-Chapter 3-
Having forgotten to draw the curtains before falling asleep, Alex and Olivia were awoken by the early morning light streaming through the floor to ceiling windows of the hotel room. Alex was the first to open her eyes, groaning lightly and stretching out her arms. Olivia felt the movement a few moments later, rolling over and burrowing her nose into Alex's hair, breathing in deeply.
"Mmmm, good morning." Alex said as she felt Olivia's body pressed up against her own, turning her head and placing a warm kiss on full lips.
"Good morning yourself, blondie." Olivia smiled.
"What time is it?"
Olivia grabbed her iPhone off the nightstand. "Jesus, only 9:27," she groaned, throwing the device to the foot of the bed. "Time for coffee."
"Ugh yessss," Alex sighed. "All the coffee." It was now her turn to snuggle in close to the brunette.
xx
The two women walked north on Mercer toward Prince, holding hands like it was the most natural thing in the world. In the light of day, the awkward apprehension they had felt last night faded and now they were just happy to be together, spending the day in this fabulous city.
They were certainly a sight, very obviously two girls who had partied hard the night before. Olivia had brought extra clothes to Callie's apartment on the Upper West Side, but the trek uptown was something that neither the blonde or the brunette wanted to deal with this morning. Alex grabbed black running shorts and a grey hoodie from Arizona's duffel bag, and Olivia borrowed Alex's black leggings and white long sleeve t-shirt, Portsmouth Abbey Volleyball emblazoned across the chest and Cabot #22 on the back. The irony was not lost on either one.
Olivia wore Alex's Ugg boots, a fashion choice she wanted desperately to never make, while Alex slipped on Arizona's Nike running shoes. Both woman's hair was thrown up half-hazardly into a messy ponytail and neither wore makeup. They were exhausted, a little hungover, and extremely happy.
xx
Alex had been trying to call Arizona for the past twenty minutes while Olivia continuously dialed Callie. Neither answered, probably still deep in sleep, so Alex and Olivia were left alone for breakfast. As they pulled out their stools, the bartender placed two cocktail napkins in front of them.
"You two sure got lucky," the girl stated, smiling and looking around at the fully packed restaurant. "Welcome to Mercer Kitchen. What can I get you ladies to drink?"
Olivia looked to Alex, silently wondering if it would be okay to order alcohol this early in the day. She really needed to take the edge off of the slight pounding in her head. Alex knew immediately, somehow, exactly what Olivia was thinking, and thank god because it was a damn good idea.
"We'll have two Ketel One bloody marys, spicy, with extra olives, coffee, western omelets, and two sides of mixed greens."
"Perfect. My name is Kerry if you ladies need anything else."
Olivia smirked at Alex. "I take it you've been here before?"
The blonde chuckled. "Only every time I'm in the city. You should come here for dinner. Their ravioli is to die for."
"Yeah, and I bet it pays to look like you're 21," the brunette joked.
They spent the rest of breakfast engaged in light, joking conversation, feeling so comfortable and just right in each other's company. Alex wanted to get on the topic of us. What they were, what they were doing, where they would go from here. But she was just so grateful to be in Olivia's company that she decided to leave that particular conversation for later.
xx
One more bloody mary was had by both, helping to cure their mutual nausea and headaches. Feeling monumentally better than they had the previous hour, they decided to go out and explore the city together on this beautiful day. They took the subway to Central Park, stopped by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, did some light shopping at Chelsea Market, and had lunch al fresco along the Hudson. Blue skies, just a slight chill in the October air, it truly was one of those perfect New York days.
Alex finally got a hold of Arizona around 5pm. "Where the hell are you, AZ?! I've been worried!" Alex practically screamed into the phone.
"Sorry," Arizona laughed. "Callie and I have been a little busy. We took a break for dim sum and dumplings around noon, but other than that we've just stayed in all day."
"Jesus, you're like a fucking rabbit."
"Screw you dude! I haven't had sex in like a year!"
Alex giggled. "I know, I know. We have to get back to Rhode Island though. I'm planning on leaving within the hour. Are you ready?"
"Umm... actually I was just going to get the Audi. I think I'm going to drive back with Callie, if that's okay? My parents are extending their vacation in Tuscany and said I could use the beach house, so I figured Callie could come stay until they get back."
"Oh, yeah, that's fine. I guess I'll just ride back with Olivia..." she responded, nervous but excited at the prospect. Olivia smiled sweetly at the blonde and nodded her head.
xx
"So..." Olivia started, hands trembling slightly while remaining in the 10 and 2 o'clock position. Her nerves were getting the best of her. "How should we handle this?"
"Handle what, babe?" Alex asked, deep in thought, blue eyes focused on the scenery rolling by.
