“SKY?” Skylar set her book down and trotted into the other hotel room. “Could you go get some ice? Pleeeeease?”

Sighing, Skylar picked up her friend’s ice bucket. “You owe me.”

“One very large Diet Coke and a Pop Tart tomorrow morning ready and waiting for you. I promise.”

Skylar laughed. “You better.”

Ashley had returned from her date with Ian Thorpe floating along a cloud nine type thing; they’d apparently gone to a club and danced for several hours and then held hands on the way back. As soon as Ashley got home late that evening, she treated Skylar to a complete play-by-play of the date, which had ended in a very sweet kiss.

Skylar, for one, was thankful because this meant Ashley could stop complaining about how Ian Thorpe could never like her just because she drooled on him. Apparently, drooling is some sort of odd form of flirting. At least for Ian Thorpe.

Having gotten a bucket full of ice (no doubt for a cold bath Ashley was going to be partaking in), Skylar made her way back to the rooms.

That was, at least, until she saw the couple down at the far end of the hall smashed up against the wall and going at each other as if the world was ending. One of them had long blondish hair while the other had curly hair the exact color of Ashley’s.

Skylar pushed into Ashley’s room and dropped the ice bucket on the nearest surface. Ashley came out of the bathroom wearing a huge robe.

“What’s the matter? You look like you’ve just seen Voldemort.”

Skylar blinked several times, trying to calm herself down. “Ah, no. I’m fine. I was just…I thought I saw a ghost get on the elevator.”

Ashley rose a perfectly plucked eyebrow. “Have you slept in several days, Sky?”

She pushed herself off the wall, where she’d been leaning for support, and walked to her room. “No. I think I’ll sleep now. Good night.”

“Night,” Ashley called faintly, picking up the ice bucket and carrying it into the bathroom.

*

Skylar was awoken the next morning to a knock on the door; granted, it was a soft knock, but as she wasn’t really the type to be a heavy sleeper (like Ashley) it woke her up anyway. She shuffled to the door and pulled it open groggily, leaning against the doorjamb and yawning.

“Hard night?” Ian asked, smiling down at her.

Skylar laughed lethargically. “Not hardly.” She pointed to the next room. “Ashley’s over there.”

“Oh, is she?” Ian leaned back, examining the door numbers. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize what room number we were at last night. I remembered how close it was to the elevator.” He grinned sheepishly. “Did I wake you?”

“Nah.” She waved a hand dismissively. “I should be up anyway. Got a big day and all that.”

“Yeah? What are you two doing?”

Skylar covered a yawn. “No clue.”

Ian laughed lightly. “I’ll just go wake her up, shall I?”

“Better you than me,” Skylar stated, smirking. “Good luck to you.”

Ian looked a bit frightened as she shut the door on him; she could hear the knock next door and Ashley’s mumbled obscenities, and then the squeal when she realized who was bothering her at such an early hour.

Skylar flopped onto her bed, contemplating staying there all day and just sleeping. Then the scene from last night came back to her mind, and she felt like throwing up.

The confusing part was she wasn’t sure why she wanted to throw up. Or why she cared what Aaron was doing. Or even why she couldn’t get the image to stop bugging her. The image of the two of them entwined swirled around the kiss from yesterday. An accidental kiss, truth be told. At least, she assumed that’s what it was.

It couldn’t be more. He couldn’t possibly have feelings for her.

Stepping into the shower, already feeling better, she realized that the kiss was merely a pity one, and therefore it shouldn’t have such an affect on her.

A half hour later, Ian and Ashley were sitting on Skylar’s bed talking and laughing when Skylar emerged from the bathroom with a towel tied around her.

“Hmmm,” Skylar said, moving toward her suitcase. “I really didn’t expect to emerge to an audience.”

“Sorry,” Ian stated, standing up. “I’ll go in the other room and wait.”

Skylar laughed at him. “No, no. It’s fine.”

“She’s only shy around guys she has the hots for,” Ashley said, pulling him back down beside her. “Not that she doesn’t think you’re hot…because you are, and she does.”

Ian looked cutely perplexed.

“This is not to say that I will strip in front of you, however.” Skylar was shifting around her suitcase looking for some sort of article of clothing.

“We were wondering if you wanted to go grab some breakfast.”

“Downstairs?” Skylar questioned, turning to face them, holding one hand onto the towel and the other clutching a bundle of clothes.

“No, Ian wants IHOP.”

“It’s the International House of Pancakes,” Ian said, smiling cheekily. “Huge pancakes there.”

Ashley nodded happily. “You up for it?”

She considered her options momentarily. Option one was, of course, go, and option two was stay and possibly run into people she didn’t particularly want to see at that point in time.

