“Milo,” Cora said my name, and I smiled down at her, realizing my hand was on the small of her back.
“Yeah?”
“That was really…”
“Sweet?”
“You have no idea,” she whispered, her eyes slightly glassy, before she looked away.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head, her hand cupping my face. “You’ll make a great real boyfriend one day,” she whispered.
“Cora.” My heart stilled. I wanted it to be her. I could be a real one to her right now. But I got tongue tied, and she must have taken my hesitation for something else.
“I know. It’s just… This is one of my favorite events. You have no idea how you made my day.” Her tone was soft and honest, and I knew she was opening up to me.
“A blood drive?” I asked incredulously, and she nodded, the wonder still in her glittering gaze.
“I should get back to work. Wait for me to donate?”
“Need someone to hold your hand?” I teased, trying to lighten the mood, and she playfully rolled her eyes before grinning up at me.
“Something like that.” She stood on the tips of her toes and gifted me with a gentle kiss before walking away.
_______________
“Okay, you two are all set. I’ll be by to check on you in a little bit,” the nurse said, and I held her hand, looking into her eyes. It wasn’t comfortable by any means, but it felt right as hell.
“Thank you for waiting for me to be finished.”
“Nothing to thank me for.” I would wait forever for her. She looked up at me through her lashes, and I could almost swear she could hear my unspoken words. Wait forever for her. Shit. I had definitely fallen, but looking into her eyes the way her lips quirked up at me, I didn’t care.
“Why is this your favorite event?” I finally asked, curiosity to her reaction getting the best of me.
“Ah.” She grinned and moved her head so she could see me better. “I knew you were going to ask me about that.”
“I would have guessed the Halloween party was your favorite.”
“Why’s that?” she asked, no judgement in her tone.
“The money goes to the local kids’ library.”
“I do love that one, but the blood drive was my idea,” she shared, and I felt an eyebrow rise. “Sophomore year, right before winter break, my mom got really sick,” she shared, and I could see in her eyes it wasn’t easy for her to talk about. I squeezed her hand wishing I could have her closer to me. “Anyhow, she needed a blood transfusion. A couple of them.” A sad smile graced her face.
“Is she okay?”
“Yeah, for the most part. I mean, she has her good days and bad. But more importantly, she’s still here. You know? And it was because of those transfusions. While we were at the hospital, it made me think about the people who donated and how they had saved her life. How easy it was to make a big difference, and I had an idea. I brought it up to our president at the time, thinking there was no way she would want to add another event on such short notice. We had just come back from winter break, and other things were on the calendar, but she surprised me. We’ve been doing one ever since. Though I have to say, this year’s turnout was pretty amazing.”
“There were a lot of people.”
“Shirtless soccer players helped bring girls in, that’s for sure. And some guys.” She grinned, and I laughed.
“That was all Jonah’s crazy idea.”
“It worked,” she said, and I felt her fingers stroke my knuckles. “Thank you for everything today.”
“I didn’t—”
“You did,” she cut me off, her voice confident and sweet. “It meant a lot, Milo.”
“Least I could do”
“Because I’m tutoring you?” she asked, and I closed my mouth.
There it was again.
That damn cloud of how we started off hanging over us just as it was starting to clear up and feel like it was gone. It was past time we were honest and clear about what was going on between the two of us.
“Because you’re you, Cora. Babe—”
“Okay, you two.” The nurse stepped back into the trailer. Talk about bad timing. Cora let go of my hand as the nurse checked us both. Taking the needles out and wrapping us up in colorful bandaging.
“Alright. I need you two to sit and have a snack outside. Make sure to hydrate and take it easy for at least the next twenty minutes.” She smiled, ushering us out. “Cora, you know the drill.” She smirked, and Cora nodded.
“You okay?” I asked Cora as we sat outside under one of the E-Z Up tents my guys had set up. A volunteer stopped by to hand us a bag of cookies and juice each.
