Contrary to popular belief, cheerleading isn't all smiles and pom-poms and all fluff and pretty outfits. Arden's sport is gymnastics without the safety precautions—no mats, no nets, no room for error. Topple from that pyramid and she's going to get her little face smashed in.

"Lock your knees!" Faye, captain, yells from the ground with her hands on her hips, and Arden stands straighter with her leg outstretched to a bow and arrow. Her bases' hands holding her foot are now wobbling from a minute of bearing her weight on their wrists and arms.

Ellie, also a flyer and in the same position as Arden, turns her head towards her with a smile, sweat drenching her face. "Is it true? Sandejas and you?" she asks breathlessly, swallowing hard.

Ah. Arden almost expected this. Lila screeched with her last night after that fucking kiss (...wow), but her guy friends haven't brought it up yet. They're itching to ask, though, and they just don't know how. Arden enjoys watching them squirm and hit each other, pointing at who's supposed to ask.

No one has yet. Ellie's the first.

Arden manages a smile despite the protest of her muscles. Her thigh was starting to hurt and the one leg on the bases' hands is straining against the heaviness of her whole body. "What do you think?"

"Think it's all delusional and fake. Just rumors," Ellie answers with a sweet laugh.

Mm. Of course she does. Kol, the untouchable, making the moves on her? How scandalous.

Arden doesn't bother answering, and Faye's voice resonates across the gym when she says, "Full-twist cradle for the dismount, then get your asses in the shower! Great job, guys!"

She hears the sighs of relief from her bases before lifting her back in the air for a 360-degree spin, landing her safely in their arms. Arden is set to her feet as Travis, her back spot, uses the sleeve of his uniform to wipe the sweat off his forehead. He smiles at her. "You're not skipping out on Remy's again, are you?"

Arden grins, catching her breath. Remy's, the board game cafe across campus is a Croyden favorite, and the squad offers Tuesdays to its cheesy beef fries and s'mores milkshakes. Last week, Arden skipped because of homework, but fuck if it doesn't sound like heaven now. "Wouldn't miss it."

She's heading to the shower after taking off her shoes and massaging her toes when her phone buzzes.

Unknown: what the fuck are you doing and why am i not kissing the shit out of you yet

Arden grins, feeling her heart race. God, Kol is so cute. She types her reply, leaning against her locker. im taking a shower after cheer :)

His answer is instant. fuck you

She laughs. He's probably annoyed she gave him a mental image. Arden bites her lip, fingers hovering over the keypad—

Arden catches the eyes of her fellow cheerleaders before they scurry away.

She rolls her own. Rumors?

pick me up at the gym

Kol says, im not your fucking dog

fine then, Arden replies. forget about seeing me today

Kol reads that and Arden grins before tossing her phone in her bag and heading inside the cubicle.

She's drying her hair when she hears commotion outside and his name in hushed whispers.

Arden grins, feeling her chest grow warm. He came.

She puts her towel in her bag and slings it over her shoulder before she steps outside. Kol is standing there looking angry.

Arden passes Ellie and asks, "What do you think now? Still delusional?"

When she reaches him, she tiptoes and kisses his jaw, and she takes his hand and whisks him away. "See you Friday, guys!"

Remy's will have to wait.

Kol follows her outside campus, and when Arden looks up at him, his mouth is twitching.

She finds a small booth at the smaller cafe and tells him to order for her. Kol scowls at her but gets up anyway.

Arden watches several eyes follow his every move and she wants to growl, "He's mine! Back off!"

But she doesn't and just glares at every single one of them.

Kol sits down next to her while she eats, legs spread, head tilted to the side, and he surprises her when his hand curls around her hair and brushes his knuckles against her neck and shoulder.

Arden tries really really hard to pretend he's not giving her shivers from head to toe.

When she drinks her milkshake, vanilla not s'mores, her eyes widen and she turns to Kol. "This is so good." Arden shoves it in his face. "Wanna try?"

He grabs her chin and kisses her quickly.

Arden freezes, jaw dropping.

Kol licks his lips and stares at her, resting his face on his fist. "You're right."

God. He's insufferable.

When Arden comes back from the bathroom, she finds Kol holding her bag outside the entrance and she wants to laugh. The big, bad, untouchable Sandejas is holding a neon pink gym bag.

She skips towards him. "Thank—"

Kol grabs her hand with his free one and pulls her, making her stumble, and walks her back to her dorm room. He smirks in her mouth when he kisses her against the door before walking away.

*

Arden texts him while she's in the student lounge, studying. im craving a donut

Kol reads that. fuck your donut

Arden laughs quietly, but then she turns to the window and waits for ten minutes before she sees Kol enter the building holding a paper bag and a drink (a drink!).

She's grinning when he tosses the bag in front of her and harshly sets down her coffee. "Thank—"

Kol leans down, tips her chin up, and kisses her, bites her lip. "Fuck you."

Arden's still laughing when he leaves the lounge, and she happily eats her donuts (favorite flavor! How did he know?) and drinks her coffee.

