Evening things up

Later after things settled down, Mona explains it was all a huge misunderstanding to the islanders who begged for gossip. You, however, want to move past Mona and hope she would leave you and Tom alone for now. The hammock was available since Paige was with the rest of the curious islanders. Closing your eyes, you swing on it and hope you would get a chance to talk to Paige.

Later...

“You’re in my spot,” Paige says.

You turn your head towards her and smile.

“Can you move? I told Tom I would meet him here later,” Paige says.

“Ah, yes. Tom. How are things going between you two?” You ask.

“Amazing!” Paige chirps a bit too cheerfully. “I was always into him, and spending time with him recently really made me realize what a nice guy he is. Unlike some men.”

Why is she doing this to herself?

“That’s great, Paige,” You say.

Paige hesitates, and her face tries its best to keep neutral. “And you and Jenna?”

“I’ve had my hands full with Mona recently, so I couldn’t really spend as much time as I wanted with her.

Paige’s eyebrows twitch, and you could see her **** a smile, “Mona? Wow… you really move on fast between girls.”

The words came out as friendly as Paige can muster, but you can tell there was venom hidden in it like she was trying her best not scream.

“You misunderstand me. I was just trying to befriend Mona so she wouldn’t be on my back constantly.”

“Was that what happened between you and Mona in that bathroom? She was on your back?” Paige asks, a hint of anger now coming out of her.

“I told you, I was going to spank her and I did.”

Paige grits her teeth and her fingers dig into herself, and then she smiles and says, “Whatever. I don’t really care... Oh, Tom! Matt was just leaving so we could talk.”

You sigh and get off the hammock and leave, giving a quick nod of acknowledgment to Tom before leaving.

Before you could, you could hear Paige almost shout in not such a subtle way, “Oh my god Tom. Have you been working out? Geez, your biceps are huge!”

Paige still needed time, and you had no clue how to handle her right now. Checking into her AMA stats, it was obvious what game she was running.

Paige Green Status Page:

Relationship Status: It’s complicated

Interest in Matt: 90

Interest in Jenna: 10

Interest in Tom: 10

Affection: 80 (Annoyed but best friends with you on the island)

Love: 90 (She’s sick of love songs)

Lust: 20 (Only hugs)

The interest in Jenna's score caught your eye. The Relationship Party should increase her affection with Jenna but love? You wondered how long it would take for her to level up to Forgiving. Time would have to be on your side. The whole reason you want to be close to Mona is to buy more time with Paige and Jenna.

Currently, Jenna was level 2 in the Relationship Party at Forgiving and Paige was still at level 1 with Skeptical.

You decide now would be a good time to talk to Jenna about Paige. The two of you whisk yourselves away to the balcony and talk.

“What can I say to her?” You ask

“Tell her you love her,” Jenna says.

“Love? Too soon for that, don’t you think?”

“I think… it might not be too soon for her,” Jenna says as if she knows exactly what Paige felt.

“I don’t want to tell her I love her if I don’t know or don’t mean it.”

“If you can’t do that then the only way is to pick her first at the next recoupling. Show her you will put her above anyone, and she’s the only one you care about,” Jenna says.

“But she isn’t… I mean… fuck, I don’t know what I mean. I can’t really decide right now. Besides, what about you?”

Jenna looks at you with concern and says, “You can’t run from it forever.”

I’m going to fucking try.

“Why are you so cool about it? Me and Paige.” You ask Jenna.

“I know how Paige feels,” Jenna says wistfully. “But… I know it’s a lot for you right now, Matt.”

Jenna has leveled up in the Relationship Party to Tolerant

You come towards Jenna, drawn in by her nature and loveliness in this whole ordeal, and she turns her head away as you bend forward to kiss her and your mouth grazes her cheeks.

“If you want Paige back… you will have to even things up with her,” Jenna murmurs.

“What?”

“If she keeps seeing us kissing and flirting, she’ll think she is losing you forever,” Jenna says and holds your chest back. “Did you sleep with Paige yet?”

“Well… sort of?” A bit of color came to your face talking about having sex with one woman with another woman you were interested in.

“You guys just fooled around in bed and the hideaway?” Jenna guesses.

“It never really got as far as we did on the ship.”

Jenna nods and says, “Even things up with her, and she’ll feel you aren’t putting her second… until then, I don’t think we should kiss or try anything... at least near or in front of Paige.”

Sighing you part from her and grab the guitar on the hanging. It made sense. Still, it pained you that you had two potential lovers, and now you couldn’t do anything with either.

“Let’s keep it strictly business then, I guess. I hope you’ve been practicing Ms. McCloud,” You hand her the guitar, and the two of you jam the day away.