Chapter 31: Baller - Cole
I look down at Monet, my dick stirring in my pants at her not accepting what I'm saying. I sound like a dog to her right now, but the truth is, I've never led anyone on. I also don't chase anyone, they always come right up to my door giving themselves away. I could understand how that must look to Monet. She's not like them, never was and never will be. I am well aware that she dated here and there in school, but it never resulted in anything serious.
I also know that James is still pining after her, the rumors are going haywire in the locker room. If she only knew how guys really look at her, she would definitely not be wearing this damn dress that had my eyes bugged out of my head since I picked her up.
I have this need to touch her all the time, and if she were to be mine, I would have had her hand in mine right now and proudly showed everyone that I am hers and hers alone, and that no other girl could even ever compare.
The feelings I have for Monet isn't just the butterflies in the stomach kind. No, that would be describing what I feel for her too lighly.
She's in my bones, in the very DNA that makes up who I am. I think it started the first day the social worker took me to their house, and Kamila opened the door with a little Monet clutching her legs. I remember I was so scared and confused, not quite comprehending what was happening to me then, but the little girl who was clutching her mother's legs straightened, and gave me the most beautiful smile. I was so enamored with her golden eyes, I didn't think the color could be real.
Amy stops next to us, and Monet's face breaks out into a grin at seeing her friend, sending electricity jolts through my chest. If she wasn't my good luck charm, she might have been the cause of a heart attack.
The two girls immediately hook their arms into one another's, whispering and giggling things I wish I could hear. I'm happy that Monet has a friend now, but also a tad bit jealous that I'm not the only one anymore.
I love how Luke doesn't really care how people perceive him, and he hooks his arm through Amy's free one, skipping with the girls to the entrance.
This is exactly how things are supposed to be. We're on a double date at a seafood restaurant with our girlfriends. Coach thinks Luke is a great guy and the perfect person to date his daughter. I'm not betraying Kamila's trust and scrambling our family dynamic, my hand on the small of Monet's back is not meant to be innocent, and my thumb stroking the exposed skin above her ass is meant to send signals that I will be fucking her tonight.
I know I'm torturing myself. Wishing for a life that will never be.
"You're paying." Amy says as soon as we sit down. "I have no allowance left after I booked me and Monet's tickets for next week."
"What tickets?" Monet asks, dumbfounded.
"For the away game." Amy answers as if it's the most obvious thing. "Don't worry, I convinced my dad to book us a room in the hotel they're staying at, so we're sorted."
"You bought me a plane ticket?" Monet asks incredulously.
I understand her reaction. Kamila gave us everything she could, giving extra art classes on weekends so I could get some private coaching and to afford summer camps, but nobody just bought us plane tickets out of the blue.
"Yeah, you didn't think we were going to miss any more games in person, right?" Amy scoffs. "No, they don't get to have all the fun, and I wasn't going to drive after class."
Shit, that means I would have no fresh footage that morning, I'm going to have to pull up old favorites to get me into my pregame ritual.
"Oh, so you can sneak into my bed again." Luke winks at her. "Best sleep I ever got."
We joke around, and I realise me being an asshole to Monet when she first got here was so unnecsessary. I wanted her to hate me, because I didn't wnat her close to me, scared that I might slip and do something I can't take back. But having her close is just so much better, my head is clearer than ever.
"Cole!" A familiar voice says from behind me, and I turn around slightly to see Damon Jones, star pitcher of the baseball team approach our table.
I get up to give him a man hug. He's a decent kind of guy, and one of the athletes in this school that works really hard. There are already talks that he might get drafted into the MLB after next year's season. He had a killer rookie season, and everybody wants a piece of him now.
"I haven't seen you around much." I smile at him.
"You know me, all work and no play." His eyes goes around the table, and I almost hide her when they settle on Monet. "Are you not going to introduce me to your sister?"
Fuck.
Of course he wants to be introduced to her, it's the same damn question I got at the start of the semester from the rest of the football team after Luke carried her in that damn cafeteria.
"Sure, this is Monet and Amy, she's Coach's daugher. This is Damon, he's on the baseball team." Even I can hear the strain in my voice, and I don't miss Luke's narrowed eyes at me when I introduce Amy.
"Ladies." Damon smiles that killer smile that has his damn dimples popping out.
He's a good looking guy, and I want to strangle him right now, especially since Monet is blushing when he reaches over me to shake her hand.
"I'm a big fan, you had a great rookie season." Amy tells him, and it makes him puff out his chest even more.
"Thank you, I appreciate that. I hope to see you ladies in red and white when the season starts."
"Oh, we're definitely there." Amy gushes. "Monet is not much of a sports fan, but I'm converting her one game at a time."
His damn smile widens. Who ever said dimples were cute anyway? It's just holes in cheeks.
"I can't wait. Good luck for Saturday, guys, I know you're going to kill it." He shakes our hands before winking at Monet. "I'll make sure to see you around ladies."
"He likes you!" Amy whispers at Monet when he's out of earshot. "And he's really hot!"
It's a good thing, really. Because I can't have her.
It's better if she gets claimed by someone like Damon. Maybe that way, I can forget about this infatuation that I have with my sister.