That Summer (Part One) (17 page)

“I
know that, baby. I don’t mind having the tests, I really don’t.” He assures me.

I
smile up at him and sigh with contentment, trying to stifle my yawn. I can’t
hide how tired I am from him for a moment longer. I’m utterly exhausted and all
I want to do now is close my eyes.

“We
best try and go to sleep now.” I announce drowsily, snuggling back down against
him.

“You
look so tired. Do you really have to go to school tomorrow? Can’t you miss one
day?”

“Cole,
I’ve never skipped a single day of school before in my life” I divulge,
somewhat embarrassed by my statement.

Everyone
has skipped at least one day of lessons, right? Everyone except me of course.

“So
one day really won’t matter, will it? Just think about it, Serena, we could
spend the whole day together without any interruptions. How perfect would that
be?” He entices, gazing steadily at me.

“What
about my mum? She might be at home tomorrow.” I speculate, weighing up the pros
and cons of me actually missing school the following day.

“If
she is then you can always come over to my place.” Cole offers, persistent in
his quest to convince me.

“She
probably won’t even be here. She might choose to spend tonight at a friend’s
house and spend the day there as well.”

“So
it’s settled. You and I will get to spend the entire day together tomorrow.
Just us.”

“Just
Us.” I repeat uncertainly. “You already know I can’t say no to you, Cole.
You’re my weakness.”

“Needing
someone is not a weakness Serena. It’s a strength.” He declares boldly.

“I
guess we’ll just have to wait and see.” I whisper, feeling dubious and
doubtful.

I
eventually fall into a restless and agitated sleep, tossing back and forth as
my disturbing dreams continue to obstruct my relaxation. I dream that there is
this supreme, unyielding and omnipotent force which somehow wants to keep me
and Cole apart. Every time he is in reach and I can almost touch him, this
magnetic, unseen power steals him away from me. The distance between us
increases until I reach the point where I can’t even see Cole anymore. He’s
vanished right in front of me and even though I can hear him calling my name, I
know there is no way back for us.

He
is gone forever.

Chapter Seven

Over
the next couple of weeks, Cole and I spend most nights together. He usually
waits until my mum has gone to bed before he comes over and I’ve somehow
managed to sneak him inside without getting caught. Thank God my mum still
works a lot of overnight shifts at the hospital, allowing Cole and I to have
the whole house to ourselves without the risk of disturbing her.

The
only one who knows about our overnight arrangements is Lisa and she’s promised
to keep it to herself, realising the trouble it would cause if she were to say
anything. People talk and I have no doubt that they would so easily jump to the
wrong conclusion about us if they heard we were sharing the same bed every
night.

Things
have been so much easier for me at school since the first night that Cole
stayed over. The people who used to ignore me and then went on to treat me with
disdain and ridicule now greet me in the hallway like I’m their long lost
friend. The bitchy girls now say hi to me and almost seem desperate to become
my friend and the guys tend to keep their distance. It’s almost as though
they’re too nervous to approach me and only smile at me when I catch them
staring.

I
had no idea what was going on until Lisa finally filled me in a few days after
I’d noticed everyone was starting to act strange around me. She told me she had
managed to get one of Cole’s friends to open up to her about what was going on
and afterwards, I could hardly believe what she had just told me.

Cole
had basically warned every single guy at school to stay the hell away from me.
He had threatened everyone he thought might look in my direction, approach me
or just admire me in general and he had also told the girls to leave me alone.
I’m not sure he threatened them but they did follow his instructions and had
started to treat me with decency instead of their usual contempt I had become
accustomed to.

I
couldn’t understand how he had done it seeing as all of this change occurred
whilst he was still on his suspension from school but when I asked him about he
just shrugged his shoulders, trying to pretend that he didn’t have a clue what
I was talking about.

The
main buzz around school took place when I started using Cole’s locker. I knew
it would generate a new load of gossip and that’s why I was somewhat reluctant
when it came to sharing one with Cole.

My
old vandalised locker was now being used by one of Jonathan’s friends who I had
caught cleaning it but I politely turned down his offer when he suggested that
I use his for the time being. His face turned pale when I informed him that I
was sharing Cole’s locker instead and I swear I saw actual fear in his eyes
when he thought he had crossed a line with his suggestion.

