flowers were a nice touch. I can't believe he remembered that lilies are my favorite."

"That was a surprise to me too. Now hear me out, okay?" Gabby had the inklings of a plan. "I think this could be a good learning experience for Jared. Usually, he gets his way with girls, and that's made him a tad bit arrogant. Would you help me teach my son a lesson, JoJo?"

"Um, I don't know. What do I have to do?"

"All you have to do is not tell Jared that you forgive him today. I'm not saying you should be mean to him or not talk to him," Gabby quickly said. She didn't want to see her son in any more pain but felt he needed not to be let off the hook so soon. "Hmm, maybe make him work for your forgiveness is what I'm looking for him to do."

JoJo recalled how she liked it earlier when Jared ran around in a panic to please her with the flowers. I did find it cute for a guy like him to be so worried about me. And I thought it might be fun to make him cater to my needs as his penance. But isn't it mean to lead on him by not forgiving him when you already decided to? I guess not if I have his mom's permission.

"Do you mean by making him work for my forgiveness? Something like having him doing little errands for me?" JoJo asked hesitantly.

Gabriella's smile nearly blinded the brunette. "Waiting on you hand and foot? Oh, yes! That sounds like a wonderful way to make him pay. Maybe you have a little of old Gabby's deviousness in you, JoJo."

JoJo smiled slightly at the strange compliment until she felt the air squeezed out her lungs by the bear-like hug Mrs. Lockett wrapped her in.

"And that, sweetie, is for being a good friend to my chubby little boy all those years ago."

"So, it's decided then? Great!" Lana gleefully said before hurrying off to the master suite. "C'mon, Pey!"

Whitney surveyed the room and found her target. Strutting over with a purpose, the bossy blonde hid a smirk that yearned to appear on her face. She looked down at the teenager sitting in the chair and nudged him in the leg with her foot.

Newt looked up from his newly reunited tablet and felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach forming. He recognized the look Whitney wore on her face. It meant she had plans for him once again. With a sigh, he found the courage to speak up first, "What?"

"Hey, don't give me any attitude, buster. It's time for the next stop on the adventurous week in the life of Newt Denton. Now, go change into those swim trunks I gave you the other night," Whitney ordered.

"Why?"

"Duh, because it's time for you to get wet. You bailed last time on the hot tub, but not again. So, scoot! Time to get changed. You better be there by the time I am, or I'm coming to look for you," Whitney threatened as she went to follow the older girls to their bedroom.

Newt sat back in his chair in dismay. Why does everyone always want to **** me to do things? It's not like I want to sit around in a hot tub in this cold weather with a bunk of girls in their wet bikinis--oh! Actually, that sounds pretty fun.

Sean and Jared came up the stairs at the same time as Newt leaped out of his chair. They both glanced at each other because of the sudden move from their friend, who never made sudden moves. Before they could ask about it, another voice beat them to it.

"What bee got up your butt, Newt?" JoJo asked with a smirk as she walked back in from the sunroom, followed by Gabriella.

"Hot tub time!" Newt explained excitedly before trying to cover his excitement. "I mean, Whitney is forcing me to go since I skipped out last time. Are you guys coming?"

"Of course," Jared said like there was ever any doubt.

JoJo glanced over to Mrs. Lockett, who nodded encouragingly to the brunette.

"I guess I'll go for a little bit," JoJo responded, surprising Sean and Newt. Her two closest friends figured she would pass due to her body image issues.

"I'm going to pass this time, but you guys have fun," Sean informed them. The last time in the hot tub had turned into a fairly awkward experience for the teen. However, the biggest factor in his decision came down to hiding the bruises on his body from his earlier fight with Austin.

"You sure, Sean?" Jared asked. He then leaned over and whispered to his friend. "Might be a good chance to talk to Ramsey."

"Nah, I'm good. Maybe I'll see what everyone else is doing, or just try and finish that novel," Sean replied.

"You know this is a great time to--forget it. I said I wouldn't pressure you, and I meant it," Jared stated. "C'mon, Newt, let's go back and get changed."

Sean wandered into the kitchen to see if his mother and Rachel needed any help cleaning up after dinner.

"Not going in the hot tub with the others, honey?" Bridget asked her son.

"Naw, I don't feel like it. Any plans for you guys?" Sean inquired.

"Well, the guys are going to play pool before they leave," Bridget laughed when she saw her son's face perk up at the mention of pool. Ever since Lana had taught him how to play a few years back, Sean was always up for a game of billiards. "I'm going to guess that's where you will be at. But, first, could you do me another favor?"

