Lilianna Grace Welt is a sweetheart. She has had a rough past, making her seem closed off, but in reality when Lily and Cole are together, you would rethink that. Lily would much rather have her face shoved in a book or be listening to Taylor Swift...
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"We will see you both later! Be safe," my Mom shouts from our front door.
Lilianna, her Mom, my parents, and I had an early dinner at my house before the big Homecoming football game me and Lily are now headed to. I have to be on the football field by six o'clock to warm up, and Lilianna's Yearbook class is helping the Associated Student Body set up for the halftime show, where they will announce the Homecoming King and Homecoming Queen.
Our parents will meet us at the Homecoming game and then they are going to a casino afterwards while me and Lily head home. They said they needed a night before we go to Homecoming together. Well, that is what my Dad said. On the other hand, my Mom pretty much went feral when I told her I was taking Lily.
"My Mom better not get drunk at this casino and do something stupid and slutty. I don't want a stepdad," Lilianna complains as we get into my car.
"Your mother isn't Loreali Gilmore," I joke, recalling when she made me watch all seven seasons of Gilmore Girls when we were in middle school. Here is a fun fact, Gilmore Girls is Lilianna Grace Welt's favorite television show.
"I'm serious, Cole. I do not want a stepfather. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever."
"Wait so if your Mom wanted to start dating again you wouldn't want that?" I question as I drive off of our cul-de-sac. I realize this isn't a topic we have ever really talked about. I know how Lilianna feels about her Dad, but we have never talked about how she would feel if her Mom were to start dating again.
"Of course I want her to be happy, I just don't trust other men to not hurt her," she says pausing for a second, "Or me."
"You trust me not to hurt you. Right?"
"Colson, I trust you. You don't need to question that. It's other men I do not trust," she says, taking a deep breath.
I can tell she is starting to get overwhelmed with these emotions, so I put my hand on her thigh to calm her down. When I stop the car at the next red light, I pull her in for a forehead kiss. "It's all going to be alright Lil," I rasp in her ear.
"As long as you are here with me, I know that," she replies, and I think I feel my heart swell at her kind words.
*******
I am assuming it is because this is the big Homecoming game, tomorrow is the dance, and all of us football players have other thoughts occupying our mind, but that might just be because we don't have an excuse for playing this shitty.
It is almost the end of the second quarter and we are losing 44-7. I would love to say that we played better in the first quarter, but then I would be lying.
The clock hits zero and a loud buzzing sound comes from the stadium speakers, signaling the end of the second quarter. And hallelujah, it is halftime.
Not in a mood to get lectured by coach, I book it to the locker rooms. I get to my locker, pull out my water bottle, and take a big gulp of water. I then take out my phone from my bag and text Lilianna.
