𝗞𝗜𝗦𝗦 𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧 // mcyt apply fic // ᶜˡᵒˢᵉᵈ

⁰¹⁵ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴜᴅʏ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ.

𝟷𝟻. [𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚍𝚢 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎.]

𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚛

-

Cole is starting to join Rose and Cora for lunch again, which is refreshing. Cora's pretty sure the last time he sat with them was the beginning of last year, and she's glad he's back. His attitude — however negative it is — is refreshing. Rose is telling Cole about this movie that they're forcing Cora to watch when Karl walks up to their lunch table.

So what if her heart flutters when she notices he's coming over to talk to her?

"What's up, Karl?" Cole says, looking up.

He grins cheekily. "Just checking to see if Cora's free tonight,"

"She is," Cora responds, fighting a smile off her face and taking a bite of her pizza. Cole looks mildly confused. Core guesses he didn't know she was friends with Karl.

"Wanna head over to the library later? That psych test is stressing me out," Karl asks.

Cora smiles. "At some point, you're gonna have to start paying for all the tutoring I'm giving you," She teases.

Rose smirks suggestively. "I can think of a few ways he could pay you,"

Cora shoves her and blushes, but Karl just laughs. "Whatever you want, CJ," She pretends not to see him wink.

-

Cora was planning on telling Karl about the list. She didn't like the idea of keeping it a secret from him, it felt like she was playing him. He had a right to know, right?

It doesn't matter though, because when they walk into the library, Flora's working. Fuck. Cora didn't even know she worked there, and part of her wonders if Karl planned it, even though the two are broken up again.

She's a little distracted while she's teaching him, noticing him glancing back at Flora. She's torn. Does she still tell him?

She's suddenly feeling self-conscious. She may be here with Karl, but she feels like she's on Flora's territory, and that's terrifying. Not only was Flora Karl's girlfriend for four years, but she's also stunning. She's just wearing a cream sweater and her jet-black hair is pulled back into a high ponytail, but Cora still feels inferior to her, in her hoodie and jeans.

Not to mention she keeps looking over at them from the Info desk.

Cora finally catches a break when Wilbur strolls through the doors. Pressure she didn't even know was there lifts off her shoulders and she turns to Karl.

"So," She takes a deep breath. "I have to come clean about something,"

Karl looks up from his notes, curious.

"And I'm telling you because I don't want to hurt you," She bites her lip. "But basically, there's this thing called a Kiss List and-"

Karl grins. "You got me on your list, huh?"

Cora's jaw drops. "How do you know?"

"Flora," He explains. Of course. Of course, it's Flora. "Kissed me on New Year's and made me promise not to kiss anyone else,"

"Oh," Is all she can say for a moment. "But you guys broke up, right? So you wouldn't mind if I checked you off my list?"

He shakes his head. "I'm a man of my word, darling, sorry,"

It's always Flora. Flora first, even when they aren't together anymore. Even when Karl's here with her and Flora's here with Wilbur, it's always Flora. And it's always going to be.

She shakes it off quickly though, with a smirk and a daring tone. "I guess I'll have to change my mind about that then, huh?"

Karl looks surprised — he definitely didn't see her taking it as a challenge. Somehow, that makes Cora puff up her chest a little in pride.

-

[𝟶𝟷.𝟶𝟺.𝟸𝟹]