friday pt.3
The door to her hotel room had barely clicked closed before Georgia was there standing mere inches to Mackenzie's right.
“Get your bathing suit on, we’ve got two hours till the sauna closes and I wanna hear all about your night. Plus, you’ll never guess who I ran into.” Georgia had a plan, and she was determined to make the most of her and her friends' last parent-less night of freedom. The clock on the mantle read just after 10 o’clock, they had plenty of time.
------
While Mackenzie was off on her date with Wrong Room Guy, Georgia made her way to the gym and stepped into exactly where she was meant to be that evening. Because the training room was completely empty, safe for one other patron. A young gentleman doing pull-ups. He was facing away from the door, but the moment he extended his arms she caught sight of his distinguishable socks.
She sat on the yoga mat stretching for longer than she needed to as she deliberated whether or not to interrupt and say hello. She sat cross legged, stretching her arms above her head. Taking a deep breath, Georgia leaned forward once more, folding nearly in half.
---
He hadn’t heard her come in, his headphones may have been a touch too loud and when he was in the zone, he was a bit hard to reach.
She was wearing clean, white sneakers with maroon soles and had just begun on the treadmill. As such, his gaze was momentarily drawn to her shoes. Well really, her legs. Well really, her-
He shook his head, refocusing on his form as he jumped onto the foam box in front of him. Concentrate.
------
The sauna smelled strongly of cedar and was filled with steam as Georgia poured water onto the hot, awaiting stones. Emitting a snake-like hiss that echoed around the room.
“Oliver?!” Mackenzie confirmed after Georgia revealed who she wound up working out with all evening. The pair had gotten along great, once they had found some common ground.
“Yup. In fact, he’s the one who told me about the sauna in the first place.” Georgia smugly admitted, smiling to herself. Remembering.
------
She had a towel draped across her neck and she dabbed the sweat from her brow as she slowed down into a walk.
Stepping off the treadmill, she came face to face with the brown haired boy from earlier.
“Georgia, how ya gettin’ on?” Oliver asked, his eyes expectant. The headphones around his neck were faintly playing a Beastie Boys song.
“Pretty well, and yourself.” She smiled, she hadn’t needed to make the first move after all.
“Oh, not s’bad” He rubbed his hands together, slightly unsure. “I just thought I’d offer, before I’s headed out. If youse needed a spot, or anything of the sort.”
“I don’t, really, but you’re more than welcome to stay and talk with me anyways.” Georgia suggested. Taking a risk, she batted her eyelashes. She knew there was no harm in some light flirting.
“Just might takes you up on'at, only if it’s nae a bodder.” He agreed, and followed her to the next machine she was using. Setting the weight on the leg-press next to her, he claimed his spot.
Taking a second, in an attempt to stifle the blush that threatened to bloom across her round face, she began fiddling with the knobs on the side of the machine.
“It’s leg day, I hope that’s fine with you.” Georgia stated the obvious as she adjusted her seat, her coffee coloured ponytail swinging with the movement.
“I’s alright wi’ dat, me darlin.” Oliver nodded in agreement, readjusting his feet on the platform before starting his set. Oliver caught her eyes in the floor to ceiling mirror they were facing.
“Lovely.” Her reflection smiled widely at him, her round cheeks scrunching up her eyes. It was then that Oliver, upon further inspection, took note of the few freckles doting her face. Clustering under her eyes and over her nose.
Georgia cleared her throat, Oliver supposed he may have been staring a tad longer than he realised.
She hadn’t really been expecting a partner during her time in the training facility, but Georgia couldn’t complain about the proximity. The cute guy from the day before chose to continue his workout, just to get some extra time with her. And apparently he had a bit of a staring problem.
She liked the way he was looking at her though. Like he was fully present. Eyes wide, attentive.
To her, Oliver seemed like the type of person whose brain was always running at a hundred kilometers an hour. Like he was always thinking of a dozen other things. So this, the way he was looking at her now, was entirely unexpected.
“Shall we?” She suggested, looking back at her feet and shuffling them slightly. Their focus brought back to the task at hand. If he looked at her any longer she knew her face would be bright red and degrees hotter.
