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Janine and Jacob dance into the break room, way too excited about PECSA weekend. You roll your eyes from your seat at the table. PECSA weekend is going to be fun for you but not because of all the talks and speeches—you get to hang out with Melissa. Neither of you has told anyone that you’re seeing each other so it’s a good excuse to have quality time without anyone getting suspicious.
Janine notices you aren’t joining in on their excitement. “Hey, why don’t you come around with us,” she gestures between herself and Jacob, “and we’ll find you a hot teacher date!” The small woman has been itching to set you up with one of Mo’s friends, happy to not be one of the only “single” teachers anymore.
You struggle to come up with an excuse quickly enough and decide a half-truth is best. “I’m actually seeing someone and I was planning on hanging with Mel and Barb,” you confess with a polite smile. Hopefully this buys you enough time to not have to either go on a blind date or out your relationship with Melissa before you’re both ready.
Jacob gasps in shock. “What, we didn’t know this! Tell us about them. How long have you been together?” He pulls up a chair much too close to yours to listen intently to what he’s sure will be a romantic story.
You spare a quick glance towards Melissa where she sits across the table, but she very pointedly avoids eye contact. “We’ve been seeing each other for a few months,” you shrug. Just vague enough that it isn’t an outright lie and just enough detail that the inquisitive twins won’t ask for more.
Jacob sighs dreamily. “Oh I love love! It must be getting serious, then?” Janine nods excitedly from behind him, waiting not so patiently for your response.
Thinking it would be cute to tell Melissa how much she means to you without actually doing so, you open your mouth to tell them how much you like her but she speaks before you can. “It’s probably not serious. Just some fun. You should go with them.” Melissa nods towards the other young teachers and you feel your stomach drop. If your relationship with Melissa isn’t serious, that’s news to you.
The break room goes quiet while the rest of the teachers watch your interaction curiously. Melissa catches your eye for only a brief second, face expressionless, before she turns back to her sudoku puzzle. “Right yeah. Maybe,” you smile thinly at them and deflate in your seat.
The drive up to Allendale is tense, to say the least. Neither of you speaks and you shy away from the hand that reaches out to hold yours over the center console. When you refuse the touch, Melissa pulls back her hand and uses both to steer for the rest of the way.
The redhead parks the car and you both stay still, neither moving to get out of the vehicle. “Are we going to talk about it?” You ask after a few moments, not looking away from the window where you see Janine and Jacob practically skipping on their way inside the hotel.
Melissa sighs loudly. “I just don’t think I’d consider us serious.” You have to close your eyes to steady yourself. The amount of times you’ve spent the night apart in the past few months can be counted on a single hand. There are toothbrushes at each place and she even asked you to drive her to her root canal.
You bite your lip to avoid laughing and open the passenger side door. “Maybe you need to take the weekend to figure out what you want, then. If it isn’t serious then I don’t want it.”
You finally gain the courage to look at her and she seems just as emotionless as she did in the break room. She shrugs. “Fine, I’ll room with Barb.” When she slams her own door shut, it’s with so much force that the car shakes.
“Fine. I’ll see you Sunday,” you turn towards the entrance with your bag and don’t look back. It’s your first fight and it doesn’t feel great. Sure, you’ve had minor disagreements like when to tell your friends that you’re romantically involved, but the conversations never even got heated. It was always you wanting to go public and Melissa asking for more time, saying she just wants to bask in your presence for longer and she’s almost ready.
With a deep breath and a plastered-on smile, you walk up to the front desk. “Name?” The clerk asks, not looking up from his computer.
“Under Schemmenti?” The skin at the back of your neck prickles and you know she’s nearby, probably right behind you in line. You have to force yourself not to turn back and ask her if she’s changed her mind. No, if she wants you and likes what you have together then it’s something she needs to decide on her own.
The clerk hands you the room key. “Here you go, enjoy your stay.” Yeah right. You sigh and turn to find the elevators.
Just as you plug in your phone charger and plop in the middle of one of the beds in the room, the door to the room opens. A slow smile spreads across your face—you never should have doubted Melissa’s feelings for you, of course she came back to you.
Except Melissa isn’t tall and blonde. “Oh, I thought this was my room.” And that definitely isn’t her voice. Confused, you grab your key from the bedside table to compare to the stranger’s.
