Chapter Six : My Life's One Big Spanish Soap Opera, Lets Call It Ugly Tessie

 "Maybe we should slap her?"

"No Megan that only works in the movies." Beth explains

"We could cut off the seatbelt?"

"Don't you dare talk about my baby like that!" Cole scolds her and perhaps it's because Megan realizes that she wouldn't be having any bright ideas tonight she shuts up for good.

"I threw a wish in the well."

"What is she doing?" Cole asks Beth and I think he's looking a little scared, fearing that I've lost my mind.

"Don't ask me I'll never tell."

"Oh this? It's nothing to be worried about, whenever she gets really nervous or scared she starts singing crappy pop songs."

"Right," Cole stretches the word but I can tell he's still not convinced that I'm completely sane.

"I looked to you as it fell and now you're in my way." I stutter chanting the words over and over again to stop my body from trembling. I clutch my seatbelt tightly, the silver clasp digging into my skin as I stare off into the distance. Jared the Jock's house is enormous and currently packed to maximum capacity. If I'd come her on my own I would've ran away from the gates seeing the number of cars but since I'm being held hostage I need to do everything that my kidnappers deem appropriate and running away yelling "I'm a fatty get me out of here!" might not be their most desired way to make an entrance. At first I was foolish enough to think we wouldn't find a parking spot and Cole being the moody sometimes inconsiderate and almost always stubborn jerk that he is would get mad and leave the party but imagine my surprise when he eased the car into a space which had a sign with his name on it.

Yes apparently being Cole Stone has its perks.

Now I'm sitting in the car because I froze the second everyone got out. I could try to let my embarrassment over my cowardice overrule my fear of being amidst large crowds however that is not happening. My body's gone into shut down mode and I'm glued to my seat with my knees knocking together and my arms shaking due to sheer terror.

"Look why don't you girls go inside and I'll bring her when she's ready." Cole says after some time to my friends who shoot me worried glances. They're all outside of the car already and standing by my door. I can see that they're debating whether or not it's a wise decision to leave me with Cole especially when I'm in this state but I give a little nod letting them know that they can in fact go. I don't want to spoil this for them, if worst comes to worst then I can just ask Cole to drop me home and then come back, it's not like the party's going to end anytime soon.

"Are you sure Tessa?" Beth asks seriously and there's concern all over her face. I feel so guilty that I'm ruining the night for her so I try to put on a brave face, "I'm fine. I just need a minute you guys go ahead."

The fact that I say this sounding like Alvin the Chipmunk doesn't really go in my favour. They eye me skeptically but it's Cole who convinces them at last.

"You two look hot okay? Just go in and have fun, I'll have this one inside in a minute okay? Have you forgotten who I am?" He winks and this seems to convince them. Of course they believe that his manipulative ways will have me running to the house in no time.

When they leave Cole comes by my side again, the car door is open and the slight chill in the air causes goose bumps to rise on my skin. I don't know how long I can sit like this before freezing to death and sooner or later I'll have to make a decision because frankly now I'm just feeling stupid.

"Why aren't you saying something?" I'm still looking straight ahead and not towards Cole who's standing to my left. From the corner of my eye I can see that he's got his arms folded across his chest and his eyes are studying me curiously. By this time I expect him to be mocking me or to be laughing at me but his silence is scarier.

"I'm just checking." He replies after a while and I furrow my eyebrows, my eyes still avoiding looking at him.

"Checking what?"

"How much I'm going to have to fix."

I'm just trying to decode his words when I feel a strong pair of arm slip beneath my knees and pick me up. I squeal in surprise my arms instinctively wrapping around Cole's neck as he starts to lift me.

"What are you doing?" I exclaim as he wraps one arm around my waist and uses his free hand to unclasp my seat belt. Once I'm free from the restraint he picks me up completely and hauls me out of his car.

"Fixing it." He says simply as he holds me in mid air eyes boring into mine. I'm still trying to get used to this side of his, the serious one but I can't. I expect him to break out laughing any second or say something meaning to demean me but it doesn't come. Instead his eyes hold mine for the longest of times and my skin begins to prickle in the strangest of ways. I can't place the emotion I feel when he's looking at me like this but I realize that I don't like it and that I don't want to feel more of it. I don't want to have any emotions involved in whatever it is I share with Cole because he isn't Jay.

Jay. That's all I need to think about to make any misplaced or foreign feelings disappear.

