The Vacation

Chapter Fifteen

We ended the twister game with my falling. That's right. I hate to admit it and I'll probably never live that down. But yes, I fell because I was stretching too far and couldn't hold my position any longer. The sad thing was, I happened to fall on top of Lindsey, who started to fall because I was falling on her, and grabbed Marco's shirt for balance, pulling him down on top of me. So I tried to argue that since we all fell, we should all lose, but the boys were having none of that.

"Oh no. You lost fair and square. You started the chain reaction. I have it on video if you need a memory refresher." Alessio looked at me pointedly but there was a smile on his face, which turned into a grin.

"Well since the game is over, I vote we play another game. Or tell ghost stories. Or do something. I don't want to go back to my empty dorm hall this early! I mean it's a Saturday night, most people are at home visiting their families. But since my family lives in good old Ken-to the-ucky, I haven't left the dorm hall on breaks or weekends in forever." Lindsey, with her soft voice, spoke up.

When she said that, I gave her a look of pity. Because I've been there. And it sucks. I went to a boarding school in DC for a semester in the 8th grade. There was this thing that my school did - kind of like a foreign exchange program, but it was domestic - where the teachers picked their top students and then the administration finalized and sent those students to other prestigious schools across the States to "gain insight into other school systems and bring back ideas for improvement to our school" or something. Anyways, I've been where Lindsey's been - away from my family and my friends - and it sucks. Hands down. I mean she's 19 and I was like 14 but it's basically the same.

"Linds, stay here. In your usual room. You know we don't mind and we have like eighty five bedrooms in this place. It's less lonely and, you know I make a hell of a good breakfast. Please?" Marco adds.

So it is how I thought it was. They are dating. Why would he go and flirt with me then if he was dating Lindsey? She's gorgeous, and from what I know about her she's nice. Obviously smart, she's studying abroad at one of the top universities in England. I mean from the looks of how she stands, she wasn't the most popular girl, but she wasn't bullied. She seems like the type of girl that doesn't play sports because she didn't have defined calves like soccer players or runners, and she didn't have defined biceps like softball or tennis players. But she didn't need all that; she had a gorgeous character and a heart of gold - even after knowing her for an hour, I'm sure of this. So why did Marco think he could flirt with me when he obviously had Lindsey, a girl who probably could hold her own against me if it came to it?

"I have an idea," I say. "Let's play Never Have I Ever. It's really fun I don't know if you guys play it but my friends and I play it all the time. Basically we go around in a circle telling of something we haven't done, and if someone has done it, then they have to...well usually it's take a shot, but Alessio already told me he doesn't drink and I would assume the same for you guys? Okay so...we could do like a handful of candy? Or something? Sound good to you guys?" I looked around and I saw three heads nod and murmur in agreement. "So it's settled, then. What should we have to eat if we've done it?"

"We have Tobasco Sauce in the fridge. I vote that." Marco has that wicked grin on his face again. Alessio breaks into a smile and agrees immediately. Lindsey and I are less sure, but upon the boys' enthusiasm, we gave in.

***

"Never have I ever...um...cheated on a test." Marco went first. I was the only one that had to take a shot of Tobasco sauce. Gross.

Next was Lindsey. "Never have I ever...eaten calamari? Does that count?" I nod. The boys both drink the green enemy. Both tilt their heads back, throw the shot down, and grin at Lindsey and I.

I'm next to Lindsey, so I say, "Never have I ever been to Kentucky." And she shoots me a mock dark look, but drinks the Tobasco sauce anyway. She's a trooper.

"Never have I ever had a three way," Ali says, shooting a grin at Marco.

Marco and I both pick up our glass of Tobasco sauce, but before we can put it to our lips, Lindsey asks in a tentative voice, "Um...like...a Cincinnati three way? Or like...the sexual one? Because in America I believe that we call them "threesomes", but I am pretty sure none of you have had a delicious Cincy three way." The three of us look at each other in puzzlement. There's a three "way" that's not sexual? What?

Marco coughs. "Um...what's a Cincinnati three way?"

"You know, like spaghetti noodles with Cincinnati chili and shredded cheese. Some people put onions or beans or crackers on theirs. They're really delicious."

"Oh. Um...no we're talking about the sexual one. But that does sound good, though. Marco and I will have to try that sometime," Alessio says, a bit unsure.

"Oh. Okay then. So continue drinking your sauce, Marco and Jess." Lindsey says with a shrug and a smile.

So we do. But then I get to thinking that if Marco went to the same gentleman school as his brother, then isn't he a gentleman? And gentleman shouldn't be having threesomes in their bedrooms.

I voice my thoughts.

"Blondie, just because I'm a gentleman doesn't mean I don't have fun."

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