“Absolutely.” She head toward the bathroom. “I’ll get dressed.”

“You do that,” Ashley said, standing. “We’ll meet you downstairs in a few.”

*

After a hefty breakfast, Ian and Ashley dropped Skylar back at the hotel in his rental car; the two of them were going to go to some of the swimming events of the day, and then get some lunch somewhere before they returned to the hotel that evening.

Skylar was pleased to see that Ashley was beaming with happiness, and her feelings for Ian were seemingly reciprocated.

Of course, Ashley had all the luck with guy and always had, but Skylar was used to this and was perfectly happy sitting by the pool that afternoon with a good book to read.

After grabbing a sandwich next door, she climbed back up to her room, tired and worn out from all the thinking she’d pestered herself with that day. She was looking forward to a bubble bath, or at the very least, a half hour sitting in front of the television watching some stupid television show from the 80s.

She was just settling down to an old rerun of Full House, when there was a knock on the door. Grumbling, she took her time in answering it, having a good idea who was on the other side.

And finding herself to be right.

“Hey,” Aaron greeted her with a quick smile that didn’t reach his eyes and a nervous twitch that had him running a hand through his hair.

Holding back a sigh, Skylar inclined her head in what her mother called an improper greeting. A beeping sound was loudly ringing from inside the room, which caused Skylar to spin around, leaving the door wide open.

“What is that?” Aaron asked, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

“It’s my PDA.” She tapped a button and then slid the PDA back into her purse.

Aaron stared at her mutely. “I would be having Ancient History right now if I were home,” she elaborated, sitting as far away from his as possible in the chair by the window.

“You have it beep for every class?” Aaron was standing in the middle of the room, hands in the pockets of his jeans.

“Every appointment.”

“Really. And are you ever late?”

“I don’t think the word ‘late’ is in my vocabulary. Or, at least, I don’t like it to be.” She motioned for him to sit, which he did. “What did you want?”

“Well, I haven’t seen you for a few days…” His hand ran through his hair again and his eyes traveled around the room. “I was just wondering if you were…you know…okay.”

“I’m fine.”

Aaron nodded, sensing her tenseness and the fact that she wasn’t terribly happy to see him. “I’m sorry about before.”

Skylar shifted in her seat. “Before?”

“The kiss. I’m sorry about it.”

“No problem,” she said, standing up. “Is that it?”

Aaron seemed quite surprised at her iciness, but chose to just let it drop. Now was obviously not a good time. “Yeah. That’s it. I’ll see you later. If you…ah…wanna talk, I’ll be at the pool swimming some laps.”

She pulled the door open for him, making sure she was as far away from him as possible. “All right. Bye.”

*

Ian was swimming laps with Aaron got to the pool; they both had big swims the following day, and were starting to think they should be prepared. He’d just returned with Ashley, who was planning on watching him, but she’d gone in search of some sort of beverage before she could do so.

“Hey man,” Aaron said, lifting a hand in a wave.

Ian surfaced, wiping water from his eyes. “Hello. What’s the matter? You look like your cat died.”

“My cat didn’t die,” Aaron said, setting his things in a chair and taking off his shirt. “You know Skylar?”

Ian nodded, paddling over to the side of the pool.

“She’s being really standoffish with me.” When Ian didn’t respond at all, Aaron continued. “She’s not usually. We’re friends, you know. I mean. Sort of. I don’t know.” He sighed heavily and kicked his shoes off.

“Do you like her?” Ian questioned, pulling his bathing cap off his head and shaking his hair out.

“Like her? No. As a friend, sure.”

“As more than a friend,” Ian clarified, giving Aaron a probing stare.

Aaron squirmed uncomfortably, moving a bit so he could dive into the deep end; once he‘d surfaced beside Ian, he said in a defensive voice. “Maybe.”

“Well, does she like you?” Ian asked, wondering why Aaron wasn’t giving him any information without it having to be dragged out of him.

“I don’t know, man. We kissed. She’s been weird ever since.”

“And do you think there are any reasons for this?” Ian was beginning to feel like some sort of Dr. Phil.

“If I knew that, I wouldn’t be asking your advice.”

Ian nodded, pushing off the wall and swimming a few feet away. “Was that Amanda Beard I saw you with a few nights ago?”

Aaron’s head jerked to look at Ian. “What?”

“Amanda Beard. I thought I saw her hanging all over you.”

“Oh, shit,” Aaron mumbled, blinking in realization. “You don’t think…Skylar saw that and thought I was a cheating, lying bastard, do you?”

Ian shrugged. “Could be, mate. I wouldn’t know. I don’t know birds. They’re too confusing.”

Aaron whole-heartedly agreed with this sentiment.