A/N: I cannot believe you guys are already over 50 chapters into this story. CRAZY. Time has surely flown, but I hope you guys are enjoying yourself. This chapter marks the start of where shit very slowly starts to go down xD Hold onto your panties!

*Chapter 52*

"Fun fact of the day," Tessa started with a gentle laugh as she looked down, through the grated bar counter the four were stood at, "Lickity likes French fries."

"I'm surprised she hasn't gained weight, from staying all those nights in Sugar Rush, yet," Zane laughed softly; the four casually were stood outside at a walk up bar, at one of Zane's favorite fast food joints. They hungrily ate as Lickity laid with only a small portion of her body underneath the bar counter and wall. She laid her neck, head and jaw lazily on the tops of Tessa's feet, to sneakily fish for dregs and crumbs that Tessa just so happened to drop.

"I'm surprised none of us have," Penny giggled, she was sat at the end of the bar, to the left of Oliver. Tessa was sat in between Oliver and Zane.

"I'm going to ask for aunt Taffyta's homemade peanut butter cups tonight," Oliver chimed gently as the four lazily picked at their delicious food.

"User, stop it," Penny hissed loudly as she gave Oliver a look of longing weakness. The two gently laughed as Penny waved her hand idly and took a sip of her soda, "Mom makes the best desserts."

"I'll be right back," Tessa eased as she finished chewing a few french fries and stepped away from her food. She lightly pat her thigh and peered expectantly, and happily, down at Lickity, "C'mon girl."

"Where are you going?" Oliver wondered as he furrowed his eyebrows.

"The bathroom, chill," Tessa urged over her shoulder as Lickity perked up and quickly followed her, though not without a few curious stares from onlookers and beach-goers.

"Zane, you have GOT to try some of my aunt's desserts. You will never want to leave Sugar Rush," Oliver said in a convincing tone as him and Zane gently filled the gap, left by Tessa.

"It's already hard to resist, as it is," Zane chuckled as his face lightly turned red, though he was hoping Oliver didn't get his insinuation.

Penny beamed a gentle smile towards the two boys and let them dude-out for a few moments. She continued to focus on her food as she could feel the creeping, gentle tug of sunshine beyond the colorful awning of the building they were at. She let her surroundings gently drown her thoughts, the sounds of the ocean waves crashing on the beach from far behind, the cawing of seagulls that hunted for stray food left about, the laughter and excited chatter of EZ Living's inviting company. Penny washed down her food with a sip of her drink and let Oliver's and Zane's gentle, though enthusiastic, conversation drum in the back of her head as she slowly let herself get lost in her own little world. She was suddenly snapped out of it as an unfamiliar voice popped her bubble and gently approached her.

"Would you like a refill?" A young gentleman kindly asked; Penny flinched and quickly peered to her left, away from Oliver and Zane. Through a dashing, expectant smile and glistening green eyes, whom of which was dressed in surf shorts and a tank top laced with the logo of the fast food joint. He gently gestured to Penny's drink and glanced at it.

"O-Oh," Penny jolted out of her thoughts and lightly furrowed her eyebrows. She peered down at her drink and, before she could kindly agree, she noticed her cup was three-fourths of the way still full. She blinked at it a few times before she curiously peered back into the worker's eyes, as if she was suddenly thrown off. She gazed at him gently and wrinkled her nose a little, "No, I'm alright. Thank you."

"Okay, just... Making sure," he eased; he was lightly built, with the usual, blonde surfer-do. He nervously looked about before he finally took a small step away, "Just... Holler if you need anything!"

"Thank you," Penny heaved a confused giggle and lightly waved. As he went to turn his back, she dropped her hand to the counter lightly and peered back at Oliver and Zane, almost expectantly. She opened her mouth to begin gabbing, though she noticed the two continued to enthusiastically go on about things they were interested in. She slumped her shoulders and figured she'd tell Tessa when she got back, though she felt her heart dip as her gentle bubble was popped, yet again.

"How about now?" He joked as he eased next to her. Penny flinched and peered at him, almost in confused annoyance.

"I'm sorry, I guess I just enjoy teasing all my fast food workers with a good 'maybe she needs a refill or not, we will never know!' joke," Penny barked softly with a wide, annoyed smirk.

"That's funny," He eased, though to Penny's humble dismay, he leaned against the counter a good foot or two away from her, "So, you here with anyone? You come to watch the surf competition?"

"O-Oh, actually, I'm here with my-"

"You should come root for my team," He cocked his eyebrow a little and peered back at the waves, far behind them, "I could get you into the VIP area."

