Chapter 16: Fancy Seeing You Here

**Lena**

“I can’t stand him!” I complain dramatically as we trail behind Jasper and James at a snail’s pace, the foliage doing nothing to provide much needed shade. I shield my eyes from the blinding sun, squinting as we navigate the winding path ahead of us. “Seriously! He was watching me sleep for who knows how long this morning!” I say with hushed strain as we trudge on, Katie throwing me offended glances as I proceed. “He was perched at the end of my bed like a damn vampire; he even tried to tickle my feet!” Jordan bursts out laughing, her tired cackles echoing off the tropical plants surrounding us like birds squawking. “God, that dude is such a creep! I would have kicked his ass straight out of the room!” Katie winces, as if trying to dislodge the vivid image of James I unintentionally planted in her brain. “James is the worst! I cannot understand how there are people like him, with no self awareness whatsoever!” she sighs. “He’s literally just a fuck boy wrapped up in a neat package with a bow. If he was broke or ugly, no one would give him the time of day.” Jordan mumbles while wiping the sweat off her forehead.

“I wish we were here with Chase and Corey. Today’s vibe would have been totally different!” Katies says while kicking rocks with her sneakers, and I give her an alarming look. When is she ever this relaxed about anything? “Right?! I had SO MUCH fun yesterday, and drumroll please… I’m not even that hung over!” Jordan chimes in while hitting the pose of champions, arms flexed in the air, her eyes sparkling behind the obvious sleep deprivation. “Not gonna lie, I was worried they really were going to sell us at the border, but it ended up being chill!” Katie adds with a distant smile. “Toldddd youuuuu!" Jordan boasts proudly, "oh yeah, I found a handful of stray cards in my bag when I woke up!” Jordan adds and Katie snorts, chasing her in circles around me. “I knew you tried to cheat, you drunk mess!” She says, jokingly swatting her arm no force. “Oh shut up! No one even noticed, and I lost every game anyway!”Jordan retorts, a grin breaking through her hungover daze.

“Speaking of not noticing, Corey almost got bit by a dolphin last night!” Katie interjects, chuckling breathlessly. Jordan and I stop in our tracks, bewildered by the words that just escaped her lips. “He almost what?! How did I miss this!?“ I exclaim while I rub my temples, racking my memory for this missing detail! “Yeah! He thought he could just reach over the side of the boat and, you know, make friends with it! I tried to warn him not to, but he didn’t listen. He almost fell in the damn ocean!” Jordan and I lock eyes before we keel over with laughter, Katie wasting no time to playfully push us forward. “Oh man, they were too much to handle," Jordan adds while adjusting her baseball cap. “Weren’t they!? Remember how Chase tried to bluff his way through every hand? It was Go Fish for goodness sake, not some high stakes poker match!” I say, my cheeks flushing as I remember the stoic look on his face. “He was for real so serious about it! I was waiting for him to pull out a cigar and give us tips on how to play like a pro!” Katie cries, and we all sigh through melodic giggles in an attempt to compose ourselves.

“UGH, no fucking thanks,” Jordan whispers as she points at James, who is lowering his sunglasses to gawk at women passing by, like he’s king of the fucking jungle or something. “Ewwww,” we shriek in unison, nudging at each other's ribs like a troop of deranged monkeys. The gravel crunches under our feet as we continue, inching closer and closer to the platform. “Anyways…" Katie hums as she turns to look at me. "What does it say about Jasper if this is the company he chooses to keep?” She grumbles while glaring at the back of James’s head. “I hate to say it, but birds of a feather flock together, you know?’ Jordan adds in her two cents, her forehead creasing with concern. "I’ve thought about that plenty of times actually, and I can’t understand how the two of them are friends. Jasper is so introverted compared to James, while James... is like a parrot that never shuts the hell up." I say, my friends patting me sincerely on the back while they absorb my words. We continue reminiscing about yesterday's shenanigans for the remainder of the hike, and I can’t help but wonder what Chase is up to right now. “Come on ladies, this way!” Jasper suddenly bellows while dramatically gesturing toward the zip line entrance.

“James and I will go first,” Jasper says, strapping on his helmet with a grin, his dull blue eyes wide with excitement. “Yes! That way… we can help you ladies down from your harnesses when you reach the bottom.” James beams as he gears up as well. Katie looks at me with a disgusted expression, and I stifle back a laugh as Jordan mimics puking off the side of the deck. As I inch forward, I can’t help but to admire the view. Bright flowers bloom in every direction and the breeze rustles the vibrant trees animatedly- they still tower over us, despite being up so high. “Don’t chicken out when you get to the edge!” Jordan teases, calling out to Jasper as he prepares to take off. He rolls his eyes but the subtle smirk he wears can’t hide his happiness. “I’ll be too busy taking in all this,” he extends his lean arms, “to even think about it!” He nods at the guide and with a whoosh, he’s off, his adrenaline fueled yelps echoing through the trees as he glides down. “Look at him go!” James laughs as he gets hooked up next. He makes an effort to flex his biceps as he grabs ahold of the line securing him to the track. “See you at the bottom, my sweet concubines,” he purrs, blowing us a kiss before licking his lips. The three of us exchange stomach churning glances as we put on our equipment, and we sigh with relief when his ass vacates the platform. “Can he be any more repulsive?” Katie asks while smoothing her short hair into a low ponytail. “I hope his line breaks!” Jordan adds while tucking in her flowy shirt.

I watch as Jordan gets strapped into the zip line next. I lean against the wooden rail, the rough texture leaving scratches on my back as the guides explain the rules to her. They work tirelessly but swiftly to ensure she’s secure, triple checking every buckle and strap before giving the green light. There’s no mistaking it when Jordan takes off- her shrieks terrify and scatter multiple flocks of birds into the sky as she zooms down the line like a hyena! Katie and I clap and cheer her on, laughing like maniacs as she flails and wobbles, unable to steady her flight. She disappears into the treeline, leaving behind only blissful echoes until it fades back to the quiet chatter of the tourists around us. While Katie is preparing for her turn, a familiar, sultry voice whispers in my ear, “fancy seeing you here.”

I whip around way too fast and crash into Chase, who has miraculously appeared out of nowhere! “What are you doing here?!” I jump, my voice peeping like I just sucked helium from a balloon at a birthday party! My stupid heart aches as he tilts his precious head to the side, dazzling me with that charming smirk of his. “To experience the zip line of course,” he murmurs proudly, twirling one of my french braids between his fingers. The viridescent shade of his eyes almost glow against the backdrop of the flourishing jungle, leaving me speechless. As Katie waves goodbye, her eyes nearly pop out of their sockets when she spots Chase standing next to me. Before she can muster a single word, she’s whisked away down the track, shrieking with panic and delight as she glides towards the same destination as our group. And I, once again, find myself alone with Chase for the second time in twenty four hours. I inhale deeply as my attention returns to face, and his shoulders dip as he closes the space between us. He gently tucks an exquisite magenta hibiscus behind my ear, softly grazing my cheek and bottom lip before returning his hand to it's place behind his back. “Or maybe..." he taps his chin in faux contemplation, "I just came to watch my little dove scream.”