Chapter Two : I'm Her Evil Russian Twin Svetlana
"So honey I hear that Cole's back." My father says as we sit around the dining table for dinner.
Oh he isn't back yet if he was then I would not be sitting here in once piece I think as I angrily stab a pea.
"He is? I didn't know." I reply and my mother snorts in disbelief and chuckles, "You two always were so adorable together. That boy could just never leave you alone." She reminisces fondly as I struggle to contemplate which part of the misery I had been put through looked 'adorable' to my mother.
"I wish he did." I grumble
"Now Tess we can't have you on bad terms with the Sheriff's son can we? Its election year and we need all the help we can get." My dad says and I give him my best 'are you kidding me' look. If he wants me to smooch off to Cole just to make him win an election he could say goodbye to the office of the Mayor.
"Especially since your father was such a disappointment this term." My mom says sweetly but making sure that her words sting as much as they can. I could sense the beginnings of a fight so I finished my dinner in record time all thoughts of Cole forgotten and rush upstairs before someone started throwing cutlery around.
"Travis get up!" I shout outside my brother's door knocking on it loudly three times and stopping when he utters his usual greeting, the f word.
Now it might seem strange to you that my brother wakes up around dinner time but we've all gotten used to his nocturnal nature. My parents understand that they've lost their prodigal son and I've realized that the best way to deal with new Travis is to keep a safe distance.
See Travis is now twenty-one and still living at home because he got kicked out of his college for plagiarizing a paper. Then the love of his life dumped him and he resorted to alcohol in order to and I quote. "Deal with this shit." Ever since last year he's almost always been chronically hung over and as much as my father wants he cant do anything about it. He's the Mayor and he cannot be airing his dirty laundry out in public. When someone asks about him we simply either ignore them or say something along the lines of how he's working on his other 'ambitions' such as writing the next great American novel.
In the midst of this dysfunctional family we have me ex-Fatty Tessie on the verge of what some might claim to be a nuclear attack others might refer to it as Cole Stone's return.
I plop down on my bed and take out the material needed for my homework. I have an essay due tomorrow which I've written already actually I wrote the ten page monster the day it was assigned. When being a nerd is the only option you've got left a social life is pretty much non-existent. Nicole has made sure that I'm shunned from any sort activity that might involve me having fun. Why she has to go to such major extents I have no idea.
I'm proofreading the essay and adding foot notes when my dad enters my room. His face is flushed and it's because of all the screaming that was just going on downstairs.
"Are you free Tess?" He asks expectantly
"Well not exactly I have this assignment..."
It's like he hasn't even heard what I just said and thrusts a folder into my hands, "Good I need you to take these to the Sheriff right now. I would've done it myself but I'm going to head out and he needs these right away."
"But Dad..."
He wants me to go the Stone's? Is he out of his mind? Does he want me dead; am I that big of a disappointment to him that he's readily sending me to my doom itself? I can't go to the Sherriff's house because that Sherriff fathered Cole and if Cole's back...
No Way!
"You will do as I say Tess or you'll be grounded." He says smugly.
Oh he has no idea who I am does he?
"Then ground me." It's not like I go anywhere except the mall sometimes with Megan and Beth and none of them are keen shoppers so we mostly end up sitting at Starbucks with Beth disappearing of to the music store for hours and Megan talking on and on and on about whatever she's heard that day.
He sighs, "Just do it Tess and no arguments. I would've sent your brother but since it's morning according to whatever clock he lives by he'll either be too drunk to function or too hung over to actually comprehend what I just said."
Yeah my dad's not a big fan of Travis.
"But Dad Cole might be there and you of all people know how bad he is to me!" I whine practically willing to fall to his feet and beg him to not make me go.
"Now is not the time for dramatics sweetie, take these papers and go." He pulls me upright and basically pushes me towards the door.
"You're a mean parent you know that right?"
