Beautiful Mess (31 page)

After
Cole left, Bri pulled out her phone and saw a text from Layla. 

WHAT
HAPPENED TODAY????  Girl, there are some crazy rumors going around. 
CALL ME!!!!!

Bri
sighed and dialed Layla’s number, figuring she’d better get started on damage
control.

“Okay,
spill!”  Layla demanded in lieu of a greeting.  “It appears someone
has been holding out on me!”

Bri
explained to Layla, in extreme detail, what had happened between her, Cole, and
Trey in the hall that day.

“Wow,”
Layla exhaled.  “I can’t believe Cole came to your rescue out of the blue
like that.”

“Well,
there’s a little more to it than that.”  Bri took a deep breath. 
“Cole and I are together.”

“
What
?”
Layla screamed.  “When did this happen?”

“We’ve
kind of been dating secretly for about two months now.”  Bri cringed away
from her phone.

“Are
you
kidding
me?”  Layla yelled.  “And you never told me?”

Bri
could hear the hurt in Layla’s voice.

“I’m
sorry!  It just sort of happened.  And then we wanted to keep it
quiet for a while.  We didn’t tell anybody!  Actually, you’re the
first person I’ve told,” if Bri didn’t count her dad, Jimmy, or the
Hamilton’s.  “That has to count for something, right?  You have to
know I’ve been dying to tell you!”

“I
knew you were up to something.”  Layla’s ego was apparently
appeased.  “I just couldn’t figure out what you were hiding.  Wow,
Cole Marra!  Damn girl!  When you go, you go big, don’t you!”

“I
guess so,” Bri laughed.  “Hey, can you do me a favor?”

“Shoot.”

“Can
you let Jess and Maddie know what happened?  Before the rumors get any
crazier, I want them to know the truth.  Plus, I don’t want things to be
all weird with us tomorrow.” 

“Consider
it done.  Anything else you need, babe?”

“Just
some sleep.  I’m exhausted.  Too bad that’s got to wait until after
practice tonight.”

“Yeah,
timing is not on your side today.  Well, I’ll let you go so you can rest.”

“Thanks,
Lay.  I really am sorry I kept this from you.”

“Not
to be all judgey or anything, but why didn’t you tell me?”

“We
didn’t want Serena to find out,” Bri sighed.  “Cole was worried she’d try
to ruin my life or something.”

“Oh,
yeah.  I’d forgotten about her and Cole.  She is a crazy, vindictive
little B.  It’s probably good you kept things secret.  So, what
changed?”

“Well,
things kind of came to a head today and got pushed out into the open, whether
Cole was ready for it or not.  I’ve been ready since day one.  But
this whole thing with Trey got started because we were hiding our
relationship.  Now, hopefully, things will be better.  Either way,
I’m done with hiding.”

“Good
for you.  You know, we’re going to have a serious girl’s night and you are
going to spill all those juicy details you’ve been keeping to yourself this
whole time!”

“You
got it!” Bri laughed.

“Good. 
I’m dying to know if Cole’s kissing is as amazing as everyone says.  He’s
kind of a legend, you know.  Plus, I’m wondering if there is anything else
you haven’t told me!”

“Whatever,
Lay!  I have a feeling that there are some details
you
haven’t told
me, either!”

“What? 
Never!” Layla laughed.  “Alright, babe, I’m going to let you go.  I
have some calls to make before practice tonight.  Let me know if you need
anything, okay?”

“I
will.  Thanks Lay.  See you later.”

After
practice that night, Bri had to catch up on two days’ worth of homework. 
She was so tired the next morning, that she slept in and was late for
dance.  She noticed some looks and whispers when she came in, but didn’t
have time to worry about it, as Belinda got them working.  After practice,
Bri had to run laps because she was late, and by the time she was done, she had
only minutes to change.  She got more stares in the hall as she ran to
class.  Apparently the rumor mill was working overtime.  She ignored
them all, and headed to Calculus.  It was going to be one of those days.

