YOURS

Chapter 31

"I know a place." Cole was telling me about how he first came to Texas.

He stayed at a motel for a night and drove the rest of the way.

"How did you make it there if your truck ran out of gas?"

COLE'S POV

I chuckled remembering the guy who picked me up along the way.

"This trucker. His name was Sean."

Emily looked at me. "Is that where you got your name?"

I nodded.

"We can stay for the night but that's it." I told Emily as I pulled into the same motel parking lot Sean had taken me.

"Okay." Emily unbuckled her seat belt. "Cole..."

"Yeah?" I turned towards her.

"Where does Mark and Helen think I am?"

"I texted Mark from your phone saying you are staying at a friends this week. Mark is covering for you."

I also called her school and pretended to be Mark calling in for her because she's 'sick' but Emily didn't ask about school so I didn't bother to tell her.

Emily got out of the car and waited for me by the office. I lead her to the front desk and she watched as I paid for a room. She kept looking around like she was examining everything. Was she looking for something?

I gave her the room key and followed her there. The room smelled musty. It'd be fine for just the night.

"This is an upgrade, huh?" Emily threw the room key to the table in the room and laughed as she sat on the bed.

She mocked the fact that we slept on a floor mattress back in Texas. I just nodded in response.

"Hey..so I know your pictures and notebook kinda got destroyed by the douche bag that tried to kill me..but I took these if you want them." I sat next to her.

Before I poured gasoline all throughout the cabin I grabbed a box of Polaroids that were just of the forest that surrounded us, nothing that could trace these back to me. I wanted to give them to Emily for her project if she wanted them.

I tried not to replay the moment too much but my eyes wanted to keep seeing the cabin being burnt down to the ground. I felt a sweet release. Something about it no longer being there felt good.

"Oh." Emily grabbed the pictures from my hand and looked through them.

EMILY'S POV

Cole held out Polaroids of trees, hills, and dirt. All from those woods we just left for the last time.

Did I want these? Was my project still important?

Suddenly I was reminded of our meeting on Friday with Emma. If it's really her. What did Alec do after he saw Cole take me?

Did he report back to Zac? Did they follow us here? Do they even know we're gone?

I grabbed them and looked through the few that were up front.

"Thank you." I looked at Cole.

Something was different. Being out of that cabin lightened the mood. I kissed his cheek to show appreciation.

Cole blushed but looked down to try and hide it. I got up to set the pictures down on the table before he could say anything to ruin the moment.

It was getting late - it'd be time to sleep soon. I couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. My stomach growled. Maybe that's it?

"You hungry?" Cole stood up and raised his eyebrow to me.

I laughed. "Yeah I guess."

I walked over to the window of the room and peered from behind the curtains. The only food in walking distance was a couple of vending machines.

"I'll go." Cole grabbed money from a bag he had brought in with him.

I watched him walk to the other side of the motel and stick a couple dollars into the machine and food fall to the bottom.

Cole walked so confidently. His arms right by side but ready to come up to fight if he was caught off guard. His chin down but his chest up. Cole was a good looking man. I didn't like that I thought this, but I've always known I felt this way.

If I had to be in this situation with anyone, at least it's someone who isn't bad on the eyes.

Cole looked at our room and saw me looking at him. I didn't realize I was grinning like an idiot. He waved and smiled back. I pulled the curtain in front of my face and ran to the bed.

Why did I feel embarrassed?

A few moments passed and Cole walked in the room.

"What was that?" He laughed.

"What was...what?" I asked.

"You smiled at me." He winked as he dropped the snacks on the bed beside me.

"So what?" I began to get defensive.

Cole didn't push the conversation farther.

He motioned for me to pick out the food that I wanted.

He got a couple bags of chips, granola bars, and a snickers bar. What a dinner!

I grabbed half of the food and left the chocolate bar for him. Honestly I wasn't sure if he'd ever had one. Knowing him, he's never had any of this stuff.

"T.V?" He asked only to turn it on before I answered.

Cole sat on the bed next to me and we ate together while the TV ran old reruns of different shows Cole's never seen. I tried my best to explain them to him as they came on.

"How can you have never seen any of these?" I kept saying.

"I didn't have much time." Cole would say - I just sighed and left it alone.

I know what he was busy with.

Before I knew it I was waking up to the sound of a an alarm going off.

When did I fall asleep? The morning was here now and Cole and I both fell asleep on top of the blankets and covered in crumbs from our food. We're disgusting. What's new?

"Cole." I shook him awake.

He made noises not wanting to get up but eventually did.

We didn't say much before heading out. I returned the key to the office and met Cole at his car. We drove off to make our way back to Texas. This was going to be a long drive.

// A/N //

Hello! I know it's been a while. I know this is a short chapter. I'm sorry. I could tell you all the things that have been going on but I'm not sure if anyone is really interested in the details. I'm sure you all just assumed my anxiety spiked (you'd be correct) I haven't able to get a good handle on it this past week. I also suffer with bad migraines that unfortunately also get worse with my anxiety. It's been tough but I haven't forgotten about this book!

I plan on finishing it in July (probably going up to chapter 40-45!) I have plans to continue this story into a third and final book (you'll have to let me know what you think when this one ends)

Believe me when I say I put writing as one of my top priorities after mental and psychical health. I will try my best to update Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I remember saying before that I only want to publish stuff I feel 100% confident in - Things I put all of my effort into. I never want to do anything 'half-done'. I hope I didn't disappoint any of my new readers!

I really appreciate all of the recent votes and comments and messages! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. See you with an update on Wednesday! <3