Chapter 55
CHAPTER
FIFTY-FIVE
COLTER
The following months after Homecoming were a roller coaster ride none of us had signed up for. Luckily, we had a lot of support around us, helping the three of us through it. Hayward students had rallied behind Mer, proving it wasn’t a fluke or a onetime thing. She had changed campus just by being herself.
The Zeta house was suspended from campus groups for the rest of the school year, and if they didn’t complete Hope’s anti-bully program before the next school year, they would be stripped of their charter indefinitely on campus. I loved the irony of their punishment.
Seeing the Zetas fall set forth a domino effect across Greek Life. Sororities, fraternities, and other social groups on campus became more inclusive and diversified, making Hayward a more unified campus.
It was utterly badass.
“What do you think?” Mer asked, leaning against me as we observed the art. Holden had followed through with the challenge and entered a few pieces into the art show. He hadn’t wanted to invite anyone, but Mer had ignored his protests and ensured Rose, Milton, and Hope were in attendance.
“Is it a cat?” I asked, turning my head slightly. Mer snorted, covering her mouth to stop champagne from flying everywhere.
“Oh my God. I can’t believe you just said that. I could’ve ruined someone’s art.”
“Or made it better.” I grimaced. I loved a lot of things, but abstract art was not one of them. Mer shook her head, laughing as she took my hand and led me to another wall.
One of Holden’s pieces had been selected as a finalist, which meant he and the other finalists’ entries wouldn’t be revealed until later. Until then, Mer and I had been roaming around looking at… art. It was a stretch of the word. I hadn’t liked anything, but having Mer by my side made the pain and suffering worth it.
“There’s Milton and Rose; let’s see if it’s almost time.” Mer nodded, letting me drag her away from something that looked like an apple on steroids. I seriously did not get art.
“Hey, you two,” Rose greeted.
“How’s Holden doing?”
“He’s growling and grunting at everyone,” Hope said, joining us. She’d been doing physical therapy for a month now and had improved so much.
“So, typical Hol?” I laughed, and everyone joined in.
“I’ll go check on him.” Mer kissed my cheek and sauntered off. I had to restrain myself from following her. The first month after Homecoming, Holden and I had barely let her out of our sight. She’d finally had enough of it after finals and said she loved that we cared, but she couldn’t live her life with both of us up her ass all the time.
Holden had tried to argue she didn’t know until she tried. Mer had stared, promising him pain with her eyes if he didn’t shape up.
We both reluctantly pulled back our vigilance, giving her space to live without one of us attached to her. Whether our acquiescence had to do with Owen’s case moving quickly through the court system or not, we’d never know.
It totally did.
That and sharing locations on all our phones.
But we’d let Mer believe she’d won. It was better that way.
“You ready for the big game?” Milton asked, pulling me away from watching Mer’s ass sway.
“Oh, yeah. I can’t believe it could be our last time playing together.” This weekend, Holden and I played in the Rose Bowl. We’d ended our season 15-1, only losing the game after Homecoming. It earned us a bye for the first round of games, leading to the quarterfinal. If we didn’t win this weekend, our season would be done. We had a good shot of winning the whole damn thing, but I didn’t want to jinx us.
There was no doubt Holden would go high in the draft. He’d played an incredible season and deserved everything he was about to get. There had been a lot of speculation on whether I would join him, and I had considered it for a minute. It was tempting to earn that kind of money, but there was no guarantee I’d go as high as Holden, and at the end of the day, I only loved to play football when he was my QB. The odds of that occurring were slim to none.
Football was a hobby for me, not a career. It gave me the opportunity I needed to go to Hayward, and for that, I would always love the sport. It brought me my best friend, the love of my life, and the opportunity to learn. I’d have a career I loved because of it.
I owed football a lot; it just wasn’t something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
“They’re about to start,” Mer said, motioning for us to join her. I took her hand and wrapped my arms around her. When we stopped in front of the exhibits, I pulled her into my chest. Three displays were covered, the artists standing next to them. Holden looked miserable, but when he spotted Mer, his eyes softened, and the corners of his mouth tugged up in a smile.
Kissing her neck, I tuned out the teacher as he spoke about the students who had entered the competition and how art was personal, yada yada. I stood straighter when he pointed to the three behind him, eager to hear how Holden did.
“Our third-place finalist is junior Sara Matthews. Her art piece is titled ‘Through a Window.’” The girl in the middle smiled as her art was revealed. It showcased a family eating dinner from one angle, but when I shifted, I saw parents fighting, the kid crying, and food on the floor. It was an optical illusion with perspective. Okay, that was cool.
