In this story we're going to pretend that Lonzo Ball is a Junior at UCLA, and LiAngelo Ball is a Freshman coming into UCLA. They both play college Basketball, neither in the NBA yet, but Lonzo is basically guaranteed going to the Lakers when he graduates.
*Also quick note, any text that is Italicized suggests a thought the speaker is having, this is to help differentiate between actual dialogue and dialogue in the speakers head.*
*Lot's of Fluff in this one and it's on the longer side.*
POV y/n
I struggle to lug my boxes up to the door of my campus apartment. I wondered where my best friend and soon to be roommate had gone. He had taken a few boxes inside a while ago and never came back out to finish helping. Maybe he was in the bathroom I thought to myself as I approached the semi open door. I turn around backing up trying to keep hold of the heavy boxes as I open the door.
"Lonz-" I began to call out, but stopped in my tracks as I saw the scene in front of me. Lonzo had set himself up on the couch glued to the TV he had just brought in, watching a summer league game.
"Zo!, seriously?" I spoke as I entered the apartment and finally sat the boxes down. Heading over to Zo, shoving him.
"Aye girl! Calm down, I was just setting up the TV for you" Zo replies innocently.
"Yeah right, you're avoiding work is what you're doing, now c'mon" I said, grabbing Zo's arm and dragging him back to the moving truck.
Finally an hour or so later everything was moved in and Zo and I began to unpack. We were both jamming to music, and arranging the apartment, when the music was interrupted by Zo's phone.
"Aye what's up gang, what's going on" LiAngelo, Zo's brother calls out over FaceTime.
"Ain't shit me and y/n just moving in. Say what's up to my brother, this is who we're helping move in tomorrow." he says pointing the camera over to me.
"Hi" I say, still bent over searching through a box, I turn around to face them and introduce myself, but suddenly lose all my words. My face heats with embarrassment as I think of how gross I must look after sweating all day, moving into the apartment. I don't say anything as I make the quick decision to make my way into my room.
"Did I really just run away from him?" I say to myself.
y/n had never been all that preoccupied with boys, of course they were always trying to get with her but none of them really piqued her interest. So she certainly didn't expect to have such a reaction to seeing Zo's younger brother. But damn was he fine.
"Omg y/n! Stop thinking like that, no, no, no" I say out loud again. Trying to stop the thoughts crossing my mind. I mean not only was LiAngelo my best friend's brother, he was younger than me, and I was not about to be sprung over a younger guy, or any guy for that matter, besides I haven't even spoken two words to him yet.
My thoughts are interrupted as Zo enters my room.
"Yo, you straight? What's up with that?" Zo asks with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He knows full well, That y/n found his brother attractive and he was not about to let her live this down.
"Huh? What's up with what, I-" I trailed off trying to find an excuse for running off.
"Yeah ok...anyway you coming with me to dinner?" I'm leaving in 15.
"Yeah for sure, just let me take a quick shower and get changed"
Zo and I were on our way to dinner, I hadn't thought to ask where we were going. It really didn't matter, I would find something I liked almost anywhere. We pulled into an expensive looking restaurant.
I know we have money but damn this place is really nice just to be grabbing dinner.
"Umm Zo, why are we here, we could just hit like shake shack or something"
"Ohhh, yeah I forgot to tell you, we're meeting my peoples up here, my mom, my dad, and my brothers."
"Your brothers, like the one that was on the phone?"
"Yeah, y'all can get to know each other, before he gets on campus"
Zo was speaking casually, but inside he was cracking up, he couldn't believe how flustered Gelo had this girl, he'd never seen her even a little bit shy, or nervous.
They enter the restaurant and head over to the table, Zo greets his family, kissing his mother on the cheek, and dapping up his brothers and his father, before taking the seat next to Melo, which purposely left the seat next to Gelo open. I felt like there was an entire zoo in my stomach as I made my way over to my seat.
"Aye, y'all this y/n, y/n that's Melo, and I'm sure you remember Gelo" he says a smirk playing on his lips, as my face heats in embarrassment, I thought he was suspicious before, but I have a sneaking suspicion that he knows. But I'm still going to fight for my life and deny it.
"y/n! What's up girl! How you been?" Lavar asks in his booming voice, and I was happy for the distraction.
