Carters Pov
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"You are not obliged to tell others your result, do not discuss it during class, please." Mr Beckford places each exam, face-down on peoples tables.
He finally reaches the back table where Mila and I are seated and glances between the two of us. "Remember you two, it's not a competition."
Emilia scoffs and holds out her hand. "I'll still win." Mr Beckford sighs and hands her the exam and then hands me mine.
100% Ha. I win.
I glance over to Mila as her eyes scan through the test, flipping pages like a maniac. "What'd you get?"
She presses a finger to my lips without looking in my direction, shushing me while she has an existential crisis, clearly.
I lean back on my chair, angling my head so I can see the bright red number on her test. 98%
"Better luck next time, my love."
She ignores me and begins to shove the rest of her things into her backpack. I let her huff and puff as I walk over to Blair's desk, stopping Blair and Bentleys bickering. "What did you guys get?"
"Mr Crawford... I told you to wait until after class." Blair rolls her eyes and flips Mr Beckford off when he turns his back.
"63%. But I'm younger than you guys, so it was a given." I nod and Bentley shows his paper.
"I got 82%, did better than Blair at least." He mutters and Blair slaps him on the arm, yanking his tie towards her. "Shut up."
They bicker as my eyes glide to Mila and I's desk. Her head is down slightly, still looking perplexed at how on earth she possibly could have got 98%.
To anyone else? An astronomical, out of this world result. But to Mila? Let's just say she wouldn't stop thinking about this for weeks.
Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she fiddles with the ends of her hair. Pretty. She's pretty.
"Why are you looking at her like that..? You look like an idiot." Blair points out before I move my eyes away from Mila.
"If there's one thing that Emilia Violet isn't? Is that she is not fragile or broken. But that doesn't mean she doesn't try." Blair says when she notices me ignoring the question.
"I wasn't looking at her." She doesn't seem convinced as her and Bentley share a look. "You're a horrible liar Crawford."
Bentley says quietly, throwing his backpack over his shoulder as Robert pats me on the back. "See ya at training."
"All these lingering looks towards her... they've gotta stop Carter. She needs to focus on herself, I mean. Look at her sad, grumpy little face."
"She's always grumpy." I state and Blair nods in agreement. "Except when you're around her. And the same for you. Around the guys you're always in a bad mood, then with her..."
"But you just told me she needs to focus on herself-!" This time it's Blair shushing me. "Oh hush, I never claimed to be some sort of therapist. Just some delightful sisterly advice." She remarks, patting me on the back like the guys did as she follows them out of the room.
.....
"Would you hurry up, we have to study this material before the redo of that test." I ignore her and grab the little raspberry ring pop out from my bag and place it into her palm.
"Okay, open your eyes." She opens one, peers down at the ring pop as both eyes open. "What.... is this...?"
I watch her inspect it, slipping it on her ring finger. "You got me a ring pop... in raspberry flavor?" I nod, looking down at my book.
"Aren't you supposed to hate me? Y'know like... enemies, rivals or whatever?" She asks and I smile, tapping my pen against the desk repeatedly.
"Sure. Whatever you wanna believe." She turns her head away from me, trying to hide her smile but I can see it. I can see her eyes sparkle slightly as she admires the little ring, trying to wipe the look off her face.
"Now... can you help me?" Mila shakes her head, popping the ring pop into her mouth and then releasing it. It's a simple action, but my god is it hot.
She leans forwards on her elbows, looking down at my piece of paper. "Crawford, these are practice questions. I've already taught you everything need to know, just apply the knowledge."
"Gee thanks. You're a big help." She puts the end of her pen in between her teeth, giving me the middle finger but not making direct eye contact.
My foot latches on the bottom of her stool to my right, spinning her round so she is facing me. Her mouth drops open, staring at the foot that just transported her to look at me.
"What if I told you I was in love with you..? Then would you help me?" I say sarcastically as she sighs and flips a page of her book, turning away from me.
"Well I don't reciprocate. Just do your questions Crawford." I put my head in my hands, unable to answer any of these. Why do I even need to know why Shakespeare believed love is timeless. Does it truly matter anyways?
"Do you believe in love Mila..?" She glances at me from the corner of her eyes and then finally looks at me, directly.
"If I did. Then I wouldn't be marrying you Carter, I'd be marrying the love of my life. I'm marrying you because I have to, not because I want to." She says matter of factly and I look away from her.
"Do you think you would believe if your dad was alive, because of your parents...?"
It was an invasive question, but those type were never ending with us, always asking things a bit too personal to be shared but also a bit too terrifying to not.
"Maybe. Just because it's possible to live without someone... doesn't mean we have to. That's what my mom told me after his funeral. She would have killed herself for him, she would have given anything to trade places with him that night. That's what love is... but now it's just, over. Gone. She's remarried."
Now it's Mila who's tapping her foot against the floor, making a soft noise every five milliseconds, slightly annoying but I don't stop her, since annoying is just the way I like it.
