It All Started With A Selfie

Chapter 4

The alarm clock blaring through my room jolted me awake from my sweet slumber the next day. I was totally reliving the date in my sleep and was rather angry at the rude interruption.

But as that feeling wore off, nervousness quickly settled in and by the time, I got dressed and got myself to school, I had worked myself up with worry to the point of nausea.

The date had ended pretty well. After I beat Cole at all of the games, we had some amazing fast food at a diner and the conversation flowed so smoothly, I could hardly believe I ever had a problem talking to him. Then he dropped me off at my house, even walked me to the front door. And I swear, there was this moment as we said our goodbyes where he looked at me so intensely and slightly leaned in as if he was about to kiss me, before my anxiety kicked in and I all but backed away a few steps from him...

"Um...my m-mom and Hann-nah are probab-bly watching through that window over there"

"So...?", drawled Cole, as he acted all innocent.

"So, we shouldn't do anything inappropriate!", I exclaimed, indignantly.

"Or...", he covered the distance between us and smirked, "what do you say, we give them something worth looking at?"

I could only gape at him in response which made him burst out laughing, breaking the moment.

"Cole!"

"Leah!", he mimicked, as his laughter died down, "Hey, by the way, give me your number so I can send you the selfie we clicked on the Ferris wheel, or have you forgotten all about why we did this because you were too busy drooling over me?"

I blushed, because it was true, and quickly, denied it before giving him my number, but the smirk that remained pasted on his face as he walked back to his car told me he didn't buy it.

So, here I am, rushing to my first period, wondering how I am supposed to behave with Cole now since our agreement is fulfilled.

Should I approach him or wait for him to talk to me? Or do we go back to ignorning each other? That seems impractical after we hit it off so well. But what if, I'm the only one that feels so and for Cole, I'm just another girl he had a good time with.

Oh god, this is all so confusing. I need to take a deep breath and calm down. Where is Hannah when I need her?!

Just relax and go with the flow, Leah.

I remind myself one last time before I enter the class. My eyes search for Cole, but he isn't here yet. I take my seat and quickly pretend to immerse myself in my school work as I wait for him to arrive.

He rushes in 5 minutes late, looking a little flustered and irresistibly cute as he mutters an apology to the teacher.

He sends an indecipherable look my way before sitting in his designated seat infront of me. Maybe, he is just as conflicted as I am. I decide, then, that I will approach him after the class ends.

But as it does, he is quickly surrounded by his friends before I can say anything. Kiera Kingston attaches herself to him like she is a leech, asking why he was late, while an ugly feeling settles into the pit of my stomach as I watch them.

Cole, politely, disentangles himself from her, and I release the breath I didnt even realize I was holding. He gives me one last fleeting look over his shoulder before his friends drag him away.

Guess, I'll have to wait a little longer. Our next class together is after lunch.

Hannah tries her best to convince me to go talk to him at lunch, but he is with his friends, who are all equally gorgeous and popular as him, and I don't fit in with that crowd. And the way Cole's gaze avoids me in the cafetaria, I feel like he too has some apprehensions about acknowledging me while his friends are around.

I shake my head and push that hurtful thought away. We have just been on one friendly date and I'm getting way too ahead of myself.

"Thinking about me?".

A voice startles me as I'm deep in my thoughts near my locker after lunch, shoving books into my bag for the next class.

I turn around to see its Cole. My heart skips a beat.

"Cole...hey", I say, a little breathlessly. He grins in response.

"So, when's the party?"

"Wh-What party?"

"You won the bet, right, conquered your fear and all. There's gotta be some celebration."

"Um, yeah. Me, Hannah and mom, we j-just thought we w-would do something small like go to our favourite restaurant and celebrate."

"Great! Text me the time and place. I'm late to class, gotta rush", he says, turning around and walking away.

I'm too stunned to move for a few seconds before I run to catch up to him, "Wait, what? You want to come with us?

"Yep"

"Why?!"

"Why not?"

"You always do that, deflect my questions with questions of you own", I huff.

Cole smirks, "You look cute when you're angry"

"Stop deflecting"

"But, I'm serious, you do look cute", he exclaims loud enough for a few passing students to give us curious looks.

I blush and pull Cole to the side by his arm. The hallway is almost empty, we are seriously late to class now, but I won't let him go without answering me.

"Just answer. Why do you want to come with us?"

Cole looks at my hand on his arm and back at my face, before inching closer. I quickly pull away as if burned. That goes on until he has me backed up against a locker.

He leans in closer and I instinctively close my eyes. I feel his fingers tucking my hair behind my ear, trailing to my neck and lingering there for a moment before dropping away, leaving fire in its wake.

His lips almost touch my ear and I gasp at the electricity.

"Because, now that I have had a taste...", he whispers, as his lips move to brush my cheek, "of your company, I mean"

l can feel him smirk against the side of my face now, "I. Just. Can't. Get. Enough", he says, accentuating each word with a deliberate brush of his lips. My insides are about to melt into a puddle.

And just like that, he backs away, breaking the spell. He winks at me and jogs off to class, without another word, leaving me more confused than ever.

It takes me a few more moments to compose my wildly beating heart, before I rush too. I'm probably going to end up in detention for the first time ever, all thanks to Cole.