Broken Silence (6 page)

“No, but both houses are close to home, so I can just take washing to
Mum,” he said, shrugging his shoulders and chuckling.

“I bet you would too.”

“Definitely! She likes to feel needed. I’m doing this for her.” I laughed. I’m sure Jenna would love receiving bags of her grown up son’s washing every week. “Do you have any plans to get your own place?”

“No. I don’t think I can live alone, not yet anyway.” I hated being on my own. I didn’t feel safe.

Cole’s face fell, but he soon turned it around and smirked.

“No one to remove the spiders? You’d have so many glasses dotted around the house with spiders trapped inside
’em,” he teased. “Does Jasper catch them for you?”

Frowning, I shook my head. “No. Jasper throws them at me, and the spiders in Australia are bigger than cats.” Well perhaps not quite, but they were a lot bigger than the spiders in England that’s for sure.

“You wanna come with me next week?” Cole asked, changing the subject before he started laughing. “I could use another opinion. Apparently I’m too negative when house hunting.”

“Yeah? I’d love to,” I replied. I knew it wasn’t a date or anything, but I was still excited to spend more time with him.

“Good. Then if it falls down I can blame you.”

We stayed in the diner long after we’d finished eating and drinking. I managed to drag everything out for as long as I could, just wanting a little bit more time with him. Eventually though, there was nothing more I could do and Cole paid the bill. Nothing had changed; he never let me pay for anything.

His arm brushed against mine as we walked to his car. My breath caught in my throat. This was so nice, so normal for us. I didn’t want the talk to come, even though I knew it had to. I was enjoying things being as if I had never left.

Cole opened the car door for me, and I suddenly realised how close he was. Our faces were inches apart. My breath caught in my throat as he stared into my eyes. Was he going to kiss me? I couldn’t breathe properly. He still had the same effect on me.

His eyes flickered to my lips, and my heart soared. Everything else disappeared, and all I could see was his beautiful face. Was this a good idea, though? We’d only just managed to get back to being ‘friends’, and I really didn’t want to mess that up. I hated that he was angry with me. Kissing would only make things worse and make leaving again a million times harder on us both.

“Thanks,” I whispered, very reluctantly taking a step back. That seemed to snap him out of it, and he smiled, nodding for me to get in the car. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. That wasn’t easy to do. I wanted to be with him again so much.

Cole got in the car and started the engine.

“Err, Leona said you have to come back and play with her,” he said, scratching the back of his neck nervously. “I can get you out of it if you want. I mean you-”

I shook my head a little too enthusiastically. “No. I’d love to spend time with her.”
And you.

“Yeah. Okay, good.”

“You’re close?”

“Really close. Mia couldn’t afford to move out, so she stayed home with Leona. Kids are loud, and I barely got any sleep when she was really little, but I wouldn’t change it.”

“How is Chris with her?”

Cole made a distasteful face. He still wasn’t a Chris fan, then.

“He’s a good dad, I’ll give him that. Would still love to punch him in the face though.” I laughed. “At least Mia realised what an arsehole he is.”

As soon as we walked through the door, Leona ran at me. She looked just like Mia as a child. Thankfully, there wasn’t Chris in her at all. She was beautiful. “Oaley,” she chirped, mispronouncing my name. Her tiny little arms shot out for me to pick her up.

Balancing Leona on my hip, I followed Cole into the kitchen. He made a comment about how Leona would normally have gone to him first and that I was her new best friend. I couldn’t help smile a little at that; it meant a lot to me that Leona liked me. I missed so much of her little life and had a lot to make up for, and not just with her.

“Hi, sweetheart,” Jenna gushed, giving me an awkward hug around Leona. “Come and sit. I’ll make you a hot chocolate.” She smiled wide, showing her straight white teeth.

“Can I have some too?” Leona asked.

Jenna leant over and stroked her cheek. “You can have whatever you want.” Leona was so sweet and so innocent. It broke my heart that one day she would watch the news or overhear adults talking and understand that the world wasn’t some happy, perfect place.

