Anyway, after I’d gotten back, I was popular again. People were talking to me; football players were hitting on me (not that I cared). Blaze Harmon even apologized. Of course, it was after school while I was standing with Aiden, but I doubted that had anything to do with it.
Kira and I had forgiven each other completely, even hanging out a few times, just the two of us. It wasn’t the way it had been before—I knew it never could be—but we’d reached a comfortable place. One we could both smile about.
And it seemed that she and Joel had worked out some sort of quiet, sweet friendship—one that wasn’t up for discussion with the Kittens. Leona and I had speculated that they were back together once, but then Kira went on a date with Rhett. So we weren’t entirely sure. She liked her privacy now, and we respected that.
I sighed as I watched the Smitten Kittens, building a base for Chloe to climb. “I should go out there,” I murmured, straightening up as they got ready to fly.
“Baby,” Aiden said. “You don’t need to go out there. You’re like the most famous cheerleader that’s ever lived. Five thousand Facebook fans can’t be wrong.”
I laughed. Just then I caught my breath as Chloe leapt in the air, her arms wrapped tightly over her chest, her legs perfectly straight. Her form was held until just before they caught her. I twitched my mouth. She’d have to work on that. Maybe a few more run-throughs and she’d have it. She’d been training hard.
Chloe Ferril was a natural-born cheerleader. Despite her years of disliking cheerleaders, she’d found that her school spirit was both infectious and less annoying than ours. People really seemed to relate to her and her brand of sarcasm. She occasionally swore and often gave dirty or rude looks, but they were always coupled with a brilliant idea or a new plan. SOS had never been stronger.
Of course, I didn’t spy anymore. I couldn’t. And although I thought it would bother me, it didn’t. Leaving our organization in capable hands somehow made it easier.
Chloe made a great captain.
“Nice job!” I called from the bleachers, clapping as they headed for their water bottles. Izzie waved and Kira blew me a kiss. Leona was already on her phone, and Chloe was standing by herself, silently redoing her move. She was a perfectionist.
“You ready to go?” Aiden asked, standing up and stretching his long legs. When his arms were above his head, his T-shirt lifted just enough to show off his amazing athletic abs. He caught me looking.
“Be quiet,” I said before he teased me. He laughed and instead took my arm and pulled me to my foot/cast.
Once standing, Aiden put his warm hands on either side of my face as he looked down at me. His green eyes were my most favorite color in the world, and I stared back into them, ready to get lost forever.
Instead, he smiled the huge, goofy grin of Mr. Awesome. “You’re so insanely in love with me, Tessa. What are you going to do with yourself?”
I laughed, my body tingling. “Question is what are you going to do with me, point guard?”
“Mm …” he said, pressing his lips together as if he had to think about it. “That’s a tough one. But I do have some ideas.”
“I bet.”
He licked his bottom lip, everything about him sexy. Mine.
“I do love you,” I said seriously, my hand tangling in the soft fabric of his T-shirt.
With a satisfied look, he leaned in to kiss me, his mouth the perfect fit against mine. And as he pulled back, he brushed the back of his finger softly against my cheek and smiled. “I know you do, baby. Now shut up and kiss me.”