Chapter Text
Melissa Schemmenti stood at the Philadelphia International Airport check-in counter, her fingers white-knuckled around the handle of her suitcase. For months, her life had felt like a series of bad calls and even worse plays. First, there was Gary, who decided that a public proposal in front of her entire class was the way to go, despite her being very clear about never wanting to get married again. Then came Captain Robinson, a rebound that had all the spark of a wet match. He was a nice guy, sure, but every time they went out, Melissa felt like she was just going through the motions to prove she was moving on. She was stuck. She was a South Philly woman who prided herself on knowing every angle, yet she couldn't find her way out of a slump that had her living with Jacob Hill and watching him watch TikToks in their shared kitchen.
"Jacob Hill, I know you did not just text me gate B7 without telling me Melissa Schemmenti was gonna be here."
The voice was unmistakable. Melissa turned, and there was Ava Coleman. Ava was a vision of coordinated designer luggage and oversized sunglasses that were currently perched on top of her head. She was staring at Jacob with a look usually reserved for when the school district forgot to send the budget for the new gym mats.
Jacob's face did a thing where all the color drained out, leaving him looking like a very anxious ghost. "I can explain," he squeaked.
"You can explain why you invited us both on a Valentine's cruise without telling either of us?" Ava looked between Melissa and Jacob, her glossy lips pursed in deep annoyance. "That's giving catfish energy, Jacob. That's giving a three part TLC documentary where you end up being a secret polygamist."
"I didn't catfish anyone!" Jacob's voice went up an octave. "I just, well, I bought Ava's ticket first because she said she needed a vacation from her own excellence. And then Melissa changed her mind about staying home to watch Eagles highlights, and I didn't want to uninvite anyone. So I just bought another ticket."
Melissa crossed her arms, her leather jacket creaking. "You told me you needed someone to go with you because you were afraid of being the only single guy on a boat full of possible couples."
"I told Ava the same thing!" Jacob was practically vibrating now.
Ava turned to Melissa, one perfectly shaped eyebrow raised. "So we're both Jacob's pity dates. That's what we're doing right now. We're the backup dancers for his midlife crisis."
"I'm nobody's pity date," Melissa muttered, grabbing her suitcase with more force than necessary. "And I specifically said I didn't want to do this. I'm only here because Jacob wouldn't stop crying about the non refundable deposit."
"And yet here you are," Ava said, smirking now. Something about the way she was looking at Melissa made her stomach do an annoying flip thing that she absolutely refused to acknowledge. "In your practical shoes and your sensible jacket."
Melissa glanced down at her boots. "What's wrong with my jacket? It's Italian leather."
"Nothing, if you're auditioning for a Springsteen cover band or a gritty reboot of Grease," Ava countered.
Jacob physically stepped between them, his hands raised in a peace offering. "Okay! Look, we're all here. The tickets are paid for, and it's a huge ship. It's the 'Hearts at Sea' singles excursion. You probably won't even see each other. Just, can we please just get through security?"
The thing was, Melissa did see Ava. Constantly. The ship had left port Friday morning, and within hours, the awkwardness of the airport had dissolved into the chaos of embarkation day. The vessel was massive, crawling with singles looking for a spark, couples on romantic getaways who had clearly ignored the 'singles' theme, and the occasional confused retiree.
Melissa unpacked in the cabin she was sharing with Jacob, ignoring his enthusiastic commentary about the ship's gluten free dining options. She tried to convince herself this whole thing wasn't a colossal mistake. She had spent the first few hours on board hiding, but by Friday evening, she had reached her limit. She had seen Jacob flirting with a guy who looked like he taught yurt building, and she had seen Ava holding court at the pool deck with a group of mesmerized bachelors.
Melissa needed a drink. The ship's main bar was all mood lighting and smooth jazz. She claimed a corner stool and ordered a macchiato with a heavy shot of Baileys. The bartender didn't even blink, which she appreciated.
She was two sips in when Ava slid onto the stool next to her. She had ditched the sunglasses and was wearing a dress that was probably illegal in several states. It was red, fitted, and had a neckline that made Melissa forget every complaint she had about the school district.
"They have a whole martini menu and you ordered a coffee?" Ava asked, leaning her elbow on the bar.
"It's got alcohol in it," Melissa replied, staring straight ahead.
"Melissa. That's not a drink, that's a war crime against happy hour." Ava flagged down the bartender with a flick of her manicured wrist. "Two cosmos. The good vodka. Not the stuff they use to clean the engines."
"I didn't ask for a cosmo," Melissa said, though she didn't move to leave.
"You didn't have to." Ava turned to face her properly. Melissa was suddenly very aware of how close she was, how her perfume smelled like expensive flowers and a little bit of danger. "We're on a Valentine's cruise that neither of us wanted to be on, drinking alone at a bar like sad divorcées. We might as well do it with class."
"I am a sad divorcée," Melissa reminded her.
