"Do you want to get any snacks first?" Summer asked me when we closed our car doors, having parked beside one another and I nodded, slipping my hands beneath my oversized brown sweater. "Yeah, maybe a cold drink or something." I say, rubbing a hand down my throat since it was kinda sore.

I look around, seeing the numerous amount of cars and almost scoff. People wouldn't come here for their day classes but they'd most definitely come for a football game.

Eyes the cameraman, a frown gracing my lips as I wondered how the hell Karsen was right now. He was probably flooded with anxiety, pacing up and down, smoking somewhere even if he shouldn't be. I would phone him and check on him but I think it'd be better to just let him feel it through and release all the anxiety when he's actually playing on field.

When we get to a truck like set up we get two cold drinks in the takeaway cups before we made our way to the football field bleachers that were already mostly filled up.

Summer's cheerleader friends had got her the tickets so when we got to the front they'd passed it to her and she took it with a smile, passing me one before we walked in and I looked around the much too overcrowded place even if it was huge down here.

It was dark since it was night time but the all around lights made it look like it was just around the afternoon, so many people filled on both sides of the bleachers from the right and the left that I almost wanted to turn back around, walk to my car, and leave.

But of course I told Summer i'd be here with her, so instead of listening to my thoughts I just lingered next to her, listening to her speak but everyone is so loud that I can barely actually hear anything she'd said.

We walk up the stairs beside the bleachers and find a spot near the front close to the cheerleaders which is close to the center, people greeting Summer and some even politely taking note of me with her and greeting me too, I just smiled back in return till we get to the spot and I sink down into the seat, sighing softly to myself.

I wore a jersey, a skirt and my see through tights, and thankfully I did because people were practically rubbing on my side. I ignored it and sipped on my cold drink through the straw.

"What time did the guys have to be here?" I asked Summer who was sipping on her own cold drink and she looked to me, licking her lips. "Usually they come an hour or two early." She says as she pulls her phone out from her own jacket, showing me the screen, "The games gonna start anytime now though."

I nod, its just a few minutes past start time.

"You coming to the after party? If they win?"

I shake my head, "I don't think so." I say that instead of a direct, no, to soften the blow, but truth was I did think about going, and just really didn't want to.

"Why?" She practically whines as she grabs my forearm and tugs me closer to her and I snort as she wraps her arms around my shoulders, laying her head there, he cold drink dangling in her hand, "You're like my only friend Adrienne."

I raise a brow, looking to her, "Karsen?"

"Shh." She hushes me, stroking my head and I cant help but laugh a little causing her to join in too, "Guilting me isn't gonna work Summer."

She sighs dramatically, "It was worth a try though"

Im just about to reply when we hear cheering and screaming and I almost shriek at how loud it is.

I didn't expect college football games to be such a lively event with what seemed like quite a bit of media coverage and hundreds of people but apparently that's exactly what it was like. Maybe because one or two of then would go pro and become NFL players.

I think thats what gives Karsen the most anxiety, waiting to finally be scouted.

The guys are all on field and moving closer together and I can barely make out who is who from where we are.

"What number is Karsen?" I ask Summer as I lean closer into her side, "Ten." She says, raising up ten fingers too and I raise a brow, "Because he thinks he's a ten out of ten?"

She snorts at that, "Probably, but mostly because his birthday is the tenth."

"Oh so he is full of himself."

"You're only now realizing that honey?" She asks a little teasingly and I smile, shaking my head. He was full of himself, but he also doubted himself in every way imaginable.

A true enigma.

I look for his number till my eyes land on him and I realized i'd just had to look for the tallest fucker out there. I smirk at the thought, shaking my head and sipping on my cold drink again.

I notice him clench and unclench his hands into a fist a few times before he moves away from who I assume is Matt and Chance and to his own position.

He doesn't look to the bleachers or camera's, not once, not even a glance, he just focuses on the game at hand which I think is the best thing he can do for himself.

If he looks at everyone he might get a little too overwhelmed, hell, I would and I don't think I have anxiety so I can only imagine how he feels right now.

When the game finally starts, its all a blur.

Different colored jerseys merging as the start, and the ball is being passed so fast that I actually have to blink a few times to actually refocus my gaze on it.

People scream and yell and I look around me, eyeing everyone and wondering why they found this so entertaining, its just a bunch of men passing around a ball.

That is of course until sometime over an hour passes by and Summer is done explaining everything imaginable and I'm at the edge of my seat with everyone else watching in hopes of Karsen's team winning.

Its halftime and they have 15 points, the opposing team only at 9 but its still too early to tell who'd win in the end.

Both Summer and I decide to make our way to the bathrooms since she needs to change her tampon and I need to pee before half times over, and as I walk I almost laugh at how ironic it was that i'd called it barely amusing, but was now waiting to go back and watch them play, "Football is fast paced as hell." I tell her and she nods with a raise of both brows, emphasizing exactly how she feels about it too. "Every time I watch is just as nerve wrecking as the first time babe."