I sat at the table between Cole and Leona. It was so cute watching them interact. Leona looked up at Cole as if he was her hero. He would be a great dad one day.

“Why are marshmallows squishy?” she asked Cole.

“Because they’re made from clouds,” he replied. She gasped and looked into her marshmallow topped hot chocolate with amazement.

“Clouds?” I asked.

He shrugged and mouth, “I have no idea how they’re made.”

I loved being at Cole’s house, always had. Going back to Ali’s
wasn’t what I wanted but I knew I couldn’t stay here. “I should probably go now.”

Cole stood up. “I’ll take you.”

In the car, I sank back in my seat and looked over at him driving again. “You really didn’t have to drive me back, you know. It’s not far to walk.”

“I’m not letting you walk, Oakley. You don’t know what psychos are out there.”

I
did
know what psychos were out there though. The world was not perfect. It was dark, evil, and full of monsters in human disguise. The world’s a horrible place, and you were no safer surrounded by family than you were wandering the streets alone.

Instead of voicing my opinion, I smiled and received one in return.
Yes, I definitely want him back.

Chapter Six

Cole

I drove to Ali’s house slowly. Oakley probably thought I had turned into an old man driver, but I just wanted to get a little extra time with her. God, if Ben was in my head right now he would definitely tell me to man up. I admit; my ‘pathetic-ness’ had progressed to a completely new level, but I was in love with her. That entitled me to act like a teenage girl, right?

As we approached the street, I slowed down a little more. “The accelerator is the one on the right,” Oakley teased, biting on her bottom lip. I loved it when she did that.

“Very funny,” I replied flatly. I pulled up outside the house and sighed quietly. This is where she leaves. “So
… I’ll see you on Tuesday? You’ll come view the houses?” That was only three days away.
Great, now I’m back to counting down the days until I can see her again!

She smiled, and her eyes lit up. “Yes, definitely.”

I watched her like a stalker as she got out of the car and bent over to look back in. “Will you text me when you get home?”

“I would, but I don’t have your number. Obviously, I’m not one of the privileged ones.” I pouted my lip, and she rolled her eyes.

“Give me your phone then, Mr Dramatic,” she said, holding her hand out.

Sighing, faking annoyance, I handed her my phone. This was how we used to be, teasing each other.
This is how it’s supposed to be.

My fingers brushed over hers as she took the phone. There was a small smile on her lips and a blush on her cheeks as we touched. It was good to know that she felt the same. I watched her closely as she punched her number in my phone. I couldn’t believe I actually survived four years without her.
Nice. Very melodramatic!

“Done,” she announced, handing me the phone back. I made sure my fingers touched hers again and like last time, her cheeks flushed. “Feel special now?”

I pretended to think about it for a minute. “Um, no. You’re gonna have to do a lot more than that to make me feel special.”

She raised her eyebrow and tried to stop herself from smiling. “Really?” I nodded, my eyes lingering over her lips.

“Alright,” she said, giving me a cute smile that made my heart stop. “I’ll buy the ice cream on Tuesday.”

Oakley didn’t look back at me as she walked into the house. Was that deliberate? I think it was.
Damn, I’m in some serious trouble.
I had a feeling she would still be able to wrap me around her finger. In fact, I knew she could, and I think she knew it too.

I drove back to my house with the biggest smile on my face. This day couldn’t get better. Well it could if she turned up naked in my room.
Stop it.
I pulled into my driveway, behind Chelsea’s car.
Did we have plans?

Mum and Leona walked out of the door as I started up the path.

‘Oh, hi, sweetheart,” Mum said. “Chelsea’s inside. I’m just taking Leona to get her hair cut.”

I knelt down to Leona’s height and flicked her hair. “You having it all cut off like mine?”

Her mouth dropped open, and she looked up at Mum. “I not Nana,” she shouted, looking a little terrified.

“No, you’re not, sweetie.” Mum frowned. “Cole,” she scolded.

“Sorry,” I said and chuckled. Sometimes I couldn’t help myself. Leona’s reactions were funny. “You tell the hairdresser to keep it long.” Leona nodded and skipped off to the car.

