THE SUN WARMED YOUR skin as you smiled at the young triceratops in front of you. Gray was racing around, too excited to hold still, when he approached the irritated Zach out of the corner of your eye.

"Zach, give me a boost! I can't see," he pleaded, to which Zach shrugged him off with a mumbled declination.

You frowned with an annoyed eye-roll before calling Gray over, "I'll give you a boost. C'mon!"

He scampered to your side, where you hoisted him up on your shoulders. Your legs trembled from the weight, but you were confident that you could hold him, at least for long enough.

"This is so cool!" He screamed above your head. You would have smiled if you could, but you were too preoccupied with keeping steady. You gritted your teeth, ready to set him down, when the weight lifted from your shoulders.

You spun around, worried, but to your relief, Zach had transferred Gray to his own shoulder. He only gave you a small glance, but you saw the flash of concern he had in those brown eyes.

You rubbed your shoulders absently, admiring Zach's strength; he held Gray on only one of his shoulders, using the same arm to lock him in place. Then your gaze traveled to his face, taking in the faint freckles, before flicking up to those eyes. With the sunlight, they had a soft golden hue, almost making him look angelic. Suddenly, his eyes met yours, and a cheeky grin blossomed on his face as he averted his gaze in an almost shy way. Cute.

You flushed, turning your attention back to the baby dinosaurs as Zach set Gray back down. The scrawny boy wasn't satisfied, though. Excited, he turned back to you, bouncing on his feet.

"Do you think I'm too old to ride one?" he exclaimed, a sparkle in his eyes.

You giggled, "Just a little. But--"

"Can we see the t-rex?" Zach intervened, with vague interest. The ghost of a smile still haunted his lips, his eyes scanning your face before briefly sinking. Instinctively, you crossed an arm over your body.

"Y-yeah, is that what you wanna do?" You asked Gray, who nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, please!" he cried, a goofy grin on his freckled face. His eyes sparkled with the purest form of excitement, which made a smile spread across your face. You extended your arm to him, allowing him to hook his through yours.

"Off we go!" you sang.

You guided them through the crowds as they thickened. The evening sun was still high in the sky, offering no relief from the blistering heat as you locked onto the T-REX KINGDOM sign.

The entrance was made to look like a Jurassic World gate, and the inside was designed to be the inside of a hollow log. The details were so well-made, that sometimes you wondered if the walls were actually made of bark.

A crowd had already gathered in front of one of the large windows. You, quite rudely, shoved toward the front of the crowd to let Gray have a chance of seeing the view, your grip tight on his arm so that he didn't disappear into the crowd. Zach was close behind, his broad shoulder brushing yours.

You finally settled into a spot, releasing Gray as the t-rex, nicknamed "Rexy" by the franchise, entered the scene. She came from the side, a blindspot of the log-shaped viewing center, lumbering toward the chained goat with a sluggish pace.

Rexy was the original t-rex from Jurassic Park, and although she had escaped into the wild before, she had become rather lazy during her time in Jurassic World. You didn't entirely blame her; she was getting old. You were sure she had arthritis or some other condition at this point. And she was never required to hunt here, just given her meals on a platter.

You felt bad for her; she never had any enrichment. It was deemed unethical to allow her to actually hunt, as if pinning the goat to a tray was any better. At least the raptors were allowed some enrichment.

As she knelt to enjoy her meal, practically eating the animal in one bite, the crowd became a roar with admiration, disgust, and curiosity. Gray had flinched at the site, his fingers twitching to cover his ears from the crunching of bone. You noticed how hard he fought the urge.

Then you glanced toward Zach. His hood was back on, and he was staring at the sight with a blank face. You wondered how he felt about the show, but it was hard to decipher his feelings from his nonchalant expression.

You nudged Gray as Rexy began meandering off, "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It was cool," he gave you another one of his goofy grins. You sighed, but returned the smile.

"I thought it was cool, too," Zach added, to your surprise. You turned your smile to him, which he returned gently. That kind of smile, it was nice on him.

"You know what else is cool?" your lips spread wider in a toothy grin, "The mosasaur feeding!"

"Mosasaur? I read about that! We have to go!" Gray's entire face lit up in excitement, already bouncing on his feet once more. Zach only grinned; you were sure he didn't know what a mosasaur was.

"It's a marine animal," you added with a pointed smile, to which Zach dramatically huffed. His lips formed a goofy grin.

When he wasn't being a horny teenager, he was actually quite attractive. It was difficult for you not to look when he wasn't paying attention; broad shoulders, a chiseled face, the faint freckles, his height. He was taller and broader than Liam.

You shook your head as you followed them out of the viewing area, lightly slapping your cheeks. You shouldn't be thinking of boys! Especially one you had just met, or the literal model one that's so far out of your league!

