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Until We Meet Again

One Weekend - Part One

July 22nd 1999

Jordan spun around, dirty dishes piled up on her arms, as she tried to make her way into the kitchen.

Summer vacations had begun a week ago and there was Jordan, in London and working, instead of being home. She had tried hard to get the money to go home, but in the end all her hard work hadn’t been enough.

She fixed her ponytail and took a deep breath, shouting the orders she had taken into the big kitchen.

She wished she could be on a flight to New York in this moment, but sometimes reality sucked. And that was something Gerard didn’t quite understand. Why was it so hard for him to understand that the money she had made wasn’t enough to pay for all of her expenses and still buy a ticket home? They were pretty expensive, especially during summer vacations.

She smiled at a couple who had just arrived, before handing them the menus.

But he wasn’t the only reason why she was feeling upset. She had started dating Logan almost four months ago and still she had chosen not to tell Gerard. She didn’t know why, she liked Logan, he made her happy, wouldn’t Gerard like to know it?

In the back of her mind, she knew he wouldn’t. And in the back of her mind, she knew that the real reason why she hadn’t told him about Logan was because it felt like cheating. It felt like she was cheating on him, when both knew they were just friends.

Jordan walked to the bathroom. She didn’t want to feel this way. She didn’t want to feel like Gerard was the only reason for her bad mood today, but it was.

Two minutes later she walked out of the ladies’ restroom, being stopped by Andrew, the manager, who had a solemn look on his face.

“There’s someone here to see you,” he mumbled, his lips barely moving. Jordan frowned at him. She knew how much he hated for employees to talk with non clients during expedient hours.

“I’m sorry.” She showed him the best apologetic smile she had, before walking away from him.

She didn’t know who could possibly be looking for her, Johanna and Amy didn’t know where she worked and Logan was not in London today.

Her eyes quickly widened when they landed on the restaurant entrance. If she had been carrying anything, she would have probably dropped it.

“Gerard?” She hesitated, starting to wonder if she was experiencing some kind of hallucination. How was it possible for him to be in front of her when he was supposed to be at work in New York?

“Hi Jordan.” He simply smiled.

Okay, this is clearly not a hallucination, she thought while sweeping the room with her eyes. Some people stared at them. Hallucinations aren’t acknowledged by other people.

“What the -” She glanced back at the costumers. She wasn’t supposed to swear in front of them.

Jordan frowned, taking long steps to quickly close the distance between her and Gerard. He was about to speak and she shoved him outside, closing the red door behind them.

“I thought you’d be happy to see me.” The confusion was clear in his face.

Jordan shook her head. “I am, I just… how… what are you doing here?” She finally smiled. This was just crazy.

“Can I get a hug first?” He opened his arms and she quickly stepped into his embrace. She buried her face in his hair, which was now longer than the last time they had seen each other, almost reaching his shoulders.

“So?” She placed her hands on her hips after breaking from his hug.

“Well, since you weren’t coming home for vacations I’ve decided to bring the vacations to you.”

“What?”

“You heard me; I’m going to take you out for the weekend. We can go any place you want.”

“What? Come on Gee, you know I can’t afford to do something like that, if I did I would -”

“I’m paying,” he cut her off. “For everything and anything you want.” His cheeky smile made her cross her arms.

“I can’t let you do that.”

“Of course you can. Look, my flight is not until Sunday evening and I’ve already rented a car.” He pointed at the black car at the end of the street. “You’ll have to stick with me until the end of the weekend anyway.”

“What about my job? It’s Friday, I still have to finish my shift.” She looked at her watch and grunted. “And I work on Saturdays as well.”

Gerard covered her shoulders with his hands. “I’m sure you can find a way to miss work.” He winked at her and then pointed inside the restaurant. “Just go talk to your boss; I’ll be waiting in the car.”

“Are you serious?” She still couldn’t believe that was really happening.

“More than ever.” He opened the restaurant door for her. “Now hurry up.”

Ten minutes later she was back. Gerard watched her jog towards the car and then climb inside of it.

“Okay.” Her pale cheeks were slightly pink and she looked at him with a playful smile. “I had to pretend that I was about throw up in front of my boss, but I got the rest of the day and tomorrow off.”

“That’s my girl.” He winked at her before turning the car engine on.

The drive back to campus hadn’t taken long. Jordan tried to pack everything she could remember into her suitcase, excitement coursing through her veins.

She still couldn’t believe he was there. He had taken time off from his new job in New York just to be with here, in London, with her.

