Chapter 224

Monday morning you all had to get dressed at Sabrina’s. You probably shouldn’t have spent the entire weekend together, but it had happened. Saturday night you’d gone to the movies and done a double-feature and then crashed at Gemma’s. Sunday had been another lazy day, a late brunch, and then you went to the mall and just did some window shopping. Well, mostly window shopping - the girls ended up buying new lingerie and that’s how you ended up back at Sabrina’s for a mini fashion show.

Getting ready for work in the morning with both of them, sharing one tiny bathroom, was a bit of chaos. There wasn’t enough room, and the three of you worked on slightly different rhythms in the morning, and it was a mess.

And you loved it.

Sitting on the bus with both of them, trading smiles and flirty looks, made you fucking happy.

Trying not to be too obvious about your relationship, Sabrina ended up heading into the office a couple of minutes before you and Gemma as you went to fetch the coffee for Gemma’s day of the coffee run.

“Have I mentioned I love you?” Gemma asked as you were standing in line.

“Mmm, today?” you asked. “Maybe just once.”

“Well, I do,” she said with a smile. You were holding hands and she was smiling up at you.

“I love you too,” you said, leaning down to give her a peck on the lips.

And then something weird happened - Gemma looked away and blinked a few times, and then took a breath, and one big fat tear rolled down her cheek.

“Hey, whoa,” you said, letting go of her hand to wrap your arm around her shoulder. “What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing,” she said. “I just- I started my period this morning so I’m feeling a little off, and that kiss just made me really sad because I need to go back home soon and I won’t be able to kiss you like that every day.”

“We’ve still got almost two months,” you reminded her.

“Almost,” Gemma said. “And soon that’ll be a month and a half, and then just a month. I’m just- John, I’m really happy right now. My semesters abroad were fun enough and helped me get over my ex, but this summer ... you and Sabrina are a change in my life that I don’t want to lose. I don’t want a clock on Us.”

“There isn’t,” you assured her. “There’s a clock on this summer, but not on us. I love you, and that will never change.”

“God, get a fuckin’ room or order,” said a greasy-looking teenager from behind us.

That made Gemma snort hard at the absurdity of how melodramatic you were being, and she wiped her tears away as you rattled off the morning coffee order from your phone for the barista. You made sure to buy a doughnut with some whipped cream piled on top especially for Gemma.

“Um, Gemma, you’ve got something...” Becks said as we entered the office building.

“Hmm?” Gemma asked, giving Becks an oblivious look.