It's a date!

Artemis White's POV

I stood outside the arena, waiting. I checked the time on my phone again and sighed, my lips pursing with sadness. How many times in the last two months had I been stood up like this by Cole? I lost count. A hand touched my arm, and for a second, I lit up, my head snapping to my left...But disappointment soon overwhelmed me. "Ah...George. Hi," I said to the muscular boy on my left. "Arte, you're still standing here? I thought Margot said you came to wait for Cole half an hour ago..." He trailed off, seemingly clicking in. "He stood you up again", he added, and I nodded with a small smile. 

"Alright, don't worry about him. Come out to eat with us, we're going to get some celebratory ramen" I was about to decline when a heavy weight on my back caused me to hunch a little. Turning my head, I saw Mia grinning from ear to ear "Yeah, we're taking Lil out to eat ramen for your victory. We'd have invited you if we knew you'd no longer be busy. So come with us," I sighed. These friends of mine were relentless. 

I ended up in this little ramen shop. It wasn't much—it was small and family-run—but it wasn't shabby and run down. It was well looked after, and the food was fantastic. My phone buzzed a few times, and I knew who would be texting. Cole. Was I going to answer? Not right now, I was upset with him. Last time, he promised he wouldn't stand me up anymore. That his varied hours for practice were done since the championships were coming up. I felt like a fool.

Bzzt...Bzzt bzzt...BZZT BZZT BZZT!

"Oh my GODDESS! Just answer that annoying fly back!" Lil hissed, her hands tightly clutching her chopsticks. I sighed and picked up my phone from the table, reading the messages out loud with a bored tone to my voice. 

'Hey, sorry I was late, but I'm here. Where are you?'

'Arte?'

'Hellooo?'

'Are you seriously ignoring me after I stood here for ten minutes waiting for you and then spent another ten minutes running around the arena looking for you?'

'Did you fucking DITCH me? What the fuck, Arte?!'

"Wow, he sounds so fucking entitled and manipulative...As usual. Honestly, Arte. What do you see in him? You should get yourself a hockey man like me!" Mia preened under George's arm, a smirk smothering her face. Margot, George's twin sister, playfully gagged at the two of them. I snorted, shaking my head. "She's right. I have plenty of friends on the team who would kill to get even one date with you, Arte. You have no idea just how popular you are. And the guys from the basketball team. It's supposed to be a secret, but they buy tickets every time you play," George whispered to me as if he was telling me some kind of saucy little secret. 

I raised an eyebrow at him "They do? What games?" Margot rolled her eyes at my question. "All of them, stupid. They were there at the arena today. Tre messaged me that Axton got everyone tickets. He told me he'd catch up with us all tomorrow" I sighed, shaking my head. I appreciated the support, but I'm sure the teams only come because of my ties to Mia, George and Margot. 

I looked down at my texts with Cole and started to type. 'I waited for almost an hour. Mia and George took pity on me and invited me for celebration ramen at Mrs. Yamamoto's place' I hit send and shoved my phone back on the table. "Seriously, though, Arte. What is it that you see in him?" George asked me. 

"He's kind to me. Respectful of my boundaries, doesn't judge me or use that wretched 'Ice Princess' nickname. He does put in the effort, he's just been...Busy," I whispered the last part, but they all seemed to get it anyway. Damn supernatural hearing. "Really? Busy with what?" Mia asked me, genuinely curious.

"He's had to ridiculous hours at practice with the championships coming up, that's what he's been busy with", I said with a hint of pride. I was really proud of him for putting in the work for something he loved. I knew he was going to go far, and I was going to support him all the way with whatever means necessary. I'd even contacted a famous football scout to attend his game for him. I watched Mia exchange knowing glances with Margot and George. It seemed Lil noticed too, because she frowned at the three of them, "Spit it out if you have something to say!" It was a fact that Lil hated beating around the bush.

"It's just...Practices have been the same. They haven't changed. Except on the 15th of last month when they were cancelled due to the football coach getting a sickness bug," George said sheepishly, and I paled. Nah. No way. There's no way that my boyfriend of almost three years has been lying to me for MONTHS. Nobody said anything else; they didn't need to. My face probably looked as though I was ready to throttle a bitch. My phone buzzed 'Okay, babe, I'm going to go to practice in that case. I'll catch you tomorrow!' Cole replied. Practice? Alright then, lets go see your fucking practice!

I shot up to my feet and opened my wallet, throwing money on the table. I don't know how much, but there was probably £200 bundled together there. Let's call it a tip. 

I stormed out of the restaurant and saw George's car flash, signifying he'd unlocked it. I immediately threw myself in the passenger seat, my four friends hot on my tail as they skittered to get in fast as fuck. George drove us to the Academy, and before the car had even fully halted, I was out and rushing to the football field. 

Empty. Dark. 

Not a soul was here except for the five of us. My mouth cracked into a smile before I broke out in laughter. It was hysterical laughter that lacked humour. I could feel my four friends grow tense and worried, so I quickly pulled myself together and gave them a bitter smile "It seems...He's been lying to me," I scoffed. 

I pulled my phone from my pocket and started typing 'Oh really? Alright, good luck. Maybe I'll drop by and see your practice [WINKY FACE]' I hit send, and the reply came almost immediately. 'Don't bother, baby! It's too cold outside, go get comfy at home! Love you! [HEART HEART]' This lying bastard. Only now was I seeing his true colours. 

"He's got to be here...Somewhere..." Lil said cautiously. I snapped my neck at her, a perplexed expression on my face. "I-I saw his car when we pulled up..." Her voice was barely a whisper as she admitted it. I turned on my heels and raced back to the car park. She was right. Parked right there in his usual spot was his white BMW. The BMW I had helped him pay for. "Uhm...Before we go any further, I need to say something," Lil said. I could feel a pit growing in my stomach. "At your game today...I noticed that he was watching Ebony Walters, not you...A-And...I was hoping I was wrong and that's why I didn't say anything, but...He followed her out of the arena and to the changing rooms" Lil was stuttering over herself as she tried to tell me what she'd witnessed today. 

Was I mad at her? No, of course not. My relationship is none of her business, and she shouldn't have had to feel like there was something to tell me. Cole should not have done suspicious things that Lil found strange, prompting her need to investigate, which is what she was probably planning to do before saying anything to me. In fact, I was grateful to her. I knew that she would go above and beyond to get answers for me and THEN come to me with the facts, save me the heartache of having to chase my own tail.

"Okay. Thank you, petal. Just...Stay out of it. I'll figure it out myself," I said, furrowing my brows. I sent Cole another text 'Okay, baby! Also, I forgot, but my parents gifted me two tickets to that Italian place that recently opened up...Will you be my date?' A vicious smile made its way to my mouth. So what if I loved him? If he betrayed me, I'd show him just how much of my mother's daughter I was. 

'Sure, baby! Sounds great. It's a date!' He replied, and I squinted. Let the games begin, Cole Bianchi.