Settling things down.

Chapter 5 – Lake House Vacation (continued)

When they arrived downstairs, Heather was already approaching Tristan who was on a chair in the dining room, his face red, and the icepack pressed to his crotch mostly hidden under the table.

“I owe you an apology.” She said, looking about as sheepish as Jason had ever seen her, “I should have shut you down right away, but I didn’t. I’m a grade-A cock tease, but I shouldn’t have led you on like a total bitch. I’m not interested, and not just because you’re still a minor, so let’s just keep things friendly, okay?”

Tristan visibly deflated, but he nodded, “Okay fine. But I don’t think you’re a bitch. I was having fun, even if I never had a real chance.”

Heather chuckled, “Oh trust me, if you got to know me better, you’d definitely think I was a bitch.” She countered.

She then turned and saw Chloe hovering, her eyes and nose still slightly red and puffy from her earlier tears. The cheerleader beckoned the tall Navajo girl closer, and for his part, Tristan didn’t look threatened by her, though he did scowl. “Hey um… I’m really sorry for losing my temper like that.”

“It’s cool. I probably deserved it.” Tristan said, puffing his chest out a little, trying to play it off.

“It’s not cool. I’m usually not like that, I’ve just been having a rough time lately, and I really really regret what I did. I hope we can still be friends.”

Tristan looked away, obviously feeling a bit uncomfortable. “I’m sorry for… for what I called you.” He mumbled. “Yeah, we can still be friends. I guess.”

Chloe nodded, and started to turn away then Tristan got to his feet, and offered his hand to her, still standing a little bow-legged but putting on a brave face after setting the ice-pack on the table.

Chloe smiled, and took his hand, shaking it. Then Heather stepped in and also shook his hand, before pulling him into a brief hug. “Just don’t be a creep, and we’ll all be fine, okay?” She muttered.

“Yeah, I’ll try.” He said, blushing as he sat back down, and the rest of them filed out of the dining room.

“Well that went about as well as could be expected.” Alex said as all of them but Leo and Tristan moved into the living room.

“I’m glad.” Helena told them, only to be cut off as the porch door was flung open and Percy entered just ahead of Lucy.

“Hey, why’s it so quiet in here?” Jason’s youngest sister asked then paused, glancing at Tristan and Leo. “What’s wrong with you?” She added.

“None of your business, Percy.” Leo told her.

So Percy led her friend into the living room, and gestured back towards the dining room, “What’s up with Tristan?” She asked the rest of them.

“Never mind that.” Lena scolded. “I was going to go for a swim before it gets too dark. Why don’t you two put on your bathing suits and meet me out at the docks?”

“Okay.” They both seemed happy with that idea, not interested enough in Leo’s friend to press the issue.

Then once they’d gone upstairs, Lena turned back to the rest of them. “Let’s try to avoid any more drama this trip, particularly the violent kind.” She said simply, fixing her gaze pointedly on Chloe before following the younger girls up the stairs.

There was a brief discussion between the remaining girls, with Heather and Alex deciding to head down to the lake, while Chloe and Kate said they preferred to stay in, so Jason agreed to stay with them.

They put on a new movie, and Jason settled on the couch with his two best friends on either side of him. They were only a few minutes into the film when Kate asked, “So um… Jason said we should ask you what you thought about… sharing…”

“Didn’t I already say I’m fine with that?”

“She means, both of you being my girlfriend, officially.” Jason clarified.

“Oh. Yeah, I guess that’s a little different. But I’m okay with it. As long as we’re all honest and fair, I think it’ll be fine.”

Kate nodded, leaning a little closer to Jason, her shoulder against his, “I’ll be honest, I do feel a little jealous.”

“Don’t.” Chloe insisted, shifting forward to look the redhead in the eye, “Kate. Something you should know. Yeah, I’ve got some trauma, but me and Jason discovered something earlier.”

“What sort of something?” Kate sat a little straighter.

“I’m still a virgin.”

Kate’s brow furrowed, “Okay, I must be missing something.”

“She was assaulted, couldn’t remember everything that happened, she thought…”

“Oh!” Kate’s hands flew to her mouth, “Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I didn’t…”

“It’s fine.” Chloe insisted, “Well, not fine, but I’m working on it. Jason’s helping, but yeah I thought that had been taken from me. But now…”

“I didn’t know.” Kate repeated, “I should have waited, instead I…”

“Don’t!” Chloe reached across Jason to take the freckled girl’s hand, “I encouraged him to have his first time with you. I don’t regret it, and you shouldn’t either. I’m sure it was magical, and special, and everything your first time should have been. And this morning I didn’t think I’d ever get to have that, but now I do. I haven’t lost anything, I’ve only gained.”

Kate nodded, sniffling and rubbing at one eye. “Jason will make it magical for you too, I’m sure.”

“I’ll do my very best.” Jason agreed.

It was about then that Percy and Lucy rushed downstairs, both wearing their swim suits once more. “Hey, be careful.” Jason called to them. “I guess that foot must be feeling better?”

Lucy paused and looked down at her foot, which was no longer in the compression wrap. The only sign of her brush with poison ivy was an odd pattern of pinkish skin around her ankle. “Yeah, I can’t even feel it now.” She admitted.

