5

The sun in Hawaii hit different.

Y/N stepped off the shuttle bus, backpack slung over her shoulder, squinting up at the sprawling white resort-style buildings where they’d be staying.

She barely had time to take in the palm trees before a teacher barked:

“Pair up! You’ll be rooming in twos — we had some late cancellations, so we’re working with an odd number. Everyone will be assigned based on the sign-up list.”

Easy enough.

She stood next to Sam as the room assignments were read out.

“Sam Patterson… with Dylan Tran.”

Sam fist-pumped. “Dylan’s hot. I can work with this.”

“Y/N Y/L/N…” the teacher paused. “You’re with… Rodrick Heffley.”

Silence.

Like, actual silence. A couple kids turned to look. Someone gasped.

Y/N blinked. “I’m sorry. What?”

Rodrick, standing ten feet away with his duffel bag and sunglasses still on, called out:

“Aww, babe! You’re finally moving in!”

Y/N’s hands curled into fists. “There has to be a mistake. They can't put 2 teenagers of the opposite gender together in a room”

“No mistake,” the teacher said tiredly. “Co-ed pairs due to the odd number. Rooms are monitored. You have two beds, one bathroom. No trades. And plus, I put you 2 in the same room because I know, you'd never even think of going near each other.”

Rodrick walked over and bumped her shoulder with his bag.

“Don’t worry. I only snore when I’m drunk.”

“You’re a teenager.”

“And yet, I live like a rockstar.”

~The Room~

It was… nice. Too nice. Like, way too intimate for two people who had wished death upon each other multiple times.

Two twin beds, side by side. One dresser. A mini fridge. And a balcony with a view of the ocean.

Y/N dropped her bag and immediately grabbed the bed by the window. “Mine.”

Rodrick flopped onto the other one like he didn’t care. “Cool. This one’s closer to the bathroom, anyway. Less steps when I puke.”

She turned to him, arms crossed. “Here are the rules: No touching my stuff. No looking at me when I’m sleeping. And for the love of God, no walking around in your boxers.”

Rodrick stretched, arms above his head, and his shirt lifted just slightly, revealing a sliver of his tattooed hipbone.

“Can’t promise that last one.”

Y/N’s brain short-circuited for a second.

She cleared her throat. “I swear to God, Heffley…”

He smirked lazily. “Relax, Y/N. I’m not gonna seduce you on night one.”

She blinked. “You think I’m worried about you seducing me?”

He leaned in just enough for her to catch the faint scent of his cologne — citrus and something sharp.

“Should you be?”

That shut her up.

Not because she was intimidated.

Because for half a second, she wasn’t sure what her answer was.