Mindless

Ten

~Callie~

It had worked better than I'd been expecting, bringing Cole home. My parents were clearly unimpressed with my choice of not only a boyfriend, but my first official boyfriend, a title I never allowed anyone to have and everyone knew it.  It felt a little unnatural to me. Weird. As if it meant something way more than I know it did. It wasn't the exclusivity that throws me off. I'd done exclusive with guys I'd been seeing. I'd dated people for a few months and by every other pair of eyes, it would have classed as a relationship but the official title was one I've avoided my whole life and it wasn't one I'd be reaching for anytime soon if I could at all avoid it. 

One thing I hadn't been banking on was Cole giving my parents no reason to hate him. I half expected his dark attitude to carry on here. For him to sit in silence and stare at his phone, to not interact unless absolutely necessary. Another thing I wasn't sure behind the reasoning on. Cole had barely been like that with me and had given me no reasoning to believe he would be, I guess it was just my first impression still ingrained into me. 

He'd been beyond what I was expecting of him honestly. Him and Emmett were bonding like crazy. The two were sat next to each other talking about sports and games and whatever else. Cole was more animated than I thought was possible but it wasn't until they started play fighting that I really started to struggle to comprehend what was happening. And when Dylan joined in, tossing rolled up pieces of napkin at them both across the table, I was convinced I was losing my mind. 

My family aren't outright horrible. Not compared to some horror stories I've heard in my life. They always made sure we had not only what we needed but what we wanted too.  Extra curriculars, hobbies, the best toys and clothes and we were all damn grateful for it. The problem came from them believing the only way for us to be permanently happy was the same way they had been. 

My parents married young. High School sweethearts. My dad worked his way up in some lawyers office whilst mum stayed home. Dad became a partner, and they started building their family. Dylan, Liz, me and then Emmett 5 years later. Dylan is well on his way to taking over from dad and Emmett is on the same path. Liz is more than happy being a stay at home wife like our parents want for us 2 girls. Everyone seems to be happy living this cookie cutter life. Replicating my parents existence like it's the only one. 

It's just not for me. It never has been. They don't push though. They're just waiting for me to decide I'm ready to settle down and live in that house on the outskirts of town, preferably with the town's golden police chief, Sebastian. 

He's insufferable, rude, and an outright knob that I am so sick of being pushed down my throat every time I breathe. And his whole guarantee that I'm going to fail is the only thing that stops me coming back home. He's so fucking right though. I'm barely keeping my head above water back home. I've been stood at a cross roads since I finished college and I've been stuck on which direction to take. The thought of proving him right, coming home unsuccessful and seeing that smug smile on his face, ending up married to him, it all makes me nauseous. 

I flinch as something hits me in the face, Emmett and Dylan bursting into booming laughter that echoes over the noise of the crowd. A quieted snicker from beside me makes me turn my head to Cole, big bright smile on his face.  He lifted his hand, pulling the paper out of my hair gently. 

"You alright? You're very quiet." 

"Hm?" His dark brown eyes stare back into mine. So deep if you jumped in I'm sure you'd just keep falling and falling. A never ending abyss. I blink, his questions finally registering in my mind when his lips lift slightly. "Oh. Yeah. I'm fine." In one move, Cole grabs the seat of my chair, pulling me closer to him until our legs are brushing against each others. These soft momentary touches are killing me. They're not how I expected being touched by Cole would feel and dancing with him yesterday; his hand on my lower back, us being chest to chest as I had to teach him the basics of a slow dance, it was almost too much. 

Cole is beyond attractive, I knew that and so did the number of single girls here gawking at him, staring at me with death glares in the hopes I'll drop to my demise and they can swoop in. Problem was he was also the first guy I had to draw very clear lines with. The first one I was having to tell myself over and over again that we couldn't have him. This was temporary. He filled in to help out a team mate and to get his parents off his back. That's it. The attraction isn't mutual.  

"Have I told you how good you look in black?" Cole's arm pushed behind the back of the chair, planting his hand on my upper thigh and pulling me in ever closer. He smells sweet. Something that caught me off guard yesterday. I don't know what I'd thought Cole would smell like, I can't say it actively crossed my mind. Something musky, dark, expensive probably. He didn't. He smells like vanilla and honey and clean cotton and it works for him. It's such a flip on his personality but it fits him so well.  I can feel the blush on my cheek darkening under his stare and he moves forward slightly, pressing his lips to my skin for the first time. 

It's soft and gentle and my cheek burns as he removes himself, moving back to my ear slightly as goosebumps break out across my whole body.

"Sebastian looks like he's imagining every possible way to murder me so he can claim you as his own. Shame I'm not letting go isn't it?"