The Team

"What the fuck!?" Jade hisses directly in my ear, the bed creaking as if to emphasise her point.

"We were drunk. Half asleep-" I start, but Jade begins her counterargument before I can even formulate my argument.

"-and we still saw exactly the same thing. The same as Vikram, too. It happened. It was real."

The hangover that was, well, hanging over every aspect of my reality just ten minutes before had retreated, as if it too had been blown away by the weird revelation that Emma and Josh basically put on a sex show for all of us last night. Well, that, or the banging breakfast and painkiller combination I had scarfed down had fixed me right up.

Vik's confirmation was enough to silence Jade and I through the rest of breakfast. It set my mind racing to try to remember every detail I had seen and to preserve every moment of the act. No sooner than I had finished my last mouthful, Jade had grabbed my arm and pulled me back to the bedroom, tugging the 'door' on our alcove with enough force to almost pull it down.

"Not just them, Luke! What if they saw us too? Emma and Josh definitely did," Jade shakes my arm, bouncing up and down on the bed.

Her face is bright red, almost incandescent, making her freckles seem to fade into her already-tanned skin. Her usually moss green eyes sparkle with a layer of water that seems to make her blink repeatedly as she looks up at me.

I wrap a hand around her; the one she had been vigorously shaking, and pull her against my side, hugging her and holding her close enough to feel her quick, sharp, breaths.

"I guess we were just so good that we put them in the mood," I feel my mouth quiver as I try to suppress a smile.

Jade cuffs me and squeaks indignantly, but I press on, "We were all drunk! It happens-"

"-it does not!" Jade cuts me off, voice still pitched up. "People don't just put on impromptu sex shows for their friends, Luke!"

"Ours wasn't intended to be a 'sex show', even if we ended up with an audience, so why do you think theirs was?"

"She... she... it- they- I- she... you-"

"-and anyway, I thought this was your big plan? You werebothstrutting around all day yesterday like the opening to some porn scene."

I feel Jade's head swivel slowly. Dangerously slowly. Ihesitantlylook down at her.

"So, you're a porn expert now, Luke? What porn have you been watching?" She snaps, her expression flat.

"That's not the point! Your plan, babe. What's different about this?"

"It's entirely different!"

She pushes me away and stands up. As she begins to take a step, she faulters, before turning around again and actually stamping her foot like she's about to throw a tantrum.

"Look, only the two of them saw us, and they didn't see much," I try to reassure her. "As for their performance... we were all drunk. They probably just got carried away and forgot anyone else was about."

Jade doesn't react, still marching up and down the tiny space in front of me.

I take a breath, "We're just going around in circles. Everyone saw almost as much of you and Emma by the pool as last night..."

Jade stills, her face twisting to look down the end of her nose at me. I swallow involuntarily.

"Maybe."

I wait for her to say more, but she turns her eyes away after a second and sags with a breath.

"We should help them clean up," she sighs.

"Are you alright?"

She pauses before answering, "Yeah. You're right. Everyone was drunk. It's not as bad as it seems."

She paces back and forth as she talks, "Only Josh and Emma sawus. It's not like I never saw the pics from the girls, or your team before. It's not like... I don't know. I guess, maybe, theywerejust carried away."

"OK... Good..." I offer.

Jade grunts and slides past the sheet at the edge of the alcove. I sigh and shake my head, not fully understanding what just happened. It seemed like an extreme reaction. From the parts that I remember of last night, Jade didn't seem to have a problem with any of this. Then again, my recollection seems to have narrowed to a pair of huge, firm, round, bouncing-

"Are you coming?" Jade's head bursts through the curtain again, only a pink flush on her cheeks remaining.

"I-" I stutter.

"You have training to get ready for."

"Huh?"

"Liam told you before breakfast."

"Training?"

Jade rolls her eyes, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. That perks me up enough to get my thoughts in order.

"Oh, yeah... Surely it's not been an hour yet?"

"Then you've got plenty of time to come and help me clean up," she gives me a wicked smile before disappearing through the curtain.

I rub my head. Maybe that hangover is still lurking after all.

***

Training is shit.