“Yeah, you?” She looked at me cautiously, almost as if she was nervous. I knew it was time to put a stop to the charade of us playing make-believe and make this thing the real deal. I liked her. A lot. And I was almost positive she felt the same way.
“Good.” I took a chug from the juice box. “Cora?”
“Yeah?”
“Would you like to go—”
“Cora! There you are!” Catalina came and sat next to her. The girl was shy with everyone else, it seemed, but with Cora she talked a mile a minute. I watched as they spoke. Something about a house meeting once they got back followed by a girl’s movie night to celebrate the success of the blood drive.
Just like that, my plans about asking her out on an official first date went down the drain.
CHAPTER FIVE
Cora
“WE HAD OVER four hundred and seventy students stop by and donate today. Making today’s blood drive the most successful one to date. I can not thank all of you ladies enough! You made today run smoothly,” Allie said from the makeshift pulpit at the front of the living room. The unlit fireplace behind her framing her perfectly.
“We also have to make sure to thank the guys’ soccer team for helping. I was thinking of taking a basket of goodies to take to their next game. That way, Kappa Sweets can show support like they did for us today,” she shared, and I smiled.
I liked the idea of going to see Milo play again.
“Okay, that’s all for tonight. Movie night will commence in about an hour. Pizza will be here in forty. Meeting adjourned.”
All the girls started to stand, but before I could, Allie was right there. “We need to talk.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the small office space next to the kitchen.
“Okay,” I mumbled slowly. I loved Allie, but the day had been long and sometimes she was a little intense.
“Today was amazing,” she said, but I braced because you never knew what was going to come out of Allie’s mouth. “I know I’ve said this before, but honestly, I have to tell you again, when Cat said you and Milo were a thing—”
“You thought I was lying,” I repeated, the words leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. I hated the fact she wasn’t far off the mark.
The whole thing had started as a small way to get her off my back. But it wasn’t anymore. Not on my end, at least. I just wasn’t positive he felt the same way. Liar, a little voice popped up in the back of my head. The way he looked at me said a lot. Not to mention, it left me breathless. Like he wanted to cherish me and devour me all at the same time
“Cora?” Allie said, and I looked up at her. She had been talking, but I had been in my head with my Milo thoughts.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized, trying to focus on her.
“Are you okay? Too much sun?”
“Something like that.”
“I was just saying, friend to friend, I’m glad you two are together. Not that you need it, but Milo has our Kappa Sweets Seal of approval.”
“Is that really a thing?” I laughed, glancing up nervously at her, my laughter quickly dying down.
“I get it, Cora. You and I, we’ve known one another from the start here, and we’ve never been super close. I can be—”
“Persistent?”
“Annoying is what my brot
hers and sister would say.” She laughed and shrugged, slouching in the chair she had chosen. “But I do consider you a friend. I know I was a little overwhelming earlier in the year about seniors going out of their comfort zone—”
“A little?”
“Okay, maybe more than a little.”
“You sent Colt sniffing around. Colt Conway, Allie.” She winced and thankfully looked embarrassed about it.
“But it worked out.” She beamed cheekily. “Because, you know… you’re with Milo,” she said dreamily. I wanted to tell her the truth, but she kept talking, and I kept my big, fat trap shut.
“If someone looked at me the way he looks at you…” She sighed and shook her head, along with my thoughts of coming clean. I couldn’t. It would be like telling her Santa Claus wasn’t real and killing her puppy all at the same time.
I’d have to keep my dirty little secret a little longer.
For a girl who considered herself so smart, I didn’t feel like it right now.
_______________
“Go, Sidewinders!” the girls cheered and shouted as I watched. My hands clasped together, breathing near impossible as I watched from the sidelines.
The game against Palm Lake College was intense. The beginning of the game had been heartbreaking. The Palm Lake Clappers had scored one goal on Milo during the first half.
