It's been 2 weeks since Cole and I fought about me lying to him, which I wasn't. He hasn't tried to speak, and I think the entire school has been taking sides. Noah and most of the team has taken my side, just a couple of them have taken Cole's. This fight wasn't about sides though, I don't get it.
Classes have been extremely awkward. I do still have to sit next to Cole in Global studies. We don't talk, and he refuses to look at me. I try to get his attention. I can tell he listens to me, just won't acknowledge me. His eyes do soften when I plead to him, but he just walks away.
Noah picks me up at my house normal time and tells me we need to be back at the rink before class. It's probably just another practice.
The rink is pretty much empty except for the hockey team, in their street clothes and ice skates, sitting on the bench. Noah and I greet them. I sit on the end next to Noah. He has a smirk on his face. We are all silent, just staring at the ice.
A moment later, the song 'Something' by The Beatles, starts to play. It's my favorite Beatles song. Why would anyone in school be playing the Beatles?
The song plays, and I have to admit once again, boys humming and getting excited about who knows what is hilarious.
The song soon enough ends and out comes someone on hockey skates. Their head is turned to face the way they skate. It's a guy and he is wearing our schools hockey jersey. That's all I know.
The hockey player skates up to us. He faces me. "I'm sorry", it's Cole. "That night was the worst thing I have ever done. I know you weren't lying to me. I knew that then too. I don't have any other reason besides the fact that I was being stupid and ridiculous. You're the best thing in my life. I'm never going to do that again. Ever. And if I did, you wouldn't have to forgive me. Please forgive me, just this once", my heart melts.
I move to the open door where Cole stands on the ice. The step up from the ice makes me only about an inch shorter. I wrap my arms around his neck. "Of course I will", I pull him to me. Our lips meet for just a split second before the guys start to cheer and scream. With our foreheads still together, we look at each other and laugh. Cole puts his arms around my waist. He pulls me out onto the ice and spins me around. I squeal quietly.
The guys skate off onto the ice and take laps around the rink. They still cheer. Cole holds my waist as he puts me down softly on the ice. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.....", Cole says with his eyes closed. I stop him by putting my lips to his.
"Cole, I know you didn't mean it. Stop apologizing. You had so much going through your mind at that point. If you apologize one more time I might have to kiss you again", I smile.
"I'm sorry", Cole says back. I roll my eyes, planting another quick kiss on his lips. He smiles gratefully.
We hear the 20 minute bell ring and the guys rush off the ice to take off their skates. I sit on the bench looking through my backpack making sure I have my homework and books. I find it when two hands pinch my side. I squeal, turning to see Noah back in his real shoes.
"Noah, I think I officially want to kill you", I say, rubbing my sides soothingly. I slap him up side of the head. He rubs his own head.
"Ow, Meredith, stop hitting me", he fake whines.
"Oh, just because you are her rebound doesn't mean you can flirt with her", Cole comes out, wrapping his arms around my shoulders from behind me.
"Okay dude, she was my girl for the past two weeks. Lay off", Noah jokes.
Behind me, Cole reaches his head around, planting a kiss on my cheek. "Sorry bud, she said yes to me, and you helped. Your fault", Cole laughs.
The morning bell rings and we walk back into the main school building. Creative writing starts late because Mrs. Vansickle had some emergency with her family or something. People in our class stare at me and Cole, since we are talking and laughing like nothing ever happened. Cole and I sit with Derek and Sampson talking about random stuff, and I can tell people are just listening to us. The rest of the class is silent, we act like everything is normal.
Class ends about 45 minutes later, and only 20 minutes of real work once our teacher showed up. Cole and I stand at my locker for a few minutes during our free period. I reorganize my locker because it has become a mess from throwing stuff in between classes. I find a recycle bin down the hall and throw at least a hundred pieces of paper away.
The hallway seems silent and eerie when Cole walks away to the bathroom, just like on my first day of school when I sat alone at my locker, but the music blocked it out a little. I hear footsteps coming from the opposite way Cole had left, they are coming from the main office where sign in is. They grow louder. The footsteps seem to be sneakers, they squeak from the wet feet coming in from the snow.
I watch the person turn the corner into the hallway I stand in. It's a guy, with dirty blonde hair and dark eyes. We make eye contact for just a moment. I look away from him. He looks familiar. Where have I seen him? Where?
"Meredith", He calls. Then I realize who it is.
Luke. Michaels.