"I've been good, your son has been driving me crazy as usual, but I'm good." I reply, turning my attention to Zo's parents. I had met them a few times before, when they'd come up to campus to check on Zo.
"How about you Mrs. Tina, how Have you been?"
"Getting better, everyday" she spoke, and I was so happy to see her progress. Zo told me she had a stroke a while back and was in the process of relearning and rehabbing, but every time I saw her she was getting better and better. Such a strong woman.
Dinner went by pretty well, I was able to keep myself distracted for the most part, trying my hardest to avoid stealing glances at Gelo, though of course I got a few in. He had his hair down in braids and his hazel eyes were hypnotizing. I had a hard time tearing myself away, and his smile was something else. But all in all, I didn't get caught so that was the good thing. As we gathered our things to leave, I see Lonzo again hug his mother and dap up his father. I look at the scene displayed before me and my heart is hammering in my chest, he's definitely not coming with us right? But my suspicions are confirmed as he and his two brothers part ways from their parents and head my way.
"Aye, you don't mind if they come and play the game with me for a bit do you?"
Do I mind!? Hell yeah I mind if you bring your fine brother to my house.
"Uhh..uh no, nope, not at all" I smile sheepishly at the group in front of me and we head out to the car.
Good thing they'll be in the back, as long as I just keep my head for-
"Shotgun" I hear Melo scream from behind me as he runs over to the car.
"What!? No, I was here first" I yell running over to the car trying to beat him there. Of course I don't and he's already inside with the doors locked when I get there.
"Zo, get your brother, c'mon"
"Nah buddy, you know the rules he said shotgun and beat you there, hop your ass in the back with Gelo."
"Yeah you mine as well not even fight it" Gelo says, opening the car door for me,
I hop inside and he shuts the door. I squeeze myself as close to the door as possible, trying to make myself disappear. Everyone hops in and Melo starts blasting his music and we're headed back to campus.
"I don't bite" Gelo says, moving a little closer so I can hear him over the music.
"Oh no, I just-" I stop talking as I turn and he's closer than expected. I'm hoping the car is dark enough that he doesn't see the blush on my light-toned skin. He chuckles at me, and returns back to his side of the car. Again the zoo in my belly is going wild and while I feel relieved and able to breathe now that he's back to his side, most of me wishes he was still close.
The rest of the car ride was uneventful. We pulled up to the house and the boys immediately rushed inside taking up the small couch with their tall frames. I sit on the floor in between Gelo and Zo's legs with my back against the bottom of the couch just watching them play and scrolling on TikTok.
"You a bum! Ahhh" Melo screams at Gelo, who's down in his game against Zo.
Now I can see all of them are just as competitive as Zo. Gelo, goes to move up to the edge of the couch, moving his leg to the other side of me to scoot up closer, and now I'm placed directly in between his legs. I stop paying attention to my TikTok and I'm just kind of staring off into space, wondering if I should move? Just sit back? I don't know. None of the boys seem to notice or care about how the dynamic just changed. Am I overthinking this?
"And that's game!" Zo yells, knocking me from my thoughts, I feel Gelo, lay his hands with the controller in them, on the top of my head, as he mopes about his loss.
It's now that Zo and Melo notice the new seating arrangement.
"Oh y'all cute" Zo says, standing up and heading in the kitchen.
"You better get your hands off my girl" Melo says, standing up in Gelo's face.
Gelo stands up stepping around me and I finally take a deep breath and relax as they begin to box one another and fight. I take this chance to finally get up and head towards the kitchen and grab myself a drink.
"Yeah somebody needed to quench your thirst" Zo says as I guzzle down a bottle of water.
"What? What are you talking about"
"I'm talking about you, head over heels for my brother"
"No." I replied immediately. I spoke too fast and way too defensive. As Zo doubles over in laughter not believing a single word I've said.
"Why are you laughing, I'm serious" I say trying to keep up the front.
"Look it's okay if you like him, I'm not mad at you." he says as he's catching his breath.
"I just didn't expect you to be robbing the cradle" he finishes busting out in more laughter. I stormed out of the kitchen and into my room. The comment shouldn't have bothered me as much as it did, but I truly felt silly and childish being so caught up on him. This whole experience was new for me, this is like my first real crush believe or not, and I was embarrassed to be the junior on campus, crushing on a freshman, and he probably didn't even feel the same.