“Well, it could still have some effect, so just take it easy in the lake, okay? Don’t want to be out in deep water if a cramp comes on or something.”

“Yeah okay, thanks.” She said, and turned to continue with Lucy towards the back door.

“And wait for Lena!” Kate called after them. “Don’t go in the water alone.”

But they were gone. “Not sure they heard that last part.” Chloe muttered, sitting up and stretching her arms, giving Jason the opportunity to lightly rub her back.

It wasn’t much longer before Lena came downstairs in her suit, around the same time that Heather and Alex emerged from their room, and joined her on her way to the lake.

They returned to watching their movie for a bit, sitting in silence as Jason rubbed Chloe’s back. Eventually she stretched out on her side and laid her head on his lap, where Kate reached down and stroked her hair, “I’ve always loved your hair.” The redhead whispered.

Chloe smiled, “It’s a pain, but it’s worth it.” She told her, “I like your hair too. That natural color is so eye-catching, much better than anything that comes out of a bottle.”

Kate smiled and blushed. “So um… I guess I’m kinda bi.” She muttered, looking away.

“Yeah, me too.”

“I didn’t think I was, until… well earlier.”

“I didn’t think I was either, until I started dating Jason, and we talked about all the girls he could hook up with besides me.”

Kate smiled, “I guess that does sound kind of hot, when you put it that way.”

“Kate O’Connel.” Chloe turned onto her back so she could look up at the ice skater, “Are you coming on to me?”

“No! I mean… maybe a little?”

Chloe grinned, and turned further to wink at Jason, “Wanna kiss?”

Kate’s face turned as red as Jason had ever seen it. Her mouth moved, but no words emerged. She glanced towards the kitchen, then at Jason, then back at Chloe. “Not here…” She finally got out.

“Okay.” Chloe stood up and pulled Kate and Jason to their feet, leading them both by the hand towards the master bedroom. Once inside, she locked the door, and gave Jason a look, which he interpreted as ‘turn off my damn trauma’.

So as she pulled Kate into her arms and licked her lips, waiting for the redhead to close the distance, Jason discreetly retrieved his phone and navigated to Chloe’s profile, and then reactivated the perk to suppress her trauma just a moment before their freckled Irish best friend worked up the courage to lean in and kiss the Navajo girl.

Chloe seemed to resist the urge to throw herself into the moment, keeping her kiss gentle, and allowing Kate to explore at her own pace. Jason simply stood nearby and watched, appreciating the sight, though it wasn’t enough to arouse him on its own.

When they finally broke apart, Chloe was panting, and Kate was still blushing, but wasn’t as winded as the Navajo girl. “I uh… that was nice.” Kate whispered.

“As nice as kissing Jason?” Chloe asked, then feigned outrage when Kate shook her head.

“Kissing Jason is magical.” The redhead informed them, turning to smile at him before addressing Chloe again. “But I do like kissing you too, it’s just not quite as exciting. Also, your lips are a little dry.”

The black-haired girl worried her lip between her teeth self-consciously.

“I’ve noticed that too.” Jason interjected, “It doesn’t make it any less fun to kiss you, but it is an interesting contrast.”

“I suppose.” Chloe said, “Any other contrasts you’ve noticed?” She asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Well, it’s not like I’ve kissed a whole lot of girls, but Heather moves her lips a lot, and is aggressive with her tongue. Alex has had a pretty strong taste of toothpaste every time I’ve kissed her, and Amy always tasted like fruit and Vaseline.”

“Amy was that girl from your theater class?” Kate asked, and Jason nodded.

“What about Summer?” Chloe asked.

He shrugged, “Didn’t kiss her much, and it was after I’d gone down on her so her flavor kind of overwhelmed whatever else I might have gotten from the kiss.”

“You went down on a girl before you’d even kissed her?” Kate asked, eyes wide.

This time, Jason blushed, “Sounds strange when you put it like that. But I guess it was a bit of an odd situation all around.”

Chloe smiled at them, and pulled the green-eyed enforcer into a hug, laying her head on Kate’s shoulder.

“Would you like me to leave you two alone?” Jason asked, gesturing towards the door, but Kate reached an arm out, and he let her pull him into a three way hug, only for her to lean up and kiss him once he was close enough.

“I like this.” She whispered. “It’s less awkward when it’s all three of us.”

Chloe raised her head, her black eyes shining, and drew Jason into a kiss once Kate was finished.

“I’m glad, because I really like this too.” He told them both, rocking gently with them in his arms. “Though maybe we should head back out soon, before anyone comes looking?”

“Not like we’re doing anything more than kissing.” The Navajo girl observed.

“I’m not sure I want everyone knowing we’re doing that.” Kate countered.

“Alright, then let’s go finish our movie.” Chloe reluctantly extricated herself from the three-way embrace. But before he could unlock the door, she pulled Jason down to give him a peck on the cheek, and whisper in his ear, “Thank you for this.”

“You’re welcome. And thank you as well.” He whispered back.

Kate smiled at them as they weren’t actually trying to whisper quietly enough to exclude her. Then she opened the door and they walked back out into the living room where their movie was still paused.

Jason took a brief moment to turn Chloe’s new trait back off before joining them on the couch.