Written by: Dallas Walsh

Rachelle's face illuminates when a bolt of lightning flashes across the sky as the rainstorm continues to rage outside. She is sitting in Café Tropical at the Barracuda Blue with a spiked iced tea in front of her. Her mind is racing, and panicking, over the fact that her Art History professor, Malcolm Summers, told her that she plagiarized her term paper. She knows that is not true, but somehow, her paper was almost identical to another student's, Nate Meadows. They had been working on the papers together, but something, still, doesn't make sense as she knows that she didn't cheat. The paper that Malcolm graded was not the paper that she handed in.

"How did this happen?" she asks herself as she takes a sip of her drink, feeling the vodka hit her veins. She needs to calm down, which is why she added the vodka to her drink. She normally doesn't drink but her getting accused of cheating is more than she can handle. "This could ruin my entire future! I…I have to figure this out, my entire future depends on it."

Suddenly, Nate bursts into the Café and scans the room. His eyes rest on Rachelle and he storms closer to her. "What the actual fuck?" he asks her as he sits next to her. "I just spoke to Professor Summers; he's claiming that we copied each other's papers?"

Rachelle gulps back to him. "I…I know," she shakes her head back to him. "He told me earlier today. I don't know how this happened, Nate. Do…do you?"

Nate feels the blood drain from his face as another loud clap of thunder can be heard. "Are you suggesting I did this?"

"No!" she squeals back to him. "I am just trying to figure out what happened? I woke up today thinking that I might graduate at the top of the class, and now, I could be expelled!"

"You and I," Nate looks back at her with intent. "We know our papers were unique; we just have to prove it. We are innocent."

"How can we prove this?"

"Do you have a copy of your essay on your computer? Maybe we could show them our original essays?"

Rachelle shrugs back to him. "I mean, we could," she sighs to him. "I worry that they will say that we changed the papers after we got caught. We can try, I am just worried we will need something more to prove our innocence."

"We can't give up," Nate insists to her. "We have to prove we didn't cheat, Rachelle. We have no other choice."

/\/\/\

Liam closes his locker in the change room that is just off the tennis courts at the Barracuda Blue. On the other side of the locker room, there is a large gym that the guests of the Barracuda Blue have access too; because of the rainstorm, Liam was doing some training in the gym verse his usual tennis practice. His mind, however, was not on his workout; instead, he hasn't been able to stop thinking about his sexual encounter with Leaf.

He has found himself getting aroused, more than once, at the idea of he and Leaf having sex. He knows that it was a very hot experience for both of them. However, in the back of his mind, he can't help but wonder what their fling will mean for Leaf's relationship with Arrow.

Before they hooked up, Leaf continued to tell him that he and Arrow were thinking about being in an open-relationship, but at the time, they weren't, and that is weighing on Liam's mind. The last thing he wants is to be a homewrecker.

"But I might have ruined what they have," he sighs to himself. "And as hot and sexy as Leaf is, I don't want to come between the Justin's. Ugh, what the hell have I done?"

Just then, the door to the gym opens and Kelvin emerges at the gym. He sees Liam and wonders if the reason that Marco hasn't noticed him before is because he likes Liam; he doesn't know why had hadn't thought of that before, but it would make sense.

"Hey Mr. Thornton," Kelvin manages to say.

"Liam, please," Liam responds to him. "You're…?"

"Kelvin, I am the bellhop here. I like to get a workout in before my shift."

"Nice," Liam smiles back to him. "I have to get going, but it was nice to officially meet you, Kelvin. Have a good work out."

"Thanks man," Kelvin says with a wave of his hand, wondering if he could use Liam to, somehow, get Marco's attention.

/\/\/\

Leaf paces back and forth in the primary bedroom of the guest cottage that he shares with Arrow. His mind is racing about how and Liam recently had sex, in the very room that he is standing in. He has been feeling guilty about it because he knows that he and Arrow are not open, but Arrow pushed him into it because he was concerned that if they didn't assist Orvilla with her plan, they would lose the lifestyle that they have become accustomed too.