Gerard had thought about everything, too. He had found out her work address, he had rented a car and he had bought a map so that she could choose their weekend destination. She ended up suggesting Brighton, Jordan had heard about it before; it was quite popular during summer and not too far from London.

The sun would set in a couple of hours when they reached the coastal city. After driving for a while, Gerard parked the car in second line and turned the engine off.

“Stay with the car, I’m going to find us a place to stay.” She nodded and watched him leave.
The city was full of people roaming the streets, colorful vintage shops and cafes in every corner.

“I found a nice hotel,” Gerard started when he got back. “The only problem is that they only have one room available.”

“Oh… is it a twin room?”

“No.” His lips formed a thin line. “Double room.”

Jordan thought about it for a few seconds. Did she really want to share a bed with him? “Well, I guess we don’t have another option.” She finally smiled.

After leaving their luggage inside the room, Gerard and Jordan were back on the busy streets, exploring the city.

“Looks like we’ve got plenty to do at night,” Jordan commented was they walked by trendy bars and clubs, mingled with stylish restaurants. Brighton had a bohemian, artistic and eccentric atmosphere that they both had been enjoying.

“Oh, we need to buy this.” Jordan grabbed a disposable camera from one of the many street shops, paying the young man in front of them. “Come on Gerard, smile.” She faced him, ready to take a photo.

“That’s not smiling!” Jordan laughed at his stupid looking, overly sized smile. “That’s being creepy.”

“Could you please take a picture of us?” She approached a man who was walking past them and he nodded gently.

“For when you’re famous.” She hugged him by his waist while he laid his arm around her shoulders. “So I can tell people I shared a bed with you.”

“What?!” Gerard laughed hard as the camera went off.

***


“Come on, just one more and we’ll leave.” Gerard pushed the shot glass in Jordan’s direction and drank his own without another word. The night was no longer young, but the bar in which they had finally decided to stop was still crowded.

“I’ve already drank too much, I don’t want to drink this.” Jordan shook her head, her vision starting to get a bit blurry.

“Come oooon…” he slurred, shaking her arm and almost making the translucent liquid inside the small glass spill.

They had drunk a lot and although she had lost track of how many drinks she had had, she knew Gerard had drunk twice as much as her. At least.

She closed her eyes, a smile never leaving her lips as the heat from the alcohol made her cheeks flush. “Let’s just go back to the hotel, okay?” She got up, proving that it had been too fast, and making the world around her spin.

Gerard laughed. He downed down her shot and got up, only to sit back again. “No. Nope. No. Imma stay here.”

Jordan’s eyes followed the female bartender as she approached their table and placed another two shots on top of it. “No, no more shots. We’re leaving.”

Before the bartender could say anything, Gerard snatched the two shots from the wooden tabletop, spilling half of it in the process, and drank them.

Jordan snorted, searching her pockets for money to pay the drinks, before looking at the bartender with the most serious expression she could muster in her half drunken estate. “No more drinks.”

“Come on, we’re too drunk to stay here,” she huffed and tried to pull him out of the chair.
She walked him out of the bar, finding hard to keep a steady pace as she tried to deal with her own dizziness.

“Shh… Jordan can’t find out,” he mumbled when she could no longer support him and had ended up sitting him on the sidewalk. His index finger stood shoved against his thin lips, his eyes closed for a long moment. When he finally opened them, there was surprise in his eyes. “Oh Jordan, you’re here!”

Jordan laughed. “Gerard, sweetie, you’re wasted. Let’s go.”

"I’m as sober as ‘m gonna get. And there’s nothing I - wait wait wait - nothing you can do ‘bout it.” He tried to get up on his own, without succeeding.

After almost twenty minutes of walking, or better saying, of dragging Gerard, they finally reached the hotel.

“Oh boy, you’re heavy.” She had to release him for a while when they reached the front desk.

He stumbled forward, grabbing a stone pillar for support. He clung there, slack-jawed and slumped over, while Jordan gathered the energy to drag him to the elevator a few feet away.

“Do you need help?” The woman at the front desk with Asiatic features asked, lifting an eyebrow.

“Everything’s fine.” Jordan half smiled, half frowned.

The glance the woman gave Gerard had a tinge of repugnance. “Are you sure? I could get a room just for you. The hotel is half empty.”

Jordan glanced at Gerard, then at her, and then back at him before addressing to the lady again. “But…” Her lips slowly revealed a smile as she realized what Gerard had done. “No thanks.”
♠ ♠ ♠
Any guesses on what's going to happen next?