Both keycards read 1340. “Yeah, that's the same number.” Miffed, both of you check into the hallway to make sure you’re in the right room.
The woman sets her bags down and reaches for the phone. “I’ll go call the front desk,” she offers. You listen quietly from the other bed as she speaks to the person on the other end about the situation until she hangs up with a huff. “Apparently they thought we double booked since our rooms were under the same name. And now they’re all booked up, no extra rooms.”
You're struck silent by the sudden realization that this woman is Melissa’s sister, the one she refuses to talk about. You’re not too surprised by the mistake on the hotel’s part—the front desk staff didn’t seem particularly knowledgeable and it’s just your luck that this would happen to you. “It’s fine, we can share,” you offer. There are two beds anyway and you don’t want to end up on the floor in Barb’s room while she’s sharing with Melissa. “My girlfriend won’t be here anyway,” you mutter under your breath.
The blonde woman perks up from the suitcase she’s unpacking. “Girlfriend, huh? What did she do to get into the doghouse?”
The relationship issues you’re having are personal, but it would be helpful to talk about it and there isn’t anyone else around. “She told me she didn’t want to hang out here together. She’s not ready to let everyone know we’re seeing each other, I guess. So I’m alone for the weekend.” You shrug like it isn’t a big deal, but you know you’ll get lonely if you keep to yourself or have to tag along with Janine and Jacob with their gushing about their own actual relationships.
She scoffs and stands. “A girl like you? She’s insane. I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you join me and my friends? We’ll take care of you.” Her smile is bright as she waits for your reply.
It’s sweet, but you can’t put her out like that. “That’s okay, I’ve got some friends that want to hang out I think.”
“Offer always stands. I’m Kristin by the way,” she sticks her hand out to shake yours. “Let me walk you down at least?”
Kristin leads you through the elevators and around the corner towards where the conference is being held. She makes polite small talk with you, asking where you teach and where you went to school. The woman is sweet and she almost takes your mind off of Melissa when you catch a glimpse of red hair by the pool. Through the glass windows, you can see Melissa and Barbara happy and laughing while sipping math-a-ritas.
Clearly, she isn’t missing you. “You know what? I do think I’ll join you.” If Melissa is going to have fun without you this weekend, you’re not going to spend it wallowing in your own feelings.
Kristin smiles, leading you by the waist to her friend group. “Fantastic, let me introduce you.”
Kristin and her friends try hard to make sure you feel welcome, specifically asking for your input on any of the talks they listen to and filling you in on the drama happening at their school. It feels nice to be wanted and for them to open their arms to you without a second thought.
You offer to get the next round of drinks in thanks for the kindness they’ve shown you and Kristin volunteers to help you carry them from the bar. On your way back to the table, you notice Melissa and Barbara have sat down in what used to be your seats.
Kristin pays them no mind at first, passing out the drinks and leading you with a hand at the small of your back to seats at the other side of the table. Melissa’s eyes burn into you, though you try not to look back. “What are you doing here?” She asks you and you can’t really ignore her or the hard edge to her voice.
You smile and turn to the blonde. “Oh Kristin and I are roomies for this weekend. She offered to show me around, being a seasoned teacher and all. She’s been really sweet to me.”
Kristin grins back at you. “Who would leave such a pretty little thing on her own?” She lifts a hand to brush some of your hair behind your ear. “No matter. Kristin will take care of it.” She smirks and turns her attention back to the rest of the table’s occupants. You hadn’t gotten a flirty vibe from Kristin until now, but what’s the harm if your relationship with Melissa isn’t serious?
Melissa’s jaw sets and she downs half her drink. Barbara looks confused. “I thought you were seeing someone?” The kindergarten teacher asks.
You take a gulp of your own drink and grimace. “Well they’re kinda flaky so I figure why wait for them to figure out if they want me or not when I can spend time with someone that knows they’d like me around.” The way Kristin lays a comforting hand on your own where it rests on the table makes you feel wanted and cared for. It’s what your relationship with Melissa has always been missing and Kristin is willing to show she cares in front of anyone just after meeting you.