I could only imagine how it felt to be one of the players, specifically the one with green eyes, number ten jersey, and anxiety.

I try not to think of it because if I did, i'd probably worry myself to death too.

When we get into the bathroom a few other girls are there but they ignore us and continue washing their hands or talking as we go to separate stalls and I come out alone a few seconds later after doing my business.

Im washing my hands when the door behind me opens again and I look up to the mirror at the sound, just to for my eyes to meet Cherry's.

She smiles widely over at me, walking closer, "Hey, you, Adele right?"

I blink, who the fuck is is Adele?

"Its actually Adrienne." I say slowly and she oh's with a quick nod, "Yeah, how're you?" She asks me, leaning on the wall side and I shrug, going over to wipe my hands with some paper towels, "I've been fine, and you?"

"Great."

I nod with a tight lipped smile, shes about to talk again when the door opens and Summer comes out, closing the door behind her as she fluffs her hair.

When she see's Cherry she smiles at her, and Cherry looks away from me and to Summer, "Hey you."

"Hey hey." Summer says, walking over, washing her hands beside me, "Tired?"

"Exhausted." Cherry replies, "Can I ask you something?"

I look between both Summer and Cherry, wondering if this was gonna be something private and if I should leave, and when Cherry notices my stare on them it causes her to giggle, "No, no don't worry its not that personal or whatever, it's just that I wanted to know if Karsen is seeing anyone right now."

I hum because that actually did sound kinda personal but I don't tell her that.

She looks back to Summer, "I wanted to make amends with him, and maybe we could get back together." She says and I raise a brow in wonder.

Karsen and Cherry were together?

Summer wipes her hands with a paper towel and looks over to Cherry, "I think its better if you ask him yourself, Im not really sure what goes on in his dating life Cherry."

"Yeah I understand that but I mean do you think he has a thing for anyone, have you noticed anything?"

Summer seemed to hesitate before she answers and I almost look back to her too because that caught my attention.

Was he with someone?

If he was it'd be weird since he flirted with me and he probably also flirted with ninety percent of the population of women in the college an awful lot.

She clears her throat, "Im not so sure Cher."

Cherry only nods back, "Well, I guess i'll ask him tonight myself then."

Tonight? The party? Neither Summer or I ask her if thats what she meant, Summer just says a quick okay and goodbye, tugging at arm like she usually did.

When we were out the bathroom and walking back to the bleachers she shakes her head as if thinking about something, "Was it just me or was that really awkward?"

"It was." I respond with a shake of my own head, "Anyway, I need a water."

She nods, "Me too."

===

They won.

Karsen's team won.

And as soon as they do everyone around us quite literally goes wild, jumping out of their seats and its so loud that I rub my ear when people start flooding away from the bleachers and onto the field.

"Come on!" Summer pulls me along with her down the stairs and I almost trip but I find my footing and run along with her hand in mine, wondering it this was a little excessive but I didn't even have time to question it.

College was odd.

We look for the guys and when we find them taking out their helmets and panting heavily she pulls me too them too, but before we reach them- Cherry gets there first.

And she literally pulls Karsen by the jaw, pull him to her and then she does the unthinkable.

She kisses him.

She kisses Karsen.

She kisses Karsen, and she kisses him right on the lips.

Even Summer stops running because everyones looking at the two kiss and when he pulls back, breathing hard and wide eyed, everyone starts cheering again.

I stare at the little interaction.

A part of me doesn't even want to look at them, but I don't look away, I fucking stare.

Cherry and Karsen.

Who would've thought?

I shake my head at the two, biting my lower lip as a heavy feeling swarms my chest but I ignore it. I look over to Matt and Chance who are also looking to their best friend and blinking, that is till they looked to one another, both looking equally as confused but I we don't ask what's wrong, well Summer doesn't ask, and its not like i'd ask them whats wrong anyway so no one spoke on it.

"Hey!" Summer yells out and both guys smile, "So proud of you two idiots." They both smile saying their thank you's over at her before she moves over, kissing her boyfriends cheek before he kisses her lips quickly.

I look away at the intimate moment and when Matt looks to me I smile and he waves a hand over as they all hug.

I walk closer and hug him from the side too, not too tight but a hug nonetheless and he snorts at the action, "You're not much of a hugger, huh?"

I almost laugh, "Not at all, but im happy you guys won."

"We can tell." Chance says dryly when he leans over to look at me with a narrow of his gaze and I roll my eyes just to be pulled away and brought into someone else's hold and I almost yelp.

"They get hugs before I do?" Karsen says and I look up to him, wiping the sticky lipgloss from beside his lips.

"You're too busy swapping saliva with Cherry for my hugs Kar." I tease him with that stupid nickname and his smile slips from his lips a little.

"I'd take your hugs over that any day Addy." The way he says it makes my eyebrows pinch together but I don't ask him what he meant.

