As they approached the vending machines, Jake and his friends continued their friendly banter, clearly enjoying the company of Max and Ricky, or rather, Maxine and Nikki as they were introduced.
"So, Maxine, Nikki, what brings you two to our humble little town?" Jake asked, flashing Max a wink.
Max, fully embracing his role, giggled softly. "Oh, just a little vacation getaway with my sister here. We thought we'd explore the area and maybe catch some sun by the pool later."
Ricky, feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the attention they were getting, tried to subtly distance himself from the group. He pretended to be interested in the vending machine options, hoping to divert some of the focus away from Max's playful flirting.
Jake, however, seemed intent on keeping the conversation lively. "Sounds like a plan! You know, there's this great spot not too far from here where you can get the best ice cream in town. I'd be happy to show you sometime," he said with a charming smile.
Max glanced over at Ricky, who was now pretending to be engrossed in examining a bag of chips. Suppressing a grin, Max decided to turn up the charm a notch. "That sounds amazing, Jake! Nikki here loves ice cream. Maybe we could take you up on that offer later?"
Ricky shot Max a look that could have melted steel, but Max was unfazed. He knew exactly what he was doing, and at this point, it was all in good fun (for him, at least).
Jake's friends joined in the teasing, making lighthearted jokes and playfully flirting with Max and Ricky. Maxine continued to play along, laughing at their jokes and occasionally touching Jake's arm flirtatiously.
Meanwhile, Ricky was counting down the seconds until he could switch back to his normal self. The attention was uncomfortable, and he couldn't wait to put an end to Max's little game.
Just as Jake was about to suggest they all head to the pool together, Max noticed Ricky's patience wearing thin. With a sly grin, he decided to wrap things up before Ricky completely lost his cool.
"Well, it's been fun chatting with you all, but Nikki and I should probably get going," Max said, shooting Ricky a meaningful look.
Ricky nodded eagerly, glad for the excuse to leave. "Yeah, we still have some unpacking to do. Nice meeting you all," he said quickly, starting to walk away.
Jake and his friends exchanged disappointed glances but nodded politely. "Alright, maybe we'll see you around then," Jake said with a wink directed at Maxine.
As Max and Ricky walked back towards their hotel room, Ricky couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "I swear, Max, you're going to pay for this."
Max chuckled softly. "Come on, Ricky, lighten up. It was all in good fun."
Ricky rolled his eyes, already planning his revenge. "Just wait until it's my turn to use the Chronivac. You won't know what hit you."
Max grinned, knowing full well that their little game was far from over. "Bring it on, sis."