But,
everything was made better when Bri saw a dark head waiting at her locker after
class.  Her heart picked up and she couldn’t stop the grin that spread
across her face.

“Hi
there,” she smiled at Cole.

“Good
morning.”  Cole leaned in and gave her a long kiss.  “Oh, yeah,” he
pulled back with a grin.  “I can get used to this!”

Bri
pulled him back for another kiss.  “Me too!”

She
grabbed her books and closed her locker.  Cole reached for her hand, and
led her down the hall.

“Are
you walking me to class?”  She deliberately ignored the gaping mouths and
dropped jaws as they walked.

“That
is what normal high school couples do, right?”  He stopped outside her
door and pressed a kiss to her lips.  “I gotta run.  I’ll meet you at
your locker before History.”

“Bye,”
she watched as he raced off in the opposite direction.

As
they walked together into History, all conversation in the room stopped and
everyone turned to watch them.  As they passed by, Bri caught Trey glaring
at them, but he quickly averted his eyes.  Every other pair of eyes
followed them as Cole walked Bri to her seat.

“Don’t
worry,” he whispered.  “We’ll be old news in a couple of days, and no one
will pay any attention to us.”

“I
can’t wait,” she gave him a small smile.

“Me
too.”  He kissed her temple before taking his seat next to Trey. 
Both boys tensed, but otherwise didn’t acknowledge the other’s presence.

After
class, Cole and Bri headed to the lunch room, where they were immediately the
center of attention.  Bri tried to ignore all the eyes on her as she led
Cole over to the table where her friends were waiting.

“Hey
guys,” Bri smiled as she sat down.  Layla gave her a reassuring smile.

“You
guys mind if I join you?”  Cole flashed a charming smile at the table as he
sat down next to Bri.

Wide
eyes and raised eyebrows were the only indication that smoking hot, uber
popular basketball-slash-football stars didn’t eat with them every day. 
Bri smiled at her friends as they tried to act like everything was
normal.  There seemed to be an unspoken pact not to mention what had
happened the day before, and Bri was especially grateful.  She realized
how lucky she was to have friends who loved and supported her, no matter what.

“So,
who wants to come to the game with me and Bri on Friday?” Layla got the
conversation rolling.

“We’re
in,” Jess nodded at Ethan.  “Where’s it at?”

“It’s
down in Long Beach,” Cole replied.  “You guys are coming?”  He seemed
genuinely pleased.

“Of
course,” Bri grabbed his hand under the table and squeezed it.  “We
wouldn’t miss it.”

“Well,
you know I’m in,” Devon slung his arm around Layla.

“Us,
too,” Maddie and Corbin agreed.

As
her friends continued to chat, Bri shot a brief glance over to Serena’s table
where Cole usually sat.  Serena, Natalie, and Erica were all glaring at
Bri while they talked.  Quickly averting her eyes, Bri tried not to let it
bother her.  Instead, she smiled up at Cole sitting next to her.  He
winked at her and put his arm around her, pulling her into his side.  Yep,
this was definitely worth it.

Their
whole group drove down for the basketball game on Friday, and Bri was touched
by how easily and fully they had accepted Cole into their group.  After
handing poor Long Beach their butts, Cole ran up into the stands to find Bri,
and gave her a huge victory kiss.  Layla, and the rest of her friends,
cheered and hollered, embarrassing the crap out of her.

“You
are one lucky girl,” Layla slung her arm across Bri’s shoulders, and they both
watched Cole’s butt as he ran off to the locker room.

“Hey,
go drool over your own boyfriend,” Bri teased.

“Boyfriend,
huh?”  Layla raised her eyebrows.

“Yep,
boyfriend.”  Bri couldn’t help her smile.

“Bri,
Bri, Bri,” Layla exclaimed as she turned Bri and herded her out of the
gym.  “We have some serious debriefing to do with you.”

Cole
was front and center, like always, at Bri’s competition the next day.  And
after each dance, he ran out to the hall and tracked her down for a kiss.

