Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Cora
Pulling my jacket over my shoulders, I hear Noah hopping down the last of the stairs. “Hey, kiddo. You ready to go?”
“Yup.” He’s holding the new bag we picked up after school. Matt wasn’t kidding when he said they didn’t need much. We grabbed some shin guards and a water bottle, and then Noah spent thirty-five minutes deciding on cleats.
“Okay. I’ll drop you at the park for practice, run to the store, and then Matt said he’ll bring you home. I’ll have dinner ready by then.” I glance at my watch. If we don’t leave soon, we’ll be late. “Let’s go, bud.”
Locking the front door, I shiver as the wind picks up. It’s going to be an early winter if this keeps up. Rushing down to the car, I’m relieved to see Noah in his seat, waiting for me.
“Are you warm enough? Will you need a coat? Do you know where the park is?” I ask before I back the car out.
“Yes, no, and yes. Dane said that it’s not far from the coffee shop. They have a climbing wall and everything. Can we hang out after?”
“Not today. Remember, Matt’s bringing you guys home, and then I’ll feed everyone. We can always do it another day. I think we have a little time before it gets really cold.”
“Okay,” Noah agrees quietly. There’s a beat of silence until Noah asks, “Is Matt your boyfriend, Cora?”
“No! Why would you think that?”
He shifts nervously. “I just wondered. He likes you. Dane says he talks about you a lot.”
Matt’s always friendly to me, but I thought he was that way with everyone. How do I explain this to a seven-year-old?
“Noah, Matt and I are just friends. You’re the number one guy in my life. Always.” I reach back and ruffle his hair a bit and then laugh when he shoves my hand away.
“Okay, fine. But he stares at you and smiles. It’s weird.”
Now it’s my turn to laugh. “I don’t know about all that, Noah, but Matt and I are friends. That’s it. I’m just making dinner because we have to eat, and it would be rude if I just sent them away after they brought you home.”
“I guess it’d be kind of rude. Can Dane spend the night?”
“Nice try. It’s a school night. You know the rules.”
“It was worth a shot.”
Rolling my eyes, I take the last turn into the park.
Looking around as I drive past some tennis and basketball courts, I notice a chunk of grassy area.
Towards the top, I see nets and kids. Doing a quick scan, I find Matt and some kids running around.
Perfect. Parking my car, I hop out and grab his bag.
“You sure you got this, Noah? I know you love sports and all, but are you ready for this?”
He looks at me, slightly confused. “Yeah. What’s not to get? I kick the ball and score goals.”
Laughing, I agree, “Okay. Just making sure.”
“Hey, guys!” I turn and see Matt walking towards us. He’s wearing a hoodie, and joggers with a beanie. There’s a group of ten or so kids running around on a field behind him, but his eyes are fixed on me. The grin that spreads across his face makes me think back to Noah’s question on the way over.
“Shouldn’t you be wearing cleats?” I ask him, pointing to his sneakers.
“Ha. Funny. I don’t need cleats. These work just fine.”
“Then why did I need cleats?” Noah asks.
“Because”—Matt smiles down at him—“they help you run through the field easier, and all players have to wear them. Plus, they protect your feet.” The way he says it is so matter of fact. He’s not talking down to him, more like sharing an inside secret. “Besides, they look cool.”
Noah looks down at his neon green and silver cleats, then nods. “Yeah. Mine are cool. Later, Cora.” He waves and takes off.
Laughing, I watch as he joins Dane on the field. They really are like two peas in a pod. I hope soccer works out because Noah is the type to stick it out even if he’s miserable.
“Looks like you have a lively group over there. Good luck with that.”
“Luck’s got nothing to do with it. I have the whistle.” Matt holds up a small metal whistle attached to a lanyard.
“Does the whistle really work on them, though?”
He tilts his head as if contemplating the answer. “Well, I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?” He laughs. “Hey, Cora, I was thinking.”
“Matt! I’m bored,” Dane yells from the field.
Saved by a seven-year-old.
When Matt turns to glare at his brother, I almost laugh at his expression until I notice Noah. He’s standing next to Dane, and the whole team is watching us.
“I should probably go. I’ll see you later. Have fun.”
“Bye, Cora. See you soon.” He smiles and then jogs toward the kids. “Alright! Who wants to run laps since everyone seems to have all this energy?” he shouts.
All the kids groan and shout in disagreement. Better them than me.
I’ve just gotten dinner finished when I hear the front door slam open. “Cora!” Noah’s voice booms through the house.
“In here,” I holler back. “How was practice?” After setting a salad bowl on the table, I turn to find a dirty-faced Noah, along with Dane and Matt. “What happened to your face?”
“Nothing.” Noah grins, then runs out of the kitchen with Dane hot on his trail.
“He’s fine. Just took a bit of a slide. He and one of the other kids collided. Noah went down face-first. No concussion.” Matt holds up his hand. “I promise.
I let out a small sigh. I was afraid of this. I swear he’s so accident-prone. “I hope it was a one-off. Noah was looking forward to playing with Dane.”
“What about me?”
“What about you?” I ask, confused.
“I figured Noah would be excited to have me as a coach. I’ve always loved sports,” Matt explains. “I was just one of those kids who wanted to try everything.” He shrugs and smiles. “I even played hockey for a bit.”
“You played hockey? I can’t picture that.”
Soccer, or even football, sure. That makes sense. But hockey? That’s a whole different type of game. I can’t imagine him skating or getting into fights with other players.
“Maybe we could check out a game sometime,” he suggests with a tinge of hope in his voice.
“I’ll think about it. I have an interview for a part-time job tomorrow. If I get that, I don’t know if I’ll have much time,” I remind him, turning around to grab some silverware.
“Oh,” Matt responds dejectedly. “That’s okay. I’ll look at the local team’s schedule and see if there’s one that works. I’m flexible. My family has season passes.”
“Sure,” I agree, even though I mean it more as a ‘sure, like that will ever happen’ thing, but he seems pleased by my answer.
I feel him close behind me before he asks, “Can I do anything to help?”
“Um, no. I think I got everything done. Why don’t you—”
“Is dinner ready? I’m starving,” Noah asks as he walks into the kitchen. He eyes Matt suspiciously. “What are you guys doing?”
“Nothin’.” Matt grabs the pasta bowl out of my hands. “Just helping Cora get everything to the table. You guys hungry?”
“I’m starving,” Dane cries.
Dane always has some sort of snack or treat when he’s over. The kid never gains any weight, but much like Noah, he’s a bottomless pit.
“Don’t worry, Dane.” I smile. “I won’t let you starve.”
Pushing the conversation with Matt out of my mind, I focus on Noah during dinner. I try to keep the topic on soccer and avoid Matt’s gazes. He’s a good friend, but I don’t have it in me for more.
Relationships are tricky, and I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize Dane and Noah’s friendship. Noah needs Dane’s friendship more than I need Matt as a boyfriend.
Sometimes I wish someone else were here to help lighten the load, but then again, just because someone else is here doesn’t mean the load would be lighter.
After my last relationship ended in disaster, I don’t think it’s possible to have someone who genuinely wants to be here, no matter how hard it gets.
Someone who is willing to wade through the ups and downs of my life, knowing the only thing they’re getting out of it is me and being satisfied with that.
I can’t shake the feeling that Matt would never be able to handle my life. He’s too good for someone like me and deserves more than what I can give.