Ghost Town

Far, Far Away

His bright blue eyes saddened by what he had just witnessed, Cole stood with his arms crossed across his broad chest next to Noelle's car. 

"What do you want Swindell?" Noelle asked, attitude flying. 

"I was making sure you two got to the car okay. But I clearly didn't need to worry, did I." He gesture toward Brantley's bus. The guys all standing outside, keeping a watchful eye. 

"Cole, what do you really want? Because I don't think you even know." Everly stood in front of him, mimicking his stance. "You are ENGAGED." She placed emphasis on the last word. 

"I want you to tell me not to be, Everly! I want you to tell me to leave the ridiculous relationship I am in because you feel the same way I do. For God's sake, I want you to tell me you love me like I love you." Cole's voice echoed through the parking lot. 

Everly stood there, taken aback by what Cole had just said. Neither saying another word. The silence almost deafening between them. Noelle was unsure whether she should step in or not. But she knew her best friend and knew she could handle herself. Especially something like this. She got in the car, turning it on. The music up a little bit so that it didn't seem like she was trying to eaves drop. 

"Cole...." Everly finally broke the silence. 

"Evie, it is all I have wanted since the day you left for Atlanta eight years ago. It was a big mistake. All of it. Please.... please tell me you feel the same." He let his arms fall to his sides, loosening up a bit. He wasn't sure if he scared her or not when he raised his voice. He didn't want her to think he was going to come at her. That was not his intention. 

"I, I can't. Cole. I should go." Everly pointed a finger at Noelle who was sitting patiently and blissfully unaware of her surroundings as she text Ben from a couple hundred feet away. 

"Everly. Please. Please don't do this. I saw you with Brantley. You can't tell me that you want to start seeing the bad boy of country music. Seriously?" 

"I don't know what I want, okay? There, are you happy? I don't even know where I am going to live. Or work. Cole, I am so lost I don't know which way is up and which way is down right now. All I know is that when Brantley Gilbert calls me, I am going to answer. Can I say the same for you?" She shrugged her shoulders, the black sweater she was wearing falling to one side. 

The look creeping up on Cole's face gave her all the answer she needed. Everly turned on her heel and walked around to the passenger side of Noelle's car. 

"Call me when you want to take things seriously." She brushed her chocolate brown hair out of her eyes and got in to the car. Noelle drove off toward home, not asking a single thing about what happened. 

Everly sat up on the couch of her mother's home, sleepily rubbing her tired eyes. The white Chromebook resting on her lap. She had been looking for apartments between here and Timbuktu for the last hour and a half to no avail. Mr. Gilbert had called her about a half hour ago. She let it go to voicemail. He left no message, and Everly felt a slight relief that he hadn't. 

News had broke that morning on CMT that Cole was a newly single man. Her mother stood at the edge of the living room as it came on the television screen. A picture of Cole and Katie in the corner. Boy, Katie must be reeling. Her mother glanced over at her, but she sat there stone faced, pretending to do work on her computer. 

Noelle had tried calling and texting. Those messages went unread and unanswered as well. Maybe she would move far, far away. Then no one would bother her anymore. Start fresh. Yes, that was a good plan. But is that what she really wanted.