𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐒 / *

.

it was like a train derailing or a car crash happening right in front of her - river couldn’t look away. even if she wanted to, something about the hideous shirt kept drawing her eyes back to it. “i’m trying to not give you this look but it’s very hard. harder than saying no to blow in the middle of a rave.” and for river that was hard. “i think i could actually.” she’d been hard on her luck many times, digging through people’s lost and founds to find anything she could when her foster family forgot she existed. “how do you keep pinecrest wild?” she asked, her tone more teasing now that the initial shock of seeing it was wearing off.

+

 HARDER  THAN  SAYING  no  to  blow  at  a  rave.  Whatthefuck?  JB  cut  a  glance  back  in  her  direction,  brows  raised.  There  had  to  have  been  a  million  other  ways  to  phrase  that  and  yet....    ❝Do  I  need  to  get  you  a  help  pamphlet  for  that,  snow  princess?❞  He’s  completely  forgot  about  his  shirt  at  this  point  and  it’s  only  when  she  brings  it  back  up  does  he  make  the  move  to  look  back  down  at  it  again,  very  much  noticing  how  ridiculous  he  looked  all  over  again  before  parting  his  lips  to  speak.  The  answer  to  her  question?  He  doesn’t  know  exactly  but  he’s  quick  in  response,  letting  the  first  thing  that  popped  into  his  mind  make  their  way  into  words  formed  by  his  mouth.    ❝Beats  me,  but  my  bet’s  on  people  having  a  wild  bacchanal  out  in  the  woods.  Real  Dionysus  style.❞

.

“hmmm you’re probably right. when people like us die, people know about it.” when she kicked the bucket, elle expected tears to flow for months and her name to be on the cover of every publication ( physical or online ) for the rest of the year. at minimum. stepping aside, the blonde watched in amusement as jb walked in, closing the door behind him. “sure, you are.” elle said with a playful roll of her eyes as she walked past him back to her desk where her portfolio sat waiting. she could only imagine if jb even tried to clean anything, the actual housekeepers would have to redo it all in his wake. “i’m sure i could find something for you to service…you might have to get on your knees though.”

+

❝WHAT?  YOU  DON’T  think  I  could  be  a  dedicated  face  in  the  community,  Elle?❞  She’s  teasing  and  he  knows  it,  so  her  words  bring  a  something  of  a  smile  to  his  features  while  he  continues  being  nosy  by  letting  his  eyes  skim  over  things.  He  can  see  the  portfolio  out  on  her  desk  and  he’s  about  ready  to  make  a  grab  for  it  so  he  can  see  what  Elle  actually  does  for  course  work  (  since  in  his  head  it’s  all  a  big  mystery.  He  even  considered  that  Elle  had  her  work  done  by  other  people,  hiring  students  with  promises  of  money  so  she  could  go  and  drink  and  do  whatever  it  was  that  Eleanor  Woodhouse  did  in  her  personal  time  ),  only  she’s  quicker  to  the  desk  than  he  thought  and  the  conversation  finds  its  way  back  to  cleaning....sort  of.  ❝You  want  me  to  scrub  your  floors?  Kinky.❞  JB  rose  his  brows  jokingly.  ❝But  I  doubt  you’ll  need  my  assistance  for  that.❞    

v.

“ maybe a little, but can you blame me? it’s not every day i get to watching you make a fool of yourself. “ the quip falling easily before her hand lifted, a little wag of her fingers in a playful wave. valeria slipped her phone into the waistband of her leggings while he made the short distance to the stairwell and when she was left standing with only a few feet separating them, the familiar fluttering inside her chest was impossible to ignore. a month or two may not have seemed like much in the grand scheme of things, but it had felt like a lifetime since she’d seen that face in person. missed was an understatement. “ since you asked so nicely… “ a different place, a different time and the brunette would have stayed where she was and let him romance her so to speak, but her resolve was negligible at best and it took no more than a few moments in time for her to make it down to the bottom of the stairs. as soon as jb was in reach her arms were wrapped around his neck, legs lifting to hook onto his waist as she buried her face into the space just above his collarbone. “ hi. “ the small greeting accompanied by a light kiss pressed to his skin.

