June 6, XUB 1 - Finally Breathing

[Melody Martens]

Melody sighed contentedly and slouched in her chair at a table near an open window with a bottle of beer gripped leisurely in her hand. After a wild end of the year, most of which she spent cramming ineffectually for finals in between X-Team business, she was thrilled to have some real time to actually get work done, and more importantly, relax, which is precisely what she was doing now.

[Chloe Grant]

"Hey." Chloe said, looking at Melody awkwardly.

[Melody Martens]

"Hey Chloe," Melody smiled lazily, beckoning the empty chair across from her. "Come join me in my 'I have more time to study for finals!' party."

She raised her bottle to the air in a toast and took a long slug.

"Fuck I sound kind of pathetic celebrating that, don't I?" she chuckled, "Come join me anyway."

[Chloe Grant]

"Sure." Chloe said, sitting down awkwardly "Ikissedyourboyfriendonthemouthinthehottubbutitdidn'tgoanyfurtherthanthatIswearandIdon'tknowwhyithappenedanditwon'thappenagainIpromsesopleasedon'tbeangryorblowmeup." she said in a rush, not looking at Melody.

[Melody Martens]

Melody sat up, leaned forward, and set down her beer, not entirely sure she'd understood what had just been said. Or if she had, she wanted to make sure of it. "Wait...what?" she asked.

[Chloe Grant]

"Derek and I...we were in the hottub and I kissed him." Chloe said "I don't know why and we stopped and it didn't go any further than that. Sopleasedon'tbeangryandblowmeup."

[Melody Martens]

"I..."

Melody was at a loss for words.

"Was I somehow unclear about who I was really happy to be dating, those times we talked in lab? Was I fucking mumbling?" she hissed.

And then she remembered her own slip in the future.

And then she just started crying.

"God damnit, I'm mad as hell and I have no right to be. I got drunk in the future and kissed someone I thought was Derek," she said through tears.

[Chloe Grant]

Chloe started to cry as well "But its different. You thought it was Derek, and you...I was sober, and just, it isn't the same, ou're right to be angry with me. Just don't blow me up, please."

[Melody Martens]

"Why the fuck did you then?" she said, sniffling, "One guy isn't enough?"

Melody bit her lip and looked out the window, drumming her fingers on the table anxiously.

[Chloe Grant]

"I don't know!" Chloe wailed "I don't....I don't want to date him! We were splashing, and then I got ducked underwater, and then he did and then we popped up from the water and I just kissed him. We were coughing and I don't know, maybe I thought I needed to give him the kiss of life."

[Melody Martens]

"You were splashing? Alone together in a hot tub? Well, fuck, that's awesome," she snarled, angrily finishing her beer. "Should I go invite Simon out to go splash in the fucking hot tub? Or that maybe we should have a tickle fight in bed? Where could it possibly lead?"

[Chloe Grant]

"We didn't plan it!" Chloe protested "I didn't mean to, it just happened, I'm sorry, but please, don't take Simon from me. He's all I have! Well, besides Lucy and Jess and my Mum and Molly, but thats different because their family and also he's a boy and my boyfriend."

[Melody Martens]

"Does Simon know?" she scowled, shaking her head in disbelief and looking out the window again before looking over at the bar and getting the bartender's attention.

"Hey George; tequila. Two." she called over to him.

[Chloe Grant]

"I told him." Chloe said "And thank God, he forgave me."

[Melody Martens]

Two shot glasses were placed in front of Melody. "Toss it on my tab. thanks," she said quietly and quickly before downing one, then both shots.

"Well, that's fucking fantastic. I'm happy for you," she snapped.

[Chloe Grant]

"I'm sorry." Chloe said "And please, don't blame Derek, it was all me."

[Melody Martens]

"Depends on how long ago this was," she rumbled.

She was silent for a few moments before turning back to Chloe. "I guess you at least had the decency to tell me yourself..." she said quietly, "...thank you."

[Chloe Grant]

"Just the other day" Chloe said "I just...I wanted to make sure you knew I was sorry."

[Melody Martens]

"I...guess I accept," she sighed, almost sounding aggravated at herself.

"Just stay the fuck out of situations like that again. Please. Or shit will hit the fan."

[Chloe Grant]

"I will." Chloe said "No more hottubs, ever again."

[Melody Martens]

"Thank you," she said curtly.

"I suppose I need to go find Derek and have a chat with him," she mused after a moment. Melody opened up her purse, fumbled around for a few minutes, looking for something, and swore, "Fuck. Hopefully I just left my phone in my room."

She stared across the table at Chloe icily, "Just a kiss. Nothing else. And you started it?"

[Chloe Grant]

"Yes, yes, and yes." Chloe said "It wasn't his fault at all."

[Melody Martens]

"Alright," she said quietly. "I guess that's it then. Or are there any other startling revelations for me?"

[Chloe Grant]

"No." Chloe said, shaking her head "Thats all."

[Melody Martens]

"Good. Now stay the hell away from my man," she warned, rising from the table and walking over to the bar to pay.