You had never had a boyfriend before. Maybe it was because of the careful attention Liam gave you, and the charming, flirty looks Zach sent you. Were you just as bad as Zach?

"Are you okay?" Gray's voice startled you. "You're walking really slow."

"Oh! Sorry," you sheepishly grinned. Zach's eyebrow lifted, and then your stomach let out a long, loud rumble that made your face and ears flush bright red. "I'm just hungry!" you blurted, then you covered your face with your hands.

Both brothers began laughing, and Zach's hand brushed your shoulder. His grin still on his face, "Was the pizza not enough for ya? Let's get something to eat before the, uh, mos-a-thing."

"Yeah!" Gray said, very excitedly pumping his fists in the air. Boy, did you love this kid's energy.

You dipped your head in a nod, "Okay," you sighed, "I know the perfect place. C'mon, race ya there!"

"Wai--"

You took off running. You narrowly dodged people, navigating the crowd expertly as you finally slowed to a stop at the slanted doors of a restaurant. The thundering of feet behind you told you they had followed suit.

Gray bumped into you, tripping over his own foot, and nearly sent you tumbling. Zach's arm snatched your shoulders, steadying you. Then he reached down to pull Gray to his feet.

"You guys okay?" he asked, watching Gray dust himself off.

"I'm okay. Sorry about that Y/n!" he wrung his hands nervously, but you waved him away with a soft smile.

"You're okay!"

Then you took them into the restaurant, where you seated them in a booth. A waiter came to collect your orders, and you decided to go with your usual, thanking the staff member with a polite smile. As he flashed you one in return, you noticed Zach's stare.

You met his gaze, only for him to quickly avert it. You felt a shy giggle bubble in your chest, but you stifled it by pretending to cough. Gray chatted aimlessly as the waiter delivered the drinks, and you began to sip mindlessly on it, using your straw to stir its contents gently.

"How long have you been on the island?" Gray asked, piquing Zach's attention.

You furrowed your brow, counting the months in your head. "I think it's been... about a year now? I came when they hired Owen."

"That's so cool. I'd love to live on an island with dinosaurs!" Gray was trembling with excitement.

You pulled out your phone, searching your contacts for a moment. You entered the chat between you and Liam's little sister, Lizbeth, and went to the photos, where you pulled a picture of the campers. You showed Gray it.

"You know," you smiled, "you remind me of this guy. He's a dino kid, too."

You pointed at the boy with the yellow jacket--Darius, as Lizzy had told you. Then you leaned back, shutting off your phone, but not before seeing a notification from Liam. You ignored the urge to check it.

"There's this new program, called Camp Cretaceous. It's like a summer camp here for kids like you," you told them. "The spots are taken this year, but I bet Claire can get you in next year. How does that sound?"

His eyes lit up, "Yes, please! I'd love that!"

Then the waiter delivered your food, and you began to nibble on it. You weren't very hungry at the moment; you'd been experiencing problems lately with food. You weren't exactly sure what made it harder for you to eat, but you hated every second of it.

"So what's next?" Zach asked, looking up at you from his food. You scanned his face briefly, noticing the smudge of food in the corner of his mouth.

"Nothing tonight," you replied. "We've done more than enough today."

Gray opened his mouth, his shoulders slumped, but then a hand touched your shoulder, startling you.

You looked up at Owen, who had a hardened expression on his face. Your heart dropped; you already knew he was upset with you. Your mind ran in circles as you moved over for him, praying to whoever that he didn't know about Foxtrot. Not yet, at least.

"How's you kiddos doing?" he studied the boys, and you saw Zach visibly shrink the slightest bit.

You touched your forehead with a sigh, ignoring his question. You glanced at Zach and Gray, "Guys, this is Owen, my brother. Owen, this is Zach and Gray, Claire's nephews."

"She has nephews?" Owen stole a bite of your food, but you shoved it his way anyway. His brow twitched toward you, shoving it back.

"Yes, Owen, Claire has family," you rolled your eyes again, but this time a bit more playfully. "And you can have the rest, I can't finish it."

"You barely touched it; eat."

You frowned, "Anyway. Why are you bothering us?"

"You and I have something to discuss," he shot a look toward the boys, "Privately."

You felt the urge to roll your eyes once more, but stifled it as you pushed Owen to get out of the booth. You gestured for the boys to follow, "Alright guys, that's our que to leave. I'll show you guys to your hotel room."

"Awe, already?" Gray heaved a sigh, ducking his head. You smiled at him, reaching over to give his hand a quick pat. "Don't worry, buddy. You've got a lot planned for tomorrow, stuff you might just like too."

Zach blinked, coming out of his daydream, "Yeah?"

You nodded with a grin, "Maybe I'll join you guys for some of it. Who knows."

Owen leaned over to whisper, "I'll meet you at your hotel room in an hour to talk. I'll see you later, little sis," then he ruffled your hair and left, offering a half-hearted wave to the boys beforehand.

