crash// (cole sprouse fan fic)

hours 15-20

"My mom says I can't fall asleep when I'm supposed to be working anymore," I said as I pulled another card from the stack. I put it back down determining I didn't need it.

I was sitting across from Cole in his bed as we played a game of Rummy. He couldn't bend his legs so I had mine extended on one side of him, crossed at the ankle. We had our cards laying out in the space between us, with some card sets and runs spread out across our bodies. It was a mess but it was ours.

"Aw,"Cole whined, "why? You're less annoying when you sleep!" I rolled my eyes at my dark-haired companion, although his hair was getting lighter; the dye job was fading out.

"Because it defeats the purpose of me watching you and making sure that you're alive. If I'm asleep how will we know if your heart stops beating?"

"I think by all of the monitors and wires connected to me," Cole answered. "Besides I'm not at risk of dying. I can't move anything but it's not like I have trouble breathing and doing stuff. Your job is pretty obsolete."

"Yeah well, so is your acting career, Cody, but I've been keeping my mouth shut about that." I responded without looking at him and put some of my cards down. When I discarded a card I didn't need, I looked up to find Cole's mouth hanging open.

His eyes narrowed at me. "You remembered."

"How could you forget?" I chuckled. I hadn't said anything thus far about Cole being half of a mischievous duo during my Disney-watching days. We were three years apart so I knew him, watched, had a major crush on him as a child, and so on.

Cole's eyes narrowed even more so they were pretty much a squint, while I felt a smirk creep across my face. "You're the worst," he said, finally breaking the silence.

"Ok, I'll remember that the next time I'm about to smuggle you more snacks from the cafeteria."

"I'm kidding! I love you. You're the best," my patient quickly said, changing his tune. 

"Mhmm," I responded as I looked down at the cards laying down in front of us.

"Oh, did you forget about me already?" I heard a new voice. Cole's girlfriend came bouncing in. She had a long blonde ponytail that swung behind her with every step.

She crossed the room like it was her stage, like the world was her stage.

She was perfect. She seemed like the all-American girl in a 1950s sit com. All she needed was a poodle skirt.

"It's been only a few days since I last visited and we can't have that," she continued on. She threw an arm around his shoulders and he snaked one arm of his around her waist. Using her other hand, she cupped Cole's chin in one hand and leaned down to give him a kiss.

It was sweet.

It was also nauseating.

When they separated, I leaned forward to shake her hand, though it was weird being on his bed. It didn't seem weird a moment ago though before she walked in.

"Hi, you must be Lila. Cole's told me about you. I'm Collins," I introduced myself.

"Collins, hi! Lili," she repeated her name again for me with a blindingly white smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I apologized, pulling my hand back. "Cole said Lila but it was probably a memory thing. Sorry about that."

"Oh, no, it's Ok! I completely understand. How's he been doing? I've been trying to visit as much as I can but work."

"Well, he's going good, I think," I started. "I mean— I'm only here for a few hours every day but we haven't run into any problems so far, but he hasn't been forgetting as much and hasn't been getting so tired so quickly."

"Well, that's great!" Lili started. "Well, I have to get back. I just wanted to swing by and check in to see how you were doing," she was not talking to Cole. I sat there awkwardly, holding my cards— not wanting to look at them but unsure of where to look instead since my back was to the TV.

"I'm fine, Lil. Thanks, but don't worry about me. I'm in good hands. Collins had been taking good care of me," he said giving me a wink and toothy grin.

I felt my cheeks get warm with embarrassment.

"Ok, well, I'm going to let you two get back to your game and I'll come visit again soon," Lili said before giving Cole a kiss on the forehead.

She touched my shoulder gently as she walked past me. "It was nice meeting you, Collins." She called out over her shoulder as she passed me, not wanting to look at me.

"You, too!" I managed weakly.

Cole went back to playing immediately as if nothing had happened.

I flicked his good arm when the coast was clear.

"Ow, what was that for?" He exclaimed.

"You upset her," I explained.

"What? How? No, I didn't." Cole shook his head and discarded a card he didn't need.

"She's worried about you and she wants to be here but can't." I said as I continued playing.

"So..." His voice drawled out as he watched me.

"So, maybe, blowing her off and telling her that you're in good hands may not be the best idea," I said as I looked around at what cards I could put down before ending my turn.

"But I am in good hands. You haven't killed me yet." Cole answered.

"Yes, but you're not in her hands. You're in some other girl's and look at what she walked into— us having fun, me in your bed, you winking at me like we have some sort of inside joke or secret thing," I huffed as I discarded my last card ending my turn and the game.

"Fine, you're right. I'll be nicer next time,"
Cole breathed out as he dropped the last card he had in his hand: a Joker.

"How long have you been holding this card?" I said in shock, holding the card up.

"I don't know— a while. Why?"

"Because you don't play with the Jokers in Rummy," I explained. Cole could have won the game minutes ago!

"Oh, I guess, I forgot," his brows furrowed as he looked up at me with sadness written all over his face, asking me if he'd ever be back to normal.

"It's Ok," I shrugged and took his hand in mine, rubbing my thumb over the back of it.