Betrayal Codes

Chapter 16: Cole

Right after Libby brought us in, she left again to change. I wish I had grabbed some sweatpants or something before we left because I was going to have to sleep in jeans. I didn't want to make the whole thing more uncomfortable by stripping down to my boxers. I'd just suffer.

I flop down on the bed and stare at the ceiling, replaying everything that just happened today. I was so ashamed of myself for locking myself in my room all day and beating myself up over some girl. I've never done that in my nineteen years of life. Of course, Libby isn't some girl, but the point stands. When have I ever cared this much about the person I was dating?

The answer? Never.

Contrary to what Libby may believe, I wasn't crying in the dark all day. That would be... oh, I would never forgive myself if I did that. Instead, I was thinking which then turned into shedding a few tears — just a few! —- before Libby walked in, which led her to whatever conclusion she came to. I played into that and acted like I was torn up over the Aiden thing and the rest of the story is history.

I know it was wrong to lie to her and fake being vulnerable. But how could I explain that I was actually trying to decode every inch of her and use that information to figure out a way to make our impending doom less... doom-y?

I wasn't going to deny the truth; we were going to have to reveal ourselves at some point. But damn if that thought didn't scare me. I don't want to pop this bubble of happiness surrounding Libby and I. She's the best thing that's happened to me in a very long while. But that bubble, unfortunately, has to pop. I just wanted to find a way to make it repairable in case we were to come across each other again.

I spent the whole day thinking and plotting and mentally testing out every angle. But in the end, I found nothing. So I cried.

The bathroom door clicks open and out walks Libby: makeup off, hair down, looking like a goddess. Then I notice something: she's wearing glasses. Not cat-eye glasses or square-shaped glasses that make almost all of the people wearing them look like nerds. No, she's wearing thick-framed aviator glasses and they looked so good on her. Why she doesn't wear glasses all the time is a mystery to me, but she should. These wire-and-glass contraptions were really turning me on. Wow.

Those dark green eyes squint behind the frames, scrutinizing me. She's looking at me like something was noticeably wrong with my appearance. "What?" I ask self-consciously.

"You're not seriously going to sleep in jeans, are you?" Is she a mind-reader or something? Did she look into my thoughts before she left for the bathroom?

"Well, I didn't want to make things more awkward..."

She tilts her head judgingly. "Cole. We're dating, right? And would you rather sleep in jeans or be comfortable and sleep without them?"

My lips twitch into a small smile. "You say it like it's the most obvious thing in the world."

"It is. What's so wrong about your girlfriend seeing you in your boxers?"

I nudge her foot with mine playfully. "You sure you aren't making these points to cover up the fact that you want to see me in my boxers?"

By her saying "girlfriend," I notice we haven't used those words yet. We'd advertised our relationship to our friends, so I suppose that's as good as any reason to be girlfriend and boyfriend. But hearing the word out loud makes it real. And I like it.

A slight bit of pink colors her cheeks and she untucks her hair from her ears to hide it. "Who wouldn't? But no, mostly I just don't want you to suffer."

"Okay, fine. You win." I sit on the edge of the bed and begin to undo my belt. Libby is still standing by the door, watching me. "Are you going to watch me take them off or is this your side of the bed?"