It was halfway through their movie when Mitchie suddenly paused it, turning to Nate who was wedged in the middle of the two females.
"Okay," she started with a gulp. "Do you know why Shane dumped me on our anniversary?"
Caitlyn turned to face her friend, her eyes wide. Weren't they going to be cool about this?
Nate, however, looked flustered and slowly popped one popcorn morsel into his mouth. "Why are you asking me? Why can't you ask Shane, himself?"
"I did but he was really shady about it so my newfound suspicion peaked."
"Fine. He broke up with you because it was around the time that our sister had a meltdown and was diagnosed with bipolar. It was a hard time for us and I wasn't there whereas Shane was and looked after her when our parents couldn't. He struggled, Mitch and when you went to Paris that year, Shane told me that he couldn't expect you to help him with this. It was a family issue and had to stay private. You know, he was meant to propose, not do the opposite."
Mitchie sighed. "He may be too late..." She whispered. "I'm sorry that he went through all that, shows how much he's mentally stronger than I am."
"Is Amy okay, now?" Caitlyn asked.
Nate nodded. "Perfect. She's... perfect. I miss her a lot, though. I miss all of my family a lot."
"Then why don't you go and build bridges? With your younger siblings and your parents?" His girlfriend asked.
"I'm afraid that they won't forgive me for just upping and leaving. They don't understand that I felt claustrophobic at home and needed an out. Music was the way to go and-"
"You left Jason and Shane behind to further your own career." Mitchie finished. "And now Shane's got this up and coming new band since he couldn't do it on his own and Jason settled for house-maker with a... creative dancer."
Nate chuckled lightly. "All true,"
"It's going to take more than sorry, Nate," Caitlyn told him. "Jason doesn't look like he's happy and Shane's hiding his demons. You could be the answer to all of this."
"You're both right. I gotta make it up to everyone. Thanks for being here."
"As your girlfriend, I'll always be here."
Mitchie smiled. "And as your best friend, I'll always be here too."
...
Mara drummed her fingers against her guitar as she stared at the ceiling.
"You okay there, drummer girl?" Nat asked her as she got ready for bed.
"I don't know... There's this guy..."
Nat grinned. "Who has this girl and they have a baby but! There's this other girl who fancies the crap out of him!"
"How did you-?"
"I surprisingly see everything. And I mean everything." Nat laughed. "Look, from what it looks like, this marriage isn't going to last long."
Mara raised her eyebrows. "What makes you say that, Natalie Fox?"
"Because the fox knows. Plus, I overheard wifey talking to Jason's brothers about a divorce."
"So, I have a chance?"
"You have a great chance."
The girl grinned and strummed a happy tune on her guitar gently. "I really love him and I won't ever mind bringing up Kelly as mine."
"And you'll get married, have a boy and get a dog. The end."
"Well, don't know about the dog but I guess Kelly could be a great sister to a brother..."
Nat laughed. "Oy vey! No dirty thoughts before bed, Miss Paves!"
"'Oy vey!'" Mara mimicked. "No insinuating dirty thoughts before bed, Miss Fox!"
"I hate you," Nat giggled.
Mara winked back. "Like you too, creepy eavesdropper."
...
"Hey, wait up!"
Sander halted and turned to find his best friend jogging towards him.
"Yo, man. What's up? Thought you were hanging with Andy?"
Barron shrugged. "Dude's ill. Was sneezing everywhere. Told me it was hay fever so I left him to his peace with his bro."
"Ah, sucks," Sander replied as they made their way to their cabin.
"So..., any advancement on Lola?"
Sander sighed, shaking his head. "A girl like her would never get with a guy like me. And, she's engaged, remember?"
"Oh yeah. That bombs."
"How are you with Peggy?"
"Haven't had the chance to properly talk. Let alone in private. The girl is always hanging with Tyler and Pador again."
Sander smiled in sympathy. "I got you. Lola's been hanging out with that Nat Fox and Mara."
"At least they are not bottle blondes and pink obsessed beasts," Barron replied.
"Nah, they're cool. Fox has a bunch of tattoos that I'm considering getting."
"More tattoos to add to your 'My Little Pony' ones?" Barron grinned.
Sander scoffed, hitting him lightly in the shoulder. "You tell me if dragons are not cool." He laughed.
"They're cool, alright. They're cool. I'll give you that one."
"Whatever, it's late and I wanna catch some-"
"Zs!" Barron yelled out quietly before running off with Sander hot on his tails.
...
"Peggy? Have you seen my - Oh, never mind I got them!"
Peggy rolled her eyes as Ella slipped her slippers on. "Why do you need them?"
"To help me get a grip in my nightly daily yoga routine!"
Her friend turned to their blonde friend who looked back at her with a shrug.
"Says it irons out the crinkles in her body or something." Tess yawned.
Ella pouted. "But it does! My limbs feel free and energetic!"
"Aren't you meant to de-wind before bed?" Peggy asked with a chuckle.
"Yes, but this helps your back."
"More like breaks it..." Tess mumbled from behind her magazine.
Peggy chuckled and closed her laptop before plugging in her phone to charge. "Well, I'm off to bed. Night." And she turned off her night lamp before sleeping.
"So help me Lord, if you're not in bed within five minutes so I can turn off the main lighting to sleep, Ella, then you're dead," Tess warned.
Ella rolled her eyes as she sat on her mat. "This is why I requested my own cabin."
"This is why I requested my own." Tess retorted with a chuckle.
"And this is why we should never argue because we always laugh." Ella chuckled back.
Tess raised a confused eyebrow. "So we never laugh without arguing?"
"Uh, I don't... just, never mind!"