I say as he walks me down the stairs and to the front door which he oh so graciously opens for me. "You don't become the Mayor by being nice now go."
Then he shuts the door on my face.
Oh I do love my family.
I wish I could say that the Stone residence was miles and miles away and during the journey I experienced severe dehydration, fainted and ended up at the local hospital with my father apologizing profusely for being such a dictator.
However it's me we're talking about and it only takes about five minutes before I end up outside their house. My hand lingers on the bell as I imagine all the possible scenarios which might occur IF Cole is actually inside.
Most of them end up with me in the same local hospital but with a lot of broken bones and a badly bruised ego.
Whilst Cole has never physically hurt me many of his pranks have been designed to target my obvious lack of coordination and somehow I always end up in a cast.
Always. In fact I'm on first name terms with the people in the emergency room, during the years from kindergarten to junior high I have ended up there more times than I can count. Now even though I haven't been there for nearly four years it's not like I exactly miss the place and the wonderful smell of disinfectant I'd rather not visit old Martha who's my favourite nurse anytime soon.
Okay so now I'm digressing. Focus Tessa focus!
I squeeze my eyes shut and press the damned button twice. Five minutes after waiting I decide to turn the door knob maybe I'm lucky and no one's home. The Sherriff often spends long hours at the police station and his second wife and Jay's mom is a doctor who works late night shifts at the hospital.
Jay could be out too I think grudgingly, he could be out with Nicole and the thought makes me clench my fists.
The just leaves one person...
You really owe me one dad.
Luckily I turn the knob and the door opens I stick my head inside to find the television room empty. A single light illuminates the path to the kitchen which is mostly dark. From memory I recall that the boys' rooms are upstairs while Mr. and Mrs. Stone's is on the left of the kitchen. I step in lightly just so that I don't make a sound. I was told to deliver the papers to a person and not just leave them lying around but I could always tell my dad that no one was home.
Yeah that's a good idea!
I walk further into the house clutching the file in my hands treading lightly. I leave the folder on a small desk which holds some other important looking documents.
"Yoo hoo Tessie." Comes a sing song voice and my head shoots up instinctively which is a rookie mistake after all these years.
The moment I look up I see the bucket in his hands but as usual am too slow to respond. Cole stands behind the banisters and spills the contents of said bucket directly onto me and in a matter of seconds I am completely drenched in ice cold water.
While the shock settles in I hear the burst of evil laughter that erupts from the monster's mouth. I stand there open mouthed and soaked, the fact that I'd just been pranked not settling in.
He basically skips down the stairs still laughing as I stand rooted to my spot.
"Ahh Tessie how I've missed you." He chuckles when he nears me but the amusement in his face dies when he sees me.
"You're not Tessie." He frowns standing right in front of me.
Ladies and Gentlemen meet Cole Stone. An entire 6'1 of pure evilness, he could fool the world with his shaggy brown hair and baby blue eyes but not me. I see him exactly as he is and he is the devil reincarnated!
"But you're still an immature nincompoop." I seethe finally realizing that I was dripping wet. I pull my soaked t-shirt away from me and push away the hair that's stuck to my mouth. Urgh!
"You called me a nincompoop and you're in my house when Tessie's father said she'd be here. Who are you and what have you done to my shortcake?" He exclaims gripping my shoulders and pushing me forwards.
Okay is he for real.
I slap his chest and push away, "Okay I'm 5'7 so calling me shortcake doesn't make sense and don't touch me ever again Stone or I will castrate you."
"Seriously the only girl who could want harm to come to my balls would be Tessie but you aren't her..."
"No I'm her evil Russian twin Svetlana and I'm here to kill you in your sleep."
"The sarcasm the threat to my balls and calling me nincompoop you really are Tessie aren't you?" He says like he's in shock.
In his defense the last time he saw me I weighed as much as two Sumo Wrestlers and proudly sported a double chin plus my hair had always been stuck in the unfashionable bob while now it reached my waist. It was soaked and frizzing at the speed of sound but it was still long.
