Our Spot

If nothing else could be said for this wretched place, the showers were otherworldly. As she basked in the cascade, like she was standing in a warm, soothing rainstorm, Hannah completely lost all sense of time.

Only the slamming of the suite’s outer door snapped her back to reality. Unlike some other contestants, Hannah made a point of locking her room tight. Emily must have returned.

In truth, Hannah had been something of a mess since entering into her little agreement. It had been thrilling and terrifying in turns; at once the most erotic thing that had ever happened to her, and vaguely disturbing for reasons she couldn’t quite put her finger on. She’d spent the last night second guessing it, fantasizing about its potential, and had even managed to dream about it.

Now that Emily was back, she was **** to clarify the situation, though whether to walk it back or **** it, she was unsure.

Hannah killed the shower, dried, piled her hair into a semi-presentable state, and stepped into her suite with a towel wrapped around her body.

…And was shocked by what she found.

Emily lay on her bed, face buried in her pillow as her hair pooled about either side of her. When Hannah stepped out, she looked up only briefly, but it was enough to see the misery in her pale blue eyes. Most strikingly, she was even more naked than Hannah was now.

At first, Hannah wondered if she’d stripped for her benefit. But as she saw Emily’s over-long hair, understanding dawned. She gasped, heart quickening.

“Emily?” She said, dumbly.

Emily groaned, and wrapped both arms around her pillow, pulling it tighter as her beautiful, exposed body huddled in on itself.

Hannah couldn’t tell if she was more concerned or excited. She made her way to Emily’s bed, sitting gingerly beside her. Emily kept looking away from her, pulling fully into a fetal position.

“He didn’t…” Hannah marveled.

“He didn’t mean to,” Emily said, almost defensively. “It was my fault. It’s all my fault.”

Gently, Hannah stroked her hair. Emily’s eyes flicked open. For a moment, she was sure she’d pull away. Instead, she inched closer, accepting the comfort.

“What happened?” Hannah asked quietly.

“He tried to give me a soft change. That one that I’d already got as my ‘reward’,” Emily explained. “It wouldn’t let him, so he was going to give me the one that gave me big boobs. But I argued with him.”

“Oh no…” Hannah whispered.

“He started to tease me. Saying what he ought to do instead. Then he said ‘or I’ll leave you naked all the time’ or something, and I guess the curse I put on myself thought he’d picked that,” She said. “And now I'm s-stuck…”

She broke off then, sniffling. Hannah didn’t know what to do, except to fall in next to her, wrapping her arms around her and drawing her close. Emily accepted it, pulling herself into Hannah’s chest.

“It’s not so bad,” Hannah whispered. “You’ve already been like this for a while now, so it’s not like we haven’t seen it. And nobody on the island cares.”

“But we won’t be on the island forever!” Emily protested. “What do I do if I’m still like this when we go back? How am I supposed to go anywhere? I can’t just visit my family naked? What do I do in the winter?”

Hannah shifted. The idea of Emily spending her life as a naked sex toy was more appealing than she cared to admit. She tried to dismiss the thought, a bit ashamed she’d even had it, but that didn’t change the flush she felt imagining it.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

She pushed Emily to arm’s length, looking directly in her teary blue eyes.

“Hey. You’re gonna be okay,” Hannah said. “The audience loves you. You know how to make Jake happy. You nailed the first contest.”

“I know, but what good does all that do me if I can’t live a normal life when this is over?” Emily asked pitifully.

She was missing the point.

“You’ve got victory points. You’re earning rewards. One of them is going to allow you to undo this,” Hannah explained, calmly. “At the very least, you can win or buy something that’ll let other people accept it.”

Emily bit her lip. Hannah had seen enough of the girl to recognize it as her tick. It was sort of cute.

“You really think I’ll get something like that?” She asked.

Hannah nodded.

“Positive. And you can probably buy it if you can’t.”

“But what if the audience doesn’t want that for me? Or I can’t buy it or whatever?”

Hannah shrugged.

“First, focus on what you can control instead of worrying about what’s out of your hands. We’re all gonna go crazy here if we don’t.” She said. “Second…how was your night with Jake? Like, outside of what happened to you.”

“The night was wonderful,” Emily admitted. “I got him softened up on sharing me a bit, got him to stop being mad at you. We had some good kinky fun. He even leaned into…y’know, my role a little.”

