9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Cody

He knows.

Maurice O’Brien knows I kissed his younger sister. That is the only reason I can think of why he’s calling me this early in the morning.

I stare at the name flashing across my phone and take a deep breath.

I knew I would have to own up to it at some point, I’m not the type of guy who sweeps things under the rug, but I thought I would have more than six hours to prepare myself. And, you know, clear the air with Stella before getting the shit kicked out of me by her older brother.

Fuck.

Squeezing my eyes closed, I press accept.

“Ellsworth! About damn time, since when does it take four rings for you to answer?” Mo’s booming voice fills my room, doing nothing to help the guilt clenching in my stomach.

Well, since I shoved my tongue down your sister’s throat last night and ravished her against a wall, I was a little nervous to take your call.

I wince against the thought, “Sorry man, I just woke up.”

“Well, well, well. Look who has finally learned how to sleep in.”

I can’t tell if Mo’s cheerfulness is just a strategy to draw me in and get me to drop my guard or if it’s genuine. My nerves are shot and now I’m questioning everything.

This is why you don’t break the bro code.

“What can I do for you?” Defensiveness creeps into my tone but there’s nothing I can do to stop it.

“I just wanted to check in on my favourite rookie. Am I still allowed to do that?”

Despite the circumstances, I find myself smiling, “You aren’t supposed to have favourites, Mo. Favourites lead to biases.”

“Please, it’s only human nature to have a favourite, that’s what makes for healthy competition. If no one is vying for your spot, then it’s not a spot worth fighting for.”

I shake my head with a sigh. If anybody can throw out bold statements with the confidence of a balding fifty-year-old man, it’s Mo.

“Anyways, that’s not what I called you about.” His voice cracks through my phone and my shoulders tense, waiting for the inevitable.

Ass whooping, here I come.

“What are your plans for the break? Are you heading home to see Janet?”

I blink rapidly, struggling to comprehend why the questions sound like actual questions and not an angry accusation.

“Uh, yeah I’m heading home but my mom’s gone on vacation with her new boyfriend.” I slump against my headboard, doing my best not to feel relieved at the turn in conversation.

I should still feel guilty, I should.

But it’s hard when a part of me is still celebrating the fact Stella’s lips were firmly pressed against mine a few hours ago.

Idiot.

“Janet’s found herself a new beau? Good for her. He must have passed the test if you’re letting them vacation together.”

I sigh, pushing last night’s activities to the back of my mind, “Hank is one of the good ones. He treats her like a princess and that’s all I can ask for.”

I turn my head to glance at the photo frame gracing my nightstand. Taken a week before my first day of university, my mother and I had gotten one of my new neighbours to take it, both of us standing in front of the house I’m still living in. My mom was already proudly wearing a Proud Taber Mom t-shirt, even though I hadn’t attended any classes yet. Her arm is thrown around my shoulders with clear elation while I stand next to her with an equally wide grin breaking my face.

After all those summers of mowing lawns and bussing tables, I had finally made enough money to attend university. And my mom had been my support system every step of the way.

“Pleased to hear it. I actually called to invite you to come down for a few days over the break, but if your mom’s away, why don’t you come stay with us the whole time? That way you won’t be alone for Christmas.”

I freeze, unable to decide if my heart is pounding with excitement or terror at the thought of spending more alone time with Stella.

And her older brother.

“I couldn’t intrude on you guys like that. The break is to spend time with family.”

A heavy sigh comes down the line, “Don’t make me get all gushy, Ellsworth. You know I’ll do it.”

I push myself off my bed and start pacing the floor, “Thank you for the offer, Mo. I really appreciate it but I just… can’t.”

“That’s it. I’m going to do it. I’m breaking out my gushy side.”

I hear an exaggerated exhale on the other end of the line, not unlike what you’d hear from an Olympic swimmer as he mounts the blocks.

The dramatics run thick throughout the entire O’Brien family.

“I think of you like a brother, Ellsworth. And that makes you family.” Taking a moment to clear his throat, Mo continues, “And family doesn’t abandon family. So, I will pick your ass up Tuesday after morning practice and you can stay at my place as long as you want. Got it?”

I shake my head, “Shouldn’t Stella get a say in this? It’s her break too.”

“She’ll be ecstatic, she loves hanging out with you. Plus, you’re one of the few people who doesn’t get scared by her temper. You would be doing me a favour by tagging along.”

I grimace, thinking of Stella’s crestfallen face when I ran away last night. I owe her a huge apology along with an explanation for my actions.

“I don’t know, man…”

“Ellsworth. This is not up for discussion. I will pick you up Tuesday, 8:30AM sharp. Have a bag packed and ready to go.” He hangs up the phone, ending the call.

Shit.

Stella

CODY: We need to talk.

