Jade woke up to a slight nudge on her shoulder and she opened her eyes.
"What?" she groaned out. She stretched sleepily across Zach's lap and looked up. Zach was happily smiling at her, but you could tell that he was tired from the way that his eyes drooped. His hand stroked the side of her face gently and he smiled.
"We're here sleepy head," Zach said.
Jade rubbed her eyes and sat up. "Gr...eat," she moaned.
"Isn't she beautiful?" Olivia was heard from the other end of the limo. Jade watched intently at the way she was awing. "My parents are the best don't you think?"
Jade looked out of the window and found herself barely able to catch her breath. The cabin was only a one story and it looked small from where she was, but the interesting thing was that it was surrounded with Christmas lights to make it bright. The lights were white and they hung like icicles on the edge of the roof.
"Wow," Jade whispered as she looked out of the limo window. "I never thought that I would ever see anything so beautiful."
Zach moved to her side and sighed. "You mean the most beautiful thing since you?"
"Whatever," Jade laughed and gave him a playful push.
Suddenly the door on the adjacent side of them opened sending cold winter air in the limo. The four people that sat looking at the cabin turned quickly at the intruder who opened the door.
"Excuse me, Ms. Parker, but would you like me to carry your bags inside?" the driver asked.
Olivia smiled and shrugged. "I think we can handle our own bags driver," she said sliding her way to the door. "Come on you guys it looks better in the inside."
The others followed Olivia outside, but either way it was still very cold. Jade got her bags out of the trunk and clutched them in her hand. It wasn't as if she had a choice because it was so cold. Looking around she, for once, noticed how many trees covered the area. She never seen so many trees before in her life-you know living in a desert when she was little, and an almost city like area now- it was at the utmost the most beautiful thing she ever saw. Turning around she stood to look at the cabin. Olivia was right about her parents being the best because who could ask for a better present for Christmas?
"Let's hurry up and get out of the cold," Josh pleaded to Olivia who was on the ground looking through her bag.
Olivia waved her hand at him. "Wait a minute I can't find the key."
"What!?" Zach said. "Please say you're kidding me?" he said kneeling down beside the distraught girl.
"I'm not I can't find the damn key!"
"Dammit, where do you remember putting it?" Zach asked. When Olivia pointed at another one of her bags, Zach quickly decided to investigate it. Josh also decided to help in the search to find the keys, but Jade decided to wonder on. She walked down the gravel path that lead to the cabin itself and laid her bags down in front of the wooden door. She looked at the doorknob and rolled her eyes.
"What's the harm in trying?" She grabbed the doorknob and turned it slightly. "Just my luck," Jade sighed when the door didn't open. Sucking her teeth she looked back at the people who were still rummaging through baggage. Walking over to the side of the cabin she decided to do a bit of adventuring. With amazement there was a small path leading to the back of the cabin. She strolled down the path with her hands behind her back curiously looking over her new surroundings. It may have been dark, but in the end the lights gave her a chance to notice how the cabin was put together. One log over the other, one long over the other, one long over the other and so on. Her fingers grazed against it as she walked further around the side of the cabin, which wasn't as small as she thought up close.
Wondering if she would ever make it to the back, Jade came to two small steps, and climbed them to meet with the deck. She saw two big sliding doors that were on the cabin itself. She tried to peek into the cabin, but it was too dark in the inside. All she could make out were a couple of darkened shapes that looked more or less like kitchen appliances. A cold wind whipped through and she crossed her arms trying to shield her body from the cold. A noise startled her and she turned around quickly. She caught a glimpse of something out in the distance and walked onto the deck till she met up with the railing.
"Oh my god," she said. Her mouth gaped open at the sight that she was allowed to look upon.
"Hey Jade, we found the key," Zach said. The sound of his boots didn't even seem to faze her. "What's wrong?"
Jade turned to look at him and motioned him to come closer. He abided and made his way to her side, but his eyes never left hers.
"What is it?" he asked. Instead of answering she pointed out in front of her and his eyes followed. "Oh my god."
"That's the same thing I said," Jade admitted. "All this time that I've been living in California I haven't gotten a chance to check out the beaches. If it's this good I really want to go and check it out." Jade couldn't even take her eyes off of the sight that she was looking at. It was the ocean! It wasn't a lake or anything, but the ocean itself. Olivia's parent's cabin was right on the edge of Maine at the ocean itself. It wouldn't have been anything except for the moon's rays that were beaming down on it. Also, the moon seemed to have its own reflection on the glassy surface.
"I tell you it's one surprise after another so far on this trip," Zach chuckled and grabbed Jade's hand. "We better go, I'm too damn tired to be staring at the ocean with you."
Jade smiled. "I thought you wanted to spend time with me on this trip?"
"Sure I do, but..." Zach began and pulled Jade down off the deck. "Let me do that when I'm all refreshed for you. So, I can be at the top of my game."
"Game? What game? You don't have a game Zach," Jade laughed.
Zach gave the girl a smirk. "You can keep thinking that lady, but I do have a game."
Jade laughed as she was still being pulled around to the front of the cabin.
"Still don't believe me?" Zach stopped and asked. He let go of Jade's hand and placed both of his hands in his jean pockets. He kicked at the path when Jade leaned against the panel of the log cabin and shrugged her shoulders.
"Nope," Jade answered. The smile that she had on her face quickly disappeared when Zach propped both of his hands on the side of her head. He was so close to her that his cologne inflamed her nose. She began to hold her breath as she concentrated on trying to stand up straight.
"Not going to faint are you?" Zach asked when he looked down at her knees. They looked like they were about to buckle at any moment.