“Aye.” Oliver nodded twice, coming back to himself.
Their evening continued in companionable silence, broken up by the occasional question. Getting to know each other better as they wound down to their final set.
Oliver, revealing his biggest fear. Losing the Mythic; the scouts rescinding their suggestions, coaches taking back their offers, and then he winds up living on the Weasley's couch.
Georgia regaling him with stories of the Great Dane she just adopted with her parents, Moony.
“I know everyting’s gonna be hurt by the morning, I’s gonna scun along to the sauna. Care to join me?” Oliver suggested, thinking about his soon to sore muscles.
“Does the pope wear a funny hat?” Georgia countered, sarcastically.
“Indeed.” He confirmed, as she raised her eyebrows. Exactly. Earning a chuckle from Oliver. “I dies at you, Georgia.”
“Thank you, I think?” She blushed, despite not fully knowing what he meant. But if his crooked smile was anything to go by, it was positive.
“Just means, I think you is dead funny.” Oliver explained, again, staring a little longer than he probably should have.
------
“Wait?!” Mackenzie demanded, waving her hands wildly. The movement caused her to nearly lose the thick towel wrapped around her. “So, you and Oliver. In here?!”
“Oh, god no.” Georgia whipped her head side to side. Taking in the small wooden room they were sitting in and the stiff benches that were made only slightly more tolerable by their plush towels. “I mean, we did kiss a little.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ve always thought he’d be a good kisser.” Mackenzie thought of the captain's intensity and friendly smile, and held up a hand. Awaiting a high five from her best friend. It wasn't until the clap echoed through the steam-filled space, she asked, “How was it?”
“Well,” Georgia began.
------
She had been fully packed for their trip to Hogsmeade, bags zipped and at the front door when Mackenzie had muttered the dreaded words. Bathing Suit.
It was January. Georgia was three provinces away from home, she hadn’t a clue if she even brought a bikini to Nova Scotia that semester.
The statement had her tearing her closet apart in search of a sunshine yellow two-piece she had tucked away the summer before.
Georgia and Mackenzie shared a philosophy. The thing about halter tops, is they never really got tight enough to support anything. Any girl above a D cup knew this to be a brutal truth that was usually accompanied by some neck pain.
Unfortunately for Georgia, the bright bathing suit she currently sported, was just that.
The sweat and steam from the sauna had Oliver’s hair plastered to his forehead as he leaned back, exhaling sharply.
“This here’s a right mauzy sweatbox.” He exclaimed, breaking the brief silence they had fallen into. He had a habit of that, Georgia realized. Oliver could handle quiet, but only for so long.
“Sorry?” Georgia cracked open her eyes, having closed them in relaxation. She asked him to repeat, not catching his meaning. “You’re gonna have to speak mainland with that one.”
“The steam, b’y.” Oliver explained, waving his hands in the air around him. “Right mauzy.”
Georgia made a small noise of understanding before turning to face him completely. A small smile pulled at the corners of her mouth, she asked, “Teach me another one?”
“Ach, like what?” Oliver hadn’t a clue what to say to the intrigued woman beside him. Having her attention like this, it was enough to cloud over whatever he was thinking.
“Dunno, you could say anything. I’d have no idea what you were talking about.” Georgia urged, nudging him with her elbow.
If she was in the practice of revealing weakness, Georgia would own up to her numerous glances at his bare figure. But, she’d been to the beach before, she wasn’t a stranger to towel clad men. And yet-
Oliver stared for a moment and, with a scoff, admitted, “Georgia, you is some piece of gear, y’know dat?” Not taking his eyes off of hers, he plastered another cheesy smile across his face.
“Right back at you.” Georgia hadn’t a clue what he meant but she could guess. She had just watched the tips of his ears turn pink after he said it.
“See, now I dunno if ya mean dat. Maybe it was an insult, you has no idea whatcha said and now I’s offended.” He feigned injury, putting a hand over his bare chest, teasing her.
“I don’t think it was.” Georgia assured him, raising her dark eyebrows slightly.
“No?” Oliver leaned his head to the side, double checking.
“No.” Georgia challenged and in a moment of uncharacteristic boldness, closed the space between them. Her mouth met his, slightly off-centered by the kisses' suddenness.