Emma doesn't show up. I feel like my head is full of lead spikes. My stomach keeps threatening to kick out breakfast, and it's not picky about how. Of the team, the only ones who don't appear to be sluggish husks of their usual selves are Vik and Liam. Josh looks totally normal, but it's like his reactions are a second later than they should be, calling things outafterthe fact, and at one point I'm sure I watched his character spend a full five seconds running on the spot into a corner in one of the maps.

"This is fucked," Gene exhales, splatting his head down onto the keyboard.

I see his character explode with light and effects, entirely harmlessly, on his screen. Then they just jump in place, over and over and over again.

"Come... on..." Jamie drones, his voice little more than a squeaky whisper.

I can't tell whether he's complaining at having to train, or at the absolutely dire attempt we're barely making.

"We don't have many chances left for training before it all kicks off," Josh states.

Usually something he would have barked, but even he doesn't seem to be able to summon the energy for that, the words coming out in a monotone dribble.

"It looks like if we want to beat the other teams, all we have to do is get them absolutely pissed on the night before we play them," Liam laughs, although the smile seems a little strained as his eyes barely crinkle.

I hear a few pitiful echoes of his laugh amongst the team. My own attempt almost makes me vomit.

"This isn't productive," I say, nearly joining Gene in a catatonic state on the keyboard. "Why don't those of us who just can't, fuck off, and anyone standing from the other team can come in and give you some actual practice?"

"No... we need drills, not to give away tactics," Jamie responds quickly and, paradoxically, incredibly lethargically.

"I agree with Luke," Josh states, surprising me. "This isn't getting us anywhere. If you're not up to it, go and recover for our next session."

"But we don't want to show them our tricks, right?"

"We literally play video games online. They are streamed and easily recorded. If they wanted to know our 'tricks', they would already," Liam cuts in. "Playing against them is better practice."

"I'll go find..." Josh begins. "I've totally forgotten his name... The Scottish guy. Captain. Robert? Craig?"

Vik cackles, the sound is like nails on a chalkboard, "How can you forget his name? You spent so long with him yesterday! It's bloody Matt!"

"Are you sure?"

Josh turns to him, face screwed up, "That doesn't sound right at all."

"What's wrong with you?"

Gene tumbles from his chair and begins to crawl towards the door. All heads swivel to watch in silence as he makes it a few feet. When he encounters a slight elevation, he sprawls out with a gurgle, defeated.

"I guess I'll help with that," I say, getting to my feet, and almost getting off them immediately.

I bend to lift Gene, but a sudden pain lances through my leg, the calf suddenly tight, and I go down to one knee, sucking in air through my teeth.

"I'm not fucking crawling too," I hear Jamie croak, followed by a shuffling.

A second later, Josh stands over me, hand extended. I take it and let him pull me to my feet. His strength surprises me. He is bulky, but I didn't think he was particularly muscular, especially for someone who spends most of their time behind a keyboard.

"Thanks," I force a laugh. "Must still be drunk."

He nods and helps Gene up. With his assistance, it's a simple matter to get the lad into a position where we can carry him back to the villa. We pass the shambling zombie, formerly Jamie, within a couple of paces of leaving the 'gaming shed'.

"So... last night..." I begin, as we leave Gene on the couch in the villa's front room.

Josh stops and turns to me, "Last night?"

"Erm, in the bedroom."

He raises an eyebrow. I try to think of something to say to prompt him. It's like my mind is trying to run across a waterlogged pitch.

"Sorry for the... err... show," I continue when he doesn't say anything.

"Oh, that!" He smiles. "To be honest, I had totally forgotten. Emma and I had a bit too much to drink. I was barely conscious."

I examine his face, but it seems as open and genuine as usual, no sign of a smirk; the corner of his eyes crease as his smile reaches them, his hazel irises seeming to glow in the bright sun, almost sparkling with good humour. My memories of him last night do not tally with his assertion of drunkenness.

"You were? I thought I heard you and Emma," I almost tripped over my tongue, not really knowing what nonsense I was spewing. "You were up and... talking later... I thought."

"Oh, yeah!" Josh smiles. "The boys weren't exactly quiet when they all came stumbling in. Woke us up, and it took a while to get back to sleep. It's why I'm not at a hundred percent today."

"Right..." I say, trying not to let my confusion show.

Would he be embarrassed if he knew what we all saw? Is he just playing with me? Was he half asleep and it was Emma who took the reins, so to speak?