Melissa stands, staring you down. “Let’s go Barb, these seats are taken.” Her hands shake slightly when she reaches for her glass. It makes you feel slightly bad about letting Kristin be there for you, but if Melissa wanted this with you she had her chance and turned it down.
Barbara holds onto the redhead’s elbow, stopping the shakes. “Melissa, are you sure you’re alright?” She asks warily. You want to get up and make sure she’s okay, but you have to remind yourself that it isn’t something Melissa wants from you.
Melissa downs the rest of her drink in one go. “Yeah. Let’s go. I need another drink.” She gives you one last look before leading Barbara away.
Kristin and the girls try their best to help you enjoy the rest of the evening, but you can’t stop thinking about Melissa’s reaction earlier. She seemed genuinely upset and you’re confused by it. Why is she so upset if she doesn’t want to be serious?
You’re pulled out of your thoughts when you hear Barbara’s familiar voice from behind you. “I know you’re hurting, you’re not good at hiding it. It’s time for you to patch things up.” She drags Melissa to your table and to the chair beside you. “Mind if we rejoin you?” She smiles pleasantly and asks the group.
Melissa tries to tug her away again. “There’s not enough seats,” she reasons, turning toward the exit.
Kristin speaks up, sliding her chair away from the table. “This darling girl wouldn’t mind sitting on my lap, would you?” She looks at you and opens her arms to give you room should you accept. You can’t really refuse, so you shift to sit in the blonde’s lap. Kristin smiles and turns back to her sister. “We’d love for you to join us. As long as Melissa admits she makes a terrible bragioli. Right sweetheart?” She pats your thigh.
Melissa whips her head to look at her sister. “Hey, she loves my bragioli.” It takes all of a second for her confidence to fall. “Right?” She catches your eye, suddenly unsure. The question feels like it holds more weight than the words alone and you don’t know how to answer it. If she’s really talking about the bragioli, you genuinely enjoy her cooking. If she’s talking about herself, you’re not sure it’s best that you answer that. You’ll only hurt yourself in the end.
Kristin takes your silence for being uncomfortable. “If she’s bothering you, why don’t I take you back up to our room where we can be alone?”
You nod absently, not catching the subtext. “Maybe that’s for the best,” you agree, standing up so Kristin can get out of her chair.
The blonde smiles and cups your cheek. “You know, once we get back to Philly you should come to my place. I’ll show you what a real bragioli tastes like.” The younger Schemmenti sister smirks and leans in for a kiss.
This time though, you pick up on what she’s trying to convey and pull out of her grasp. “Wait, are you using me to get back at your sister?” Kristin’s mouth opens and shuts, searching for an answer. You scoff, tears forming in your eyes. You feel like a toy that two toddlers have been fighting over just because the other has it. So much for feeling wanted. “I can’t believe you two,” you whisper hoarsely, your voice betraying your emotions.
Barbara stands at your side in an instant. “Why don’t I switch rooms with Kristin? I think these two deserve each other.” She frowns and shakes her head at the sisters, pulling you into a hug.
You nod into her chest, not willing to look at either Schemmenti. “Thank you Barb. Can we go now?”
Barbara graciously allows you to cry into her shoulder about everything that’s been going on. You tell her about how you and Melissa have been seeing each other on the side, how you were really sure you had something special until that moment in the cafeteria. She listens and holds you close as you talk about the heartbroken feeling you’ve been carrying around after Melissa told you what you have isn’t serious.
The older woman sighs and kisses your hair. “I love her, but Melissa doesn’t know how to handle her feelings very well. She’s never had a good relationship role model, but that’s no excuse for her not to learn.”
The door opens, and Melissa comes in. She smiles slightly at her friend before nodding towards you. Barbara gets up from her spot by your side. “I’m going to go get some ice.” She stares at Melissa in clear warning before turning down the hallway.
You let yourself fall back onto the bed and stare at the ceiling. “What are you doing here?”
Melissa shuffles farther into the room and the other bed creaks as she sits down on it. “Kristin and I switched keys.” Not the question you were asking and she knows it. You turn your head to the side to look at her. At your raised eyebrow she sighs and continues. “I need to talk to you.”
Willing yourself not to cry, you avert your gaze back to the ceiling. “Save the speech, I get it. I’ll grab everything you left at my place and bring it for you on Monday.” If it sounds like you’re defeated, it’s because you are. You have no interest in arguing with Melissa after the day you’ve had.
