Gravity

Homecoming (Bonus Chapter)

I am really fucking nervous right now.

See, I know it's stupid. I shouldn't be nervous at all. The fact that we're together, here, together, at Homecoming means I shouldn't be nervous. I just played a great football game last night, and I wasn't nervous.

To be fair, as the wide receiver all I had to do was catch the ball and run, but I did that shit and I wasn't nervous about it at all. My mom says I always make football look so easy. It is easy, for me at least. But it's not something I see being feasible in my long term plans.

Hazel, however...

"Cooper?" She says softly. I'm paying more attention to my steering wheel than I am to Hazel. I know I'm being rude but I'm just so... nervous.

"What's up, Haze?"

She smiles at me. Shit.

"I'm sorry about my older sister. She's just so -" She pulls a cute face and I don't know what to do. "Yeah. Sorry about her."

Does she think I'm acting awkward because her sister called me her boyfriend? I'm not. I'm just nervous.

"Oh, don't worry about it. She's cool." I say after a long pause. She's still smiling, but not at me now. She's smiling at her purple dress, moving the flimsy material between her fingers. Is she nervous too?

I can never tell what Hazel's thinking. She's so nice all the time, so I don't know if she really is into me or if she's just being nice. I mean, she's put up with me so far, and we spent her birthday together but still... she's so nice to everyone and it's really disarming. I feel like no high schooler is this nice, but here she is, so nice.

And here I am, too awkward to talk to her.

I take a glance at her through the mirror. She's looking out of the window now, a small smile on her face. What is she thinking?

"So, what'd you do today?" I ask her in an attempt to liven the car up a little.

We're about five minutes away from school and I've probably just said like ten words to her. I was going to suggest we sing some Disney songs considering we're dressed as Hercules and Megara, but then I forgot and we had awkward conversation before I got really fucking nervous.

"Not much. Hung out with Molly and Jane for a little, then Jane had to go because she had a family thing. You?"

What did I do today?

"I was with my friend Steve. You know, the er, the center on the team."

Hazel smirks slightly as she looks at me. "Am I your only non-football team friend?"

"I mean, um... pretty much." She isn't, but I'm so tongue tied. God. "Guess that means you're special, Haze babes."

"I'm flattered, Coop-"

"Don't even."

Hazel laughs, and the sound makes me smile. It also makes me relax a little and I start teasing her like I normally do.

At first it was harmless. I suggested one time that she had a crush on me and she didn't respond, so I thought I'd go with it. But then I kind of developed this... thing for her and now here we are, me with the crush. Kinda. Either way she has the upper hand, but I don't think she knows that.

When we arrive at school, I take a deep breath. Hazel's getting her bag from the backseat.

"Oh my God, I can't believe we're dressed as Disney characters." She says.