POV Zo
"y/n" I call out as I knock on her door. I don't wait for her to answer, I just walk in. She's cuddled up in her bed facing away from me, but I know she's still up.
"C'mon, I'm sorry I was just joking."
I sit next to her on her bed, and pull her over so she's now facing me.
"I don't care, get out" she says trying to roll back over. But I stopped her.
"Seriously, I didn't think it was going to bother you so much."
"It's not the joke, I don't really care about that." she replies. I wait for her to say more but she doesn't.
"So what is it?"
"I just...I can't talk to you about this"
"You can c'mon we've been friends for two years, I'm always here for you."
POV y/n
I couldn't believe I was really about to tell him this.
"He's my first...crush."
"What?, no way c'mon you're telling me you've never had a crush before?"
"Well sure but, like not a real crush, and oh I think you're cute crush, but this feels a little different." I pause to think about it. "Instead of butterflies in my stomach, it's a stampede. And I'm nervous around him, I'm never nervous, and I barely even know him." I groan and throw myself back on my bed.
"Aww you're really in love, they told me Pisces fall fast, but damn."
"Stop joking, I'm serious, and he's younger than me."
"So what...he's 18, why does it matter?"
"I don't know but...it does."
Zo finally left me alone to pout in my room. I had to figure out how I was going to get over him, how did people deal with this having crushes shit, yesterday I didn't even care about boys, and now a boy I've spent one day with has turned my world upside down. Not to mention I still didn't even know if he liked me.
I was still moping in my room, when I heard another knock on my door. Whoever it was didn't walk right in so I know it wasn't Zo.
"Come in." I called. Gelo poked his head inside, looking around to take in my room. I waited for him to finish. His eyes scanned the room before they finally met mine, not for long though I couldn't hold the contact, my head dropped no sooner than our eyes locked.
"My bad, ain't wanna bother you, we about to watch a movie if you want to join."
"Yeah, definitely save me a seat, I'll be out there."
I walk out and into the hall bathroom, just to splash a little water on my face and get myself together.
You're going to go out there, and you're going to get yourself together, and you're not going to be flustered at all.
I take a deep breath and then head into the living room. I'm surprised when I see no one but LiAngelo on the couch.
"H-hey, where's everybody?" welp so much for unbothered.
"Oh they went to the corner store to pick up candy, Melo really wanted skittles, but they said we could start without them."
I grab a seat on the opposite end of the couch, and even then, I try to squeeze myself into non-existence. It didn't work. I'm still here. And just pretending not to like him isn't working. I barely even pay attention to the movie screen as the previews start, I balance stealing glances of his face, and pretending he's not in the room. I hadn't even realized it was a scary movie, Insidious. I hated scary movies, I only ever watched them around people I was comfortable with, because half way through it, if I even made it that far, I'd definitely be in your lap. I was just going to have to be brave, because right now I didn't know what was scarier, the thought of being close to Gelo, or the movie.
He starts the movie up and I do my best to put on a brave face, I do the best I can until a huge jump scare happens, I jump in my seat, snuggling the throw pillow closer to my chest, pretty close to tears. All I hear is Gelo chuckling beside me, to give him the benefit of the doubt he is trying very hard to hold it in.
"That's not funny! Who told you to pick a scary movie anyway?" I snap.
"Don't be mad at me, Zo chose the movie" he continues to laugh. I wanted to be mad, but damn was his laugh contagious, I began to laugh a little too.
"Come here, I got you." he says, scooting over and wrapping an arm around me. I immediately tense up, but eventually relax into his side as the movie continues.
I don't know when I had gotten comfortable enough to fall asleep in his arms, but I woke up to voices.
"Nah, he better get his hands off my girl."
"Melo, shut up and leave them alone."
"Bu-"
"But, nothing...look you're waking her up"
I open my eyes fully, I am now completely engulfed by Gelo, my head on his chest, and his chin resting gently on my head, his little snores blowing the hair on the top of my head.
"Aren't y'all cute" zo says. Making me blush uncontrollably.
"Leave me alone" I say, burying my face further into Gelo's chest until I realize what I'm doing. I stop and try to pull myself away, but he has a death grip on me that I'm not getting out of anytime soon.
"Where were you too, you missed the whole movie, how long does it take to get skittles?"