“The second-place finalist is someone I’ve been begging to enter for years. I’m glad he finally did before he graduates.” The professor smiled at Holden. “Senior Holden Adler’s piece is titled ‘Love.’”
Holden’s face warmed, and he crossed his arms, staring into the crowd like he dared them to say something. Despite his hard stare, the only person he had eyes for was Mer. I glanced at his display as it was revealed, awe filling my body.
“It’s beautiful,” Mer gasped, her hand covering her mouth. It was a silhouette of her dancing, a dress flying around her.
It, indeed, was a masterpiece. He’d captured her beauty and grace, something I didn’t think was possible. I was amazed at his level of skill. If he didn’t make it in the NFL, he’d have a career in digital art.
“Wait, there’s more…” I stepped closer, seeing all the smaller images. From afar, it looked like one image, but when you stepped closer, hundreds of other pictures created the final product. There was a sketch of him throwing football, of me catching one, of each of us with Me r. There were images of his family, Pawsitive Haven, and our friends. My eyes couldn’t take in all the different sketches he’d made and then composed together to form the outline of Mer.
Holden walked forward once the winner was announced, his eyes never leaving Mer’s. He pulled her out of my arms and kissed her. I cleared my throat to remind him we weren’t alone when I started to get turned on. Holden grunted but broke the kiss, releasing Mer so she could hold both of our hands.
Milton, Rose, and Hope congratulated Holden and praised him for his talent. The professor and a few other students from their class also stopped by. Holden didn’t say anything; he just nodded, holding Mer’s hands like an anchor the whole time.
“Ready to get out of here?” I asked.
“Shoot. What time is it?” Mer asked, patting her dress.
“Five. You still have time, but we should head out, so you’re not rushed.”
Everyone nodded, and we made our way out the doors once Holden had collected his artwork. Many of the students had theirs for sale, but not Holden. There was no way he’d let anyone own a piece of Mer. I had a feeling it would go on his wall and remain there.
“We’ll meet you guys there,” Milton said, kissing Mer on the cheek.
Holden climbed into the SUV, and I pulled Mer into the backseat. Holden glared at me from the front.
“What are you doing?”
“What do you mean?” I asked innocently.
“We don’t have time,” he argued.
“You might not, but I sure do.”
Holden growled, but started the car and pulled out of the lot. Mer looked at me, her brows raised in question, but I only smiled. I pulled her leg over mine and skimmed my hand up her thigh. Her eyes widened a moment before her head fell back to the seat.
“Oh, God. Yes,” she moaned.
“Fuck. Her panties are soaked, Hol.”
“Goddammit, Colt.”
“Payback for making me drive last time.”
Holden hissed as Mer moaned, my fingers stroking her clit and smoothing her wetness around. “Please, Col,” she whispered, her body riving as she arched into my touch.
Plunging into her wetness, I kissed her as she rode my fingers. Our tongues battled, desperate for one another as I brought her close to orgasm. I’d only meant to tease her, but as usual with Mer, my restraint went right out the window.
Holden whipped the car into a parking spot just as her orgasm crested, and she moaned out her release into my mouth. I pulled away to find him snarling at me as I licked my fingers. Mer panted next to me, her cheeks rosy and her pupils blown.
“I’ll get you back for that,” Holden threatened.
“I planned on it.”
He stared, then chuckled, his anger dissipating. Mer sat up and straightened her clothes. Her nerves reappeared, though lower, as she fiddled with her bag. Holden nodded, now understanding my tactic. I’d wanted to pay him back, but my first priority was her.
“Wildcat, you’re gonna do great. You’ve been practicing for months. You got this, badass.”
She nodded, lifting her head with a smile. “Right. Badass time.”
Mer had made it into the finals of the choreography competition after showcasing three routines. There were five finalists, and each had to demonstrate their routines in an actual production. Hendrix had agreed to let Mer use the Wildfire room, and she’d recruited dancers from the club, Wolfettes, and her old dance crew to be part of it .
Taylor had decided to transfer to Hayward. Despite things not working out long distance with Dillion and Eric, she wanted to be closer to Mer and loved the feel of Hayward. I told her it was all Mer, and she said she knew. Brighton hadn’t been the same without her.
Tonight was a big night for her. Not only to showcase her skills as a choreographer, but to allow her two worlds to meet. Milton, Rose, and Hope would be part of the audience, too.
Holden up-nodded the guard at the door, and he scanned us all in. I’d become a regular over the last two months and was on a first-name basis with most of the staff, unlike my best friend.
