So I think you're all pretty happy they're together :P but there's lots more to come with them! I hope you like this chapter and please do let me know what you think of it, comment and make the end of my week :D
My grandparents went off to that holiday and from what they’ve told me, they’ve had a really nice time away in the Costa del Sol. I think it did them some good to get away from home and from me, I guess, just giving them some much needed breathing space.
This week has been better than I had anticipated, but that might be because I have the most doting boyfriend in the world. He’s spent every day with me this week, especially as I had the house to myself and didn’t want to be lonely. Cole has been incredible. He’s sat and watched me practice choreography routines for my first dance class coming up soon and has recorded me so I could see what looked best. He’s been so supportive and encouraging of my passion for dance. I never would have thought I’d have the confidence to dance in front of anyone, but Cole’s brought it out in me. He gives me this confidence with just a few words or encouragement.
However, this new status of us being in a relationship together brings problems, which Cole is reluctant to sort out.
‘You still need to tell Esme,’ I mention. We’re currently lying out on the beach, which must be our favourite place, with Cole snapping pictures of me each and every second, but when I tell him about Esme and he freezes and tenses up. We’ve not discussed it much, but I know he doesn’t want to tell her. I know it’s not because he likes her in that way, but because he’s simply scared.
He puts his camera down as I continue. ‘She needs to know. It’s not fair on her if she’s still pining for you.’
He sighs and runs his hand through his hair, another habit of his, which I’d love to take over myself. ‘I don’t think she’ll take it well. If you’re right about her feelings, then she’ll probably get angry.’
‘If she’s a real friend, she’ll understand.’
He shakes his head. He’s adamant on this one. ‘Esme isn’t like that. She won’t be happy. She doesn’t like not getting her own way.’ Well that sounds like a familiar trait.
‘It’s better that you tell her though rather than her find out second hand.’
‘I will,’ he assures me, brushing it to the side. ‘But tonight, are you free?’
I nod.
‘Perfect then, because I’m going to take you out on our first date,’ he begins, playing with my hair, knowing that I love it. I didn’t mention exactly why I love it, but Cole continues with his sensory stimulation regardless. ‘It’s been nearly a week and I’ve not even taken you on a proper date yet.’
I feign shock. ‘I should just end things now with you,’ I tell him sarcastically.
Smirking, he pinches my cheek before adding, ‘I’ve not even kissed you yet.’
I purse my lips together and widen my eyes. That has been playing on my mind all week the fact that we hadn’t kissed. I thought it was a sure fire sign that he had gone off of me and didn’t want to be in a relationship anymore with me or that he didn’t find me physically attractive, I wouldn’t blame him to be honest, but thank goodness I am wrong. I even called Belle up worried that he’d made no attempts to kiss me yet.
‘Are you going to?’ I ask daringly, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck which I’ve discovered he loves too. He has such soft baby hair there, it’s like touching silk.
‘Of course, just when you least expect it,’ he winks, before snapping some more pictures. I pick up a thick stone and start writing on the beach with my own personal photographer following me as I write out Cole and Hope in a heart. I look over my shoulder at Cole and he’s mere centimetres away from me as he encircles my waist.
‘I have just got the best picture of you,’ he says, and puts the camera in front of me and it’s of me standing by Cole and Hope just after I’ve finished writing it.
‘You should continue to pursue photography,’ I tell him, wrapping my arms around his waist and resting against him.
‘I want to. I was studying at college.’
Photography is definitely Cole’s calling. He has thousands of pictures stored on his computer and camera. I just sat down at his desk the other day and put on a shuffle slide show of his work, and it is all so beautifully captured. He looks at the world in a completely different way to me and it’s pretty mesmerising. I always thought photography was a doss subject, and to some degree, it can be if you’re not passionate about your work, but Cole puts so much effort into getting everything right, with the colour balance, the focus, the clarity, Cole just gets it all.
‘Are you going to uni in September?’
I shake my head. ‘Unlikely. I don’t think I did well with my exams.’
‘But do you want to?’
Shyly, I nod. ‘Yeah, Dad always wanted me to go into higher education and uni.’