“Why would you—are you breaking up with me?” She stands and bends over your bed to stare directly down at you, covering the very interesting water stain you were looking at.
You chuckle humorlessly. “What’s there to break up if we aren’t serious? Clearly you don’t want anything more with me than sleeping around. I actually want a relationship so it’s just not going to work between us.” You try to smile sarcastically but you can feel it wobbling with your emotions.
Melissa sits down beside your head and grabs one of your hands. “No, don’t do that. Don’t say that. I was being stupid,” she pleads.
You close your eyes and take a deep breath before making eye contact with her again. “Look, it’s fine. You’re entitled to keep things private if you want to, but I won’t stay your dirty little secret. I want to be shown off, Mel, but I’m not gonna force you to do it.” Her hand feels like it’s suffocating your own so you take it out of her grasp and fold your arms across your chest.
A flash of hurt crosses her face but she presses on. “It’s not that I don’t want to.”
In an instant you’re sitting up. She can’t keep going back and forth like this and playing with your emotions. “Then what is it?” You ask, your anger creeping into your voice. Melissa remains silent. “That's what I thought. You’re embarrassed of me.” It’s the only logical conclusion. She’s been jealous and she’s here so she clearly has some sort of feelings for you, but not enough of them to want to be with you.
When she sees the pained look on your face, she rushes to set the record straight. “No no no no no. That’s not it at all. I just—I’m scared that I’ll tell everyone how much I adore you and then it’ll bite me in the ass when you decide you don’t want to put up with me anymore.” She shrugs and turns her head to clear her throat. “You’re the first person I’ve had feelings for since the divorce and I don’t want to be humiliated again.”
The anger in your chest dissipates and leaves the empty feeling of sadness. “If you think I would be anything like Joe then we’re not doing what I thought we were doing here. You could have talked to me about this and I would have told you that I’m not ever going to hurt you like that.”
Melissa sighs, burying her head in her hands. “I know. I know. I’m sorry I didn’t realize how stupid it was before and I’m sorry I hurt you.” She stretches her arm out on the bed with her palm up, leaving it there for the off chance you want the physical contact too.
It takes a minute for you to soak in her words and thread your fingers between hers. You give it a light squeeze before making your own apology. “I’m sorry about Kristin. I didn’t know she was going to do all that. I really thought she was just being nice.”
She squeezes your hand back. “I know that too. She told me everything.” Melissa tugs on your hand. “Come here,” she requests softly.
You take the chance to snuggle up into her chest, feeling truly warm in her arms for the first time since arriving at the hotel. “I don’t want to be with anyone but you,” you mumble into her neck.
She holds you tighter and rests her head against yours. “Me neither, baby. What if you promise to reassure me when I need it and I promise to show you off like you deserve?”
You lift your head to look at her. “Really?”
Melissa nods. “Really.” She takes your chin in her hand and lifts your face towards hers for a kiss.
Monday morning, Ava is actually on time, bursting with excitement. “I heard something very interesting about this weekend,” she pours sugar into her coffee with a smirk.
Jacob perks up at the mention of gossip. “Oh really?”
Ava nods enthusiastically, emptying the sugar into her coffee. “That’s right, I have the tea and the cup.” Everyone in the break room eyes the others carefully, wondering what could have happened that’s interesting enough for Ava to want to tell them. “It involves someone in this room. Apparently they had a hookup with another teacher.”
“Hahahaha,” Janine laughs nervously, eyes wide. Did you miss something between your own drama this weekend?
“Mhm,” Ava wiggles her eyebrows. “Melissa, did you know your sister got with our girl here?” She nods her head towards you.
The redhead pays no mind, continuing to eat her donut. “No she didn’t,” she says simply.
Ava isn’t dettered, though. “Maybe they’re keeping secrets from you because I saw them looking very cozy—,”
Melissa stands and plants one on you, her tongue tracing the line of your lips and her hand tangling in your hair, effectively rendering Ava speechless. “No she didn’t. She’s mine,” she smirks as she pulls away, watching as you blink in shock.
Ava frowns. “Did y’all really have to show me up like that?”