“You’re
going to spoil me if you keep this up,” she teased him after her fourth dance.

“Well,
the way I see it, I’ve wanted to do this after each dance in every one of your
competitions.  So this is more like making up for lost time!”

“Oh,
then by all means continue,” she laughed and kissed him.

Cole
was waiting in the school parking lot to take her home that night.  After
saying goodbye to Layla and the rest of the team, Bri ran over to him.

“Congratulations
on another win!”  Cole picked her up and spun her around.  “You guys
kick some serious ass, you know that?”

“Well,
I have some dang good motivation.”  Bri wrapped her arms around his neck
and leaned into him.

“Mmm,
we both do.”  Cole kissed her as he opened the door to his truck for
her.  Bri climbed in and slid over to the middle seat, so she could sit by
him.

“So,”
she smiled at him as he pulled out of the parking lot.  “We seemed to have
survived the week okay.”

“Yeah,
we did.  Though, I don’t think we’ve seen anything yet.  Believe me,
the worst is still to come.”

“Always
such a pessimist!” she teased.  “Can’t you just let me live in my denial
for the rest of the weekend?”

Cole
laughed.

“Oh,
I do have some good news,” he grinned.

“I
can always use some good news!  What is it?”

“Coach
Davies called today to tell me that there are some college scouts coming to my
next few games.”  He tried to play it off like it wasn’t a big deal, but
Bri could see how excited he was.

“Really? 
Cole, that’s amazing!”  She pecked him on the cheek.

“A
couple of big schools are sending guys next week.  I’m kind of a little
nervous.”

“You’ll
be great.  Just think of it as any other game.”

“You’ll
be there?”  He glanced at her hopefully.

“Of
course.  Will you be there for Region next Saturday?”

“You
know it!”

“Well
then, neither of us has anything to worry about.”  She smiled at
him.  “Hey, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you, but it’s been
so crazy I haven’t had time.  MORP is coming up in a couple weeks, and I
was hoping you’d go with me.”

Cole
eyed her.  “Is this you asking me to a dance?  Because if it is, I’m
kind of disappointed,” he teased.  “You’re not the most creative person,
are you?  I mean, my truck is awesome and everything, but it’s not the
most romantic setting.”  

“Shut
up,” Bri laughed and pushed his arm.  “So will you go with me or not?”

“I
don’t know.  Two weeks?  Cutting it kind of close, aren’t you? 
How many guys turned you down before you thought of me?”

“Coleston
Marra, you know very well that you are the only guy I want to go to
any
dance with.  You are, and always have been, my first choice.”  Bri
knew he was just messing with her, but she still wanted to make sure he knew
that.

“Well,
in that case, Ambria Donnelly, I’d love to go to MORP with you!”  He
flashed her a very self-satisfied smile.

“Good.” 
She snuggled up next to him.  “Make sure you wear something sexy!”

Monday
morning at dance, Bri knew something was up.  She felt like she’d been
transported back to the first day of school when half the team hated her
guts.  She was getting the same glares and whispers today.  She did
her best to ignore it, but by the time practice was over, she couldn’t wait to
get away.

Unfortunately,
the glares, stares, and whispers only got worse as she walked into
school.  They continued all morning, and seemed to get worse when she and
Cole were together.  Walking into History, Bri noticed Trey looking
smug.  That did not bode well.

Lunch
was a little bit of a reprieve, being surrounded by her friends.  No one
seemed to know what everyone was talking about, and they all tried to ignore it
for Bri’s sake.  But, things continued to get worse as the day wore on.

Bri
was exhausted by the time she got home.  Trying to block out the whole
school took a lot out of her.  She was so worn out that she almost didn’t
answer the phone when Layla called.

“Hey
Lay.”

“Hey
Bri.  I’ve been doing a little digging and have found out what half the
school was talking about today.  It’s not good.”  Layla’s lack of her
usual enthusiasm made Bri’s stomach drop