"Damn it! I knew I forgot something" Melo yells. Startling Gelo awake, now it's him who's blushing a deep red, as he sees the situation we're in. He slowly releases his grip.
"My bad, we must of fell asleep." he says in a deep raspy morning voice, that travels down to my core, it's a feeling I'd never felt before. I hop up at the sudden sensation.
"Uh..oh it's fine, I uh I'm going to bed...bye" I stutter out and practically sprint back to my room.
I hear the chuckle of Zo and Melo as I retreat.
POV Gelo
"Really? Y'all had to ruin it, come in all loud and shit"
"Aye we gave you the house all evening bruh" Zo replies flopping on the couch.
"Man...I don't think she like me like that"
"I'm telling you, bruh she do, she just shy around you that's all, give her some time."
"Well, what should I do? It's definitely too early to just say I have a crush on her"
"Just vibe for a while, she'll come around."
Zo got up leaving to go to his room, while me and Melo continued to play the game for a while, eventually making places on the couch or floor to fall asleep. I laid back thinking about y/n as I drifted off to sleep.
POV y/n
The next morning we get up and get ready, to take Melo home and move Gelo's things over to campus. We would have to go and pick up a Uhaul on the way so we sat discussing the details.
"We'll all go and pick up the Uhaul now, and then me and y/n can ride in the Uhaul, and Gelo I'll let you drive my car with Melo, and we'll meet at the house to start packing." Zo dishes out the details to everyone.
"Yeah, that sounds good to me" I reply. "Do y'all want breakfast, I can cook something, or we can pick up something on the way?"
"You cook?" Zo asks surprised.
"Yes"
"How come I'm just now finding out? you never cook for me"
"I don't know"
"I do" Melo chimes in. "She tryna cook for her man." he says, shooting eyes between me and Gelo.
I chuckle nervously, trying to laugh off the situation as I begin to cook. I make pancakes, sausage, and some eggs, and we all sit down and enjoy the food.
"Damn, that was bomb as hell, don't tell me dad I said this, but those are the best pancakes I've ever had." Gelo says as he places his plate in the sink
"Thanks" Learned it from my mom.
After arriving and packing up Gelo's things we were ready to head back to campus and get him moved in. It had been really fun hanging out with Zo and his brothers, I was even getting used to being around Gelo. don't get me wrong, he definitely still made me nervous, and I was still worried about what people would think of him being younger than me. But he was just so sweet and funny, and I was finally able to be around him and complete a sentence without stuttering at the same time.
Everything was moving smoothly, until we got ready to get in the cars. Gelo didn't realize that freshmen weren't allowed to drive their own cars, but he didn't want to drive the uhaul, and Zo refused to let me drive the Uhaul.
"Well you and Gelo are just going to have to ride in my car and I can drive the Uhaul." Zo says.
"Well, why can't I just ride with you in the Uhaul?"
"Damn, you don't want to ride with me?" Gelo says, feigning hurt.
"It's not like tha-"
"Nope, it's fine I get it, you hate me." he continues sarcastically.
Meanwhile, Zo has completely exited the conversation and the premises, as we see him pull off in the Uhaul.
"Well, that's what you get now you're stuck with me."
I flip him off and we both bust out in laughter, as we climb into Zo's car and head off down the road. Gelo turns on the radio but I steal the aux cord to play my music instead. I love rap, but I wanted some R&B. So I throw on my playlist consisting of, old school Chris Brown, India Arie, Lauryn Hill, etc.
"You better not play no trash ass music either." "How you just gone take my aux cord" Gelo mumbled under his breath as he pouted like a child. I ignored him as the music filled the car. A few songs in and With You, by Chris Brown, played through the speakers. I glance over at Gelo, as he nods and sings along quietly. I didn't mean to stare so long, but I was just enthralled by him and his beauty.
"You're burning a whole in my face, mine as well take a picture" he says, turning to me for a brief moment before turning his eyes back on the road. I laughed, looking away, but then decided to do just that. The sun shined in hitting his face in a perfect way, as he continued to sing along to the song, I wanted to have this view forever. I picked up my phone, turned on the video and filmed him for a few moments, until he noticed. He turns to me, while stopped at a light, laughing, and grabbing for my phone, but I snatch it away just in time.
"You better delete that too"
"Not on your life sport"
I pull the video back up and smile to myself as I rewatch it, why is he so fine? I'm never getting over this crush.
