Before the Explosion (Natural Disaster) ✔

Chapter Forty-Five

Cole had no fucking idea what to do.

He was tempted to text Grace and decide on someplace to meet, but what if he was mistaken and she still didn't want to see him? Maybe she only wanted to apologize through the flowers and chocolates and donuts but that was it.

He didn't know what was running through her mind.

She hadn't texted him either and he was left tethering, unsure of what to do.

So, he decided it was better to encounter her face-to-face and he was going to improvise since he had no idea what to expect or what to do. Besides, he was awesome at improvising.

For all the shitty romantic movies he was forced to watch by Nina, Ally, and Cora, he couldn't come up with a good confrontation either.

He was tempted to go to her place, maybe knock on her window in the middle of the night, but thought it wasn't perhaps the best idea. He had a feeling Grace wouldn't arrive home until late hours. The girl might be compulsively studying in some library.

Instead, he decided it was better to face her on her university campus.

He knew she was now at Miami University attending her Master's. They had celebrated when she got in, and Cole had whined a bit when he saw her schedule—there went his wishes of climbing into her bedroom in the middle of the night. The girl was going to be exhausted from working and studying.

Not that it mattered now anymore.

It was at least fortunate she was in the same state as he was.

Cole entered the campus and took a deep breath in, unsure of where to go now. He could ask for directions to the library. She was bound to get there sometime. Or maybe some coffee shop.

Okay, this improvising thing wasn't going as well.

Not when his blood was brimming with anxiety, and he was turning into his sweaty animalistic mess again.

Cole parked the car and hopped off, inhaling once more before walking toward the different buildings.

Many students rushed around, running from one building to the other. Some teachers were marching with students trailing behind them with questions about the upcoming text.

Cole shoved his hands in his pocket as he continued wandering.

His hands itched to write to her. Ask her where she was. Tell her she needed to face him now. But before he could do as much, his eyes landed in a particular direction.

A blond girl was walking with her head down, her shoulders were hunched over, and she was giving a back-off vibe.

He was familiar with that vibe.

However, Cole had to blink a few times to realize it was Salty.

His heart began to beat hard and loud. Her hair was down and glimmering under the sun, and her eyes were focused on the floor.

She looked unlike herself. She wasn't oozing the confidence and determination she usually carried around, instead, she looked...miserable.

His tongue was tied as he watched her walk to the exit of the campus where the cars were parked. His legs moved without much thought as he trailed after her.

He wondered how creepy he looked chasing after a girl without saying a word. However, it was impossible to talk when your heart was beating so hard, that it was getting stuck in your throat with every beat.

She hadn't noticed him yet as she rounded the corner and rushed to her car.

The sight paralyzed his heart again.