"Love is... love is walking through the deepest depths of hell and endless shards of glass for each other, it's looking at them and smiling for no reason, it's having possession of each other's heart and being totally confident in its safety, it's when someone asks what makes you truly happy... and all you can think about is saying their name."
We sit in silence for a minute before she shuts her book. "Is there true, real love in this world? Not likely. I believe we fall in love with the ideas instead of people, who they actually are in every morsel of their entire being."
"So you've never been in love...?" I push further and she picks up her gym bag off the floor. "Never said that."
"What idea did you fall in love with then Blondie?" She leans against a desk, picking at her nails. "Tyler. Tyler Foster. He plays for Rancity Ravens. You heard of them?"
"Nope. Not... at.... allll..." That's a lie. We are playing them tonight, a game that Mila and her squad just happen to be cheering at in four point five hours.
"You better get 100% on that exam okay?" I nod as she opens the door. "Yes ma'am."
"See ya round Crawford." She waves as I tip my invisible hat towards her. "See ya round Em."
.....
Mila always seems so...? Annoyed, like a permanent perpetual hatred for everything and everyone. Until she has two pompoms in each hand and she's up in the air, being held up by the bottoms of her feet.
A girl I believe is called Monica is holding her left hand, also up in the air. Blair is doing a spin thingy across the stage before they all put up their hands.
Two of the girls roll into another spin thingy, not that i'm really looking at them anyways. Nope. My entire focus is on the tall blondie one, smiling that specific smile that makes me all mushy and gushy in my stomach.
Butterflies.
I'm feeling fucking butterflies. Lord help me.
The team finishes with Mila in a leg split move into Blair and Bianca's arms. They both place her down and the pompoms go flying. They all have big smiles on their faces, holding it for a minute before claps go round the stadium.
An hour or so later the buzzer goes once again and we are on the ice, second period of the game.
Tyler Foster, Milas 'idea of love'... or whatever has taken three penalties, one of which resulting in a goal courtesy of myself, I skate past the box to give him a smug wave.
Tyler's a big guy, but I could take him. Definitely. But when he's back on the ice, his eyes are shooting daggers at me. His body slams mine into the plexi and it pains every bone in my body.
Thankfully, I shake it off and skate past him, watching Robert flick a wrist shot by Rancity Ravens goalie. The scoreboard lights up in response.
People cheer, chanting his name, over and over. This would skyrocket the poor guys ego. Little Rob was always kinda closed off.
Doesn't hook up with people he doesn't know, keeps to himself, not a lot of friends and his only focuses are Ice Hockey and school. He has and always will be a great guy.
A slight sense of victory courses through my veins as the buzzer signals the end of the period. My team pile into the locker room so Coach Rodgers can shout in our faces. Yet no one really cares, we're all riding the high of the two-period shutout.
"Crawford! You're letting number twenty nine throw you around the ice. Grow a pair of balls."
Coach glares at me, pointing a finger in my face before turning around to Bentley. "And you... Benny Boy. You're slacking."
"You've given them a breakaway already! Your job is to shadow those assholes. Did you see that hit Harrison delivered at the start of the period? I expect that type of throw from you, stop slacking off twinkle toes."
Bentley jumps up from his chair, ready to tackle Coach Rodgers before Rob and Harrison hold him back. "Not so fast, twinkle toes." The rest of the guys make fun of him as Coach walks out of the room, not putting up with our bullshit.
.....
My team piles into the locker room as I wait around the corner, ready to go talk to Tyler before I spot some pink pom poms, swaying from her crossed arms.
Mila makes a beeline for him, not stopping when her friends go into the girls locker room. "Tyler..." She grits and he stops in his tracks, practically about to fall over when their eyes meet.
"Em... hey." Tyler takes a step back from her, creating a small amount of distance between the two. "You can't call me Em. It's Emilia, remember?"
He nods, shifting back and fourth on the heel of his foot. "Took quite the slam against Crawford, hm?" She questions, a slight edge to her voice.
"He got in my way." Her eyebrows raise, seemingly unconvinced.
"You ever try something with him again? I'll slit your throat Ty."
Oh. Oh. Oh...?
She even nicknamed him, doesn't mess around clearly. "What's it to you? Is he your new bitch Emilia? Let the men hash this out, we don't need your stupid little pom poms in the mix."
Aw, he's cute. Thinking he can talk to my future wife like that without repercussions. I take off my helmet and storm over there, making sure to be loud enough for them to both look at me.
"Cant do anything by yourself, can you? Just have to involve other people." He remarks before Mila's fist lands in his face.
That's my girl.
I don't let her do too much damage, holding on to her arm as Tyler holds his bloody nose.
Not that I wouldn't find it incredibly amusing if she couldn't, because I would. She could definitely take him and still have enough energy to cause a school wide gossip train in one breath.