*

Kol kicks her chair. He's staring again at first period.

Arden smiles down at her desk and ignores him even when he pops his gum, continues stroking her fingers on her bare thigh.

Her phone lights up. FUCKING FUCK YOU FUCK YOU

She bows her head and hides her laugh. Arden types her reply. that part of your list?

as a matter of fucking fact, yes it is

Arden's smile grows wider. Of course it is.

He sends another message. that fucking smile better be for me

shut up, sandejas. God, her heart is doing somersaults.

Once the room clears, Kol stands up, pulls her neck with his palm over it and kisses her.

"Ah, ah." Arden puts a hand on his chest. Kol scowls, chewing his gum. "You have to do something for me first."

He stares at her impatiently, sneering. Denied of treats.

Arden's cheeks hurt from smiling so much. Her hand traces his throat. "First, leave me alone today. I need to study."

"No."

Arden raises an eyebrow.

"Fucking study with you," he bites out, jaw tightening.

My God. He's so cute, she can't take this.

Arden purses her lips to keep from smiling. "Fine."

Kol grabs her neck again and kisses her. He tastes like mint.

She pulls away. "Second."

Kol grunts impatiently, hands moving to grip her hips.

Arden wraps her hand around his neck. "Tell me you like me. To my face."

"Jesus fucking Christ, you're so fucking noisy." Kol's hands tighten on her hips, digs his nails into her bone.

Arden shrugs.

He stares at her, and through his teeth, he bites out, "I like you so fucking much, Bell—"

Happy, she kisses him this time, cupping his face, and then leaves one last on his cheek before she leaves for her next class.

Arden hopes he's thinking about her too until they meet in her dorm room to study.

Arden opens her room and pulls him inside. Kol follows, blinking. She sighs. He's really like a puppy.

"Hey, bit—oh."

Lila is on her desk, eyes wide at the sight of Kol in their room, and Jackson is on Arden's bed on his phone, but he sits up when they come in.

Arden grins. "Lila, Jackson, this is—well, you know who he is." To Kol, she smiles and says, "Lila's my roommate. Jackson is...being a bother."

"I was bored and I was waiting for you so we could hang out," Jackson whines, eyebrows drawn together. "Up for a game downstairs?"

"Nope." Arden kicks his feet. "Go away. We're going to study."

He stands slowly, eyes darting between her and Kol behind her. "Arden...are you sure—"

Kol steps forward, pressing his chest against her back, and Arden already feels his cowering stare at her friend.

God, please. Give me patience.

Arden puts a hand on his arm and says to Jackson with a tight smile, "Yes, I'm sure. Leave, please."

He's reluctant, but finally, he does.

Lila blinks. "Do I have to go, too?"

"Yes," Kol mutters under his breath behind her. Arden resists laughing and says, "No, I can't kick you out of our room, Lil. We're really just going to study."

"Mm. Sure, but I have class in an hour, so you'll have this to yourselves," Lila sings, going back to her laptop.

"Thank fuck," Kol murmurs.

Arden elbows him and sits down at her desk. "You can sit on the floor—"

Kol sits down on her bed and lies down on it, stretching his legs.

Arden rolls her eyes, smiling, and gets to work. Kol starts his readings, too, and he's quiet and focused, but she pretends she doesn't notice him staring at the side of her face from time to time. It makes her smile.

When Lila leaves, Arden stands up and stretches. "I'm going to—"

Kol grabs her by the waist and pushes her down on the mattress.

Arden squeals, hand covering her mouth, eyes wide as she hovers above him. "Sandejas!"

"Wanna kiss you so fucking bad," he breathes, and then he pulls her down with a palm to her neck and does exactly that.

Arden's hands slide to his shoulders while she straddles him, and his nails scrape the ladders of her ribs under her shirt, and Arden is so fucking dazed and she feels high when his lips travel to her jaw and neck and throat, his hands impatiently moving her shirt and bra out of the way before they dip under her underwear.

Kol's breath in her neck when her hands also go beneath his waistband and his hips kicking up and his low grunt of pleasure, teeth sinking into her shoulder—Arden loves all of it.

Kol sleeps next to her, arms caging her in his body, chest pressed to her back. He demands, "See me again tomorrow."

Arden hums. "Mm. I'll think about it," she mumbles sleepily.

"Fuck you," he mutters, lips brushing her temple, nails tracing her ribs.

Arden grins. "Shut up, Sandejas."

Lila doesn't say a word when she climbs in her own bed except for, "Please don't have sex when I'm here. Thank you."

Arden has a half a mind to throw her pillow at her, cheeks flushing, but Kol is already asleep and she doesn't want to wake him up.

She falls asleep to the sound and feel of his breathing.

*

In the morning, Arden leaves with a text on his phone, telling him she left for class first. She also said she would've kissed him good morning if he were awake, but he wasn't.

His reply: im awake pay fucking attention to me and kiss me now