"I'm alright," Penny eased with a courteous laugh, "I'm just here with friends, to relax for the day. I-I have Academy tomorrow, so I really shouldn't get lost in any wild parties or anything."

"Too bad," He said in a sad tone, "Cause you'd be the prettiest one there."

"You flatter me," Penny said in a dull, sarcastic tone she was hoping he would catch onto.

"Lickity, stop...! No, Lickity!" Tessa urged as she largely bent down and pried Lickity's mouth open; she easily let a few soggy fries, she found on the ground, slip from between her teeth, and with her mouth hung open, she breathed a disappointed grumble of a whine. Tessa heaved a hard sigh and stood to continue walking, "I swear to User, you are a VACUUM. You're going to hoover the whole beach and make yourself sick."

Tessa shook her head and laughed a little as Lickity snorted a noise of protest. She came back from the bathrooms and casually head back towards where she left Penny, Zane and Oliver, though once she set her sights on her group, she noticed the extra individual hanging near Penny. She raised her eyebrows in surprise and felt a wave of delight come over her, at the sheer fact that Penny was hopefully hitting it off with someone. She beamed a happy smile, though it quickly sank the closer she got. She furrowed her eyebrows and could easily tell Penny's body language was bothered by this stranger. She tilted her head down and kept her eyes glued to the guy, in Penny's bubble, in protective, brooding power that coursed through her core. She inhaled a gentle breath and looked back at Lickity, who was cued to Tessa's sudden fit of mild anger. Tessa easily lifted the ends of her white tank top and took it off, which revealed her pretty, red bikini top. She swiped her shirt off her body and let her hair flick away from the fabric. She laid her soft shirt over the back of Lickity's neck and inhaled a puff of a breath; she gently strolled up to her group of friends, in a knowing way, and made a bee-line for Penny, to hopefully rescue her from the situation she was painfully drowning in.

"Hey, babe, everything okay?" Tessa wondered kindly as she came up to Penny's left and just barely slid in between Penny and the hunk that was eagerly trying to pry information out of Penny. She furrowed her eyebrows curiously at the guy and let her hand slide to Penny's lower back.

"O-Oh, hey," Penny chimed lightly as she stood up a bit straight. She gazed at Tessa in extreme confusion before she, once and for all, realized what Tessa was doing. She slumped her shoulders and played along with Tessa, in return, as she eased into her arm, "I-I'm just chatting with..." She gazed at the guy expectantly.

"U-Uh, Bryan," he exhaled nervously as he finally realized how painful of a situation he had put himself in.

"Tessa, my love, Bryan's talking about maybe getting us VIP seating to his surf competition!" Penny eased as she playfully twirled Tessa's hair in her fingers, "Wouldn't that be fun, to go to?"

"Yeah," Tessa raised her eyebrows lightly and longingly peered into Penny's eyes; the two played it up as much as they possibly could, "Well, remember, we have that reservation, tonight."

"Ohh, that's right," Penny gazed at Bryan in a sorrowful way, "Tsk... Looks like we won't be able to make it."

"We're celebrating our two year anniversary a little early this year," Tessa said kindly to Bryan, who had already taken an uncertain step away.

"Oh that's... That's alright," Bryan beamed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head, "Lemme know if you need anything!"

"We will!" Penny chimed, though once Bryan had stepped far enough away, the two girls began to roar with laughter, "Holy User that was hilarious!"

"Geez, what's so funny," Oliver barked in an annoyed tone, though he raised his eyebrows in scared surprise and flinched once Tessa whirled around and pointed an angry finger at him and Zane.

"You two boys were sitting here, this whole time, while Penny was virtually being tortured by a boy that wouldn't leave her alone?" Tessa barked in a protective way.

"What!" Oliver harshly furrowed his eyebrows and expectantly peered at Penny, who had her arms crossed in mild annoyance. Oliver eagerly peered back at Tessa, "I-I didn't know she was even talking to anyone!"

"I totally looked to you boys, for help, too," Penny eased with an annoyed giggle as she shook her head and kept her arms crossed.

"Sorry, Penny," Zane chimed in apologetic sorrow.

"What were we supposed to do!" Oliver cried with a wide smile and a laugh he tried to force away.

"Uh, I don't know, pretend you're her boyfriend?" Tessa largely gestured to Penny, "If she looks like she's in pain, it's because she probably is! Cue; ONE of you two dudes to swoop in and save your best friend!"