"See? We're already bonding." The cosmos arrived, and Ava slid one toward Melissa. "Cheers."
Melissa sighed, picking up the glass. "Cheers."
It was good, smooth and cold. Ava was watching her with a look that was half amusement, half challenge. It was the same face she made at staff meetings when she was about to suggest something that was definitely against policy but would somehow benefit her personally.
"So," Ava said, leaning closer. "You gonna tell me why you're really here? Because Jacob's whole 'I need a cruise buddy' thing was bullshit and we both know it."
Melissa took another drink, feeling the heat of the alcohol settling in her chest. "Gary's getting married."
"Gary? Vending Machine Gary? The one who proposed and you dumped him?"
"I didn't dump him. I told him I wasn't interested in getting married again. There's a difference."
"And then you dated that fire captain for like five minutes," Ava noted.
Melissa shot her a look. "You keeping tabs on my love life now?"
"Baby, everyone at Abbott keeps tabs on everyone's love life. It's called working in a building with Janine Teagues. That girl treats gossip like it's a core curriculum subject." Ava finished her cosmo and signaled for another. "But you didn't answer the question. Why are you here?"
The bartender refilled both their glasses. Melissa was already feeling the pleasant buzz of the vodka mixing with the Baileys. "I felt stuck," she admitted, her voice lower now. "Gary moved on. I couldn't even make it work with Robinson. I'm living with my coworker, teaching middle school, and I'm just..."
"You're what?"
"I'm tired of being the person everyone expects me to be. The tough one. The one with the guy for everything. The one who doesn't need anything from anyone."
Ava was quiet for a second, and then she laughed, but it wasn't her usual sharp, mocking laugh. It was soft. "Okay, yeah. I feel that."
"You?" Melissa asked, incredulous.
"Please. I'm Ava Coleman. I'm supposed to be out here finding some rich developer to seduce or at minimum getting my ass on the cruise ship's Instagram page so my ex sees what he's missing." She gestured around the bar. "Instead I'm drinking cosmos with you and talking about feelings. That's character growth, Melissa. I should get a trophy."
Melissa couldn't help it. She laughed, a real one that reached her eyes. Ava's grin got wider.
"Wow," Ava said softly. "I was wondering if you knew how to smile. I thought maybe your face was just permanently set to 'I'm about to file a grievance'."
"I smile," Melissa defended.
"You smirk. You give people that 'I know where your car is parked' look. You don't smile like that."
The air between them felt different now, charged with a tension that wasn't about school budgets or Jacob's antics. Two cosmos later, Melissa realized she was laughing more than she had in months. They moved from the bar stools to one of the curved booths in the corner, where the lighting was even dimmer. Ava was pressed against Melissa's side, warm and solid, laughing as Melissa told her about the time she accidentally pepper sprayed her cousin Vinny at a family reunion.
"He had it comin'," Melissa insisted. "He tried to tell me his wife's meatballs were better than my Nonna's."
"You're kind of insane, you know that?" Ava's hand was on Melissa's knee now, her thumb tracing patterns through the denim of her jeans.
"Says the woman who blackmailed her way into a principal's job."
"That was strategic networking." Ava's hand slid higher, just slightly. Melissa's breath caught in her throat. "This though? This is just me wanting to touch you."
Melissa should have said something smart. She should have made a joke and pulled away. Instead, she turned her head, and Ava's face was right there. She could see the flecks of gold in her eyes and the way her breathing had hitched too.
"Ava..."
"Melissa." Ava said her name like a dare, and then she was kissing her.
It wasn't soft. It was the way Ava did everything: bold, certain, and entirely overwhelming. Melissa gripped the front of Ava's red dress, pulling her closer as she opened her mouth. Ava tasted like cranberry, vodka, and something that was entirely her. She made a satisfied hum against Melissa's lips that sent a shiver straight down Melissa's spine.
"My cabin," Ava breathed against her mouth, her eyes dark and focused. "Now."
Melissa wasn't drunk, not really. She was buzzed and reckless and tired of being careful. When Ava took her hand and pulled her toward the exit, Melissa didn't even think about saying no.
Ava's cabin was small, but Melissa barely registered the details before she was being pushed against the closed door. Ava's hands were in her hair, tugging just enough to make Melissa gasp, and Melissa was gripping her hips, feeling the curves of her body through the thin fabric of that red dress. This was her principal. This was her boss. She didn't care.
"Tell me to stop," Ava said, pulling back just enough to look at her. Her lipstick was smudged, and her pupils were blown wide. "Tell me this is a bad idea and we should go to bed in our separate rooms and pretend this never happened."
Melissa looked at her, really looked at her, and saw the same hunger she felt. She reached up, cupping Ava's face. "Stop talkin', Ava."
"Yes ma'am." Ava was grinning again, that cocky, beautiful grin, as she walked Melissa backward toward the bed.
Melissa worked the zipper of Ava's dress, and the fabric pooled at their feet. Ava was wearing black lace underneath, the kind of thing that was definitely not practical for a school day. Melissa let herself look at the smooth dark skin, the way the dim light hit the curves of Ava's breasts and hips.
