I plop the bag of takeout boxes onto the dining room table. After carefully arranging the open boxes onto the table like a giant jigsaw puzzle, we're left with a very wide and colorful array of sushi staring back at us. We couldn't decide on what we wanted and ended up ordering some of everything on the menu.

I break the wooden chopsticks apart and rub the splinters off. I notice in my peripheral vision that Alyssa is staring at me very intently, and I immediately recognize the look. A devilish grin when she's figured out a secret and is ready to expose it.

I look at her warily. "Yeah?"

She rests her chin on her palms and leans closer to me. "So, does Cole come here often?" Her voice is deceptively calm and cool - I can see right through it though.

I know she's going to jump to conclusions if I say yes. "No, why would he?"

She smirks and tilts her chin towards the chair at the end of the table. "I don't suppose that's your hoodie?"

I feel myself blush. Draped over the chair is a red hoodie with Kappa Sigma printed on the front. Cole must've left it here the other day. We had Indian food for dinner. He couldn't handle the heat and had to take it off mid-meal. I told him to order mild, but mild is for babies, according to him.

"It's not what you think," I groan. "I've just been teaching him how to play the piano. That's it."

"Mhm," she hums with a cheery smile, "and why aren't you teaching tonight?"

"He's busy tonight. He said it's a fraternity thing." I shrug.

"Or, perhaps we could entertain the thought that Cole decided he isn't cut out to be a pianist." We hear Mr. Carter chuckle as he walks by the dining room.

I crumple up the chopstick's paper wrapper into a ball and playfully toss it at Mr. Carter. As much as Mr. Carter has been trying to tolerate Cole, and as nice as Cole has been trying to be to Mr. Carter, I can tell the two of them still get on each other's nerves. "Ha ha, very funny." I wave him towards the room and hand him a plate and a pair of chopsticks. "Take some, we ordered way too much."

Alyssa furrows her brows and checks her phone. "There's nothing happening tonight. I would know, all of the sorority and fraternity presidents are in a group chat together." She quickly begins texting. I don't know how she handles the way her long acrylic nails click loudly against her screen. "Let me text Luke."

I feel a sinking feeling in my stomach. I know Cole has no obligation to tell me about his plans. We're just friends, friends don't keep tabs on each other like that. I can't help but feel a little hurt though, that he would lie about why he can't spend time together.

Alyssa snickers as she puts her phone down. "Alright, let's head out after we finish eating, this is something I have to see."

-----

We push the door open the slightest bit, just enough to be able to peek through a tiny crack. The community centre's gymnasium is filled with little kids, I doubt any of them are older than eight, bouncing around basketballs.

In the center of the gym, trying to break apart a fight going on between two little boys, is Cole. I quickly place my hand over Alyssa's mouth to muffle her laughter.

I vaguely remember Cole telling me about playing basketball before, but this is definitely not what I was expecting. I watch as he shows a little girl with curly black hair how to dribble the ball. She takes a bit to get a good rhythm going, and Cole cheerfully bends down to give her a high five once she gets the hang of it. I feel a warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest. It's admittedly pretty adorable.

Cole is the last person I'd expect to get along with kids. He's impatient and quite... inappropriate at times. I can't stop a wide smile from spreading across my face though, observing a side of him I've never seen. Knowing him, he definitely wouldn't admit this side of him even exists.

He's just so soft and kind with them. One boy, the tiniest of the group, tugs on Cole's hand. Cole bends down so the boy can whisper into his ear. He nods and picks up the boy so that he can easily toss his ball into the hoop. The kids all cheer for him.

I'm going to need a mop and bucket to collect my melted heart.

"That's so cute," Alyssa giggles. She uses her phone to take a picture of Cole being tugged in several different directions by a group of little girls.

It's only been a couple minutes, but my head is starting to hurt from listening to all the screaming. I gesture behind us to Alyssa and she nods.

We quietly shut the door and sit on a bench across the hall. I look at her and raise an eyebrow. "So, care to explain what this is?"

Alyssa bursts out laughing, letting out the laugh she was trying to muffle earlier. I roll my eyes as I wait for her to catch her breath.