I toss my phone across Lou’s bed where I have been lounging all morning. Her comforter is nowhere near as soft or as fuzzy as mine, but being in her presence more than makes up for it.

“Isn’t it a good thing he wants to talk? Like wouldn’t it be worst if he was pretending the whole thing didn’t happen?” Lou twirls a wavy strand around her finger, eyes scrunched up in thought.

“That’s exactly the problem, hon.”

I heave myself onto my stomach for a change of scenery. Instead of staring at a moldy ceiling, now I’m admiring sticky laminate.

It’s good to broaden one’s horizons.

“Cody wants to talk because he regrets kissing me.” Ouch. Saying the words out loud hurt a lot more than just thinking them.

Lou tilts her head, her sitting position at her dorm desk separating us by a whole two feet.

“Didn’t you kiss him?”

I lift my head high enough to give her a glare, “Not the point, Lou.”

“Right, sorry.” She blushes faintly, the only telltale her social anxiety continues to linger even after all we’ve been through together. It breaks my heart to still see it, but I am proud to have watched her grow these last few months.

“No need to be sorry, I’m just in a mood.” I huff, dropping my gaze back down to the horrid colour choice.

Why would anyone think speckled brown is a good colour?

“What I’m trying to say is, Cody wants to pull the whole that was a mistake, let’s promise to just forget the whole thing charade with me.” I frown at a drifting clump of hair, not sure whether the sick feeling is from my close proximity or the thought of Cody regretting last night.

“Do you regret kissing Cody?”

I hum to myself, taking a moment to think about my answer.

Do I regret kissing Cody? At the time, absolutely not. But the way he ran away the moment our friends showed up left a sour taste in my mouth. Not that his subpar reaction did anything to lessen my sexual frustration last night.

Curse those broad shoulders.

And that jawline.

And those eyes.

And those… ENOUGH.

I sigh, torn between wanting to punch myself and wanting to punch the varsity captain who haunted me all night long.

“Honestly? I don’t regret kissing Cody. A part of me wishes I do, just so this next part will be easier, but I don’t.”

Lou nods, “That makes sense. Although he could be wanting to talk to see if you’d want to go out with him. You never know.”

Pushing myself up on my elbows, I slide further down the bed, putting some space between my face and the clump of hair.

“I highly doubt it. That would be going against his precious mentor, and that’s not something Ellsworth has ever been able to do.”

“Would Mo really be that mad if you two dated?”

I pause, “I’ve never actually thought about Mo’s reaction before. He would definitely be upset if we snuck around behind his back, but I’m not sure what he would do if we were upfront about it.”

Shooting a look at my roommate, I don’t give my heart a second drop of hope, “But that isn’t an option at this point, so there’s no point in considering it.”

“Right. So, what’s your plan than?” Lou picks a piece of lint off her Green Day t-shirt and flicks it onto the ground. I try not to flinch when I see it land near the unspeakable clump.

“Mo is coming to pick me up Tuesday, so I could take the coward’s way out…” Lou’s eyes widen at my confession, one I would never act on but will dream about it until this painful encounter is over.

Not that I can complain. I was, after all, the one who kissed him.

“…but I don’t have it in me to avoid confrontation. I’m just going to get it over with, so it doesn’t fester into something worse.”

O’Brien’s don’t run away from their problems. We face them head on. Remember that, Stella.

“Guess you’ll be needing this.” Lou shuffles over and picks up my phone, taking a second to wipe God-knows what off the screen before handing it over.

“I guess so.” I grumble under my breath as I re-open the damning message.

CODY: We need to talk.

The message stares back at me as my mind goes blank.

The only thing I can think about right now is how much I don’t want to do this and how badly Lou needs to vacuum her floor.

“Shit.” I tap aggressively, hit send, then throw my phone back on the bed.

“Good job!” Lou leans over for a high five just as my phone beeps with an incoming text. We both scream, undoubtedly for very different reasons.

Lou gasps, one hand clutching her chest in fright, “That was the worst post-text celebration ever. Hashtag unsend.”

I groan, reaching back down to go through the motions all over again.

CODY: We need to talk.

ME: So, talk.

Not going to lie, that last text may have come off as a little aggressive. Probably should have added an emoji to soften the blow.

CODY: In person. Are you free tonight?

ME: I have a late workout planned. Does 7PM work?

CODY: Yup. I’ll meet you at the gym.

“So? What did he say?” Lou looks at me hopefully and I don’t have it in me to extinguish the light in her eyes.

“We’re going to talk after my gym session tonight.” I do my best to keep my voice upbeat, but it sounds fake even to my ears.

Lou gives me an encouraging thumbs up, “I will be here with a tub of ice cream and a really bad movie so you have something to look forward to.”

I give her a hug as the unspoken message hangs between us.

She’ll be waiting in case I need to be put back together again.