"Does he always seem so intense?" Zach asked, climbing from the booth behind Gray.

As you set money on the table, you shook your head, "No. He's pretty cool for the most part, just a bit temperamental. And he constantly treats me like a baby."

"That's what our parents are like with me, too."

You glanced over your shoulder at him, and he met your eyes. The look on his face--you couldn't describe it, but it was one of the most genuine expressions you'd seen him make. He tilted his head ever so slightly, his dark hair sweeping to the side, and the side of his lips twitched into a minor smile. The way his eyes softened, it made your heart skip a beat. You looked away, feeling your face begin to warm.

"Maybe they'll grow out of it..."

"Maybe."

You got them checked in, and their room was only a floor below yours as you guided them to it. Gray dragged his feet the whole way, but was amazed by the quality of their room once they arrived. Claire had definitely set them up, and you smiled as they explored the space.

"Well, I'll be off," you pushed off of the door frame, but Zach stopped you.

"Can we--"

"Bye Y/n! See you tomorrow! Thank you for today," Gray called over his shoulder as he started unpacking, searching for something. You smiled and waved.

"Could I just say something?" Zach prompted, gesturing toward the corridor.

You hesitated, but dipped your head in a nod and stepped out with him. He waited until the door closed to sigh.

"Thank you for today. I haven't seen Gray so genuinely happy in... well, awhile." Zach combed his hand through his hair, meeting your eyes. They were heavy with a kind of sadness that you could feel. How strange; a boy so confident and arrogant still was capable of emotions.

Your brow twitched with curiosity, but you didn't pry as you offered a smile, "Of course. I'm glad I could help, even just for the day."

"You're a good girl, you know? One of the best ones I've met."

Your brows furrowed, "You've barely known me for a day."

"I only needed a minute to know."

You felt the heat creeping back into your face, but you scowled. "I'm sure you use these tricks on every girl you meet. It's worthless."

He exhaled a small smile, shifting his weight. The way he naturally tilted his head was too adorable, and you almost believed him. But it only took you recalling the amount of women he had been checking out throughout the entire day to make your ears grow cold again.

He pulled a hand from his pocket to ruffle your hair, in the same way Owen always did. "I know I'm not the best guy, believe me. But I mean it this time. That guy friend of yours sure is lucky."

You flinched, "Liam and I are not a thing. We're just friends."

He shook his head, hair bouncing. It looked so fluffy, you wondered how soft it would feel. Then he opened his hotel door, meeting your eyes once more. "You're cute. Have a good night, Y/n."

Then he left you in the dim corridor, listening to your heart pounding in your chest. How could someone so ridiculous make you so flustered? Was it because he was straight-forward? Was it his stupid face?

You growled, slapping your cheeks lightly to regain your composure. "Enough with boys," you whispered to yourself as you trudged back toward your room. You knew Owen was waiting there for you.

You took the stairs just to prolong the confrontation, dramatically using the railing to pull yourself along as a way to amuse your distracted mind. You saw through thee glass doors at the top of the floor, and Owen was, indeed, waiting for you in front of your hotel room door.

You locked eyes with him before heaving a visible sigh that made him shake his head and trudging to him. Your heart was beginning to pound, but you kept your composure the best you could as you unlocked your room and trailed him in.

"So, Y/n," he started, gesturing toward the couch. You bit your lip, but obliged, "I've heard some... interesting rumors about you."

You gulped. "Like what?"

He was pacing in front of you, "Oh, I don't know, maybe that you've had a raptor as a bloody pet for how long now?"

You grimaced. You knew he'd find out eventually, but you were hoping for more progress with Foxtrot beforehand. Solid, irrefutable proof of his "taming." Right now, all you had were some pictures and a million scars.

"About eight months now," was your nonchalant, albeit slightly snide, response. You lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug, your brain whirling with an argument while simultaneously trying to find a way to make him comfortable with this.

"Eight months?" his voice was a low, guttural growl, his head snapping toward you. You flinched at the sudden movement, your thumb twirling around your finger. Your palms were clammy. "Why haven't you told me? Why did you have this idea?"

"Because you'd act like this," you gestured toward him, "And I didn't. It was Hoskins', and he didn't give me much of a choice in it."

The way his expression darkened sent shivers down your spine.

"Elaborate."

You swallowed the urge to avert your gaze, rising in an attempt to be eye level with your much taller brother. Your voice was quiet, but firm, honest, "I explored too far. Found a building I wasn't meant to. He threatened to try me for trespassing and to tell you. I didn't want the trouble, plus the little guy was cute. And... I wanted to be like you."

That last sentence made his features soften, and he released a long sigh. He touched his temple, "Tomorrow, you're taking me to meet this raptor."

He trudged toward the door, glancing back over his shoulder at you. You stared, "And I'll be having a word with Hoskins."