Letterman Jacket

36 / seven days before

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*

I opened my eyes to the glow of the sun streaming past the windows.

With a satisfied smile on my lips, I reached up to stroke the line of Nico's jaw with my finger and stepped out of his hold. I headed towards the bathroom, looked at the mirror, and took a deep breath.

My cheeks were tainted pink, my hair flowed down my shoulders in messy, dark waves, and the eyes that stared back at me were a vibrant brown—the color of umber with flecks of mocha.

I looked happy.

I washed my face and brushed my teeth before walking back inside the room, where Nico now lay on his stomach with his arm outstretched. I climbed back to the bed on all fours, admiring the ridge of the muscles on his bare back as he breathed slowly. Leaning down, I softly kissed the nape of Nico's neck—his body suddenly tensing as I did so—then continued to plant my lips down his back up until the base of his spine.

Nico hummed against the pillow. "I could really get used to waking up like this."

Grinning, I kissed him on the cheek. "Hi."

His eyes opened. A slow smile spread across his face. "Mi alma," he mumbled, gazing sleepily at me.

I blinked. "What?"

"Nothing," he said, shutting his eyes again. "What time is it?"

"Quarter to seven," I answered sheepishly, running one of my hands through the strands of his hair. He groaned. "Sorry. I have to be at school by twelve, so I thought we could grab breakfast and I don't know, do something. Unless you want to go back to sleep...?"

Nico's eyes opened again. He flipped on his back, squinting against the light. "Are you asking me out?"

"I mean," I said, clearing my throat, "maybe?"

He laughed and stretched. "We can go get breakfast at Java Jones. Then I have an idea of what we can do after."

"What did you say earlier?" I asked, furrowing my brows. "In Spanish. I want to know."

Nico sat up and gave me a cheeky wink. "I'll tell you later."

I wrinkled my nose. "Mean. I can just search it, you know."

He stood up and disappeared inside the bathroom. "That's cheating. I'll be mad if you cheat. And don't call me mean, you find my Spanish hot."

"S-shut up!"

*

"Faster, baby, come on."

"Shut up," I snapped, quickening my pace, "you don't get to say anything. I'm mad. I'm not an athlete."

"Health is important," Nico said with a laugh, turning to face me while continuing his jog. I rolled my eyes. "This is good for us, you know? I haven't had a run in a while, and it's motivation for the both of us to do it together."

My legs were starting to burn. "Not feeling very motivated right now," I croaked. After our light breakfast, Nico had decided to take me back to my place to change into sportswear to go out for a run. A run. "Let me remind you what a date is. It's supposed to be something we both enjoy doing."

"You're doing great," he assured me, slowing down enough to match my pace and reaching over to squeeze my behind quickly. I shot him a look. "I have no idea how the fuck you look like that when you don't even exercise."