I expected Chelsea to be in the lounge or kitchen, but she was in my room. “Hi,” she said, looking at the picture of me and Oakley that still sat on my desk.

“Hey. What’s up?”

She sat down on my bed.

“You seem happy.”

I nodded slowly. This was going somewhere I didn’t want it to go.

“It’s good. You haven’t smiled like that since I’ve known you.” I hadn’t smiled properly since a good while before that.

“I am happy.”

“You know at one point I thought I could be the one that made you smile like that, but I get it now. You need her.”

She was right; I did need Oakley.

“Sorry I didn’t want more from you.” It almost sounded like a question the way I said it. I had no clue what I should say. I was not good with situations like this.

Chelsea laughed quietly. “Don’t worry about it. You’re not the only good-looking guy in the world!”

I shook my head in mock disbelief.

“Liar. Look, we’re good, right?”

Chelsea was a good friend and had really been there for me over the last two years. I didn’t want to lose her friendship.

“Yeah, course we are.” She waved her hand dismissively, and I knew that was over. “So, what’s going on then? You back together?”

I frowned. “Not yet. Well I don’t know if we ever will be.” Chelsea cocked her head to the side, looking at me sceptically. “I’m serious, Chels. Say we got back together and everything’s great. As soon as the trial ends she’s going back. I don’t think I could do that again,” I admitted. Actually I
knew
I couldn’t do it again.

“You’re dumb, Cole.” That took me by surprise. So I was dumb now? “You could ask her to stay with you, and if she can’t, then go with her.”

Wow, she had done a total one eighty! Only a few days ago she was telling me to get over her, and now she was shipping me off to Australia.

“Look, if you find someone that makes you this happy then you need to make it work. Life is way too short. Tell her you love her, kiss her, and get her back. You’ll regret it if you don’t. Anyway I gotta go. Good luck with Oakley. You should invite her and her weird brother along tomorrow night.” Did she
just
come here to say all that?

“Yeah, thanks.”

Chelsea skipped out of my room, waving her hand over her shoulder.

I should invite Oakley tomorrow. I had never seen her on a proper night out before. Did she drink now? I couldn’t imagine it. Chuckling to myself, I dialled her number. Should I ring her so soon after dropping her off? Damn was I the stalker ex now?

“You made it then?” Oakley said down the phone, sounding amused.

“No hello?”

“Hello, Cole,” she replied sarcastically.

Thankfully, she couldn’t see me because I was smiling like an idiot again.

“You and Jasper are coming out with us tomorrow night.” I didn’t give her an option. She needed a night out, and I needed to see her.

“If it’s a strip club, I’m walking straight out of there.”

I could practically see her grinning. It was still a little strange hearing her speak. I would usually just look at her expressions and reactions to know what she was thinking.

“Prude!” I teased. “No strip club, I promise. We’re just going to a couple
of clubs.”

“Okay, we’ll come.”

“I’ll pick you up at eight. Wear something short,” I said, hanging up and laughing to myself. I bet she was blushing.

Less than a minute later, I received a text message from Oakley, a one-word text that made me smile from ear to ear. ‘Behave!’

The rest of the day, I spent with Leona, helping her draw princess castles. I didn’t even care that I was wearing a pink tiara while we drew, nothing could remove the smile from my face. Once I’d finished drawing the princess in front of the golden castle I gave it to Leona for her approval.

“What do you think, Fifi?”

“It’s Princess Oaley,” she chirped, smiling at me with one of those wide smiles where you could see all her teeth. Oakley? I looked down at the picture, and Leona was right, I’d drawn the princess with long blonde hair and blue eyes.

“Err, yeah.” Damn it. Now I’m drawing her!

“Do you love Oaley?” Leona asked bluntly. I loved how kids had absolutely no tact at all, kind of like Jasper.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Tan I be bridesmaid? Jessa was, and I want to be one too.” God, the bridesmaid thing again. Leona was absolutely devastated that her friend Jessa was a
‘
princess bridesmaid’
and she hadn’t ever been one. She even tried convincing Mia to get married so she could be a princess for the day.