Hannah nodded. It was all a relief, particularly the part about her own forgiveness. If she wasn’t walking into an ambush tonight, so much the better.

“Probably that curse of yours that made everyone bully you,” She mused. “Though I wouldn’t be surprised if Jake secretly enjoys all this more than he wants to admit to himself.”

Emily sat up sharply.

“I hadn’t even thought of that!” She said. “Oh man, I bet that’s why he accidentally did this to me, too.”

“Probably,” Hannah agreed. “I’m sure he didn’t want it for you, anyway.’

Hannah sat up to join her, slipping an arm around her waist and resting the hand on her thigh. Emily looked down at it, then back up at Hannah, but otherwise did nothing to object.

“You’re gonna be okay,” She repeated. “And even if the worst happens, Jake and us girls will take care of you. You’re not alone in any of this.”

Emily rested her head on Hannah’s shoulder.

“Thanks. I know all that already, but hearing it really does help,” She said. “It’s still embarrassing, but I guess I’ll get used to that part.”

“It’s a shame they took the humiliation fetish away,” Hannah mused. “If you’re gonna be embarrassed, you might as well enjoy it.”

“Ugh. Tell me about it. All I wanna do is stay in here,” Emily groaned. “I don’t wanna face anyone like this.”

Hannah shook her head.

“You can’t. That might as well be suicide with the way all this stuff works. You gotta keep being social and putting yourself out there.”

Emily moaned, shutting her eyes as she buried her head against Hannah.

“I knoooow…” She whined. “It’s just so embarrassing. I feel so ashamed.”

Hannah traced a finger along Emily’s spine. Her eyes shot up to meet Hannah’s.

“It doesn’t have to be shameful,” She said, echoing Emily the night before.

“What do you mean?” Emily asked.

“You look absolutely amazing,” Hannah said. “Like a walking fantasy.”

“Hannah…” Emily breathed. “Please don’t tease me right now…”

“It’s not teasing if we both want it,” Hannah purred. “Didn’t you say we should explore this?”

“Well, yeah, but…”

Hannah cut off her objection by placing a soft finger over her lip.

“Lie back down. Spread out for me,” She said.

The blonde bit her lip. For a moment, Hannah thought she’d defy her. But, slowly, she lowered herself to the bed, spreading her legs slightly. Her hair fell artfully over her exposed breasts, and she blocked her slit with a hand. But Hannah could see her stiffening, goosebumps forming on her skin.

She crawled over Emily and reached down with a finger, trailing it over her stomach, along the swell of her breast, and finally stopping to tease her nipple. She knew it was wrong to take advantage of the girl, least of all now, but she could no longer help herself. She just wanted Emily so damned badly.

“I know it’s humiliating. And scary,” Hannah said, stripping off her towel and tossing it aside. “But that’s not all it has to be. These changes can be fun. Sexy, even.”

She could barely believe what she was doing. She’d never even been with a woman before, yet here she was, standing over one, both of them wet and naked. She’d never wanted Jake nearly as much as the excited girl beneath her.

Slowly, Hannah knelt down and placed a kiss on her lips. Emily returned it, shyly at first, then again in open mouthed passion. She grabbed Hannah’s ass to pull her in closer, her hands exploring the curves of Hannah’s body. Hannah fell into her arms, kissing and fondling.

“Are we really gonna do this?” Emily breathed.

“I don’t know…” Hannah replied, breathless. “I shouldn’t. I’ve gotta be at Jake’s later.”

The sound Emily made was part moan, part pout.

“No faaair,” She whined. “You started this and you’re gonna stop now?”

It was Hannah’s turn to tense.

“I…don’t really know what I’m doing…” She admitted. “I’ve never done this before…”

Emily smiled

“I have,” She said.

With a sharp yank, Emily pulled the blanket back and flung it over them, moving above Hannah to straddle her. When it settled, only her mane of hair and pretty, freckled face showed above the sheets. The thin blankets draped her body, outlining its alluring shape.

Emily wiggled beneath the sheets, then her lips were on Hannah’s breast, kissing them before gently suckling and then playfully biting her nipple. Hannah gasped, her back arching, but Emily pushed her hips back into place before her pink lips teased her other breast as well.

Hannah made a decision then.

“You can do…anything you want.” She breathed.

“No.” Emily said.

“No?” Hannah moaned, “But…I thought…”

It was so hard to think; hard to articulate anything through the haze of lust that had descended on her.