Jade blushed. "N...no!" Jade said and gave him a shove. Trying to hide the blush that was apparent on her face she begun to head back up the path. Her pace wasn't slow, but a quick and steady one.
Zach huffed by her side. "Don't be embarrassed I...oh what did I do? I made you weak in the knees," Zach laughed.
"You can be such an asshole," Jade told him as they approached the front of the cabin.
"Ahem," Olivia interrupted and cleared her throat. "I thought you two were going to behave yourselves. Remember what our promise was about please."
Jade chewed on her bottom lip nervously. "Sorry he was just acting like an asshole, so I had to point him out as one. Isn't that right?" Jade told Olivia while poking Zach's left arm with her elbow.
"Uh...yea I was acting like an asshole Olivia," Zach complied and put on a fake smile.
"Who gives a fuck about any of those things? Can we please just make it inside and argue about this?" Josh interrupted. "I'm about to freeze my balls off here."
The other three people cracked a small laugh and Olivia pulled out a key.
"Sure baby. I wouldn't want you to lose those," Olivia joked and opened the door. No one took a second to grab their things and quickly make their way into the cabin itself. Once inside everyone seemed to be flabbergasted at the stunning living room. "Come on in," Olivia told hr friends as she sat down on the white recliner across from the door. The living room was beautiful, or so Jade thought as she walked in. There was a white couch and recliner sitting cozily in front of an elegant fireplace.
"Nice," Zach breathed out and sat down on the couch. Jade and Josh soon followed him on the couch and sat on different sides of him.
Olivia beamed. "It is isn't it? Now, behind us is the open kitchen," she pointed behind the three people sitting on the couch. "And the bedrooms are on either sides of the cabin."
Jade turned around on the couch and saw all of the things that Olivia was referring to. "We're the bathrooms?"
"Oh they're connected to the bedrooms. Once you walk inside should be one in there somewhere," Olivia said. "But, umm...we...uh...have one slight problem."
"What's that?" Zach asked curiously.
Olivia stood up and stretched. "Well...I this was suppose to be a ROMANTIC trip for four..."
"Liv!" Jade started and stood up too.
"Sorry I had to tell the truth. Anyways, since it was suppose to be a romantic trip for four, you and Zach have to share one of the bedrooms."
Jade sighed and looked at Zach. She did quickly notice the grin on his face before anyone else could.
"Why can't you girls just share a room?" Zach added. He stood up and looked at Olivia.
"How do you say hell no!?" Olivia laughed and stepped past Jade and Zach toward Josh. "Hell no, this is a ROMANTIC trip. And no romancing will be going on if Jade is in the same room I am."
"But..." Jade started.
"So, this is how it's going to go. You two," Olivia said pointing between Jade and Zach. "Need to decide if you're going to share the bedroom or if one of you is going to sleep on the couch."
Jade and Zach looked at one another again and then looked at the floor.
"Well we'll leave you two to decide what your going to do," Olivia said and grabbed Josh's hand. She pulled him off the couch and giddily grabbed her baggage while making her way to the door on the left. "We're going to go and unpack our things, have fun."
Jade watched helplessly while Josh and Olivia exited the living room area and entered their boudoir.
Zach ran his fingers through his hair and looked at Jade. "So, what do you want to do?"
"Well..." she trialed off and looked at the bedroom to the right.
"Do you want me to..."
Jade looked back at Zach and grinned sheepishly. Why was she being so shy with Zach and not just telling him she wanted him to stay with her in the bedroom.
"It's up to you Zach."
"Umm..."
"Well?" Jade asked.
Zach cleared his throat and smiled.
"I think it would be best if I stay in the living room while we're here. I'll take the couch."
"Sure," Jade said sadly. Jade watched Zach sit down on the couch and then stretch his body over it. "Are you sure? I mean...it's so lumpy," she said.
Zach looked at her in suspicion. "It's not that bad."
"Sure?" Jade asked while taking a seat next to him. She rocked back in forth slowly and then bounced up and down on the cushion.
Zach sat up and watched her. "What are you doing?"
"Umm...nothing...I just feel that you shouldn't be sleeping on the couch," Jade answered biting on her bottom lip. It was such a nasty habit for when she was nervous.
Zach said nothing, but watched her intently.
"You know I love you right?" Zach said.
Startled Jade looked at him. "Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?" She was even more startled when he took her hands in his and gave them each a kiss.
"I know you want me to share the same bed as you tonight, but this is best," Zach said. "Don't be upset with me."
"I'm not upset," Jade said trying to hold back the wavering voice that played behind it. "I understand that I'm something that no one wants to cuddle up with."
"Jade that isn't..."
"I understand that for some odd reason you just don't want to be close to me," Jade stated and got off of the couch.
Zach stood up and touched Jade's shoulder lightly, but she moved from his grasp.
"I understand..."
"Jade that's not why I can't share the same bed with you tonight," Zach said sincerely.
Jade turned around and her eyebrows furrowed. "Why can't you then?"
"I...uh...I...just..." Zach stuttered and played with his fingers.
Jade sucked at her teeth. "Fine don't tell me, but I would rather have you just stay on the couch alone. I think that for some odd reason you just don't want to be around me. Like on the damn plane when in the bathroom you didn't want to kiss me."
Zach sighed. "Fine, you want to act like a child. I'll tell you why I can't share the same bed as you."
Jade looked at him and smiled proudly as if she had won something. "That's all I wanted..." she began, but her words were cut off quickly when she was thrown on the couch. She didn't know what was going on until Zach's body was being pressed firmly on top of hers. It didn't bother her much until she felt something hard pressed on her lower torso. Her eyes widened in surprise and she stiffened. That couldn't possibly be what she thought it was could it?
Zach smiled at her evilly. "This is why I can't share the same bed as you."