The Perfect Candy

Chapter 11: Sunday Funday

She liked him. She didn't know why. They had nothing in common and he was only going to break her heart, but she liked him. She could admit that in the safety of her mind at least. So he kissed her and she let him. Her hands trailed up, hesitated when they reached his neck, but then continued up to frame his face and hold it there. It wasn't hard to believe that he'd managed to entice the other girls at school when he kissed like that. When he broke the kiss and moved to make a trail along her jaw and down her throat, she very nearly purred and pulled him closer, but then she opened her eyes and saw a pair of joggers headed their way and pushed him away with a small yelp.

Irritated by the interruption, Cooper looked up and then followed her gaze to find Jay and Matt headed their way. "Oh god," Candice moaned, catching the dangerous glint in Jay's eyes. She pulled away and brushed nervously at her clothes as she tried to take a step back, away from Cooper. "Of all the people." Cooper's arm shifted around her waist, his right hand resting on her hip and pressing her closer to his side, a hard expression on his face.

"Sorry to ruin your chances."

"Chances?" she repeated incredulously, shooting him a quick look before returning her attention to the approaching boys. "What chances? Jay's going to kill you. Let go of me, he's coming." But he didn't listen.

Jay and Matt had slowed their pace as they approached and then they were both stopped in front of them. Matt's expression may have been one of mild concern, but Jay's looked murderous. "What are you doing out here?" With him, she knew he meant.

"I told you before that this is nothing to be upset about."

"This looks like a hell of a lot more than detention," Jay replied, glaring at Cooper. "It looks a lot like taking advantage."

"Advantage?" Candice looked from Jay's murderous expression to the cocky smirk on Cooper's face as his grip, if anything, tightened on her. "No one is taking advantage of anyone."

"Nah," Cooper agreed, a smug tone in his voice, patting her hip companionably, "she wanted it."

Candice shot between them when Jay stepped forward, baring his teeth and clenching his fist. Pressing her hands to his chest, she pushed him back. "I think we both know he's antagonizing you." Heated brown eyes shot Cooper a threatening look, "It's hardly worth bruising your fists on such a hard head."

"Candy, we were just finishing up our run. Why don't you let us take you home?" Matt stepped over, shooting a brief, unhappy, look towards Cooper. "I've been wanting to talk to you anyway."

Candice frowned and stepped back, still watching Jay warily. "Cooper agreed to take me home so there's no reason to cut your run short. Thank you though."

"Candy−"

 "I'm fine, Jay," she snapped. "Don't overreact." Before he could reply, she was grabbing Cooper's hand and pulling him back the way they'd come, not wanting to leave it up to him and Jay to behave like adults.

"What's he want to talk about?" It didn't break her stride, but she wasn't oblivious to the hard tone of Cooper's voice. She never should've gotten in that car.

***

Candy glanced over at him from her spot just ahead of him as she pulled him along the path, her hand gripping him like steel as if to keep him from turning around, not that she would've been able to stop him if that was really what he wanted to do. "If I had to guess, he wants to check in about last weekend." Eleanor going over to question everyone on Sunday had also included as he'd been hanging out with Jay that day. Cyn has mentioned, in passing, that he'd been worried too.