We finally arrived at the dorms on campus and helped Gelo move in, lucky for him he had a single all to himself. After Zo helped us carry everything up to his dorm he had to leave. The seniors and other upperclassmen on the Basketball team had a practice tonight, freshmen and other walk-ons would join them at practice once the freshmen had a chance to move in. That left me to help Gelo actually unpack and set up his room.
"I'm starving. Can we go get food?" Gelo asks
"What? No, we've barely even unpacked two boxes, and you don't even know where your bedding is."
"But I'm hungry we can finish when we come back."
Gelo walks over to me, giving me his cutest puppy dog eyes, but I look away and try to be strong.
"Let's at least find your bedding first."
Gelo grabs my hands this time holding me closer to him, looking me in the eyes.
"Please, please, please ple-"
"Okay, ok fine, you big baby"
You agreed to grab something quick from the dining hall so you can hurry up and finish helping him unpack and set up, it was already about 6:30pm, and you didn't want to stay over too late.
Well so much for that, me and Gelo sat in the dining hall, eating and talking until it closed, it was around 9:00pm, when we finally headed out and walked back over to his dorm. I wasn't really mad though I was enjoying hanging out with Gelo so much. The more I hang out with him the more, I realize I like him, not just for his looks, but he was just a genuinely amazing person.
"Hey Love birds" Lonzo called out. I looked around seeing Lonzo across the campus walking out of the gym. We head over and greet him.
"What y'all doing out here, I figured you'd be back at the apartment by now."
"Well, blame your brother, he was so hungry, we barely even got to unpack, and then he made me stay at the dining hall all night." I say cutting my eyes over at Gelo.
"Hey, it may have been my idea to go eat, but it was you who was all let's just eat in here, let's play 20 questions." He says mocking me, in a high pitched voice.
"First, I don't sound like that, and second...anyway, now Zo, can help."
"The hell I can, I'm tired and sore as hell, I'm going to bed, y'all be easy though" He says, chucking up the peace sign and backing away headed in the direction of our apartment.
"This is your fault" we both say at the same time.
"C'mon let's go, if we hurry up, we might get finished before midnight." I say.
After setting up Gelo's Dorm, mostly by myself, might I add, it was going on 12:30am, and I was exhausted and a little scared to walk back to my apartment by myself. I got up to tell Gelo goodbye and headed to the door.
"Hold up" he got up too, grabbing a hoodie and slipping on his slides.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to walk you back to your apartment" he says in a duh tone.
"Yeah but then you'll be walking back by yourself."
"Ok and? If I don't go you'll be walking there by yourself."
"I'm not letting you walk by yourself"
"Well, neither am I, so you either let me walk you there or you get comfortable here for the night."
My heart was hammering in my chest, and I'm sure I was blushing. Even though his suggestion was not to sleep together or anything like that, just the thought of it, made me nervous. This was not an apartment, there was no couch, and I didn't have anything to make a pallet on the floor. If I stayed here, we'd have to sleep in the same bed.
"I can't, no. Where would I sleep?" I replied
"You can sleep with me, on the bed we can both fit" he says casually.
"No, we can't, I mean that's what people who are dating do."
"You've never slept in the same bed with a friend, It's not like I'll try anything, besides we had a great nap the other day on the couch."
I guess he was right, we had cuddled up on the couch before, and certainly I'd shared a bed with a friend before. Of course they were all female friends, that I didn't have a huge crush on but what's the worst that could happen right?
"Hey Zo" I spoke over the phone.
"What's up, when are you coming back, it's pretty late, I was going to offer to come get you, but I'm already in bed...unless you really want me to."
"Uh, no it's fine...I'm just going to stay here with Gelo tonight." I try to say as casually as possible, but the nervousness is dripping off my voice.
"You and Gelo, in the same bed?" I can practically hear him wiggle his eyebrows suggestively.
"Hey, not like that, just for tonight because I don't want either of us to have to walk alone and you already said you're in bed...ok so see you in the morning."
"Yup, see ya in the morning, Use protection!" he yells and then hangs up before I can protest.
*note this is a dorm, with a private bathroom*
"Alright, well I guess I'll take a shower."
"Yeah, for sure, there are towels already in there, and everything you need should be in there."
