The Ethics of Staying

Lying in bed with him, Jasmine didn't know why she stayed. He had cheated on her before. It didn't really come as a shock when she found out Ash was doing it again. But that didn't mean she hadn't felt the thrill when her phone had dinged earlier, and she saw his name. And what they had just done thoroughly fulfilled her expectations.

—Hey babe come over.

                                                                               I can't, I have an Ethics paper for 

                                                                                for Henderson due and an exam 

                                                                                                     in my physics class. —

—You can study here and I'll help. I promise.

                                                                                                    Ok. I am on my way. —

On the way to the frat house, Jasmine started thinking about the first time she saw Ash nearly three years ago, and how things had gotten to the point they were at. They met at a rush week frat party thrown by her ex, Lucas's fraternity. She had dated Lucas in high school, but it ended when he left for college. They mutually decided long-distance relationships rarely work out, especially ones where one was going to college while the other stayed to finish high school. It was by sheer coincidence they ended up at the same college. Her first week there he had invited her to a rush party.

Ash had been standing by the bar when she went over to get a drink. Walking up Jasmine had noticed him. He was tall bordering on gangly, but as she got closer, Jasmine was able to make out the subtle muscles of someone who regularly worked out but was confident enough not to feel the need to bulk up. He had sandy hair that curled just slightly making Jasmine want to run her hands through it to see if it would curl more or uncurl.

He introduced himself as Ash and asked her to dance. After taking one look at Lucas giving him a shrug as if to say "should have asked yourself" she grabbed his hand and led him to the dance floor. Ash was attractive in that natural kind of way, he didn't try to stand out, but he certainly didn't blend in. He was lean and muscular, but not so much that his shirt was pulled taut across his chest. And he was confident if the way his hands gripped her waist was any indication. Though she was into it and into him her thoughts never strayed too far from Lucas. He had been watching her all night, she could feel his gaze. It fell on the same place Ash was resting his hands. But he had yet to actually do anything.

Eventually, things got a little friskier as Ash's hand came to rest on Jasmine's ass, pulling her body flush against his. It barely qualified as dancing, a few thin layers of clothing were all that keep them from going further right there. Lucas gracefully chose that moment to cut in. Ash, not wanting to risk the loss of a potential bid, smiled politely before he whispered "tease" into Jasmine's ear and walked away.

"So, was that for my benefit or yours?" Lucas asked as he pulled her in to dance, the tension in the air palpable.

"I could ask you the same question," Jasmine responded pressing herself closer to him, "but I, uh, think I have my answer."

"Oh yeah? And what is that?" he whispered into her ear as they swayed to the music.

She pulled back and looked him right in the eyes, "Both."

"What would you say to catching up in my room?"

"Well since you just sent away my other plans why not?"

Lucas laughed and led the way back into the house; pausing at the bar he grabbed a full bottle of vodka.

"To make things less awkward," he offered with an easy smile and a shrug.

On the way up to the room, there were a few whistles and catcalls congratulating Lucas on a job well done.

"Ignore them, they're immature idiots" Lucas assured Jasmine as he put his hand low on her back and led her up to his room.

"And you're not?" Jasmine questioned.

"You tell me."

"Ok, how many times have you done what those guys out there just did? Catcalled a brother as he led a girl up to his room. Or how many other times have you been catcalled bringing different girls up to your room?" Jasmine's voice jumped a little bit at the insinuation of the second question.

"Ok, fair point, I am still immature," Lucas confessed as he grabbed a couple of shirts off his navy blue bedspread and threw them into the corner.

"You can, uh, sit on the bed if you want."

"What? Not feeling up to answering that question?" Jasmine teased him as she flopped back onto the bed.

Lucas sat down beside her and rested his hand on her thigh before taking a swig of vodka, "No, it's just, I'd rather not discuss what's happened in the past while we're trying to figure out what's going on between us now. And I'd really rather not hear about all the guys who threw themselves at you this past year."

Jasmine perched herself on her elbows and really looked at the room for the first time. Lucas had covered the white walls in posters varying from Quintin Tarantino to Spielberg. There were a couple of his drawings from the art classes he had taken; and a wall was wholly dedicated to the photos he's taken. Jasmine got up off the bed to get a better look; they were actually pretty good. There was one that caught her eye. It sat framed on his desk rather than in the collage on his wall.

"You still have it?" Jasmine's voice cracked a little.

"Yeah. It is the best photo I have ever taken on one of the best days of my life."

She went over and picked up the photograph. It was a black and white photo that had managed to focus and capture her smile while blurring the world around them. She turned around to respond to Lucas and bumped into him as he too had gotten off the bed and walked up to her. When she looked up to him, she had tears in her eyes. He brought his thumb up to her face and gently wiped the tears away.

"But I tell girls it's my sister if they ask,"

Jasmine laughed, causing snot to shoot out of her nose and hit him in the arm.

"Oh, gross" he laughed, grabbing a tissue to wipe the snot off.

"It's what you deserve for that comment," Jasmine laughed so hard she could barely get the words out.

"I don't know it just always felt right to have a little piece of you here. I mean it's not like I stopped loving you when I left. We just thought it was stupid to do the whole long-distance thing," offered Lucas.

"But, I'm here now," Jasmine closed the distance between them, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him. The kiss was familiar and comforting. It was as if this one kiss was linked to every other kiss they had ever had. She pulled back and grabbed the abandoned bottle of vodka off the bed, taking a gulp before smiling and pulling her shirt off. Lucas grinned, pulling her back against him. They continued to undress each other, occasionally pausing to grab the bottle of alcohol. Their lips were never apart for long and the past year melted away as the night went on.