Bleeding Hearts (Bloodhearts prequel)

Chapter Four

It's Friday and my mood is unusually bright. There's a wide smile on my lips and I am turning the music up. I feel like nothing in the world can make me mad today. Not even Jason and his constant babbling about parties and whatever can bother me. There's really only one thing in my head; I get to see Cory in gym class today. The thought is making me so happy I could burst. I just kind of have to keep a lid on that, not just for my own sake, but for Cory's as well.

Today, I pass him in the hallway as well. I really have to do my best not to smile at him. I grab the front of his shirt and push him against the lockers. I make it sound harsher than it really is and Cory grins only for me to see. I return it, saying "see you in class" and he nods. Then the acting ensues, and he sinks to the ground, rubbing the back of his head and I walk away laughing. His act is very convincing, and I think we fool everyone except Sadie. She raises an eyebrow at me in warning, but I really can't bring myself to care. This day is just too damn good. For the first time in years, I completely screw up in gym class. I can't focus on the feather ball, only on Cory. He laughs the entire time with a frowning Sadie next to him. The teacher asks me to take a break from playing and run a few laps instead. He doesn't understand what has gotten into me. Nobody does. Still, I just smile. I continue to do that all day. Jason is amused by my feathery mood and I hang out with him after school, just throwing some ball until I get a message. I have to hold everything in when it see who it's from; Cory. Of course, Jason thinks I'm meeting a girl and when I just wave him off and get up to leave, he laughs and tells me to "have fun". I can't wait. Jumping in my car, I turn on the music and turn the volume up to turn down my thoughts. I just have to concentrate on the traffic outside so I can get to Cory's house safely. When I do get there, he opens the door for me almost before I make it out of my car. He's looking at me expectantly.

"Hi," I tell him, slightly breathless. I feels like I'm being physically drawn to him the moment I see him. Like he's a freaking magnet. I push through those feelings so I can hang up my jacket and put my shoes on the rack. I even straighten my shirt with my hands. I can feel my insides flutter like I'm on a freaking roller coaster.

Cory scratches the back of his head. A smile comes. "This way," he says and brings me upstairs. "So this is my room. Guess it's a bit different from yours." His eyes follow me as I take a look around the many posters and little souvenirs he has in there. It's like a freaking museum. He has more books than I've ever owned in my entire life. He also has workout gear. It looks new and shiny. And unused.

"Gift from my dad," he explains. "He figured I should work out more."

I sit down on the bed, motioning for him to come and join me. We're still very much tiptoeing around each other. The bed hardly dips when he sits down. He almost scoots straight over to me because the bed certainly dips where I'm sitting. He pulls his legs up and we lie down next to each other. The defiance is there. What I mean is that Cory doesn't care about norms. He's being himself. I like that about him. Actually, I like many things about him.

"You know what? I think you're a romantic," he tells me with a grin.

I just smile. "Probably."

He laughs and grabs my hand. Just lying here can make me forget about the military, football, and all those things they're saying on the news. It gives me a room of my own where I can be the master of me. Not my freaking dad or Jason or anyone else. Of course, this thing with Cory is still so new. Nevertheless, I can't remember when I've last felt this comfortable with another person. You almost don't notice it because it feels so natural. I actually feel free. It's something I haven't felt in a long time since our entire existence is rooted in defense and precautions these days. Sometimes it's a very robotic existence. Sticking to certain habits and rarely deviating from these. The bill certainly fits my dad. If possible, he is the most robotic of all. I sigh and notice Cory staring at me.

"What are you thinking about? Your face looks funny," he declares and tilts his head to the side a little.

I smirk. "I don't look 'funny', thank you very much. I look great."

"Sure." He laughs. I throw my arms around him and he sighs. It's almost time for me to go. We wouldn't want his father catching us like this. We've decided not to tell anyone yet. Only Sadie knows but from what Cory tells me she's busy with her experiments. Apparently, she's well on her way to becoming a skilled trainee doctor and researcher. My dad has already recruited her for something. Whatever it is, Sadie won't say – not even to Cory. It must be pretty important, I guess. She always was out-of-the-ordinary clever.

That evening, my dad is home, but he is yelling at someone through his phone. My mother is nowhere to be found, so I just walk straight to my room to escape all the shouting. I take a shower, promising myself things will be fine. I have something to look forward to; I get to hang out with Cory again tomorrow. The very thought soothes me enough to distract me from thinking about my family. Thinking about how things became this way. Listening to music, I get into bed and wait until my body is relaxing. Only then do I turn off the light and go to sleep.

I sleep for just long enough so that my dad will have left the house. That way he can't start interrogating me about my plans for the day. You could say he's the kind of man who never stops working. I more or less swallow my breakfast and get ready fast. I grab one of my good t-shirts and throw it on before grabbing my car keys. A message from Jason ticks in, but I completely ignore it and set my car in motion, speeding towards Cory's house. I feel no regrets whatsoever. 

I pull up to the McDean house just as the sun reaches its highest. I jump out of my car and ring the doorbell. It takes only a few seconds before Cory answers. He leans up to kiss me lightly.  "So what do you want to do today?" he asks as he lets me enter.

I shrug. "I'm up for anything."

A smirk creeps onto his face. "I found something in our garage. I figured we could throw a few..."  He reveals a football that he's been hiding behind his back. This is definitely a challenge.

"Bring it on," I tell him and chase him into the garden. He throws the ball to me and I find myself a little surprised with the precision of his throw. Then it happens again. And again. I look at him in wonder and it amuses him.

"Just because I don't play at school doesn't mean I'm completely horrible," he tells me. "So you can pick up your jaw now before you drool all over my lawn."

I shake my head and he laughs louder. Had he told me this just a week ago, I'd have told him off, but now? I just let him. It was quite funny.

We continue this play for a while longer until we need a drink. While he's getting the sodas, I look at the pictures of his family again. His mother's face sticks out. There's only one picture of her. Cory catches me looking with a sigh.

"I hope she comes home soon," he says and explains that she reports on the situation of the world. I don't ask too many questions. Firstly, because I don't want to interrupt him. Secondly, I can tell this is a touchy subject. No freaking wonder.

"She'll be back," I assure him and put an arm around his shoulders.

He's quiet for a few moments. "I haven't seen her since freshman year," he says then.

I frown. "Oh wow. She's been covering this thing for three years?"

Cory sighs. "Yup," he replies and looks away from the picture. "Sometimes I get this uncomfortable feeling that I'm not gonna see her again."

I reply a lot faster this time. "You gotta have faith, Cory. She will come home again. You just have to wait a little longer."

He turns around and leans up to kiss me. It surprises me a little, but I welcome it, closing my eyes. The warmth of his lips on mine feels nice. "Thank you," he whispers.

I keep my arms around him, holding on a little tighter.

"Anyways," Cory continues. "We shouldn't talk about my mom. We should talk about your game. That's this week," he points out and I shrug.

He raises an eyebrow. "I'll be there," he promises. "In the background, of course, but I won't let you down."

"I know," I say. I notice him taking the picture of his mother from the wall and carrying it with him to his room. I check the clock because I know I will have to go in a few minutes. Gotta make the deadline my dad set so he doesn't ask too many questions.