Chapter 16
COSETTE
Ishouldn’t overthink this, right?
As I gazed in the mirror and saw the reflection of a large number marked on my cheek, a sensation of warmth washed over my skin.
Nero’s jersey number.
I’ve wished for this day to come for years.
Did it really have to be now when I already have two boyfriends?
God, I’m sorry for this treacherous heart of mine.
Taking a deep breath, I moved away from the sink, and as luck would have it, Andy was coming into the bathroom right when I was planning to go.
Her eyes immediately took in the writing on my cheek, and I was reduced to nothing but the girl who still loved her best friend as I tried to reach for her wrist. “Dy.”
“Do not fucking touch me,” she immediately said, pulling her hand away from mine at the contact as if my touch burned her skin.
I hated how she still affected me. Even after everything, I still craved for us to go back to what we were like before. I still longed for the Andy who was like a sister to me.
Is it really impossible to get that back?
From the way her hands were balled into fists, and considering the expression on her face, I could tell she wanted to hurt me. Maybe physically.
“Don’t do it. You know who’s waiting for me outside,” I mumbled, resignation in my voice.
I know it was a cowardly thing to say, relying on Dex and Siege being outside that I can just scream for them, but what Nero said way before was right.
Violence was not my thing, and the fact that I resorted to that in the past was out of character.
I was just hurt and in such a bad headspace before that I slapped her.
But now that everything’s good on my side? I couldn’t bring myself to do it. To fight back if she were to hurt me. So, yeah, call me a chicken, but I’d rather Siege and Dex burst through that door because of my screaming so they can hold her back, than lay another hand on her.
She’s going through enough, losing both Eli and Nero. Losing me.
Who’s even on your side right now, Dy?
Upon hearing what I said, it is likely that she decided it wasn’t worth the trouble, or maybe—just maybe—she didn’t want to hurt me too just like I didn’t want to. But I know that’s just wishful thinking.
As she passed, Andy settled for giving my shoulder a rough shove with her own before disappearing into one of the cubicles.
I try not to think about how she smelled of weed, and how she looked horrible as I made my way out of the bathroom.
“You okay?” Dex asked, the two seemingly closer to the door than they were earlier. My suspicions as to why were validated as he followed up with, “We saw Andy come in.”
I nodded, forcing a smile. “Yeah, but she’s really not happy about this,” I said, pointing to my cheek.
“I bet you are, though,” Siege teased with a smirk, and all thoughts of Andy left my mind as I continued to overthink about what my guys think about me agreeing to it.
Surely, they won’t call me names like slut or whore in their minds, right? Definitely not. They’ll probably even hesitate if I tell them to call me that in bed. And trust me, I’ve thought about it.
What? I’m a smut girly. I’m open to… trying various things.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” I said in a low voice, like I was convincing myself as much as I was trying to convince them.
The three of us walked through the hallways from my quick restroom break after our last class for the day.
“Your relentless teasing aside, you guys are coming to watch the homecoming game, right? It’s Nero’s last game as a high school QB,” I said, hooking my arm with Siege while I laced my fingers with Dex on the other side.
“Sounds good to me,” Siege said with a shrug, before looking at Dex, and so I followed his gaze.
“If you two will be there, then I’m coming,” Dex said, but I can see that he’s not thrilled about it.
Siege doesn’t look like he’s excited, but still, I know that he’d been trying really hard to make Nero feel like he’s one of us.
It just makes me wonder if Siege is doing it for my sake because he knows of my feelings for Nero.
Goddammit, Nero.
Why couldn’t you have gotten other female friends?
Oh, that’s right, because Andy forbade you to.
“Thank you.”
Just like Bloody Mary, I probably mentioned Nero’s name in my head one too many times that he came up from behind us, his backpack slung over one shoulder.
“Are you all watching tonight’s game?” He asked, and I’m so glad that we just talked about it.