I
assured him I wasn’t angry, even though I’m now pretty sure it was him and a
couple of others who decided to trash my property in the first place. I had
more important things to think about and my most preoccupying thought was the
knowledge that Cole’s suspension was nearly over.

I
had no idea what life would be like with Cole being at school again and I
worried about it so much, it even stopped me from sleeping. I would toss and
turn, tormenting myself by the idea that things would soon go back to normal if
he returned to school. I was terrified he would ignore me like he used to
before and the possibility of seeing him with other girls made me feel sick
with envy and insecurity.

“Don’t
you trust him?” Lisa asks, linking her arm through mine as we make our way into
school. “Is that what all of this is about?”

“I
do trust him… at least I think I do. I just can’t help being afraid that
everything will revert back to how it was before Cole got suspended.” I admit,
glancing around the school car park as we near the entrance.

“But
you’ve almost spent every single night together since then, why would you doubt
him now?”

“Oh,
I don’t know. I guess I’m just being a little paranoid.”

“Don’t
say that.” She comforts me. “You’re allowed to be nervous.”

“Am
I?”

“Of
course. Today is a big deal for the pair of you. You’ve both grown used to the
situation and you’re just a little scared that the end of his suspension will
change things.”

“But
do you think it will?”

I
come to a standstill and gaze up at the school’s building before it. It looks
so daunting, towering above me with a dark and thunderous sky above it. It’s
been threatening to rain since I woke up this morning, storm clouds leaving no
room for the comfort of the sunshine or the light it brings.

“Serena,
it’s bound to change things but that’s a good thing! I promise you it will all
work out for you.” She concludes, smiling at me warmly.

“Thanks,
Lise. Thanks for everything.”

“Don’t
mention it, now let’s hurry up before we both get in trouble for being late!”

My
first lesson of the day is English. It’s also the only lesson I share with Cole
and the apprehension that I feel as I make my way down the main corridor
towards the classroom is beyond anything I’ve ever experienced.

The
last time I heard from Cole was the night before. He didn’t stay over because
he said he had some things to do before he came back to school today and I
didn’t want to ask any intrusive questions at the time. However, that doesn’t
mean I haven’t been wondering since then what he was referring to. I just hope
to God it has nothing to do with Jonathan. I heard from Lisa that one of his
friends told her he’s now out of hospital but won’t be back at school for a few
more weeks. I’m dreading the thought of seeing him again and realise that I’ll
have to have a serious talk with Cole before either one of us see Jonathan
again. I can’t risk Cole doing anything that’s going to get him into any more
trouble and I don’t want the idiot who tried to attack me to get away with
causing any more trouble for Cole.

I
pause outside the classroom door, trying to gather up all of my strength before
I open it, struggling to find the courage to go in there. What if Cole’s
already inside? Do I say hi to him? Do I ignore him? Should I sit next to him?
So many questions keep racing through my head, confusing everything until I
feel like I might faint or pass out from the fear of stepping inside a harmless
classroom.

“There’s
my girl.”

Two
strong arms circle my waist, pulling me back against a solid chest as I’m
deliberately moved away from the doorway.

“Cole!
What are you doing here?” I exclaim excitedly, spinning around to face him.

“I’m
about go in there for English.” He replies casually, nodding in the direction
of the classroom. “Aren’t you coming inside?”

“No,
umm… I mean yes.” I stammer. “I was just waiting.”

“Waiting
for me?” He asks, his eyes sparkling with playful mischief.

“No!
I-I guess I was just feeling nervous, that’s all.”

“There’s
no need to be. I already told you that we’re in this together.” He assures me,
taking hold of my hand as he leads me towards the classroom. “Come on, there’s
nothing to be afraid of, ok?”

“Ok.”
I whisper uncertainly, squeezing Cole’s hand tightly.

All
eyes are on us as soon as we step through the doorway and there doesn’t seem to
be a teacher in sight. I presume she hasn’t arrived yet and hate the fact that
we didn’t wait a little longer to come inside. At least no one would be able to
say anything if the lesson had already started.

“You’re
sitting with me.” Cole orders, almost commanding me as he places his hands on
my shoulders and steers me towards the back of the classroom.

“I
normally sit near the front.” I murmur, glancing over my shoulder.

“From
now on you sit at the back with me. No exceptions.” He instructs me, pulling my
chair out for me so I can take a seat.