"Alright, well, I'm going to... die now," I chuckle. "Good luck getting any training out of the rest of us."

Josh smiles and pats me on the back as he heads to the door, "See you later. No free pass for the next session though."

I turn to watch him go, puzzling over what just happened. Maybe last night really was a dream. We all saw a lot of Emma's skin yesterday, so it makes sense that it would be at the forefront of our minds. If they were talking while we were in and out of a half-drunken sleep, it could all blend together and influence our dreams. It's not like we slept soundly with the amount we drank, especially with the others apparently coming in so loud and late.

I stumble around the house looking for Jade, but all I find is Jamie, his titanic snores already taking up all the space in the bedroom. With Gene's mix of retching and snoring in the lounge area, and the lack of other internal areas suitable for resting, I make my way to the pool and collapse in one of the loungers in the shade of what I'm now calling the pizza shed.

"You're going to burn," Jade's voice is soft, but it still startles me.

I blink my eyes repeatedly. They feel heavy and the world is so bright suddenly. Everything feels fuzzy, but alsolessterrible. I bring my hand to my face to rub my eyes, pulling back when I feel the unexpected heat. I keep blinking and have to squint to see anything. I'm sure Ijustsat in the shade, yet half my body is practically glowing in the sun.

I don't have time to consider this as I realise I haven't actually replied to my girlfriend yet. I look up to see both JadeandEmma, each one wearingslightlymore than yesterday, but not by a lot.

Jade's long hair seems lighter than usual, not quite almost blonde from the way the light strikes it. She hasn't tied it, letting it instead hang halfway to her perfect bum. Sheisin a bikini again today, her tanned chest and toned stomach clear above a translucent patterned shawl kind of thing that barely conceals her legs.

Emma snorts and I look up at her, seeing her mouth quirk upwards. Her contrast with Jade seems even more prominent today. Where Jade's freckled face has, overnight, become only marginally lighter than her hair; almost a sandy colour, Emma's is pure and pale as snow, making her sapphire eyes and messy midnight hair stand out even more.

"Anyone in there?" Jade prompts me into realising I'm just staring at the two of them.

In my defence, it's hard not to. Emma stands in the shade provided by a small parasol. She's also wearing a bikini top and matching shawl-like-thing; darker than Jade's, which makes it just slightly less translucent, giving me a full view of her insanely curvy body beneath. Where Jade has breasts that can be cupped in a single hand, each of Emma's would take both of my hands and they would still spill over. At least the bikini top she wears covers more than just her nipples today.

I realise I still haven't spoken, and blink a few more times, croaking as I try to get a sound out of my parched throat.

"Here," Jade sighs, handing me an open bottle of water.

I greedily gulp it down, throat scratching with each swallow.

"Why are you sleeping out here?" Emma laughs, as I continue draining the bottle.

I finish it and let my arm fall onto my stomach, still hot to the touch. My head sags back into the seat.

"Sorry. Thanks," I say eventually. "I just sat down for a moment after practice."

"Your snoring seems to have scared everyone away," Jade chuckles.

Iamslightly surprised to see it so sunny without anyone enjoying the pool, so maybe there's some truth to that.

"Ijustsat down!" I protest.

Jade laughs, giving me a playful roll of her eyes.

"Your arm's burning, sweetie. That takes more than a second," Emma states, her cheeks taut from where she obviously holds back laughter.

Even though she's barely clothed again, this time she's wearing glasses and lets her hair fall over her face in unkempt strands. She also holds a bag close to her body with both arms, as if to hide behind it.

"What's the time?" I ask, realising I don't have my phone or watch on me.

"Italian rota time. So, if you came out here right after training, then youmighthave only been out here for fifteen minutes."

She turns her head to Jade, "I think your man's been skipping out on training."

"What! No!" I protest.

"Naughty boy," Jade gives me a faux-stern expressions, waggling her finger at me.

I only now notice a bag hanging from her arm, even though that'sprobablywhere the bottle of water came from.

"I swear down! Things happened, right," I begin.

But the girls simultaneously let out an exasperated 'hmph' and turn on their heels before I can get any more protestations out. Emma slides her arm through Jade's and they saunter away, towards the villa. At least the view they provide as they walk away is lovely, even if that synchronisation was a bit creepy.