Not that Oliver would ever admit it, but he froze for a split second when Georgia kissed him.
He hadn’t been expecting it. Nor had he been expecting the way she had melted under his touch once he began kissing her back.
His hand, previously against his chest, jumped instantly to the side of her face as he too leaned in. Georgia splayed a hand against his side, her red nails bright against his pale skin. Her lips parted against his as he deepened the kiss.
That was all the urging Oliver needed to slip his hands into her dark hair, pulling her closer still. The sound of a towel sliding against wood, the only noise in the otherwise silent steam room.
His mouth hot against hers, a new, confident intensity radiating off him. Georgia dragged her long nails against his side, eliciting a hum from his otherwise occupied mouth as neither one had yet to break the kiss.
Georgia mentally kicked herself for packing what she did, as she felt the knot at the back of her neck loosen slightly. Her damned halter top philosophy, proven time and time again.
Reluctantly, she pulled away. For a moment, nothing happened. The pair of them remained inches apart, taking long breaths. Breathing in the already heavy, steam-filled air, foreheads pressed together.
“Sorry.” Georgia explained, motioning to the ties at her neck with her free hand. “Just, gimme two seconds.”
Oliver, thinking fast, dropped his hands to the base of her neck and gathered as much of her hair as he could. Moving it out of her way for her as she tied the knot once more.
“Done.” She gave him a quick kiss and pulled back to look at him. Eyes dancing as she smiled at him “Thank you.”
“Anytime.” Oliver, hands still tangled at the back of her head, pulled her in for another searing kiss. The smell of cedar and her floral shampoo carried through the narrow space. The watch on his wrist soon began beeping at rapid intervals. “Any reasonable time. I’m sorry, I should go.” Oliver stopped the alarm, but didn’t make a move to stand. “It’s curfew. And with the opener tomorrow, I-”
“Oh, go ahead.” She motioned to the door, understanding how much the next few days meant to him. “Go off to bed so you can kick some Kenora ass tomorrow.”
------
Mackenzie, while happy for her friend, began laughing. The entire team knew about Woodsy and his self imposed bed-times. 9:25, every night. Taking a second she pieced together the timeline of events.
“So you pulled the where have you been? routine, as if you didn’t get back to the room mere minutes before I did?” She joked, knowing her friend had a flare for the dramatics.
“Sue me.” Georgia was quick to defend herself. “Plus, you got in after me regardless. So let’s hear it, what had you out so late?”
Mackenzie thought about where to begin, so she laid it all out for her friend.
---
“But, you’re seeing him again right?” Georgia demanded, having refrained from interrupting during her entire story. For the most part.
To her credit, Georgia only interrupted the story thrice, to toss in some colourful language.
Once, a string of curses, when she heard it was not Draco that had sent the text, but Cormac “Greaseball” Mclaggen. The second time, at Mackenzie’s expense when told her best friend got roped into skating, one of her least favourite activities. Surpassed only by mini golf. And finally, a whispered fuck , at being caught by Draco’s father.
“Well, we have a habit of bumping into each other so probably.” Mackenzie inferred, their goodnight having been cut off entirely rather than just cut short.
“Mack, you have to.” Georgia insisted, loving the idea of them both having vacation crushes. It was like they were 13 and on a cruise. Even going so far as to widen her eyes expectantly, after Mackenzie failed to reach the same level of excitement.
“Ah, it’s up to fate, or the universe, or whatever it was that Draco told his friends about our chance meeting.” Mackenzie brushed off her friend's urgency, turning her head. Suddenly, the grain decorating the cedar paneling was rather interesting. She didn’t want to make a big deal out of anything so early on. She barely even knew the guy.
“Woah. Go back.” Georgia stood up, so she was once again in Mackenzies line of sight, as she asked, “He told his friends about you?!”
“Yeah, they called me Elevator Girl all night.” Mackenzie mentioned the frequently used nickname, a fondness glinting in her eye.
“Oh, he told his friends about you.” Georgia grinned down at her proudly, like a teacher might. Her damp hair falling around her face, “Yeah. You’re seeing him again.”