I enter the bathroom, and get the water running, I find a towel and a washcloth, and a brand new bar of soap to use, strip off my clothing and get in. About 25 minutes later I get out and dry off, everything is great...until I realize I have no clothes here, no underwear no nothing. You can't tell me this isn't embarrassing.
Alright y/n you're just going to have to tell him and borrow some of his, it won't be that bad. Until he has to walk over here and see you in your towel.
I wrap my towel around me tightly and hold on to it for dear life, I call out for Gelo, but I don't get an answer. This is a single dorm room, there's no way he didn't hear me. I call out again, still nothing, I try to peek around the corner of the wall, but I still can't see him. I yell out one more time, and still get no answer. I slowly step out of the bathroom further, to properly lean around the corner, and Gelo is on the bed listening to something with his headphones on. This is getting worse by the second. I step back around the corner of the wall and take a deep breath, I was just going to have to walk out there and get his attention. I walk over to the bed and tap his leg.
"Gelo, s-sorry I, I don't have any clothes. Can I borrow something from you?" I say with a shaky voice. I felt burning hot under his stare, despite the lack of clothes. He doesn't say anything, just slowly removes an airpod and stares at me. his eyes rake up and down my body, before I speak again.
"Umm, Gelo?"
"Huh?, oh, s-sorry, yeah, yeah of course." he says, snapping out of his daze and quickly hopping out of bed. He goes to his dresser, rummaging through for some clothes. He pulls out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt with their family brand across it.
"Here you go, the shorts have a drawstring so you should be able to tie them tight enough."
"Thanks."
I don't meet his eyes as I grab the clothes and rush back into the restroom to get dressed. The clothes swallow my small frame up, his shorts going more than halfway down my leg, and the t-shirt following suit. I guess it'll have to do for tonight. I walk back out to let Gelo know I'm done and he can get in.
"Damn, girl you look small as hell, with my clothes on."
"Oh shut up, it's not my fault you're a giant. Anyway you can get in now."
I scroll on my phone, surprisingly comfortable in Gelo's clothes. They smell just like him, they're soft and they keep me warm. Once Gelo is out it's my turn to do the staring. He comes out shirtless, water still dripping down his body. I can't help but check him out, I try not to be too obvious, but I know I failed, as I hear him chuckling.
"You like what you see?" he asks
"Did you?" I retorted back surprising myself, this was normally the level of boldness I operated on but with him, it was always like a cat had my tongue.
"Actually I did, I liked it a lot." He says crawling on to the bed.
I blush at the compliment and go back to scrolling on my phone. I suddenly remember the video I had taken early and post it to my private story on Instagram, and tag him in it. I watch out of the corner of my eye waiting for him to get the notification.
"Are you serious? I told you to delete that, got me out here looking like a softie."
"You are a softie."
"Yeah whatever...anyway I'm about to turn out the light that good with you?"
Here was another speed bump in this sleepover plan, I'm scared of the dark. Yes I'm 20 years old and scared of the dark, but I almost always had a lamp on or the TV on, and as of now Gelo had neither. He had planned to go pick that and a few other things up in the morning. I guess my stark silence let him know something was up.
"y/n...you good?"
"Umm, yeah it's just that...I may or may not be...afraid of the dark" I rush the end of the sentence out hoping he somehow wouldn't hear me.
"You're 20 years old."
"Okay, and?"
"I can't sleep with these big office lights, they put in these rooms y/n"
"well...I'm scared"
"How about this, I promise I'll hold you the whole night, nothing will get to you."
He doesn't wait for an answer, he quickly shuts off the light and returns pulling me closer to him, wrapping me up, pulling me almost on top of him. I had to admit I felt a lot safer in his arms, but the zoo was back again.
The next morning, Gelo and I awoke to knocks on his door.
"Gelo, get the door."
"Unh uh, you get it, I don't feel like it."
"It's your door."
I was met with silence as Gelo relaxed back into his sleep but the knocking continued. I got up, embraced by the cold air in the room, and made my way to answer the door.
"Oh hey Zo" I say sleepily, making my way back to the bed. I guess I was so tired I didn't even care about Zo, seeing me in his brother's bed. I climb back in and cuddle up to Gelo again and lay down.
"What did I miss?" Zo says observing the site in front of him. He was met with silence. He then jumps up on the bottom of the bed jumping up and down.
