What Connects Us: Jessica and Jeremy

Fragment Twenty

Jeremy sighed and wiped his face with his hand. "Don't play stupid with me," he said, placing a hand on his waist.

        "No, really. What is it you want me to stop? Trying to make conversation?" she said, the escalating volume of her voice covered up its slight waver. "Because remember we're going to be stuck together in this hellhole for the next six months and you're already fighting from day one!" she yelled. 

        "I don't want to have conversations!" he replied, with a louder voice than she. "You think by the end of this we're going to paint each other's nails and bake cupcakes together? This is a business move for me, so just please leave the reconciliation to yourself," he spat, the veins on his neck protruding like blue threads on his neck. 

        Jessica bit her tongue from lashing out at him and her face grew scarlet red at his assumptions. "I do not want a 'reconciliation', Jeremy, because I don't even know you anymore," she said under her heavy breath. The refrigerator hummed as she spoke, but she was still sure Jeremy had heard her. 

     "My father called," he said as he walked to the door. "The cars can't be changed, I'll take the Lamborghini." Jessica could not celebrate the fact she had the Aston Martin to herself. 

          Jessica was alone in the kitchen, along with her half-empty casserole dish and the sound of the humming fridge to comfort the eerie silence. She took the dish and threw the remnants in the trash can. 

        "Selfish ass," she mumbled to herself as she carried his plate to the sink. She washed the casserole dish, the utensils, and his plate, then cleaned the counter after them. She trudged to the lights by the door and turned them off, and decided to get her mind off things by discovering the inn by herself, although there wasn't much left to be discovered.

       She walked through the sixties’ dining area and to her right, were she walked by the bar and down the hallway where the gym, swimming pool, cinema room, and the lounge room where the pool table was. She walked into the gym and outside to the swimming pool; she smiled that some things remained the same, and the pond along with the yellow plains were not a figment of her imagination. The sun was beginning to sink into the Arkansas terrain, and the sky was colored with hues of pink and blue. The woman took off her flats and dipped her toes into the swimming pool water, it was a perfect temperature; not too hot and not too cold. 

      Cursing under her breath, she realized she did not want to go all the way up to change into her swimsuit with the risk of bumping in to him after their heated "conversation".  She took off her pants and blouse, and slowly immersed herself into the swimming pool; slightly shrieking at the new temperature teasing her skin.

          She pushed herself downward, diving to the pit of the pool and curving her body upwards as she resurfaced for air. She pushed her brown hair away from her eyes and bit her lip at  her next decision. Looking around her and at the balconies of the suites for a sign of anyone watching, she decided to make herself more comfortable by taking off the remainder of what covered her, her underwear, and tossed it by the lounge chair next to the door.  The water tickled her bare skin as she freely swam in the clear blue, mesmerized by the pink sky and breathtaking nature ahead. She laid on her back as she gazed at the pink sky, feeling the cold air of the coming night nipping her bare skin in a teasing manner. 

         However, there was a slight distraction in the corner of her eye. She gasped for air, but couldn't move. Her eyes met his as he stood leaning on the balcony railing. She could feel his gaze move down her bare body and soon regained consciousness as she hid herself inside the water. Jessica leaned over to pick her clothes, making sure her body did not show, but when she turned he wasn't there. She stood up and quickly put on her underwear and picked up the rest of her clothes. She was dripping wet as she stepped inside the inn, making a dash for her room. Her heart raced as she reached the first floor, praying he wouldn't come out of his room; at least the sound of her footsteps were enough of a sign for him not to leave the room, but if he did then that would mean something different, something Jessica had secretly been wanting.