Welcome to Sweet Amoris University. The college where your love story might just come true. We have courses for just about every degree but love coaching, sadly, is not one of them. Let us take a journey through the halls of both school and dorms. Who knows what story awaits us?
Another day of college classes had come to an end. Another day of mundane routines done with. The only good thing was that spring break could finally start. Everyone had plans but a certain red-head was getting ready to do the impossible. He was prepping for a beach break with his closest friends. He was out in his convertible waiting for some of the others to hurry up.
"Jeez they're late." he said and took a drag off his cigarette.
He'd signed up to be the main driver to their beach house they'd rented for the vacation. More like the beach house Markona's family was letting them use. He shook his head and let a small smile cross his lips. That girl had managed to become a good friend of his in their senior year of high school and now was his confidante. Something he never expected he'd let her become.
"Sorry I'm late Cas." Markona called, short green hair tied back in a tight bun. She had her 'military dogs' tank-top on and a pair of khaki capris.
"No prob. The other three still haven't gotten here yet." Castiel told her and popped the trunk so she could put her suitcase and backpack inside.
"Really?" she asked in surprise. She was usually the late one so this was unexpected.
"Yeah. Kentin and Alexy had to finish packing. Nath hasn't gotten in contact at all except to remind me he was coming with us." he said with a roll of his eyes.
Markona smirked at her friend's reaction. She threw her stuff in his trunk and shut it. "So you gonna tell him while we're on vacation?"
Castiel raised a brow in confusion before realizing what she was asking. "Why the hell should I tell you that?"
Markona puffed out her cheeks in a pout and crossed her arms. "Because I set this whole thing up so you could. You wouldn't have gotten him to come along if it was just you."
He shook his head, dark gray eyes glinting with annoyance. "Yeah. You're right. He wouldn't have agreed to come along. I'm still not telling you."
"Promise to tell me his answer at least?" she asked him, honey-gold eyes alight with mischief. She held out a hand to him.
He shook her hand with a sigh. "Deal."
They both had a smile on their faces before Kentin and Alexy showed up. Nathaniel not too far behind them. Everyone piled their stuff into the trunk and got into the car. Castiel had his music turned up for the road trip. Nathaniel was up front with him after winning a coin toss with Markona. Kentin and Alexy sat on either side of Markona in the backseat. The three of them talking about what plans they had for when they got to the beach. The rest of their group meeting them at the beach house.
"Too bad Armin had to catch up for the exams." Alexy said with a sigh.
"Yeah. We could've gone a few rounds on Halo or Borderlands." Markona said in a somewhat defeated voice.
"Hey now, you still got me. Hell even Castiel can probably kick your butt." Kentin said teasingly, trying to cheer her up.
"Not sure. Cas doesn't like to play video games with me anymore." Markona said with a light laugh.
"Well we'll see when we get there." Castiel said, glancing in the rear view mirror at them.
"So who all is meeting us there?" Nathaniel asked, having not been told the final list of people showing up for the vacation.
Markona thought about it then dug a folded paper out of her shorts pocket. "You've got us five. Then Rosa, Leigh, Lysander, and Iris will be meeting us there. I gave them the address. Kim will try and meet up with us later in the break. She had some last minute studies to finish with. If Armin's done with his then she'll be dragging him with her. Melody and Violette both are staying with their families for the vacation. So...we may have anywhere between ten or eleven people by the time Monday rolls around."
Nathaniel looked back at her in surprise. "You can fit that many people in your parents beach house?"
Even Castiel and Alexy were surprised. Kentin, however, just chuckled. Having grown up with her and all.
Markona blushed a bit at that. The tomboy almost never got such a red tint to her cheeks. "Well...it's actually my grandfather's beach house. My grandpa's a doctor and kinda loaded. He said as long as we don't tear up the place and clean it before leaving we can use it. Gave Kentin and I both a set of keys to the place too."
"How come Kentin gets a set?" Alexy asked with a slight pout.
"I've known her family since we were kids. They know me and trust me enough." Kentin answered with a kind smile. He was trying to hide the slight smugness he was feeling at getting a set of keys.
"I bet she had to show them a list of who would be there for you to get the keys." Castiel said with a smirk.
Kentin's smile faded some. That was pretty much what happened. Alexy and Markona both laughed a bit at that. Even Nathaniel was amused.
It wasn't long before they made it to the beach house. Or rather beach mansion. It was a giant ocean-front mansion with far more rooms inside than it looked like it could hold. When the other car pulled up in front all eyes turned to Markona who just turned more red.
"My grandfather is rich ok? I wasn't raised spoiled either. I had to do a lot of work to get to use this place for our vacation." Markona said as she grabbed her backpack and suitcase before heading inside.
Everyone just followed suit, cars parked in the carport out front.
"So where do we room?" Iris asked.
"Well, my grandpa said he placed nameplates outside each room." Markona said with a soft sigh and headed to the stairs. "There should be one room per person. Including those who may or may not show up. If anyone wants to bunk together they can. I don't really care. That includes you two." She winked at Rosa and Leigh. Both of them just smiled at her. "The rooms aren't soundproof buuut we shouldn't be able to hear too much."
"Sounds nice." Rosalya said with the faintest of blushes on her cheeks.
Everyone found their rooms and unpacked. They were given the mealtime schedules and flyers listing off different events that were happening during spring break.
The first couple days flew by pretty fast. Soon Kim and Armin had joined the group and unpacked in their designated rooms. Night of the third day had hit. Everyone was out front enjoying a barbecue that Iris and Kentin had put together. Markona had finally told Kentin how she felt and was wearing his dog tags. She smiled as she headed over to Castiel who was, once again, just standing in the background.
"Come to rub it in my face?" Castiel asked her with a smirk.
"You mean the fact that I can confess my feelings and you can't?" Markona asked him with a smirk of her own.
"That doesn't even remotely count. He's had a crush on you for years." Castiel told her with a roll of his eyes.
Markona just sighed. "Cas, just talk to him. You might be surprised. He could be fighting the same feelings."
"You act like you know him." he said in an accusatory manner.
She just glared at him a bit. "That's not what I'm saying at all. I'm just saying if you don't try and ask him, then you'll never know. I don't want you living your life with regrets okay?"
Castiel understood what she was saying and put a hand on her head, messing up her hair some. "I got ya punk. Now get back to your boyfriend before he gets the wrong idea."
Her cheeks instantly turned pink. "R-right. Just think over what I said." She quickly ran off towards the rest of the group.
Castiel sighed and stared after the group. Mainly a certain blond-haired young man he'd been fond of for more years than he'd like to admit. He had fallen hard for Nathaniel back in their junior year of high school but it just got worse over the last year. He wanted to tell Nathaniel but...he was almost certain he'd be rejected and he didn't want to face that possibility.
"Hey Cas! You better get over here if you don't want to miss out on the food!" Kentin called from the grill.
"Seriously you better hurry!" Iris called as well as she started making plates for everyone in their group.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming guys." Castiel said with a light laugh.
He made his way to the group and enjoyed some barbecue with the group. He couldn't keep from laughing with them and enjoying the occasional prank of the ever mischievous Markona. By the end of the night he'd gotten dragged into a couple of games of volleyball out on the beach and helped light up the night with some sparklers. Everyone made their way back to their rooms and crashed for the night. Well, almost everyone.