Aiden
I reached into the back of the truck to grab my bags, turning to take a big, deep breath of fresh mountain air.
“This is the life, huh?” I said with a grin, glancing over at my teammates as they made their own way out of the vehicle. I’d hitched a ride with Jason and Davies out of convenience since we were all coming from Crowhill Cove College. It just made sense to save on the gas.
“Balls, it’s cold,” Jason burst out, shivering and zipping up his fleece jacket as he came round the back to get his own stuff.
“It’s kind of gotta be cold for skiing,” I chuckled.
“And snowboarding,” Davies pointed out. “And hot chicks on sheepskin rugs by fires.”
I laughed. Yeah, that sounded about right for Davies’ motivation to come on winter vacay.
Another car pulled up beside us, crunching snow under winter tires, and we turned to greet the new group of our friends arriving. There was no chance it was someone else. We’d managed to club together enough of us to book out the whole valley – all six chalets. Oliver Harvey leaned out of the driver’s side window to whoop at us, making all three of us cheer while he and his passengers got out.
The car was full – Olly had brought his boyfriend, Keaton, which was expected. They also had a couple of Keaton’s friends with them – I’d seen them on the group chat but never met them before.
“What about that view?” Keaton asked, his eyes sparkling as we all moved in for football bro-hugs, clasping hands and clapping shoulders.
“It’s fucking real,” I agreed, grinning and reaching out to shake hands with the first of the newcomers. “I’m Aiden. Aiden Thornton.”
“Hi, Aiden Aiden Thornton,” the guy said. He had long hair down to his shoulders, hidden inside a slouchy beanie, and a black hoodie covered most of his frame. He was tall, but not like football tall. Too skinny. “I’m Ace Ace Park.”
“Ace is in my film class,” Keaton said, calling across the group to make himself heard.
Ace rolled his eyes. “And itishis class,” he said. He had a piercing in his lower lip that I tried really hard to stop myself from staring at. “We’re all just in it to make up the numbers.”
“That’s not true,” Keaton said with a nervous-sounding laugh.
“Oh, yeah,” I said, snapping my fingers. “Harvey said something about you winning some big film contest?”
“Second year in a row,” Ace said, rolling his eyes again.
“Keat’s amazing,” Olly said happily, tucking his boyfriend under his arm and beaming.
Ace looked at me and I was sure he was about to start making fake vomit motions.
“This is Xavi,” Keaton said hastily, gesturing to the other friend I hadn’t met yet. He had tanned skin and dark hair, and he was shorter than all of us – even Keaton. From the look of his arms under his tight shirt, though, I wouldn’t have discounted him in a fight. “We’ve known each other since high school.”
I nodded at Xavi while I shook his hand. “Is that the same high school where Harvey used to beat Keaton up?”
Silence met my words. I glanced around.
“What?” I asked.
Jason sighed and shook his head, clapping me on the shoulder. “One day you’re going to learn not to say the first thing that comes into your head.”
I considered that for a moment. “Nah. Probably not.”
There were general sounds of agreement from those who knew me before we all turned at the sound of another car arriving. Two cars, actually – right up behind each other. I noticed our huge teammate Caleb taking up the whole front seat of a glorified minivan, his chatty girlfriend Aubrey excitedly waving from beside him. Following close behind them was a car bearing Davies and Jason’s girlfriends, which meant all four of my football buddies were probably lost to us for most of the long weekend.
Damn. Keaton and Harvey. Jason, Davies, and Caleb with their girlfriends. That just left me with Ace and Xavi, who I didn’t even know.
Coupling off was going to have to be discouraged as much as possible, or this trip could end up getting boring for me.
Although, wasn’t there another guy coming too…?
“Hey, losers!” Caleb shouted as he came over, grinning despite his words. “Who’s got the beers?”