I breathe out and drag myself into a fully sitting position. My arm really is a bit red, now that I look at it. But my head doesn't hurt, and I don't feel so sleepy anymore. I can't just lounge here all day, so I pull myself to my feet with a smile and follow in the wake of the two.

I catch up with them as they make it to the top of the steps between the pool and our villa.

"You can talk, where were you?" I accuse.

Emma barely turns to look at me, "I was in town with your lovely girlfriend."

"And why not training?"

"Better things to do, obviously. We've got you now, so I only need to step in when we need rescuing."

"We were going to go to the beach, but it'sagesaway," Jade continues before I can respond.

"Beach? But we have this? Why do you want a beach?"

I gesture back atthis: the idyllic patio and picturesque still and clear water of the pool.

I follow them through the doors into the villa to be greeted by Gene's snores, which take precedence over an answer to my question.

"What is wrong with you all?" Emma groans.

"How areyouso chipper?" I retort.

They stop suddenly, and I almost collide with them, leg twinging as I try to abruptly freeze.

"Ican hold my drink."

What little I can see of her face contorts into a smile that seems laced with more than a little wryness.

"Right, right, so what-"

I don't get to finish the sentence, as Jade grabs me.

"-anyway, the beach is just part of the holiday. We have to go, or it doesn't count," she says quickly.

"And what about training?" I roll my eyes at Emma.

She replies without hesitation, taking the bag from Jade and twisting to face me fully.

"It doesn't look like you're getting any done anyway, and we've always got the evening session on the rota."

Jade begins pulling me away from Emma, in the direction of the stairs, "Good. All agreed. You need to get ready, babe."

"See you in a bit," Emma waves, before turning in the direction of the kitchen.

Jamie's snoring is no longer dominating the bedroom. I hear Liam and Vik adding to the chaotic symphony before we even make it to the entrance. I look over Jade's head, through the doorway, to see Vik and Liam facing one-another, engaged in some sort of shouting match.

Jade steps into the room ahead of me and Vik falters halfway through a word, leaving his mouth wide open as he stares directly at her across Liam.

"Vik, man?" The big lad taps him on the head before turning to see what caused the impossible.

Jade stops a couple of paces into the bedroom and raises a finger to her bottom lip. I move up to her side and note a mischievous smile on her lips as she seems to bask in their hungry eyes.

"We're going to the beach," she says after an uncomfortable moment of silence.

I don't have time to add anything to her statement other than a brief nod, as Jade pulls me by the arm, once again, to our alcove.

"Y-yeah," I hear Vik stammer as I pass him.

"When? Do we have time?" Liam asks, suddenly all business.

I turn to him as we reach our 'door' and shrug, "Emma's orders. She says we have the evening session still."

Liam, of all people, rolls his eyes at that.

"I suppose the shitshow this morning is as good as we're going to get until you lot get your act together. You can't getmoredrunk or hungover at the beach, at least," he says, turning to Vik. "Come on. Get ready."

As I pull the sheet across the alcove behind me, Jade pulls me into a kiss.

"Did you see him?" She whisper-laughs into my ear as we break apart. "That was as bad as yesterday and I wasn't even doing anything!"

She bites her lip in a mischievous smile, rosy cheeks lifting to narrow her eyes. I struggle to find something to say, so I give a nod of acknowledgement and kiss her.

"Jealous?" She teases me, lips still brushing mine.

"No! I just wasn't expecting. Well, you weren't in a great mood when I left for training."

She steps back, ushering me to sit on the side of the bed. Idon'thit my head this time.

"I'm feeling better," She smirks.

I pull her onto me and she squeaks, pushing me back onto the mattress and straddling me.

"Luke!" She gasps in my ear. "We can't!"

"Such a one-track mind," I laugh after letting her pull back a little.

Her emerald eyes bore into me instead of dealing me the expected eye roll.

"I spoke to Emma," her voice comes out low and slow.

Her breath is hot and minty against me, making my neck come out in goosebumps as it brushes me.

"We've decided to continue our little game."

Her smile looks somehow both playful and genuine as it reaches her eyes, making little lines at the corners.

"Even after your... After this morning?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jade's eyes slide to the side, giving her an air of absolutely false innocence.

She looks back at me and giggles as she sees something in my own expression, "We just need to be more active to inoculate you boys."