“Don’t miss Mer’s show later, George. It’s gonna be hot!”
“I’ll be there. Everyone is fighting for spots, but I was lucky enough to win one,” he said, smiling at Mer. “Good luck tonight.”
“Thanks, George.”
The three of us headed into a room off to the side once Holden unlocked it. Hendrix had given Mer a small room to use for costumes, equipment, and to keep her personal things. Though I think he’d discovered we would sneak off at times to fuck, and he didn’t want a lawsuit on his hands, so he’d given her a room with a lock.
I wasn’t one-hundred percent positive. Just a hunch.
The next hour flew by as we helped Mer prep the dancers behind the stage. There was a flurry of movement as girls and a few guys walked past in costume. Hope peeked behind the curtain and stepped through when she spotted us.
“They’re here.”
Mer swallowed, nodding her head like a bobble doll. Hope squeezed her hand. They’d grown closer, their bond healing as Hope continued to show with action that she indeed was sorry for the person she’d been. Hope had gotten into the University of Santa Barbara on the west coast, and would be leaving after the Rose Bowl. I was happy she had the chance to make her own way and start fresh.
After the encounter with their dad at the Homecoming parade, Hope had asked Holden and Rose to attend bi-weekly appointments with her therapist for family sessions. Holden had been hesitant, but after Mer said she’d see someone to process the stalker ordeal, he’d relented. He’d been hounding her to talk to someone after she kept waking up from nightmares. They’d both healed a lot from the sessions, and Rose, Hope, and Holden had grown closer as a family by letting go of the pain they’d all held onto.
I’d even reached out to my parents, thinking maybe they’d changed over the past four years, but their response to my life choices was what I’d expected. They didn’t accept me, so I cut them off for good. When we got married, I’d change my name, too. I didn’t want to be a Donovan anymore. My future was with them.
“You got this, sweetheart.” I kissed her briefly, and Holden followed suit as we exited the stage and took the booth with Rose, Milton, and Hope.
Holden shifted his pocket as he sat down, the ring box catching my eye. I smirked at it, excited we’d chosen to ask her tonight. With everything that had happened after Homecoming, we’d put it off. The game no longer felt like the right place, and we didn’t want something as big as starting our life together to be tainted by what had happened.
The lights dimmed, and the music began as the first dancers took the stage. The room quieted, everyone sitting on the edge of their seats while waiting for the dance to start. I spotted the judges at the center table, their faces in rapt attention.
Lights flashed in time to music as the dancers moved. Mer had tried to tell me the dance styles in each number, but they seemed to enter a black hole in my head, and I could never remember. It was probably because she got so excited whenever she talked about dancing that I just gazed at her in awe and didn’t actually hear what she said.
Glancing at the program, I found the song: “Change” by Kodi Lee. I loved the lyrics, and knew Mer did, too. She always picked music that had a meaning to it.
With each thump, thump, the dancers hit the stage with their feet and slid. I loved how they moved as one, their shape ever-changing and forming. When one of them popped out of the middle and fell backward in a weird trust fall, everyone gasped as they were caught, and the group moved like a wave. Constantly shifting and changing as they flowed to the song. The applause was loud when they finished, and every dancer beamed as they bowed and exited the stage.
“That was a strong showing for her hip-hop number,” Hope said, biting her nail and jiggling her leg.
“Are you worried?”
She stopped biting her nails and glanced at me. “No. Not really. I want this for her. She deserves it.”
“Which number is next?” I asked.
“Jazz. Then contemporary.”
“And you’re sure these are all different types of dance?” I teased.
“Watch and see.” She smiled, her nerves gone.
A piano player came out and sat at the bench, playing an intro before the lights flashed and the dancers appeared as if from thin air.
“I introduced her to this song,” Holden said, smiling.
“What is it?”
“Shadows” by Livingston.”
The dancers were in black body suits, their bodies tilting and bending into positions I didn’t know were possible. When they all spun out their legs in a circle, I watched in amazement, like I did every time. The routine was amazing, in my opinion. Even if I didn’t know how much time Mer had put into it, I’d be enraptured. The dancers took you on a journey, and I willingly followed.
They bowed and exited, the stage going completely dark this time. One spotlight lit the middle of the stage, and a dancer dressed in a white gauzy skirt bent over at the middle. They moved as the lyrics began, opening up like a flower. Their movements were graceful and slow, but then the music changed, and they transformed.
“It’s Mer,” I whispered in awe. She hadn’t told us she was dancing. Holden sat up, his eyes locked.
