are we out of the woods yet?

“You won’t disappoint me,” he assured her. “There’s no way that’s even possible. But you know me, I’ll always be awake in the morning and I will wake you up myself if you want.” He scrunched up his face when she started kissing him all over. “Plea-” he asked innocently, though not so innocent thoughts were clearly racing through his mind. Her lips cut him off, surprising him with their intensity. His hands found their way upward, brushing her hair out of her face and getting tangled up in the strands in the process.

Even though they had had sex already, Maddie always wanted to take things slower with Cooper. After trying not to follow him around like a puppy since they were little, she just wanted every little thing to be perfect. As much as she knew that that wasn’t possible, this isn’t a fairy tale Maddison, she could still try. Plus, still a little bit of her thought that if she just went right in and sucked him off, he’d be gone the next day. Then everyone’s friendship would be over, nice going Maddie. The difference with everything in the past though, was that she wanted to give her all to him. He was the epitome of her prince charming and she wanted all in. Her smaller hands wrapped themselves around him as she deepened the kiss. After a hot second, she placed a small kiss on his cheek before asking, “now do you remember?” with a small laugh.

“Just maybe?” he nudged her in the side. He genuinely was proud. He knew she was a smart girl. Maybe not book smart in the same sense that he was, but he saw her potential to do anything if she set her mind to it. She was a force to be reckoned with, and that made her even more exciting. Feeling her lips on his neck, then up his jaw towards his lips, he pressed his lips into hers, staying for just a few teasing seconds. “Actually, I got a concussion earlier, so I need you to tell me exactly what to do to help..” he said smugly.

“Yeah, because, like, I don’t want to disappoint you or anything. I can’t promise you if I can’t follow through.” Cooper was the one person she never wanted to let down. No question about it. He actually believed in her and nothing was going to change that, that feeling was too good to be true. “So, if like, one morning you wake up for class and I’m not up, you can wake me up and I’ll go.” That was as much as she could promise, for now. As soon as Cooper began to kiss her, Maddie leaned into the kiss before it quickly ended. “Oh, my poor baby!” she exclaimed, showering him in kisses all over his face. “I guess I’ll have to help you remember me,” and just like that her lips found his for a kiss. A much longer kiss, with a buttload of passion behind it.

“Okay. Well, if you want to talk about why… Because I actually like it when you interrupt me, which is often, by the way. I love you because you make no apologies about being exactly who you are: beautiful, smart, sexy as hell. You’re completely unaware of your affect on me. You’re also completely unaware that you laugh like a 4-year-old. And I love you because you can be with someone like me and still be best friends with someone like Blair. And that’s not easy, but you never give up on her. That is how amazing you are.”

He took his hands off her legs to give her a full, well-deserved applause. “Maddie Thompson went to all of her classes so far? Whaaaat? There’s no way,” he teased, giving her the side eye with a raised eyebrow. “Proud of you, babe. Very proud,” he laughed, patting her on the knee. Cooper watched as she sat up, repositioning herself on his lap, then glanced down at her hands fumbling with his collar. He licked his lips, trying not to instantly lose it over her innuendo. “Well, how can I help?” he played along, hands around her waist, careful not to grab her ass. Not yet, anyway. 

Then he said he was proud of her, how much more amazing could Cooper get? How was he even feeling all of these amazing things about her and putting them into words? That’s something Maddie could never understand. Plus, no one had ever said they were proud of her since she was like, eight? That was the last thing you’d ever hear her parents say, so to hear him say it, it was perfect. “Thank you, Coop. Maybe, just maybe this’ll become an every day occurrence. Maybe.” Who was she kidding? Probably not. But she would definitely try to make it, hearing how proud he was of her always playing in the back of her head. Maddie’s lips found the nook of his neck and began to suck on it lightly. After a moment, she placed a kiss before leaving a trail of kisses up to the corner of his lips. “I think we both know how..”

Cooper scooped up her legs, pulling them across his lap so he could trace imaginary patterns across her knees and up and down her thighs and shins. “This week has been hell already. The guys wanna haze the new pledges, so I told them to count me out and now they’re calling me rude things,” he explained, hating to repeat the words they casually threw around. “And work wants to schedule me for more hours, but I told them I can because of school and my internship and this really pretty girl I don’t get to see enough of…” He threw that in there nonchalantly. “How about you? What have I missed on this week’s episode of Maddie’s life?”

“You honestly haven’t missed anything, really.” Which was a hundred percent true, she hadn’t even talked to her brother or dad in like a week! “I actually made it to all my classes, so far.” Raising her eyebrows, she took another bite of her fro yo, the frozen concoction still in her mouth, “yay me!” After a swallow, she added, “but homework’s another story.” Getting herself up, Maddie adjusted herself so she was straddling him, fingers playing with the collar of his shirt, “but I mean, if you wanted to help me with anything, I’d be more than ready for your help.” Of course the last thing on her mind was homework, fuck that. She knew that if she really wanted to, she could just kiss him and the rest would be history. But it was still such like a dream and Maddie was not ready to wake up. All the dates they had been going on, all the relationship esque moments, it was too good to be true, and she was gonna make sure nothing would wake her up.

Just thinking about Cooper, her big brother’s best friend, rushing to her aid- gave her all the butterflies that could possibly fill her stomach. Was it even possible to feel this strongly about someone and have them feel the same way back? Even though she still felt like Edwin’s little sister who had a huge crush, she always managed to hide her insecurities. Okay, and maybe a few pills for a high to mask it.  As soon as she heard Cooper outside her door, she screamed back, “no hablo espanol!!!” After a second, opening the door, Maddie peaked out her head trying not to laugh, “I’m sorry ma’am, can I help you?”

He hadn’t been over to her dorm in a few days. Mostly because he was busy with school, his internship, work, and rush week. And also avoiding her roommate, who was like Satan with boobs. But he made time to see Maddie as much as one could without seeming too eager and available. He didn’t need everyone know he’d drop everything to be with her. Not yet, anyway. “Miss me?” he asked with a cheeky smile as he took the lid off her froyo container and handed it to her with a spoon.

As soon as he sat down, she subconsciously, laid her body in alignment with his. Resting her head on Cooper’s shoulder, she began to flip through the channels with her free hand. After finding a horror movie, one that her and her brother had watched a million times, her focus went back on the task at hand. Cooper was there. She was cuddling with him. Could it get anymore perfect? Probably not, this is how it was supposed to be. The two of them, together, just being together, in each others arms. No one else. Looking up at him, she placed a small kiss on his cheek, “how’s this week going? Tell me everything.”

Cooper stopped at the froyo shop, making up Maddie’s bowl of oddly specific topping ratios and a bowl for himself. He was simple- tart yogurt with coconut sprinkles and kiwi slices. He paid for the froyo, then hopped back on his board, making his way to Maddie’s building. “What’s up?” he nodded at the desk attendant as he passed her, gliding through as if he lived there. Once he reached Maddie’s door, he tried to let himself in, but it was locked. “Housekeeping!” he yelled through the door as he knocked.

Just thinking about Cooper, her big brother’s best friend, rushing to her aid- gave her all the butterflies that could possibly fill her stomach. Was it even possible to feel this strongly about someone and have them feel the same way back? Even though she still felt like Edwin’s little sister who had a huge crush, she always managed to hide her insecurities. Okay, and maybe a few pills for a high to mask it.  As soon as she heard Cooper outside her door, she screamed back, “no hablo espanol!!!” After a second, opening the door, Maddie peaked out her head trying not to laugh, “I’m sorry ma’am, can I help you?”