"Put me down I say," breaking the spell of silence and the eye contact at the same time. Something flickers in his eyes, a foreign emotion of his own before he covers it up with mischief.

"And here I was thinking we'd end this romantic moment with a hot passionate kiss." He winks but still doesn't put me down.

His unashamed flirting makes my skin crawl but I'm disappointed to say that it's not in the bad kind of way. I really need to get away from him! The fact that I'm actually enjoying his crude attempts to hit on me is evidence enough that I'm not in the right frame of mind.

"Please I wouldn't even touch those lips if you were dying and needed CPR." My response is childish and my voice comes out a little breathy at the lack of space between us but its all I can dish out at the moment. I think Cole realizes that I'm not in my wits so he chuckles and put me down. I stumble slightly when my feet touch the ground because literally my feet fell asleep from being cramped in the car for so long. Cole's arm immediately reaches out and is placed at the small of my back to steady me.

"So about that kiss Tessie." He smirks and I elbow him in the side, "My legs are asleep idiot."

"Whatever you want to believe shortcake, you and I both know you want me."

"Want you dead of course I do." I smile sweetly and then grimace at the end of sentence.

Cole fans his face, "Sexual tension, its just getting too much."

"Do you want me to knee you in the crotch because I swear if you make one more inappropriate remark you're going to regret it." I growl and he just shakes his head in amusement. I just don't understand why he's taken to being so annoying right now since they way he was acting in the car with Megan and Beth hinted that he might have a human side to him after all. I just wish I could tell him to stop using his stupid one liners on me because it just eats away at me that I want to hear these words just from someone else. Does this make me a bad person? I hang out with one brother but am in love with the other and he's in love with my former best friend turned Medusa.

Wow my life's one big Spanish soap opera, lets call it Ugly Tessie.

"I can't promise I won't hit on you anymore but I'll stop for the night because we're here." He sounds smug and as I end my little internal monologue I realize that  one of my feet is inside the house and the other's just resting on the threshold. My eyes widen as I take in the jam packed space with the music reverberating around the room making the glass window vibrate loudly. I also see dozens of red solo cups everywhere, lining the floor, in people's hands and on the head of a precious looking mermaid statue.

That's when it sinks in. I'm at a high school party and it's as cheap and tacky as any party I've seen on Jersey Shore. This is awesome!

"I take it you like it?" Cole sounds amused as he now takes me by the arm and pushes us through the gaps of space we get between all the tightly pressed bodies. I try recognizing the faces of all the kids since it doesn't seem like all these people are in my senior class but most of them are obscured by yet another face trying to suck their lips off. I shudder and realize that what I've been missing for most of my life is a bunch of really horny teenagers getting drunk and having dry sex in the middle of the dance floor.

"No actually I'm happy that this is as horrible as I've always imagined it to be. I honestly don't feel a hint of regret." I beam at him and he looks at me like I've managed to loosen yet another brain cell.

"You're weird Tessie." He says simply and I shrug.

"And you're a pain in my ass, what's your point?"

I don't know where the sudden bravery's coming from. I haven't even touched the alcohol yet and I still experience this exhilarating rush which makes me want to do headstands and pirouettes at the same time. I blame it on the pulsating music, my foot's tapping incessantly and this need to just let go and have fun is surging through me. Consequences be damned, I just want to enjoy myself!

"Hey Tessie?" Cole cocks his head to the side and is watching me with an amused smile on his face.

"Hmm?" I ask distractedly looking around for a corner I can dissolve in unnoticed and dance my heart out.

"You like this don't you?"

I don't know what gave it away, maybe the big fat grin on my face or the fact that I've started swaying my body but whatever it is I don't try to hide it. I nod my head vigorously, "I do, and this is sure as heck better than staying in my room and studying." I grin at him and he grins back.

Uh oh my skin's prickling again.

"Come on let's give you a night you'll never forget."

Cole grabs my hand and we pass through the crowd, I can sense a lull through the commotion wherever we pass from. People are staring and I'm not surprised that they are, this party is for Cole and he's like the main attraction at a circus. It doesn't make sense for the main attraction to be hanging out with the bearded lady.

Yes I would be the bearded lady in this case. I get past the curious on lookers and the girls whose faces remind me of the time my mom let me use my paints to draw on her face. Yeah I think what I achieved was far superior. There's one girl though that I don't want to run into tonight and even the thought of seeing her has me rushing for the door. Nicole will not be too pleased to see me so blatantly disregard her laws but Queen Bitch can drown in the Thames for all I care tonight.

