Zach and Gray were seated side by side in the lead car of the train running along the monorail. Natalie sat beside Zach who had returned to being sullen and bored, his arms crossed. Zara sat behind them, glancing up from her phone every so often to check on them.
Gray's gleeful grin was contagious as he and Natalie looked out at the jungle passing by the window. Natalie had leaned across Zach a few times to point things out to Gray, but the older boy didn't say anything so she assumed he didn't mind.
The speakers of the monorail crackled to life as the monorail announcer's voice filled the car. "Those of you in the front of the train should be able to see our main gate, built from the gate of the original park, over twenty years ago."
Gray didn't waste a second as he clambered over Zach's lap, earning a hard shove from his brother. Natalie helped Gray the rest of the way so he could run to the front of the car to watch as the train approached the main entrance to the park.
As soon as the monorail pulled to a stop, Gray was immediately out of the door. Zach groaned in annoyance as he heaved himself out of his seat, his hand latched around Natalie's wrist as he pulled her after Gray.
"Please obey all park rules. Proper attire, including shoes and shirts, must be worn at all times."
Gray's eyes were wide in awe as he led the group down the crowded walkway of Main Street. Zach and Natalie followed a little way behind him, making sure that the young boy was always in view. Zara nearly stumbled beside them, struggling to keep up in her stiletto heels that clicked hastily along the walkway.
"So, Sarrah," Natalie stared, pulling her hair over her shoulder and allowing air to reach her sweating neck.
"Zara," Zara corrected with a huff and a roll of her eyes.
"Right. Zara. Sorry," Natalie's eyes flickered over to Zach, who continued looking ahead glumly. "When are we supposed to be meeting Claire?"
"Miss Dearing arranged to meet you at one o'clock," she answered, checking her wristwatch. A frustrated grunt startled Natalie, almost making her jump as Zara stumbled again in her heels. "Can he slow down?" Zara's annoyance was clear as she frowned at Gray.
"Nope," Zach answered simply, pulling out his phone.
"He's going to walk right past the hotel."
Natalie turned to look at Zach expectantly. He either ignored her or didn't care as he continued to scroll through his phone. "Suppose I'll get him then," Natalie rolled her eyes as she hoisted her bag higher up her shoulders and tightened her grip on her suitcase. "Gray!" she called out as she quickened her pace, awkwardly jogging after the boy who had become distracted.
Just before Gray entered one of the many shops on Main Street, Natalie skidded to a stop in front of him, laying a hand on his shoulder to steady herself. "Hey, bud, slow down there," she smiled at Gray, her chest pumping rapidly as she tried to catch her breath. "We gotta go to the hotel first,"
Gray pursed his lips as he looked around Natalie's figure at the shop in longing. "But I just want--" he began before Natalie shook her head with a laugh.
"I know you're excited, kid, and you want to go explore but you ain't the one who's gotta carry all this crap," she explained, gesturing to her suitcase to prove her point.
Gray sighed, sparing one last glance at the shop, "You shouldn't say 'crap'," Gray scolded Natalie as he let her wrap her arm around his shoulders and guiding him to the escalators that led to the hotel.
"Believe me, bud, that was censored."
When they finally reached their hotel room, Zara opened the door and strutted in, the three teens following after her. Zach let out a low whistle as he and Natalie looked around the lavish-looking hotel room.
Natalie had never been in such an expensive-looking room. She was scared to touch anything. Zach, obviously, didn't share any similar concern as he threw himself onto the bed carelessly. Gray ran straight to the television, that was playing one of the many adverts for the park.
"Your aunt's got you VIP access. So you can get on all the rides without waiting in line." Zara told them, handing Natalie, who was standing the closest, the three VIP wristbands. "You..." Zara gestured towards Natalie, a look of deep concentration crossing her face.
