Promise Me (RLU #1)

by Carlie Jean

“If your football career is anything like your cock, it’ll be small and unsatisfying,” I snap and turn on my heel, hightailing it out of this house for the last time.

Lmao

Usually, I’d have no problem telling this guy to screw himself, but I can’t find it in me to do so. He kind of intimidates me because I equally want to ride him, while also flipping him the bird.

But you know what has the potential to ruin rule number two? Aurora fucking Vallacourt.

“Fu—” My brother appears out of nowhere, fuming at my side. “Think about those words before you spit them out, ‘cause they’ll be the last ones you ever say here.”

Finn has a knowing look on his face, one that I don’t think I like. “We’re cousins and best friends.”

Huh cousins

“Oh man, Cameron is in trouble. I can’t wait to watch him fall,” he muses as he shoves his arms into his jacket. “Fall?” I ask, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion as Finn’s body retreats. Turning around, his head twists over his shoulder, and he says, “In love with you.”

“If you ever meet someone worthy of sharing your big ass heart with, give them a chance. I’m willing to share,” she says, and before I cut her off, she adds, “I want to be an aunt already, help me out, would ya?”

Her dark blonde locks are in a messy bun, and she’s wearing our school’s forest green hoodie with gray sweatpants. My brain screams one word so clearly and dominantly that I can’t ignore it. Beautiful. She’s fucking beautiful, and I can’t deny it, as much as I want to.

“Yup. Your arrogance is well-deserved, Fields. What a smart cookie you are.”

I grind down on my jaw, trying once again to stifle a smile. She calls me out on my shit and is not afraid to do it. I’m not used to that.

You know when you hear an old favorite song and it fills you with a warm, happy feeling at the familiar tune? Yeah, that’s what listening to her laugh did to me, and despite it being new, it feels like my heart knows its tune already. I’m in trouble.

I push the thought away and stand, waiting for her to follow suit. “Not a chance, let’s go.” “Where?” she asks from her spot on the log. “To get you some cake,” I state, bending to pick up her pink and gray backpack and slinging it over my shoulders.

I want to take care of Aurora Vallacourt, and once I start, there’s no stopping.

Don’t even get me started on his smile. I felt the breath leave my lungs in a whoosh and those dimples. I so badly wanted to pull my notebook out and draw them.

“And you’re not getting an Uber. I’ll drive you.” I give him a quick, appreciative glance as I tug my mittens on. “That’s okay, you’ve already done enough for me today.” I pull out my phone and attempt to pull up the app when my phone is snatched from my hands. “I’m not putting your life in the hands of a stranger, no thank you. Just get in my car, please?”

So, instead of trying to bullshit him, I give in. “How was it? Anyone give her trouble?” Finn runs a hand through his auburn hair, patting it down after removing his hat at the door. “She was busy. I sat at the bartop after you texted me, and nothing happened. She can handle herself, don’t worry.”

“Fields, I don’t think I can study. Look, I’ll pay you whatever they normally pay you, but I can’t do it today. I’m sorry.” His jaw clenches as he stares at me, his eyebrows dipping inward. “I don’t care about studying. I care about you.”

“It’s a weighted heating pad. My sister has one and swears by it.” No, no, no. This is not good. He can’t do this to my poor, secretly hopeless romantic heart. This man. This sweet, kind, caring man. He remembered my favorite food combination and got me a heated stuffed cupcake, which I told him is what my dad calls me.

“Cameron?” she whisper-shouts, and that makes me nervous. What is she about to say? “Yeah?” “I know she has some walls up…in certain aspects of her life if you catch my drift. But if you see her, truly see her. Try, okay?”

“I do see her.”

Ahhhhhhh

He’s making my girl uncomfortable for whatever reason, and to hell if I’m going to let it continue.

“Aurora, come on. Just think about it, for fuck’s sake.” I instantly step between them, putting Aurora safely behind me. “I don’t think she wants to. You should leave,” I tell him, trying to keep myself calm and collected.

“If he corners you again like that, you call me, okay?” I breathe, staring at her intently. “I can take care of my—” I cut her off. “You. Call. Me. Got it?”

“Here, your pen,” I cough, breaking up the emotion clogging my throat. Aurora eyes the pen in her hand, a small smile on her lips. “This isn’t my pen, Fields.” Oh, fuck me. “Are you sure?” “Yeah. Maybe you got me confused with another girl,” she remarks, pulling away. “Impossible,” I mutter.

You’re just going to steal my pen, then?” She turns to me with a teasing smirk, a glint in her eyes. “Yup. I’ll think of it and remember the time my best friend missed me so much, he pretended I forgot a pen just to come and see me.” I laugh. “You couldn’t spare me?” “Nope, I like teasing you. And if you want to see me, you can just ask. That’s what friends do,”

I fall into step with her, noting how she keeps bringing up the words friends with me. I hate it because I know I don’t want to just be friends with her.

