Bridging the Gap

chapter four

His relationship to his father was never the best.

But it eventually got better.

They got to a point where they would tell each other... things.

Anything.

Cole lived with the ninja so they called or hung up on the weekends.

Lou would call him up to tell him about his day.

And Cole would take him to an awesome dragon ride on saturdays.

And by that he meant, he did it once and Lou threw up his literal soul after one looping.

Still they would be in contact almost every day.

And everything was so good between them, like it hadn't been since...

Yeah, since Lily's death.

Cole had almost forgotten what it felt like to have an actual, caring father-figure in his life, that it surprised him how fast he got used to having his father back.

Telling him everything, trusting him with his secrets and things that bothered him.

But so did Lou.

He updated Cole on his life every opportunity.

At least, that's what Cole thought he did.

And now...

All this had been going on since weeks and Lou never bothered to tell him.

Just threw him into cold water yesterday.

Totally surprising him.

And not in a good way.

"Why didn't he tell me?"

Was it because he knew, how Cole was going to react?

But would have Cole reacted the same way if he had knew beforehand?

If there would have been any sign?

Cole stood in the kitchen right next to Zane, helping him cook dinner by cutting some tomatoes.

Zane looked over to Cole every passing minute, searching for any sign in his brothers face that he was ready to talk about what had happened, but he didn't find any.

So he remained quiet.

Even more surprised was he, as Cole suddenly cleared his throat and stopped cutting, turning his upper body to his friend and staring at him with a weird expression.

Zane just looked back and patiently waited for Cole to speak, giving him an encouraging smile.

Eventually Cole said: "Do you think I am toxic? 'Cause I think I am... toxic.."

If Zane would have been in need of oxygen, he would have gasped or made a deep sigh.

How could Cole ask and even think such nonsense?!

He shook his head and placed a hand on his friends shoulder.

"I do not know what makes you think like this, Cole. But I, and none of us, thinks you are... toxic"

Then why did he act like this towards his father? Cole wondered.

Why didn't he let his father be happy?

With.... her....

He cleared his throat again, as tears began to form in his eyes, blaming this on the onions which hadn't even been cut yet but... eh.

"Cole..."

Suddenly the others walked in, interrupting Zane.

"Maaan, you aren't even halfway done with dinner?", Kai asked with a dramatic and theatralic shocked voice.

"I'm starvi-", he stopped as Zane gave him an intense look, showing anger and a "seriously?!", which only a mom could give you.

Then their gaze fell on Cole who rubbed his eyes dry and proceeded on cutting his tomatoes, ignoring the others.

"Oh, we uh.. didn't know you were awake buddy. How do you feel?", Lloyd asked, grabbing one sliced tomato and led it to his mouth.

Cole grabbed it back and along with the others put it in the pot on the stove, Lloyd grunted.

Then the black haired ninja turned to his friends.

"Great", he said, aware that everyone knew it was a lie.

But still, they wouldn't push him to talk.

He will, once he was ready.

After they finished dinner, Cole stayed helping Zane do the dishes while the others suggested to prepare some movie night.

Cole really wasn't in the mood to stay up but he also knew he couldn't sleep.

And even if, his dreams would only haunt him of what had happened yesterday.

So he thought a movie was a good idea to get his mind on other things.

"What did you mean, by...", Zane trailed off, as he noticed Cole staring out the window.

It was already getting dark outside and the setting sun lit up the front porch.

Zane followed Cole's gaze but couldn't find anything of interest out there.

Cole on the other hand tried to ban his nerves from freaking out and tricking his mind into seeing his father with his new girl out there.

As if his father would be the kind of person to reach out and apologize...

"Cole?", Cole flinched as Zane put an arm around his shoulders.

"What is wrong, buddy?", and finally Cole couldn't hold it in anymore.

He burst out crying and falling onto a nearby chair while hiding his face behind his hands, sobbing in a desperatly way to breathe through his tears.

Zane placed himself next to his friend and rubbing his back in a comforting way.

"I did something stupid, Zane", Cole managed to choke out.

"What did you do?", Zane asked in a way that showed, he didn't quite care of what his friend could've possibly done, that was so stupid, it made him cry like this.

Or made him think he was toxic.

Zane did not care, because he knew none of this was true.

Whatever Cole had done - he wasn't toxic. And he didn't deserve to be so sad about it.

He just at once wished he could take all of Cole's sadness and pain away from him and get the boy to laugh again.

Seeing him happy.

As the others came in again they at first froze at the sight of seeing the tough Cole breaking down like this but then they reacted the right way.

Just sitting down, next to their best friend.

"What did you do, Cole? What happened at your father's?"

Cole looked up, his green eyes red from crying, his face pale.

But then, just when the others thought he would finally open up, Cole's face hardened again.

He gulped hard and just shook his head. Chuckling quietly.

"Nothing. It's alright", he said and got up, stirred in the pot on the stove.

"Cole?", Jay asked carefully.

"I said it's nothing" Cole blocked off. "Nothing you need to worry about", he added in a harsh and bitter tone.

"Is it because..."

"Gah, just leave it alone okay! It's nothing!", Cole interrupted Lloyd and before anyone could stop him, he stormed off, first slammed the kitchen door, then the front door.

The others saw him crossing training court, then he slammed the big front doors behind him.

"Uhm... what was that?", Lloyd asked perplexed.

"I don't know. But I'll follow him. He shouldn't be left on his own in this state", Kai exclaimed as he got up.

"I'll come with you", Jay stated.

"Yeah, duh. We are all going", Lloyd decided.