"C'mon get up, it's 9am, let's get the day started, and go get breakfast!"
"Ok, bruh get down I'm up" Gelo says, shoving him off the bed.
"Give me a bite." I say to Gelo.
We had made over to a little breakfast diner and ordered our food.
"What? No bruh we got the same thing."
"Ok, but yours looks better."
"It's the same thing" he replies, emphasizing every word.
I sat back into the booth and pouted. Was I being a spoiled brat? Yes. Did I care? Not at the moment. His plate looked so much better than mine and he wouldn't even share with me.
"y/n?" "you're really gonna sit there and pout?"
I met him with silence, letting my tantrum continue. He was definitely getting the silent treatment the rest of the day. Or so I thought, Gelo gets up from his seat which was originally across from me on the other side of the booth next to Zo, and he scoots in right next to me. He leans into my side, his mouth right next to my ear. My heart is either moving so fast at this point I can't feel it, or maybe it had stopped altogether, and I was frozen in place.
"So you really not talking to me now?" he whispered right into my ear, his voice deep and raspy quite similar to his morning voice. There was that feeling again, that shot right to my core. I quickly cross my legs to alleviate the feeling, and suck in a deep breath. I then hear Zo chuckle, before he gets up and excuses himself. If I wasn't blushing before I definitely was now, I had forgotten all about Zo, sitting right across from us witnessing everything.
"Answer me." He says, his hand now snaking its way around my waist and caressing my side. The tingling between my legs intensifies and I bite back a moan. I have to get him to stop, before I do something I'd regret right here in this diner.
"Ok, I'm sorry." I say, my voice shaky and strained. His fingertips now make their way just under my t-shirt touching skin, this time a small moan does leave my lips, only loud enough for him and I to notice.
"You are?"
"Yes, yes, I'm sorry"
"You're done being a brat?"
"Yes." I almost whine at this point.
He stops immediately, pulls back and makes his way back to the other side of the booth. I physically let out a huge breath I had been holding, as I fidget in my seat, trying to deal with this new feeling. While Gelo just chuckles at me and continues to eat his breakfast. I try to calm myself down and eat mine as well. A few minutes later, I'm feeling a little better and Zo is now returning, a big smirk on his face as we make eye contact, I laugh to myself as I avoid his gaze. I can't believe he witnessed some of that.
"So, last weekend before classes finally start, and before practice starts for you Gelo, y'all ready?" Zo asks.
"I'm always ready to get on the court." Gelo replies.
"I guess I'm ready for classes, but I do have an 8am Monday, Wednesday, and Friday."
"You better be lucky, me and Zo have conditioning at 5am on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday." Gelo huffs out.
"Yeah but y'all are already used to getting up early anyway. Me? Not so much."
"What class is that anyway?" Zo asks.
"Principles of Biology." I groan.
"Welp...you're the one who wants to be a doctor...or something" Zo says.
"Not a doctor, a physical therapist."
We continued to talk about our class schedules and practices and what we were looking forward to, until it was time for Zo to go get ready for another practice with the team. He drops me and Gelo off on campus and we both end up heading to my apartment even though I didn't invite him, I didn't mind though.
Me and Gelo sat on my couch talking for hours, really getting to know each other. He told me about his childhood, and his dream of being in the NBA, and all about his take on love and girlfriends. I told him about my childhood and future plans as well, of course there wasn't much for me to talk about in the love department, but we just talked and talked.
"So, you really telling me you've never had a boyfriend?"
"Nope not one...I really hadn't met anyone who piqued my interest before n-" I cut myself off realizing what I was about to say. "But, yeah, no boyfriends." I continued hoping he didn't hear.
"So now you have met someone who piqued your interest?" he asks, I guess I had said too much.
"I didn't say that."
"You implied it."
"Well maybe, maybe not."
We just sit staring at each other, admiring one another. I take in his hazel eyes, and his smooth skin, his beard, that made his baby face look a little more grown up, and then his lips. I stare at his lips for a long while, I watch as he licks them and moistens them, I watch as they move, as he forms words I don't really hear, because I'm not paying attention. Instead I'm leaning forward slightly, ignoring my brain telling me not to, and listening to my body, which is screaming for me to kiss him, even though I don't even know what I'm doing. He begins to lean in too, were close enough to feel each other's breath on our lips, before Zo bursts into the door. We jumped back into our positions, both a little unsure of what came over us.
