Back in the Saddle

Playing Cupid

Karl's POV:

Kristen immediately bombards me with questions when we get home, wanting to be sure I'm alright. She also thanks me endlessly for saving Toby, no matter how much I tell her it was no problem and that I'm sure George would've done the same, had he been there.

She calms a bit after Phil checks me out and concludes that there is no harm done. It's not like I had gotten hurt at all: I didn't fall and the bull barely got within ten feet of me. Nick had made sure that it didn't come any closer.

Speaking of Nick... I'm struggling to push away thoughts about him. He has a warm grin that never fails to be contagious, a southern accent that makes me melt whenever I hear it, and piercing green eyes that seem to see straight into my soul whenever our eyes lock. But I refuse to even entertain the thought of liking him. For one, it would most likely only be met with disappointment in the end, but I also don't deserve it. Not after what I did to him.

I can't be happy in a world where he isn't here. Especially when I'm the reason he's gone.

"You wanna have a movie night tonight?" I ask George randomly. He looks over at me from his bed, taking out one of his airpods and humming. "Do you wanna, like, binge a movie series? We could go to the store and get snacks and stuff."

"Sure, that sounds like fun! But I'm not really sure on the snacks, 'cuz I would really rather not pay Wil ten bucks just to go to Target."

"That's alright, we can walk," I suggest and George laughs. "I'm serious! It could be fun. Come on, George, don't be such a buzzkill."

"Oh don't you dare call me a buzzkill. You're the one who would never sneak to the pool with me because you were too scared to get in trouble. Not only is that buzzkill energy, it's goody-two-shoes energy."

"Oh you better take that back right now."

When the brunet doesn't take it back and only smirks, I grab the pillow from behind me and launch it at him. It hits him in the face. He stares at me, mouth agape, an offended expression plastered on his face. He looks so shocked that I can't help but break into a laughing fit.

But I'm interrupted when the pillow comes flying back at me, hitting me square in the head. It's my turn to be offended, now. We both stare at each other, eyes narrowed. There's a playful, child-like atmosphere around us, and soon we're having a pillow fight like thirteen-year-old girls. Do either of us care? Absolutely not. We will continue to be teenage girls at sleepovers as long as the activities are fun.

So pretty much forever.

===

"How about I grab the drinks and you get the chips and candy?" I offer to George, who's walking beside me as we enter Target.

We left at about seven, after eating an amazing dinner that Kristen cooked. They live in a neighborhood that just so happens to be right behind Target, so it didn't take more than fifteen minutes to get here. Despite the humidity, the weather is actually quite nice, so the walk was enjoyable and I was given the perfect opportunity to tell George 'I told you so.'

"Yeah sure. I want a Peace Tea. What chips and/or candy do you want?"

"Funyuns and sour gummy worms, good sir."

"Good choice," George giggles. "Meet at the front when we have the stuff?"

I nod, and with that he starts to go to the back of the store where the chip and candy aisle is. Then it hits me that I pretty much have no idea where the drinks are in this place, so I start to head off in the direction that I assume they are. I wander around aimlessly for a bit, looking at all the signs above the aisles to see one with drinks on it.