Paradise

chapter six.

"What do you mean?" I stand up so Cole isn't towering over me.

"Have you not been able to tell this whole time? Haven't I been obvious?" he asks.
"What are you even talking about?" I throw my hands up in frustration.
"Avery, I like you-" he says quietly, "a lot."
"What?"

"I do. I really like you. I'm not sure how you haven't noticed. I'm pretty sure everyone knows." he says shyly.
I look at Cole. I mean, he is very handsome. He's tall and muscular with blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

But then I snap out of it.

"Oh." I barely say.
"That's it? That's all you have to say, Avery?"

"What do you want me to say, Cole? You had your chance. Don't you remember freshman and sophomore year? I told you I liked you. You said you didn't feel that way about me, and that you didn't want to hurt our friendship. So don't you dare be upset with me for moving on" I snap.

"I know I messed up, Aves. I know I did. I just...lately I realized my feelings for you. I realized I had them on this trip."
"You just now realized you had feelings for me?" I ask.
"Yes."
"Does it have anything to do with the fact that I am into Shawn?"
He thinks for a second, "Uh, no?"
"Tell me the truth? Are you just jealous?"
"What? No!" he exclaims.
"Then why, all of the sudden, do you have feelings for me? I know you. Very well. And if you like someone, you're not afraid to tell them at all. Come on, I've known you for years." I say.
He just looks at me, not knowing what to say.
"Ugh, I knew it" I say, rolling my eyes.

I start to the door, but he grabs my arm.
"Avery, I-"
"God Cole, you what?"
"It's just...seeing you with Shawn just doesn't look right. But with me, it seems perfect." he says sadly, looking into my eyes, searching for a spark that just wasn't there.

I feel bad for the way that I treated him, but what he did to me was not right. I am not letting him win this.
"I can't do this right now. I need a best friend that I can trust, Cole. I thought I could trust you. But I'm not so sure anymore. I'm going to leave you in here, and you need to do a lot of thinking. I promise you that I still love you, after all, you are one of my best friends. But after this, I think it's best you leave me alone for a little bit."

I walk out of the room and close the door behind me. I stand there, wondering if what I said was okay or not, but then I hear sniffling from the room. Cole was crying. That was my biggest weakness. When someone hurts one of the people I love, I can't take it. Being the person who hurt them, makes me feel even worse about myself. I start to walk away and then I hear a loud thump in the wall, and I know that he punched it. Stupid boys.
I wanted to go in there and ask if he was okay, but I knew that I shouldn't. It would just cause more drama.

I slowly walked back into the kitchen, a few tears slipping out of my eyes.
"Are you okay?" Liam rushes over to me.
"I will be, I just need a little while to myself please."
"Okay Ave, I'm here if you need me." he says. I nod, and then Liam goes and sits back down on the couch.
I walk outside and go sit down on the balcony. This was my absolute favorite place so far. I just love listening to the waves crash, looking at the beautiful view, and people watching on the beach.
It was very sunny outside, and the beach was so crowded today. Everyone was out surfing, tanning, swimming, and building sand castles and I smile seeing that everyone was so happy. I wish that I was one of them.
———
I hear the door open and there comes Makenzie with a bottle of water in one hand and a bowl with some strawberries in the other.
She sits down beside me, and hands me my snack. "Hey, it's like 12:30. I didn't know if you wanted to go eat somewhere or what so I just fixed you a snack for now."
"Thank you, Mak" I say "what time did you say it was again?"
"12:30."
"I've really been sitting out here for that long?" I ask, bewildered.
"Yeah sis, your cheeks are a little sunburned." I immediately bring my hand up to my cheek and feel how hot it was.
Makenzie laughs, which makes me smile.