Chapter 15
SIEGE
“Want me to get you some chips?”
I had my arm wrapped around my little vixen, having just watched her devour her food at the cafeteria, and boy, did she finish fast.
Was it a little weird that it turned me on so much at the thought that this girl could probably beat me in an eating contest? I think so.
“Nah, I’m good. I feel like I’m going to pop any second now,” she said, the hunger satiated as she leaned sideways against me, showing signs of a food coma.
“Should I buy soda, then?” Dex asked from the other side of the table since it was my turn today to sit beside her. She didn’t want Nero to sit on one side by himself once he joined our little table, so she would always make sure one of us was sitting with Nero on one side.
Speaking of the devil…
“Hey,” he greeted, setting his tray down beside Dex’s, and he stalled for a moment as he caught sight of Cosette’s empty plate before he finally sat down. “You done?”
“Yeah,” she said in a yawn before turning her head to look at Dex. “I will take that offer, by the way. Can you please buy me a can?”
With no hesitation whatsoever, Dex rose to his feet in an instant, as if he had been snapped away with a finger. I’m pretty sure that if this were a cartoon, he would leave an outline of a shadow where he used to be, and a trail of smoke behind him with how quickly he sprung to action.
It seems we’ve toughened up all our lives just for a sweet girl to make us melt into big marshmallows.
I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself at how whipped my brother was these days, and that seemed to have caught both Nero and my little vixen’s attention.
As I shook my head, I decided to change the subject, hoping it would help conceal the thoughts that were running through my mind.
“So, what’s with the numbers painted on girls’ cheeks today?”
There. I think it has something to do with the homecoming game tonight, so this might be a good icebreaker for Nero and me.
I have to say, I’ve found it quite a challenge for me to rein in my primal urges to be possessive, not just with Dex, but with Nero, too. Seeing them make her happy in their own ways has been helping loads, though.
“It’s tradition for the homecoming game.” Cosette was the first to explain, since Nero was still chewing on his food, but he continued for her once he was done and able to talk.
“Every player asks a girl to put his number on their cheek for good luck, usually the girlfriend, if they have one. If we win, the girls with the numbers on their cheeks rush down to the field and celebrate with us, then pour water over our heads. If we lose, a non-water beverage, and it has to be sticky. Kind of a punishment of some sort, but it’s all fun. ”
I nodded, the corners of my mouth beginning to curl upward into a smirk I couldn’t contain.
How could I not stir the pot when the opportunity’s right there?
“And who did you ask for yours?”
Nero stopped chewing for a second as he kept his eyes on the table before raising his head to look at Cosette, whose head was resting on my shoulder.
I felt her tense up beside me, just as Nero broke their eye contact and continued to chew what was in his mouth, only lifting his head again to level with my gaze once he could talk.
“For the past three years, Andy did it without question,” he said. “But obviously that’s not the case now, so…”
Dex had the worst timing ever, as he got back from the vending machine, handing Cosette a can of diet soda.
“What are you guys talking about?” He immediately asked, both palms on the table, as Cosette straightened up from cozily leaning on me.
“I was just going to ask Cosette if I could put my jersey number on her cheek.”
Dex made a face of confusion for a quick second before it registered to him about the odd number of girls he’s seen today with writings on their cheeks.
“Homecoming game tradition,” I caught him up, and he nodded. He never really cared for sports that didn’t involve networking for the elite. Golf, billiards, even polo one time. Those were more our thing.
“Of course it’s okay to have your number on my cheek,” my little vixen said, her voice soft as she put her bag on her lap, the zipper creaking slightly as she pulled the tab open to search for something inside.
After finding a marker, she closed her backpack and set it beside her on the bench with a soft thud. Although I could tell this was a tense situation for her, it seemed she was also somewhat thrilled as she slid the marker towards Nero, and she leaned her upper body over the table.
With a casual motion, Nero took the marker, removed its cap unceremoniously, and then he leaned closer toward my little vixen, preparing to write his number on her cheek.
Fourteen.
Out of pure habit whenever Nero and Cosette did something ‘friendly’ these days, my eyes flitted to Dex.
His face was straight, remaining cool, but I could tell what’s going on in his mind.
Are you seeing this shit?
For someone whose only task was to write the numbers one and four on another person’s cheek, he seemed to be very close to her. I’m talking ‘she-can-probably-feel-his-breath-against-her-cheek’ close.
“There. Thanks, C,” Nero said, pulling away and clearing his throat before quickly returning to his lunch.
“No problem,” said my little vixen, who was pretending to stay unaffected by her long-time crush asking her to do something so territorial.
I grabbed the soda that Dex bought, pulled the tab and opened it for her. “Here, little vixen. Looks like you need it. Weren’t you thirsty?”
Nero almost choked on his food at my playful teasing, standing up quickly and unexpectedly. “I’m going to grab a soda, too,” he said before walking away, leaving his backpack behind to let us know that he’s coming back.
“You guys are so mean,” Cosette said, leaning back against me with my arm going around her waist yet again.
We’re mean?
We’re not the ones already in a relationship and still flirting with another guy, right in front of our boyfriend.
Or boyfriends, in her case.
“Are you mad?” Cosette asked as she pressed her cheek against my biceps, looking up at me.
“No.” And I meant it.
I wish I could say I was. I wish I really had the strength to tell her to get rid of the feelings she has for Dex and Nero.
But I also wish that she could just be selfish. Tell me she wants more guys. That she wants a whole harem like in the books she read on her Kindle. Because maybe then I can be selfish, too.
With the way she’s still fighting her attraction to Nero, though? Always making sure I’m okay whenever she’s acting loveydovey with Dex and that she’s staying mindful to give me love and attention without me feeling like I only own part of her heart?
Those efforts are just making me want her to stay as happy as she can be.
So, even if I sit here all day, with her exchanging shy, flirtatious looks and actions with Nero, I’m sucking it up. Having her in my arms, feeling her side against mine, knowing I’m still in her heart just like Dex and Nero probably are—that’s enough.
She smiled a beaming grin up at me, leaning upwards to give me a kiss on the cheek.
I could feel her hesitate for a bit, but it was understandable she didn’t give me a peck on the lips with how out in the public we currently were.
And despite everything that we’ve done, my little vixen is still a sweet and good girl.
“Siege may not be mad, but I’m mad jealous, sweetie,” Dex said, with a raised brow and a slight smirk on his face.
Cosette turned her attention to him, chuckling as she met his freak. “Yeah? Can I interest you in some sexy alone time in return?” She asked, making me huff out a chuckle, impressed at how well she could control us.
I don’t even know if she’s aware of it or not.
I saw Dex’s expression change in an instant, and for a few seconds, he looked completely dumbfounded before he quickly recovered, his eyes darkening afterwards.
“Tempting, but no,” he started once he got over the brief malfunction in his mind. “However, I’ll need you to clear your schedule for me tomorrow at noon. We’re buying you your homecoming dress.”
Cosette could only nod, humming, before she gave Dex a look holding so much meaning that only they could understand as she said, “As long as it’s going to be the same store we went to before.”
Dex let out a hearty laugh.
“What is it?” I asked, wanting to know. I’m used to having inside jokes with my little vixen, and I’m used to having inside jokes with Dex. Being out of the loop was annoying.
“Nothin’, brother. Let’s just say our girl has her own jealous tendencies.”
They’re still holding each other’s gaze, and I rolled my eyes, letting them be in their own little world.
“Whatever.”
Weirdos.