‘Where did you apply and for what?’
‘Southampton, Nottingham, Surrey, Kings and Leeds.’
‘All over the country,’ he comments, looking out onto the beach. He pauses for a few moments before turning to look at me again. ‘To study what?’
‘Midwifery.’
‘Really?’ He asks, surprised. ‘You want to be a midwife?’
I nod cautiously, and silently wish he would stop asking me questions about this. It just won’t happen anymore. ‘But I think I failed my exams so I don’t think I’ll end up going.’
He nudges me with a frown. ‘Don’t be so pessimistic, you don’t know that yet.’
‘I’m pretty sure I didn’t make the grades, Cole,’ I tell him as light-heartedly as I can, but I also give him that look not to push any further, and he acknowledges it, by moving on to talking about something else before dropping me back to get ready for our date tonight.
Cole gets me in a way that no one really ever has done and long may that continue.
Belle has come over to help with the process of getting me ready for my date and has handily brought some nice clothes over for me to try on. We settle on a pink, purple and coral floral dress which I think makes me look stupid, but Belle thinks brings out my eyes and compliments my pink hair. I have had to borrow one of Belle’s bandeau bras too seeing as I don’t own one. We’re near enough the same size, though I am slightly larger so my boobs fit snugly into the lace bandeau bra. We’ve teamed with some dark brown sandals too.
‘Have you tried false eyelashes before?’ Belle asks, as she glues the backs of a pair.
‘Nope.’
‘First time for everything then,’ she smiles, as I let her apply them. ‘Cole’s one lucky guy.’
I opt to paint my nails a soft coral as Belle finishes up with illuminator and a nude lipstick. I think Cole will get a shock with the amount of makeup that’s been applied, but I’m hoping he’s not too freaked out and doesn’t expect me to do this on a daily basis, because it just won’t happen.
‘You look beautiful, Hope,’ she says, a little choked up as she looks down at me.
‘That’s your name,’ I quip and then turn around to look in the mirror when my eyes bulge. Even I can’t help it. I scan my body at my outfit and my face and while I know there’s more make up on my face than usual, I still look natural, which I think Cole prefers. He doesn’t strike me as the guy to like a girl caked in makeup ad fake tan.
‘I’m good, aren’t I?’ She laughs, hugging me from behind and resting her head on my shoulder.
‘That you are,’ I smile at her. I help pack her stuff away, feeling butterflies fluttering about my stomach, making me feel queasy.
Tonight could go terribly wrong.
‘Maybe it’s not such a good idea,’ I confess worriedly, stopping to help her pack away.
‘Hope, you’re going tonight. Your boyfriend is picking you up soon. Your boyfriend. He knows what you’re like. It’s going to be fine. I promise you.’
‘Will you come too?’
‘No because I have my own date to attend.’ She leans across and presses a kiss to my cheek before leaving me standing in my room, waiting for Cole. ‘Have fun, honey.’
It’s mere few minutes between Belle leaving and when Cole rings the front door bell. Rushing down the stairs so I can avoid the awkward grandparent stares. Before me, Cole stands with his unruly hair perfectly matching his smart chinos and shirt. His smile reaches the edges of his face as he scans me up and down.
‘Wow,’ he murmurs.
‘Stop it,’ I chide, embarrassed with the attention.
‘No, Hope, you look gorgeous. I mean, you always look beautiful every day, but tonight, well you look gorgeous,’ he babbles, looking intently at me. He takes my hand and twirls me around like a princess, which while it feels stupid, it also feels perfectly right. He pulls me to his side and whispers close to my ear comfortingly, ‘Are you ready to go?’
I nod and take his hand as he leads me to his car. I feel a little more relaxed as I realise that Cole’s got my radio station on despite his lack of interest for the music I listen to. Cole much prefers listening to guitarists and lyricists, whereas I prefer to listen to something I can dance to.
‘Close your eyes,’ he tells me just before we get out of the car. ‘I’ll hold your hand, just, trust me.’
And so I do. I put my trust in him as he walks me for a few minutes and then stops.