While Leaf can't deny that the sex was hot, he can't help but wonder how Orvilla will use this to her advantage; after all, the only people who know about the affair are Liam, Leaf, Arrow and Orvilla.

"This just makes me feel uneasy," he sighs to himself, as Arrow comes into the bedroom. The lovers lock eyes with one another. "Hey."

"Hey," Arrow replies to him. "Are you okay? You look pale as a ghost."

"I…I can't stop thinking about Orvilla's plan," Leaf admits to him. "What does she plan to do with the information that I slept with Liam? And what proof does she have?"

Arrow feels the blood drain from his face as the thought of the video he planted in the room to capture the act on video. "What is it?" Leaf asks him, noticing that something is on his mind. "What haven't you told me, Justin?"

"There…uhhh, there was a camera," he reveals to him as Leaf's mouth opens in shock and horror. "It was caught on film, so there is proof."

"What?" Leaf asks in horror. "What the hell is this? I…I feel really disgusting, Justin! I feel like you…both of you…used me for some sick plan!"

"It's not like that…"

"Then what is it like?" Leaf asks him. "You will literally do anything for Orvilla, right? And to hell with anyone else?"

"Oh get off it, Leaf," Arrow spits back to him. "I saw the video, you weren't complaining when you were pounding away at Liam!"

"This isn't going to work," Leaf shakes his head back to him. "I was worried that this was going to come between us, and it certainly has. I…I can't even stomach the sight of you right now. You violated me, you violated Liam!

"Violated?" Arrow asks him in shock. "How do you get that?"

"You filmed us without our consent, Justin! That's so fucked up! I…I need to get out of here!"

"Where are you going?" Arrow asks him as Leaf starts to walk out of the room. "We have to talk about this!"

"Why? So you can report back to Orvilla? Nah, I'm good Arrow," Leaf waves his hand in the air. "The next time you need a pimp, don't come looking for me."

The front door slams closed leaving Arrow alone with his thoughts. He runs his hands through his hair, wondering if Orvilla's plan will ruin his relationship with Leaf forever.

/\/\/\

The following morning, a groggy Arrow slowly walks towards Orvilla's office. He barely slept the previous night as Leaf slept in the second bedroom that they have in their cottage. He never imagined that this plan to seduce Liam would turn his relationship upside down, but that is exactly what it has done. He doesn't know if Leaf will be able to forgive him for pushing to sleep with Liam, which was caught on film without their consent. On one hand, he doesn't blame Leaf for being upset, but on the other hand, Arrow saw the video and he knows that Leaf had a good time with Liam.

He opens the door to Orvilla's office and moves inside, where he spies her pouring herself a cup of coffee at the bar. She turns to see her friend. "Justin, you look like absolute hell this morning."

"Gee, thanks?" he responds to her quickly. "I barely slept last night. My life…it's a fucking mess!"

"Why? Because Leaf didn't have a good time with Liam?" Orvilla asks him as she purses her lips together. "You and I both know that isn't the case."

"He feels used," Arrow explains o her. "He was also furious that we filmed it without consent."

"He will come around," Orvilla replies to him quickly. "The fact of the matter is, he got to have sex with an attractive, younger man, and now as a result, his job, and your future lifestyle will remain just the way it is, if not better."

"Better? How can you say that when my relationship is falling apart?"

"Oh Justin, darling," Orvilla moves up to him and caresses his face. "Trust me when I say that at the end of all of this, I will make you one of the top executive's at Mecannica; I will give you a promotion, which will lead to a pay raise and all of the perks. I won't leave you hanging in the dust."

"I hope that it will be worth it," he sighs back to her. "Because right now, this feels like a huge mistake that I am regretting with every fiber of my being."

/\/\/\

Meanwhile, in Café Tropical, the Thornton children sit at a table with some breakfast in front of them. Lyzz, once again, has large, black, sunglasses on her face to prevent her siblings from seeing that she stoned. The fact is, the cocaine that she got from Darryl continues to make her have intense dreams, so she hasn't been sleeping well. She doesn't know why, exactly, this cocaine is making her feel so different, but it is a unique high for her.