"You gonna stand there all night, or you gonna touch me?" Ava's voice had gone low and rough.
Melissa stepped into her space, sliding her hands up Ava's sides, thumbs brushing the underside of her breasts through the lace. She felt Ava shiver under her touch. "I'm thinkin' about it."
"Think faster." Ava tugged at Melissa's shirt, pulling it off, then her jeans, until they were both down to skin and lace.
The bed was small, but they made it work. Ava pulled Melissa down on top of her, her legs wrapping around Melissa's hips to pull her flush against her. "Fuck, Melissa." Her hands were everywhere, mapping the freckles on Melissa's shoulders, the curve of her spine, the small of her back. "You feel so good."
Melissa kissed her neck, tasting salt and perfume, then moved lower to her collarbone, the swell of her breast. She loved the breathy little sounds Ava made, the way her composure fractured when Melissa's mouth found her skin. When Melissa unhooked her bra and took a nipple into her mouth, Ava arched up with a gasp, her fingers tangling in Melissa's hair.
"Jesus," Ava breathed, her voice breaking on the word.
Melissa took her time. She wanted to know what made Ava gasp, what made her grip the sheets, what made her say Melissa's name like it was the only word she knew. She kissed her way down Ava's stomach, feeling the muscles jump under her lips, and when she hooked her fingers in the lace at Ava's hips, Ava lifted without being asked.
"You're killing me," Ava said, but she was smiling, her chest rising and falling fast.
"Good," Melissa murmured, settling between her thighs. She pressed a kiss to the inside of Ava's knee, then higher, taking her time until Ava was practically vibrating with anticipation.
When Melissa finally put her mouth on her, Ava let out a sound that was half moan, half laugh. "Oh my god."
Melissa worked her slowly, learning what made her hips jerk, what made her thighs tighten around Melissa's head. Ava tasted like desire and sweat, and Melissa couldn't get enough. When she added her fingers, sliding in easy because Ava was so wet, Ava's whole body tensed.
"Right there," Ava gasped, one hand in Melissa's hair, the other gripping the sheets. "Don't stop, don't you dare stop."
Melissa didn't. She kept the rhythm steady, her tongue and fingers working together until Ava came apart, her back arching off the bed, Melissa's name falling from her lips like a prayer.
When Ava finally came down, she was breathing hard, her skin flushed and damp. She tugged Melissa up, kissing her deep and dirty, tasting herself on Melissa's lips.
"My turn," Ava whispered, and then she was flipping them over with a strength that caught Melissa off guard. She looked down at Melissa with that wicked grin, her eyes dark with intent. "And I'm not gonna be gentle about it."
Ava was skilled and relentless. She kissed her way down Melissa's body, taking her time with her breasts, sucking marks into the skin that would definitely show tomorrow. When she finally settled between Melissa's legs, she looked up, making eye contact as she pressed a kiss to Melissa's thigh.
"You taste as good as you look?" Ava asked, and before Melissa could answer, Ava's mouth was on her.
Melissa found herself falling apart faster than she expected, her hands fisted in the pillows as Ava worked her over with her tongue, then her fingers, curling them just right. "That's it," Ava murmured against her thigh, not stopping. "Let go, baby. I got you."
And Melissa did. She let go of the stress, the feeling of being stuck, and the ghost of Gary's proposal. It crashed over her in waves, and she had to push Ava away after a moment because it was too much, too good, her whole body still trembling.
Ava crawled up Melissa's body, looking entirely too pleased with herself. She kissed Melissa slow and deep, lazy and satisfied.
"So," Ava said eventually, her fingers tracing patterns on Melissa's shoulder as they lay tangled in the sheets, their legs intertwined. "That happened."
"Yeah." Melissa should have been panicking. She should have been thinking about Monday morning, about how they'd have to face each other at staff meetings, about what this meant. Instead, she just felt satisfied and weirdly content.
"You gonna freak out about this in the morning?" Ava asked, her voice softer now, almost vulnerable.
Melissa thought about it. She thought about Gary and Robinson and all the ways she had tried to fit into shapes that didn't work for her. "Probably."
"Fair." Ava shifted closer, tucking her head under Melissa's chin, her breath warm against Melissa's neck. "For what it's worth? I'm not sorry."
Melissa turned her head to look at her. Ava's makeup was gone, her hair was a mess, and she looked softer like this. Real. "Me neither," Melissa admitted.
Ava's smile was genuine this time, no performance, no sharp edges. "Good. Now go to sleep before Jacob texts you asking if you've been kidnapped by pirates."
Melissa should have gone back to her own cabin. She should have put her clothes on and slipped out, maintained some distance, kept this from getting complicated. Instead, she closed her eyes and let herself drift off with Ava's arm around her waist and the gentle rock of the ship beneath them. For the first time in months, she didn't feel stuck at all.