‘You ready?’ He whispers up close next to my ear, sending little shivers down my spine.
I nod and as Cole removes his hand, a massive smile takes over my face upon seeing the sight before me. Cole has set us up a picnic blanket and wicker hamper surrounded by flowers and a few candles in tea lanterns, all laid out on the beach near where we spent prom night. There’s no one near us and the only sound to be heard is the waves and the wind.
‘This is just a little private spot of our own,’ he whispers to me, giving my waist a squeeze.
‘Oh Cole, this is...this is...’ I’m speechless. I turn around to see him and can’t help myself as I lean up carefully to kiss him for the first time. I lean in slowly, wondering if this is okay, as I take in all his features, the gorgeous colour tone of his skin, the light dusting of freckles that have fallen on his nose from the sun to the long thick bambi like eyelashes framing his eyes and his clean shaven jaw, damped fresh with cologne which I know as his smell. I caress his cheek briefly, as Cole matches my movements and finally presses our lips together and it’s like nothing I’ve felt before. I can feel Cole’s lips smiling against mine as they beg me roughly to open my mouth to his.
I feel Cole’s arms snake around my waist as he eagerly pulls me closer and slips his tongue into my parted lips with ease, ensuing groans from both of us. I feel so light headed that nothing else matters. Nothing matters apart from kissing Cole and feeling our bodies pressed flush against one another. As his lips tease and tempt my own, I smile in the kiss as our tongues lock sensually with one another whilst Cole’s hands gently caress at my waist in small circles.
Without a doubt, this is the Best. Kiss. Ever.
Cole’s hands wander further southwards and I smirk as I feel his hands land underneath my bottom to pull me onto his waist. I trill excitedly and pull him back to kiss me again, roughly dragging his head down to meet me again. I need his lips on me. I can feel us both smiling between kisses, before we pull away at the same time, beaming. Cole rests his forehead against mine and we both are panting, breathless and hot. He peppers soft, delicate kisses down my neck and across my collar bone, which makes me feel ticklish.
Cole lowers us down onto the blanket and lies beside me, our hands interlinked and our hearts beating fast. ‘Were you that desperate to kiss me?’ He teases rhetorically, nudging my side.
‘This is so romantic, Cole.’ I look at how perfect the surroundings are, the effort he’s gone to with the picnic basket and flowers and feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I think I do have the best boyfriend in the world.
‘Well it’s our first date and now where our first kiss took place. Believe me I’ve been wanting to kiss you for ages,’ he tells me as he pulls out our picnic goods.
‘I’m so glad you didn’t take me to a restaurant. This feels so much more like you.’
Cole glances at me and blows me a kiss, but I lean over and kiss him softly instead, revelling in the softness of his lips gently kissing me back again. ‘Don’t blow kisses, you can always kiss me.’
I look around at the surroundings and truly feel overwhelmed. I have never had anyone go to this much effort for me before. ‘Thank you.’
‘For what?’
‘For everything,’ I tell him, and eagerly look at the food piling out of the hamper.
‘I got you sprite since you don’t like alcohol.’
He opens my sprite can and catches me staring off into the distance. He nudges me to ask what’s wrong when I blurt out, ‘Can I see your scar?’
Whoa I did not mean to say that out loud.
‘My heart scar?’
I feel like saying no, it’s my dad’s heart, but hold back and nod. I was thinking about it yesterday, and wondered if he would let me see it.
‘You just want to check me out,’ he teases and I smirk, thinking about that lovely thought of his abs.
‘Do you mind me stripping off in the middle of the beach?’ He asks as he undoes his shirt buttons. What girl is going to refuse that sight?
I wrinkle my nose and watch as I see his scar come into sight. My eyes immediately bulge when I see how big his scar actually is. I didn’t expect it to be so big and so deep looking. The scar contrasts the natural tan Cole has and it stretches out from his sternum southwards. The scar tissue looks so tender and different. He runs his finger up and down his scar. I watch as he does it and I move back a little.
‘Is it okay?’ I ask.
‘Yeah. It’s okay now. It was gory and horrible to begin with, but it’s healed well.’
