[013] playing with fire

                                                                     One thing about Margo Ananada that had yet to change was her love for luxury. But Art already figured that growing up with a silver spoon would do that to you. Margo chooses a luxurious hotel for them to meet at, adorned in all black and nursing a Shirley Temple for a little while sitting in the lobby. 

                                                                    Art swears he can feel his heart beating right out of his chest as he takes each and every deliberate step towards the woman he once thought he'd spend forever with. The woman he missed more than anything in this world.

                                                                   Margo hears his footsteps, sipping through her straw as she looks up at him. He smiles softly, leaning towering over her for a moment before he decided to sit across from her on one of the chairs. He looked polished and neat, but his eyes still resembled the same Art Margo had remembered. Margo didn't think she resembled her old self anymore - not when she had done everything possible to kill and bury that part of her. With one final sip, she finishes her Shirley Temple as Art prepared to speak and interrupt the silence that had begun to fall over them both.

                                                                 "I didn't think you'd be here," Art speaks first, an admission of his own nerves. "I almost thought this was one grand trick of yours and I'd show up alone. Your final act to embarrass me."

                                                                 "I'm not that cruel, Art. If I wanted to be a bitch, I'd point out your string of losses. But I don't think you need a reminder of that," Margo shakes her head, her tone playful despite the otherwise harsh words.

                                                                   Art chuckles. "Fair. You always knew how to hit me right where it hurt."

                                                                  "To be fair, I think I have every right to after all the shit you've done. I honestly don't even know why I'm here," Margo replies. But that was a lie. She knew exactly why she was here. Shew as just far too prideful to admit it. 

                                                                  "I'm really happy that you decided to meet with me in the first place. But... do you think we could talk in private? I don't really feel comfortable talking out here where -," Art begins.

                                                                 "Where someone can see us?" Margo finished for him. But before he could answer, Margo decides to continue anyway. "I don't know if that's such a good idea. I'm not even sure if I fully trust you yet, Art."

                                                                 "If you still didn't trust me after all this time, you never would've met me here in the first place. So, respectfully, I think that's bullshit," Art responds with a charming little smirk on his face.

                                                                 Margo didn't know whether she wanted to slap him or if she wanted to kiss him.

                                                                "Fuck you," Margo sweetly responds before she gets up, ushering for Art to follow her.

                                                                 He's a little surprised but doesn't hesitate for even a second, following behind Margo. She had already bought a room for herself, figuring she'd stay there for the night just to piss Patrick off. It hadn't been for Art but that didn't stop Art from thinking as such, especially when he walks into the hotel room and his eyes land on the large bed seemingly waiting for them. Although he has a couple of jokes in mind, Art decides to keep them to himself.

                                                                After all, he wanted to make sure he was still alive by the end of the day.

                                                               "Where does your wife think you are?" Margo inquired as she sits on the edge of the neatly made bed.

                                                                "She never asked. I don't think she actually cares," Art admitted.

                                                                 A twisted part of him had hoped that she would. That she'd be tossing and turning, wondering about what her husband was doing and who he was doing it with. But Tashi didn't love him enough to even try. And that within itself was a low blow.

                                                                "Don't get me wrong. I don't regret my daughter. I love her more than anything," Art begins, earning a frown from Margo. She wasn't too sure where he was going with this. "But lately, I've realized just how much of a mistake I've made."

                                                                "With your marriage?" Margo raised a brow.

                                                                "That, my career... It just all feels so wrong. I want to give it up," Art admits and for the first time, Margo could see just how defeated he truly was on the inside.

                                                                "But Tashi won't let you, right? You're the only thing she has left to a tennis career. She's not gonna let you go. I mean, not unless the both of you get a divorce or something," Margo shakes her head.

                                                                 Art goes silent and Margo falters, wondering if she had finally struck a nerve.

                                                                "Art. Art, are you going to get a divorce from Tashi?" Margo questioned.

                                                                "I - I don't know. I think it all depends on what happens at the challengers event. If I lose... Tashi will probably leave me before I even think about leaving her. And before, I thought that if I won this last one, it'd be enough and I could fix everything. But...," Art trails off, running a hand over his face.

                                                               "You're not seriously blaming me for your fucked up problems, are you? I did everything to make sure our relationship was perfect. I loved you and I thought you loved me, butt hat was before you thought the grass was greener on the other side. That's not my fault," Margo's quick to argue, storming over to where Art now stood.

                                                               "I know that. I have no one to blame for myself. I'm not blaming you for anything. What I'm trying to say is that having you back in my life has made me realize just how deeply I fucked up," Art reasoned.

