How To Get Between A Predator and Their Prey.

(Day 4 - Friday night - Beach party - Rich Kids' party)

Once they were done with their volleyball match they got some water and went to sit back around the fire. It was then that Courtney noticed Melissa walking back towards the rich kids' party. The other girl stopped, texted something, and then kept walking, slowly, like something was wrong.

Courtney glanced around and she didn't see Conner at the moment but that was fine. An announcement was made about live music at the North Beach, everyone included. That was a perfect in. "Do you want to go?" Courtney asked Matt about heading to the North Beach to hear the live music but she was getting ready to stand as he responded.

"Sure, but I thought you were more into country music." Matt seemed a little confused because it seemed a little out of Courtney's taste.

"Maybe, I'm trying to expand my musical tastes." Well, not really the truth but she couldn't tell him the truth so that would have to do.

Matt stood and so did Courtney and the two went off to the North Beach.

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Melissa arrived to Doug waiting for her and telling her to sit down. Which she did and then the barrage of questions. Where had she been, what took so long to get back, who was she talking to, and so on. Melissa knew she had to be careful with her answers one wrong word, one misstep and she knew what could happen. So, she lied. She told Doug she had been stopped by one of the chaperones and they just wanted to know if she was enjoying the beach trip. It wasn't a good lie, she was a little out of practice on that part.

Doug seemed to believe her about the chaperone but he was still angry at her for not texting him back. It was that she had no real answer for; she tried to say that she couldn't be rude to the chaperone but he didn't buy it. He told her to stand up, she hesitated, he stood up and grabbed her arm pulling her to standing, really giving her no choice. He said they were going for a walk and she hesitated, he seemed to though not allow for much of that and she went with him.

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When Courtney arrived with Matt she saw Melissa and Doug arguing about something and he saw Doug and Mel get up from the blanket. Courtney was too busy watching Mel and Doug to notice anyone else watching them.

She didn't notice the way Doug got Mel off the blanket but she did she the other girl hesitate to go with him. Courtney then turned to Matt. "I need your help with something."

Matt had notice Courtney when she stopped walking and watched Doug with Melissa, he hadn't met Melissa and didn't know the whole story but knew for some reason Courtney was determined to protect the girl. "Sure." Was all he said.

"Ok, I need you to get between Doug and Mel. Get him to stop. I'll take care of the rest."

Matt signed but just said "Sure." He didn't know what to think exactly but figured Courtney must have a good reason for what she was doing.

Matt had an in with the rich kids, people just found him nice and he had money and most in the school knew his parents owned a vineyard. Many of the rich kids wanted him on their side because of the vineyard, like they thought he could just get them wine without his parents knowing. He figured his in might not be so much considering what was currently going on at the school but he could do this. He walked right up to where Doug and Mel had stopped for just a moment. "Hey, Doug," Matt said.

Doug seemed more annoyed than anything at Matt interrupting but said. "Hey, Matt."

"Are you going to introduce us?" He noticed Doug letting go of Mel's arm.

"Melissa this is Matt," Doug said, then turned to Matt. "I thought you were slumming it with the scholarship students What are you doing here?"

"C’est un plaisir de vous rencontrer belle dame." He said to Melissa before responding to Doug. "Oh, you mean hanging with my friends. I am but came up here for the music."

Melissa smiled slightly at Matt's words. "Merci beaucoup."

Matt turned his attention back to Melissa. "You know French?" At this point, he kind of made his way between Melissa and Doug.

"A little. My sister learned French I guess I picked some up from her." She shrugged. The truth was Melissa knew more French than she realized. She glanced up at Doug who was looking beyond annoyed at the interruption and maybe jealous of Matt.

While Matt had them distracted, Courtney had gone over and gotten water in a cup. She waited until Matt had slipped between Doug and Mel and quietly said to herself. "Sorry, Matt. Collateral damage." And then pulled out her phone and pretended to text someone, paying more attention to her phone than where she was walking. She ran into Doug getting water all over him. "Oh, I'm sorry...Doug. "

"You ... idiot," Doug said upon seeing it was Courtney, a scholarship student and someone he didn't have to be nice to.

"It was an accident, I swear." Courtney said.

Doug was fuming and Matt, suddenly seeing a side of Doug he hadn't before, really didn't like this. He had also gotten wet in the process and used it as an excuse to get Doug out of there. "Hey, Doug, let's just go back and get changed." Matt noticed Doug hadn't said anything to Melissa. Matt turned to Mel. "You OK?"

"Yeah, I didn't get any on me," Melissa responded.

Matt glanced at Courtney, raised a brow, and shook his head. He then turned back towards Doug. "Let's go." The two young men headed back to the boys' guest house to get changed.

Courtney and Melissa talked for a few moments before Courtney got a text from Matt. *You know I never mind helping you but next time a little more warning might be nice.*

Courtney : *Sorry, about that. I had to think quick.*

Matt: *Ok, I forgive you* Which was obviously meant as a joke, he wasn't really upset over it. *Are you going to stay up there?*

Courtney: * Y* Meaning yes.

Matt; "I'll see you there in a few minutes.*