#the title keeps reminding me of flora cash - you're sombody else

[cosmic-cheeto]

A Race to The End

You had finally finished your homework and looked over to the bed to see Cedric smiling while reading a book. You had never even heard of the title but you knew that feeling well and couldn't help but smile too.

He caught you looking at him and lowered the book for a moment to direct his smile at you.

"That must be a good book." You say at his stupidly cute smile.

"It is, you should read it." He says, excitement from the story wearing off but his smile staying in place.

"Maybe I'll even catch up to you." You half joke, trying to see how far he's already gotten.

"I’m not sure you could. I'm already a good few chapters in and catching up isn’t an accomplishment if I wait for you." He says.

"I accept the challenge." You say, leaving for the library.

You march down the hall with great purpose for all of a few seconds before you turn around.

"...What's the name of the book?"

Cedric laughs and decides to come with you to make sure you get the right book.

When you both enter the library, he leads you over to the romance section.

"Ooo, it's a romance?" You ask, since you really hadn't thought about what the book would be about, only that your best friend liked it.

He chuckles and continues to look for a book that matches the one he was reading earlier.

"So, what happens if you somehow beat me to the end of this book?" He asks, searching the shelves.

"If I beat you to the end of your cheesy romance novel..." You pause to think, "You have to read one of my favourite books." You declare. "And what if I hypothetically can’t beat you?"

"If you can't finish the book before I do..." He pauses the same as you had, "You have to reenact my favourite scene with me." 

The way he analyzes your face after this suggestion confirms he probably means a cheesy and/or romantic part of the book.

"Like putting on a play?" You ask, though you’re confident you won’t lose anyway.

"Not exactly, just putting ourselves in place of the characters."

"Alright… you're on!" You say, taking the book that he had since gotten off a high shelf.

Ever since making the bet, you had been buried in the book every spare moment you had. While eating, when you finish work early in class and from as soon as you finish studying to when you go to sleep. You even read on the walks between every class.

The only breaks outside of doing school work are the small moments when you catch Cedric looking at you instead of reading his book. He looks at you dreamily as if he were thinking of something, though not distant enough for him not to notice you.

"Ced, if you aren't taking this seriously, you're going to lose!" You say playfully, over the side of your book. He snaps out of his trance, or whatever that was, but doesn’t yet continue reading.

"How far have you gotten?" He asks, trying to look over your shoulder at a weird angle.

"Why? Trying to call off the bet?" You ask, but show him your placement anyway. In the few days you've had it, you already have caught up to his chapter deep into the book.

"Would you like to claim your prize now, or read the second half of the book first?" He asks.

"Do you already know your favourite scene? Maybe I’ll want to lose..."

"I do have something in mind. If you want, we could add it to your reward instead." He offers, in case you need more encouragement to continue the book.

"I do like a nice surprise... okay! But then what's your prize for winning?" You ask.

"Nothing? I mean, it's fair since I had the upper hand in the beginning."

"I guess it doesn't really matter, since I'll be beating you anyway." You say confidently and turn back to your reading.

The two of you read together in Cedric's prefect dorm every moment you have available, occasionally checking in on one another, but ultimately reading in content and competitive silence.

One evening, while you near the end of the novel, you both stay together longer than expected, lost in the story. You somehow don't even catch yourself falling asleep until you are too tired to keep your eyes open and on the pages.

When Cedric realizes you have fallen asleep, he puts your bookmark back in place, sets it on his bedside table, and makes sure you are comfortably under the covers.

The next morning, you wake up sleeping on his chest. You quickly move off and away from him, but still close enough to admire his peacefully sleeping face. You decide to cuddle up to him again, and wait for him to wake up.

As he starts to stir under you, you pretend you are still asleep. He smiles down at you, moves a piece of hair out of your face and whispers something you can't quite hear. After a few more seconds of trying to see him without him knowing you are awake, you make a show of waking up.

"How did you sleep?" He asks, not mentioning the position the both of you are in.

"...I'm almost finished with the book, just a few more pages..." You say tiredly, reaching for the bedside table on Cedric’s side.

He hands it to you, smiling as you try to read as fast as you can.

A couple minutes go by before you close the book dramatically.

"I win!! I'll get you the book you'll be reading next after you finish yours." You say.

"As for your other prize..." Cedric says, bringing you closer. You look into his eyes when, before you can even ask any questions, his lips meet yours.

When you have to pull back for a breath, you smile.

"If you wanted to kiss me, you could have just asked, Ced"