Leona looked up at me with big hopeful eyes, the ones that magically expected me to make all her wishes come true. How do I tell her that I don’t think I’ll ever be lucky enough to get Oakley back, let alone marry her?

I pulled her on my lap and she immediately started rearranging the stupid tiara on my head.

“When I get married you can be the princess bridesmaid.” She squealed and threw her arms around my neck, squeezing tight.

Leona distracted me for a while but as soon as she went to bed, my mind wondered back to Oakley. Again. So I wouldn’t call her for no reason other than to just hear her voice, I showered and played the PlayStation until I was tired enough to go to sleep.

I gulped, raking my eyes over Oakley’s outfit. She wore a sexy little dark blue dress. It sat just above her knees and clung to her body, but unlike a lot of girls clubbing, she didn’t look like she was trying too hard. She actually looked so beautiful I could barely breathe.

“Put your tongue away, Cole,” Ben joked. I glared but did stop staring, just as Oakley and Jasper got in the car.

Jasper sat in front of me, next to Chelsea, and Oakley sat beside me.

“I thought I said short,” I whispered as she put her seatbelt on. She glared. “I’m kidding. You look amazing.”

“Thanks, you look alright.” She shrugged and smirked.

Tonight, I learnt something new. It only took three drinks to get Oakley drunk. She clung to the bar and laughed at god knows what. We had lost Kerry and Ben a while ago. Chelsea was dancing with some random guy, and Jasper chatted up everything with a pulse.

“You’re such a lightweight,” I nudged Oakley in the ribs, gently.

She gasped. “Let’s do shots!”

What? I shook my head.

“I’ve never been this drunk before. Can we do Sambuca? I haven’t had that one.” She waved her hand to get the barman’s attention before I even had time to reply.

I made eye contact with Jasper and gestured for him to come over. He was beside us in seconds.

“Jas, we’re doing Sambuca,” Oakley announced to her brother

His mouth dropped open. “
You’re
doing shots?”

Oakley nodded enthusiastically. “We all are. Three Sambucas please,” she said to the barman.

“Is this a good idea?” Jasper asked.

She handed him a shot. “Yes. Drink.”

I tipped the disgusting liquid in my mouth and swallowed. She may not have had it before, but I had, and it tasted like piss! Oakley slapped her hand over her mouth; her face scrunched up in disgust. It was worth it!

“I don’t like that,” she slurred, slamming the shot glass down on the bar.

“What the hell are you looking at?” Jasper suddenly shouted at some guy who was standing beside us. What’s that guy done?

“Jas, don’t.” Oakley pushed him towards the exit, and I followed. What the hell had I missed?

Outside they had a quick argument, and I barely picked up one word.

“Watch her,” Jasper mumbled and walked back inside.

Huh? I looked around in utter confusion.

“Err, what was that about?” I asked.

Oakley glared in the direction Jasper disappeared in. “Jasper gets ridiculously overprotective if someone even looks in my direction.”

That guy was looking at her?
I
wanted to go punch him.

“Anyway, forget about him. Wanna do another shot?” She raised her eyebrows and smiled, but she wasn’t fooling me.

“You don’t want to do another shot, Oakley.”

“Yes I do. The next couple of months are gonna be really hard. I want to get drunk.” So that’s what this was about. She was drinking away her problems. Not happening.

I shook my head.

“It’s going to be okay.”

Reaching out, I touched her arm, and she started crying.
Shit!
I stepped into her, wrapping my arms around her beautiful body and held her tight. It made me feel sick seeing her upset. I just wished there was something I could do to make it better. Some way of turning back time and protecting her from those sick bastards.

She buried her head right into my neck and clung
onto me. This was going to happen at some point though. She was trying to be strong and pretend everything was fine but it wasn’t. Even if they got the maximum sentence, it wouldn’t be fine. This was never going away.

“I’m scared, Cole,” she admitted and sobbed on my shoulder. I held her tighter and kissed the side of her head.
I’m scared too.