Chapter 19
NERO
The whole thing was absurd.
But from the squeals of the girls in front of the stage, I think it’s a fair exchange.
I’d do anything to avoid having to do a fucking dance with Andy.
I nodded at the enthusiasm, holding a hand up as if I was telling them to hang on for a second to go to the left end of the stage, asking for them to pull up a song that I’ve been listening a lot to these days.
Not only because it was catchy, but because it made me think of Cosette and our whole situation.
From her spot in the middle of the stage, Andy walked over to me as the AV club guy prepared the instrumental version of the song on YouTube.
“You can’t just suddenly change things, Nero. You’re ruining homecoming,” she said in a whine.
Disregarding her, I made my way to the front of the microphone stand, and at the moment the initial musical notes played from the speakers, an eruption of excitement swept through the audience.
I started to sing, giving Andy one last confident look to rub it in that no one but her cares.
I’m not ruining homecoming. I was just ruining her night.
Cosette’s wide smile and thumbs-up towards me were a sharp contrast to Andy’s bratty exit as she stomped off the stage while I continued to rasp out the first verse.
Despite my efforts to look away, my gaze was inevitably drawn back to C. I thought, to hell with it, and watched her close her eyes, her arms lifting gracefully as she moved to the beat while I sang the chorus.
Is she getting that this song is for her?
With the way her smile never faded, and she was bobbing her head without care, I don’t think she did.
It was my fault for keeping her in the friend zone for years.
If I were in her shoes, why would I assume that my guy best friend would sing a song to me as a confession in front of a crowd? With my boyfriends around me, even.
Yet even if I knew she didn’t view this performance in that way, I sang the line engraved in my mind whenever I thought about her relationship with Siege and Dex.
“I could treat you so much better. I’ve known you forever. Figured you out.”
It didn’t land.
Because she, along with everyone else, screamed the next lyrics of the chorus.
With every word ripped straight from my heart, I poured my feelings into the song until it finally ended with the room being filled with claps.
It was a success as an attempt to avoid Andy, but at the same time, it didn’t serve as the confession I thought it obviously was.
I went down the stage, and I walked back towards C, and she was squealing, jumping on her feet as she complimented my singing.
“Oh my goodness, Combs! I didn’t know you could sing like that!” She looked so happy, eyes wide and her pupils blown. “That was so good that I think I need to go pee.”
Siege looked at her weirdly, probably thinking it was a weird expression to come out of her mouth.
“No, seriously. I need to go. Be right back!”
Then she was running out of the gym, through the hallways, to find a restroom.
The silence was deafening as I stood in a circle with the guys, my heart pounding in my chest until Dex spoke.
“Really? You’re just going to try to steal my idea, steal my girl with said stolen idea, thinking I wouldn’t notice?” He asked, but I could almost swear there wasn’t any heat in his words.
Hell, it even sounded like he was teasing me.
“With a song that talked shit about us not knowing her enough, mind you,” Siege added, and I couldn’t help but cringe inwardly.
Was it stupid to sing to Cosette in front of his two boyfriends? Yes.
Was I regretting doing it? Fuck no. She looked at me like I was the only guy in the room when I was on that stage.
Was it crazy to think that she’d get the hint and expect her to run to me the second I got offstage, declaring that it’s been me all along and that we’re going to get our happy ever after, just the two of us? Women were forced to get lobotomies for less.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. It was just a song.”
I pushed past them, heading to get more punch because boy, did my throat get dry from that. Not just because I was nervous of what C’s reaction would be, but also because I realized I’m in football for a reason, and not a goddamn singer.
“You have to actually ask her, you know? You can’t just sing to her and expect that’s it,” Siege said, continuing the conversation I was trying to escape, but apparently he followed me to the buffet table, him and Dex surrounding me.
“Ask her what?” I asked, feigning ignorance as I poured myself a generous amount of fruit punch.
Lifting the cup near my lips, I paused, looked at Dex, before I brought the cup towards him, silently asking for him to take out his flask again.
“Stealing my girl, and my alcohol,” he said in a grumble under his breath, but he pulled the metal out of his blazer inner pocket and poured the last of it into my cup anyway.
“Shut up about it already. I’m not stealing anything,” I said, getting huffy because Cosette really seemed to miss that the song was for her.
I saw Dex and Siege exchange a glance over the rim of my cup, and I flipped them the finger as I downed the drink in one go.
“So, you don’t want the chance then?” Siege asked, and I knew I’d had enough alcohol if my vision was blurring with one whip of my head to look at him.
“What chance?”
“The chance to see what would happen if you asked her out,” Dex said, pinning me with his glare.
I gulped, my grasp on the empty red cup effectively crushing it as Cosette finally came back, a wide smile on her face, the colorful lights from the venue making her look as radiant as ever. “What are you guys talking about? I’m ready. Let’s dance again.”
She turned to me, her hair framing her face in the most beautiful way I’ve seen it do, and her face looking as good with makeup on as much as it did when it was just her bare skin.
It wasn’t the alcohol that was making me think about wanting to kiss her.
I don’t know how it happened, or when it happened, but the truth that I was in love with my best friend came barrelling at me.
With one last look at the guys, I gave them a subtle nod before I took C’s hand to lead her towards the dance floor.
I wanted it. Wanted the chance they were offering.
Because, God help me, I want her.