Silence (Silence #1)(11)

Jasper woke me up by knocking on my door and screaming my name.

“Oakley! Get up, we’re going to Cole’s for lunch,” he yelled, much louder than necessary. Going to Cole’s for lunch? No.

I ran to the door and pulled it open, frowning at Jasper for an explanation.

“We’re booking the holiday today remember, so we’re all going over there for a barbecue lunch.” Barbecue again? “Get dressed. We’re leaving in half an hour.”

My heart sank a little. I half-smiled at my brother, and slammed the door shut behind him. Lunch at Cole’s. That was going to be awkward.

Half an hour later, I was dressed and sitting on my bed, waiting for someone to call me down. After seven minutes, the inevitable happened – Mum shouted my name. I took a deep breath and walked downstairs slowly. Going over there was the last thing I wanted to do. I felt sick with nerves.

“You look nice, honey,” Mum complimented with a smile. I could tell that she was thinking that I had dressed nicely for Cole. I only had on a long white summer dress and yellow ballet shoes. It wasn’t for Cole. It was because of the heat. I didn’t wear make-up, and I hadn’t done anything with my hair. I didn’t think I looked particularly nice.

We all walked to the Benson’s house at Jasper’s pace: the only time he did anything in a hurry was when there was food involved, or girls, so presumably the thought of the barbeque was behind his speediness. I wanted to walk slowly and put off seeing Cole for as long as possible, but my brother clearly had other ideas.

Jasper knocked eagerly at their front door, and within seconds, Jenna greeted us with a hug, and then ushered us through their perfectly kept house to the back garden. My heart sank with every step I took. Part of me hoped he was out, but I knew he wouldn’t be. I did want to see him though. I hated arguing with him, and just wanted everything to go back to how it was.

Cole sat at the end of the wooden table, staring into his glass of coke. He looked sad, really sad. As we approached the table, he looked up and said a quick hello.

Where should I sit now? Would near him be inappropriate? Would he even want me there? Not wanting to make things any more awkward, I sat next to Mia, forcing Jasper to sit near Cole.

Mum handed the brochure to me and Mia so we could see the hotel we were staying in. Wow, was all I could think. It looked amazing. The hotel was a beautiful white building, halfway up a mountain. It didn’t look too busy but seemed to have enough to keep everyone entertained. According to the brochure, the harbour was a two-minute walk away and the beach a little further, approximately twenty minutes.

The nightlife was good too, apparently. There were a few bars and clubs nearby. Mia and Jasper would want to go out no doubt. Perhaps I would be allowed to go too? I was almost sixteen and if I was with Cole they’d let me go, wouldn’t they?

I felt Cole’s eyes on me, so I glanced to the side and smiled a little awkwardly. My cheeks felt hot. I was probably blushing. He smiled back. Was he forgiving me? Just as I thought he was about to talk to me, David placed a plate of charred chicken kebabs down on the table. Cole grabbed one and started eating. Please talk to me.

Throughout lunch, Cole and I exchanged glances.

Mum had noticed things were off between us: she would look at me, then Cole, and then back to me. I prayed that she wouldn’t say anything. Should I just leave? Faking sickness and going home sounded like a very good idea right now.

“Oakley?” Cole said as he stood up. He nodded his head, gesturing for me to follow him. I got up immediately and followed him inside. He had made the first move, so there was no way I was passing up the chance to make things right again. The walk up to his room was completely silent. Cole said nothing. I hoped that he would talk when we were safely inside his room and out of the way of everyone else.

Sitting on the end of his bed, I hugged my legs and rested my chin on my knees. He sighed and sat down, facing me. The sun reflected off his face, lightening his deep blue eyes. The smell of his aftershave wrapped around me, and I relaxed. In that moment, I knew I couldn’t be without him. I had to make up for our fallout and get my best friend back. Not having Cole in my life was not an option.

He took a deep breath and just stared into my eyes for a minute. I felt self-conscious under his intense gaze. It was as if he could see right through me; see the terrified, broken little girl inside. I never wanted him to see that.

“Look, I’m sorry about yesterday. I shouldn’t have shouted at you, but you should’ve text me to let me know you were okay.” I nodded and looked down at the bed cover. “Oakley,” he whispered, gently lifting my chin up, so I faced him. His fingers lingered on my chin, making my heart race. The feeling of his skin on mine gave me butterflies. It felt so right.

My eyes filled with tears, and I smiled. I’d gotten him back. Grabbing his hand, I squeezed gently in way of an apology. What happened yesterday wasn’t his fault at all. Cole had nothing to apologise for. His face lit up as he smiled.

“It’s okay,” he told me, knowing exactly what that gesture meant. Suddenly, he pulled my hand making me fall forward. I tried to move back, but he pulled me into a tight hug. It was a little awkward as I was sitting on his lap. It was too intimate, and I wasn’t used to intimacy feeling natural and safe. I wanted to run, but at the same time, I never wanted to leave.

I wrapped my arms around him, ignoring the tense knot in my stomach. With every passing second, I felt more comfortable. Cole would never hurt me. I knew that. We stayed in each other’s arms for a few minutes, and I was enjoying it. His fingertips were gently tickling up and down my back, giving me goose bumps.