"You know, Al. Us. We need a game plan."
"Well, coach" Alex started, turning to the brunette and lowering the radio. "We could just wing it?" she suggested, stroking her fingers up and down Olivia's arm.
"And here I thought you were wise beyond your years," Olivia smirked. "That really is a winning suggestion."
Alex slapped Olivia's thigh playfully and sighed with exasperation. "Well geez Liv, it's not like I've ever dated my teacher before. I don't know how to handle this!"
"I'm glad I could be your first," Olivia gazed at the blonde, brown eyes full of adoration. "But I think you're right actually. I guess all we can do is wing it. See how it goes."
"I think that's really all we can do," Alex said as she let her eyes wander back to the trees and hills in the distance.
They drove the rest of the way north in comfortable, companionable silence, fingers entwined, never wanting to lose physical contact.
xx
The next couple months were not exactly what Alex or Olivia had planned for their blossoming relationship. Alex's classes were more rigorous than ever and volleyball was in full swing. Olivia had the girls practicing almost every day after school, three hours on Saturdays, and running five miles as a team on Sunday mornings. The Ravens had already won the New England Girls Volleyball Tournament in December for the fourth year in a row, and now Olivia was dead-set on Nationals. This would be their year, she was sure of it.
Alex was more sexually frustrated than ever, her only consolation knowing that Olivia felt the same way. The dorms Alex and the other girls were forced to live in were very closely monitored by their female teachers who lived on campus, and it was practically impossible to get away and visit Olivia's apartment at night. The only physical interaction they had since their night in the city was a few stolen kisses in the locker room and one very hot, but very brief, makeout session on Olivia's desk at the end of the school day, unfortunately interrupted by the sound of a janitor rolling a mop bucket across the tiled floors outside the classroom door.
It was already mid-January, snow falling softly on the ground, and as the girls rode the charter bus to the airport, all Alex could do was stare at the back of Olivia's silky chestnut hair. She listened to John Mayer in her purple earbuds, just trying not to cry. She wanted so badly to hold the brunette in her arms.
xx
When the wheels of the plane touched down in Los Angeles, Olivia was jolted awake. She looked around the cabin, eyes wild, having forgotten where she was. When she looked to her left, she saw Alex's blonde hair on her shoulder and a tiny string of drool.
"Oh my god, Al," she whispered. "I'm so sorry. I totally fell asleep on you."
Alex took out her earbuds, the smooth sound of Sara Bareilles disappearing. "What babe?" she looked down at Olivia's messy hair and noticed the drool stain on her cream cable-knit sweater, laughing a little too loudly before squeezing the brunette's thigh discreetly. "It's alright, babe. I just hope no one noticed how comfortable you were using me as a pillow."
The team grabbed their luggage from baggage claim and boarded yet another bus, unfortunately having no time to stop by their hotel and rest. Their first game was in less than three hours.
xx
The first thing Alex noticed when walking into the gym was how spectacular it was. It couldn't even be considered a gym, it was a goddamn arena. She was starting to rethink her decision to attend Harvard. Maybe UCLA was more her speed.
The second thing she noticed, almost thinking she was hallucinating, were her parents sitting front row in the bleachers. In the seven years she had been playing volleyball, she could count on both hands the number of games her parents had attended.
"Daddy!" she exclaimed as she ran into her father's arms. "What the hell are you guys doing here?" she asked her mom as she looked over her dad's shoulder.
"Alexandra!" her mother mock-whispered. "Watch your language!"
"Sorry mom," Alex replied sheepishly as she gave her mom a hug. "But seriously, what are you doing here?"
"We got the email while we were in London that your team was going to Nationals. I figured I could leave the company for a weekend to come watch my favorite girl kick some ass," James Cabot grinned charismatically at his daughter. It was times like this that Alex was easily able to forget how shitty her parents usually were, how rarely they were there for her, and embrace their presence. She was practically beaming. Olivia was silently watching the exchange as she set her bag down on the bleachers and put her wavy hair up in a high ponytail.
"So Alexandra," Elizabeth Cabot started innocently, "how many of the girls on your team are dykes this year?" And it was times like this, Alex thought to herself, that she remembered with startling clarity just how shitty her parents could be.
"I really don't know mom. Probably half? I mean, I'm pretty sure Brit and Ashlyn joined the mile high club on the way over," Alex responded dryly, taking a sip from her bottle of Evian. Olivia giggled quietly nearby. This has got to be a fucking joke, Alex thought.
"Well is your coach a dyke? Because I really don't want some lesbian staring at your behind in those tiny shorts. It's really obscene how short they are, Alexandra."
