Submission

Chapter 28

Lorelei groaned when her alarm went off. She reached to turn it off before rolling onto her side. Jesse groaned as he dug the heel of his hand into his eyes in an attempt to wake up. He rolled onto his side and pulled Lorelei into his bare chest.

"Do you have to go?" he asked.

"Unfortunately," she said.

He kissed the top of her head before unraveling his arms from around her body. She dragged her feet to the bathroom. She forgot about the marks that Jesse gave her until she looked in the mirror. She rolled her eyes before pressing her fingers into the hickies.

Lorelei came back into her bedroom to see Jesse pulling on his jeans. He smiled as his eyes scanned Lorelei's naked body.

"I still can't believe you gave me hickies," she said. "Are we sixteen?"

"I can mark your ass but not your neck?" he asked.

"It's a lot easier to hide my ass," she said. "I'm going to have to wear scarves all weekend."

Jesse chuckled. Lorelei grabbed a scarf out of her closet before shoving it into her suitcase. She pulled a turtleneck sweater out of her drawer and a short denim skirt. When she brushed her hair, she kept craning her neck to make sure that the marks weren't visible.

Jesse carried her suitcase as they left the apartment. He walked with her to the subway station. He wrapped his arms tight around her waist and kissed her. His lips were hungry because he knew that he was not going to see her for a few days. Lorelei slid her hands up his chest and around his neck, not caring who saw them. When she pulled away, Jesse gave her two more quick kisses.

"Have fun this weekend," he said.

"You too," she said.

"I'm just working and going out with Mateo."

Lorelei nodded before giving Jesse one last kiss. They said their goodbyes, Lorelei took her bag, and went down the steps of the station. She looked over her shoulder to see Jesse watching her and she smiled.

She pulled her headphones out when she got to the platform and played some music. She bopped her head along to her favourite ABBA song when the train came. She took a seat and tapped her finger on her knee along with the beat. She rode a couple of stops to Union station.

When she got to Union, she found herself staring up at the signs as she tried to find her way through the train station. She stopped when she saw Molly with Jenna, Katelyn, and Katrina standing in a line. Molly had a white bridal sash on and her friends were wearing pink sashes that said "bride squad" across them. Lorelei groaned and prayed that there was no penis-shaped paraphernalia used this weekend.

"Lorelei!" Molly waved.

She probably assumed Lorelei did not see them. In reality, she wanted to put off this weekend as long as possible. Molly was her best friend though, so she forced a smile and walked toward them. She stood beside Molly, joining them in line.

"We got you something to wear," Katelyn said. She fished through her bag, but Lorelei already knew what it was. "Here you go."

Lorelei put the pink sash over her shoulder, knowing that it would make Molly happy. Molly's eyes scanned Lorelei up and down before a smirk formed on her lips.

"A turtleneck?" she asked. "Isn't it a little warm?"

"I thought it looked good," Lorelei said.

Molly's smirk turned into a smile. She reached for Lorelei's collar, but she swatted her hand away. Molly threw her back in a laugh.

"You definitely have a hickey," she said. "That's adorable."

Lorelei subconsciously touched her neck, giving herself away. She could not lie about it. Molly was going to see her neck this weekend and see what Jesse did.

"Maybe," Lorelei said. "Why does it matter?"

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend," Katrina said.

"It's new," I said.

Molly's eyes went wide. She squealed before covering her mouth.

"Boyfriend?" she asked. "Really? Is it official? Why did you not tell me? When are you going on a double date with Anthony and I?"

Lorelei giggled as the heat rushed to her cheeks. She was going to text Molly about it last night, but she did not have time. They had multiple rounds of sex before settling to bed. Besides, she knew after she texted that Molly would call her and she did not want to have that conversation next to Jesse.

"Like I said," Lorelei said. "It's new."

"Good thing we have a four-hour train ride to talk about it," Molly said. "I'm sitting next to Lorelei."

There was an odd number of them, so Lorelei was hoping to be the one to sit on her own. She brought a Stephen King novel that Jesse so far had read more than she had. Now she knew that she was going to be grilled by Molly about Jesse for four hours.

They filed onto the train. Katrina and Katelyn sat across the aisle from Lorelei and Molly. Jenna sat behind them. Her headphones were already in her ears and she was staring out the window. Lorelei pulled her phone out of her pocket to see that she already had a message from Jesse.

Jesse: Tell me when you get to Montreal. Have fun, baby girl.

Lorelei sent a quick text before putting the phone into her purse. Molly turned and put her hand on Lorelei's arm. Molly had not stopped smiling.

"So when did things become official?" she asked.

"Last night," Lorelei said.

"Who initiated it?"

"He's the one to ask."

Molly clasped her hands in front of her chest.

"I'm so happy for you," she said. "You deserve it after Matthew."

"It seems too good to be true," Lorelei said. "I feel like I am waiting for something bad to happen."

"Don't be so pessimistic. Good things are allowed to happen to you."

Lorelei sighed. She did not think that someone like Jesse would come into her life. She was falling for him fast, so she knew that the eventual heartbreak would be painful.

"Until we break up," Lorelei said.

"Or he could be the one," Molly said. "You may get married to him."

Lorelei's chest ached. The last time she thought about marriage it was with Matthew. She wondered if brought her to pick out rings because he felt guilty for his infidelity. He had admitted to having sex with her mother more than once.

"All I am saying is give him a fair chance," Molly said. "Don't be always anticipating something bad to happen."

Lorelei nodded.

"I'll try my best to be positive," she said.

"Good," Molly said. "I have had practice planning my wedding. I will be an expert when it comes to planning yours."

Molly leaned back in her seat and laughed as Lorelei rolled her eyes.

She secretly thought about how great it would be to wear a white dress and walk down the aisle.