I still remember the third of December, me in your sweater
You said it looked better on me than it did you
Only if you knew how much I liked you
The winter chill blew across his face as he pulled the hood of his jacket over his dark brown hair. The smell of cherry blossom had faded as spring grew colder, but he clung on to the little that was left of it, and hugged it closer. It was all he had of her, afterall.
He still remembered the day she gave it to him. She had been so excited when it was announced that she would be the next cheer captain after practising relentlessly for the first two and a half years of high school. To celebrate, her mother had ordered a bunch of jackets with her last name printed boldly on the back, with the school mascot across the front.
"I feel like such a narcissist," she laughed, looking around her house to see a dozen of her closest friends wearing the same navy blue jacket. Her mother had even sprayed her signature perfume on all of them as if the name itself wasn't obvious enough that they belonged to Caroline.
He chuckled, but didn't respond. It wasn't that he agreed but he was never much of a talker. Perhaps that's why they clicked so well. She talked, he listened. And the more he listened, the deeper he fell for her.
Not that it mattered, he would never work up the courage to tell her.
She lowered her voice, looking up at him through her long lashes, "I don't know if I can live up to everyone's expectations. I know it's just a cheer squad, and not the presidency, but I've worked so hard to get here. Look at all these people who showed up, you're all rooting for me to bring the team to the championships and I don't want to let you down."
"You could never," he grimaced at how obvious his adoration came across, "You might be a cheerleader, but you've got your own cheer squad right here."
"That is probably the cheesiest thing I've ever heard you say," she teased.
"Rude." He laughed.
"But thank you, Elijah."
There was a short silence, as she looked at the full length mirror they were standing in front of, "If it's any consolation, I'd say it looks better on you than it does on me," she pointed to the jacket that was two sizes too big.
"It is quite comfortable, I might have to bring it to University, too."
She tugged on her sleeves, "I'm going to miss you next year. A little jealous, too, if I'm honest. Obviously, Oxford is a big deal, but probably the best thing about it is that it's a whole Atlantic Ocean away from this shit hole."
And he wanted to agree, and to say that he'll miss her too, that the only thing worth staying in this pathetic town was her. But he didn't, he couldn't.
"It'll be your turn to leave this town one day, Caroline."
"I know," she sighed. "One day."
He caught sight of her bright blonde curls across the football field as she waved excitedly and beckoned him over. It had been nearly a year since he had seen her and she had never looked more beautiful in his eyes.
She was wearing her cheerleading uniform, with her matching jacket over the top. Her eyes were glassy as she took in the crowd that was beginning to form around her.
She gave him a smile when he reached her, "I'm glad you made it, and I see you got the memo about the jacket, too."
"Wouldn't miss it for a thing." He said, earnestly, a wave of serenity passing over him as he finally felt like he was home.
It was then that he had decided he would tell her how he felt when the cheer competition was over. After being away from her for months, his feelings had never faltered, and he would always come back to support her whenever she asked.
"I can't believe that this is it. My last two and a half minutes before I say goodbye to these pom poms forever."
"There's always college."
"True," she said, "But I'll actually have to start studying for that to happen."
But I watch your eyes as he walks by
He's got you mesmerised while I die
They were in the middle of their conversation when he sensed a shift in her focus. The streams of people waiting to enter the football field tapered, as the competition drew closer.
"Is your mother coming?"
"Huh?" She asked, distractedly.
"Your mother," he assumed she was looking for her, as he could see most of her friends had already been seated, and her teammates were warming up across the field.
"Oh, no she's at work."
"Are you expecting someone?" His heart was pounding, unsure of what her answer would be.
"E, you're my best friend, but sometimes there's just things that are… awkward to talk about over the phone. And I should've told you earlier, but I wanted to make sure that it was going somewhere first."
"What's going somewhere?"
Her fingers tugged on a loose navy blue thread, as she glanced at her white sneakers. It was when she looked up and her gaze shifted towards the entrance that he knew he had lost her.
Through the gates came a familiar figure, if not the most familiar figure in his life. His own brother.
Niklaus was everything he wasn't. Whilst his own father placed immense pressure on him to take over the family business after University, his half brother had no such responsibility. He could pursue whatever he wanted, whether it was art, music or sports. As long as he stayed out of the house, Mikael couldn't care less.
It had felt so surreal until Klaus called out to them.
"You came," Caroline said, slightly breathless even though she had been standing still.
"Wouldn't miss it for a thing," Klaus echoed his exact sentiment from not five minutes ago.
And she had smiled brighter than anything he had ever seen.
You gave him your sweater, it's just polyester
But you like him better
"Now, how is it that my brother has your jacket but I don't?" Klaus asked, teasingly.
Caroline looked at him shyly, something that she rarely was, "Well, you can have mine."
"Sweetheart, I was kidding."
"It's too big for me anyway," she took off her own jacket and gave it to Klaus. It was a little snug but neither of them were complaining.
He had never felt so out of place than this very moment. Unrequited love was one thing but watching his brother and the girl he loved fawn over each other was another.
"I'm going to go," he announced. He stepped forward and hugged her - for good luck, for goodbye, he wasn't sure.
She nodded, "I'll catch up with you later," she said, as Klaus promised to catch up with him later at home.
Perhaps he was intentionally punishing himself, but he turned around to watch the two of them leave. Her navy blue jacket, which he now wore, contrasted with her red crop top and skirt.
He looked down at his own, and he knew. They may have been the same jacket but what she had given him was polyester, and what she gave Niklaus was her heart.
The winter chill blew across his face as he pulled the hood of his jacket over his dark brown hair.
I wish I were…