War in Germany

Jess

Jess woke to a slightly throbbing head. There were outlines of light around the shades. In a moment of panic, she glanced at the clock, but then relaxed back into bed as she realized they still had two hours before leaving for the airport.

She was wide-awake though, and remembering what had happened last night.

The memory was slightly blurry, but the emotion was sharp and clear. She had wanted to kiss Joe, and she was pretty sure he had wanted to kiss her.

It had been a slip…a slip by both of them. He didn't mean anything by it.

Even as she resolved that he hadn't, her traitorous thoughts flashed back to his eyes staring into hers, moments before they had almost…

But they hadn't. Jess didn't know whether she was glad or angry that Jules had interrupted them. Jess knew she had been a little tipsy and Jules had kept her from doing something that she might have regretted. But on the other hand, her heart had been crying out for that kiss. And because Jules had showed up, well, they wouldn't be such great mates anymore, until someone said they were sorry.

The trip had been wonderful until last night. She thought back to their boat tour on the first day. She had never been so happy, free from the limitations of home, riding along the river, looking at all the sights, laughing with Jules and seeing Joe smile for once. He had such a lovely smile and when he grinned, Jess felt her stomach ache.

Who could have known that the happy day would end in a loss to the Germany team and then the disastrous night at the club?

Maybe her parents had been right in their worries. Playing football did seem to lead to problems. She had never even considered falling for a boy who wasn't Indian. Despite her tendancy to stretch the bounds of her culture by playing soccer, she would never have purposefully challenged it, especially when it came to marriage. But now Joe...he was Irish, for godsakes!

Jess had never felt more out of her element. The situation was so bizarre and unreal. She liked Joe…a lot. And he liked her. But it was so impossible! He was her football coach. It would shock her parents, but more than that, Jess knew that she was unprepared for this too. She wasn't sure she could handle a relationship with someone within her culture and Joe had the added difficulty of not being Indian. Not to mention the fact that Jules liked him. Why hadn't she been clearer before? Jess had never had a best mate like Jules before, and to lose that friendship over a guy when she had never been interested in guys before…it certainly appealed to her sense of irony.

"Jules?" Jess said, almost without thinking. Maybe she was awake and they could talk.

But Jules was either still asleep or persisting in an obstinate silence. Jess sighed and decided to get up. Maybe she could catch Joe at breakfast and say that she hadn't meant anything by her behavior last night, even if that wasn't true by a long shot. Maybe when Jules was awake she could say sorry and Jules would forgive her. Maybe things would go back to the way they had been before.