"Oh I'm so grateful that you believe me now get out of my way."
"When did you become hot Tessie?" He says still looking slightly dazed and turning a deaf ear to all the profanities coming out of my mouth as I realize that my teeth are chattering.
I try not to blush when he calls me hot but he's basically the first guy to say that and my cheeks can't help but heat up. I cannot seriously be blushing because of something Cole Stone said! That's like blasphemy or something.
"Well that's more than what I can say for you you're still as ugly as ever." I stick my tongue out at him and he smirks bloody conceited jerk.
"The one thing I know I'm is ugly because if I was I wouldn't have scored the number of hot girls at military school and let me tell you they are wild." He wiggles his eyebrows and I feel my dinner coming back up.
"Okay you're officially making me sick and I should leave before I throw up."
"Like you did in third grade during your memorable performance as Snow White?" He says innocently and I glare at him.
"You! You gave me that rancid cupcake I did not throw up because of nerves."
"Whatever you want to believe sweetheart."
I groan and head for the door but it opens before I can get to it and with my luck being as brilliant as it is Jay walks inside looking absolutely incredible in a beige sweater and dark denim jeans.
Swoon.
"Tessa?" His eyes widen as he takes in my appearance. Great just great the one time I run into him without Nicole standing over his shoulder I look like a dog that's just been hosed. Oh the joys of being Tessa O'Connell.
"Err hi Jay." I say stupidly and give him a small smile he smiles back awkwardly and we stand in silence just staring at each other it's the perfect silence the kind that is in all the romance novels I read. It's the kind which is only interrupted when the guy kisses the girl and everything becomes magical.
However this one ended because Cole starts making fake gagging sounds.
This is my version of a romance novel and it would make the makers of Mills and Boons shed tears of blood.
"You guys are so pathetic." He pretends to choke and I wish he really would. Jay glares at him and strides past me to hit him on the back of his head.
"I thought I told you to leave her alone." He growls but Cole just rolls his eyes.
"You're just jealous." He says to his step brother who in turn looks confused.
"Why would I be jealous?"
"I can make her wet and you can't." My face scrunches in disgust as he winks at me and this time I definitely taste the bile.
"Dude you're sick."
"Beats being a wimp."
"You don't know what you're talking about." I see Jay's temper rising but the conversation has stopped making sense to me.
"I know enough brother." Cole pats Jay's shoulder in fake sympathy.
"Come on shortcake let me get you some dry clothes before you become a human Popsicle." He says this without taking his eyes off of his brother both seemed to be involved in some sort of a staring contest but it's Jay who gives up first and turns to face me.
"You can come with me I'll get you a towel." He says kindly and I nod eagerly before Cole snorts and destroys the moment once again.
"I don't think that's a good idea Jay Jay what will your girlfriend say when she finds out you've been spending time with Tessie here."
I'm about to tell him off and say that Jay isn't afraid of Nicole and that he can be friends with me without thinking about how Nicole would react. But the hesitation that comes across his face is like a punch to the stomach as I realize that Cole's hit the nail right on the head. Jay pulls away from me like there's some sort of invisible force field between us
A force field named Nicole Andrea Bishop.
Before I know it Cole's tugging me by the hand and guiding me up to his room. I keep my eyes on Jay even though he's trying to look anywhere but at me. I'm in love with the guy and all but sometimes I wish he was stronger than this.
Cole pulls me into his room or what looks like the framework of one. White sheets cover the bed and the two-seater while boxes are lined up everywhere. A thin film of dust coated every visible surface and I wrinkled my nose when I noticed the newly taped posters of half dressed busty women on the walls.
"Nice to see you've prioritized decorating your room before unpacking or even you making it inhabitable." I said dryly letting my eyes wander over the space.
Cole was digging into one of the boxes and produced an army green hoodie, "Think fast shortcake" he said but with my reflexes the hoodie smacked me right in the face nearly blinding me in the process.
