Project GoldCrest ✓

Chapter 28

Charlotte

I shrunk in my seat, losing eye contact with him. Then rose up again. Where the hell did Cole get all this information?

"Did you get someone to spy on me?" I asked. Carefully trying to tread lightly and not upset him more.

He shook his head. "No. Is my assumption true?"

Oh, we're not getting into that yet until you answer my question. "No, wait. How do you know about me and Chrissy?"

"I asked around."

"You mean to say that you asked around and possibly aroused interest and prying eyes? Then that means that everyone already knows about us then."

He shook his head again. "No. No one suspects a thing. I asked casually around my group of friends once they started talking about you."

I opened my mouth to form a small O. "Why were they talking about me?"

"It's not really important why. They talk about every girl in grade 12, not just you. So I saw my chance and asked more. Back to what we were talking about." He made sure to capture me in his vivid blue eyes. "Do you or do you not have a thing for Blake?"

I thought of Blake and the way I've been acting these past few weeks. His affair with my friend wasn't reason enough to make me angry or as obsessed as the way I was. I did not even want to know why I acted that way.

"I don't have a thing for Blake Crowley, Cole."

He looked like he was suppressing a smile. Then that feature completely disappeared and he scowled. "But you like Mickey."

I couldn't say I didn't like him, but I also couldn't say I did like him. "He's just my childhood friend. Nothing happened between us."

"Is he the reason why you drifted from me?"

"No."

Before Cole could say anything else, a loud knock jolted both of us. We looked at the car window at two sets of eyes looling at us. Lyle, the blonde guy Cole was talking to before, looked extremely annoyed. Besides him stood Blake, looking unaffected and a bit amused. Maybe they'd just arrived there? I didn't remember seeing them throughout the whole conversation.

I looled at Cole to find him scowling. "Our five minutes ended a long time ago, I'm assuming."

I nodded and quickly put the Red Book and folded paper in my bag. I slung it over my shoulder and took out my phone to check the time. I found a text from my mother instead. Where are you?

I stepped out of the vehicle and gave a nod to Cole's friends. While I steadily walked away, I heard Blake say things about me.

I searched for my mom's car instead of worrying about the things Blake said.

The following day, I received a text from Alec.

Alec: don't forget about tomorrow's meeting. I'm bringing a few people interested in the reunion. ;-)

At this, I smiled and began typing a reply.

Me: I won't miss it, don't worry. :-)

At lunch, I sat down with Sophie again. Chrissy was obviously occupied with Blake wherever she was now. She never ate lunch with us anymore. We only saw her everywhere else but at lunch.