“If you want it, make me do it,” Emily said.

Her pale blue eyes sparkled with mischief. Clouded as her brain was, Hannah knew what she meant.

“****…” Hannah started, without any particular idea how to finish. “Finish me!”

“How, Mistress?” Emily shot back, playfully. Hannah liked the sound of it more than she cared to admit. “With my fingers or…”

She kissed her way down Emily’s tummy by way of demonstrating the alternative.

“Y-yes. That!” Hannah stammered.

“Yes, what, mistress?” Emily asked again.

God, she’s having fun with this, Hannah thought. Mission accomplished, I guess.

“E-eat my…my pussy,” Hannah said, before adding. “****.”

It sounded embarrassingly porny to her own ears, but Emily responded with a giggle. She tossed the blanket over her head, disappearing beneath it, and moved between Hannah’s thighs.

A moment later, Hannah felt Emily’s tongue exploring her lower lips. She gasped and shuddered, then felt Emily’s hands grab her hips to gently hold them in place.

“Ohmygod!” Hannah cried, running her hands through Emily’s hair.

Jake had never done this even half so well. Never much of a screamer in the bedroom, Hannah nonetheless found herself crying out as she came.

A moment later, Emily popped out from beneath the sheets, wedging herself beneath Hannah’s arm.

“How did I do, mistress?” She asked.

Hannah stroked Emily’s hair as she struggled to put her sludgy thoughts together.

“Incredible…” She managed, finally.

Emily bit her lip.

“Could you…I mean…would my mistress return the favor?”

Hannah shifted uncomfortably. She knew she should, but there was that niggling issue of experience.

“I want to, but…I just don’t know how…”

Emily giggled, and rolled onto her back. She took Hannah’s hand and guided it between her legs.

“Sure you do.”

She did. And it wasn’t long before Emily was moaning and sighing beside her. She might not have known what to do with her tongue, but using her fingers to explore Emily’s sex was like riding a bike. On some level, Hannah knew she only enjoyed this as much as she did because of her brainwashing. But the pretty blonde squirming beneath her, the pleasure she derived from that, and the satisfaction she’d given Emily, made that concern feel only trifling.

Finally, when they were both spent, the two women lay in one another’s arms.

First Hookup: +5 VP, Emily, Hannah

Unique Hookup - The Girlfriends: +2 VP, Hannah, Emily

They basked in afterglow and disbelief as the warm sea breeze wafted through their hotel room.

“Did I do good?” Emily finally asked.

The sincerity in the question nearly undid Hannah.

“Good? Oh my god,” She said, running her fingers through Emily’s luxuriant pink and gold hair. “Jake…can’t do what you just did. Not like you did, anyway.”

Emily only giggled.

“Yeah. He kinda sucked at that,” She said.

She grew quiet for a moment.

“Thank you,” Emily said after a while. “I really felt bad before this. You made me feel pretty again, instead of like a freak.”

Hannah gave her a squeeze.

“You’re…gorgeous,” She said. “And you’re not a freak. Not any more than any of the rest of us.”

Emily gave her a satisfied moan and snuggled in closer.

“I’m worried for Jake too,” She admitted. “They’re gonna think he did this to me on purpose. I’ll have to defend him and stuff if I go out there.”

Hannah scoffed.

“Just be really upfront about what happened. We both know Jake’s gonna be a lot harder on himself over this than any of us will be,” She said.

“That’s another thing,” Emily said with a sigh. “He’s probably beside himself right now.”

“Look, you know what happened between you and Jake. Just let everyone know that,” Hannah said. “I’d start by seeing that friend of yours. If you can get her and AJ on your side, everyone else will be a lot more likely to listen.”

Emily nodded, absorbing it.

“That’s a really good idea, actually. AJ has his back, and if Rachel defends him, everyone else should be cool,” She said. “But what about him?”

“Oh, you leave him to me,” Hannah said with a tired smile. “I’m supposed to be with him tonight. I know what to say when he’s guilt-tripping himself.”

“I never did…”

And how the table turns, Hannah thought to herself. A night ago, it was she who felt helpless and Emily who’d promised to smooth everything over.

“I should really clean up and get ready,” Hannah said. “Leah wasn’t kidding. Days move fast here.”

“Or you could stay with me and we could snuggle and I could hide under blankets forever,” Emily suggested.

Hannah kissed the top of her head, then mussed her hair.

Jesus, I’m really starting to like her.

