Spring Break [on pause]

the incident

Just after we finish dinner, the Great Oasis resort gets ready for another party night. You can tell that everyone wants a good time, and people are eager to make friendships that will only last for a few days. It's a well-known Spring Break rule. However, it is also quite cool to meet so many new people from all over the US and other parts of the world and to hear where they study while gaining a little insight into their life.

Given these circumstances, it is not surprising that the guys don't have a hard time attracting some girls in tight bikinis. I see Parker chatting with two other girls while one of them is almost trying to sit on his lap. Alright, Parker is a grown-up; he knows what he is doing. I mingle with the other students out here on the terrace and look down at the beach, where some people are still swimming before it gets too dark. The air is still warm from the sunny day, and Mia is by my side, but I expect her to be gone soon.

Maybe I should try to relax a bit more, but that is a problem I already faced yesterday. Before you started dancing with Eric, Ava. I feel kind of bad about it now. With Jason dead, all of this feels terribly wrong, and we really shouldn't be here. Even if I don't want to ruin the experience for my friends, it feels strange to me to go on with my life after what happened at uOttawa not even a week ago. No distraction, no Eric in the world, can get these thought off my mind. But whatever I do or don't, it won't bring Jason back to life. He would have wanted us to continue our lives. Jason was not only dedicated, but he was also always making sure his fellows had a good time. Possibly because he himself had mental struggles and wanted to hide them? I try not to think about his roommate and the rumor that Jason was on pills.

"Hey, beauty! Wanna dance?" I turn around and look at a tall guy with black hair that tapped on my shoulder. Usually, I would not tolerate someone speaking to me like this, but I have to remind myself that we are in Cancun, where strangers flirting with you are nothing extraordinary. As we saw yesterday. Time to free me from these thoughts about Jason. The following weeks, when we are back at school and constantly reminded of Jason's absence, will be difficult enough.

"Uhm ... sure. That would be nice." "Cool, I'm Ryan." I take the hand of the guy and follow him to the dance floor, where the DJ is playing last year's summer hits and vacation songs that never get old at a party. As I let the music take control of me, I feel that I'm starting to feel less tense. No one is going to blame you, Ava. Stop judging yourself. Mia is gone now, and Parker left the spot where he was sitting. I haven't seen Logan and Sienna for a while, but my phone didn't ring, which means no text messages. Not that I would really hear the device in the middle of this noise. 

Ryan orders a round of shots for us, and I take the glass that the barkeeper is handing me. "Cheers to the best vacation ever!" Ryan smiles and raises his glass, and I do the same thing before the burning liquor goes down my throat. My stomach feels warm, and I start to giggle. Wait, I only had two other drinks before. I can't be drunk already, can I? The thought only makes me giggle more, and I lean closer toward the guy.

"HEEEELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME! PLEASE! Is there somebody screaming? I'm not sure because the volume of the speakers is so high. Until all of a sudden, the music stops. Then, a murmur goes to the crowd.

"PLEASE! HELP! HEEEELP!" Omg, I know that voice. My heart starts pounding faster as I push Ryan away from me and quickly scan the room. There are just too many people to see clearly, and most of them started running in various directions. Where is she ...?

Sienna! Over there! I sprint in her direction. She looks frightened. I never saw her face this pale. "Sienna, what happened?" That is when I notice the blood on her hands. A lot of blood. It trips on the floor and forms ugly streaks.

I grab Sienna's shoulders and hold her firmly. Meanwhile, the hotel security has arrived. "Please step aside. Thank you." They are coming towards us.

"Miss, what happened? Are you hurt?, one of them asks, looking worried at the blood on Sienna's hands. "Lukas ... he ... Lukas is dead." Sienna sobs loudly and buries her face against my shoulder.

"Shhh, Sienna, it's okay; you're safe. Where's Lukas?" I ask quietly but firmly."

"There was blood, so much blood." Sienna looks like she will hyperventilate any second, and my attempts to calm her seem useless.

"Sienna. Sienna, listen to me. I need you to take us to Lukas. This is important. Do you hear me?" Take us to Lukas." I try to make my voice sound reassuring, but I'm struggling to suppress the rising panic myself. What the hell happened? Obviously, the blood on Sienna's hands isn't her own, but what happened to Lukas?

"We had a date a little down the beach. I was running late. And when I got there, Lukas was dead. Omg, if only I hadn't been late." Sienna starts crying uncontrollably, and I squeeze her tightly in my arms.

"Sienna, we need to get to Lukas. Maybe we can help him." I try to make my voice sound hopeful, but all the blood really doesn't look good. I'm not a doctor, but this amount doesn't seem like a minor injury to me.

The surrounding crowd has thinned out by now. Some have disappeared, others stare at us in shock and concern, and some have pulled out their cell phones and started filming. "Stop this shi*," I shout, but to no avail. Some security men have already left for the beach, while others try to hold back those who are sensationally attempting to approach Sienna. That is disgusting.

Gently but firmly, I try to get Sienna to leave. "Sienna, we have to go to Lukas. Please." For a moment, I think my friend would rather faint than leave as Sienna mechanically starts to move.

"This way." We follow her down the steps that lead to the ocean and walk a short distance along the beach. By now, the sun has long sunken into the sea, and it got dark. We switch on our cell phone flashlights and follow Sienna down the beach to the palm tree maze that borders the resort. Sienna, Mia, and I had walked past it this afternoon while taking a tanning break.

"He's in there. But I will not go back. No way." Her voice trembles, and I help her sit down.

"It's okay, Sienna, just breathe."

"Ladies, I'm going to ask you to wait out here while we ...."

I don't wait for the rest of the security guard's sentence, and I head straight for the maze entrance. I would never have called myself particularly brave, and part of me doesn't understand what I'm about to do. But I need to know what happened to Lukas, even if Sienna's reaction freaked me out.

________

Hey everyone, I know this took forever, but I finally managed to update Spring Break. And also for our characters, the break seems to be over. What happened to Lukas? And what will Ava find? As always,

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