CHAPTER 11
REESE
Reese jolted awake when the wheels turbulently hit the tarmac. Her eyes struggled to adjust to the bright light that was now streaming through the windows as a garbled voice overhead welcomed them to Las Vegas. Reese reached for her phone and looked at Lida in the seat next to her.
“Morning, babe,” she said cheerfully. Her long braids were pulled into a knot on top of her head, and she was tucking her belongings into the bag between her feet.
“Have a good snooze?” she asked as Reese stretched her arms overhead.
Reese grunted in response, still feeling groggy from the intense nap.
Lida chuckled and affectionately nudged her.
“First things first, we need coffee,” she announced as the rest of the passengers began to stand and exit.
“Coffee. Yes.” Reese yawned. “Tell me again why we needed to fly this early when our games aren’t until tomorrow morning?
” Reese asked sleepily. “Some of us like to sleep, you know.” She was only half-teasing.
She would’ve much rather slept in and taken an afternoon flight, but she had promised to spend the day traveling with Lida.
“Yeah and some of us like to have fun,” Lida shot back playfully.
“It’s fucking Vegas, babe. I’m sure we’ll find some way to kill the time.
” She grinned mischievously at Reese and stood in the aisle, eagerly waiting to deboard.
Reese nodded in agreement and felt a smile creep across her face.
She had been looking forward to this weekend for what felt like ages.
The past month had dragged by uneventfully.
Jette hadn’t texted her since leaving for tour, but Reese still held onto a delusional shred of excitement every time a text flashed across her screen.
She was slightly ashamed to know for a fact that Jette had seen all of her recent instagram stories and posts.
It had become a nightly ritual, checking her notifications and scrolling through the list of interactions, hoping to see one specific name included.
Reese and Lida tossed their skate bags over their shoulders as the other passengers began shuffling down the aisle. “Did Kiran text?” Lida asked over her shoulder.
Reese shrugged as she reached for her phone. The screen glitched as delayed texts and notifications began to pile in. “Three times,” she answered plainly.
Lida didn’t even bother to turn around. Instead she shook her head and scoffed audibly. “He certainly texts you an awful lot now,” she said evenly.
“Why shouldn’t he?” Reese asked sharply.
The line of people in the aisle came to a stop and Lida shifted to cast a glance over her shoulder.
“Um, because he never used to really care or remember where you were going or who you were with? Don’t you think it’s kinda weird that now he’s trying to act like the perfect boyfriend?
” Her voice was strong and steady as she held Reese’s gaze.
Reese shrugged noncommittal. “At least he’s trying,” she offered.
“Yeah, and he only started trying after you told him you wanted to take a break,” Lida said pointedly.
Reese couldn’t think of anything to say back.
It wasn’t as though she could argue with Lida, because nothing she said had been a lie.
It had been a few weeks since she told Kiran they needed to take some time apart.
Reese was skeptical, but she had to give Kiran some credit because he was finally making an effort.
Just in the past week, he made a point to buy flowers for her birthday for the first time in years.
Reese chose to overlook the fact that he got the date wrong and that her birthday wasn’t for another two months.
“I really don’t want to talk about it. We’re on a break for a reason,” Reese finally admitted as they followed the crowd of people moving up the ramp.
Lida slowed her pace to walk side by side with her.
She didn’t push the conversation and instead gently nudged Reese’s shoulder in acknowledgment.
“Coffee?” Reese suggested as they reached the bright lights of the terminal.
“Ugh please,” Lida whined. “I gotta pee, but can you grab me an iced coffee? Please, thank you, love you!” she impatiently called out as she jogged away.
Her tight black leggings perfectly accentuated her powerful thighs, and her royal blue hoodie made her easily recognizable in the crowded airport.
Reese laughed and headed to the nearest coffee kiosk to wait in yet another line.
She ordered and moved to the end of the counter, leaning against the guard rail before lazily browsing social media.
Jette had just posted a series of photos and Reese was surprised to see it already had well over a hundred likes.
All of her posts had seen an uptick in popularity since she left for tour.
Over the past few weeks, Reese had scrolled past countless comments from strangers consisting of fire emojis, or rows of tiny hearts, or the occasional obscene hashtag.
This latest post was no different. Multiple women had commented ‘Marry me’ and Reese rolled her eyes before scrolling through the rest of the photos.
She looked incredible in every shot. Her hair was messy and highlighted by the stage lights as those familiar dark eyes blazed while focusing on the rest of the band from every angle.
Reese was impressed by how well the pictures seemed to capture Jette’s intensity.
But the last photo, a full-length mirror selfie, was what took Reese’s breath away.
Jette’s eye makeup was artfully smudged and her hair was so damp, it looked like she had just gotten out of the shower.
Reese’s mouth went dry as she noticed Jette was wearing the same black leather chest harness from the drag show, this time over a ludicrously small black cropped tank.
She wore a self-assured smirk as she stared directly into the camera.
Reese’s cheeks burned as she remembered the way Jette had given her the exact same look before pinning her to the wall a month ago.
Despite her attempts to block it out, Reese still replayed the memory in her head constantly, unable to forget.
She turned to find Lida waiting behind her with eyes already trained on Reese’s phone.
“Is that Jette?” she asked smugly.
“I, uh, yes,” Reese spluttered as she handed a cup to Lida.
“Can I see?” Lida asked with a grin on her face.
She took a giant sip before reaching for Reese’s phone as they walked side by side through the crowded airport.
Instinctively, Reese pulled her phone out of reach.
“Oh come on,” Lida complained. She shot a playful glare at Reese as she lunged for the phone again.
Reese sighed and unlocked her phone before handing it over.
She didn’t have the energy to fight back this early in the morning.
Lida rapidly flipped through the pictures and admitted, “Damn she’s hot.
Is she single?” she asked with a cheeky laugh.
Reese shook her head nonchalantly. “I don’t know. I think so.” Lida’s eyes narrowed dubiously.
“You think so?” Lida pressed, “You’re good friends, but you don’t even know if she’s dating someone or not?”
“I mean, we’re not like close friends or anything,” Reese replied.
Her voice sounded more defensive than she intended.
She tried to play it off, “Plus we haven’t really talked at all since she left for tour, so I don’t know if we’re even friends anymore,” her voice faded out casually.
Rather than continuing to pry, Lida simply nodded as they walked in silence.
Reese hadn’t told Lida about the night at the tattoo shop.
She hadn’t told anybody, as a matter of fact.
Instead she had come home that night and stared at herself in the mirror, desperate to settle her heavy breathing and flushed cheeks.
Jette’s perfume seemed to linger on her skin even after she chaotically washed her hands and face.
Her guilty conscience was positive that Kiran would be able to smell the intoxicating scent; that he would somehow know she had kissed Jette.
That she had finally given in and pushed Jette against the wall the way she had imagined doing countless times before.
Reese couldn’t believe it had actually happened.
Her mind raced as she had shown Kiran the delicate ink that was now a permanent part of her.
His hands had felt foreign on her skin as he traced the tattoo in awe.
Reese could barely stand to look him in the eyes while the lump in her throat calcified.
She felt sick. And it had only eased slightly once she and Kiran had eventually agreed to take a break from the relationship.
She didn’t know what to say to Jette. For a solid week, she had racked her brain, and by then, it felt like too much time had passed for her to say anything at all.
She couldn’t bring herself to write the words ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘It won’t happen again.
’ She had already apologetically mumbled against Jette’s lips once before and the words had left a sour taste in her mouth.
And she couldn’t imagine pretending like nothing had ever happened between them.
Her recurring daydreams would never allow it.