"Talk about my wife like that again? I'll cut off that tiny micro penis of yours and feed it to you for breakfast, lunch and dinner, my wife here can film it too, your airhead buddies can watch as well. Sound like a plan?"
Tyler takes a step back, still clutching at his face. "Whatever man."
"Psycho bitch." He says under his breath, trying to leave before I grab on to his arm.
"Say that again. I fucking dare you." He yanks his arm back, wiping the blood from his mouth.
"Let him go Crawford. Not worth the time... or energy." She pulls away from my arm around her shoulder, walking after me as I try to go back to the boys locker room.
"Carter... How long were you standing there?" She questions as I push open the door, all the guys squeal like little girls when Mila strolls in after me, totally unapologetic.
"Ahhh!" She mocks in a high pitched scream, matching the tone of the guys as they scramble to put a towel over their dicks.
"Your chicks psychotic Crawford." They shout out as she follows me into the showers. "You didn't hear me say anything, got it?"
I nod, a stupid grin on my face. "Mhm. You totally didn't go all psycho, protective bitch on Tyler's ass for me. Right."
"Right. Definitely not."
It's silent as I turn on the shower, pulling off my jersey and watch her eyes drop to my stomach.
"Classy. Showing me those." Her finger points vaguely at my abs. "Maybe we should play a game. I take off something and then you do the same... sound good?"
I tease and she shakes her head. "What Crawford? You don't like my outfit?" She does a little twirl and I look her up and then down.
My eyes linger on her chest for a second or two before mine meet her blue ones.
"No it's... nice, it'd just look better on the floor."
A light blush spreads across her cheeks but quickly disappears not long after. "What about those shorts of yours, how do you think they look on the floor?"
"Y'know, Mila. You make hating you so incredibly difficult." I respond, pulling down my shorts, leaving me in just boxers, giving her all the control.
Fuck stupid ass butterflies, I feel the whole zoo when I'm with her.
"I'm gonna go get changed." She motions a thumb behind her shoulder and I can't even bring myself to stop smiling at her, my smiles just belong to her.
I get so happy whenever she bothers to look my direction.
"Stop looking at me like that."
I glance at her, wrapping the towel around my waist. "You first." I challenge and she sighs, moving back through the crowds of guys getting changed. I hear more girly screams and more of Mila's mocking.
Annnnd after that conversation I need a cold shower, great.
.....
"I'm acknowledging you because I have to, not because I want to." She says sternly, sitting down beside me on the bench.
"Oh yeah?"
Mila nods, staring up at the stars. "You think I'm a good person Carter?" The best.
"You're alright I guess, just enough to be tolerable." I retort, spewing absolute bullshit. "Why do you ask? What's got you in a bad mood today, I swear you were happy earlier?"
The corners of her lips tip up, possibly because she likes the fact I noticed or possibly because I'm reading too much into it.
"Faking a smile is a helluva lot easier than explaining why you're sad." I nod, tapping my finger against the bench we are sat on as Mila looks down at the sand.
Our shoulders are touching, only slightly but it's enough to make me warm all over. She's the touch that calms the storm inside of me.
"I suppose.... What do you think is your biggest flaw?" I question as she kicks her legs back and forth, leaning forward as both her hands are either side of her.
"I think I try so hard to help other people... because I have no clue how to help myself."
"Get up." I say, getting off the bench as she gazes up at me. "No. I'm comfy on this... hard, wooden bench. Practically a cloud." I scoff and take her hand, without asking but she doesn't protest.
"Just shut up and dance with me." This time she properly smiles, for the reason why? No idea, but I put a smile on her face so I suppose that's enough for me.
"Maybe that could be our song." Mila whispers as we sway back and fourth, underneath the stars. "Shut up and dance with me?"
I feel her head nod against my chest and I can't help but smile. If only she knew how obsessed I am with her.
"I have a gift for you..?" She pulls away, her eye colour being blocked out by the night sky. "Well... actually, I made a gift for you. Took me hours."
I take a step back from our little slow dance and reach into my school backpack, pulling out the little paper flower. "It's your favorite book but... flower edition." I do a little jazz hands as i give it to her.
"You made me a... paper flower? Made out of 'Pride and Prejudice' papers And a ring pop, wow I'm a lucky girl." She says sarcastically, trying to play it off as this isn't a great gift, but her and I both know she loves it.
And because I'm amazing and better than everyone in the entire population, I shall let her be all secretive about her happiness, even though deep down she wants to hug me.
"I like it." To most people? They'd be pissed off, annoyed that she didn't have a huge reaction. But to me? This was the outcome Id hoped for, she's totally overjoyed, just refusing to show it.
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Authors Note
Carters povs are everything and I love writing them. I cant believe we are already at 27k with only eight chapters out omg. I hope everyone likes the speed and plot of this book so far. Since there is so many side plots I'll try incorporate a couple in every chapter.
Opinions (any ideas as well :)
Lots of Love Babies, mothership el <3
Words - 3128
Date - 03/04/22
Reads - 27.3k