Selena sat expectantly in her hotel room, waiting for a knock at the door.
It had been almost one year since she had last seen Demi, after her concert at the TD Garden. Given that she had managed to masterfully avoid any discussion of their relationship that night, the other woman would likely be feeling residual anger.
But, she had accepted the invitation to talk. And since the setting for this talk was Selena's hotel room, away from prying eyes, there had to be the understanding that one way or another, this would end in sex.
A bottle of non-alcoholic champagne sat on the coffee table alongside two stem glasses.
Selena for the umpteenth time began to rehearse the words that she had so carefully chosen, her various epiphanies over the past months distilled into one short speech.
A knock came at the door.
Demi was on the other side, her expression neutral, slipping quickly past Selena.
Both women sat on the couch.
"Champagne?" Selena offered. "It's non-alcoholic."
Demi shrugged, so Selena poured two glasses and handed one over.
"Before we talk," the former began, "I want you to know that if you plan to do what you did last time, fuck me every time I want to talk seriously about us, then I might as well leave now."
Selena nodded.
"Yeah, I know that was a dick move. But you know how bad I can be at heart-to-hearts."
"That's not an excuse," Demi shot back.
"I know. But don't worry, I didn't ask you here to just fuck you. I did want to talk."
"So, because you want to talk, we talk? What about when I wanted to talk?"
A sigh spilled past Selena's lips.
"Look, I'm sorry for how I acted then, but you really shouldn't have been surprised."
Demi's eyes flashed with anger, and she stood to make for the door.
A few feet away, Selena caught up, pulling her back around.
"Please don't leave until you hear what I have to say."
The anger in those eyes dissipated slightly.
After a standoff of several seconds, Demi shrugged and headed back to the couch.
Selena sat again, taking a long swig of the champagne.
"Say what you need to," Demi said softly, "and then I'll decide if I want to stay or leave."
"We both know you'll stay if I tell you to," Selena answered playfully.
Demi stared back, the anger still there, mitigated by the submissiveness.
"Anyway," Selena began hurriedly, "I wanted to talk about us."
"Then talk. I want to hear what you have to say about us."
The words played once again in her mind, tumbling out moments later.
"I had a lot of time, after the surgery, to think about my life. To think about what I want from my life, and about the people I want in my life. It's not like I was dying, but it made me seriously think. And I came to the realization that I have been stupid."
Demi arched an eyebrow.
"I used to think, not so long ago really, that the reason you and I would never work out is because it was easy. It's the easiest thing in the world for me to love you. Easier than breathing. Even when you're annoying, or dumb, or acting like a bitch, I still love you more than anyone or anything else."
The eyebrow remained arched.
"With Justin, and with Anton, it was hard. We'd fight, we'd complain, we'd do stupid shit to each other, but I thought it was all worth it because the love was there, even though it was a challenge, it was dirty, it was difficult, it was crazy. But that was stupid. I was stupid. Stupid to think that I belong with anyone else."
"Demi, it doesn't matter how I love you, if it's easy, if it's hard. It only matters that I love you, and that I only want you. I thought a lot about how if I keep avoiding the issue of our relationship, I might lose you, and I don't want that to ever happen."
Her audience was silent, with an unreadable expression besides the eyebrow still arched.
"What I'm saying is that I love you, and I want us to be together again."
"What about Justin?" Demi asked immediately, the question obviously at the forefront of her mind.
"What about him?"
"I thought the two of you got back together."
Selena shrugged.
"He reached out to me after the surgery. I was still thinking things through then. I'm going to break up with him later this week. If you'll have me, that is."
"How do I know you'll actually break up with him?" was the second question.
"Because I say so. I promise."
"You could just be messing with me."
Selena drew back in surprise.
"You really think I could be that cruel?"
Demi shrugged, the nonchalant gesture barely hiding a certain amount of pain.
Taken aback, Selena moved closer, reaching out to take Demi's hand into hers.
"If I was ever that cruel, I'm sorry. I mean what I'm saying. I love you, and you are all I want."
The faΓ§ade of neutrality cracked slightly.
"We'd be together? Like, officially?"
"Yeah. We can announce it on Instagram together if you want."
The answer to that was a delighted squeal, the faΓ§ade crumbling entirely as Demi launched forward, enveloping Selena in a strong hug. Giggling at her exuberance, Selena hugged her back just as strongly.
"I love you so much," Demi murmured, sniffling slightly.
"I love you too."