I don’t want him to feel like the two are just getting forced because he was asking. For some reason, I sensed some nervousness from Nero. I think it’s because I’m used to him being so confident all the time that the way he asked the question immediately threw me off.
“Yep. Is your mom coming? She should sit with us,” I offered with a smile on my face, although I have no idea if I should introduce Siege and Dex to her as my boyfriends.
I’m not ashamed to say that.
I just didn’t want her to think less of me. She’s basically the closest to a mom I’ve ever had, no matter how many times I told Andy that it’s not in a ‘mother-in-law’ type of way.
“She is. I’m sure she’ll find you, don’t worry about it.”
I nodded with a smile before an awkward silence befell upon us again.
“So, are you nervous?”
Are we really going to start some small talk, Cosette?
“Actually, I didn’t expect I would be since we already beat Saint Thomas. But I am. I think it’s just because it’s my very last high school football game,” Nero said, making all three of us nod.
I sucked in my cheek, biting at the inside before I clicked my tongue at the silence.
God, please, why is this so awkward?
“Well, good luck. I know you’ll do great,” I said finally, curling my hand into a fist before I hesitantly bumped it against his shoulder.
Did I really just bro-fist his shoulder?
“Okay, I think we need to go out to the field and secure some good seats.” I circled Siege and Dex’s wrists before I forced a wide smile towards Nero, already walking backwards to exit the school.
“See you out there!” I called out, and Nero nodded, scratching his nape as he lifted a hand for a wave.
I fully turned around, not wanting to look at him any second longer as I felt my cheeks warm, and I know I’m imagining it but the writing he left on my skin felt like it was burning.
“Smooth,” I heard Dex teasingly chortle at me, and I could only roll my eyes.
When will I get over this childish crush on Nero?
Or is the real question ‘will I’?
It wasn’t really a surprise that Fallen Oaks won.
Nero has proved once again that the high school football world is his, and we’re just living in it.
Everyone was so hyped up about the win that I almost forgot about my duties.
I was taken aback for a bit when Nero directly made eye contact with me from my place in the aisle, and he made a gesture of a hand over his head. My brows furrowed, and I looked at the other players, seeing their chosen girls were already pouring water over their heads.
I immediately opened my backpack, grabbed my water bottle, and ran down the steps with it in my hand. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have put ice on it this morning!”
But really, I was laughing hard because I know it’s going to be freezing cold.
Insulated water bottles for the win!
I pushed on the button that flipped the cap back, and then I poured all of the icy water on Nero’s head.
“Oh, you little shit,” he was shaking his head as the water cascaded down from his now wet hair, and I knew he was feeling the cold while I continued my loud cackles.
“You think this is funny?” Nero said suddenly, looking up at me as I emptied out my bottle, even dropping the tiniest cubes of ice on him. He was moving closer and closer, and my eyes widened as I took steps back.
“Hey, hey! What are you doing?” I asked with a hint of panic in my voice as I started to walk faster as he did.
Before I could even run, he had already grabbed my waist with both hands, and I was fighting for dear life as he shook his head, the icy water going everywhere on me.
The cold bit at my skin, but I knew his suffering was far more severe.
Until he bent down to level his head with mine to rub his hair against me, getting my skin and the top of my shirt wet. “Combs! It’s so cold!”
I was laughing hard, trying to push him away, but what did I have on a big football player with so much adrenaline after winning a game?
Once Nero was satisfied with my state and shivering, he pulled away just enough to look at me with a smirk on his face.
His arm was around me, our faces inches apart, and I was captivated by the beauty of his eyes, which shone just as brightly as they did under the porch light the night we met.
And just like that night, he had his eyes trained on me again. Just me.
The only difference from that night? Even when I could hear and feel people approaching us to congratulate Nero, he didn’t look away.
He didn’t look away like before when Andy caught his attention as she appeared behind me on the stairs the night we met.
This time, for the very first time, Nero Combs kept his gaze on me.