For What It's Worth

Chapter 5

My eyes trailed as the ball bounced gradually towards where I was standing.

"Hey," Milo huffed. He was covered in sweat, which was no surprise since he appeared to have been playing basketball by himself under the scorching heat of the sun again. He flickered his fingers, signalling for me to pass the ball to him.

I picked up the ball, and lamely bounced the ball to his direction. He caught it perfectly and started to dribble. He turned around to face the basketball ring, made a slight jump as he raised his arms in the air, and threw the ball. Unfortunately, the ball only managed to bounce off the rim of the basket.

I slowly took a couple of steps toward him. The ball continued to bounce past me but I ignored it. Milo turned around and in an instant I felt my heart flutter the moment I took in his appearance more clearly.

He was bathing in sweat but he was still beautiful. His hair was all wettish and disheveled but it only made him more seducing to look at. His shirt was so soaked with sweat that it clung to his body, a little bit exposing his well-structured abdomen. I could feel my heart pounding louder and louder each step I get closer to him.

"Why are you playing basketball by yourself? It's too hot this time of the day," I told him, ignoring the sudden butterflies in my stomach.

He rested his hands on his hips, bobbing his head down with a deep and loud exhale, then raised it up again to look at me.

"Just letting out some steam," he coldly said. He walked past me to get the ball lying still on the pavement.

"I'm sure everyone will forget about that whole issue tomorrow," I stated, in the means of comforting him. I could sense he was still bummed out because of the drama that happened in school.

"I know. I'll be fine," he smirked whilst dribbling the ball.

I shot him a dubious stare, to which he just coolly shrugged off.

"Seriously. You're drenched in sweat. You reeked in sweat. We should head inside," I told him then snatched the ball from his grasp.

"Fine," he rolled his eyes but then nodded in agreement.

We entered his house together. I made my way to the kitchen to prepare some snacks while Milo went straight up the stairs to his room to get changed.

His parents were on a business trip again so he called my mom to ask permission if I could stay overnight since Milo doesn't feel like being alone tonight. I reckon it still had something to do with the Sophie incident, even though he tried so hard to insist it wasn't.

As to why my mom confidently agreed to let her daughter stay with a teenage boy alone in his house?

I could only think of two possibilities.

One, my mom trusts Milo enough to let me sleep in his house. Two, she badly wants us to hook up or end up together.

She and Milo's mom had always had that dream. It started way back when both of them found out each of our genders.

My mom even mentioned about the pact that they had when we were on 7 months inside their bellies.

Unfortunately for them, Milo never got interested for me and the affection still remains one sided up to this day.

"That smells so good," Milo's voice crept up behind me, out of the blue, causing me to flinch a little. I turned my head to the back and smiled proudly at how confident I am in cooking.

"What're you making?" Milo sat on one of the chairs, reaching for an apple that was in the center of their wooden-carved kitchen table.

"New York sandwich," I answered plainly while transferring each N.Y sandwiches on a plate with the help of a ladle. I served them on the table afterwards. "Here 'ya go."