Her siblings, also, remain quiet as they are both thinking about the turmoil their lives are in. Liam is still feeling tormented about sleeping with a taken man, who also happens to be his tennis coach. He knows that if the tennis tour ever found out that he was sleeping with one of his hired coaches, he could be in serious trouble as the tennis tour views it as a form of sexual harassment. He just hopes and prays that he and Leaf can come to an understanding and that they can move on with this, without causing more heartache for the Justin's.

Rachelle, meanwhile, is trying to think of a way to prove that she didn't cheat on her final term paper for her Art History class. She, still, has no idea how or why her paper changed from the one she submitted. Together with Nate's help, they are determined to uncover what happened and prove their innocence, even though they don't have any idea on how to start.

"Can I get you anything at all other than coffee and waters?" Alex asks as he moves up to the table, but the children wave their hands in unison. "Alright, I'm around if you need anything else."

"We are a talkative bunch today," Liam finally breaks the silence with his sisters with a chuckle. "I know we all have a lot going on right now, but I do have something positive that we can discuss?"

"Oh yea?" Rachelle asks her brother with an arched eyebrow. "What is on your mind?"

"You actually," Liam replies to her with a grin on his face. "Your birthday is coming up, what do you have planned?"

"That's right," Lyzz nods back to her brother. "It is Rachelle's birthday, and you're turning 18!"

"I don't have any plans to be honest," Rachelle tells her siblings. "I have been so focused on my education and my last term, I haven't given it much thought."

"18 is a milestone," Lyzz chuckles to her. "I say, we throw a pool party, right here at the Barracuda Blue. We could have some drinks, have some music, have a good time with friends…what do you think?"

Rachelle finds herself nodding back to her. "Yea, with everything else going on, having some fun with friends and family sounds like a good time. Let's do it!"

/\/\/\

"I am not sure why you wanted to see me," Malcolm Summers announces to Orvilla as he opens the door to her office at the Barracuda Blue and moves inside. He hates that he is being summoned by her, again, as he has already switched Rachelle's term paper to make it appear that she cheated on it. She has already been informed, so Malcolm has no idea why Orvilla wants to see him, but he plans to make this the last visit. "But here I am."

"Yes, I can see that," Orvilla stands up from behind her desk. "Thank you for coming. I know it is not ideal."

"It's not ideal," Malcolm chuckles back to her. "Not only is a round trip float plane trip expensive, but if anyone sees us together…"

"No one will see us together," Orvilla hisses back to him. "And should someone see us, it is an easy explanation that I am trying to find out what happened with Rachelle and her term paper."

"Fine," he waves his hands in defeat. "What do you want now, Orvilla?"

"You have a wicked tongue on you today," Orvilla glares back at him, unamused by his tone with her. "I simply asked you here so we can make the appropriate plans for the next phase of our plan."

"Next phase of our plan?" Malcolm asks her in shock. "No, absolutely not! I will not do anything else to Rachelle; it is bad enough that she thinks she cheated on her term paper."

"You will do the next phase of my plan, or I will tell your wife, and the school board, about your fling with your student," Orvilla replies to him. "Need I remind you, Mr. Summers, that I, not you, am holding all the cards here?"

Malcolm sighs back to her. "What do you want me to do?"

"See, that's the attitude I like to see from you," Orvilla purses her lips together. "My niece is turning 18 tomorrow and her siblings want to throw her a party, right here at the Barracuda Blue. I need you to be in attendance, and when you are, I need you to drop a small, little bombshell that will change Rachelle's perfect little world forever," Orvilla giggles back to him. "You think you handle that, stud?"

/\/\/\

The following day, the sun is shining once again on Maui. The rain from the previous day has left and the regular warm weather has returned. There is still a slight dew on the grass from the downpour the previous day, however.

Lyzz slowly walks in the small cemetery that is on the island. She woke up, got stoned, and decided to come to see Ash's tombstone. She hasn't been in a few days and she wanted to feel close to her fiancé, who was killed at the Pink Roses launch party earlier in the year.