It had been gruesome to watch. His defense had fallen back too much, and their forwards had taken advantage. I had seen the frustration in Milo’s face, and I found myself wanting to cheer him up. To tell him it would all be okay. Instead I cheered. We all did. All the Kappa Sweets were out to cheer on our Sidewinders, and from the looks of it, everyone was out to cheer on our boys, since it was against one of our school’s long-time rivals.
Thankfully, the Sidewinders came back in the second half. They played strong, like they had something to prove. And holy crap, had they ever! With only five minutes to go, the game was tied, with our boys dominating the game. The ball went back and forth, and suddenly, everything unfolded in slow motion. One of the mid-fielders shot back to the sweeper, and Jonah missed it. The Clappers’ forward didn’t miss the opportunity, and he rushed to be the first one to the ball. I held my breath as he dribbled it down the field, closer and closer to the goal. Suddenly, the Clappers’ forward was head on with Milo. No one close enough to help him. The forward made his shot, and my heart stopped. I forced myself not to close my eyes. The ball went up in the air, going right toward the left corner of the goal, and Milo jumped, stopping the ball from getting anywhere close to the goal.
“YES!!” I screamed when he grabbed the ball. I jumped up and down with the girls next to me. Everyone around us went crazy!
He looked over, and for a single moment, our eyes met. Nothing around us existed, and he winked. I felt my cheeks warm up as the girls ooo’ed and awed, and I laughed. Before I knew it, the game was back in motion.
Milo kicked the ball to Jonah, and he dribbled it up the field, the Clappers retreating to their end. Jonah kicked it to one of the Sidewinders’ forward, Lee Sung. Lee dribbled and went around the Clappers’ defense. The guy was like a dancer out on the field. Light on his feet, with so much control of the ball. A Clappers’ player got close, extending his leg. Whether he was going after the ball or Lee’s leg, I wasn’t sure. Thankfully, Lee was too quick.
One, two, and boom!
He shot and scored! The ref sounded his whistle, and the game was over!
The Sidewinders won!
Milo
We were at the Sigma house, all the soccer players partying and having a good time, but none were as happy as I was.
My girl stood next to me, sipping out of her red Solo cup. Even though one goal had made it past me, a scout from the Tahoe Nebulas stopped by to talk to me. He had liked the way I played and let me know he would be coming by again when we went against Sun State later in the season.
The party was in full swing.
One of the two kegs was tapped out, beer pong going on in the back, music playing inside, and my girl tucked up next to me. Cora was in my house, and I wanted her. She was it for me. End game. The one. However you wanted to label it, she was it. She was the entire package and then some. The slight cloud about the deal we’d made that had gotten us to this point was still an issue, but I was sure she felt the same way. It’d been tough not to lose focus on the field with my girl on the sidelines, watching my every move. She had watched me let one past me, and it had sucked balls, but she had also seen me stop more than that from getting in. Her reaction to the game had been fucking adorable. I leaned down, sneaking in a whiff of her shampoo, light and airy mixed with the sun. I wanted her in my room. I leaned in closer, my lips at her ear, speaking low enough so only she could hear me.
“Want to go to my room?” I braved. My heart was thundering in my chest as the words slipped out, and I noticed the goose bumps coming to life on her skin. The offer and intention clear when she looked and met my eyes. With a nod to her head and a squeeze of my hand, we moved. I led her through the crowd and up the stairs toward the bedrooms.
“Opps!” a squeaky voice said, someone bumping into me just as we were about to reach the second floor. I looked at up and exhaled, my face turning to stone at the sight of the overly flirtatious jock bunny.
“Gemma.”
“Milo! I was just going to go look for you!” She giggled, her hand landing on my chest, and I scowled. She had obviously had too much to drink and hadn’t seen Cora behind me.
“Why’s that?”
“You know.” She winked, her red nails scraping my chest, and I shook my head.
