According to Plan

Chapter 15: I am in Love With You, Dumbass

The Silver Carps got back to Summerbrough the day after their game. She texted Nic to get a better average of when they would be back at the arena, and consequently, back home. Thankfully, it should be right after she finished school.

When she got home, she ignored her sister asking her about what she thought about the finals match up and if she should take all the rookies out for ice cream because they looked sad and grabbed her peppermint hot chocolate, a few bags of popcorn, and a blanket before heading right over to Leo's house.

When she knocked, Leo opened the door. It was perfect timing since his brother was still at school and his sister had a student council meeting, so she wouldn't be home for a while.

She hated to admit it. Even if she wanted nothing to do with Leo for the last 4 years, she still knew everything there was to know about him. He was still a big part of her life, like it or not.

Leo just stared at her, still half-dressed in his suit, like he started to take it off and gave up halfway through. His hair stood up on one side of his head and was matted down on the other. Along with the red marks on the same side of his face, it was clear he had just gotten home and parked himself on the couch.

However, his icy blue eyes didn't have their normal mischievous glint to them. Now all there was behind them was sadness.

They continued to stare at each other for a moment more before Leo finally broke the silence.

"What are you doing here, Rose?" He asked, and it broke Rose's heart a little. He shouldn't be hurt by her being at his door. 4 years ago, she would have just let herself in, and they would have already been watching a movie. Now she had to knock.

"Hot chocolate and movies?" She asked, holding up the green tin.

When he gave her an apprehensive look, she shook the tin and raised her eyebrows, like that was supposed to make it more appealing.

"Peppermint?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Duh." She grinned.

He let out a heavy sigh. "Fine, I guess you can come in."

He moved aside, and she walked in. She was going to fix this, and she was going to fix this today. She could see he was still wearing her bracelets. Superstitious fucker, but she knew not all was lost just yet.

She walked into the kitchen to put the milk on to warm on the stove, then puttered around the kitchen, trying to find their mugs.

She opened the counter to find a custom-made Silver Carp mug with Jake's last name and old number printed across it.

She looked at it for a moment before pushing past it to find the two they usually used. Her's was a plain white mug with her zodiac sign on it, and his was one shaped like a turtle, that was more of a bowl than a mug, but he claimed "it held the right amount of hot chocolate" in it.

As she got them out and a spoon out for the hot chocolate, she heard him clear his throat behind her.

"Rose," He started, and she turned to him. "Why are you here?"

Rose took a deep breath and put the spoon down.

"Because you are sad, and you shouldn't be sad by yourself." She shook her head. "Because I am your friend, and I care about you and because you need hot chocolate right now."

He made a face, and she sighed.

"Because I am in love with you, dumb ass." She said finally and stepped towards him. "I have been in love with you since I saw your stupid face when you first moved back here."

She was close enough to touch him, but she couldn't, not yet, because she had to focus on the rest of things she needed to say.

"I knew I was in love with you when Jake asked me, but I couldn't admit it. It was hard to admit it myself. It's hard to admit you love someone who broke your heart."

"I told you-" He protested by Rose held her hand up.

"You know what I mean." She said. "But now, I am standing here, telling you, I love you, and I don't want you to feel sad, and I don't want things to be awkward anymore. We are friends, and I am in love with you, and I want you to kiss me again."

Leo blinked at her a few more times, and she began to worry that she had said the wrong thing.

"I mean, if you want to..." She continued as Leo continued to stare. She wasn't sure if his brain had short-circuited or he was trying to come up with a way to let her down gently.

"Leo?" She tried again before he finally snapped out of it.

"Fuck." Was all he responded with.

"Look, I thought maybe, I guess not? I don't know. The car thing was a little confusing, and then you are acting like you are now, and I am worrying that now? Uh? Maybe I should-" Rose babbled on.

"Shut up." He said, cutting her off and grabbed the sides of her face to pull her into a kiss.

His kiss was rough and bruising, and she kissed him back until they were both gasping for air.

"I am glad you finally came to your senses." He said after he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers, panting for breath.

She pulled away from him, making a face as she turned away from his grasp. "Never mind, I take it back. I hate you. You made me wait for so long just to say that-"

He laughed and pulled her back, hugging her from behind. "God, I have missed you."

*****

When people say date your best friend, it sounded obvious, but she never thought it would be like this.

It started at their year-end party, while they were all sitting around the little firepit, drinking, laughing at Nic's godawful outfit, and having one last night of fun together before everyone left for home, the draft, camp, the AHL or school. Locker cleanout was hard, but with some burgers and hot dogs in them, everything seemed like it was going to be okay.

Leo sat in his chair, nursing a beer, covered with a blanket over his legs. Rose had been over by the door, talking to Briana and one of the coach's kids. When Briana left them to say hi to Mike, Rose had wandered over to the fire to get warm. She glanced around to find a seat, but before she could say anything, Leo moved the blanket from off his lap and continued to talk to Joey and Liam, waiting for her to sit.

She took the spot gratefully and settled before Leo tucked the blanket back around them, never cutting the conversation. It was easy and natural like they had been doing this their whole lives, and Rose revelled in his steady warmth behind her.

It was something she could get used to.

Later, she grabbed a plate for dessert, and he didn't even have to ask. She knew what to get. She piled their plate, and they shared the food until she began to nod off.

Leo rolled his eyes but motioned for her to stand. He then wrapped the blanket around her and push her to start saying her goodbyes.

She did, but she couldn't help but wonder how she got so lucky. If things had played out differently, would they be where they were now? Would she have ever gotten together with him? What if Rachel had never forced them to fake date? Would they have still ended up dating? Rose wanted to believe that they were meant to be together. Even when Jake seemed like the better option between the two of them, her heart still chose Leo. The universe works in mysterious ways, and she was not one to question it. Not when she finally had her best friend back, and she finally understood what she had been feeling about him since she was 12.

On top of all of that, which the settling of her feelings for Leo, she was able to focus on school. Thankfully, her grades hadn't suffered too much throughout this whole whirlwind of a drama she had gotten herself caught up in. Now that she could focus solely on what was going to happen after graduation, her choice seemed a little more obvious now.

That was months away though, and right now, since her choice had been made, all she had to do was focus on Leo, and enjoy the fact the time she finally got to spend with Leo. They had put their feelings aside for long enough, and now, with summer upon them, all they had to do was enjoy.