COLD WATER

twelve. you liked it

▬ CORI TURNER IN HER seat to look at the boy that sat behind the steering wheel, his hand in hers and resting in her lap. He smiled over at her, his head back against the headrest. "Thank you." He mumbled.

"Always." She smiled as she leaned over the console and kissed his cheek then she looked up at the house, all the lights were off and neither Bella's truck nor Charlie's cruiser were in the yard. "So, do you wanna stay the night?" She traced her thumb over his knuckles, her head tilted to the side a little and he knew that she didn't mean for one of their usual sleepovers.

"Are you sure?" He asked and she nodded, bringing his hand up to her lips. "Absolutely as sure?"

"I'm sure."

"You know, I had this plan and this was not it." He chuckled. "There were rose petals."

She shrugged a little. "I don't need rose petals."

"No, but you deserve rose petals." He leaned over and pressed his lips against hers. "Are you really sure you want me to be your first?" He asked, he sounded a little unsure and even a little nervous.

"I don't want it to be anyone else."

"Okay." He nodded and she pecked his lips again before she turned and stepped out of the car, he smiled a little as he reached into the back seat to unbuckle the bear then he followed her to the house.

Carter lifted the girl off the ground and she smiled as she wrapped her legs around him, pressing her lips against his. Her fingers wove into his hair, grabbing fistfuls, but she could feel the slightest of hesitations in his kiss. She pulled back" her hands slipping to his cheeks.

"I want to do this... so bad." He pressed his forehead against hers, this thumb moving across her jean-clad thing. "But only if you're absolutely sure."

"I trust you." She mumbled.

He smiled, pressing his lips against hers again. This time he was more sure, firmer. "I love you."

"I love you." She mumbled. Her hands fisted in his hair as he reconnected their lips, it was slow at first but quickly grew more heated. He gripped her thighs and made his way towards her bed and bent down, laying her against the mattress as he trailed open-mouthed kissed down her neck then she tugged at the end of his shirt, wanting it gone.

And the line between just friends and more blurred.

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▬ CARTER SMILED AS THE girl curled up against him, his head in his hand, her bare body against his under the covers as she slept soundly. Her forehead was against his chest, her palm flat against his abdomen and her legs tangled with his. He leaned forward and kissed the top of her head as he lightly drug his fingers through her hair.

"Cori." He whispered, tucking her hair behind her ear and she groaned a little in protest. "Come on, Sweetheart, you gotta wake up."

"Don't wanna." She mumbled, squeezing her eyes closed as she snuggled against him, making him laugh.

"I know but we have to get ready for school." He kissed her shoulder. "I'll buy you coffee."

She moved back just enough to look at him and he chuckled as he moved a strand of hair off of her forehead. "Coffee?"

"Yeah." He chuckled, his fingers still moving through her hair. "Now, we gotta get up. You go jump in the shower and I'll-"

"Shower with me." She wrapped her arms around him.

"Tempting. But if we do that, we won't make it to school." He told her and she huffed as she pushed herself up, the cover falling to her waist and his eyes grew wide at the layers upon layers of hickies that covered her chest.

"What?" She asked as she looked over at him, running her hand through her hair.

"So glad that we live in Forks and it's still cold." He mumbled as he sat up next to her. "Otherwise your dad would kill me." Her eyebrows creased and he motioned to her chest and she looked down. Her eyes went wide then she looked back up at him, he gave her an innocent smile but his eyes dipped down, admiring his work. "Don't look at me like that, you liked it."

"That's not the point." She huffed as she looked around for something to wear and she smiled a little when she saw his shirt on the floor beside the bed, she leaned over and grabbed it before pulling it on and pushing herself up.

"It's kind of the point." He winked as he leaned back against the headboard and she rolled her eyes as she made her way to her dresser. He laughed as he watched her. His smile faded a little as silence filled the room but his eyes never left her. "Hey." She turned towards him with a soft smile. "You okay?" Her smile grew, then he made her way towards the bed and climbed into his lap, her knees on either side of his hips - the cover separating them - as she pressed a kiss to his lips.

"I'm okay." She told him as his hands rested on her thighs. "I promise. A little sore, but I'm okay."

"Just making sure." He hummed and she giggled as she pressed a kiss to his lips again. "You don't care that neither of us have brushed our teeth yet, do you?"

"Nope." She pecked his lips again before she pushed herself up. "Um, I have some of your clothes in the bottom drawer, I'm gonna go shower then I have to talk to my dad." She grabbed her towel then started for the door.

"Cori!?" He nearly shouted, keeping the cover wrapped around his waist as he stood up, his eyes wide with panic.

"Have some faith." She gave him a wide smile, thoroughly pleased she had nearly given him a heart attack as she made her way down the small flight of stairs and out the door into the hallway.

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▬ A FEW DAYS LATER, Cori sat at her usual lunch table with Carter and Noah. She had her feet in Noah's lap and her back to Carter as they tried to figure out the calculus homework the teacher had given them - they'd had a few days to work on it but that didn't happen.

"I say we throw all the math out." Cori muttered, glaring at the book in her lap. "All of it. Algebra, calculus, geometry. Who needs it?"

"Doctors, scientists, accountants, cashiers. A bunch of people."

"Shush, you." She leaned her head back, glaring at Carter and he chuckled as he lightly thumped her forehead.

"I'm with Cori." Noah nodded. "This sucks."

"It's not that hard." Carter told them. "You just have to remember-" He stopped when he saw the unimpressed looks he was getting. "Okay." He mumbled, picking up his water to take a sip.

"Can we just copy yours?" Cori asked, her bottom lip poked out and he smiled as she shook his head. "I loathe you."

"Sure you do." He hummed, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Lola will give me the answers." Noah mumbled as he pulled out his phone and started typing and Cori smiled as she watched him.

"I'm happy you two are talking." She told him. "She needs a nice guy like you."

"You're gonna make me blush." He waved her off, his cheeks pink. "Oh! She texted!" He nearly shouted and the other two laughed at his excitement. "She said no. She will not help me cheat."

"Sorry, buddy." Cori leaned forward and patted his shoulder.

"It's okay. She blew me a kiss." He hummed, completely focused on his phone and the girl chuckled as she turned, dropping her feet to the floor as she faced the other boy.

"I'm not giving you the answers." He shook his head.

"Please?" She leaned closer to him, her bottom lip poked out.

He shook his head. "Nope. And if you get any closer..." He dropped his voice to a whisper. "I will kiss you in front of everyone."

"What if I don't care?" She challenged, quirking an eyebrow at him but before either could say anything else Bella neared the table.

"Hey, Cori." She shifted on her feet as all three of them looked up at her. "Um, we're going to see a movie tonight." She motioned to the table her friends sat at. "Do you wanna come?"

"What movie?" She asked, turning in her seat.

"Public Enemies."

"The new one with Johnny Depp?" Carter asked and she nodded.

"Then yes." Cori nodded. "I love Johnny. Can they come?"

"Yeah, the more the merrier." Bella nodded, giving her sister a sort of smile.

"I would love to but I have a Skype date with Lola." Noah told them. "Thanks for the invite though."

"Carter?"

"I'll be there." He nodded and Cori grinned as she looked up at Bella again.

"Cool, uh, I'll let the others know." Bella told them before she made her way back towards her table and Cori smiled as she watched her sister.

"I'm glad she's doing better." She mumbled, mostly to herself and Carter just smiled at the blue-eyed Swan. "So..." She turned to face Noah. "Tell me about this date."

His cheeks flushed as she looked up from his phone. "Stop asking."

"Aww, he's so cute when he blushes." She poked his cheek and he swatted at her hand.

"Stop it."