                                                                 Margo doesn't budge but obviously the words are enough to make her rage quickly quiet down. Seeing Art so distraught and broken, it had been what Margo wanted for a long time. Every time she'd see him smiling on TV or looking so perfect on magazine covers and ads, it made Margo so furious. She had wanted nothing more than to see him suffer and pay for how badly he had fucked her over.

                                                                 So now that she finally managed to get what she had always wanted, it made her feel anything but happy. Margo actually felt sorry for Art.

                                                               "I miss you, Margo," Art continued.

                                                               "Stop it," Margo frowns. She couldn't hear these words. She knew that if she did, it'd only fuck with her head again. Margo had deluded herself into thinking she had finally gotten over art. But now it was growing fairly obvious that all of her so-called progress had all been for nothing.

                                                               "I mean it," Art insisted as he takes another step closer to Margo.

                                                               "Regardless of how miserable you are, you're still married. And so am I," Margo weakly argued.

                                                              "But you're not happy with Patrick. I know you're not. You were at your happiest when you were with me. And I was at my happiest with you. I love you, Margo. I'll always love you. And I also know... that you love me too," Art persisted.

                                                              "How could you possibly know that? What? Because I met up with you? Maybe I wanted to see just how pathetic and stupid you are. And you know what? It's even better than I planned," Margo remarked, glaring at Art. "This is the best time of my life."

                                                                She expects for Art to get upset or yell at her. Maybe Margo had been hoping for it. She had done her best to push Art's buttons, just as she had done with Patrick for years. But unlike Patrick, Art wasn't so willing to take the bait. In fact, he managed to see right through Margo.

                                                              "You know one thing about you that's never managed to change?" Art remarked.

                                                               Margo raises a brow, deciding to be the one to take the bait this time. "What?"

                                                              "You always were a pretty shitty liar," Art replied.

                                                                Before Margo could even think about saying something to try and argue against Art's (very true) claim, Art suddenly kissed Margo. Margo was a little taken aback by the sudden act. But once Margo realized that this was actually happening and she wasn't just dreaming all of this, she quickly kisses him back and wraps her arms around Art to hold him close.

                                                                 The kiss between them quickly grows passionate, reminiscent of the time back in college where the two of them had been unable to keep their hands off of each other. Art's hands freely roam Margo's body, touching her everywhere as though it were for the first time. It had been far too long since they had been able to do this, giving in to their feelings like this.

                                                                  And for a moment, they had been convinced that they'd never be able to do this again. But now, they had and it was too late for them to turn back.  

                                                                  Art wraps his arms around Margo's waist and holds onto her as they make their way over to the bed. Margo knew that this was probably the moment where guilt should've crept in. Maybe not for Tashi but for Patrick and the life they had made for each other after Tashi and Art abandoned them both. But Margo quickly remembers the fact that Art had been hers first. Art and Margo had been together before Tashi went in and stole him away.

                                                                   Margo was more than entitled to sleeping with the love of her life, and give Tashi a taste of her own medicine at the exact same time. It was the very least she could do. But perhaps, this wasn't only for the revenge. This was for her own selfish feelings for Art. She had missed him so much and although she couldn't have all of him in the way that she wanted, she was more than willing to take whatever she could get.

                                                                   And so, when Margo pulls away from Art, she doesn't bother to go into a long winded speech about how this was wrong and they both should know better. Instead, she takes off his shirt before kissing him again - allowing him to take off her dress next.

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                                                                Margo can't allow herself to get comfortable, even though she really wants to. Now lying in Art's arms with nothing but a blanket covering the both of them, Margo decided that now was the best time to lay the ground rules. Because it was pretty damn obvious that this wouldn't be the last time they'd sleep together. This, it seemed, was only the beginning.

                                                              "Just to be clear, I'm not going to go easy on you just because we slept together. I'm still coaching Patrick," Margo says while Art starts kissing her shoulder.

                                                              "I know. You don't think I did this just to -?" Art begins, resting his chin on his shoulder.

                                                              "Of course not. I just wanted to remind you in case you forgot. And I hope you don't expect me to be some desperate mistress waiting around for you. I won't be waiting five hundred years for you to leave Tashi. I love you but I won't let you hurt me for a second time," Margo shakes her head.

                                                              Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you. Margo wasn't going to let herself get played again by the two people she had loved so much. She'd be the one to leave first if that was the case. Margo's heart was already fragile and a second heartbreak would ruin her.

                                                             "I won't let that happen. After the challengers event is all said and done, that's when I'll go through with it," Art replied. To be honest, he hadn't felt this hopeful in a long time and once again, he had Margo to thank for it. "I promise."

                                                             Margo turns to look at Art then and the two of them stay that way for a moment before she kisses him again, sealing both of their fates once their lips met.

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word count: 2081
notes: the affair has officially begun!!! we're going back to the college timeline in the next chapter!!