“Nothing to know, Gemma. I have a—”
“Girlfriend,” Cora said sternly, “So, how about you take your hands off my man?” she ordered, and Gemma’s hand dropped off my chest. I wasn’t sure why Cora’s reaction was hot, but fuck me, it was.
“You?” Gemma said, the disgust clear in her voice. “You and Milo? That’s funny. Since when?”
“None of your business,” she clipped.
“I don’t know, it might, since he and I were together—”
“Don’t do that,” I quickly cut her off, taking a step down and moving so Cora could slip behind me and I get her to the landing. “You and I are nothing.”
“Whatever,” she spewed. “Good luck with getting your dick wet with that one.”
“Gemma,” I groaned. “Don’t.”
“Just saying. Word is, Cora could be a synonym for Elsa, you know, the ice princess.”
“Wow,” I heard Cora mumble.
“Watch it,” I warned Gemma. “If you’re gonna talk shit about my girl, you’re gonna get kicked the fuck out of Sigma house, and trust me, you won’t be welcome back,” I growled, trying not to lose my cool.
Gemma Livingston was the breathing definition of a pain in the ass, but even so, I wasn’t going to lose my cool on a girl. My mom would pop me upside the head before killing me.
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. This party was shit anyhow. I’ll make sure to pray your dick doesn’t freeze and fall off.” With those parting words, she walked down the stairs and straight out the door. Or more like stumbled through.
I ran my fingers through my hair as I took the last couple of steps to reach Cora. She had a look on her face I couldn’t read. Worry mixed with panic she would change her mind about the two of us. This wasn’t about sex. Sure, I was in a perpetual state of arousal around her, but I was a man. I could fight my urges. What I wanted from her was more than that.
“I’m sorry about her. She’s—”
“Stupid?” Cora muttered in her snippy tone, and my lips twitched. I probably shouldn’t like how cute she got when she was jealous, but it was too fucking adorable. “Why are you looking at me like that?” she harrumphed, and I pressed my lips together.
“Like what?”
“Like you think I’m cute,” she clipped, making her even cuter.
“I do think you’re cute.”
&nb
sp; “You know what I mean.” Her brows furrowed, and I opened my mouth. “Cora—”
“Did you ever hook up with her?” she bluntly asked, and I could tell she hadn’t meant to say the words out loud. A couple passed by us, both with wide eyes, and I realized we weren’t alone. Cora had a way of messing with my head and making me forget where I was. The second-floor banister wasn’t the place to have this conversation. I took her by the hand and led her to my room, closing the door behind me.
“What are you doing?” she asked, sounding like good ‘ole Cora. The one I was more than familiar with. The one I’d been acquainted with throughout school. Pissed and angry with twenty-feet walls to scale because I’d bruised her ego so long ago.
“I’m not a choirboy,” I finally said, breaking the silence and hating the space between us. A mere three feet stood between us, but it was so much more and increasing with every tick of the clock. The worst part was, she was finally in my room. All the times I had envisioned bringing her up here, none of them had included a fight thanks to Gemma.
“I know that.” She sighed. “It’s just her. Gemma, she has this way of getting under my skin.”
“Why?”
“Why do you think? She’s—”
“She’s a jock bunny,” I cut her off and squeezed the back of my neck. “She wants to rope a guy who will make it big so she can play trophy wife,” I shared and watched her drop her crossed arms. “It’s sad, but it’s true. Just for the record, to make sure there are no misunderstandings when it comes to Gemma Livingston, I never fucked her. That one kiss at that party freshman year was it.”
“I’m sorry.” Her eyes cast to the ground. I needed her gaze back on me and closer.
“Hey.” I closed the stupid space between us. “You have nothing to apologize for. I’m sorry she was here and said what she did. But she’s gone, okay?” I pulled her over and sat on my bed, pulling her in so she could sit on my lap.
“Do guys really say that?” Her voice was so low I almost missed hearing her.
“What?”
“About me being an ice princess,” she repeated, and I sighed. Whoever had said that about her was obviously an idiot.
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