I see Megan dancing with someone but I can't make out who he is since his back is towards me but he's tall and has blonde hair and whoever he is he looks like he's making Megan happy.  Her cheeks are flushed as, her green eyes shining like emeralds and I can just see her falling for this guy even though she must've probably just met him.

The things that happen in high school parties I tell you.

My mouth waters at the sight of all the junk food which is placed on a long community table which is obviously rented. It's laden with bowls and bowls of chips and pots of dip along with dozens of boxes of pizzas. There are beer bottles and Diet Coke cans for those not interested in alcohol consumption. My feet gravitate towards all the food like we're the opposite poles of a magnet. I reach for the bowl of Cheetos, dying to taste the cheesy goodness but my hand is swatted away before I can get to them.

"Bad shortcake!" Cole reprimands

"But I..." I whimper at the sight of all the food.

"We don't eat food from this table." He sounds like my mother telling me that we don't call people ugly to their faces, a mistake I used to make all the time when I was little.

"Just one Cheeto, just one please!"

"You do realize that this bowl has more germs than a communal toilet?"

I scrunch my face in disgust as he begins explaining how different hands have been in the bowl and where those hands could have possibly been.

Let's just say I'm never eating at a party ever again.

"I got you these though," He offers me a bag of gummy worms and I all but jump at them grabbing them right out of his hands and opening them at the speed of light. I pick out all the red ones and eat them greedily not really caring if people are watching. Gummy Bears are my weakness, only Kit Kats exceed the love I have for them, you put a pack of those chewy delights in front of me and I'm as good as gone.

Cole knows this.

He used to steal the ones I'd bring to school all the time. It hurt so much.

Now he just stands there as I oh so gracefully devour the entire pack and I feel like I need to act a little lady like in front of him but right now I'm channeling my inner lumber jack.

"You done little piggy?" I grunt in response which is so not the right response to his question. He pats my head like I'm a puppy and grabs my hand once more.

He takes us to a corner that isn't as cramped as the rest of the space and the moment I hear the first words leading to Starships I jump in happiness. It's all so new to me yet it's like I was this person all along, the one without any inhibitions or insecurities. I feel exhilarated and giddy as the people around me start dancing to the one song I've rocked out to in the privacy of my room way too much.

Cole laughs as I begin my routine, one that I have perfected for this very song and starts dancing with me. I don't protest when he places his hands on my waist and begins moving at the same pace as me.  I've always known that he's a good dancer, a quality that sadly Jay doesn't share. I try not thinking about him as I place my hands on his shoulders as we both allow the catchy beat to guide our steps, singing along the song in the most hilarious way possible.

It's surreal really, an out of body experience as I watch our bodies moving in sync and realizing that Cole and I are having a good time, no scratch that great time together. We can't seem to stop laughing as we bring out the crazy embarrassing moves. He lets go of me only to twirl me around and then press my back into his chest as he wraps his arms around my waist, swaying us to the sound of the music. I feel like I'm all on cloud nine as I dance my heart out with Cole by my side.

The song ends and it takes about a few seconds for the next one to start but that is enough for two things two happen almost simultaneously. The first being that I realize that I'm pressed way too tightly against Cole and our chests are heaving up and down almost at the same rate. My back's facing him so I can't see his face but with the way he's holding me I realize that maybe he's enjoying this a bit too much.

The second thing which is by far the more important one is that in the same instant as I'm practically glued to his brother, I lock gazes with Jay and that in hindsight wasn't the greatest thing to do. He's got Nicole in his arms and she's facing away from me. I'm eternally grateful to whoever is looking out for me up there for the fact that she can't see the murderous almost hurt look on her boyfriend's face as he glares at Cole and me.

I let him go immediately, letting my arms fall to the side and struggling out of his grasp and he realizes this, letting me go. I can feel his presence behind me and I'm sure he sees what I see, which is a very angry Jason Stone.

I don't understand why he's looking at me like this or what I could've done to make him so mad. He's been distant ever since Cole started sitting by me in our Economics class and I can't help but think that he doesn't like the fact that I'm spending time with his brother.

Maybe he's concerned for my safety, I mean with the amount of time I'm spending with Cole I sure as hell am and while it's sweet that he cares it doesn't justify that amount of rage.

Nicole probably realizes the change in her boyfriend's mood and lifts her head from his chest. She turns around to see the source of his displeasure and when he eyes land on me I pretty much want to be buried ten feet under already.