Her skirt was pulled by another dancer, and she spun out in the other direction and revealed a new layer. It sparkled like embers, matching the chorus of the song “Burn” by Tom Walker. She was joined by the rest of the group, dressed in similar outfits now, and they danced with such passion I didn’t want to blink, afraid I’d miss something. It truly was breathtaking as they all converged, dancing so in sync that it was much like Holden’s art piece—an optical illusion.
It was quiet when it ended, as if everyone needed a second to digest the last few seconds before they could respond. Applause erupted, the entire room standing as they clapped and cheered for the dancers on the stage. The lights flicked on, and they all came out onto the stage and bowed, holding hands together. Someone walked out with daisies, handing them to Mer. She blushed but took them. Thank God we’d made sure no one brought roses. After a minute, they all backed up and bowed to Mer. She covered her mouth, shaking her head as her cheeks reddened.
The music switched over to soft tones, and the lights came back up. The dancers stepped off the stage, mingling with their friends in the crowd. One of the judges stood and walked over to where Mer stood on the stage. Holden and I shared a glance before walking over. We caught the tail end of the conversation, but it appeared promising. Mer smiled when she spotted us .
“You didn’t tell us you were dancing.”
“I wanted it to be a surprise. I was nervous enough.”
“You were amazing, Mer. What did the judge say?”
“The final decision won’t be made until they’ve seen all the finalists, but,” she smiled, pausing, “they were very encouraging and said I’d be hearing from them soon.”
“Yes!” I picked her up, lifting her into my arms.
“Please tell me we can go home now,” Holden murmured, leaning into her back, effectively trapping her between us.
“Yes. Take me home.”
By some miracle, we managed to say our goodbyes and exited Club Ember within ten minutes. Holden made me drive home this time, but to his dismay, Mer had sat in the front seat with me. The three of us were quiet, the drain of the day taking its toll. Holden gave me a look in the rearview mirror to stall when we arrived.
“Mer, we haven’t checked the mail in a few days. Do you mind walking down to the box with me?”
“Oh, do you think your admission letter might be there?”
“Maybe.” I shrugged. I’d actually gotten two already. One had a partial scholarship, and the other had a full. It was further away from Hayward, though, so I didn’t know if I wanted to take it. I still had two more schools to hear from. In a best-case scenario, I got into a school close to Mer, and Holden got drafted to a team close as well. Somehow, I didn’t think we were that lucky.
Mer walked with me to the next building, where the postbox for our two buildings was located. I pulled out my key and unlocked our box, tugging out the envelopes. Mer took them out of my hands before I could see, her face lighting up when she spotted them.
“It’s a big envelope. That’s a good sign.”
I glanced at the label. “And it’s only two hours from here.” I tore into it as we walked, my eyes eagerly scanning the pages. I’d been offered a decent scholarship and fellowship opportunity. I’d still have to pay some out of pocket, but it might be worth it to not be so far away from the love of my life.
“Is it good?”
“Yeah. It’s good.” I smiled, and she clapped in excitement. We hurried up the steps, and I paused at the door, knocking so Holden knew we were entering. Mer gave me an odd look, but didn’t comment.
The apartment was dark when we entered, only the glow of the LED candles we’d set up earlier. They had a remote control, making it easier for Holden to light them all simultaneously.
“What?” Mer gasped as she took in the scene.
I placed the mail on the table and dropped to one knee next to Holden.
“Will you marry me, Wildcat?”
“Will you marry me, Merbear?”
Mer dropped to her knees, throwing her arms around us and pulling us into a hug. Tears fell down her face, and she clutched us both tight. I’d never felt so happy, but then I realized she hadn’t answered.
“Is that a yes?” I asked nervously.
“A hundred yeses.”
“Fucking right,” Holden said, his shoulders relaxing. “I’d planned to do it after Homecoming, but fuckface had to mess that up. So Colter and I decided to wait until it was right. Tonight felt like that night.”
“Our lives are moving, some in different directions, but it’s not going to change how we feel about you. Whether it takes four years before we all walk down the aisle or we do it next week, we don’t care. We want you to know that you’re ours, and we’re yours. Always.”
“I love you, Wildcat.”
“I love you, Mer.”
“I love you both. I didn’t think this day could get better, but you do this.” She sucked in a breath. “You really mean it? Us together, forever?”
“Forever, Wildcat.”
“What he said.”
Mer laughed, and Holden slipped the ring on her finger. Then, we reminded Mer why having two men love you was the way to go.
We didn’t know what the future held for us as I headed to veterinary school, Holden the NFL, and Mer with her choreography, but it didn’t matter. Because we would be together.
Forever.