Chapter 20
COSETTE
Nero’s been acting really weird these days.
I don’t know if it’s because Andy has gone MIA in school since homecoming, probably embarrassed that she didn’t get to dance with Nero, or perhaps something more dangerous.
While I don’t consider her a friend anymore, I still hope it’s the former for her safety.
The football season’s over, so there’s no reason to go to school early today. Maybe Nero actually went to check on her, worrying about her like I was?
“What’s wrong?” Siege asked in a concerned whisper from behind me, making me shake my head and duck to get into the car’s backseat before he closed the door. Siege took his seat in front, with Dex driving us to school this morning.
Because my dad had returned from his trip, our month of living together was over, so they drove from their rental to get here today.
Nero and I picked my dad up from the airport last night, and that’s partly the reason why it was bothering me when he texted me an hour ago that he can’t drive me to school this morning.
I had to set up multiple alarms with ten-minute intervals because we got home at around midnight, and instead of being late, he’s off earlier than usual. Isn’t that fishy?
“Did Nero tell you where he’s going?” I asked, looking over the Combs’ house, staring down their driveway as if it could give me an answer why his pickup’s not there.
Instead of answering me right away, Dex and Siege exchanged looks before the latter shook his head with an unconvincing, “Not really.”
I tugged on my seatbelt and leaned forward, putting myself between them.
“Stop it. Don’t lie to me. I saw you three talking yesterday by my locker while waiting for me,” I said, getting a bit more irritated. “Are you giving him jobs?”
“No, little vixen. We’re not dragging him into Azul business, okay? Not without letting you know, I promise,” Siege said, turning to me and reaching for my hand, which was now on the center console, squeezing it to reassure me.
My lips pursed, getting silent for the rest of the drive, but I decided to let it go by the time we were parked. I could always just ask Nero head-on why he’s being weird. Asking Dex and Siege if Nero told them would mean I’m avoiding having to ask him.
I was so fixated on forming the question I wanted to ask Nero in my head while walking through the hallways that I was missing telltale signs of what today was until I opened my locker.
Inside the small metallic rectangular space were two bouquets.
One was of dark red roses. The other, blue peonies.
Looking around, I see other guys in the hallway giving their girlfriends their own bouquets.
It was Valentine’s Day.
I finally turned around to face the presence I felt behind me, and I smiled at Dex and Siege, feeling bad that I had let them face my bad mood this morning.
“I didn’t get you guys anything, I forgot,” I said, embarrassment obvious in my voice.
Way to ruin your first Valentine’s in a relationship, Cosette. Just great.
“Day’s not over, sweetie. I’m not suggesting anything, but all I’m saying is that you managed to fool around with Siege here at school in the past, and we haven’t done that yet,” Dex said, effectively making me laugh and my hand moved on its own to swat him with the blue bouquet.
I looked around quickly, seeing everyone’s too busy with their own little Valentine’s celebrations that I gave both my men a chaste, soft kiss.
“Thank you for the flowers. You didn’t have to, but let’s be honest, if I knew it was Valentine’s and we didn’t celebrate, you’d be getting the silent treatment. ”
Siege and Dex only smirked at me before helping me put the bouquet back into the locker so we could get to class.
I would’ve loved to parade those bouquets the whole day.
Not to rub it in anyone’s face that I got two, but only because they were beautiful and I was proud of them.
I decided against it, though, because it’s going to be inconvenient, and we’d just raise more suspicion that I’m dating these two if they walked next to me with bouquets in their hands.
Of course, in my head, they’re going to be carrying it for me from class to class because I’m their girl, right? Princess treatment, and all.
Siege, Dex, and I sat in our first class, then the second, then the third, and by the time lunch came, I was itching to see Nero and ask him where he had been this morning.
“Here,” Dex said as he placed the tray of food down in front of me, before he and Siege went to sit on the bench opposite mine.
That’s…
“Weird. Neither of you wants to sit beside me today?” I asked in a teasing tone, raising an eyebrow at their unusual behavior.
Whenever they could, they would run at the opportunity to take the seat next to me unless I’m telling one of them to sit beside Nero instead so he won’t be lonely.
The two didn’t even answer me before my senses started tingling because of the hush that took over the cafeteria, and the gossipy girl in me looked around immediately to look for what Valentine’s surprise of which couple caught everyone’s attention.
Oh, it’s just Nero.
With a bouquet.
Wait— what?
My eyes darted across the room, seeking Andy, but before I could finish, Nero appeared at our table.
I chuckled nervously, looking up at him and his bouquet of yellow lilies. It was suspiciously similar to the arrangement and wraps of Dex and Siege’s bouquets, only differing in the type of flowers and their colors.
I stared at Nero, my eyebrows practically touching my hairline, mirroring my surprise.
Why the hell is he just standing there?
He still didn’t speak, only hesitantly moving his hand holding the flowers closer to me.
Oookay. Take the hint, Cosette. It’s for you.
Don’t act so surprised. It’s tradition.
That’s right. Every Valentine’s Day since I met Nero Combs, he’s given me flowers. Of course, it’s not like the bouquet he was giving me now. No, Andy gets the bouquet while I get three stems wrapped in newspaper.
And I wonder why I continued loving Nero for years, even if it was unrequited, when he would do such things just so I wouldn’t feel left out when he gave Andy flowers.
“Thank you, Combs. You don’t have to do this anymore, though. I have boyfriends now to do that,” I said jokingly, with yet another nervous chuckle, side-eyeing said boyfriends.
Boyfriends who are looking at me with their lips curled at the corners.
Nero’s chest moved under his white shirt, almost like he’s taking a deep breath and steeling himself before I watched his lips move as he said, “I’m not doing this out of habit, C. These aren’t flowers for my best friend anymore. Not like before, no.”
With one glance at the guys on the bench in front of mine—did they just fucking nod at Nero—he then met mine again.
“I’m asking you out on a date.”