I see her grinding her teeth and unleashing the full wrath of her terrorizing gaze on me as she looks at me with so much hatred in her eyes that I can feel it seep through me skin and make me feel nauseous.

This is not going to end well and I know it. Her eyes practically turn into slits as Cole places a hand on my shoulder and while he's probably doing this to comfort me it's the last thing I need in this situation. I do not need to show Nicole that the guy she crushed on for years is by my side, I'm not like her.

"We should go." I say shakily still not removing my eyes from where Jay and Nicole stand, both now looking at us like they wished we'd vanish with a poof.

"It's their problem not ours, we don't need to go."

"Cole you don't understand, when Nicole gets angry she..."

"Don't worry about her, I told you I'll fix it."

I'm about to ask him what he means by fixing it, I mean is he the Bob the Builder to my wreck of a life but I freeze in my spot as a sly gleam glitters purposefully in Nicole's eyes. This is when she's going to do something which will make me regret ever coming within fifty yards of this place.

She turns in Jay's arms and grabs both sides of his face, before either he can react or I can pull her off of him by her hair she attacks his lips with hers and kisses him so roughly that it looks almost painful. Although Jay might not be in so much pain seeing as how he wraps his arms around her and begins kissing her back with equally matched urgency. My heart feels like a freight train's running over it again and again and again. Tears, one which I always try so hard to keep at bay sting my eyes and vicious wave of nausea passes over me, making me want to throw up at the spot.

They don't come up for air and I'm pretty sure they've started grinding against each other but all I can do is watch, watch as my heart is ripped out of my chest and stomped on by Nicole's size eleven feet.

"Tessa..." I almost forgot that Cole's been standing there the entire time and I cannot face him, I cannot let him see me like this weak pathetic girl who can't get over his step brother. If I do then he might start treating me like he used to treat Fatty Tessie, the weak and vulnerable unconfident blubbering idiot of a girl he left behind.

I push past him and past all the people dancing, laughing and having fun in the vast room. I don't see Megan or Beth as I run and am grateful. The last thing I need to do is wreck their night. Once I'm in the clear I head down a  long winding hallway trying to find some peace and quiet. As if having my wish fulfilled a guy stumbles out of a room which could only be the bathroom and stinks of alcohol as he walks by me. I hope that he hasn't made too much of a mess in there as I pinch my nose and enter hesitantly, when I don't see any puke or anything too disturbing I allow myself to breathe and close the door behind me. Once all alone I slump against the cool wall of the tub and draw my knees up to my chest.

What was I thinking?

How could I actually believe that I could make it through this night unscathed? Nicole always gets what she wants and when you come in her way she burns you, simple as that. Had she not warned me repeatedly about this? Had she not made it oh so clear that I was to become a social pariah then why did I do this to myself?

Seeing her kiss Jay was so painful that the intensity of the hurt I felt in that very moment takes me by surprise. The two were going steady for three years now; I'd accepted it and lived with it so why did tonight make such a difference.

Because you want to be the one to kiss him like that, the voice in the back of my mind says.

I rest my head on my knees waiting for the overwhelming need to be sick to pass. If all goes well I'm never going to another party ever again, it's just not worth it. Yet when I remember dancing with Cole I ache for the chance to be able to do it all over again, to be free and not imprisoned by Nicole.

Is that too much to ask?

I'm pondering on this very question when the door bursts open and I hit my head against the tub due to the fact that I jump in surprise and fright. My heart beat goes into over drive as I take in the intruder and now my skin crawls once again but for the worst of reasons.

There's a guy wearing a white muscle t-shirt which emphasizes his burly muscles and wide shoulders, he's tall like 6'2 and bulky in a way only footballers are. His hair is a dirty blonde mess and when I notice his glazed over eyes my heart drops to the pit of my stomach.

He's drunk.

I'm alone with him in a bathroom and he's drunk.

Oh god.

I press myself further into a corner as he closes the door behind him and sneers at me. I don't know why I feel so immobile and helpless. I know that I should probably make a run for it, scream do anything to get out of here but I feel paralyzed and it's not the greatest thing to happen in a situation like this.

"Hey hot stuff." He slurs and approaches me, the bathroom is small and its grandeur compared to the rest of the house is quite lacking. It takes him all but a minute to walk over to me and tower above me. I shake still pressed tightly in my corner.

