Friends with the Football Team

28~ Drive In

I walked down the stairs to find the kitchen and living room empty, which was a little weird for the Barnes family on a Friday morning. Dad had already gone to work by now but the boys were normally up and getting breakfast by now. I opened the cabinet and grabbed a bowl and a box of cereal from the pantry. I poured the cereal into the bowl.

I heard someone walk down the stairs and turned to see it was carter. I made my way to the fridge to get milk.

"Good morning" I said cheerily to Carter.

He didn't say anything and walked to the fridge at the same time I did. Just as I reached out to grab the milk, he swiped it and took a swig out of the milk. He screwed the lid back on and put it back in the fridge.

"Excuse me, you did not just do that Carter Maverick." I glared at him.

"I didn't do anything" He grumbled and started to make some toast.

"You literally just drank out of the milk I was just about to grab" I tried to stay calm.

He shrugged and continued to make his toast. I snatched the toast out of his hands and took a bite out of it. He looked at me like I had grown another head.

"What the hell is your problem?" He growled at me.

"What is my problem? What is YOUR problem? I haven't done anything wrong and you come in acting all grumpy and stole the milk from me." I snapped.

"I can think of a few things you've done wrong" He grumbled.

"Oh yeah? Name one" I challenged with my arms crossed as I gave him a look.

"You're dating my best friend, that I specifically told you not to date."

I groaned and threw my head back. "That's what you're upset about? Carter, Will and I are dating, deal with it. He likes me and I like him, the only problem is you. I don't see you getting all mad at Will about this. So leave me alone"

I was about to take my bowl of cereal upstairs to eat in my room. Carter had successfully pissed me off.

"It's not just that, Cora. The night you and Will went on your first date you said that Will makes you feel more special than you have felt since Mom left. What's wrong with us, huh? Your family? We try so hard for you. We know that it still bothers you and we try to make you feel special. Our lives revolve around you, because we care. All it takes is Will and suddenly he makes you feel like everything is perfect again" He said in a softer tone.

I turned around and almost dropped my bowl. "That's what it is? Car, I'm sorry about that. You know you and the boys make me feel like the most important girl in the world. I'm really grateful for that, I really am, but whenever I'm with you I think about how things used to be when Mom was around. When I'm with Will, all my thoughts are about him and with him" I set my bowl on the counter next to me.

"And I'm sorry if I ever made you or anyone else in the family feel like they treat me bad or I don't want to be around them or anything like that. It's just that some memories are best kept hidden." Tears started to brim my eyes.

"Coco, we love you and we don't necessarily like having those memories either, but we're a family and if one of us is hurting we all are. I know it seems like we've moved on by now and that we should. I mean it's been ten years, you'd figure we would by now, but I can guarantee that everyone thinks about it sometimes and we all hate it. We're a family and we stick together and I'm sorry I've been such a shitty brother" He said, his voice thick.

"You are not a shitty brother" I choked out a laugh and wrapped my arms around him. "I love you Car"

"I love you too Coco" He said and squeezed me tight before placing a kiss on my head. "It's too early for this shit and I'm hungry" he pushed away from me and turned to his bitten piece of toast and started to make another one.