Lessons on Love

Burning Match, Raging Inferno

I stood stock still as I processed the word like it was something foreign to my ears. Why would Jade think I had a boyfriend? The last time I had one was... well... I didn't even want to think about that last time. It was a memory I'd rather keep buried.

Come to think of it, Jade had thought I was pregnant a few weeks ago. Plus, I didn't exactly scream lesbian and we weren't at an exclusive bar; so I guess I couldn't blame her.

"Two sex in the showers for the beautiful ladies and a bottle of champagne courtesy of the gentleman right over there." The server says then motions to the sky box that Jade had pointed to earlier.

"Hmm?" I hear Jade hum curiously before walking to the glass wall and turning towards the direction the server had pointed out.

From what I could see, the man wasn't overly tall but he was muscular, his chest and shoulders bulged against his pink button-up shirt. His eyes were cast in our direction but he had a calm look in his eyes. I turn to ask Jade if she knew him but her eyes were wide and panicked, like she had come face to face with the devil himself.

"Jade?" I ask, quickly making my way to her side, "are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost." Her eyes remain locked on the man but she doesn't answer, and I could see her jaw clenching tightly.

"Jade?" This time I call her name a little louder and that seems to do the trick. She tears her eyes away from the man to look at me, fear was clear as day behind her eyes. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

An intense protectiveness immediately digs itself into my mind and I immediately assume that it was something that could harm her.

"Can—can he see us? from there, can he see us?" Jade asks as casually as she could but I could tell it took a lot of effort by the way her throat and jaw seemed to constrict.

The server shakes his head the points to the laser lights just outside the glass wall, "The lights outside and the darkness in here obscures the view from anyone outside."

Jade sighs like the weight of the world was just removed from her shoulders and I could immediately tell that whatever haze the alcohol had left in her system was quickly burned by her sudden reaction; the same way it had done in mine. 

"Okay, send him our regards and please tell him there is more than just the two of us in this box." She says before walking over and handing him money that was three times what the drinks cost.

The server's eyes widen then he nods, "Will do. Enjoy your night, ladies." He says before dismissing himself.

I watch silent as Jade plops down on the seat then takes a rather long sip from her drink, "is... everything alright?" I ask cautiously as I place myself beside her.

From behind her drink, she sends me an apologetic expression before answering. "Yeah. I was just— nevermind." 

Sensing that she didn't want to talk about it, I nod and smile genuinely at her, "Okay." I smile before raising my glass to her, "How about we take a drink? To wrong assumptions and creepy men sending us drinks?"

Jade successfully suppressed her giggling for a few seconds, but ended up bursting into a warm chuckle. The sound was contagious, like the warmth traveled from her own lips, through the air and into my own heart; making me echo the sound she had made.