Mindless

Twenty One

"Not that would hurt her. Why?" They looked at each other and back to us. "What even happened?"

"What happened, Mr Ambrose, is your girlfriend was driving an unsafe vehicle and slammed into a store front." They started reeling off the damages and the charges being filed against Callie, her heart rate monitor skyrocketing. I looked at her, Callie's eyes meeting mine as they filled with salt water. I had the car checked over before leaving. I drove it the night before I left and it was fine. Callie's driven it multiple times since and it's been fine. Something wasn't adding up here. The police finished their rambling list of charges and handed Callie a letter with a court date before leaving. 

"I didn't- Cole- I swear I didn't -" 

"Shh. I know Cal. I know you wouldn't touch a drink when you've got work in the morning let alone when you've got to drive home. You're not stupid." I laid down on the bed, pulling Callie down onto my chest. "Don't worry about it okay?" 

"How am I supposed to not worry about it?" 

"It's pretty easy really. You let me handle it and you don't think about it." 

"Cole-" 

"Want to talk about what we were discussing before?" Callie stared at me. "I mean, I don't have what I need in but I might be able to get someone to grab us it all for when you're discharged, I don't know if you'll be any good making lasagna with a broken hand though."

"I'm sorry." 

"What for?" 

"Cole. I was serious." 

"Okay, fine, you want to talk about that, let's talk about it. Why do you really want to end it?"

"It's not-" 

"Not benefitting you. Yeah. You said. Why really though?" She avoided my eyes, looking down at the gap between us until I put one finger under her chin, lifting her back to me. "You're scared of it aren't you?" She shakes her head. "Really? Because I'm pretty sure you're trying to run before either of us have a chance to do something you think we'll regret." 

"Please don't kiss me again." 

"Why not?" 

"We're not dating Cole. This isn't re-" 

"If this isn't real Callie then why the hell are you laid in my arms right now looking like you're about to cry? Why did you wait until I was out of town to tell me? Why have I been in this room all of an hour and your hand has been wrapped around my tee-shirt like the world is ending the whole time?" She blinked at me. "It was never fake for me Callie. Running into you at Belle's place is the best thing that has ever happened to me and the one way I could get a chance to get you alone was going that fucking wedding and right up until it all went wrong, I was on cloud 9.

"I'm not a feelings guy Callie and I'm not going to sit here and tell you all the mushy shit you do to my insides, but I sure as hell will tell you the sheer fucking terror that rooted in my bones when I thought you were dead and the last thing you'd have said to me was that you didn't want this because you were fucking scared. So I am telling you, right now. Try to push me out like you normally do. Shut me down, ghost me, ignore my existence do whatever you need to do to try and convince yourself that you aren't falling in love with me like I'm falling in love with you. But you can do it in my apartment where I know your safe and when you're done lying to yourself you can bring your sweet little ass across the fucking hallway and you can climb into my bed where you fucking belong."  

I could feel her heartbeat pounding away in her chest as she stared at me with those giant, perfect blue eyes. 

"Rule 7-" 

"I never agreed to that fucking rule Callie. I was already ankle deep in them before you got in the damn car." She tried to breathe in but it shook. "You've got 2 options here Callie and this is one you need to think more long term for. Looking short term right now isn't going to get you the result you know you want. Option one. You tell me you're done, I stand up and leave right now. You'll come home in a few days and I'll find you a new apartment that's not in some fucked up area of town and I'll get your stuff moved over and you'll never have to speak to me again." A tear slips down her cheek. "Or, option 2, you tell me you're scared, that you don't know what you're doing, that you can't act like your feelings don't matter anymore, and I'll make sure you never have a moment to feel like this again." 

"You can't promise that." 

"I can Callie and you know why? Because once you're mine there isn't a chance in hell I'm letting you go." She stares at me as I wait for her answer. Eyes flickering across mine as if she's looking for any sign of doubt I have about the options I've given her. I don't say a thing. Just stare right back in silence. She'll cave if I stay like this. She'll have to give me an answer one way or the other but I know her. I know she's going to make the right choice. 

"2." She whispers and I can feel the smile break on my face. 

"Atta girl." I press a dozen kisses to her forehead, lowering us down into the flat pillows. "You need to try and get some sleep. You look exhausted." 

"I haven't really slept since you left." I scrunch my nose up, tugging the blanket up and covering Callie properly. 

"Well I'm back now so you don't have an excuse, baby. Sleep."