"Are you going to the party Adrienne?" Jake asks, popping up from somewhere and I look to him, Matt's hand already in his boyfriends, "I think I'm just gonna go home." I tell them.

"What, why? Its just one night." Karsen says quickly, pulling me closer into his side and I look to him, hands moving to his own that were around my waist... we were, really close.

"I'd rather not, but have fun." I say with a smile as I move back and away from his hold, wondering why he was so touchy all of a sudden as I look to Summer, "I'll see you around."

"Yep yep, i'll text you later." She says before the guys disperse and she starts walking away, waving her fingers at me.

I look away from her when she turns around to walk to the parking lot, and when I look over to the man beside me, I notice his eyes on me. I swallow, "What?"

He rubs his tongue over the inside of his cheek before he shakes his head, "Nothing, let me get my bag and i'll walk you to your car."

I nod and walk with him over to the locker room, playing with my fingers as we walk there, "If you're back together with Cherry, the playful flirting should stop." I tell him and he looks down to me beside him, "What?"

"You two kissed a moment ago, so..."

He speaks up quickly, "Im not getting back together with her Adrienne and she knows that, I told her again."

I nod slowly, "Yeah okay, anyway just a month and a half." I tell him as I nudge his arm and he looks to me, his brows pulling together, "A month and a half till what?"

"Till the projects done and we can be rid of one another." I tease but evidently he doesn't seem to like the tease as he stops walking just when we get to the locker room, "Do you want that?"

I turn back and look to him, noticing that we were basically the only ones around here as I lean on the locker door behind me, "Of course I do." I joke with a smirk but he looks so damn serious that my smirk falters at the ends.

I silence passes between us, and if Im not mistaken, it feels like tensions rise.

I swallow.

He speaks.

"The kiss meant nothing." He tells me, walking closer to me, "You know that right?"

I blink, my head tilting back with each step he takes till he's finally in front of me and I find my voice somehow, even if I start to grow a little confused, "I- I don't see what that has to do with me."

"It means you're not getting rid of me any time soon Adrienne." He leans closer and I can't even ignore how handsome he looked this close to me, all sweaty, his hair a disheveled mess, slight shadows beneath his eyes and his slightly bruised cheek.

And yet he was always gonna be the handsomest guy i've ever seen, even if he was sweaty, bruised, and most probably exhausted.

"I like flirting with you, how you react to me, how you look at me."

My cheeks redden at the last part, and he smirks knowingly, his hand moving over to my jaw, cupping it, tilting my head back and I struggle to breathe properly when he is touching me... but I don't want it to stop.

"Just like that."

My lips part when I feel a sensation I'd never felt before.

It was warm, and it was like I was nervous, but I was also a little... giddy.

I blink in realization of the feeling in my stomach.

It was butterflies.

A tingle, a growing heat, and no, not just in my stomach, I could feel the wet heat between my legs.

I swallow harshly after his words, "Like what?" I whisper, forcing the words out because I was so damn nervous.

"Like this."

How do we look at each other?

Like we want each other?

Do we?

I'd noticed the desire in his eyes before but right now it didn't look as mundane as it had the first time I saw it at the library when he asked me to go to the carnival with him, right now that very same look was fucking intense.

It was so full of desire that I couldn't ignore it, it was burning in his eyes and I'd be an idiot to act like I don't see it.

Our lips are so close, our faces are so close.

What were we doing?

His thumb rubs over the lower curve of my lips, and my breathing grows shallow, "You didn't even congratulate me."

I pull my lower lip into my mouth before letting it out and speaking, "I- I am... Im really proud of you, Krist."

Fuck.

Did I just fucking stutter?

He leans down closer, our noses brushing over and my heart jumps in my throat when his skin touches mine, when his hold on my jaw is all I can think about, "I really wish you'd show me."

Holy fucking shit.

My lips part, "W-what?"

"I want you to show me just how proud you actually are Adrienne." He whispers it only loud enough for us to hear even if we're the only ones around her, his lips are a feather space away from mine, and all I can think about is closing the space.

"Everyone wanted to go out to that party after the game, but you know what I wanted tonight Addy?" He asks me lowly, and I swallow, shaking my head because I didn't know.

I watch his eyes darken, and I almost rub my thighs together to create some friction at the look, "I want you to give yourself to me."

Before my mind can actually wrap around what he's saying theres someone who tries to push the locker doors open behind me and I almost press my lips to Karsen's without meaning to.

Instead I duck under his arm and move around him, almost stumbling back but I get my right footing and find my voice.

I open my mouth, but no words come out.

Fuck.

Fucking hell.

Holy fucking shit hell fucking fuck.

I clear my throat, breathing harshly like i'd just ran a marathon. "I- Im sorry I- I have to- g- oh fuck it." I snap softly as I turn around and storm away, my hands literally trembling from the adrenaline but I ignore it as I make way to the parking lot and to my car, hoping he doesn't follow me because I was too confused at what I was feeling right now

It wasn't just his usual flirting.

And I almost fucking kissed Karsen.