"John wake up."

Cassie tries to wake up John again as we are all waiting outside the car. He doesn't reply, and she starts shaking his shoulder. "Johhnnn."

He turns away from her in his sleep.

"John!" Stephanie suddenly yells - making my ear ring. John jumps up in an instant.

"Oh, we're here. That was quick." John shakes his head a little, and rubs the sleep from his eyes.

"For you maybe." Damien lights a cigarette. "I don't know what's worse. Your singing, or your sleep talking."

"Do I sleep talk?"

"Only about Stephanie." Damien winks, and for the first time, I think I see John blush.

He slings his backpack on his shoulder, and we all walk up to the house. It's a two story built out of long wood logs. Oaks with thick trunks and green manes surround it, and the lake glistens to the last lights of the sun ahead.

There's a deck for a porch, with wooden table and chairs. We cross to to the door, and Damien takes out the keys.

"Let the party begin." He announces as he swings open the door.

"Woohoo!" Stephanie tries to sip more vodka as she drags her suitcase behind her, and trips over my suitcase. John spreads his arm and catches her.

"Ahem, sorry." She steadies off him, looking away.

"It's not a problem." John says, and takes her suitcase inside.

"Why don't you girls sit outside while we take the bags upstairs." Damien suggests as he takes the suitcase from me, and the USA-patterned bag from Cassie.

"Don't peek, I've got surprises in there." She winks at him.

"Wouldn't dream of it. I would get nightmares." He says going in.

Cassie, Stephanie and I take sits around the table outside. They both light themselves cigarettes, and Cassie offers me one.

"No thanks." I decline.

"So..." She starts, her green eyes gleaming devilishly. "How is Damien?"

"Oo, I want to know about that too." Stephanie instantly jumps.

"Are you sure you want to know?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Why wouldn't we?" Stephanie asks.

"Because he's your ex, and your little brother. It's a weird audience for this conversation..." I say.

"What! Come on, the three of us are besties. We have to talk about this stuff." Cassie replies, barely able to hold back her smirk. I can't help but feel a little flattered.

"Actually..." I hesitate. "We haven't done it yet."

Their jaws slack as if I dropped a bomb on them.

"For real?" Stephanie asks. "Damien is waiting?"

"Yeah why? He didn't even mention it..." I say, and see Stephanie's face turn red. She takes an aggressive sip from the vodka.

"Sweet of him." She says, gulping down.

"Oh, that's new..." Cassie raises her eyebrows to herself, and takes the vodka from Stephanie. "What about you and John, Stephanie? Judging by the frustration, you two are waiting well."

"Shut up Cassie." Stephanie snatches the bottle from Cassie's lips, spilling a little vodka down her chin. I stare shocked, but to my surprise, Cassie just accepts it.

What the hell is going on with Cassie?

Damien and John come back outside. John sets a pair of cold six packs on the table, and sits across from Stephanie, as Cassie and I occupy her sides.

Damien smiles at me, and displays an array of tight nyloned steaks. I smirk back at him.

"Hope you're hungry." He says as he takes them to the barbecue.

"Fucking starving." John replies, cracking a beer open with Cassie's lighter.

"I was talking to my girlfriend, John."

"As long as you make food, I don't care who you're talking to." He says, and Stephanie laughs. She catches herself quick, but it's too late.

"Don't you want something harder John?" Stephanie shakes the vodka at him, as if it'll make him forget she laughed at his joke.

"I'm rehydrating." He shakes the beer back at her, then chugs the rest.

"I need something harder, give me that." Cassie takes the bottle from Stephanie.

"There are glasses inside, you know, in case you don't want to drink like savages." Damien comments, arranging the steaks across the grill.

"Wow Lora, you really made a little bitch out of him." John says, and Stephanie and Cassie burst into laughter.

"They're waiting too." Cassie spits out, and she, John and Stephanie unite in laughing roars.

I look shameful at Damien, trying to telekinesis my apology. He seems more irritated with his siblings though.

"It's fine," He tells me. "Let them loose some frustration."

"Why would I be frustrated?" Cassie asks.

"You haven't brought a girl home for at least three days. Did Stephanie break your heart?" Damien teases her.

"Yeah right, like I'm the one drinking in their boxers all day long." Cassie glances aside to John.

"Low blow." John shakes his head, and takes her vodka. I notice Stephanie trying to fold into herself in her seat.

"Guys look, I know I made some drama about you two being together. But I thought it out with myself, and I think I'm over it." Cassie spreads her arms, one patting on Stephanie's shoulder, and the other on John's.

"God, thanks Cassie. We were just sitting and waiting for your approval. What a relief." John starts laughing at her.

"Oh, Cassie said we could John, better fuck right now." Stephanie says, joining John's laughter.

"Well yeah... I just said you could." Cassie mumbles, rocketing their laughter.

"To Cassie!" John raises his next beer, still laughing. Stephanie clinks her vodka against it. Cassie and I join with beers, and Damien salutes from the BBQ stand.

"I'm gonna take a shower." Stephanie puts down the bottle, and I notice her eyes meeting John's.

"Have fun." Cassie says as Stephanie gets up.

"I will." Stephanie answers, going in. We sit in quiet for a short while, then John puts down his beer.

"I'm gonna shower too."

"Didn't you say you were hungry?" Damien asks as John a gets up.

"I can eat later." He goes in without glancing back.

"Great." Damien looks from me to Cassie, and sighs. "It's a romantic dinner, just the three of us."

"I know right? I love hanging out with you and your girlfriend." Cassie smiles from ear to ear. And I get a feeling that it's my turn with the vodka.