Autumn Pines - A Lava AU

We're Gonna Be Friends - 4

Cole didn't know what he hated about Kai's new girlfriend.

They started dating sometime during Sophomore year. She and Kai had met at the roller rink while on some school-funded trip, and ever since then, they've been stuck to each other like glue. They looked genuinely happy together, only making Cole feel worse. There was just something about her that he just couldn't stand. I mean, there wasn't anything wrong with Skylor, she was funny, smart, incredibly good at video games, hell she even had some of the same music tastes as Cole. Cole should have loved Skylor, yet whenever he saw her and Kai together all he could do is grind his teeth together in anger as his blood boiled inside of him.

He assumed he just had a crush on Skylor. I mean, that's just what he told anyone who pressed him about it. Although, funnily enough, his friendship with Kai hadn't changed in the slightest. Whenever he and Kai hung out alone, he didn't have those same feelings of resentment and jealousy that he had whenever Sky was around. Everything was just the same as it had always been. Just how he liked it. Although whenever he was just in Skylor's presence, Kai present or not, he just hated her, and he couldn't understand why. He tried to shove it to the back of his mind, although it started to get harder and harder to keep it there as time went on.

They were all hanging out at the mall. Kai had insisted they all hang out together, and Cole didn't have a valid excuse to use to get out of it. So here he was, sitting at one of the many tables at the food court, trying his best not to let his anger show. He was just sitting on his phone, not paying attention to anything that Kai and Skylor were saying to each other. Honestly, he just wanted to pack his shit and leave.

"Cole!"

He was snapped out of his thoughts abruptly by Kai, who was looking at him in irritation. "You got cotton in your ears or something? I'm trying to talk to you man."

"Oh shit, sorry," Cole mumbled. "What's up?"

"I was just asking where you wanna hang out next weekend. Because I've been picking the spots for forever now and want someone else to do it for once," he explained. "Sky was thinking we go to the roller rink, what about you?"

Cole shrugged. "I don't really care," he said flatly, turning his attention back to his phone. "Whatever you two wanna do,"

Apparently, that wasn't the correct answer, because that only seemed to piss Kai off. He exhaled out of his nose sharply. "Cole, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Fuck. Just what he needed. A pissy Kai was not a fun one. "Sure," he replied, keeping his voice monotone, trying not to show any emotion at all as he followed Kai across the food court, over to an empty table. Upon arrival, Kai immediately started with the interrogation.

"What's your deal dude?" Kai asked. "You've been acting really pissy and moody for like, the entire time. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong Kai," Cole rolled his eyes. "I'm just tired."

"Right. Tired. I don't buy that for a goddamn minute. Something is bothering you, and I'm getting to the bottom of it."

"Dude, nothing is wrong, I'm fine!" Cole lied, starting to go on the defensive. "Like I said, I'm just tired, that's all."

"Really? You're just tired? So every time we hang out one on one you're fresh as a fucking daisy but whenever Skylor's around you're just magically exhausted? Is that it?"

Cole felt his anger start to rise again. Partly due to the truth of that statement, and how Kai could assume it in the first place. "The hell are you implying?"

"I'm implying, that you've been acting like a freak ever since Sky and I've started dating. Every time she's around it's like you're off in your own dimension," Kai explained. "You never talk to us, you never try to contribute anything to the conversation, and you basically sulk in your own little corner the entire time, and whenever you do speak to us, it's always in that same pissed-off tone! What's your damage?!"

"I don't have any damage!" Cole spat. "You're just way over-analyzing things! If anyone's being weird it's you."

"Oh really? I'm being weird? Look, I at least try not to do the thing that every couple does, where they make their relationship really fucking obvious. It's not like Sky and I full-on make out in front of you and the others or anything! What's your fucking problem?"

"I don't have a fucking problem!"

"Well it certainly looks like you do!" Kai shouted, probably making a couple of heads turn around them but he didn't really care. He was far too angry "Sky has done literally nothing to you. She tried to get along with you, but you just keep shoving her away! That's not fucking cool dude!"

"I don't shove her away!"

"Yes you fucking do! Every time Skylor tries to talk to you, you snap at her like she did something! It's always one-worded replies if you give any at all. You haven't even gotten to know her!"

"Well I'm sorry, I just don't like her like you want me to!" Cole shouted back, standing up and leaning over the table. "I don't like her, okay?! Was that what you wanted to hear?! I tried to be cool at first Kai, I really did. I tried to get along with her, I tried to be nice, I just don't like her! Sometimes people don't click Kai! You need to realize that!"

"Fine, but that doesn't mean you need to be a dick about it!" Kai stood up as well, getting up in Cole's face. "You know, if you don't like Skylor, you are fucking welcome to just get up and leave."

"Fine! Maybe I will!"

"Then good fucking riddance!"

Cole tried to get another word in, but Kai ended the conversation before he could get anything in, slamming his chair in as he stormed off to where Skylor was sitting. Cole just stared as Kai took Skylor by the waist, and walked off to another side of the mall. The sight of it tore Cole's heart to pieces. He simply sighed, put his phone in his pocket, and stormed off towards his car. However, his anger quickly subsided once he got in his car, unclouding his judgment, allowing him to think more quickly.

Kai was right. Cole had been a dick to Skylor for no reason. Skylor tried to get along with him, and yeah maybe Cole was nice at first, but he just turned on her out of the blue one day with no rhyme or reason. What a shitty fucking friend.

Cole sighed and started the car. He didn't even bother pulling up a playlist to listen to and drove in silence back to his house. He winced as he drove by Kai's place to get to his own, and saw the treehouse in the backyard, looking run down, and forgotten.