Tempting me

Dinner

Days. We've hung out for days. Sydney says I am wrapped around her finger. Yoda says she's walking me like a dog. Mobius learned what a black cat golden retriever duo is and now he is saying that it is me and Scarlett.

But I don't know.

I think she just thinks that I'm nice. She likes to be around me.

"You're coming over after the game." She didn't say it in a questioning way. She let me know I was coming over. She leaned into me as we watched the band perform. "Charlotte is making extra mac n cheese because she knows you don't like lamb."

I am touched that their families personal chef knows me well enough to know that.

"I'm excited."

She looked up at me, "Are you and Mo running for homecoming court?"

I snorted, "No fucking way."

She smiled, "What if we ran. Me and You?" She looked back at the field, "People would vote for us because I'm me and they absolutely adore you."

I could feel the heat in my cheeks. It's not at all hot outside. It's September in Minnesota. It's cold as hell. "But isn't homecoming court for couples?"

She laughed, "You know nothing, Natalie Wilson."

I sighed, "Is this you asking me?"

She smiled and looked at me again, "Now you're getting it. If I did ask you to homecoming would you say yes?"

"Is that a vote? Of course I would."

She smiled wider, "Good to know." She stood up as soon as the band was done and handed me my jacket, "I'll come right here after the game."

"Alright." I nodded and put the jacket on the bleachers next to me, "I'll be here."

She nodded and glanced at my jacket. Then at the other cheerleaders. Then back to my jacket, "It's cold."

I smiled and handed it back to her, "That's why I brought that."

She slid it on and squeezed my shoulder, "You're a lifesaver." Then she ran down the steps and around to where her team was beginning to gather.

She's wearing my hockey jacket. With my name and number on it. In front of our school. And some parents. Her parents.

I glanced at the Santoro's again. They have little Henry on their lap in the very front row of the family section. They love their daughter. They love all of their kids.

"Walking you like a lost little puppy." Yoda pat me on the back, "I've been there too."

"You're there right now with Mobius. Don't lie." I rolled my eyes and shook his hand off my back.

He glared at me, "Mine is a small phase and completely reasonable. Mobius is hot."

Sydney rolled her eyes at us and gestured to the cheerleaders, "All the cheerleaders are hot and I'm not in love with them."

I raised my eyebrows and started laughing, "Right." I wiped my fake tears and looked at her, "How jealous were you when you heard Olivia talk to me?"

She crossed her arms over her chest, "Not funny. How jealous were you when Scarlett sat at my table instead of yours?"

I smiled, "The tables were assigned by first name for that project, Sydney."

She looked away from me, back towards the game, "Sure."

The end of the game finally came when our team took a knee and forfeited because of how badly they were losing. At least the cheerleaders are hot. I wish there was a good way for us to have cheerleaders at our games. We actually win and that would hype me up even more. Scarlett Santoro in her tight little uni-