LET DOWN

ten.           basketball

▬ CORI WALKED PAST Emmett, right up to the blond boy that stood straight and still next to Alice. She wore a smile and even he couldn't fight back the smile that tugged on the corner of his lips.

"You, my friend, are a lifesaver." She held out a stack of index cards.

"Keep 'em."

"Really?" She asked, her eyes going slightly wide, the stack of cards still held out towards him.

"They're history flashcards." Emmett mumbled, confused as to why she seemed so shocked he'd give them away so easily. Unlike Cori, he knew that Jasper had only made them when he asked for help in getting Cori caught up. And though Emmett wasn't expecting a stack of very detailed flashcards, he was grateful for his brother the moment he handed them to the human girl and she grinned like he had given her a box of cookies.

"Oh, no, they are wisdom on paper." She turned to him, the cards now hugged to her chest. "And his penmanship is tremendous."

"Oh, big word." Travis mused. "Acing english." He raised his hand for a high five and Cori simply looked at it, knowing she couldn't reach it if she tried. But to her surprise, a pair of hands rested on her waist and lifted her up. She giggled a little as they slapped palms, maybe a little too hard. Her skin stung a little and her wrist ached.

"You high five too hard." She muttered as Emmett lowered her to the ground and she rubbed her wrist a little.

"Oh, shit. Sorry." His smile quickly faded.

"Let me see." Emmett held his hand out and she placed her hand in his, flushing a little at the contact. Her blush only deepened when he tugged the sleeve of her hoodie a little to get a better look at her wrist. It had turned red and he could tell that it would probably bruise. He gently placed his hand around her tiny wrist and she let out a small sigh, the coolness of his touch brought a small sense of relief.

"Did I do that?" Travis asked, any trace of his usual amusement gone from his voice.

"No. Um, Bella slid on some ice this morning and I tried to catch her. We both fell and I think I landed on it." She told him, but he still looked like he felt guilty. "I'm okay, really." She gave him a smile, holding out her free hand and he gently grasped her fingers. "I'm okay."

"Good." He gave her a small smile but still he looked worried as he pulled his hand back.

"Maybe I should take you to the nurse, get you some ice or something." Emmett told her, keeping his hand around her sore skin.

She smiled a little as she looked up at him. "Or you can keep holding it." He couldn't stop the smile from taking over his face.

"Sounds like a plan." He mused and for a moment they just looked at each other.

"This is still happening?"

Cori turned, her eyebrows pinched, anger contorting her features as she looked over at Edward. He had been gone for two weeks, two weeks in which Bella seemed obsessed with his absence. She'd even started asking Cori if the rest of the Cullens had mentioned his sudden disappearance, which they hadn't because she didn't ask.

"You're back?" She questioned, the same amount of distaste coating her words making Emmett and Travis laugh. Even Rosalie couldn't stop herself from chuckling a little. Jasper raised an amused eyebrow, looking towards the human, who was radiating the same amount of irritation as Edward was.

The two just looked at each other, both glaring. Cori's glare wasn't nearly as menacing but it got her point across. Emmett couldn't help but smile at her, his hand still wrapped around her wrist, her hair blowing lightly in the cold breeze, and her eyes narrowed at his brother. She looked absolutely adorable and all he wanted was to pull her closer to him.

"All right. Let's get you inside." Emmett chuckled lightly, letting his hand fall from her wrist and she looked up at him, her brows creased and a slight pout pulled at her lips but that faded the second he wrapped his arm around her and led her towards the steps of the school. "I still think you should let me take you to the nurse."

"I'm fine." She chuckled a little, elbowing him in the ribs lightly but he made a show of it hurting. He groaned a little, holding his side and all she could do was laugh.

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▬ CORI ROCKED BACK on her heels as she stood in gym class, her little shorts and t-shirt doing nothing to keep her warm even if the heat was on. Her eyes were on Emmett as he stood to the left of the coach and on the other side was Travis. The younger boy gave Emmett a smirk as the coach flipped a coin in the air.

"Heads." Travis called, never taking his eyes off his brother. Emmett just rolled his eyes, letting his eyes settle on Cori as she stood in front of the group of awaiting students. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail and her eyes on the coin. She looked over, her smile growing when she caught his gaze, her cheeks flushed and she ducked her head, wishing her hair was down to hide her pink cheeks.

"Trails." The coach called out. "First pick." He pointed to Emmett before leaving the gym floor so they could pick teams and start the basketball game.

Emmett scanned the group of students, most looked hopeful that they would pick him, some of the girls smiled, batting their eyelashes and the guys puffed up their chests to seem bigger. Everyone wanted to be on Emmett's team, they had all seen how competitive he got and how much he wanted to win.

"Cori." Everyone looked a little surprised, even the girl herself. She looked up at him, her blue eyes wide. "Yeah, you." He nodded and she moved, her sneakers squeaking against the floor then she stopped at his side.