"Thanks" I said my voice muffled by the fabric as I escaped into the nearest bathroom to change out of my wet shirt.
When I come back Cole is lying down on his bed staring at the ceiling as his head rested on his arms. He smirks slightly as I enter, "This is the part where I say you look sexier in my clothes than I ever did but the narcissist in me won't let me do that."
"I'd rather you not."
Damn blush! He had just indirectly called me sexy. Oh My God.
Wait he's totally playing me, he's going to make me think that he likes me and just when I start to fall for his charm he'll pull some outrageous prank which will land me right back into the emergency room and back with good old Martha.
"No I'm serious Tessie you've really changed."
He sounds serious and for a moment I let myself believe that he means everything he says and that he does think I look good even if that's a compliment I want from his step brother and not him. However it feels nice that losing all that weight made a difference to someone since I was still the fat loser to everyone else at ALHS.
"I would totally bang you now."
Then again I'd just slap him than have him say nice or crude things to me.
"I would rather pull my teeth out with pliers than even imagine that possibility Stone." I cross my arms in front of my chest to look intimidating.
"Oh you want me don't deny it. All these years of pretending to hate me the sexual tension building up inside you must be insane."
I scoff at his arrogance and realize that I'm just killing brain cells by trying to reason with him so I decide to make a run for it.
"Well it's been a pleasure having you back to ruin my life but I need to go before I strangle you."
"Kinky." He winks at me and I throw my hands in the air aggravated to a point where the instinct to just put an end to his life is uncannily strong.
"Goodbye Cole."
I turn on my heel and slam his door shut as he chuckles behind me. I have been in the house for no more than thirty minutes but it feels like I've been going at it with Cole for centuries. A dull ache is spreading through my skull as I realize that today's only the first of many to come and that he's back for good. Any peace and quiet that I had expected in my senior year evaporated the minute He-devil decided to return to our great town. I'd learnt to deal with Nicole albeit it was the most cowardly way ever but we were existing and it was okay. The last thing I needed was the arrival of a boy whose wishes to see flailing are as strong as Nicole's.
Rhyming names and all.
I see Jay still sitting in the TV room watching Criminal Minds; I smile because I know how obsessed he is with it. Jay was good, Jay was pure, and Jay would never make me unhappy well not intentionally.
As I near the door I don't know if to say goodbye or whether that would be too awkward after the exchange that just took place. I think better of it as I exit the house quickly, I know he heard me leave but he didn't do anything about it. My heart hurts and I wonder if he'll ever like me half as much as I like him.
I'm on their driveway when the devil reappears. Cole calls my name as he sticks his head out of his bedroom window. That' how he knew I was in the house when he tipped the bucket over me, sneaky bastard.
"What?" I shout as he grins at me with that devil may care smile.
"Be ready at seven tomorrow I'm picking you up."
"What makes you think I'd sit in a car with you let alone make a twenty minute drive?"
"I'm not exactly asking you shortcake I'm telling you. If you don't come I will grab you kicking and screaming."
"You're crazy!"
"Crazy enough to do it."
The entire conversation consists of us yelling sentences to each other and it isn't long before a woman with graying hair comes of the adjacent house, tugging her robe tighter around herself and yelling at us, 'filthy teenagers to shut our traps'
"Now will you come with me or do you need another visit from Mrs. Lebowski, I heard she owns a Great Dane and that Scooby aint afraid to bite."
He's still yelling but now he's just doing it for kicks.
"Fine" I mutter so that it's hardly noticeable, "Fine!" I say loudly and he flashes me his trademark 100 watt smile.
"See you tomorrow shortcake." He says and shuts his window and I realize that I've just signed my very own death warrant.
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SIGH-this is long right? I tried making it longer so that you guys could have plenty of Cole and also because I'm so freaked by the fact that this story already has 1000 reads and is doing well on the what's hot lists. WOW.
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