COLD WATER

ten.              special to me

▬ BELLA'S EYEBROWS PULLED together as she stepped off the last step, stopping in the doorway of the living room where Carter and Cori laid on the couch watching Looney Tunes.

Cater was on his back, a throw pillow between his head and the armrest, and Cori laid on top of him. Her hands were folded on his chest and her head rested on her hands. The boy had his arms around her, his fingers lightly running through her hair and down her back and the other hand curled around the fabric of the blanket that was draped over them.

Bella didn't really understand their relationship, though she knew more than most people did — sitting and watching without saying a word had some upsides. Things that normally went unnoticed become quite obvious.

"Just a question, are you two dating or not?"

Neither even looked away from the tv. "Not." They spoke in unison, having answered that question too many times — usually it was Charlie asking.

"Okay." She mumbled as she turned towards the front door, glancing back at the two just as Carter pressed a kiss to Cori's forehead. Just as she reached for the doorknob she stopped and turned back towards the living room. "Hey, Cor?" Cori turned to her head just a little. "I'm going out with Jessica, um, a girl's thing. Do you wanna come?"

"I have plans." She gave her an apologetic smile. "But I'm glad that you're going out and doing stuff."

"Yeah, uh, thanks." She turned towards the door again.

"Maybe next time."

"Yeah, for sure." Bella nodded before she made her way out of the house and Cori settled against Carter again.

"You have plans?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." She nodded, resting her chin on her hands. "This." He chuckled as he rolled his eyes then he leaned forward and she stretched up to meet his lips in a kiss. It started off slow, simple, but he pulled her up a little, his hands on her waist, and she shifted so her knees were on either side of his hips.

He pulled back slightly out of breath and looked up at her flushed cheeks as she panted slightly, her eyes never leaving his. "Sorry, I got a little..."

"Yeah. Me too." She nodded, her hands locked behind his neck.

"We don't-"

"I want to." She rushed out in a surge of confidence. "With you." Her words were slightly broken up with her heavy breathing, but his eyes grew wide.

"Cori-"

"I want to have sex with you."

"You're first time should be with someone special, not the guy you make out with occasionally but aren't in a relationship with."

"You are special to me." She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "You're my best friend. You're literally the only thing that has kept me together for the past several months. And you kept your promise."

"What promise?"

"That I wouldn't be heartbroken forever." She gave him a soft smile. "I'm still a little messed up, but I don't feel like I did then. And, yes, that is largely due to the fact that our friends are completely ridiculous in the best way possible. But also because of you. You have been my shoulder to cry on, my rock, and my teddy bear. There's no one else I'd rather have my first time with. There's no one I trust more."

"Damn, Peanut, you know how to make a guy feel special." He hummed, his voice light and teasing but she didn't miss the blush that coated his cheeks.

"And I don't mean right now, I just..." she trailed off, her head dipped down so her hair covered her face.

"It'll be special." He reached up, tucking her hair behind her ear before gently caressing her cheek. "I promise." He gave her a confident smile despite the panic rising in his chest. He knew she deserved the best, she deserved perfect and a huge part of him didn't believe that he was enough.

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▬ RACHEL AND CORI sipped from steaming mugs of coffee as they stood in the kitchen of the former's house, both looking out the window. They had been at the counter when they heard Bella's truck pull up and both were confused when she showed Jacob the two beat up motorcycles in the bed of her truck.

"This doesn't seem smart." Cori mumbled and Rachel shook her head. "Do I care enough to go stop them? No, no, I do not." Rachel chuckled as the younger girl raised her mug to her lips, both still watching as their siblings disappeared into the garage.

"What are you two doing?" Billy asked, making both girls jump, the shorter girl spilling her coffee as they turned towards the man that laughed at the two.

"Burning myself." Cori muttered as she moved to put her mug down so she could wash her hands.

"Sorry, Little Bit." He rolled towards her and handed her the small hand towel that hung from the handle of the stove. "Here."

"Thanks, Billy." She gave him a small smile as she dried her hands.

He nodded a smile on his face as he looked between the two. "So, what were you two doing?"

