Page 183 of Missed Notes (Rixon High 5)

“It’s senior’s night tomorrow,” she said with a hint of sadness.

“I know.”

“You should have been there, Cole. Do you regret quitting the team?”

“No, I don’t.”

And if it came to it, I’d quit the band too.

Jude had updated me about the meeting with Denny Hambridge. He wanted us to record a demo tape and send it to the label. But I’d been upfront with them. My priority right now was Sofia. If I could work it around school and visits with her, then I was in. But if it required a bigger commitment, I was out.

“Cole, how can you say that? You played with them for four years. You were the quarterback. You—”

“Do you know what Coach Ford told me when I went to see him?” Sofia shook her head. “He said to me, ‘there is never a choice between the girl you love and the game you play, because she will always come first.’ And he’s right, Sofia. I will always choose you. Football. Music. Anything I want to try my hand at. They’ll all still be there after your treatment. But this time with you, it’s precious, and I won’t waste a single second of it.”

She wiped the tears out of her eyes. “That almost sounded like lyrics from a song,” she said, her voice thick with emotion.

“Maybe one day, when you’re better, I’ll turn them into a song just for you.”

“I think I’d like that.” She smiled.

I smiled back. “I think I’d like that too.”

* * *

We came downoff the roof, high on love and laughter.

“I had a really nice evening, Cole. Thank you.” Sofia laid her head on my shoulder, and I kissed her hair.

“Maybe we can do it again sometime. I can find all the hospital’s secret spots.”

“Don’t ever tell Aaron that. He’ll think you mean…” She trailed off. Tension descending over us.

“Hey,” I hugged her tighter. “There is a whole heap of ways to be intimate, Sofia. We can have fun exploring the full range.”

“Oh my God,” she breathed, half-amused and half-horrified. “Please don’t turn up one day with blindfolds and sensual foods. I draw the line at that. There is nothing sexy about tasting new foods when you can’t see what you’re about to eat.”

“Come on.” I chuckled, ignoring the dirty thoughts infiltrating my mind of Sofia, a blindfold, and chocolate spread. I could think of worse fantasies. “Let’s get you back to your room before Nurse Jennifer sends a search party.”

But when we reached Sofia’s room, her parents, Aaron, and Dr. Jeffries were waiting.

“Mom, Dad, what’s going on?” Sofia asked, slipping out of my hold and stepping deeper into the room.

“I got my result, Sofe,” Aaron said.

“And?”

There was a pregnant pause. My heart racing in my chest as Aaron ran a hand down his face. Fuck. Wasn’t he a match? I hadn’t even let myself consider if he wasn’t.

“I’m a match.” He grinned. “I’m a motherfucking match.”

“Aaron,” Mrs. Bennet hissed, but her husband and the doctor were smiling as Aaron tackled Sofia and pulled her into his arms.

“This is good news, Sofia,” Dr. Jeffries said. “Aaron is a perfect match.”

“That’s… I… I don’t know what to say.” A fresh wave of tears cascaded down her cheeks, but I saw the relief there. The hope.

This was Sofia’s shot at a cure. At a long and disease-free life.

---