+

 IT’S  BEEN  NOTHING  short  of  grand  gestures  since  he’s  arrived  and  he’s  been  thriving  in  it  like  the  attention  grabber  he  was,  only  things  with  Val  were  different.  Felt  different.  Sincere.  Genuine.  No  need  for  charming  smiles  or  whispered  sweet  nothings  to  make  any  of  this  real  between  them  because  it  was...  he  just  couldn’t  put  a  finger  on  the  why  and  had  a  bad  tendency  to  let  things  filter  out  on  their  own,  never  stepping  too  far  into  the  seriousness  of  what  could  be  and  skating  just  above  the  level  that  made  them  closer  than  just  friends.  And  he’s  been  playing  his  part  well,  even  with  the  distance,  if  Val’s  body  pressing  up  against  him  was  any  indication.    ❝Ahhh,  I  knew  you  were  going  to  do  that.❞  But  he’s  glad  about  it,  tucking  strong  arms  under  her  legs  while  they  hooked  around  his  waist.    ❝Hey,  V,❞  He  can  feel  the  light  press  of  her  lips  against  his  skin  and  in  return,  he  gives  her  one  back.  A  quick  press  of  his  lips  to  her  temple  before  her  breathy,  ❝I  missed  you,❞  could  fall.  

v.

from her vantage point on the second floor she could make the blonde out easily, even with their other classmates milling about. seriously it would have been impossible to miss, with his arms up in the air like someone who had lost their marbles, and despite the urge she had to go to jb - she let it play out for just a moment longer. “ is it really the worst, or is it the best? “ valeria remarked playfully into the phone, the giggle following suit less hushed than previous ones. “ either your searching skills are abysmal jonathan, or you really didn’t miss me all that much. “ a dramatic sigh falling from her lips as she leaned a little further over the banister, fingertips drumming against the wood. “ i’ll give you one last hint - stop looking down. “ 

+

 ❝DO  YOU  REALLY  want  me  to  answer  that?❞  She’s  teasing,  and  he  doesn’t  need  to  see  her  face  to  know  that  there’s  some  sort  of  smile  pulling  at  her  lips  to  prove  it.  ❝You’re  obviously  enjoying  this.❞  And  while  he  sounds  disappointed,  he  really  isn’t.  Not  really,  at  least.  He  can  find  the  humor  here,  he’s  just  impatient.  He’s  missed  her,  in  more  ways  than  one,  and  just  knowing  that  she’s  somewhere  here  in  the  middle  of  all  this  was  making  him  antsy...  until  she  mentions  looking  up.  And  he  does,  eventually,  with  hazel  hues  roaming  over  the  heads  of  those  around  him  until  he  spots  her.  ❝Ha  ha,  funny.❞  And  takes  him  seconds  to  click  off  from  the  call  and  move  a  few  short  strides  to  the  stairwell,  gaze  forward  while  she’s  still  poised  over  the  banister.  They  may  have  kept  in  contact  all  this  time,  but  nothing  compared  to  how  it  felt  to  see  her  in  a  crystal  clear  view  with  only  a  short  distance  between  them  instead  of  a  couple  of  countries.  ❝You  gonna  come  down  and  hug  me,  or  do  I  need  to  call  you  down  Romeo  and  Juliet  style?❞  For  her,  he  could  bite  either  way.    ❝C’monnnn,  I’m  getting  real  lonely  down  here.❞

.

hearing the knock, elle furrowed her brow gently, not wanting to do too much in case of future wrinkles ( though why she was worried when botox was a thing was lost on her ). standing from her desk, tightening the tie around her waist, the blonde opened the door only to be greeted by a familiar face that had fallen off the radar. “well, if it isn’t jonathan, i thought you were dead.” not really, but the joke falls from grinning lips as she reaches out to wrap her arms around him. “didn’t know you were a housekeeper these days. how the mighty have fallen.”