"Aww has the little girly been crying." He coos and uses his rough slimy hands to touch my face; he kneels down so that our faces are leveled and catches a tear on his thumb  which he puts into his mouth and licks it in a sickening way. I push his arm away and he laughs at my feeble attempt.

"Don't touch me!" I squeak and it sounds weak and pathetic to my own ears. He makes nothing of my protests as he grabs me by the arm and pulls me flush against his fleshy chest, pushing us both up so that we're standing. I feel dirty and sick, to me he smells like rotting fruit and beer and I cover my mouth with my hand to stop myself from puking on him.

That wouldn't make him too happy.

"I saw you dancing with Stone." His voice makes the hair at the back of my neck stand up; his hand travels up from my hips slowly to my neck as he feels me up. Suddenly I feel violated beyond measure and having all this skin on display has me begging me for comfy sweatshirts.

"You looked sexy, why don't you show me the moves you've got." I squeeze my eyes shut as he places his lips at the hollow beneath my throat and licks it.

I push and writhe in his grasp but he grabs my wrists and slams me against the bathroom wall. My head starts pounding immediately from the brusque contact and I know that there's going be a bump forming already.

"Please don't hurt me." I squeeze my eyes shut knowing fully well that I'd have to resort to begging since he'd left me completely bound. One his hands held my wrists in an iron grasp, his body is pressing into mine nearly cutting of my circulation and his other hand rests on my neck below my head so that I couldn't look away.

"It's not going to hurt babe, in fact you're going to be screaming in pleasure." His eyes darken with lust as his hand moves to sensually roam my bare back.

I feel sick, I feel so so sick and disgusted and the only screams that would be coming out of my mouth would be cries of help.

"No...please...don't." He simply laughs at my pathetic responses and his free hands moves to the bottom of  my shirt in order to lift it up while his lips are glued to my collar bone. I want to cry, I want to scream and yell and hit him till there's not a single breath left in his body but I don't know how. In my mind I conjure up all these scenarios of ripping his head off but the truth is that he's heavier, stronger and drunk.

"That'll be enough Hank."

My eyes fly open as I hear that voice and I don't know whether to be relieved or scared to death. The man, beast, piece of shit called Hank doesn't seem like he's in the mood of letting me go especially if the large bulge in his pants is anything to judge by. I whimper as he continue to lick my neck like the dog that he is and shoot a pleading look at the only other person present in the room with us.

"Please tell him to stop." I beg and Nicole gives me a bone chilling smile.

"I don't know I'm enjoying seeing you like this, so willing to fall to my feet."

"Nicole please," His lips are everywhere and so are his hands. I cannot lose my first kiss to this monster I just can't!

"For what you did today, showing up when I've told you so many times to not show me your fat ass more than I already have to see and yet you're here, don't you deserve to be punished Tessie?"

I cant believe that I ever used to be friends with someone like her, with someone so vile and conniving, so hell bent on getting their way that they resort to the most vicious of things. I taste bile at the back of my throat as Hank's assault continues, his chapped lips now sucking on my earlobe.

I swallow my pride, "I'm sorry I promise I wont do it ever again please just ask him to stop."

She watches me writhe for about two more minutes clearly enjoying my pain before she grabs Hank by the top of his hair and drags him away from me.

"Good boy, now leave before anyone sees you." She instructs and my mouth falls open when she kisses him square on the mouth, tongue and all until he's ready to faint. He looks dazed and wide eyed as he finally leaves the bathroom scratching the back of his head making me let out the breath I'd been holding for so long.

I need to go, I need to go and shower for the rest of my life to get his germs off of me. I feel so filthy and used that I just want to burst out in tears.

He could've gone further, he could've done worse, I remind myself to stop the sobs.

I try to push past Nicole in order to leave but she wraps her fingers around my upper arm and yanks me back.

"This was nothing Tessie; if you ever cross me again I will make you regret the day you were born." She seethes, shoving me away once she's made her threat. I stand there letting her words sink in as she exits slamming the door behind her.

This was nothing, she said. If what she'd nearly had done to me is nothing then I shudder to think about her version of actual punishment.

How did I end up making an enemy out of her?

I stand in front of the sink trying to identify the stranger in the mirror. My makeup is now running down my face, the mascara creating tears tracks as it flows down. My lipstick is smeared, the blush now considerably unnoticeable above my red splotchy cheeks. My hair is tangled and sticking out in all direction with a bump pulsing painfully in my head. My shirt's ridden up and slightly torn at the ends, all in all I look like the kind of girl who went for a quickie in the bathroom stall. Splashing my face a couple of times with cold water I use a towel to wipe away the garish make up but the thought of Hank's hands all over me has me feeling dirtier than ever.