"That's not fair! I'm related to P-" Oliver was largely cut off as Tessa swat his shoulder; he flinched and exhaled a hard, annoyed laugh.

"That doesn't matter!" Tessa quietly barked through a laugh she tried to disguise as well. She pointed to Zane, as well, "And I don't care if you're dating me, if you see an opportunity to save any one of us, you swoop!"

"Swooping," Zane uttered nervously with wide eyes, though both boys looked at each other and heaved hard, confused laughs.

"I swear to User, I leave for two seconds and you guys let Penny nearly be duped by that idiot," Tessa rubbed her forehead.

"I tried to get him to go away," Penny giggled as she peered over her shoulder, to hopefully find that his whereabouts were anywhere but near.

"Why did you take your shirt off?" Oliver suddenly wondered, "You need to take your shirt off to pee?"

"Yes, Oliver," Tessa stated in a dull tone as she stared at him through dead eyes, "User forbid I'm wearing a shirt when I do my business. I might confuse it for toilet paper."

"I mean, hey, I'm not judging," Oliver snorted back a chuckle as Zane was lost in amused laughter.

"She took her shirt off to make a point," Penny giggled as she gestured towards the spot where Bryan was standing, "She was my super hot and sexy girlfriend, so to get that guy to go away."

"Because YOU TWO yucks didn't step up to the plate," Tessa glared at Zane and Oliver, whom of which peered at her and Penny in pure, confused delight.

"She's my COUSIN!" Oliver argued.

"No one has to know that! We look nothing like Penny!" Tessa laughed as she largely gestured to herself, "I'M her cousin too! It's called pretending!"

"She has a point, Ol," Zane muttered, though he flinched and exhaled a hard chuckle as Oliver shot him an annoyed look.

"Well, at least we know who'd wear the pants in your's and Penny's relationship," Oliver muttered as Tessa gently grabbed his arm and pulled him closer to Penny, so she could stand back in her spot next to Zane, and where her food was. Lickity gently strolled up and nuzzled her snout into the sides of Tessa's right leg and Zane's left leg.

"It's because I look like a man, isn't it," Tessa muttered, though Zane tenderly let his hand meet the middle of her back; her soft skin made his heart jump in giddy delight, though it only dipped farther once she whirled her flustered attention to him; her rich, auburn hair flicked over her shoulder as her hazel eyes pierced his in a rush of mild adrenaline.

"Relax, Tess, you definitely DON'T look like a man, trust me," Zane laughed softly to her as he shook his head, he felt his face get hot at the sheer fact that this had to have been one of the first times Tessa has taken off her shirt, to reveal her bikini, while at the beach. He swallowed nervously and kept his eyes trained to Tessa's in an act of expert self control, "Sorry... Oliver and I got caught up in conversation."

"You don't need to apologize to me," Tessa beamed a soft, snotty smile and cocked an eyebrow, "I have a hot date with Penny, tonight."

"Damn straight," Penny called with a fry in her mouth; Oliver and Zane easily laughed as everyone finally settled.

Zane beamed a gentle smile and shifted his feet a little as Lickity got comfortable undertow again. He lightly pat the side of her neck and, in a skillful glance, he gently swooped his eyes over Tessa's figure, in the least obvious way possible. He raised his eyebrows in delighted surprise and leaned forward onto the bar counter they were stood at. He smiled a smug smile and began to prod at his food; he knew Tessa was becoming, and had a beautiful figure, though he knew she often wore clothes that didn't show it off, all the time. He swallowed hard and felt his heart pound lightly. He gently stuffed his thoughts, for the time being, and inhaled a bashful breath. He lightly glanced at her face and felt his heart swell, though his mind gently reminded him of something he had been itching to ask her. His hazy thoughts gently cleared as he finally inhaled a readied breath.

"Hey," Zane said tenderly to Tessa as he lightly touched her lower arm. Tessa turned her attention to him in kind curiosity while Oliver and Penny continued to loudly chatter with themselves, "Did I sense a little, uh... Upset tension back on the beach? Your comment about 'Zed coding you to the game' didn't fall on deaf ears, y'know," Zane said quietly to her, though his kind eyes and smile held true to her as she averted her attention from his hand, which was still warmly rested on her arm, to his eyes, which were strong with inquisition.

"I wasn't upset, what do you mean?" Tessa wondered, though her heart jumped as she could feel the hairs on the back of her neck gently prick. Zane largely cocked an eyebrow and gave her a dull look, as if to tell her that he could see right through her. She heaved a gentle sigh and looked away, "Yeah, I'm horrible at fibbing."