+

 I  THOUGHT  YOU  WERE  DEAD.  It  takes  everything  in  him  not  to  roll  his  eyes  at  that  (  and  at  the  usage  of  his  full  name  )  before  he  can  feel  the  weight  of  her  arms  around  him,  and  in  return,  he  gives  her  a  little  squeeze  with  his  arm  snaked  around  her  middle.   ❝If  I  were  dead,  best  believe  you’d  know.❞  He’s  always  pictured  his  death  like  an  event;  if  he  was  going  to  out,  it’ll  be  with  a  bang.  He’s  talking  major  news  headlines,  TV  segments  with  grieving  high  school  sweethearts.  In  other  words,  she’d  know.  ❝Sorry  to  disappoint.❞  JB  flashed  her  a  wink  before  stepping  away  and  going  further  inside,  letting  his  eye  roam  about  the  room,  still  in  debate  with  himself  if  he  actually  liked  this  place  or  not.  To  the  comment  about  his  housekeeping,  he  only  shrugged,  still  playing  along.  ❝Oh,  you  know  me.  Just  trying  to  do  my  part  as  a  dedicated  part  of  the  community.❞  He  took  a  glance  back  in  her  direction,  brows  raised  and  still  joking.  ❝You  tryna  hire  me  for  some  service?❞

             eyes  are  downcast,  focused  on  the  ring  of  index  cards  she’d  created  to  help  her  study,  so  she  hears  him  before  she  sees  him.  disbelief  quickly  paints  her  visage  as  she  stops  in  her  tracks,  but  she  doesn’t  want  to  look  up.  what  if  it’s  not  him?  willing  the  hopes  away,  she  promises  herself  to  facetime  him  when  she  gets  to  where  she’s  going.  she  busies  herself,  putting  away  her  study  cards  as  she  responds,  ❝  nah.  you  should  see  what’s  wrong  with  it  first.  ❞  spending  unnecessary  money  didn’t  make  any  sense  to  her.  ❝  depending  what  it  is,  might  be  a  simple  fix,  ❞  even  if  it  was  an  apple.  ❝  maybe  i  can  take  ..  ❞  words  taper  off  her  tongue  before  she’s  running  to  close  the  distance,  jumping  onto  the  male  without  warning.  he’s  squeezed  tight,  excited  kisses  peppered  to  his  cheeks  and  forehead  —  can  he  breathe?  is  she  smudging  his  sunnies?  she’s  too  happy  to  care,  ❝  oh  my  god,  meilleur  ami!  when  did  you  get  back?  why  didn’t  you  tell  me  you  were  even  coming  back!?  i  missed  you!  how’s  the  family?  did  you  have  a  good  trip?  did  you  eat  yet?  did  i  say  that  i  missed  you  yet?  because  i  did!  i  missed  you!  i  missed  you  a  lot!  ❞

+

 HIS  BROWS  ARE  FURROWED,  knitting  together  quickly  at  the  suggestion  of  going  to  see  what  was  actually  wrong  with  his  phone  instead  of  just  simply  tossing  it  before  it  all  clicks.  He  knows  that  voice,  the  familiarity  of  it  hitting  him  all  at  once  before  he  can  even  get  a  chance  to  really  process  what’s  happening.  He’s  heard  it  through  a  tiny  screen,  in  little  voicemails  from  phone  calls  missed  and  Snapchat  videos,  but  it  all  sounded  faded  and  fake  and  crackling  away,  nothing  like  the  crystal  clarity  of  it  now.  Reese.  And  she  must  have  caught  the  realization,  too,  since  she’s  heading  right  his  way  with  enough  speed  to  nearly  topple  him.    ❝Ahhh,  HEY,  ok,  okay!❞  He’s  losing  his  balance  and  trying  to  steady  himself  as  he’s  being  closed  to  smothered  with  all  this  affection,  an  arm  snaked  around  her  middle  to  squeeze  her  tightly  back.  She’s  got  a  million  questions  and  he’s  happy  to  answer  them....you  know,  once  he  can  breathe.    ❝Re,  you’re  choking  me.❞  And  not  in  the  fun  way.  He  moved  his  arm  and  steadied  himself  upright  once  she’s  lowered  back  to  ground  level,  quick  to  adjust  himself  now  that  he’s  got  his  personal  space  back.    ❝How  about  you  hound  me  with  questions  after  we  eat,  coz,  you  know,  I'm  starving.❞  What  else  was  new?

