Rumor Has It I'm Dating the Football Captain

Chapter 56: Chapter 56: I’m Your Girlfriend

The morning sunlight hit Chloe directly in the eyes.

She groaned and squeezed her eyes shut. Her head was pounding with a massive, throbbing headache. Her mouth tasted entirely like dry cotton and stale vodka.

She tried to roll over, but she could not move. Her fingers were tightly gripping a thick piece of white fabric.

Chloe slowly forced her eyes open.

She was staring at a plain white t-shirt. She followed the fabric up and saw a strong, muscular chest. She looked a little higher.

Leo was lying right next to her. He was sleeping soundly. His dark hair was a total mess on the pillow. His breathing was slow and even.

Chloe completely froze. The memories of last night crashed into her brain like a speeding truck.

The club. The drinks. Stumbling on the sidewalk. Leo carrying her up the stairs.

And then... the bed.

She remembered straddling his waist. She remembered trying to pull his shirt off. She remembered crying and begging him not to leave her alone.

Chloe felt her face turn a violent shade of red. She felt so incredibly embarrassed she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her completely.

She carefully let go of his shirt. She tried to slowly slide off the mattress without waking him up.

"If you try to sneak out, I will be very offended."

The voice was low and incredibly raspy from sleep.

Chloe stopped moving. She squeezed her eyes shut again. "I was not sneaking out. I was going to the bathroom."

Leo shifted on the bed. He propped himself up on one elbow. He looked at her with tired, dark eyes.

"There is water on the desk," Leo said quietly. "And painkillers. Take them."

Chloe sat up. She grabbed the plastic water bottle and the two white pills. She swallowed them down quickly. She refused to make eye contact with him. She just stared at her own knees.

"I am so sorry," Chloe whispered. Her voice was small and incredibly fragile. "I made a complete fool of myself."

"You did," Leo agreed easily.

Chloe winced. She expected him to be mad. She expected him to yell at her.

"But I forgive you," Leo added.

Chloe finally looked at him. He did not look angry. He just looked tired and very concerned.

"We need to talk, Chloe," Leo said. He sat up fully and crossed his arms over his chest. "No more running away. No more sarcasm. Just talk to me."

Chloe pulled the blanket tightly around her shoulders. She felt completely exposed.

"Okay," Chloe agreed softly.

"Why did you go to the club?" Leo asked. His voice was completely steady. "You kissed me at the stadium. You told me you would see me later. I waited in the lounge for two hours. Then I find you stumbling down the street with some guy."

Chloe looked down at her hands. Her chest felt very tight.

"Jared and Liam asked me to go," Chloe explained quietly.

"The guys from your economics class," Leo noted.

"Yes."

"You never do things just because people ask you to," Leo pointed out. "You tell people no all the time. Why did you say yes to them?"

Chloe took a shaky breath. She hated admitting this out loud.

"Because they made a joke," Chloe confessed. "When the match ended, they saw me cheering for you. They saw the kiss. When we walked out of the stadium, Jared laughed. He said I was losing my edge."

Leo frowned deeply. "Your edge?"

"He said I was turning into a boring football groupie," Chloe said. Her voice cracked slightly. "He said I was becoming entirely predictable. Just another girl following a captain around."

Leo stared at her. He felt a sudden flash of anger toward those guys.

"So you went to a crowded downtown club and got blackout drunk," Leo summarized flatly. "Just to prove to two stupid guys that you are still edgy and fun."

Chloe nodded miserably. "Yes."

"That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard," Leo said.

"I know," Chloe sniffled. "I know it was stupid. But I panicked, Leo. My entire identity on this campus is built on being tough and independent. I do not care about sports. I do not follow boys around. And suddenly, I was standing in the front row screaming at a referee because someone tripped you."

She looked up at him. Her eyes were completely honest and full of fear.

"I felt like I was losing myself," Chloe whispered. "I was terrified that if I gave in to you completely, the old Chloe would disappear."

Leo let out a long, heavy sigh. He uncrossed his arms. He reached out and gently took her hand. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles.

"Chloe," Leo said softly. "Look at me."

Chloe lifted her head.

"Hasn’t it registered yet?" Leo asked. His dark eyes locked directly onto hers.

"Has what registered?" Chloe asked back.

"That you are my girlfriend," Leo stated clearly.

Chloe stopped breathing for a second. The word felt massive. It felt real.

"You do not need to prove anything to Jared and Liam," Leo told her firmly. "You do not need to prove you are tough. You are already the toughest person I know. You kissed me in front of thousands of people. That takes real bravery."

Chloe looked down at their connected hands.

"You do not have to change who you are to date me," Leo promised. "I do not want a boring groupie. I want the girl who steals my hoodies and argues with me. I want the girl who complains about my video games. I want you."

A warm, heavy tear rolled down Chloe’s cheek. She did not wipe it away this time.

"I really hurt your feelings last night," Chloe said quietly. "When I ignored your texts. And when I went out with them."

"You did," Leo admitted honestly. "It sucked. I was very mad at you."

"Are you still mad?"

Leo looked at her messy hair and her smudged makeup. He smiled a small, tired smile.

"No," Leo said. "I am just glad you are safe."

Chloe shifted on the mattress. She moved closer to him. She rested her head against his broad shoulder.

"I am sorry I tried to take your shirt off," Chloe mumbled into his arm. Her face burned hot with fresh embarrassment.

Leo let out a loud, sudden laugh. The heavy tension in the room finally broke.

"It took a lot of willpower to stop you," Leo teased. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "But I told you last night. I want you sober when that actually happens. I want you to remember it."

Chloe smiled against his shoulder. Her heart felt completely full. The fear of losing her identity was completely gone. She finally accepted the truth.

"I am your girlfriend," Chloe whispered out loud. She tested the words. They felt incredibly right.

Leo kissed the top of her head.

"Yes, you are," Leo agreed happily. "And as your boyfriend, I am officially telling you that your friends Jared and Liam are terrible people. You need better friends."

"I know," Chloe sighed. "I am blocking their numbers today."

"Good."

"Leo?"

"Yeah?"

Chloe looked up at him. Her eyes were bright and serious.

"Thank you for not leaving me alone last night," Chloe said softly. "Thank you for staying awake with me."

Leo smiled. He gently pushed a messy strand of dark hair behind her ear.

"I am never leaving you alone," Leo promised. "You are stuck with me now."

Chloe laughed. It was a genuine, beautiful sound. She leaned up and pressed a soft, completely sober kiss against his lips.

"I can live with that," Chloe whispered.

For the first time in her life, she completely dropped her guard. She did not need the leather jacket. She did not need the sarcastic wall. She just needed him.