"Tyler." Travis called out, glancing over at the two, clearly upset he had lost the coin toss and hadn't been able to pick Cori. He really only wanted to bug Emmett and he had come to learn that the fastest way to get on Emmett's nerves was to somehow keep him and Cori apart.

In history, Travis had moved seats, putting himself next to Cori. Rosalie shook her head, but couldn't help the laugh that left her when she saw Emmett's face. At lunch, he made sure he and Rosalie sat between them, not that it lasted long. Emmett always pulled Cori's chair closer to his, even with the girl in it, no matter how much noise it made.

It had easily become his favorite pastime.

Once the teams had been picked, they started the game. Bella stood awkwardly in the middle of the court as Emmett led Cori to her position, he even patted her head before taking the center spot, right across from his brother. The coach blew his whistle, tossing the ball up and they both jumped, Emmett smacked the ball back and Mike got it, quickly dribbling as the other team closed in. Cori watched the ball, making her way down the court, trying to shake Jessica, who had been guarding her. She eventually got around her and the ball somehow ended up in her hands. And she took the shot from the three point line.

"Yes!" Emmett cheered when it hit the rim and fell into the hoop. "I knew you'd be good at this." He mused when he neared the girl, the game still going as the other team got the ball.

"I didn't." She mumbled and he laughed before moving across the court, putting himself in front of Travis.

"I don't get it." Jessica huffed, staying close to Cori as the ball was passed among her teammates. "I tried, like, really tried and nothing. And you just show up-" The ball was passed to Jess but Cori knocked it from her hands and dribbled back towards the other side of the court, taking Jess by surprise. She was gonna try for another three, but Travis was faster.

"Aren't you supposed to be guarding Emmett?" She asked him.

"Don't listen to her." He told her, his voice low.

"Why does she care so much?"

"She's jealous." He shrugged.

"Of me?" She questioned and his brows pinched, his body going still and she used that as her moment to pass the ball to Mike and make her way around the still slightly stunned Cullen. When she got close to the hoop Mike had passed the ball back since she was the only one open and she looked up, her height, or lack thereof, becoming very apparent. That is until she was lifted off the ground and she dunked the ball. Cheers and groans echoed around the gym, but the girl just laughed as she gripped Emmett's wrists as he put her back on her feet, keeping his hands on her waist as she turned to face him.

"Yes, she's jealous of you." He mumbled, tugging her a step closer to him and her cheek flushed. "How's your wrist?"

"It's okay." She told him, looking down as she held it out. He had taken her to the nurse, he was worried and he wouldn't stop bringing it up, it was wrapped in an ace bandage and she was supposed to be taking it easy. But as it turns out, she was just as competitive as Emmett.

"Hey, we're in the middle of a game." Travis called out, his eyes on the two.

"Don't get your panties in a twist." Emmett huffed, looking over at his brother before looking back at Cori. "Just checking on my team. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Absolutely." She nodded, her smile growing. She liked that he worried about her, that he cared enough to stop mid-game just to make sure she was fine. "Now, let's go kick some ass."

"That's my girl." He grinned, the words slipping out before he could stop them. Her cheeks flushed, but she simply giggled as she turned away from him. The game started up again, and for a while the score stayed close. Emmett and Travis both being the main source of baskets made, though Cori got a few – most with Emmett's assistance.

By the time the game was over Cori slumped on the bleachers and Travis laughed as he sat next to her, she instantly leaned her head against his bicep. "You okay, Shorty?"

"Yeah." She nodded, her eyes closed. "Forgot how exhausting actually participating in gym can be."

"Listen, what you said earlier." He started, his voice low. "Why wouldn't she be jealous of you?"

She shrugged, sitting up, her eyes on Jess as she talked to Bella across the gym. "Look at her."

He did. "All I see is the town gossip who thinks she's hot shit." He looked at the girl to his right. "She's insecure. And clearly sees others as competition rather than actual friends."

"That's a little harsh, don't you think?"

"All I'm saying is, she has plenty to be jealous of. You're pretty great." He told her and she gave him a wide smile.

"Thanks, Travis." She hummed, leaning against him. "I get it now."

"What?" He chuckled a little, his eyes on his brother across the gym. Emmett was watching them, listening and as much as he wanted to go over and plop himself down between them so Cori could lean against him, he didn't.

"What Rose sees in you."

"Ouch." He muttered, laughing a little. "You've wounded me." He held his hand to his chest.

She giggled, slapping his arm. "No, I meant, she seems so serious and you just aren't. But you can be really sweet and kind. And that's all any girl wants. Plus you're hot. You're, like, fictional boyfriend material."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Good, 'cause it is." She hummed. "Emmett is too, but don't tell him that."

"Never." He told her and she smiled, her eyes closed once again. He looked across the gym to see his brother with a soft smile on his lips, his eyes on the floor, he knew he had heard. He also knew that if they could blush, Emmett would be the shade of a tomato.