Ainsley's POV
It was pretty late when we finally got checked into the hotel. We met up with a few of Trinity's cousins who were still in the lobby. We talked to them for a little while before heading up to our room. I didn't talk much, and as we took the elevator up she made fun of me.
"You were all nervous looking. You were so shy! You're never like that!" She laughed. "You said, 'ummmm, hi.' AND LOOKED AT THE GROUND!"
"You know, this is extremely unattractive." I sighed, opening my phone to send Ashley a text letting her know we made it.
She clicked the button to go to the fourth floor, but we only made it up one floor before it stopped.
"I didn't know I could turn you-" She started, but I threw my right hand over her mouth and gently pulled her hair with the other as a whole group of people with their bags got into the elevator.
She backed closer to me, trying to make room for the others. But the group of people seemed to be endless, and I couldn't tell you why there were this many fucking people getting into an elevator at 11:30pm, but here we are.
I sighed and pulled my suitcase closer to me as Trin backed so far that she bumped into me.
"Ace move back." She whispered as the doors closed.
"I fucking can't, Trina. Can't you see that I'm literally as far in this corner as anyone can be?"
"Well you're little, you can go farther."
I sighed and tried to ignore her, which was hard considering she was right on top of me.
When we pushed through the million people and out of the elevator onto our floor, our room was at the very end of the hallway.
She took the key and unlocked it, and I put my suitcase against the wall and flopped on the closest bed.
"I'm fucking burned. I can't imagine you right now." I said as she turned on the light.
"I'm exhausted." She went into the bathroom, and I got up to put my clothes in my half of the the dresser.
Then I got up and put my makeup and stuff right by the bathroom door so I remembered to put it away when she came out. She opened the door and scared the living shit out of me, grabbing me around my waist and turning me around to face her.
"What the hell?"
"It's just us, Ace." She whispered.
"What do you want?"
"You said you'd give me one last chance."
"No, I said I'd pretend not to hate you around your family and see how that felt."
"You don't have to pretend."
I was quiet.
"I know you don't hate me."
I was still quiet.
"You can deny it all you want, you don't hate me."
In the long pause, all I could hear was my heavy breathing, my eyes fixated on her lips.
"Why are you here then?"
I grabbed her chin and kissed her, not being able to resist anymore.
I reached for the light switch next to me without pulling away.
"I didn't even start to unpack." She whispered.
"Fuck unpacking." I breathed, making her smile until she kissed me again.
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Ashley's POV
The house was weirdly quiet and lonely without Ainsley. I contemplated inviting someone over, but everybody else was probably tired from our game or busy, so I left it alone.
I decided on watching a movie, so I just cuddled up on my couch, wrapped in a blanket.
I had this weird, uneasy feeling the whole night, something I couldn't shake. I made myself believe it was just the silence of the house without Ainsley running around like a five year old, but I knew it wasn't just that.
I reached for my phone and called Mal Pugh. I needed someone to talk to and I figured she'd be up.
We talked about our games, she asked me how Ainsley was doing since she ever answered Mal's calls and texts only on occasion.
I didn't want to tell her about my sister's enemies to lovers story, but it slipped out in the pure vulnerability of the moment.
"I fucking knew it." Mal laughed. "I just fucking knew it."
"What? How?"
"I just had a feeling. I'm good with that stuff, you know. I watch too much TV."
"With what time?"
"I have a lot more time than you think."
"Anyway..." I sighed, and we talked about our plans for the upcoming week. My mood lifted, but when we hung up I was sad again.
I ended up falling asleep on the couch, waking up so insanely sore the next morning. I called Tara and we carpooled to recovery, then we went to get lunch. We went back to my house and called Ainsley after she got ready. Both of them looked very pretty in their dresses. Both are really good at doing makeup as well, believe it or not. When Ainsley was younger, she'd spend a lot of time (and money) practicing doing her makeup for special occasions.
"Well we're heading off now." Ainsley said. "If we don't leave now, we won't make it. Trinity always has to go back a million times."
"Aright. Bye you two. Have fun." I said. "Make good choices!"
They laughed.
"Bye!" Tara said, waving vigorously at the camera.
"Love you guys." Ainsley said, and then she hung up.
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Ainsley's POV
The ceremony was beautiful, everyone looked beautiful, it just was beautiful. It made me want to plan my wedding already.
After dinner, we hit the dance floor, and danced all night. We went in the photo booth for a few minutes, and I immediately put the pictures in my clear phone case, then we went back to dancing.
We took a break to get sodas and sit down, and we talked to Trin's mom and some of her cousins. Then everyone started to crowd the dance floor, and I didn't even realize what was playing. Slow dance.
Trinity peered at me out of the corner of her eye, and I blushed at the floor.
"Give me this dance?" She smiled. "Just this song?"
"Fine. Just this one."
It was very awkward at first, and I almost just walked away. But then the chorus of the song hit.
"I love this song." She said.
"Me too." I smiled.
The song was Perfect by Ed Sheeran.
"What's the real reason you invited me here?" I whispered. "I know to get time alone, but this is a room full of people. There's a fucking ulterior motive."
"There's not."
"Yes there is."
"There's really not."
I rested my head on her shoulder.
"I know there is, and that's okay."
The song ended with us in silence.
"We can go sit down now." She said, but didn't let go of me.
"I'm good here."
"You bitch. I knew you'd do this." She said, and we both laughed.
We were quiet for a while, just listening to the music.
"I brought you with me, Ainsley, because I wanted to know what it would be like, not having to worry about anyone. I wanted to be able to do things like this and not have to worry about your sister, or Tara, or anyone. I wanted to give us a try." Trinity whispered.
"So what does that mean?"
"I want....I want us to be official."
I froze. A million things ran through my head. I debated on how to react. Do I go running out of here? Just fucking take off running as cast as I can? Do I tell her I need to think about this?
"Okay." Is what slipped out of my mouth. I went lightheaded, and almost went running, but I couldn't move. I knew I had to stay where I was.
"Okay? Like yes?"
"Sure."
"Are you fucking serious?"
Too late to go back now.
"Deadass." I replied.
"I was certain you'd say no. Like literally, I have no idea why I said that."
"Well you got a different answer."
"I can't believe you said yes."
"I can't either."
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At one point, we stepped away from the party to take a walk along the water. It was just us, and it was quiet. Us and the sound of the waves, the noise from the party muffled by distance.
I didn't want to look at her, though I felt her eyes burning into the aide of my head. My cheeks were red hot and I tried to ignore it, but I just had to look her way.
I moved in a little bit closer to her. She put her arm around my shoulders, and I reached up to grab her hand. I rested my head on her shoulder.
That was the most perfect moment there ever was.