DISCLAIMER This story contains depictions of male on male, graphic sexual interactions. The characters are high school aged and sometimes have unsafe sex. ALWAYS USE A CONDOM! This is a complete work of fiction and any similarities to persons or events is purely coincidental. Enjoy the story and any feedback is welcome.
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CHAPTER 14
The week before Christmas was always an excruciating one. We had to take those awful final tests. The most annoying part was that we didn't even get to go on break until the 23rd. Like Christmas Eve was the first official day of break. The Tuesday before, I was sitting in the library in my usual spot studying French. Sam was across from me working on her AP algebra homework.
"So what did you get me for Christmas?" Sam asked, looking up from her text book.
"Ha, I got you a big box of nunya. I'm not telling you what I got you, but you can bet you're gonna love it," I put down my pencil and took a break from conjugating verbs.
"I have a confession," Sam blurted.
I furrowed my brow and asked, "What is it?"
"Nolan asked me out on a date. We are going tomorrow. Please don't hate me," her eyes were pleading.
"Why would I hate you? That's great!" I responded as I put my hand on hers.
"You aren't mad?"
"No, of course not. Nolan and I never dated or anything. I don't have some sort of claim on him."
"Yes, but you like him and here I am going on a date with him. I'm a horrible friend. I'm gonna text him right now and tell him I don't wanna go."
"Quit being crazy," I snatched her phone and set it on the table.
"It's totally chill, Sammy. You do you, Boo. You guys seem cute together. Speaking of cute couples, how are Blake and Shayla?" I tried to hide my annoyance but she could sense it on me.
"Puh-leese, they are hardly a cute couple," Sam rolled her gorgeous gray eyes, "It's just a bunch of her telling him what to do and wear and say, and him just going along with it. He needs to finish writing that song and just give in to his feelings and serenade you. Like Troy and Gabriella, but with more sex."
I giggled as my face burned, "I just wish I hadn't messed everything up with him."
"So go and take him back. He was yours first," she shrugged and put a stick of gum in her mouth.
"I can't do that to Shayla."
"Why not? She'd throw you under the bus first chance she got. Then she'd back it up and run you over a few more times," Sam said in the most nonchalant way. She pulled out a bottle of nail polish and started painting her nails right there at the table in the library.
"Shayla is a really nice girl-"
"Ah, that's what she wants everyone to think," Sam interrupted, not looking up from her hands, "but that girl is the devil. She is constantly trying to get me in trouble, but joke's on her because I'm a thousand times more manipulative than that little hooker."
I raised my eyebrows and looked at her; I was incredulous.
"Shayla Thompson is vindictive and avaricious and evil. The only person that girl cares about is herself. Go snatch that ass if you want him. I'm sure he will be so relieved to be with you and not her," she blew on her nails and watched to see my reaction.
"I suppose if an opportunity presents itself I'll talk to Blake, but I'm not going to go start trouble. It's not fair to Blake or Shayla. If they are happy together then so be it."
"The only reason they are happy together is because Shayla doesn't know that Blake is in love with you."
"Why do you say that?" I closed my french book, intrigued.
"He writes songs about you, for lord's sake. He is always distracted and twenty bucks says it's because he's thinking about you. He just wants you to fight for him. He thinks that if you really want him, you'll fight for him. He did all the fighting he could and after you told him you felt nothing, it must have broken his heart into a trillion pieces," she put her books in her bag, "Hun, if you want to be with Blake, you need to tell him."
"I already did," I said as I put my books away too.
"You may have said you wanted him, but in that moment you didn't mean it. You just didn't want to be alone," She pulled her bag up over her shoulder and left without another word. She was right though, I only wanted to be with Blake because I was scared of being lonely. I picked up my bag and headed out to my car.
"So Blake's throwing a party tonight," Nolan said as he laid down a pair of 2's, "Got any sixes?" It was
"Go fish," I said completely ignoring the fact that he said Blake was having a party, "Got any queens?"
"I said Blake's throwing a party. Sam and I are going and we wanted to know if you wanna join?"
"Not particularly," I waited for an answer about those queens. He laid down his hand and looked at me.
"What's with you lately?"
"What do you mean?" I asked batting my eyelashes at him.
"Don't get cute with me. Something's up with you ever since you and Logan broke up. Did he really break your heart that much? And why don't you ever want to go places where Blake might be? I thought you guys were friends now?" Nolan eyed me, waiting for my response.
