The Harder They Fall

Chapter 7: Art

Cole

I didn't know what was up with me. I had never wanted to kill someone so badly, and that's saying a lot since I deal with a bunch of sweating football players every day. But I felt this urge to beat him right then and there when I saw him talking to Jasmine.

Instinct?

Walking in the house, I tried to think of some excuse to tell Jasmine. I knew she was going to ask. Imean, I had messed up her whole family function. But right now, while she started bringing Gracie upstairs, I still had a little bit of time. I couldn't just say, ' Oh I just had this instinct to want to knock the drunk guy out' That wasn't going to cut it. But my time cut short when Jasmine came back down.

Here goes nothing

''Look Jasmine, I'm sorry about what happened.'' I began as she was about to sit on the couch. She swished her head around to me and started walking into the kitchen where I had flopped on the counter.

''I completely messed up your family function thingy and I let him get to me instead of just walking away. I k-''

''Cole, It's fine. I understand he was talking shit, so you hit him. I would have done the same thing. Probably would have swung at the first insult, so you did the right thing. You gave him a chance to get his stuff together by walking away, and he chose his fate. '' she started and when I looked up from the ground, was smiling at me.

This woman is something else.

''Thank you, Jasmine. How about I repay you for ruining your function, go shopping tomorrow, you can use my card? ''

He scratched the tip of her nose and the smile on her face vanished, instead filled with disappointment.

''Aw, I would love to, but I had plans to go over to my place, get some stuff done.''

''Oh, that cool. I mean, it is your off day so you should be able to do what you want.''

Just peachy

Jasmine

''Move it a little to the left,'' said Tatum.

I tried to move it a little closer to the door but almost immediately slipped and fell on the couch, the painting falling with me.

Just great

''What is up with you, Jazz? It's your off day and you're acting like you want to go back to work''

Maybe I do

Last night when Cole offered to take me shopping, I was more than ready to cancel my plans with Ethan and Tatum. A chance to spend time alone with him would have been amazing, but the little crush I had on him was going to get the best of me if we went together. So instead I did the reasonable thing and decided to spend my Sunday hanging my old painting with Ethan and Tat, while they sat back and ate old pizza.

''Nothing is wrong with me, geez. Y'all are just sitting there eating while I'm busting my ass trying to hang these paintings. I'm not even living here right now. '' I mumbled and got back on my feet.

''You guys wanna see Daniel?'' Ethan asked, ignoring me.

I rolled my eyes. ''Whatever. You guys are going to help me. That's not a warning, it's a promise.''

Daniel was Ethan and Samantha's unborn child. They announced she was pregnant to me and Tat a few months back. Samantha and Ethan were highschool sweethearts and married right after college. It wasn't long before they had their first kid and now were on to the second.

In high school, everyone assumed we couldn't do the whole opposite gender friends and one of us was bound to fall. Complete bullshit. Look at us now. As far as Tat, she is a romantic, to say the least. It shocks us all how much of a hopeless romantic she is. Every time she met a boy, she thought they were the one until she actually found the one last year. Jacob. Now all that's left is me. I'm just the single weirdo in the group.