Damaged Hearts

32-I Love Him

Olivia

I hear the moment Cora gets back from wherever she ran off to. 

It's been a few hours since the whole her finding out I was with her brother thing, then her taking  a breather.

Sitting on her bed I watch as she slowly opens the door, the light in the hallways casting a shadow in front of her.

She visibly takes a breath before coming to sit beside me. 

Tucking my legs under me I turn to her. 

"How long?" She asks, breaking the silence. 

"October."

It was December now. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asks, her voice barely above a whisper. 

"I thought you would try and convince me that it wouldn't work and another part thought you would be mad."

Cora sighs, "I wasn't stupid you know?"

"Huh?" I ask confused. 

She shuffled so she's sitting with her legs crossed. 

"You and Alex had that whole weird treehouse thing for a few years. You guys thought you were so sneaky going up there but I saw, so did mom and dad."

She plays with a loose string on the comforter. 

"I could see how much you two cared for each other but I never said anything. I thought it was good that someone was there for Alex and it being you made it better. I knew you weren't pretending when you sat there with him.-

"I don't know if you remember the few weeks after the two of you stopped going up to that treehouse but I do. I never knew what happened but clearly something had. He was tense around you all the time and you looked so sad."

I suck in a sharp breath as she continues. 

"He hurt you and that hurt me, I mean we are best friends Liv. Those few weeks you rarely came over and if you did you were always on edge from whatever had happened. I just don't want him to break your heart again."

I get where she's coming from. 

I remember being sad after, sitting there wondering what I had done to make him so mad at me. 

To make him hate me. 

"Its different this time, I mean we're in a relationship now and we've talked about everything. It's actually been going really great, I love him and I'm sorry for lying to you." I admit. 

She gives me a half smile, "I know and I'm not mad Liv. I could never be mad over something so stupid like my brother and my best friend dating, but I can't not worry something will happen between the two of you and you'll walk out of my life too. I am too selfish to let you leave me."

I laugh, "I'm too selfish to leave you. Which is why I promise if Alex and I ever break up I won't leave you."

"Pinky swear?" She asks holding her finger out. I wrap mine around hers. 

"Pink swear."

Once we pull apart she grins at me. 

"You love him?" She wiggles her eyebrows. 

Did I really say that?

Oh god. 

I roll my bottom lip into my mouth, "Yeah I guess I do."

"Does he know that?"

I shake my head, "We haven't said it yet."

She rolls her eyes, "Don't be one of those people thats like 'I won't say it until he does' if he feel it say it. Trust me he feels the same way."

"How would you know?"

She laughs, "I may have not known y'all were together but I sure as hell see the way you two look at each other. He looks at you like you were made for him."

My heart flutters at the thought of Alex loving me.

Could he really?

"I'm sorry I ruined you party." I say remembering how everything went down in the kitchen.

She shakes her head, "No Naomi and her loud ass mouth ruined my party."

"Yeah well if she didn't catch Alex and I on his bed-"

"La la la." She says covering her ears, "I might be cool with you dating but I most definitely don't want to hear all the gory details."

"Sorry." I wince. 

A thought pops into my head. 

"Hey how come Stella wasn't invited?"

She rolls her eyes, "That bitch was talking bad about you one day in the locker room. How can she think I would let her come to my party after that?"

I gap at her, "You didnt invite her because of me? Wait what did she say?"

"Nothing worth repeating."

"I may have let her sneak in."

Cora laughs, "I know I saw, I would've made her leave but then I watched her humiliate herself in front of Alex's friend."

"What happened?"

"She made a move and he swerved her. It was hilarious, best birthday present so far. I wish I had it on video."

We both laugh as we fall back onto the bed. 

Turning our heads we look at each other. 

"You know when you marry my brother I better be maid of honor."

"Of course you would be." I say without hesitation, "and when you get married same goes for me."

She rolls her eyes, "Speaking of marriage."

"What?"

"I had dinner with Landons family the other night. His mom insisted that right after we graduate from college we should get married."

My brows pull together, "Why right after?"

"She wants...grandkids." Cora cringes.

She is one of those that wants to enjoy life until thirty and then have kids. 

"Ew, wait does she think you two are-" I trail off and she nods. 

"Oh my god." I laugh.

Cora joins, "I know I mean we have sex in the same house as them, sometimes I wonder if his mom just wants to believe we are celibate."

"In the same house?" I rise up onto my elbows. 

She nods, "I mean we cant do it here. Well we have a few times but this house almost always has someone in it. At Landons his parents are rarely home but sometimes we just do it because why not you know? His parents don't say anything."

I fake gag, "Just knowing parents are there would turn me off."

"Not really I mean they aren't my parents. Plus its the fun of trying not to get caught."

"Except they probably already know."

She nods, "Still, I cant be positive they do. And just because I admit this doesn't mean I need you and Alex getting hot and heavy while I am in the house. If you do I will throw butter at you guys."

"Butter?"

"Yep, I'll just start pelting the two of you with butter balls."

"Oh my god." I laugh, throwing my head back. 

We end up getting changed into pajamas before slipping into bed for the night.