Suddenly, Natalie didn't feel bad about forgetting Zara's name earlier as she raised a brow at the PA, "Natalie,"
"Natalie. Miss Dearing didn't want you to share a room with Zach and Gray. You'll be in the room next door." she explained, handing a key card to Natalie.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Natalie questioned, her features turning hard as she stared Zara down. "What? Do you think I'm a slut or something? Ready to spread my legs the first chance I get."
Zach and Gray turned to Natalie, startled as Zara stared wide-eyed at Natalie, sputtering out an explanation to defend herself. Suddenly, Natalie's hard features dropped into a cheeky smile, her eyes crinkling in mirth, "I'm just messing with you." Picking up her bag from where she had placed it by the door, through a quick 'later' over her shoulder as she left the room.
Zara was still in shock as she watched Natalie walk out of the room. Quickly, Zara collected herself when she heard Zach sniggering under his breath on the bed. "Does she always do stuff like that?" she asked Zach.
Zach smirked at the nervous woman, knowing that Natalie had made Zara a target to her teasing for the week. "No," before Zara's shoulders could relax, he added, "Sometimes she's serious."
Natalie had just hung up the last of her clothes in the wardrobe when a loud knock rattled her door. Then a sudden noise startled her, making her squeak in surprise. Her fright quickly dispersed, however, as she heard a familiar snickering on the other side of the door.
The door opened before she could do anything and Zach came sauntering through. "Oh, yes. Please, come in," Natalie welcomed sarcastically as she took out a few more of her belongings from her bag.
"Don't mind if I do, slut," Zach thanked before flopping onto her bed. "I think you made her cry, she ran away as fast as she could."
Natalie laughed, shaking her head as she thought back to what happened a few minutes ago. "What does your aunt think I would do?" she asked. She wasn't offended at all, she just thought it was a little weird.
"Well, she does think we're dating," Zach explained, shooting her a cheeking grin as he folded his arms behind his head. "And to be honest, you didn't really help yourself by agreeing to it."
"You didn't deny it," Natalie retorted with a smile of her own, "But really, what do they think we're going to do? With your brother there, for Christ's sake,"
Zach shrugged nonchalantly, "Maybe that's what she's worried about,"
"Ew! Zach!" Natalie yelled, giving the boy a hard shove that nearly sent him off the bed as he cackled in laughter. "You're revolting!"
"Sorry, sorry!" Zach held his hand up in surrender as he tried to calm down his laughter. "It doesn't matter anyway, they're not going to be guarding our rooms at night."
"So?"
"So, if you want to try out number three on your list, my bed's always open," Zach explained.
Natalie paused in confusion, not knowing what he meant until realisation suddenly dawned on her and her list from earlier resurfaced in her mind. "Zach!" she yelled in embarrassment, grabbing the closest thing to her and lobbing it at his head.
Zach's laughter bellowed around the room as he pulled the clothing from his head, "You know, you're really not helping your case by throwing underwear at me," Zach chided playfully, holding up the black bra to Natalie.
Natalie's face couldn't have flushed a deeper shade of red as she hastily flung herself onto the bed, arms reaching to grab the bra out of Zach's hands. The bed squeaked under them as Zach fought back, pushing her away as his body shook with laughter. Natalie couldn't help her giggles as she wrapped her arms around his neck when he began to stand up, his strength pulling her off the bed with him.
BANG!
Natalie squeaked in surprise, her arms and legs tightened around Zach's body as they turned their heads to the door which had just slammed open. Standing there with her arms crossed, Zara frowned at the two teens and they suddenly realised how it must look.
Zach stood in the middle of the room with Natalie clinging to his back, the material of his shirt bunched up in her hands and exposing his stomach as he clutched her black bra in his hands. Both were panting in exhaustion and flushed red.
Zara glared at the two of them, "We're going to meet up with Miss Dearing," Zara explained before walking away, leaving the door to the hotel room open.
The two teens were too shocked and embarrassed as they stayed where they were, Natalie still hanging from Zach's back. "Well," Zach began, clearing his throat, "If Aunt Claire didn't think you were a slut before, she will now,"
"Zach!"