“Sorry, but I really do need to get moving,” She said with a yawn. “But go see Rachel. I think it’d be good for you.”

“You’re probably right,” Emily sighed. “It’ll be embarrassing, but I can’t run forever.”

Hannah gave her a squeeze.

“No. You can’t,” She said. “But if you ever decide you need an escape from the world, we’ll always have our spot right here.”

She slid out from under Emily and walked to her closet, rummaging for her best dress for the occasion. Emily watched her from the bed, lying on her belly with her lovely rear perked up.

“It is a bit early, though,” She said.

“Maybe," Hannah admitted. “But I need to beat him back to his place.”

Emily scoffed at that.

“Beat him back? Wouldn’t he have to actually leave first?”

“I have it on good authority that he will,” Hannah said. “AJ’s, actually.”

That made Emily frown.

“I wish she liked me like she does you.” She sulked. “She’s really cool and I’m kinda jealous.”

In truth, Hannah wasn’t at all sure of how much AJ did like her. They’d always been close, but she’d sensed a coldness from AJ since the transformation round that made her more than a little uneasy. She even thought she knew why, given the things she’d done in it.

Finally, she found the dress she was looking for.

“You need the shower at all?” She turned and asked Emily.

The grin Emily returned was tired, but impish.

“You asking for company?”

That thought was tempting, but Hannah put it aside.

“You can clean up after me,” She said.

“Hmph. You’re no fun when you’re not in mistress mode,” Emily teased.

Inspiration struck her.

“Actually, you can go clean now,” Hannah said. “Go for a quick swim in the pool. I want you wet, naked and looking like a siren by the time I get back.”

Emily giggled, rising to obey.

“That’s the spirit!”

This time, Hannah showered quickly. But she took her time afterward, ensuring her makeup was immaculate. Cherry red lipstick, enough blush to give her face a healthy glow, and subtle eyeliner. She blew and brushed out her hair until it shone, falling to her waist on either side of her shoulders in soft brown waves.

And she picked out the right dress. It was tighter around her chest and ass now, both of which were less modest now than when she’d bought it, and it emphasized a slight tummy that hadn’t existed at the time. But altogether, she was impressed by how well it still fit her.

Thank you for getting Jake out of his tower, She texted AJ.

Thank you for getting him out of his funk, their friend texted back.

Thank me when I’ve done it. I’m on my way over now.

Then I won’t keep him long. Knock him out, girl.

More dots appeared. Disappeared. Reappeared.

Let’s get lunch sometime. I know I’ve had my hands full with the others, but I wanna hang. Been too long.

For the second time in a week, a text from AJ nearly undid Hannah. She’d been so worried that the sudden relief nearly brought her to tears. She held it together, though, replying simply.

I’d love that. Let me know when you’ve got some time

Then, Hannah took a deep breath, hoping that her issues with Jake were as mended as Emily claimed they were. She supposed it wasn’t worth worrying about. She’d find out for sure soon enough.

In the meantime, she wanted one last look at Emily.

*****

The showrunners had created an island out of the ocean, warped the fabric of reality itself, seemed capable of watching their every move entirely without cameras, and could kidnap people from another dimension.

And somehow, they couldn’t make Jake’s elevator any faster.

When he’d told AJ that the difficulty of getting to and from his suite was the reason he spent so much time there, Jake had only partly been lying. Well, mostly lying (and hadn’t she immediately seen through and shot down that excuse). But not entirely. It did take a long time to get from one point to another.

It gave him plenty of time to think about what they’d talked about.

“Yo! Look who finally came down from his gilded tower!” AJ had said by way of greeting.

They’d met at the hotel’s piano lounge, where she sat alone at the bar with a bottle of expensive bourbon. At the moment, nobody was playing, though some soft jazz music drifted from unseen speakers.

Jake had cocked his head.

“You doing okay?” He asked as he approached her.

Her big, toothy grin was all it took to convince Jake that she was.

“Yeah, man. Jim fucking Dandy,” She said. “I literally just wanted to get you out of your suite.”

“That’s…that’s it? You just wanted to get me down here?”

AJ nodded.

“Yup. Because you kinda need to, man. You spend too much time holed up in there.”

Jake had sighed.

“Are you telling me this because you think it’s bad for me, or because you think it’s bad for you guys?”

“Both,” She answered, without hesitation. “People aren’t supposed to hang out in tiny ass rooms all the time.”