“How about no more dresses until the spring?” he asks. I smirk at him, wanting to rile him up a bit. “You don’t like my dress? Do I look bad?” He growls. “Aurora, you know you look good. That’s not it. It’s the fact that it’s nearly winter, and you’re walking home with nothing to cover your legs from the cold.”

He glares at me, “I can see your legs through them. They’re basically nothing.” I start walking backward, a smile on my face. “Stop worrying, Fields. Cold exposure is good for your health.” I don’t hear his exact words, but it’s something about me not being good for his health and him having a heart attack.

I clearly didn’t think this through because seeing her in my hoodie does something weird to my heart. It makes it squeeze tightly, warmth seeping out at its pressure.

“And who the fuck is this douchebag?” I ask, my tone clipped. Aurora attempts to avert her gaze, but I bring it back to mine with my fingers on her jaw. “It’s uh, Brad. Theo’s going to talk to him about leaving me alone.” It’s cute that she thinks I’ll be okay with just that.

Cam?” Aurora asks once our food is finished. “Hmm?” I hum, turning my face to look at her. “Earlier… when I passed out. Did you call me Rory?” she asks, her voice small.

“I like it. Call me Rory, please.”

“Why are we staring at that booth with heart eyes?” a voice snaps me away from my thoughts, and I turn to see Theo standing beside Jasmine. “Because Aurora is totally into her tutor, and they have this soulmate crap going on, but both are too stubborn to make a move,”

Cameron removes his head from mine, his brows narrowed. “You’ve been hurt. There is nothing fucking okay with that. It’s not okay, Aurora. It’s not fucking fine,” he snaps, shaking his head at me, then looking up to the ceiling as he takes in a deep breath.

“Touch her again, and I’ll break more than just your nose,” I bite out between punches while dodging his own.

ahhh yes yes yes

Cameron cuts me off, “I’m going to stop you right there. You’re right, I never wanted to get violent with anyone. But when I saw bruises on your wrist, none of that shit mattered.” He stops, takes a deep breath, then continues, “I’m going to protect you, always. I don’t regret it, and I chose to do it. Okay?”

He shakes his head at me, a sly smile forming on his lips as he stares at me intently. “No, because I’ll be the last. You won’t care about anyone before me, just like I don’t.”

I know you said you didn’t want a boyfriend, but I’m hoping I can change that.” “And you said you didn’t want a girlfriend either,” she says, her brows pinching together. Yeah, I need to make this clear for her so there’s no miscommunication about what I want. “I also told you that I would if I found someone who was worth it and, love, you surpass that. It’s me who doesn’t feel worthy of you. But I’m willing to try. Let me, please?”

“It’s intense and scary, I get it. But, you have me, Rory. I’m not going anywhere, and we’ll figure it out together,”

“Bring him by the house sometime, Cupcake. Any man who defends my daughter is worthy of coming into our home. And he’s not being expelled. Hell, if I could give him the Dean’s Medal of Honor for the act, I would.”

My head rears back at that as my heart pitter-patters in my chest. He knew my stance with driving in the snow and came to pick me up so that I wouldn’t be scared driving home.

“Jesus,” I mutter, my thighs clenching from her touch. “Aurora,” she corrects me, pulling the zipper on my jeans down.

Lmak

Jasmine stiffens, her back going straight at his nearness. “Oh hell, you’re more entitled and annoying than I remembered.” Elio’s dark green eyes sparkle as he drinks her in, his lips twitching to fight a smile. “And you’re just as sweet as I remembered,” he says sarcastically.

“Hi, I’m Lexa. Thank you so much for dating my brother. I was worried the guy would become a crazy dog man, you know, the opposite of a crazy cat lady?” she jokes, and I instantly feel at ease.

“Rory, you’re not hearing me. There’s nothing that could take me away from you. Where you go, I go. My job can be remote. I want to cheer you on along the way and watch with pride as they place a gold medal around your neck in two years. And with even more pride when I place something gold around your finger one day.”

“Aurora and I—” “If you say you broke up, I will sob uncontrollably. Just a warning,” Finn shrieks.

She smiled at me. “It means, Rory, that just because you start on one path and it leads you astray doesn’t mean you need to get back to it. Maybe we can take a path that leads us to achieve more than just that one dream.”

“I opted for honesty and told them what was going on. They appreciated it and told me not to come and to take care of things at home. We’re going to do a virtual meeting this week instead,” he explains. “None of my dreams make sense without you in it. You are the dream, Rory.”

Cute