Cautiously, I lean forward and gently touch my index finger to his scar and watch his eyes follow me as I run my finger up and down caressingly, careful not to hurt him. It then dawns on me what he must have gone through before, during and after that operation. All this time I’ve been thinking about my dad, I’ve put little thought into the recovery process Cole or any of the other recipients must have gone through after their operation. ‘You’re so brave, Cole.’
‘This is nothing compared to what you’ve gone through. I know it’s no consolation, but I’m going to be here for you whatever happens.’
I don’t want to challenge what he says, because what you say and what you do is very different, however much I believe him. I distract myself by doing his shirt buttons back up as he teases, ‘Too much of an ugly sight?’
‘No not at all, but having you shirtless means I can’t think straight.’ I grin at him, before planting a big kiss on his lips and gladly allow Cole to trap my body beneath his as we make out before our rumbling stomachs interrupt our public display of affection. After pulling apart, I sit between Cole’s legs as we devour the puddings first he brought us; gorgeous chocolate cake and passion fruit cheesecake. I swear he’s trying to get me fat, but this food is too good to pass up.
As the sun sets, Cole and I are just sitting silently watching the waves wash up against the sand and stones. I link our fingers together and kiss each of Cole’s fingertips and murmur, ‘This has been so special. Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome, girlfriend,’ he says and that makes me smile broadly. I’m his girlfriend. Hope Rigby, girlfriend of Cole Mellor. It makes my heart swoon. ‘We still need a nickname for you.’ I fold my arms and rest on the blanket to think a little more. It has to be something suitable so Jen can call him it too, so I can’t exactly suggest calling him dreamboat or sexy thang. Inappropriate thoughts cloud my mind as I try to think. ‘Get her to keep thinking and we’ll deliberate on it soon together.’
Cole looks at his plastic child-like watch and shows me it, signalling it’s probably best if we go now or else it’ll be gone eleven by the time we get back. We take a slow walk back to my house, when Cole stands outside and pulls me into a hug. Resting his head on top of mine, I hug him tightly, so tight I can feel his heart beating strong and consistently. I place my hand on his chest and glance up at him with a smile.
He cups my face in his hands as he leans down and softly brushes his lips over my own. It’s as if the world melts away in this moment as tender, soft kisses align my lips and a dominant tongue invades my mouth. Chuckling, I slip my tongue to meet his and bring him closer to me. It’s been a long time since I’ve kissed a guy and those measly kisses I’ve had before are nothing compared to Cole’s.
I affectionately pinch his cheek before bidding him goodbye and walking inside my grandparent’s house to their expecting eyes waiting in the kitchen. They’ve stayed up very late for them. They’re usually in bed and asleep by 9pm.
I raise my eyebrow at them both, when my Nan asks me to sit down. I sit in my usual spot and wait for what they’re going to say. This feels rather awkward, especially seeing as I am so dolled up and looking a little high in the sky from spending my first date with Cole.
‘Is this what I think it is?’ She asks, hinting to Cole’s car pulling away from their drive.
‘And what do you think it is?’ I ask, twisting my lips.
‘Are you and Cole in a relationship together?’ She questions, completely straight faced which worries me slightly. The word boyfriend also makes my cheeks flame and I nod sheepishly. Are they going to say I can’t date him?
‘How did this happen?’
I blush and shrug my shoulders. ‘It just has.’
‘And you like him?’
‘Of course I do. I wouldn’t be dating him if I didn’t.’
And then it hits me that my dad will never know that. My dad will never meet Cole. It’s never occurred to me that my dad would not meet Cole before now. He’ll never see how supportive Cole is to me and how happy he’s making me despite my previous low mood. He’ll never give me that awkward, ‘he can’t stay in your room’ talk or ‘no sex before marriage’ talk. All of a sudden, the incredible dizzy high I was feeling a little while ago has crumbled back around me and I realise how truly alone I am without my dad.
‘Your dad would approve of him,’ my Nan tells me softly, clearly seeing my mood dip.
All I can do is nod, before leaving them and going up to my room, feeling an incredible sadness fill my heart.