5 Birds for 5 Academy Brothers

Part 10 : Cannon

Part 10

Star & Cannon Friday December 6 @ 5pm

Cannon's POV

I showed up at Star's apartment with a small bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine. I was 5 minutes early so I parked my car at the entrance of the complex and waited until it was time to pick her up. I don't want to sit outside her apartment, that just looks creepy. I don't want to show up early either, that might make her feel rushed.

I know my brothers were headed to go see Star's sisters. Ryder and Nash were invited by the girls and Boston decided to surprise Rayne. I hope that surprise turned out ok.

It is time now to pick up my date. Why do I feel so nervous? My palms are sweating, my mouth has gone dry, and I feel slightly sick. Well if it's not nerves, at least I'll be on a date with a nurse that can take care of my ills. I am laughing at my own thoughts.

I knock on the door and stand there with a gentle smile. Everyone checks through the peephole and I want to make sure she sees a happy Cannon, not the nervous 16 year old that is trying to creep out of me right now.

She opened the door and I was rendered speechless as her beauty made me momentarily catatonic. I found my voice and extended my hands out, "For you". Real smooth Cannon.

"Oh, wow, thank you. Come in while I put the flowers in water." She stepped out of the doorway while I walked in her apartment. It had a long hallway that lead past a bedroom on one side and a bathroom on the other. Then the apartment opened up to a living room connected to the dining area and a small open kitchen in the corner.

Star went into the kitchen and opened up a tall cabinet door. She reached up to the top on her tip toes to reach the vase I saw on the top shelf. I stepped up behind her, pressing my front into her back as I reached the vase easily for her. She is above average in height for a woman at 5'8". But my 6'4" gives me a whole head taller than her.

"Thank you" she murmured.

"You are quite welcome My Lady." I cooed as I stepped back from her.

"You know when you say that I feel like Guinevere or maybe Maid Marian."

"So either I am Lancelot or Robin Hood? Hmmm, Lancelot is really good with the sword, but Robin Hood is excellent with the bow and arrow and disguise. Lancelot goes off on quests instead of staying with the girl and dies, while Robin Hood gets arrested, almost put to death, when the King arrives in the nick of time to pardon his actions. Oh and Robin gets the girl in the end. Can you feel like Maid Marian, so I don't have to go off chasing ghosts and die?"

Star was laughing at my explanation. "Well, if you are going to call me 'My Lady' I think I will call you......" She was tapping her finger against her lip in thought, then she brightened when she thought of one. "My All." Once she said it she turned away from me and began filling the vase with water.

When she set the vase down I stood behind her and placed my hand on her shoulders. Gently I traced my fingers down the length of her arms. Then I whispered in her ear, "I hope one day I can live up to that nick name and truly be your All." I Softly placed a kiss just below her ear and stepped back away from her.

She looked over her shoulder at me, "you know exactly what you are doing don't you?"

"I am taking you out on a date" I looked at my watch, "which we will be late for if we don't get going soon."

"We wouldn't be running late if someone wasn't trying to distract me." She teased. I placed my hands in the air to surrender. She giggled. Beautiful.

Once we got out to my car, I let her in then got in the drivers seat. I had adjusted the volume on the radio and was about to say something when her phone rang. She looked at it and said, "my sister".

"Hey Echo!" Star chirped. "Shoot."

Echo? I expected maybe Rayne since she wasn't expecting Boston to show up, but Echo? She invited Nash! Not good. With all of us liking one of five sisters, if one of the relationships doesn't work out, it could spell disaster for the other four.

"First off, take a deep breath." Star paused, "Good, now did he say that's why he came to visit?"

Great! Is Nash pushing her? I've never known him to push for anything in a relationship. We all know, even if we were completely naked and fully in the moment, if a woman says 'No' you back off.

"Don't let how they chose to live their life taint yours Echo. My advice is to be open. Just say what you want or don't want. Don't hint around or expect him to pick up on non-verbal cues. That just leaves room for miscommunication, disappointment, anger and resentment."

Whose life will taint Echo's? Ah, good advice. Upfront and honest.

"Love you too, sis."

Star looked at me with apology in her eyes. "Sorry, that was my sister. She was just needing big sister advice."

"Well, I couldn't hear her side of the phone call, but the advice you gave her at the end was good. Even the best men have a hard time reading non-verbal cues. We start wondering if we are making it up in our heads. Are we seeing what we want to see, or is she really saying that without saying that? It is just safer to hear it from her mouth than assume."

"Well, everyone knows what happens when you assume!" Star smirked at me.

"Yea, it makes an 'ass out of u and me'." I laughed at the saying, so true.

I reached over and took Star's hand in mine and rested our arms on the arm rest between us. I saw out of the corner of my eye a slight blush tinge her cheeks. That is good, she likes me touching her.