Chapter 2 The team - Monet

"How did you sleep?" Mom is hastily pulling her auburn hair on the top of her head. "Was the bed okay?"

"The bed is fine, Mom." I smile at her. "And I'm okay, alive and well. Cole brought me roses yesterday, and Luke is still calling me Stinker. We are all good."

She sticks out her tongue at me. "I gotta go, give Cole a kiss for me."

My mother is really cool, but she could be really overbearing at times too. I try to indulge her, knowing that this is a first for her. She's all alone after doing everything for me and Cole.

"Wanna grab breakfast?" Chrystal asks when she returns from taking a shower. "I know where the football team goes for breakfast."

She winks at me, making me chuckle. This university is famous for its football team, and they only source the best out of all the high schools in the country, another reason why Mom and I are so proud of Cole. We also think he might be a major reason why I bagged a full ride here.

"Okay, I won't take longer than ten minutes tops." I get up and grab my shower caddy, excited to see Cole and Luke again, especially after he was acting so weird yesterday.

Since he's been away at university, I really missed him, and I thought we would get to hang out on campus. I know he's super busy with having to juggle school and football, and I don't want to be a nuisance, but he always made time for me in the past.

I like Chrystal. She's cute and bubbly, and she pretty much knows everything about the school's football program.

To be honest, if Cole wasn't playing, I would've never even set foot at a game, so I don't care much about the team other than the fact that he's on it.

We walk to the hall where the team is allegedly having breakfast, and of course Luke spots me as soon as we walk in.

"Stinker!" He shouts across the hall to me, and my ears burn in embarrassment when everyone looks from the rowdy table full of guys wearing red, to me standing there like a deer caught in headlights.

"Stinker?" Chrystal looks behind us, thinking he's calling someone else, but of course Luke is barreling straight at me, picking me up around my knees and throwing me over his shoulder.

"I'm gonna kill you, Luke!" I hit him on his back, but he only laughs as he runs with me back to his table as if I weigh nothing.

"Put her down, Luke!" There's anger in Cole's voice, and I almost topple over when Luke unceremoniously put me back on my feet.

"You asshole!" I shove him in his chest for putting me on the spot like this, especially since every guy on the damn football team is looking at me with interest.

Everyone except Cole.

He glares at me, his eyes stalling on my bare legs and then my exposed midriff in the crop top I'm wearing.

Luke slings his arm over my shoulder like a proud father showing off his offspring. "Everybody, meet Stinker, the beautiful little sister to our Cole. In other words, touch her, and you die!"

I roll my eyes at the warning that has been given to every single guy that has ever dared to talk to me.

"My name is Monet." I smile at the guys, and I don't miss how Cole's eyes narrow before he gets up with a screeching chair, walking over to Luke and me and roughly grabbing me by my wrist.

"Ow!" I protest, but he doesn't stop until we're outside and away from everybody's curious eyes.

I pull my wrist from his grip, rubbing the tender spot.

"What the hell, Cole."

"What the fuck are you wearing!" He spits out, anger blazing in his blue eyes and red spots appearing on his cheekbones.

I look down at my attire, literally the same outfit every other girl is wearing in the heat.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"You're practically naked!" His eyes linger on my legs again.

I frown. "It's like ninety degrees out, Cole, there's nothing wrong with what I'm wearing. I'm wearing the same thing I've worn for the last five summers."

He's never had a problem with my clothing attire before. What the hell is his deal anyway?

I cross my arms over my chest, his eyes following the action with blazing blues. "You're being like really weird right now."

"Weird?" He points his finger at his chest. "I'm being weird? This is not high school, Monet, guys here don't look at you and think you're just my sister."

"And that's a bad thing, how?" I raise my eyebrows. "You know what, I don't want to hear your opinion. You owe me an apology. I don't know what is going on with you but you better figure it out."

I stomp away from him, and go back inside where Chrystal is waiting for me, her eyes huge when I approach.

"You know Cole Brown." She says as a statement. "And Luke Baxter."

"Yes, I know dumb and dumber." I get a tray, acutely aware of people throwing glances at me.

Why the hell did Luke even do that? I just got here, and I want to have a great university experience just like every other student. Word travels fast, and by the end of the day, the whole student body will probably know I'm Cole Brown's little sister, and that he dragged me outside.

Chrystal joins me in the line to get breakfast. "So, can you get me their numbers?"

Girls have been asking me for their numbers since high school, this is nothing new.

"Sorry, we have a no exchanging numbers policy." I tell her the same lie I've been telling girls for years.

"Bummer."

I chance a look at the football table again. It irks me how much the setup reminds me of high school, and how I wasn't welcome at their table then either.

My eyes clash with Cole's across the room.

He had some nerve today.

If he doesn't want to be seen with me, he could've just said so. I will do my best to stay far away from him then.

But even as I tell that to myself, my heart hurts.

He's my brother after all, and I still love him with everything inside me.

Even if he is an asshole.