"Spying." Rachel answered with a slight shrug of her shoulders as she sipped her coffee.

"Spying?" He raised an eyebrow.

"More like observing." Cori told him, picking up her coffee once again.

"Observing what?"

The two shared a look. "The interaction of our siblings, one of which is getting over her ex and the other that is obsessed with her." Cori answered.

"We are also waiting for Kim." Rachel added.

"Oh, yes. We're going shopping." Cori grinned. "You're welcome to join."

"Thanks, but I think I'll pass." He chuckled, shaking his head at the two. "I'm heading over to Harry's anyways."

"Oh, doing old people stuff, got it."

He narrowed his eyes at the blue-eyed Swan, shaking his head just a little. "You used to be so nice. What happened?"

"High School." Her answer was quick and he simply nodded his head before turning and leaving the two girls alone in the kitchen.

"I still think you're nice." Rachel leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"Thanks." She hummed before they heard a car horn, and it wasn't just one honk, it was several honks. They both sighed, sharing a small laugh as they put their mugs in the sink before they made their way out to the car where the girl grinned from behind the wheel of her silver Tahoe.

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▬ CORI CHEWED ON HER bottom lip as she stood in the dressing room next to Rachel. She picked at the polish on her nails as the older girl held up sweater, a wide smile on her face.

"Try this on."

Cori pulled her shirt over her head before pulling the sweater on but she didn't say much as she looked at herself in the mirror. Which Rachel noticed.

"What's up with you?" She asked, her arms crossed over her chest as Cori turned to face her with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing." She shrugged, her voice soft. Rachel narrowed her eyes, her head tilted to the side and her worry growing.

"Okay, you're freaking me out. Talk to me."

Cori turned to face her, taking a deep breath. "What was your first time like?"

"First time?"

"Having sex." Cori clarified.

"Wow." Rachel's eyes grew wide, completely shocked by the question. "Um, well, it was... it was kind of awkward, actually." She chuckled a little. "It was that guy I dated a few years ago-"

"Rodney?"

"Yep." She nodded, laughing at the wide-eyed look on Cori's face. "I was sixteen, it was a few days before my birthday and we got a little drunk-"

"Wasted. She got wasted." Kim added from the dressing room next door, getting laughs from both girls.

"I was not wasted." She shook her head. "Stop eavesdropping, freak."

"You don't want my input, don't talk so loud."

Rachel rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she settled her eyes on Cori, who was still laughing at the two. "Anyways, we were at a party and he asked me to go upstairs and I did. It was weird and I didn't even... anyways, it wasn't great. Then he broke up with me."

"Tragic." Kim mumbled, her voice muffled slightly but they both could hear her singsong tone. "So, Cor, why do you ask?"

"Would you like to come in here so we're not shouting?" Cori asked, giggling a little.

"Finally." She mumbled as she grabbed her clothes then she knocked on the door and all three girls were settled on the floor of the changing room, in clothes that weren't yet theirs.

"Now, explain." Rachel gave the younger girl an encouraging smile.

"Well, um, I'm just curious."

"No one just asks about their friend's first time unless they..." Kim trailed off, her eyes going wide. "Oh my God! Who did you have sex with?"

"What?" Rachel almost shouted.

"No one." Cori shook her head, toying with the sleeve of her sweater. "Yet."

"Yet!?" They both raised their voices and Cori jumped forward, her hands covering their mouths.

"Be quiet." She muttered, her eyes wide then a knock came at the door. "Yes?"

"Is everything okay in there?" A woman asked, her voice soft and concerned.

"Oh, yeah, we're good. Thank you!" Cori answered. "Now, I'm gonna keep my hands over your mouths when I tell you what I'm about to tell you. I don't trust either of you to react calmly. We are in public, people are in the store. Remember that. Can you not scream when I tell you?" They both nodded vigorously. "Okay. Carter and I have been... not dating but making out sometimes. And I told him I want him to be my first."

She stopped and watched as her friends' eyes grew wide before they both started, their voices muffled by her hands and she couldn't make out a single word. She let her eyes fall closed as she dropped her head forward, kind of regretting telling them at all.