"The fraternities and sororities all volunteer in the community," she explains, wiping her tears away from laughing so hard. She takes out her phone and reads a text message. "Apparently, Cole signed up late. This was the only thing left."

Even with the door shut, we suddenly hear a child loudly screaming. From what I can make out, it sounds like a kid is having a meltdown because another kid accidentally stepped on their shoe.

"To think you were the same age as those kids when you performed at Carnegie Hall," Alyssa says.

I didn't have much of a childhood at all. Mom stuck me in some snooty, expensive private elementary school when we moved to California. Most kids were like me; controlled by overbearing parents and too busy focusing on honing in on their skills to be regular kids. I spent most of my time indoors, staring at sheet music.

We suddenly hear the clicking noise of the door's bar being pushed. My heart skips a beat as we both scramble to quickly duck behind some nearby recycling bins. A bunch of tiny, excited footsteps rush by as I hear Cole saying bye to all of them. The hall grows silent after the last child has left.

My heart pounds as I hear slow footsteps coming closer and closer. I hold my breath when the shadow of a person's silhouette begins to creep down the dimly lit hall. I try to come up with an explanation as to what we're even doing here.

We were taking a walk and got lost.

We could've sworn this address was for a bar.

We definitely weren't stalking you.

They suddenly stop, and the footsteps start going in the other direction. We both sigh in relief and sit there for a bit until we can't hear the footsteps anymore.

"I wonder where he went," Alyssa murmurs, standing up and taking my hand. She starts walking down the hall in the direction of the footsteps.

"What? Alyssa, no!" I whisper frantically, trying to pull her back. It's no use, she's much stronger than I am, and I have no choice but to be dragged along.

We quietly walk down the hall, stopping at the only room with the lights still on. There aren't any opportunities for hiding, the double doors are wide open. We stay outside with our backs pressed to the adjacent wall. Alyssa takes out a small makeup compact and uses the mirror at a strategic angle to peek inside.

"Hot damn," she mumbles, biting her lip.

She hands me the mirror and we switch sides. It's a gym, relatively spacious with a large variety of exercise equipment. There are only a couple people inside, two men running on treadmills, and a woman using an elliptical.

Near the center is Cole. He's facing away from us, laying on a weight bench. He's lifting a bar with some thick looking plates on either end. I can't help but watch the way the muscles in his arms flex with each lift. The definition in his toned arms and chest. The slight sheen of sweat over his olive skin.

I feel myself starting to blush - this isn't like me at all. When we were young, Alyssa would gush over all these shirtless guys in magazines. I'd always tease her and say she was wasting her time.

What's been happening to me lately?

I turn back to Alyssa. She's exaggeratedly fanning herself and dramatically resting the back of her hand against her forehead. "I'm impressed cous, picking someone like Cole as your first boyfriend," she giggles.

"I said it's not like that," I groan, leaning against the wall and squeezing my eyes shut. The cool tiled wall feels nice against my burning face. We both peek inside again.

Cole sits up and uses a small towel to wipe his forehead, still facing away from us. I'm ready to drag Alyssa out of here, but he suddenly clears his throat. "Were you two planning on watching me all night?"

We both gasp. A fervent, burning heat rushes to my face as Alyssa digs through her bag and quickly shoves Cole's sweatshirt into my hands. "I'll see you in the car, Mel!" she calls as she runs back down the hall.

I stand there in shock, staring blankly at Cole's shirt in my hand. Bracing myself for the worst, I warily look back inside the gym. Cole has turned around to face the entrance. He gives me an amused grin and gestures for me to come in. I have no choice but to slowly walk over to him. I can see how flushed my face is in the mirrors lining the walls.

"You uh, you forgot this," I mumble, handing him his shirt.

He chuckles and takes it. "Oh, thanks Mel." I'm about to back out and get the heck out of here before Cole gives me a sly smile. "Couldn't you have given it to me earlier while you were watching me with the kids?"

My face is going to combust if it gets any redder at this point.

"S-see you tomorrow!" I dash out of the gym, hearing him laughing behind me.

--------------------

Is anyone good with kids? I definitely could not handle that many of them 😂

Thanks for reading!