"I'm the same Cori I've always been..."
"No you aren't, what are you keeping from me?"
"Nolan, it's not important," I said as my face got hot.
"God dammit, Cori! Stop hiding shit from me!" he slammed a hand down on the table and I jumped, "We are best friends. I've been by your side forever. Now suddenly you've got secrets. You think I don't notice when you choose your words carefully? I know when you are about to lie before you even open your mouth. I've let it slide for almost four months because I figured, when you were ready, you'd tell me. Well I'm not waiting anymore. You tell me what's going on right now or so help me!"
"How dare you demand that I open up to you! I haven't been able to talk to you for months. You got all shitty when I'd talk about Logan, so I couldn't very well do that. I can't tell you a damn thing without you closing down and ignoring the problem at hand! I still have no frickin clue why you kissed me. You really wanna know what's up, Nolan?!
"I've been in love with you since that day that you beat up Johnny Clapton. I kissed you and you rejected me. It shattered my heart! So I lied to you and I told you I was fighting with Logan. Then I fucked up and I decided to kiss him and he pretended to date me so I could save face.
"Then Logan started getting feelings for me and he decided it was too much to handle so he broke up with me. To top it all off I was sneaking around with Blake the whole time! I told Blake that I wanted Logan and I royally messed it up with him and that ship has sailed. So sorry if I don't want to go to his parties," by this point, I was in tears, "So there you go! Now you know what's up with me. Are you happy now?" I tore away from my bed and ran into the bathroom. I slammed it shut and threw myself to the ground and started sobbing. I'll admit, I was being a little dramatic.
I heard Nolan come to the door and sit down, his back sliding against the wood.
"I kissed you because I thought that's what you wanted," he said quietly.
"What?"
"I was scared of losing you. I love you, Corrigan. I hate that I can't love you the way you love me. I wish I could. I wish more than anything that I could make you happy and love you back; I just can't. I'm sorry that you went through all of that because I rejected you. Logan is an idiot for not admitting that he fell for you, and Blake is an idiot for not realizing you lied about how you felt," Nolan sounded so sad.
"Nolan, I'm sorry I put you in a place where you thought you had to pretend to love me to stay friends with me," I felt like a real jerk. I opened the door and he pulled me in for a hug. His warm arms wrapped around me and I sighed into his chest.
"I'm gonna help you get Blake. Shayla is annoying as fuck. It will be way better to go on double dates with you and Blake than her and Blake," Nolan stated, "now put on some pants that show off that great booty of yours and lets go get you a man."
Sam, Nolan and I walked into Blake's house at ten. I had put on my red skinny jeans and a short sweater that stopped right at my belt line so I could accentuate my cute bubble butt. Sam and Nolan spread out as soon as I saw Blake.
I started my walk over to him when Logan cut me off.
"Can we talk, please?" Logan's eyes were pleading. He looked gorgeous as usual. He had on a tight black sweater and some dark gray jeans that fit him well.
"There's nothing to talk about, Logan," I said as quietly as I could in the noisy atmosphere.
"Please, Igan, just give me five minutes."
I sighed and nodded and he led me into the kitchen.
"What's up?"
"I'm a fool," and before I could respond, his mouth was on mine. His hands had a tight grasp on my arms like he was scared to let go. I closed my eyes and melted into his grip. He moved his hands to my waist and I wrapped my arms around his neck. My left hand went into the hair on the top of his head, the way I used to. I was on tip toes and quickly losing my balance.
When Logan finally pulled back his eyes were sparkling, "I love you Corrigan Rose. I'm sorry I was too stupid to say it before."
I was shocked. I had no idea what to say. Did I love him too? Did I love Blake? Did it matter if I loved Blake? He waited for my response.
"Thank you," I smiled and went to kiss him again. He took a step away from me.
"Did you hear me? I said I love you," Logan looked incredibly confused. He ran a hand through his hair and watched me.
"I love you too," I said. I didn't know if I was lying or not but it's what Logan wanted to hear. I really did miss him. I really did care about him a lot but I just wasn't exactly sure if I would label that as love.
I kissed him gently.
"I want to be your boyfriend, Igan. Your actual boyfriend. No contracts," he whispered, his forehead against mine.