I
collapse into my chair, relieved that I no longer have to stand up in front of
our inquisitive audience. I avert my gaze towards my desk, trying to decipher
all the individual markings and slogans that past students have used to mark
their territory. I can’t bring myself to look up, knowing I’ll have to face the
prying eyes of everyone in front of me.

“You
can all stop staring now.” Cole snaps bitterly, glowering at the people who are
still watching us observantly. “I’m with Serena and if anyone has a problem
with that, I want you to come and say it to my face, not hers. Is that
understood?”

There’s
a momentary silence before a few people agree, acknowledging his statement and
turning away from us at last.

“Thank
God for that.” I say softly, sighing with relief. “I’ve never experienced
anything like that before.”

“And
you won’t again. No one will dare say anything to you and if they do, let me
know.”

He
speaks with certainty, utterly convinced that no one in this place will hassle
me again.

“You
can’t always fight my battles for me, Cole. You won’t always be there to
protect me.”

“Yeah,
I will.” He growls, touching my chin so he can make me look at him. “I’ll
always be there to keep you safe, no matter what.”

The
rest of my day feels kind of blurry. I don’t remember a great deal about it,
except that Cole and I are the talk of the school. It’s more than a little
disconcerting for me to go from being completely ignored to someone who is
recognised and accepted in a way I never have been before. I’m not sure I’m
comfortable with it but try my best to go along with it and realise that this
might be how things will be from now on.

At
lunchtime, I head towards the cafeteria to meet Lisa at our usual table. I was
a couple of minutes late getting out of History so I expect she’s in there
already and I quicken my steps in my attempt to reach the dining hall a little
sooner.

Sure
enough, my best friend is at our table and waves me over as soon as she spots
me. I join her but promptly realise I best join the queue before they run out
of food and grab a plate.

I
figure that I’m only going to have a few minutes left to eat my food before I
have to rush off for my afternoon lessons and tap my foot impatiently, eager
for the line of students waiting in front of me to get shorter.

It’s
only when a bunch of guys from my year barge right into me and shove me against
the wall that I finally lose my temper.

“You
do know there’s a queue! What right do you have to cut in line?” I exclaim
loudly, capturing the attention of some of the students nearby.

One
of them turns around, looking me up and down in a lecherous manner.

“I’ll
tell you what I’ll do… I’ll let you go in front of me so long as you let me
take you from behind.” He sneers, idiotically waiting for his friends to jeer
him on.

Except
they don’t. All of them remain silent, refusing to back him up or even laugh at
his disgusting joke.

“Excuse
me?”

“You
heard me, Princess. I heard that’s what you like. At least that’s what Lewis
said before he left last year.” He sniggers contemptuously.

The
whole dining hall goes silent all of a sudden, causing me to feel even more
embarrassed and humiliated than I did a second ago.

Two
footsteps approach me from behind, sparking fear in the face of my aggressor. I
look behind me and see Cole striding over towards us. The expression on his
face is dark and cold, resembling a man who only has murderous intentions in
mind. I hurry over to him, placing my small hands against his heaving chest.

“Cole,
please don’t.” I beg him, imploring him with my eyes as I look up at him in alarm.

“Get
out of my way, Serena. In fact, get the hell out of here altogether. I don’t
want you to see this.” He growls menacingly, his eyes a thunderous shade of
black.

“Cole,
stop it. He’s not worth it and you know he isn’t. Please don’t jeopardise
everything you have because of one idiot talking nonsense.”

“He
was threatening you.” He whispers, taking a step closer towards me so no one
else can hear him.

“No,
he wasn’t.” I proclaim frantically. “He really wasn’t. He just cut in front of
me, that’s all.”

“That’s
all?” He challenges me, staring down at me in anger. “That’s given me a good
enough reason to beat the hell out of him.”

“Really?
That’s a good enough reason to put another guy in the hospital?”

“Tell
me what he said to you.” Cole demands, ignoring my question.

“Nothing!
He didn’t say anything to me. I told him off for pushing in front of me and
that’s it.”

“You’re
lying.”

“So
now you’re calling me a liar?”

“No,
I don’t mean it like that. I can just tell you’re holding something back from
me. I
know
you.”

“Let’s
just get our food and sit down. Everyone is staring at us.” I say, keeping my
voice low.

“Go
to the front of the line and place your order.” Cole instructs me. “I’ll join
you in a minute.”