The beach had done something to their group, and the car felt more alive as they continued their journey. The beach and carnival had lit a fire in their souls. Corania yawned as she rested her head against the window. The sun sank, now nearly non-existent behind the miles of trees on either side of the highway.

Corania yawned. "Wake me up when you start to get tired, okay?"

Grant laughed. "Yeah, if I can get you to wake up. Just rest. I know you're tired."

"Thanks, Grant," she said, a small smile on her face, warmth spreading through her at his care making her feel cared for.

Grant looked over at Corania and felt his heart skip a beat. Damn, he had it bad. She was so beautiful and amazing. Grant followed the GPS on his phone, hoping for a motel where they could all get some rest. He was tired, but the GPS said they were only two-hours away from their destination. He could make it. Grant glanced in the rear view mirror. Alice was asleep. Jace was on his phone.

As if he felt his eyes, Jace looked up. "Yeah, dude, so are you going to stop being a pussy and finally get some from Corania?"

"Man, shut up. Unlike you, I don't only have my dick on my mind. And you know I... I care about her. I want to be with her. It's just that. . . "

"Yeah, whatever, man. It's either you're going to do something about it or not. You know, after this, you might miss your chance." He put his phone down and leaned his head against Alice.

"Yeah... I know that, but what about you and Alice? It seems like you two are spending a lot of time together." .

Jace scoffed. "What about her?"

"Aren't you into her? You're always on her or messing with her?" Grant was confused by his standoffish reply.

"Look man Alice is Alice she has a pretty face and an okay body. I'm into the goth thing at the moment, and I don't turn down pussy so." He laughed

Grant frowned and shook his head, he didn't understand how any man could play with a female like that. He wouldn't dare disrespect any woman. He especially wouldn't use them. He had learned this from his father's illicit affairs that had driven his mother into getting a divorce. Leaving him to deal with a workaholic dad and an empty house.

It was clear that Alice wasn't always open with them, but he did consider her a friend, and he didn't understand why Jace didn't see her as someone worth respecting.

"You're a piece of shit, man," he said and ignored any other words that came out of Jace's mouth after that.

                                                                                              ***

When they pulled up to the motel, he wasn't very impressed by the outside. It was Old and dirty with a suspiciously drooped roof. Great, Grant thought. Now, he had to worry about collapsing ceilings. Still, being buried in rubble sounded better than allowing Jace to drive them.

"I'm going to go get us some rooms," he said to Jace as he got out.

Jace didn't even look up from his phone. "Yeah, cool."

When Grant disappeared from view, Jace stepped out of the car and stretched his back. He didn't understand why Grant was pissed at him. He was just telling it how he saw it. Unlike him, he wasn't wrapped around any chick's finger. He was young and hot and didn't want any commitment. Maybe he shouldn't play with Alice, but, hey, he found it entertaining. She was good in bed. He wasn't about to give that up just because he didn't want to commit. If anything, he would sleep with her a couple more times and call it quits.

He needed to piss. He stepped around the side of the car and pulled it out.

"Jace, you couldn't wait until we got into a room?" Alice said. She had just woken up and wanted to stretch her legs.

He winked at her. " It's nothing you haven't seen before."

Alice flipped him the bird." Shut up! What if Corania heard you?" She cast a wary glance toward the front.

"She's still asleep. Chill."

"Yeah, whatever, you know they don't know, and I'd like to keep it that way."

Jace shrugged, biting back to the urge to laugh. Who cared if Corania knew? Grant knew he was fucking her, and it didn't make the sex any better or worse.

Grant came back to the car, and they drove up the lot towards their rooms.

Corania woke up, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she took in her surroundings.

"Yeah, so Corania and Alice share a room. Me and Jace are right next door," Grant said while handing them the room keys.

"Okay, thanks, Grant." Corania smiled at him and stepped out the door.

Grant watched her go smiling. She was even cute when she was sleepy.

Setting down her bag on the nightstand, Corania looked around, focusing most on the single bed. She stepped closer, pulling the covers and checking the sheets. Little motels like this weren't exactly known for cleanliness, so the fact they were was a blessing. Corania sighed, never more grateful for the scent of laundry soap.

"Well, it doesn't seem too bad here," Alice said. She checked the inside of a small closet. It was way better than what she grew up living in as a child, then spun to face Corania.

"Better than sleeping inside the van," Corania agreed, cracking her neck for emphasis.

"Well, I'm going to wash the seawater from my hair," Alice said while heading towards the shower with her clothing.

Corania went through her bag and pulled out a nightshirt and some underwear then took out her phone. Sitting down on the bed she scrolled through her social media and answered some emails. After texting her mother goodnight.

After Alice got out she was slightly pissed that the water was lukewarm but whatever she guessed. It was better than having to wash up in cold water. Washing her hair and using a light conditioner. Stepping out she dresses and towel-dried her hair and laid down on the pillow. Even though she had just slept in the van she was still tired.

"So you and Grant seem to be enjoying this trip more than I thought," Alice said while drinking a glass of water.

"Yeah, it's been going great. We went on the Ferris wheel. It was a great experience." she smiled remembering the fun she had at the beach.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Corania, you and he spent the whole time together. I would think that it was just you and him during the trip," she said.

Corania swore she heard the jealousy in her voice. She didn't understand why Alice and Jace spent the whole time together as well. But maybe she should spend more time with Alice, she was her best friend. They had done everything together in high school but as they got older it seemed like they did less and less.

Alice was frustrated that Corania didn't see that she was implying that she and Grant were more than just friends. Sometimes she was so dense and couldn't read between the lines. Honestly she didn't know how she dealt with her. Alice guessed that it was because she didn't have many options. But gosh did she grow tired of the innocence she always played.

"Corania, take the hint girl, are you and Grant sleeping with each other?" she stressed.

Corania grasped and shook her head.

"What! Nowhere did you get that idea from?" she yelled out giving her a weird look. What the hell. Why would Alice think that she saw something she didn't ? Yeah she and Grant were close but it was because they had so much in common. They just fit well and were great friends. That didn't mean they were sleeping with each other.

"So you don't find him attractive? I think he is pretty good-looking, but not my type. The pretty boy vibe isn't my type." she says

Corania is surprised at the amount of hostility she hears in her voice as if she is accusing Corania of lying. Corania is thrown by her attitude and wonders why she cares so much.

"He is attractive. I never said he wasn't" she bites back, "But that doesn't mean I'm sleeping with him. If I was, I wouldn't lie about it. I wouldn't be ashamed of it."

Narrowing her eyes Alice wants to ask her what she is implying? Did she know that she and Jace were sleeping around? And if she did, did she think she was better than her because Grant had money? Alice felt a wave of anger crash over her. Who did she think was judging her! Corania always acted like she was so much better than her.

Next to her, Corania looked over at Alice as she didn't respond. "Alice, is everything okay?"

Snapping out of her thoughts she shrugged and then smirked." Yeah I'm good but a word of advice get him out of your system while you can. Before you know it, he'll be marrying some blonde bimbo worth millions his kind don't marry girls like us,"

Corania frowned and turned away cradling the covers closer. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. But it evaded her as Alice's words kept repeating itself. 'Stupid' she scolded herself she shouldn't have allowed her crush on Grant blind her from the truth. They did come from two different worlds.

Besides her, Alice smirked and closed her eyes, happy with the fact that her words had knocked her down a peg or two.