“It’s not tiny. It’s kinda huge actually. Like a…compound, almost,” He’d argued.

AJ was having none of it.

“When’s the last time you heard someone healthy describe their home as a ‘compound’, dude?”

“Okay, point,” He conceded.

“And there are us girls to consider,” She said. “We get points for interacting with you and shit. Kinda one sided if you don’t give us the opportunity, you get me? Like the house controls all our points.”

That one had struck home.

“I….guess that’s kind of unfair,” He admitted, finally taking a seat next to her. “It’s just hard. I feel like if I give anyone too much attention, I’m playing favorites. Kinda easier to just run away.”

There was also the damage he’d inflicted on his girlfriend, though if AJ didn’t know about that yet, Jake was in no hurry to bring it to her attention.

“I get that. But we’re all stuck together here, right?” She said, “Besides, you’re my best fucking friend. I wanna see your face once and a while.”

That made Jake felt guilty.

“Fuck…You’re right. I’m letting my…I don’t know, anxieties or whatever get the best of me,” He said, putting an arm over her shoulder. “Thanks. I think I needed the callout there.”

AJ smiled at him, but her attention was drawn when her phone vibrated. She snatched it up, putting herself between Jake and the screen.

“You also need to get the fuck out of here,” She said. “Back to the fortress of solitude, Clark.”

Jake withdrew, perplexed.

“Didn’t you just tell me you dragged me down here to get me out of the house?” He asked. “Now you’re sending me back?”

Her grin then was broad, and filled with mischief.

“Welll…” She admitted. “That and I wanted to distract you. Your companion's settling down in your place right now.”

Jake rolled his eyes, and stood.

“You know you’re in the fucking tank for her, right?” He said.

Oddly, that seemed to make her uncomfortable.

“Hey…let me know if Hannah acts weird or whatever,” AJ said.

“Weird?” Jake asked. “Weird how?”

She shook her head.

“Just…weird. I’m trying to keep track of how this place is fucking with us.”

“Ah…yeah. I’ll let you know,” He said, “How are you doing with all that, anyway?”

AJ shrugged.

“I dunno man,” She said. “But I’ll be staying the night with you like, four nights from now. So I guess you’ll get to see for yourself.”

He’d laid a hand on her shoulder then, and gave it a squeeze before departing.

Now, riding the elevator up to his suite, he tried to think of what he might say to Hannah, or how he should apologize. But as the door opened on his suite, he didn’t find her waiting for him. Only a sheet of notebook paper taped to his suite’s big glass doors.

“Down,” read Hannah’s neat script, with an arrow pointed toward the staircase that led to the lower floors. Another sign in the stairwell directed him through the kitchen and dining room, then off the dining room patio and up the small hiking trail that led up above his suite toward the summit of the volcano.

He found her at the overlook, sitting on a towel with her shapely legs folded neatly to her side. The setting sun made a fiery glow of her soft brown hair, and made her eyes sparkle when they turned up to meet him. Even the dress was familiar, and Jake found himself smiling in spite of himself.

Hannah patted the spot beside her, and Jake obligingly joined her. For a moment, they sat in silence, neither knowing where to start. Below them, the island and ocean beyond sprawled across eternity. Somehow, it was more magnificent a view than even the one from his balcony.

“You remember that week after we graduated?” She asked, finally breaking the silence. “When you and I both got our first job offers?”

Jake smiled.

“We had a barbecue on that one rooftop in Bedford. Place was a shithole, but it was the only part of town we could afford.”

“It wasn’t a shithole,” Hannah insisted. “It was our spot. Remember the view it had of the city?”

“How could I forget?” He said, then chuckled. “God, Ryan got so wasted that night. You’d have thought he’d gotten the job.”

“He was just happy for us,” Hannah reminisced.

“That’s the dress, right?” He asked, nodding to it.

Hannah nodded.

“I really couldn’t afford it at the time, either with the debt I was in or the salary I was walking into,” She said. “But AJ insisted.”

She deepened her voice and took on their friend’s Bronx accent.

“Fuck that. You earned it. ‘Sides, it’s like a vote’a confidence, right? You and Jake are gonna be rich in no time.”

The imitation was at once so cartoonish and uncanny that Jake burst out laughing, and Hannah giggled along.

“She wasn’t wrong,” He said when he’d controlled himself.

“Nope. We both made our fortunes. Mostly together,” Hannah agreed.