“  i  think  i  could  make  anything  work  ,  i’m  just  that  beautiful  ,  “  she  teased  the  man  who  had  previously  been  her  roommate  .  it  seemed  like  a  lifetime  ago  but  not  much  time  had  passed  at  all  .  wherever  he’d  been  ,  she  was  sure  it  was  probably  more  relaxing  than  things  usually  were  around  here.  “  but  it’s  okay  because  i  think  you’re  sexy  enough  to  pull  anything  off  ,  jb  .  a  real  stud  ,  “  a  flirtatious  glaze  to  her  tone  but  she  didn’t  mean  any  harm  ,  it  was  just  how  she  was  .  

+

 SHE’S  NOT  WRONG.  Ce’s  beautiful,  he  can’t  deny,  but  there’s  fun  in  teasing  and  instead  of  quipping  back,  all  JB  does  is  stretch  his  sanguine  smile  into  something  more  torny.    ❝Ah,  you’re  alright.❞  Dry  words  with  little  bite,  but  he  doubts  anything  he  could  ever  say,  teasing  or  not,  would  ever  dent  the  ego  of  Cecilya  Arslan.  There’s  no  use  attempting  it  either  and  JB  smoothed  a  hand  down  the  front  off  his  horrid  new  sweater  while  he  spoke,  letting  his  gaze  do  all  the  real  speaking  for  him  before  finding  her  eyes  after  a  moment.    ❝Appreciate  the  compliment,  though.  I  missed  you,  too,  Ce.❞  

❝ —I’m  standing  with  my  hands  up  in  the  air,  what  do  you  mean  you  can’t  see  me? ❞  There,  in  the  middle  of  the  hotel’s  lobby,  stood  JB.  And  yes,  he  really  did  have  his  hand  up,  waving  them  above  his  hand  in  the  center  of  the  hotel  that  was,  of  course,  packed  with  all  sorts  of  other  people  bustling  about.   ❝ You're  like,  four  feet  off  the  ground,  so  I  get  that  your  vision  might  be  a  little  screwed,  but  c'mon, ❞  He's  teasing,  if  the  smile  that  split  across  his  face  was  any  indication,  hands  now  lowered  because  too  many  faces  were  now  turned  his  way  and  he's  moving,  gaze  traveling  all  over  in  the  hope  that  maybe  he'd  catch  a  glimpse  of  Val  somewhere  hidden  in  the  thick  of  things.   ❝ This  is  honestly  the  worst  game  of  Marco  Polo.  You're  killing  me,  V. ❞

 THERE  WERE  DEFINITELY  better  methods  of  greeting  your  friends  than  this.  Only  JB’s  full  energy  and  Emerson’s  right  there,  back  turned  and  completely  unsuspecting.  It’s  easy,  the  idea  that’s  forming  in  his  head,  and  it  takes  little  time  for  him  to  split  from  prior  conversations  to  make  his  way  over,  hands  ready  to  cover  over  the  brunette’s  eyes  before  she  can  spot  him  and  it’s  only  when  he  knows  that  she  can’t  does  he  speaks  in  some  fake  tone  to  disguise  himself,  though  he’s  sure  that  it  does  nothing  to  do  so.   ❝ Three  guesses  who  and  I’ll  try  not  to  be  super  offended  if  you  get  it  wrong  the  first  time. ❞  Huge  emphasis  on  the  try.

 HE’S  BEEN  DOING  ROUNDS  ABOUT  the  hotel  ever  since  he  landed.  It  feels  like  work,  but  he  isn’t  one  to  complain  when  the  benefits  of  his  labor  would  be  the  sights  of  faces  of  those  he’s  missed.  Next  on  his  list?  A  certain  blonde  with  a  funny  little  accent  who,  thankfully,  was  roommates  with  Val,  which  in  turn  made  them  both  the  easiest  to  find  when  he’s  navigating  the  hotel  from  a  virtual  map  (  correction,  read:  a  series  of  texts  from  V  with  floor  levels  and  room  numbers  so  he  wouldn't  get  lost  )  off  his  phone.  By  the  time  he  reaches  the  door,  JB’s  already  rapping  his  knuckles  against  the  hardwood  to  a  shave  and  haircut  beat  before  letting  a  high-pitched,  sing-song  sort  voice  of  an  old  woman  in  her  50’s  leave  from  him,   ❝ Knock  knock,  house-keeping  ! ❞

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