She reaches the gravesite that has Ash's name on it and she rests a bouquet of red roses at the base of the tombstone. She then reaches and touches his name that is engraved in the marble. She lets her manicured nails linger there for a moment before she pulls out a cigarette from her purse and lights it. She exhales and a cloud of smoke moves into the air.

"You know," she says as she leans up against the tombstone. "Next week would have been our wedding day. I had to cancel the venue because I had forgotten. Because I didn't give them a lot of notice, they are keeping my deposit, which I don't care about, but it's not like I'm cancelling for a stupid reason. I told her that you were dead and all she could say was, 'I'm sorry'. What a fucking bitch."

She takes another drag of her cigarette as she feels her eyes swell with water. "She should be sorry, you know? It's not like any of this was planned. And at the same time, I'm so tired of everyone wanting to check in on me. I am fine! I'm just fine!"

She finishes her smoke and puts it out with her foot. "Do you mind if I just lay here for a while?" she asks herself as she pulls her purse and grabs the small bag that is filled with white powder. She puts some of the cocaine onto the mirror of her compact and snorts it up her nose. She, immediately, gets a smile on her face and then lays on the grass that is on top of Ash's final resting place. "This is nice, Ash. I…I can almost feel your arms around me; never let me go, okay?"

/\/\/\

Leaf steps out of the shower that is in the washroom in the guest cottage that he and Arrow live in and he grabs a towel to wrap around his waist. He moves to the mirror and can see his toned chest staring back at him. It's been a few days since he and Liam had sex; he has been feeling used by Arrow and Orvilla as a result as they filmed the act without his knowledge. He still can't believe that Arrow would go this far to help Orvilla with her plan. And while he knows the sex with Liam was hot, he never would have gone through with it, had he known that they were being filmed and, essentially, being blackmailed so Liam will not become the CEO of Meccanica.

He finishes touching up his hair and then leaves the washroom. He heads to the primary bedroom so he can get dressed for the day. He is supposed to have a training session with Liam, but they have been postponed by Thornton child because of the tension between them. He knows that, eventually, they will have to get b ack to work as Liam has a tournament coming up very soon.

"I thought I heard you come in," Arrow says as he moves into the bedroom. "How did you sleep last night?"

Leaf shrugs back to him. "The sofa bed isn't the most comfortable."

"You could always come back to our room, Leaf," Arrow replies to him. "We…we have to get past this."

"Do we?" Leaf asks him quickly as he puts one of his athletic shirts off, which still shows off his toned chest. "You sort of forced me into having sex with Liam and then filmed us without our consent, Justin. I…I don't see us coming back from this."

"I didn't force you into anything," Arrow shakes his head back to him. "I simply told you to seduce him so we could keep our life, Justin! Don't you see, if Orvilla loses the CEO position, the life we have grown accustomed too, it would be completely different."

"I'll give you that," Leaf replies to him quickly. "But I had no idea I was being filmed and that was going to be used as blackmail, Arrow. You must see how far this has gone!"

"Where do we go from here? I…I don't want to lose you, Jusitn."

"I don't know the answer to that," Leaf admits to him. "All I know is that this plan has gone way too far and I feel used and like a whore and you, you did that to me."

/\/\/\

That night, the pool deck has been transformed into the venue for Rachelle's 18th birthday party. There are pink and teal balloons around the pool, which also has a large unicorn and flamingo floaties on top of the water. The DJ is currently playing the latest Miley Cyrus song which has some of the guests dancing. Alex is swaying his hips behind the bar, giving the guests any libations that they request.

"Happy Birthday sis," Liam comes up to Rachelle, who is in a pink bikini top with a yellow skirt and pulls her into a hug. "This party turned out great considering it was pretty last minute."

"Yea, it's great. A lot of my friends from school came from the Big Island, which is cool. Have you seen Lyzz?"

"Uh, I think she was getting some food," Liam replies to her. "To be honest with you, I am a little worried about her. She's been…different lately."

"I know," Rachelle nods back to him. "I think Ash's death is hitting her harder than she's letting on."