Mostly…

The word hung between them, breaking the comfort they’d so easily fallen back into.

“Hannah, I’m sorry,” He said after a while. “I shouldn’t have rounded on you like that the other day. And I really shouldn’t have done it in front of everyone.”

“It’s okay,” She said. “You were looking out for Emily.”

Jake shook his head.

“It’s more than that,” He said. “I wasn’t just being protective of her, I was being unfair to you.”

He sighed.

“I’m guessing you’ve seen her?”

Hannah nodded, frowning. She hesitated a moment, but ultimately put a hand on his shoulder.

“It was an accident. I know that.”

“Yeah, but it happened because I was messing with her, and enjoying it. Just like you were,” he said.

Hannah gave that a knowing nod.

"Well, I'm glad you have some perspective. Apology accepted," She said. "But it’s not just me you owe an apology to.”

He groaned.

“Oh? Who else did I screw over?”

He did a quick mental inventory of the other girls. Emily he obviously owed much more than an apology to. He’d also been far too eager to treat Megan like a child rather than a grown woman with her own agency. Ryan he hadn’t even gone to yet, nor could he bring himself to reach out to the strangers he’d inadvertently dragged into this.

He suddenly felt very tired; overwhelmed by the position this show was putting him in.

Hannah’s hand touched his cheek, turning his eyes to meet hers.

“Jake, you’re the one you need to apologize to,” She said. “You’re being way too hard on yourself. You didn’t make this mess, and you’re not the hero who has to fix all of it. It’s just another punch we all need to learn how to roll with.”

He chuckled in spite of himself.

“I hate how good you are at reading me.”

She smiled and shrugged.

“Well, I did have eight years of experience.”

It wasn’t until her head came to rest on his shoulder that he realized they’d been steadily getting closer the whole time. Rather than pulling away, he put an arm around her.

“I missed this,” He admitted. “I missed you.”

Nothing more between them needed to be said. When he turned his head, their lips met. Hannah let out a soft moan, her fingers combing his hair. And suddenly, he found himself on top of her, the towel beneath them tangling as they kissed and groped.

It was familiar. Comfortable. Like going home.

Yet try as he might, Jake couldn’t bring himself to finish what he so badly wanted to start. Hannah seemed to sense it too. Even as her hands ran up along his back, and his slid along her thigh, they slowed and then paused.

She gave a frustrated moan beneath him.

“Damn you…” She said, hitting his chest with the heel of her hand. “Why do you have to be too nice to cheat?”

“No! It’s not that!” He objected at once, immediately regretting it. “I mean, it is. Or…Ugh.”

He sagged above her.

“It’s Emily. I had a long night with her. Did it again this morning,” He said. “I’m really sorry…”

He could feel Hannah stiffen beneath him, her gaze broke from his, distractedly.

Idiot, he cursed himself. He’d spoiled the moment with his ex by reminding her of his present. Way to go, Romeo.

“It’s fine,” She breathed. “I’m pretty tired, too.”

Finally, they sat back up. The sun was barely an orange hill on the horizon now, painting both sea and sky a brilliant purple.

“Hey,” She said, slipping his arm around him. “Don’t sweat it. Seriously. I’m…just glad to be with you again.”

Was he with her? What did that even mean? Rather than asking, though, he kissed her.

“I never should have left,” He admitted. “Why we broke up…I should have…”

But she was chuckling.

“You still don’t get it,” Hannah said. “It really doesn’t matter anymore.”

“What do you mean it doesn’t matter?” He asked, screwing up his face. “You think it doesn’t matter why we broke it all off after all that time?”

“It might have a week ago, but it doesn’t now,” She said. “We’re all stuck with you now, remember? No matter what happens, we’re all ‘bound’ to you.”

She laughed.

“I got my damned wish. Just not how I could ever have predicted.”

Jake didn’t know what to think of that. Bound to him? All of them? He supposed it was true, but he was too tired and too confused to make any sense of what that meant for them all.

“Come on,” She said, standing. “Let’s head inside.”

“What do you wanna do?” He asked as she helped him up.

“Eat, first. I’m starving,” She said. “After that…”

She took his hand, standing on her toes to kiss the corner of his lips.

“Let’s act like none of this is happening for a bit,” She suggested. “Watch a good movie and a bad one like we used to, or play some games together or something.”

Jake couldn’t think of anything that sounded better.