Escape || Cole Walter

Thirty

•••small town rumors•••

"Youve got to be kidding right now." I hear Jackie mumble across from me.

We decided on going to Graces to stay the night. With Grace, it is easy not having to think about anything else because she distracts you so well.

Grace has such a radiant personality I admire. I hope that someday she gets the freeing life she wants but can't have due to her strict parents.

"What?" I ask looking up from my homework. Jackie grabs my phone from the table inbetween Graces couch and her bed.

Looking over at Grace I see her also looking up with a smile forming immediately. "Oh my god, what do you think he wants?" She asks flirtaciously.

"Who?" I ask, my stomach dropping from the possibility of it being Alex or Cole.

"Here." Jackie says, handing me my phone with an unamused voice. As soon as my eyes meet the screen, I can see why. Cole is calling me.

Rolling my eyes, I immediately swipe my finger across the screen to avoid the call, and set it down face down on the carpet. "We arent finding out what he wants."

A couple seconds later, the same ringing comes from Jackies phone. Our eyes meet as she picks up the phone. "Its Cole." She looks over to Grace whos eyebrows are furrowed.

"You should probably answer." She suggests.

"No!" I stand up, sitting next to my sister on the couch.

"What if its an emergency?" Jackie asks me.

"If it was an emergency, why hasnt anyone else called us?" It wouldnt make sense to have Cole call us when there are so many other people in that damn family. Plus half of them know where we are, so if they really needed us, it wouldnt be that hard to find us. My comment shuts both me and Jackie up.

"Wait, so why arent we answering Cole? I know there was like the bonfire, which I still kind of dont understand. And then there was the whole fight because Alex snitched on him. I get why you're mad, but also why are you mad?" Grace asks me, sitting up, engrossed in the drama again. Im surprised her detective side hasnt figured this out yet. Maybe she just wants to hear it with her own ears.

Jackie shares a look with me as she giggles. I definitely need to be careful with what I say. I trust Grace, but sometimes she lets things slip and I dont need anyone knowing some of Cole and I's personal issues. "Well him and Alex were fighting over me at the bonfire. Alex has just been completely showing me off. I chose Alex right now because Cole wants something more than just being friends, but until we can figure our own stuff out, we cant act on that. But since Alex has been such a douche to his brother, it got to be too much. Especially the stuff with Paige, so I understand why hes been doing it-"

"To a certain extent." Jackie adds I point my finger at her as if to say bingo.

"Yeah," I agree, looking down at my hands. My pointer finger is picking at the peeled skin next to my thumb. This is a habit Ive had for such a long time, I forget Im doing it sometimes. "And theyve just been throwing me back and forth. I just want to be civil. I want to be friends. But they want more. And they also dont understand that the three of us have things to figure out. So." I finish with an awkward laugh.