"Tonight,is all about you Rachelle," Liam smiles back to her. "But tomorrow, you and I, we need to talk to Lyzz seriously about her mental health."

"Agreed, come on, let's go get a drink."

They turn to leave when Orvilla approaches them, with a glass of champagne in her hand. "Rachelle, darling, happy birthday dear," she says as she kisses both of her nieces cheecks.

"Thank you, Aunty," Rachelle smiles back to her. "Thank you for letting me use the pool for my party."

"Oh, but of course," Orvilla purses her lips together. "This resort is a family-owned business, I'm happy to have your party here. Just as long as we wrap by 11:30; I don't want any of the guests to not get sleep because of the party."

"We can be done by then," Liam tells her. "Besides, I have practice tomorrow morning since my tournament is next week."

Before anyone can say anything else, Malcolm moves to the podium, just as Nate moves up to Rachelle. He puts his hand on her shoulder, which causes her to look at her friend. "What is he doing here?"

"I…I have no idea," Nate whispers back to her.

"Can I get everyone's attention please," Malcolm says into microphone. "I have an announcement to make, and I didn't think I should wait."

"This is a private party," Lyzz moves closer to him. "Whatever you have to say can wait."

"I'm afraid it can't," Malcolm ignores Lyzz and makes eye contact with Nate and then Rachelle. "You see, I am here to announce that Belview Academy has decided to expel both Nate Meadows and Rachelle Thornton, effective immediately as they clearly cheated on their term papers."

The crowd gasps in horror as Nate and Rachelle feel the blood drain from their faces. Devastated and humiliated, Rachelle rushes away in a hurry. Nate turns and chases after her, while Liam and Lyzz look another in shock.

Orvilla, meanwhile, gets a sly grin on her face as she takes a sip of her champagne.

/\/\/\

While the chaos of Malcolm's party is rippling through the guests, Chloe stands off to the side of the pool with a drink in her hand. She is watching Lyzz's every move and feels her blood boil at the sight of her. She hates that Alex, her boyfriend, was seemingly flirting with Lyzz a few days earlier, and that Ash proposed to her, despite seeing her at the same time.

"I will make you pay for taking Ash from me," she whispers to herself. She closes her eyes and thinks back to earlier in the day, when she went to visit Ash's grave site and she saw some roses that Lyzz had left for him. She destroyed them and left her own flowers for Ash.

"The question is, how will I make you pay you bitch?" she asks herself before she takes another sip of her drink.

/\/\/\

Some guests are lingering around the pool a few minutes later, as Liam and Lyzz stand by the pool still in shock about Malcolm's announcement. They know that Rachelle will be devastated at the news that she was expelled from school. She was so close to graduating at the top of her class, and now, her entire future is jeopardy because they believe she, apparently, plagiarized her term paper. Both Liam and Lyzz know that this couldn't be true, but they don't know how to prove this.

"Why the hell would Summers make that statement at Rachelle's party?" Lyzz asks with a huff as she lights a cigarette, despite the pool area being a smoke free environment.

"I wish I knew," Liam shrugs back to her. "You should put that out, if Orvilla sees you, she will lose her shit."

"I could care less," Lyzz rolls her eyes back to him. "I need to unwind after that announcement. What the hell was he thinking?"

"We have to find Rachelle," Liam replies to her. "We have to make sure that she is okay."

"You're right," Lyzz nods back as she puts out her cigarette. "Let's go, we have to find her."

They move from the deck into Café Tropical and see Rachelle sitting at the bar with a shot in front of her. She quickly takes the whiskey and slams back it, making a face as she does as the alcohol hits her hard.

"Shots won't solve anything," Liam comes up to his sister and puts his hand on her back. "We need to find a way to prove your innocence."

"I just lost everything," Rachelle whispers back to her siblings. "What am I going to do?"

"Did I miss the party?" a voice calls out as they move into the café.

The three siblings turn and look in shock at the woman standing in the restaurant. She removes her large sunhat and sunglasses before she looks back at the three Thornton children. "Aren't you going to welcome me home?"

"Mom?" Lyzz asks in shock as Kymberlynne pursers her lips back to her children.