Chapter 179: Finals - Monet

Everything is all about the National Championship.

I don't think I've ever felt this nervous even before one of my own exams.

The school is in absolute chaos, even more than usual. Just yesterday some guys bowed down to me on the way to class. This morning, someone paid for my coffee, saying that the lucky charm needs to be happy. Absolute absurdness!

I think Mom would have loved it, the way everyone seems to have gone crazy.

I'm walking on eggshells around the apartment, not because Cole is out of it, but because he's so focused that I'm scared if we somehow mix up his routine, everything will fall into pieces. I've literally become part of his nightly routine as he likes to put it.

"Girl, my poor vagina is going through the wringer." Amy tells me at lunch, and I almost spit out my salad, looking around us to check if anyone heard what she said.

"You have to warn me before saying things like that in public." I shake my head, wiping my mouth with a paper napkin. "When are you moving back home anyway?"

"I can't! Antoine said I have to stay in the dorms. Apparently, Luke is stronger than ever since I've been shacking up with him."

"Oh my god, you guys have the craziest superstitions!" I chuckle, shaking my head. "And your dad doesn't mind?"

"No!" She widens her eyes. "He said I can stay until after the game, but I'm heading home as soon as it is over though, I can't let Luke get too comfortable. He might get bored of me and then we break up."

Her words put an insecurity in me that I didn't know existed. "Do you think Cole will get bored of me? He slept with a lot of girls before me, what if I'm not enough?"

"You have that boy on lockdown, he doesn't even see other girls." Amy pats my hand. "You have the magic pussy."

Good thing I didn't have anything in my mouth.

But her words linger in the back of my mind. Its not impossible that he would get bored. There have been so many instances where people thought a certain couple were in it for the long run, and then the guy cheats. I know that girls are throwing themslves at Cole wherever he goes, and they will give him anything just to let him fuck them.

If they win, he wll be catapulted into even bigger stardom. Will he think there's someone better for him then?

"I'm going to miss you so much." Cole hugs me hard against his chest when he has to get on the bus to go to the airport.

"Luckily for you, I have a plane ticket in my name." I pull away, my heart aching somewhat.

I feel like we're on the precipice of change. If they win tomorrow, he becomes even bigger, and that one reporter who was trying to make our lives hell, will increase tenfold. The team literally meets the president if they win. It's a big deal. And I know Cole doesn't even bother with reading the messages from girls in his DM's, but I can't help but wonder about it a little.

"I hate being apart from you even for one night." He bends down and kisses my lips softly. "I don't want to sleep without you."

That makes my heart pull. So he does want to be with only me. I'm letting my own negative thoughts ruin this moment. "It's only one night, Cole."

"Get on with it, Smith!" Someone calls from the bus, and he groans, kissing me one more time before he reluctantly lets me go.

He walks backwards until he has no choice but to turn around and get on the bus.

Amy and Chrystal sleeps over at my place so that we are together when we catch the early flight out to Miami.

"God, I'm so nervous." Amy drinks straight out of the bottle of wine she brought with her.

"You're not gonna wake up on time if you finish the whole bottle." I tell her. "Remember that morning in New York and we met Phoebe Smith? We were so hungover."

"Fuck, you're right." She puts the bottle on the coffee table, a naughty glint in her eyes when she looks at Chrystal who is sitting on the floor painting her toenails. "So, you know how I'm living with my boyfriend in the athletic dorms, right? Illegally, might I add, I think they're definitely kicking me out next week."

"I don't think anyone is kicking the coach's daughter out." I deadpan. "They worship the ground he walks on right now."

"Definitely a bonus!" She beams. "But what I find so interesting is my friend Antoine forever asking me about a certain blonde."

I can see how Chrystal perks up at his name, and I can't help but smile. I really like Antoine, he's funny, and he did me a solid once, saving Chrystal from that asshole even though she doesn't know it.

"Antoine is so cute!" I smile. "And please don't tell Cole I said that."

"I don't think he's interested in me." Chrystal pulls her face. "Plus, I think I'm done dating, and the football team in overall."

"Not everyone is like James, you know." Amy tells her. "Take Luke, he is a great fucking guy, just because he plays football doesn't make him a player."

"Yet you once said all footballers are players." I remind her, chuckling. "But Amy is right, Antoine is a really nice guy once you look beyond his goofiness."

Chrystal shrugs. "I don't know, I think it's good if I just take a break from guys for now."

I can't say I blame the girl. It's terrible what she went through, but I hate how much it has dimmed her light. She's not the one who is supposed to change who she is as a person. That asshole got off with a slap on his wrist, and I still think she's making the wrong choice, but who knows what I would have done if I were in her shoes?

The next day, I send my naughty video to Cole as usual, and I do find it weird that he doesn't respond like he always does, but I figure he's just really busy today.

We're getting our outfits ready, and I can't help but smile at the ridiculousness. We're dressing up as devilish flight attendants, and in true Amy style, I have Cole's number on my back in black sequence. She was extra sneakey with putting Antoine's number on Chrystal's dress, who blushed profusely when she saw it.

I'm busy curling my hair when there's a bang on the door, and all of us look at one another. Chrystal gets up to open the door, and Luke comes barging in, only half-dressed in his suit.

"You have to come!" He's out of breath when he gently grabs my upper arm.

"What's wrong?" I ask, my heart immediately beating into overdrive.

It's Cole. I just know it. Something's wrong.

"He's having an episode." Luke looks terrified. "A really bad one."