A Greater Good (girlxgirl)

Begin Again

James walked in late that Sunday night. He looked worn out and still struggling from a hangover, but he brightened up when he saw Everlyn. He smiled and dropped his bags in the doorway to give her a hug which she stood stiffly in.

"I've missed you," he muttered into her ear.

"Same," she replied mechanically, she couldn't help but imagine his large and muscly body was Jane's. She felt horrible about it, but it just happened without her having any say about it. 

James let her go and looked down at her, he noticed she was acting weirdly. "Everything ok?"

Everlyn nodded and headed back into the kitchen. "Yeah, just a big night."

James laughed. "God, I completely understand. How'd yours go?"

"It was... interesting."

"Mine was absolutely wild, I don't think I've ever drank as much as I did last night. The boys brought the whole bottle shop out of beer, that's how much there was."

"Wow," Everlyn said, she could hear how uninterested she sounded. "Sorry, I'm really tired." And she felt so guilty that she felt sick.

She felt guilty that she wished she was in Jane's apartment on the couch watching some rubbish movie while making out. She felt guilty that even the sound of James' voice was setting her on edge and she felt disgusted that tonight she'd probably have to just grit her teeth and have sex with him. It would be so unwelcome after she could still feel Jane's mouth all over her body, at least when the affair was over she'd slowly forgotten how good being in bed with Jane was, but now she'd relearnt it. 

James smiled at her again, she felt herself soften because really she was just tired and confused and it was magnifying her unreasonable anger at him. He went over to the couch and fell into it, letting out a sigh of relief. 

"Hey, Mum rang me and told me that Jane was going to the bachelorette party, how was that?"

Everlyn felt her heart speed up, she shrugged and started wiping the bench to seem unfazed. "Fine, she was wrapped up in Clarissa all night."

"Really?" James asked amused, secretly he was glad because he didn't want Jane going anywhere near Everlyn. 

"Yeah," Everlyn said and laughed. "I even think they went home together, I don't know, I left before everyone because I was so drunk."

"That's my girl," James muttered before closing his eyes and having a nap on the couch. 

Everlyn walked into the work the next morning preparing questions that she would ask Clarissa to make it seem like she thought that her and Jane went home together. She was staring at the ground as she approached the building and when she glanced up, she was surprised to see Jane standing in front of the door, she slowed down to a stop. Jane held her hand up to wave a greeting and smiled at Everlyn. Everlyn shook her head at her fondly and smiled before nodding to a cafe across the road and crossing to it. 

Jane walked into the warm cafe just seconds after Everlyn and sat down in the seat opposite her. She smiled at Everlyn who was pink in the cheeks not only from the cold but from seeing Jane when she was least expecting it.

"What are you doing here?" Everlyn asked politely. 

"Thought I'd come and see you before work," Jane said cheekily.

"That's nice of you."

They smiled at each other, they were in on a secret that no one in the cafe knew, not even the person who'd just walked in... Clarissa? Clarissa smiled when she saw Everlyn.

"Hi!" she said loudly and walked over to her, she saw Jane and smiled even wider. 

"Fuck," Everlyn muttered. She didn't need Clarissa coming up with any thoughts about why she was in a cafe with Jane. Clarissa wasn't stupid, but maybe the side of her that was a but ditzy would keep her off the trail.

"What are you doing here? Don't you and James do coffee every Monday?" Clarissa asked, pulling up a chair. "Hi, Jane."

"Hi," Jane said and smiled. 

"James had to travel today, the job's an hour away."

"Oh." Clarissa smiled and turned to Jane. "How's it going?"

"Good, how'd you pull up yesterday?"

Everlyn saw her chance and took it, she smirked at both of them. "Didn't you two see each other yesterday?"

Jane looked at Everlyn throughly confused, Clarissa laughed.

"No?" Clarissa said in a question-like tone.

"I thought you went home together?"

Clarissa laughed again and underneath the table, Jane kicked Everlyn.

"I mean, we could have." Clarissa looked at Jane and raised an eyebrow. "Did we? I was so drunk."

"No, we didn't." Jane looked at Everlyn. "I was in my own home... alone."

Everlyn nodded, Clarissa stood up.

"Are we going in?" she asked Everlyn.

"What about your dentist appointment?" Jane butted in quickly.

"My den- Oh! Oh, yeah! No, I'll be in late, I've got the dentist."

"Alright," Clarissa said, too busy fiddling with the clasp of her jacket to see the look exchanged between Jane and Everlyn. She looked up and smiled at them when her jacket was buttoned into place. "I'll see you later, see you, Jane."

"Bye," Jane farewelled.

They watched as Clarissa walked out of the cafe before turning back to each other.

"Does she remember sleeping with me?" Jane asked amazed at Clarissa's composure.

"Oh yeah, she's just remarkably not awkward." Everlyn smiled at her. "Dentist appointment, hey?"

"Yeah, your mouth is needed at mine."

Jane smirked and stood up, Everlyn followed her feeling as excited as she had since going home with her on Saturday.