I really need that shower.

I rush outside, trying not to run into someone I might know. I don't want to run into someone or explain why I look like Courtney Love on a bad day. The party's still going on in full swing and it's the perfect setup to escape without being noticed.

Until...

"Tessa? Are you okay?" Jay grabs my arm and I flinch, still a little afraid of being touched. He's standing right in front of me looking worried. I can't find it in myself to look him in the eye seeing as how his girlfriend just had me assaulted.

"I'm...fine just let me go." I say softly and pull my arm away from him. He backs up just a bit but still doesn't make room to let me go.

"No you're not, what happened?"

"Look I just, I just really need to go home." My voice is cracking up and I'm seconds away from crying in front of everyone from school. If I don't leave now I'm going to look like a bigger idiot than what people already think of me as.

"No Tessa it-"

"Tessie?"

I hear the second voice and something inside of me snaps. It's Cole, he's standing a few feet away from Jay and I but its obvious he knows something's wrong. He strides towards us pushing and shoving past people, our gazes are locked onto each other and I forget that Jay's here with me too.

He runs a hand through his hair in relief as he nears me, putting both hands on my shoulders. "Where the hell have you been? I looked for you everywhere!"

Not everywhere Cole, you're wrong.

I stare at him as he looks at me expecting me to answer his damn question, expecting me to apologize for making His Highness worry about me as I was being attacked in a bathroom. I feel fury and anger and rage all directed towards him. He did this; he brought me here even when I told him it would be a horrible idea. He didn't listen to me because he thinks he's so darn clever.

I hit him. I hit him repeatedly pounding on his chest as his eyes widen in shock.

"You! You did this! You brought me, I told you again and again that I shouldn't come, you should've listened to me, and you shouldn't have made me come here!"

"I hate you, I hate you, I hate you so much!"

I'm sobbing hysterically and the hitting loses its zeal. I clutch the fabric of his shirt in one hand and he pulls me close to him.

"Shh Tessie its okay, I'm here." He coos and I bury my head into his chest and wrap my arms tightly around his waist.

"Why didn't you listen to me?" I choke out and he rubs my back, he rests his chin on top of my head and whispers, "I'm sorry Tessie, I'm so sorry."

I hold on to him even tighter  because it feels like if I let him go I might lose my safety blanket and Hank might come back.

I don't want Hank to come back.

I cry and I cry as Cole continues rubbing his hand up and down my back.

"What happened to her?" I hear a voice ask and it reminds me that Jay's still here. There's nothing more I want to do in this moment than tell him about what Nicole did. I want to hurt her and cut her as deep as she cut me but now I've been well acquainted with the consequences of going against her and so I know that I need to keep my mouth shut.

"Call it a wild guess but I'm pretty sure your girlfriend has something to do with it." Cole spits angrily and since I'm so close to him I can feel his muscles tense up.

"Don't start with that Cole, she isn't even..."

"Shut up Jason, just shut up."

With me still clinging on to him for life he begins leading us away from all the noise, we might be leaving the house but I don't know since I don't lift my head from where it's resting on his chest. It's when the cool fresh air hits me that I know for sure that we're outside. Cole lets go of me and I feel like hitting him again for doing so but quickly shut up when he takes off his leather jacket and wraps it around me. The material provides instant warmth but also swallows me up due to its massive size, it also smells like him and I once again feel secure.

Cole cups my cheek and makes me look up from where I'm inhaling the scent of his jacket.

"Are you okay Tessie?" His thumb wipes away a tear that's still lingering on my cheek, the action reminds me of Hank but it doesn't repulse me like his did. It makes me feel warm on the inside.

He isn't asking me to tell him what happened, he's only asking me if I'm okay and I couldn't be more grateful to him for understanding how I feel right now. Just thinking about what almost happened has the tears threatening to spill over again.

I nod just a little bit and he sighs, wrapping his arm around me and hugging me tightly. I'm aware that we're in the parking area and no one's around; just the two of us and it feels good. I hug him back not knowing why out of all the people that can comfort me right now its Cole who's actually making me feel better.

Not Beth.

Not Megan.

Not Jay.

It's Cole and I just don't know why. 

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