Her and the Basketball Champion

chapter 21

Lily and I just end up watching movies for the rest of the afternoon. We don't speak much about my behaviour before I arrived, and I'm thankful, because I honestly don't want to think about it anymore. 

Lily's now asleep, and I decide to head home. it's getting late and my mum will probably be wondering where I am. 

I text her and tell her I ate at Lily's, letting her know that i'm on my way home. 

We ended up ordering pizza about an hour ago, whilst watching El Camino. Again. I love Jesse. 

I slowly start to creep out of the bed and feel around for my jacket, grabbing it from Lily's desk chair slipping it on as quietly as I could. 

I then make my way over to the door and open it, trying not to make too much noise as I do so. 

I finally make it to the front door, putting on my shoes and opening the door, pulling the handle up so it automatically locks. That's the good thing about Lily's door, you don't need to lock it from the outside. 

I welcome the nipping breeze, sucking in a deep breath. It's so stuffy in Lily's house, and I'm glad to get some much needed fresh air. 

I walk down the front drive and turn right in the direction of my house. 

I pull out my phone and start to randomly scroll on instagram, looking through my feed with my head down, and my coat wrapped around me tightly. The breeze is getting colder now, and I kind of wish I had stayed over at Lily's house. It's getting a bit scary out here seeing as it get's dark quickly in the winter. It's 8pm already. 

I bump into someone, and curse out, ready to meet the cold, hard ground.

But, before that happens, I feel hands around my waist and me being pulled into the warmth of a familiar body. 

My eyes are still closed and I refuse to meet the persons gaze. I'm suddenly nervous.

"You can open your eyes, you know. I won't bite. Well, of course, unless you want me to."

I slowly open my eyes and meet a pair of blue ones, sighing in relief that it's him, and not some random stranger bumping into me. 

I should really watch where I'm going.

We both stare at each other for what seems like ages and then I clock onto what he said, and blink up at him. 

Stepping back abruptly, I push his arms away from my body and roll my eyes at him. " You don't scare me, Jonas." I say, trying to wrap my my coat around my body even more. I really wish I had brought a thicker one out tonight.

Jonas doesn't fail to notice my shivering. "You're cold. Here." He starts to slip his jacket off of his shoulders but I stop him, pulling his hands away and pushing it back over his shoulders. "You're going to get cold. Leave it on, okay? I'll be fine."

h stops and looks at me, a weird expression on his face before he shakes his head and continues to shrug his jacket on. 

"Just shut up and take it, alright? I don't want you getting ill. You don't need to fight everything I do or say." He says, annoyance clearly evident in his tone. 

I don't say anything, looking down at the ground. 

He reaches around my shoulders and wraps the coat around my back, pulling my arms through the sleeves, causing me to stumble forward a bit closer to him. God, why is he so warm? He doesn't even have a coat on. 

"Thank you." I say, when he finishes zipping up the coat. He's still standing really close to me, and I don't want to move away, but force myself too. I honestly can't be in anymore of these situations, especially with him. 

"No problem." He replies, a small smile gracing his face as he looks at me. 

I turn to walk home again and he walks beside me, a comfortable silence settling over us. 

I don't stop him, knowing he won't want me to walk home alone in the dark. 

"Eliza, why'd you run away from me earlier at the basketball courts? Did I do something or say something to annoy you, or hurt you?" I can hear sincerity and confusion in his voice as he speaks and turn to look at him, noticing his cheeks are turning red from the cold, and his arms are wrapped around his body. He's only wearing a long sleeved top, and it looks thin. 

I stop in my tracks and start to unzip the coat, but he places his hands on my cheeks, stopping me from any further action. His hands feel like heaven against my skin, his palms calloused from, I'm guessing, all the basketball he plays. his long fingers cover the surface of my cheeks and I'm betting they are squished. It feels so damn good, and that's why I have to step back, from out of his touch, and turn to continue down the street, nearing my house. 

I look back at him and see a hurt expression on his face. I turn back around and carry on walking, starting to hear his footsteps behind me. 

I smile to myself. 

When I get to the front gate of my house, I turn around and wait for him to catch up to me. I unzip the coat and slip it from over my shoulders, immediately feeling the cold chill settle over my skin, through the thin layers of clothing I'm wearing. My decision making skills at the moment are questionable. 

I hand him the coat and he takes it reluctantly. 

"I'm sorry." I mumble, turning to walk towards my front door, opening it up and not looking back as I shut it, leaning my head against the door. 

Holy shit.