"You wear your heart on your sleeve," Zane chuckled as their little bubble around them shrank smaller and smaller, "Its not a bad thing. I just don't want you to be upset... I can code you to my game, no problem. I mean, we are in Dead Zed a lot, huh."

"I just figured it wasn't my place to ask," Tessa eased softly, "A lot has changed in the last twenty four hours."

"Yeah," Zane breathed with a knowing smile, they subconsciously stood closer to each other as their soft conversation grew deeper and deeper, "I've always kept it a thought in the back of my mind, anyhow... I just didn't know how you'd take it. I didn't want you to think I was being creepy, or anything... I-It is sort of... Forward."

"I think this thing sort of comes with the territory, yeah?" Tessa smiled, almost teasingly, "Basically, 'you watch my back I watch yours'"

"Well, I don't think the King and Queen would take too kindly to their daughter's new boyfriend asking to be randomly coded to Sugar Rush," Zane wrinkled his nose, though Tessa grinned and rolled her eyes lightly.

"Well," Tessa said through a hard, short sigh as she gazed across the bar counter they were stood at, "We don't usually hang out in Sugar Rush... That, and, you're unbeatable, so what would it matter."

"Unbeatable," Zane gently reminded, as held up his finger. He carefully shifted on his feet, so not to step on Lickity, and he lightly leaned a little more into Tessa's bubble, "Not invincible."

"Tomato tomahto," Tessa urged quietly to him, with a brave smile, as she obnoxiously wrinkled her nose and dared to get closer to Zane's face; their eyes met in a whirl of playful, coy delight.

Tessa was certain this naive, tense banter would only escalate. Zane let his smile widen to a smug, closed-mouth smile as he squinted his eyes, as if to express light-hearted annoyance. He cocked his head from side to side, just barely. His jet black faux-hawk lightly flicked about and glistened in the sun.

"Potato potahto," Zane urged playfully; his smirk widened to a grin as Tessa laughed softly and shook her head. Zane lightly leaned in and, as softly as he could muster, he placed a shy kiss on her smiling cheek. He pulled away and looked back down to his food, he only barely returned to the spot he was standing prior, "Relax. I'd be happy to code you to Dead Zed," he finished softly.

"That's nice of you," Tessa said through a bashful, soft laugh as she shook her head and felt her face grow multiple shades of a shy red.

"That's something else I wanted to... Maybe ask," Zane's confident tone largely dwindled to that of curious worry. Tessa furrowed her eyebrows and quickly averted her attention to the sudden change. He softly caught eyes with her and gave her an unsure smile, "I really don't know how to say this, but... You, obviously, know a lot about code rooms."

"Yeah," Tessa breathed curiously as she kept her gaze to Zane, she gently shrugged and looked about his chest and shoulders, "I've studied for weeks on Sugar Rush's code room. I know Sugar Rush isn't the most advanced game in the arcade, anymore, but..."

"I just need someone with maybe a different perspective on code rooms," Zane eased as his eyes nervously held to hers, "I noticed, the other day, that... My code is harboring some sort of strange additive."

"Additive?" Tessa furrowed her eyebrows and gently looked down to the bar counter underneath them, she brought her gaze back to Zane in a curious way, "Like... Something has just been growing? Is it harmful?"

"I mean... I don't feel any different, or think any different," Zane said in a befuddled way, "I just want to get rid of it, because it's sort of lying on the cusp of important brain code..."

"Couldn't be a virus, could it?" Tessa worried.

"No," Zane assured softly, "Usually viruses are distinctly named and, the core of the game would alert me within seconds of it spawning... I think it's just, neutral code? Maybe from an outside source?"

"It's... Not from me, is it?" Tessa beamed a curious smile, though her cheeks grew hot red.

"What color is your code?" Zane wondered, though he realized the two were very carefully dancing down a new road, one filled with curious, stolen glances, flushed cheeks and bashful pondering.

"Electric purple," Tessa assured softly, though she raised her eyebrows in gentle relief as Zane nodded and looked away.

"Nope, it's not you," Zane wondered curiously, "I was thinking maybe you could take a look at it. Maybe you know how to delete it. I've tried everything, but I can't tell if it's harmful or normal."

"Yeah, I don't mind helping," Tessa began to worry, "Did... Did you maybe want to do that tonight? After the beach?"

"Sure," Zane gently agreed, "Thank you."

"I can't promise I'll be of much help, but..." Tessa gave him a kind smile, "I can do my best."