"Hello boys, mind if I join you?"
"Of course not", Kevin answered quickly. Ashley sat beside him and smiled.
"What are we talking about?" She asked.
"Recording the new album. We're going to get started after vacation", Howie replied.
"Thats nice", Ashley shivered. Her body was still soaked from being in the pool and it started getting a little breezy. Almost like Kevin could read her mind he wrapped his white beach towel around her.
"Thank you", she said.
AJ watched from the pool as he saw Kevin, Ashley and Howie talking and laughing. But especially he saw Kevin and Ashley flirting alot. He began to tread towards the pool stairs when he felt someone grab his arm.
"Looks like my cousin and your cousin are hitting off pretty well, huh?" Brian said with a smirk.
"She's sitting there fcukin half naked and lauging like a damn hyena!"
Brian flashed AJ a serious look, "Kev is a good guy AJ and you know it and so is Nick. Let Dee and Ashley breathe. My god!"
AJ sighed in defeat. He caught Kevin's glance and gave him a dirty look.
By now Ashley removed the towel and sat there in nothing but her bikini talking to Kevin. Howie had joined the others in the pool.
"So, how about you teach me that handshake", Kevin laughed.
"Alright, stand up", she smiled mischeviously.
She took his hand in her's and without being able to say a word he picked her up and threw her in the pool. After surfacing to the top she rubbed her eyes and frowned, "Hey! I was just dry", she laughed. Kevin jumped in next to her and within seconds he too surfaced.
"You looked too dry", he defended himself. She touseled his wet hair and pushed him under the water. "That's it!" Kevin smirked and swam towards Ashley. They swam around the pool chasing eachother until finally they became out of breath and stopped.
"I'll be right back", Ashley said. She swam towards Dee and Nick, "Psst, Dee come here", she waved her over.
"What?"
"Kevin is gorgeous, do you think he's interested?"
"Well, don't look now but he's staring at you", Dee smiled.
Ashley gleamed, "Okay, I need to go work a little more magic. I shall return", she smiled.
"You're back", Kevin said while hoisting himself to sit at the edge of the pool. Leaving just his legs to be in the water.
"Yes I am. Did you miss me?" She giggled.
Kevin nodded, "So, tell me about yourself Ashley."
"I'm 24, I graduated college three years ago, now I'm a branch manager at Enterprise. Dee is my only sibling and we share an apartment."
"Nice, nice. Are you with anyone?"
"Nope, me and my ex broke up about six months ago. Completely mutual", Ashley said while struggling to hoist herself out of the pool.
Kevin laughed at her attempts, "That's good. Mutual breakups are always better", he said while helping her out of the pool.
"Ash, you awake?"
"I am now, whats wrong?"
"Are you hungry? I'm hungry", Dee whined.
Ashley turned over to look at the digital clock on her hotel nightstand and sighed, "Its 2:30!"
"I'm starving. Isn't there a vending machine in the lobby?"
"Yeah.." Ashley said.
"Wanna get us something?"
"No!
"Please? I'll keep bothering you until you say yes", Dee warned.
"Fine!" Ashley rolled out of bed in her white mid-driff top and her green flannel pants. She put on her black fuzzy slippers and flashed Dee a dirty look before leaving the room. As Ashley walked down the hall to the staircase she felt like someone was watching her. She started to get a little nervous so she scurried down the steps. Sighing with relief as she saw the vending machine, she fiddled with the money and got two bags of potato chips. As the same feeling came over her she sprinted up the steps and ran head on into someone. Ashley fell hard on the ground.
"I'm sorry", she said as she got to her feet only to come face to face with the Denny, the older man from earlier. She started getting goosebumps and she felt very cold. It was an unexplainable feeling but either way she was spooked. This feeling was unfamiliar and she didn't feel right. Like there was someone else in that hallway beside herself and Denny.
"Are you alright sweetheart?" Denny asked.
"Yeah, I'm sorry", she said and started towards her room only to be pulled back by the old man.
"Be careful, strange and odd things happen here late at night. Disturb the dead, and they'll disturb you", he whispered. The sound of his voice and the feel of his breath on her made Ashley shudder. She tried to pull away but he had a tight grip.
"Let me go-", Ashley heard one of the room doors open.
"What's going on out here?" The male voice asked. He walked out of his hotel room in nothing but army green shorts.
"Nothing", Denny quickly let go of Ashley, "I'll see you folks, tomorrow. Have a good night." He quickly walked towards the steps and disappeared in the darkness.
Ashley shuddered and stared at her feet, "Thanks", she wrapped her arms around herself.
"Did he do anything to you? Are you okay?" He touched her shoulder and felt the goosebumps that had formed.
"Yeah..I'm umm..fine..", she studdered.
Kevin grabbed both of her upper arms gently, "Are you sure? You look pretty shooken up." Ashley looked up at him, letting her brown eyes connect with his green eyes.
"I'm positive", she smiled, "Just tired. Thank you very much and I'll see you in the morning. Good night."
"Night", he said walking back to his door. He made sure she got inside before going into his room.
"Finally! Remind me to never ask you for food when I'm dying of starvation", Dee replied sarcastically.
"You won't believe what just friggin` happed..", Ashley started to tell Dee exactly what happened between her and Denny. Ending her story with Kevin helping her.
"Now do you believe what Nick says about this place?"
Ashley shook her head, "I'm not convinced. That guy is just lonely and old and a slight bit perferted. It doesn't mean anything."
"What about what he said about 'the dead'?"
"He was saying that to live up to this hotel's legend. It means absolutely nothing. Now if you don't mind I'd like to get to sleep."
There was about ten minutes of complete silence in the room until Dee spoke, "How do you explain all of a sudden getting cold?"
"Its summer..this place is air conditioned..and I'm in a top that bears practically my whole stomach. Is that enough of an explanation?"
"When there is a ghost present you always tend to get cold. Its a sign, I read that in a book.." Dee said.
"GOODNIGHT DEANNA", Ashley stated firmly. She just wanted to let go what happened. It made her uncomfortable. 'It wasn't a ghost just a wierd and perverted old man..', she thought and even convinced herself to believe that.