"Mom, seriously, I have no control over volleyball uniforms. This is what everyone wears, obviously," she said, exasperated, blatantly looking around the gym at all of the girls in their spandex. "And I have no clue if Olivia is a lesbian, but you could ask her yourself, if you're so interested. I'm sure it would be completely appropriate and not rude at all for you to inquire about my coach's sexual orientation." Elizabeth just pursed her lips and took her seat, looking down at her watch and silently wondering how long this tournament was going to last.
xx
The Ravens played their first match against a team from Tampa, winning in the first three games. Olivia knew this would be a piece of cake. Her girls were so on point, so focused. Alex was spiking every ball that came her way, blocking left and right. Leah was digging like there was no tomorrow, Serena was setting perfectly, and Charlotte's jump shots were the best she had ever seen. They had this tournament in the bag.
The next match, however, was a different story. The girls played a team from Colorado Springs, and just barely won, three games to two. It had definitely been a close one.
By the time the team got back to the hotel, all anyone wanted to do was hibernate. It had been an exhausting 24 hours and sleep was the only thing on anyone's mind. Except, of course, Alex and Olivia. Once her roommates had passed out, Alex snuck out of her en suite and padded down the hallway of the hotel, navigating her way to room 415. She knocked lightly on the door, just in case Olivia was sleeping, and waited nervously for the brunette to answer the door.
"Who is it?" Olivia asked.
"Umm… it's me, Liv."
Olivia opened the door, nothing but a fluffy white towel covering her tan skin. "I was hoping you'd stop by," she smiled as she pulled Alex by the shirt and dragged her into the room. Mouths instantly fused together as Alex kicked the door closed, Olivia's towel falling to the ground and Alex threading her hands in soft brown waves. Olivia pulled the blonde's white tee over her head, reaching behind creamy alabaster skin and skillfully unclasping the nude lace bra. Alex's breasts spilled into Olivia's hands, the warmth and pressure threatening to make her come right then and there.
"Let's get these pants off, blondie," Olivia husked as she led Alex over to the bed. She slid the zipper down, pushed the denim down strong, slender thighs, and brought Alex's black satin panties along for the ride. They were finally both completely naked for the first time in months, drinking each other in, eyes and hands roaming across smooth skin. Deep blue pools locked on dark mahogany, and the gravity of the situation washed intensely over both. This was finally happening.
Olivia gently took Alex's small, delicate hand in her own, motioning for her to lay down on the soft sheets. Alex did as instructed, trembling and more nervous than she had ever been in her entire life. Olivia hovered on top of her naked form, stroking soft blonde tresses and smiling lovingly at the perfect girl laying beneath her.
"Are you scared?" she whispered.
Alex simply nodded her head, her expression unreadable.
"Don't be," Olivia soothed as she placed a soft kiss on Alex's waiting lips. The younger woman parted her mouth slightly, inviting Olivia's tongue to roam inside her warm mouth. Their kiss quickly turned heated, passion spilling freely from each woman. Alex moved her hands from Olivia's hair down to her shoulders, to her back, and then to her curvaceous hips. Her senses were so overwhelmed, she had never been more turned on.
Olivia kissed Alex's neck sweetly, moving down her collarbone and in between the valley of her breasts. Alex smelled like heaven. She had just showered, the scent of lavender and vanilla intoxicating Olivia's senses. She slowly kissed her way across the blonde's stomach, stopping briefly at the junction where belly met hip, and looked up into Alex's beautiful cerulean eyes, checking to make sure she had permission to continue.
Alex let out a small sigh. "Liv…" she tangled her hair in brown locks again. "Make love to me."
Olivia had no choice but to oblige, sinking her tongue into velvety heat. This time Alex let out a much louder, much more sensual gasp. She had never felt anything like Olivia's tongue.
The older woman moved along Alex's folds, licking up and down her wet, slick core, up to her throbbing clit, and then back again. When she started to feel Alex's hips buck back and forth, she slipped a finger into the blonde's center, eliciting a low groan. "Jesus, Liv, I'm gonna come…" Alex almost sobbed in between ragged breaths. Olivia slipped another finger in easily and began pumping in and out, her tongue never leaving Alex's swollen clit, sending her flying over the edge. "Fuckk, Liiiiv, oh my gooddddd" Alex almost screamed, her legs shaking, inner walls contracting, fingers tugging at Olivia's hair.
"Oh my god," she sighed as she finally came down from her orgasm, Olivia coming up to place a kiss on pink lips. "That was…"
"Amazing," Olivia smirked.
"Yeah," Alex sighed as she reached down, running a finger through Olivia's folds. "You're so wet, Liv…" she breathed into the brunette's ear, rewarded with a loud, sexy groan. She looked into brown eyes, filled equally with both love and lust, and whispered to Olivia.
"My turn."