"I'd like that," I said back, putting my hand on his face.
"So you guys made up?" Blake was leaning against the doorway.
"Yep," I said quickly.
"Good for you two," his tone was snarky.
"You got a problem, Smith?" Logan stood tall and his chest puffed up.
"Nah, I'm just happy that the perfect couple is back together. It's nice to see that you two found each other."
"Blake, are you drunk?" I asked stepping in front of Logan. "So what if I am?" he blinked slowly.
"I think you need to go lay down." I came forward and grabbed his arm.
"He doesn't deserve you."
"Excuse me?" Logan came toward us but I gave him a look and he stopped.
"You. Don't. Deserve. Corrigan," Blake slurred very matter-of- factly.
"Who are you to tell me what I deserve?" Logan barked.
"You aren't good enough. Cori needs a man. A man who admits how he feels and not some little pussy who can't even say the `L' word until after he realizes what he's lost."
"Oh and you think that's you then?"
"Yeah, actually. I deserve Cori. Not you. You're just a piece of white trash just like your mom."
"Blake!" I stepped back. I could tell he wished he could take it back, but that didn't matter to Logan. Logan tore forward and smoked Blake in the face. Blake fell back against the door frame and then to the floor. Logan had knocked him out.
My boyfriend stepped over the unconscious body of his teammate and stormed out of the house. I chased after him. He was already at his truck by the time I finally caught up.
"Logan, stop!"
"No, I need to be alone," he climbed into his truck and I snatched open the other door and got in as well.
"Corrigan, get out," Logan said in an ominous low tone.
"No," I responded defiantly, "I won't leave."
"Dude-"
"I said no. You will have to physically pull me out of the truck to get me to leave. I'm with you Logan. Through thick and thin," I said looking into his eyes, "You and your mom are beautiful people. Don't listen to Blake. He was drunk."
"Drunk words are sober thoughts."
"He didn't mean it. I swear," I put my hand on his and gripped it tightly, "Let's get out of here."
A while later, Logan and I were laying on a pile of blankets and pillows in the bed of his truck. The stars sparkled above us out here in the country. We were just down the road from his house in an old field.
"Logan, why did it take you so long to tell me you love me?" I broke the silence suddenly.
"I didn't understand what I felt. I've never been in love before, Igan. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. All I could think about was you and given my rep, its really hard to have that happen to a guy like me," Logan admitted softy.
I put my head on his chest and sighed. His body was warm in the brisk of the winter night. I curled in closer to him and snuggled deeper under the blankets as a snowflake hit me on the nose.
"We should go, It's starting to snow. I'm not dealing with it!" I said hopping up and hopping out of the back of the truck, then climbing into the cab. Logan gathered up his stuff and drove us back to his place. His mother was sitting at the table looking at her tarot spread and drinking hot chocolate with a candy cane in it.
"Mon Cher! I thought you two..." Charlotte trailed off but hugged me tight, "Would you like une tasse de chocolat chaud? A cup of hot chocolate?"
"No thank you, Charlotte, I'll just grab a bottle of water," I said going to the fridge. There was a wreath with pine sprigs and crystals hanging on the kitchen door. Their tree was decorated in nuts and cranberries and dried orange slices. Little clear ornaments were filled with ribbons and feathers and glitter and herbs.
They of course didn't celebrate the birth of Jesus, they celebrated the war between the Holly King and the Oak King. They called it Yule. The Oak King would win and thus the Sun would start to get stronger and summer would return. They decorated the tree to draw in sprites that would bring spring.
"So when is Yule?" I asked Logan as soon as we were cuddling on his bed.
"It was yesterday, on the twenty-first," Logan ran his hand down my back and kissed my forehead.
"What do you do, ritual wise on Yule?"
"We carol and make candles and such. Mostly we just gather together and rejoice. We dance and rejoice and wake the Sun," he was dozing off. I was too. His breathing softened and then I fell asleep.
Authors Note Hey there! I hope you liked this newest chapter. Things are going a wee bit smoother for Cori. Only five chapters left my dears. I know it's sad but you'll be glad to know that I've been tossing a few ideas around with my fantasic editor Robbie, and a new story is in the makes. I've also been toying with a second installment to Cori's story, this time in college. Thanks for reading and thank you so much for the e-mails, guys. I love them! -Kit =^.^=