𝐈 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮

Althea

After our shower, Jonesy took it upon herself to call up room service while I sat on the large bed, my eyes glued to the animals swimming on the other side. I still could not believe that I was actually here and this was actually happening. I had always loved the ocean and the creatures that lived there, and now to be able to spend an entire night surrounded by them was mind blowing.
  "Do you want tomatoes on your burger?" Jonesy called from the other side of the room, her hand covering the speaker part of the hotel phone.
  "No, thank you. I absolutely hate tomatoes." She gave me a half smile and went back to ordering. A few moments later, she joined me on the bed.
  "How did you even know I was into this kind of thing?" I asked her as an iridescent jellyfish swam past the window.
  Jonesy let out a light laugh and leaned back on one elbow, propping a leg up on the bed. "You don't remember?"
  I shook my head in confusion. Remember what?
"That first night you went out with Aiden." Her eyes flickered to the side as she said his name. "I had asked you what your ideal date would be and you said-"
  "The aquarium and a picnic," I finished for her, a smile widening across my face. She beamed with pride.
  "I figure since it's definitely too cold for a picnic, this would be the next best thing. So, I got at least one thing right."
  She had gotten so many things right. She had remembered something I had told her months ago, before either of us wanted to admit to the feelings between us.
  Had she always known I would eventually buck up and tell her how I felt?
  "I remember everything about you, Beckett," she said quietly, quoting back to yet another memory of us from months ago.
  I bent over her and kissed her, feeling her smile into my mouth as she placed a hand on my face. I sat back and smoothed back the few stray strands of hair from her forehead.
  "I felt like an idiot, telling you to go out with him." Jonesy's deep brown eyes were soft as she rested her cheek into the palm of my hand. "I tried so hard to convince myself that I didn't want you, that my feelings for you would just go away."
  I nodded. I had felt the same way for quite a while; I hadn't wanted to be the first one to admit it, but in the end it all worked out perfectly.
  "I did too; I kept thinking that I could actually see myself in a relationship with Aiden, but the same thing that happened in my last relationship happened with him." I lowered my eyes, thinking about the parallels between my relationship with Davis and Aiden.
  Jonesy straightened up, concern washing over her face. "Did he hurt you?"
  I shook my head. "No, it wasn't anything like that; I just wasn't attracted to him and didn't realize it until I kissed a girl." I blushed thinking about the first time I had kissed Blake.
  Jonesy laughed as there was a knock on the door and someone called out "room service." She jumped up and was at the door in two long strides. After thanking the staff, she wheeled the cart of food over to the bed and lifted the lids.
  There was my cheeseburger and fries and under the other tray was a chipotle chicken quesadilla. The last tray had a giant brownie top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
  My stomach almost lept out of my body at the sight and scent of food. After we had gotten our food and settled back into bed, she looked over at me.
  "So, who was the first girl you kissed?"
  I almost choked on a fry. "Last year, Blake Kensington. We shared a class together at this super prestigious university in New York. We were in line for the bathroom at this club, after I had had way too many $3 margaritas. One thing led to another and..."
  She raised a brow at me. "Just last year?" After I gave her a sheepish nod, she shook her head. "Wait, Blake Kensington...that name sounds familiar. Didn't she go to uh...Priestley? Is that where you went?"
  I froze. What. The. Fuck. Was she right about to tell me she knew Blake? Oh, God, please don't let them be friends.
  "Yeah, how did you figure that out?"
  Jonesy guffawed, covering her mouth as she laughed. "No way! No way. The first girl you kissed was Blake Kensington, the lead center for the Priestley Ravens?"
  I honestly had no idea she played hockey. We never spent much time actually trying to get to know each other.
  "Yes, do you know her? How do you know all of that?"
  Jonesy bit off the corner of her quesadilla. "Maybanks and Priestley have been rivals for decades. We lost to them last year and we play against them tomorrow."
  This time I definitely did choke on my fry. "What the hell? Actually?"
  She reached over and stole one of my fries. "What a small world, huh? You guys didn't have an actual relationship or was it strictly...you know?" Her voice trailed off.
  I laughed. "What, are you jealous?"
  Jonesy snorted carelessly. "I don't do jealousy." Her ears turned red and she hid her smirk behind her quesadilla.
  "Oh, baby, you're so jealous." I gently swatted her arm; she quickly caught my wrist and pulled me on top of her. With my free hand, I pinned hers over her head and straddled her waist with my knees.
  Jonesy wore a Nike sports bra and a pair of basketball shorts, leaving her stomach bare. I hungrily gazed over the toned lines of her torso before tracing them with my fingertips.
  "I don't do...jealousy." She sucked in a breath as my fingers moved down towards her waist towards her hip bones. Her eyes never left mine but I could see the slight tremble in her bottom lip.
  "Is this okay?" I whispered. Jonesy's eyes flickered in hesitation and she cleared her throat before pushing herself up onto her elbows.
  "I-uh..."
  "Oh, I'm sorry." I mumbled, moving to get off her. I didn't mean to have made her uncomfortable; I knew some girls only liked to give rather than receive. I knew what I wanted but not at the risk of her being put into a position she didn't want.
  Jonesy caught my wrist, pulling me back towards her. She leaned against the headboard of the bed and placed her hands on my hips.
  "The last girl, the only girl to touch me like that," she started, her cheeks flushing slightly. She reached for my hand, interlocking our fingers. "My last serious relationship, she died."
  Amaiah. She was talking about Amaiah. Of course she didn't know I knew her name. Thanks, Gemma.
  "I'm so sorry," I murmured. She gave me a small, weak smile.
  "I'd like to say "it's okay" but it's not. Her name was Amaiah, she died in a car accident almost three years ago."
  "What happened?"