Chapter 3 Kaori and Mac were lounging in the pool 20 minutes later. Mac still had his beanie on, just to make Kaori laugh.
"You ever take that thing off? Ever?"

"Nope." Mac said proudly, "As a matter of fact, I think I should go get my snowboarding goggles, right??"

"You'd look ridiculous!" Kaori smiled.
"Hey! You know I look good in those thaaaaaaangs! The 'Mac Attack' looks good in anything,"
Kaori giggled slightly and brushed her still dry hair out of her face. Mac grinned and smiled at her.
"You did good today Kaori," Mac said.
Kaori blushed, "Thank you, Ma-chan, you did well too." Mac scooted closer to her. Kaori nearly backed away, but stood her ground.
They stared into each others eyes.
"You really are beautiful," Mac whispered.
"I-I.thank you Ma-chan." Kaori's eyes lowered as she looked down at her feet in the water.

Knock knock.
Zoe rolled over and sighed. "Hey, Elise you wanna get the door for me?"

"Yeah sure." Elise was brushing her hair as she peeked through the door crack. "Ugh.you."

"Yeah I love you too," Psymon muttered. "Zo there?"
"Yeah,"
Silence..
"Elise? Are you gonna let me talk to her or just stand there and admire me?"
"Me? Admire you? Ha!"
Psymon scoffed, "Yeah I knew it," he grinned taking a step back, "My animal magnetism is too much to handle, huh?"
Elise gave him the finger and turned to Zoe.
"Zoe, Psymon wants you. Talk to him outside, you know if we let him in here the hotel would begin to stink,"
Psymon blew a kiss at Elise and batted his eyes.
"Ugh." Elise muttered and walked away as Zoe appeared.
"Psymon my man, what's happening?"
"Always a pleasure to see you, Miss Payne," Psymon grinned menacingly as he offered her his arm.
"Where're we headed?"
"Practice,"
"Which course, Psy?"
"You ask too many damn questions, Zo,"

Kaori felt her face grow a shade of scarlet as Mac continued to talk to her at such a close distance.
"So, when did you become interested in snowboarding?"
"I was nine years old. I hated winters in Japan. It was always cold and no one wanted to play outside. But when the snow went away, I was sad. I couldn't see the snow anymore, but my father took my family to the mountains. There I felt like.it was like---"
"-Bonding with the snow." Mac finished. Kaori looked at him, and smiled.
His eyes were staring out into nothingness, but her saw her and grinned. "I know the feeling. One day my cousin and I signed up for snowboarding classes and I just completely fell in love with the moment. But.there was this jump that I was afraid of. The fall was really big, and I was constantly avoiding it. But then, when I finally did.it was like a feeling like no other. That was when I knew I was born to board."
Kaori nodded. "The snow is like---how do you say---an outlet for everything."
"Right," Mac smiled and continued to stare into her eyes.
"You're beautiful Kaori,"
"You've told me." Kaori's eyes darted back down into the water. She could feel her cheeks reddening again as a hint of a smile crossed her face.
Mac leaned closer and let his head rest on Kaori. "You know, Kaori, I could always talk to you. You're special to me,"
"Thank you, Ma-chan," Kaori leaned her head on Mac's and wondered, 'could life be any sweeter?'.
The door to the pool room swung open and in poured Elise, Eddie, and Moby, each talking about the race.
"Luther was just sore about not winning the bloody race!"
"Yeah, he's an ass, what can yah say?"
"I was just about to get my grooooooove on, baby, when Luther tried to attack me! I was gonna-"
"-Give 'em a smack down?" Mac inquired, twisting around to see the trio enter.
"Mac, mah main man!" Eddie swooped over and high fived his buddy. Elise smiled and nodded in Kaori's direction.
Mac grinned broadly as Elise, Eddie and Moby made their selves comfortable in the spa.
"What're you two kids doing in the spa, Kaori?" Elise winked at the Kaori, whose face flushed a bright red.
"Just catchin' ourselves a well deserved victory relaxation time out!" Mac said loudly, "I won that race y'know!"

"We know, hun, we don't have to hear it again," Elise rolled her eyes.
"Aw, Elise! Don't be such a spoil sport, girl! Don't you remember that race when Mac shoved Luther outta his way?!"
Moby nodded, "Yeah, and I remember the part when Psymon threw himself in front of my board while I was passing him? Nearly broke my bloody legs, the bloke!"

Kaori giggled, "Psymon tried to kill me too!"
"As he does every year, hun," Elise said.
"Speaking of which, anyone know what the crazy dude is doing?"
"Psy and Zoe were headed out to Garibaldi to practice."

"This late at night!?" Kaori jumped up, causing hot water to splash over everyone.
"You heard correct, miss Jap-Jap, but could yah not do that again!?" Eddie groaned, wiping the water off of his sunglasses.
"Why are you wearing those in a pool?"
"Technically, babe, we're not in a pool," Eddie answered as a matter- of-factly, "We're in a spaaaaa, got it?"
Elise rolled her eyes once again and sighed.
Kaori scrambled out of the spa, and grabbed her panda towel. She put on her flip flops and headed for the door.
Mac jumped up too, as the water yet again went everywhere. Despite everyone's groans, Mac followed Kaori, forgetting his towel and leaving his stuff behind.
He caught her in the lobby.
"Kaori, whats up?"
Kaori swirled around and saw Mac, body dripping with water, looking at her with his eyes full of concern.
"You never striked me as someone who would care for Psymon,"

"Oh, no I don't, really, it's Zoe I'm worried about. We're good friends, Ma-chan. Zoe is nice to me now and I am worried about her."
"You gonna go look for her?"

Kaori nodded.
"Well." Mac started, scratching the back of his head, "I guess I could help you, if you'd like. I mean, there'd be no chance of you finding them in this weather. Look out there, man,"

Kaori looked at the windows. Snow was pounding on the door furiously.
"Well, Macky, if we are going to go get them, then I think we should find decent clothes." Kaori smiled as Mac's face turned a bright red.
"Right.clothes."