Based On A True Story - Jordan Baker Mini-Series

Skinnydip

Jordan's POV - Present Day

Our Lyft driver pulled up to our hotel. Y/N and I were quiet the entire drive back. We didn't say a single word since we left the club. The entire time she was looking straight out her window, taking in the quiet and dead streets of Chicago. I couldn't help but watch her. She didn't look at peace. Her eyebrows were slightly pulled together. She had her bottom lip tucked between her teeth as her eyes didn't move. I wanted to know what was on her mind. What consumed her completely.

I tipped the driver as I got out of the car after Y/N. We slowly walked through the double doors and made our way across the lobby. Before making the turn to get to the elevators, Y/N grabbed my hand and led the way to the swimming pool. I tried my best not to hold on tight. It had been forever since we held hands and I didn't want to let it go. I didn't want to let her go again.

She let go of my hand as she took off her black pumps and started unbuttoning her dark skinny jeans. She wiggled out of her jeans.

"Uh, what are you doing?" I asked as I looked around to make sure no one else was watching even though it was a little pass 2am.

"Remember when we used to skinny dip all night?" She asked before she grabbed the hem of her black top and took it off. I wanted to be respectful and not linger over her body, but I couldn't help it. She had a black strapless bra and matching underwear. When my eyes flickered back to hers, she didn't say anything. It was almost as if she was okay with me checking her out.

She sat on the edge of the pool and continued, "underneath the moonlight in your backyard?"

My lips formed a smile as a specific memory crossed my mind. "Remember that one night we smoked and we nearly shitted bricks because we thought we had gotten caught?"

Y/N's head rolled back and laughed. "Thank goodness it was Olivia and Asher and not your parents."

"We never smoked again," I chuckled.

"Thank goodness we didn't stop skinny dipping," she smirked before getting into the pool.

"Well, technically you're not skinny dipping. If I recall, you're wearing more clothes now than you did back then."

"This isn't exactly a private pool, Jordan," she shook her head with a smile. "Are you coming in or not?"

I quickly removed my shoes and clothes with the exception of my boxer briefs. She was walking around in the 4ft area. I looked over at the end of the pool and noticed it was 6 feet deep. I looked back at Y/N with a smile and she immediately shook her head. "Don't you dare. Everyone is asleep and I have no doubt you'll get us in trouble."

"What's the worst that could happen?" I ran the short distance and pushed my feet off the edge of the pool. I immediately pulled my knees to my chest mid air. I closed my eyes and held my breath seconds before going underneath the water.

When I came up for air, I swam towards Y/N. Her beautiful smile put the stars to shame. "After all these years, you can't resist doing a cannonball, can you?"

"I'm still a kid at heart," I smiled back at her.

I rolled my head back and looked up at the night sky. I had no words for tonight. Y/N somehow came back into my life. I hadn't heard from her since that night I found her Nikes and I called her. She eventually stop keeping in touch with Olivia and Asher. I had no idea she lived in Chicago now.

Since the break up, life has been complicated and everything was changing as the years passed. My world felt so cold and lonely, and I wanted nothing more than to go back when we were younger. Back to when everything was easier, carefree, and perfect.

All night it felt like old times and it felt like the world was ours again. Although I knew I wanted to be with her forever, looking back I didn't know it until the break up. I was just a kid without worrying about others. I was selfish. I didn't think about how my actions would effect the lives of others, including Y/N's.

"How's Olivia? Is she still with Asher?" Y/N's voice pulled me out of thoughts.

I looked back down and at her. "They're good. Actually, right before I saw you in the hallway, they had just shared some good news."

"Those two are finally getting married?" She asked a bit excitedly.

I chuckled and shook my head. "They've been married for 5 years already. They're expecting their first child. It's a boy."

"Wow. That's insane." I gave her a confused look. "I mean I can't believe how much life has changed since..." she paused for a second and looked down at the water. "I'm happy for them."

"Y/N-" I took a step towards her but stopped when she shook her head and took a step back.

"I don't want to hear it, Jordan."

"You don't want to hear the apology I should have given you before I left to the NFL?" Her jaw clenched. "I remember every word I was going to tell you. It's been burned into my brain ever since. Do you have any idea what a wreck I have been since-"

"You?!" She asked in disbelief. "You have a lot of nerve thinking you were the one who got hurt the most. You put me through hell, Jordan!"

"You broke up with me!"

"Because you decided to live a life without me!" She snapped back.

"No, I didn't! When did I ever say I was going to do that?! Not once!" I sighed as I took a couple of steps towards her. She had nowhere else to go as her back was against the edge of the pool. "Baby, I never wanted a life without you. I went into the NFL to give us a better life, one where I could give you everything and anything you wanted. I did it for us."

She shook her head. "No, you didn't. If you had talked to me first, you would have known that none of that mattered. I didn't care if you were rich, famous, or the best quarterback in the history of NFL. Hell, I didn't care if the opposite happened. If we were poor and struggled to make ends meet. The only thing that mattered was you... us. You know I would have figured something out and followed you anywhere. I did that, but somehow you didn't stop to think about me."

"Baby, all I needed was you... I still do."

Her eyes were filled with tears. I reached in to wipe them away, but she shook her head. She turned around, pushed herself up and pulled herself out of the pool. She grabbed her clothes as she sniffled. "I can't do this, Jordan. Not again."

"But tonight-"

"Was a mistake." She looked at me with sad eyes, one that showed me how broken and hurt she still was after all these years. "I'm sorry if I said or did anything that might have led you on or believe like it was old times again. I should have never stopped you in the hallway." She wiped the fallen tears before she walked away.

I had this horrible pain in my chest. My heart was broken... again. It felt like sophomore college year. Although I never healed from his heartbreak and gotten over Y/N, I didn't want to be stuck here again. I wanted to turn back time; not just from tonight, but back before I signed up for the NFL Draft. Back to when we used to be magic and not a tragedy.