Swing for the Fences (Dansby Swanson/Ender Inciarte)

Chapter 20

Ender and Bristol made their way out and down the steps to the seats where Jessalyn and Dansby sat. Ender had told her that Jessalyn had come by and was visibly upset. She didn't make much of it at the time because she knew that Jess had reason to be. It never dawned on her that she could have told Dansby about the entire situation, though, "Hey guys, you about ready to head out---" She stopped in her tracks. The look on both of their faces horrified her! In twenty years, she'd never once seen either of them so torn up.

Dansby looked away from Jessalyn and up at his other best friends as he stood, "You know what, I am. I'm more than ready to get out of here."

"Dans, please-" She pleaded as she completely ignored the other two, "Please, you have to believe me, it meant nothing! In fact, if anything, it showed me I never want to kiss anyone except you for the rest of my life-"

Ender and Bristol's both covered their mouths in shock. Had she really just said that? Bristol couldn't believe she'd actually went through with actually KISSING him.

"Oh, you didn't know?" Dansby looked at the other two and mused softly, "She's been sneaking around with Andrew Benintendi. And by sneaking around I mean allowing him to kiss her-"

Bristol shook her head and let her gaze travel to Jessalyn. Her heart was breaking because she could see nothing but pain on both of their faces. She always tried to remain biased in these situations, which she felt confident she was about to be with this one as well, "She said sometimes a kiss is just a kiss-" Her voice was a whisper as she grabbed Dansby's hand, "She loves you, Dansby, more than anyone else ever will-"

"I should have known you'd take her side," He jerked his hand back and looked over to Ender, "You've been quiet, surely you have an opinion."

Ender's hands went in the air and he shook his head, "The only thoughts I'm having is the twenty-five different ways I can kick Benintendi's a-"

"ENDER," Bristol put her hand on his chest and gently pushed him, "Stop! You're not helping!"

Dansby shook his head, "It doesn't matter," He shrugged, "She let him kiss her-"

"Seriously," Jess stood, "I made a mistake! Everyone makes them. Don't stand there and pretend to be perfect. It was just a kiss and if I wanted, I could still be there. But where am I? HERE, with YOU, because I LOVE YOU. Kisses are nothing with someone you don't love. What do you not get?"

"If you hadn't of wanted the kiss, you wouldn't have gotten the kiss! I'm done talking about it-" Dansby turned and was about to walk off, but was stopped.