"Ayee! What's up y'all?" Zo asks. Oblivious to what he had missed.
"Hey, how was practice?" I asked.
"It was good, not as sore as the first practice so I'm getting back into it."
"That's good, have you had dinner?"
"Nope, I was about to see if y'all wanted to order pizza?"
"I'm down." Gelo says. He was sitting on the couch, now with a pillow over his lap. I didn't question it. But Zo gave him a weird look, like they both knew something I didn't when he finally noticed.
We ordered pizza, ate and hung out for a while. It ended up being another late night, and we were all ready for bed. Gelo decided to just crash on the couch, because again I wouldn't let him walk home by himself. Zo was off to bed, and me and Gelo were cleaning up after the pizza, before I was off to bed myself, and Gelo was finding a comfortable place on the couch. I climbed into my bed, turned on my TV, and tried to get comfortable. I never really had trouble sleeping, but tonight my bed felt too big and the blanket I was under wasn't warm enough either. Just that fast I had gotten used to sleeping with Gelo's arms around me. I lay there in my bed for at least an hour tossing and turning but I still couldn't sleep. Finally, I gained the courage to go back out in the living room with Gelo, I was worried he'd already be asleep. I slowly walk out trying not to make noise and wake him up if he is asleep. When I make it to the living room Gelo is under a cover turned facing the couch, I'm almost sure he's asleep. I go to turn around but then I hear his voice.
"y/n? You ok?" His voice is low and tired.
"Oh, yeah I just couldn't sleep."
"Why, what's wrong?"
"I- Uh nothing, never mind." I turn around and go back to my room. What were you thinking, you were just gonna say, hey come sleep with me, I miss your arms around me?
I'm sitting in my bed, obsessing over the fact that I was actually going to do that, and still unable to sleep, when there's a knock on my door. It cracks open a minute later, and Gelo walks in climbing onto my bed. I'm surprised and unsure how to react, but Gelo just climbs in like it's the most casual thing ever, wraps me up as he'd done the night before and holds me close. I relaxed and let him hold me finally comfortable. I'm almost asleep when he says one final thing.
"You know you can admit you like to cuddle with me whenever you're ready." He then kisses my cheek and snuggles in closer.
The next morning when I wake up, Gelo is not in my bed anymore. I get up and find myself something to wear for the day, and then head into the bathroom for a shower. Then I join both boys in the living room. They both look at each other and then at me expectantly.
"What?" I say cautiously
"You haven't checked IG today have you?" Gelo says. Zo begins to laugh like it's the most hilarious thing he has ever heard. I don't bother replying as I pull out my phone and open my Instagram, I scroll through posts for a minute and see nothing. I'm starting to think they've lost it.
"Check stories." Zo says. I scroll through the bar of stories until I find Zo's and click. Up pops a picture of me and Zo cuddled up together, and the smallest little smile on my face. I assume Zo expects me to be mad or upset, and I too feel like I should be but I can't help but to smile and blush like an idiot.
"Why would you post that?" I whine, trying to at least pretend to be bothered.
"Oh whatever, I saw that smile." "So anyway, when are y'all going to admit y'all have feelings for each other?" Zo replies, looking between the two of us. Me and Gelo make eye contact and immediately break it.
"Well, I'll admit I have a crush on someone, someone who piques my interest." I say slyly, giving Gelo a knowing look. His face breaks out into the biggest smile, and we are making eye contact again. I shift from his eyes to his lips, forgetting we aren't alone in this room, something Gelo makes me do often. I lean forward, our lips almost touching again until we are interrupted.
"Wait...so what?" Zo says, thoroughly confused by Gelo and I's inside joke.
Gelo and I both burst out laughing at him, and our second almost kiss, it felt like the one who'd wanted us together the most, is now the one stopping us in our tracks.
"Zo, that was me telling Gelo, I like him...and trying to get my first kiss if you don't mind."
Zo throws his hands up, slowly backing off and around the corner. Once we are sure he's gone, we lean in again. Gelo makes contact with my lips and the kiss is soft and sweet. As we pull away we hear Zo clapping, looking back towards the rooms, we see Zo there filming us with his phone.
"What?...You're going to want these videos at the wedding."