His fixation

Chapter 5

In November you travel back to your hometown to be with your family for your one obligatory holiday a year. It's not that you don't want to see them. It's just expensive and they'll only cover your costs once a year. Usually they choose Christmas, but your boss is making you work under threat of being fired and they have family from out of town over as well so it was a good time to mix it up this year.

You return home and find Cole waiting for you at the airport, holding a sign with your name written elegantly in dark red ink. "Oh but..." Garret was supposed to pick you up. Cole offers to take your suitcase leaving you with Noodle's carrier as you follow him through the crowd.

"I stopped by your home while you were gone, and your roommate explained where you were and I offered to pick you up." He rubs his hand back and forth over the handle of your suitcase. "Why does your phone not receive any calls or texts? I was worried."

"I can't afford roaming charges, so I just shut my phone off when I travel." You say looking at the ground as you walk. Money problems have been a big theme for you since you moved. Cole makes a thoughtful noise of contemplation before he glances over his shoulder at you.

"I could start paying you for your help." He offers. "I bet I'd pay more than that café." He says after you take too long to respond. Cole's too nice to you, your insecurities taking hold of your heart to imprison it away from any chance you could get hurt.

"Oh I'm sure I'll get into college next year and you won't want to put up with my busy schedule." Excuses, excuses you always have plenty of those laying around. You've already admitted to him that you don't think you'll get in.

"I would gladly support your continued education, but it seems as if you only want to go because other people expect you too." The sky opens up overhead as you both exit the airport. Your thoughts are as cloudy as the sky. Why do you want to go to school? What do you even want to do with your life? When you try and think of the future you keep looking up and seeking out the back of Cole's head. Being Cole's assistant for the foreseeable future sounds amazing... maybe this is the change you've been wanting in your life.

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You're standing in front of the cafe, early morning with your two weeks notice gripped tightly in your hand. You're not wearing your uniform like you should be, it's just too cold, your breath visible and your fingertips numb. You push open the door and your boss is already frowning. "You're supposed to come in twenty minutes before opening to get the place ready." He grumbles.

You take slow overly long steps to the counter and hold out the paper in your hands. He refuses to take it as soon as he skims it over. "After all the company invests in you lazy bums, no one wants to work these days." He tears the paper out of your hand and throws it in the garbage. "Get out of here, you're fired." Tears prick in your eyes but you hold yourself together till you're outside.

"Brave performance, pay him no mind." A deep rumbling voice says. You look over to see a large, sleek panther.

"Cole?" You wipe your tears away with your sweater sleeve. Cole stretches out his body in a slow languid manner, yawning so wide you can see every dangerous tooth in his mouth.

"Expecting someone else?" He purrs. You shake your head. Of course you aren't. Your other friends have jobs and couldn't be with you for moral support this morning.

"No, I just never get to see you fully transformed." You explain, tempted to pet him as he circles your legs, tail brushing against you.

"Since you're my official partner now—" He pauses to let the word partner hang in the air while he gives a self satisfied grin. "I could use a human's touch, I'll just have to really control myself around you."