"Sure, what you need?"

"There's that box out in the trunk of my car. Could you go and grab it for me? I know it's nasty out there, but--" Bridget asked until her son cut her off.

"It's okay, Mom. This is a rare vacation for you; I'll go grab it."

"Thanks, honey." Bridget watched as her son walked away, proud of how helpful he always tried to be.

Standing in the foyer, Sean finished zipping up his jacket and started to reach for his hat when a sight pulled his attention back into the cabin.

"The hot tub is in the opposite direction, Seanie." Lana stood behind him, near the bathroom door, leaning against the wall. The gorgeous ginger wore a short, skimpy satin robe. The eye-popping cherry red color drew a person's eyes to the contrast with her skin, which the robe left a lot to be exposed.

Sean's eyes zeroed in on her long, toned legs. Seeing his eyes down there, Lana immediately rubbed a foot up and down her leg, locking in his gaze. The redhead smirked as her plan to attract the teen's attention to her body worked.

"Aren't you going to join us in the hot tub? It's sure to be hot and steamy in there." Lana poured on her seductive teasing by playing with the robe's belt, in the process loosening it up enough so that it opened. A tantalizing glimpse of a red bikini top, with a large knot on the front, struggling to hold in the busty coed's charms, drew Sean's eyes and imagination.

"Uh, no...I'm not," Sean said on autopilot, barely aware he had spoken.

"Oh, that's too bad. You sure you don't want to reconsider?" Lana's right hand slowly fingered the open top of her robe, brushing against her large breast.

The sound of a throat clearing behind Lana snapped Sean out of his daze. While Lana's eyes never left Sean, the redhead's face did show an annoyed look. Sean looked to see the other person. It turned out to be Peyton, looking quite displeased. His sister had on a similar robe as Lana's, although it was navy blue and slightly longer at the bottom. Even somewhat more conservative, Sean thought it bordered on the line of being too small to wear in front of their mom's friends. Maybe Lana is rubbing off on Pey a bit more at college.

"What's going on here?" Peyton asked, looking mightily unhappy.

"Uh, I'm going to get a box out of the car for Mom. Have fun in the hot tub," Sean rattled off as he pulled his hat on and grabbed his gloves. Not even waiting to put them on, he hurried out the door before his sister started yelling.

"Thanks a lot, Peyton," the ginger complained.

"Lana, what do you think you were doing? We've had this talk before. Many, many times before," Peyton stated while crossing her arms.

"Yeah, yeah, don't tease Sean. Blah, blah, blah."

"My brother's heart is not some toy to be played with. You know that," Peyton snapped at her best friend. "You know he's had that crush on you for years. Don't go and give him false hope."

"Relax, it's not like that. I'm just putting my plan in motion."

"Plan? What plan?" Peyton questioned in confusion.

"The plan to someday marry off Lacey to Sean. Geez, Pey, and here I thought you were the smart one," Lana explained with a smirk.

"What? Lacey made it quite clear, despite our disappointment, that she's not interested in my brother."

"Oh, Pey, must you be so naive about people's desires. I know--"

"I'm not naive. I'm just the one that can control her desires. Unlike some busty slut who's practically shoving her tits in my little brother's face," interrupted a once again displeased Peyton.

"If you would let me finish, I would explain the plan. No, it doesn't mean flaunting the gifts I have to your little brother in order to tease him. It revolves around my flaunting the gifts I have to your little brother in front of my little sister," Lana revealed with a bright smile.

"Oh, gawd. You can't be serious?" the blonde asked without any hope that she heard wrong.

"Absolutely! Sean won't be able to ignore me. Once Lacey sees him gawking, it's going to drive her nuts. Great plan, right?"

"No, that's an awful plan. You'll just confuse Sean, and Lacey won't get jealous. If she does get mad at you, it will be for being a tease to Sean, not that she wants him for herself. Just drop the idea." Peyton wondered if she could find a way to distract her best friend from this terrible idea.

"Oh, Lace will get jealous. I guarantee that." Lana nodded knowingly.

"No, you can't, and I don't want him hurt in the process."

"Unlike you, I notice the little signs, and my sister is totally jonesing for a little Seanie cock." The smirk reappeared on Lana's face.

"Eww, don't talk about that around me. Lana, please, don't do this. I think you're wrong, and this is going to turn into a mess."

"Hey, you want them living happily ever after or what?" Peyton nodded to Lana's question. "Then give my plan a chance, alright?"

With a heavy, worried sigh, Peyton responded, "Fine."