Unbeknownst to their parents, Violet and Cole had a clandestine 9-month relationship before parting ways following Cole's injury, courtesy of Paige. Despite the messy breakup, Violet managed to maintain a positive connection with the Walters, except...
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Violet practically lived at the Walters' house. She belonged to its rhythm — sprawled on the living room floor gaming with Isaac, curled into a movie with Danny, or wandering the flower fields only to find herself inevitably with Cole. To the adults, they were just childhood friends, inseparable since the sandbox years. But beneath that familiar closeness had bloomed something else — something deeper, more dangerous.
Their love had been sweet at first, tender and new. But it grew quickly into something fierce, passionate, and unshakable. Violet had taught Cole that relationships could be more than games or conquests. Cole, in turn, taught Violet how she deserved to be seen — cherished, chosen. Together, they redefined each other.
That was before.
Before the injury. Before the summer that pulled him away. Before the night when everything cracked open and he betrayed not only her, but his own brother.
This was before:
Every afternoon she'd walk toward the Walters' property, and without fail, Cole was there — football in hand, sweat glinting on his brow.
She'd nod, and he'd smirk like he'd won something.
"Good."
She'd wrinkle her nose at the sweat beading down his temples. "You're gross."
"You love it."
"I hate it."
But she didn't. She never did.
Later, when he begged her to stay the night, tugging her into his lap, she'd resist with mock annoyance. "Fine, but I'm sleeping on the floor. No talking. No touching."
"We both know that's a lie," he'd murmur, kissing her until she laughed, until the word love slipped out like a dare and she couldn't take it back.
Those were the nights that made her believe in forever.
But forever came to an end at a crowded summer party.
Violet, tipsy and glowing, was laughing with Lucas about her strange dreams. "Thank goodness you get it! Cole swears he's never met anyone who dreams like that."
Lucas smiled. "So you two are still together? Even after he was away all summer?"
"Yeah. We talked every day," she said, beaming.
She never saw the boy rushing over, face flushed, words tumbling out: "Lucas! Cole and Paige are hooking up! Alex's girlfriend!"
Her world stopped.
She followed the crowd and saw them — Cole's lips pressed to Paige's. Her stomach plummeted, her heart splintering with every second that passed.
"Vi... let's go," Isaac whispered, grabbing her arm.
But she couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't reconcile the boy who once swore he loved her with the one standing there, betraying her so openly.
"Cole?" Her voice cracked, shattering the noise around them into silence.
Cole and Paige pulled apart slowly, their faces masks of guilt and confusion.
Isaac caught her hand and tugged her away.
On the quiet stretch between their houses, Violet broke — sobbing into Isaac's chest until dawn painted the fields in pale light.
"Why? Why would he do that?" she whispered again and again.
Isaac had no answers, only his steady arms around her. "I don't know, Vi. I'm sorry."
And for the first time in her life, Violet didn't feel like she belonged at the Walters'.
Afterward, everything shifted. Nights were spent crying silently into her pillow, mornings rehearsed with chilled spoons pressed to swollen eyes. At the Walters' she smiled, laughed, pretended. But Isaac saw through it all.
The boys did too. Isaac's gaze toward Cole hardened, Lee followed suit, and Alex — who had never been Cole's biggest fan — barely spoke to him anymore.
Cole's self-loathing mirrored Violet's disdain. They danced around each other like strangers, reduced to stiff greetings, clipped small talk. The warmth had bled out of every touch, every look. And still, part of her wanted to scream at him, to demand the truth. But all she had was the memory of his lips on Paige's, and that was enough to destroy her.
The truth was, Cole had been different ever since his injury.
"Are you okay?" Violet asked one evening, sprawled across his bed while he sat in silence.
"Yup," he muttered.
"Cole..."
He sat up, running a hand through his hair. Fresh from rehab, his body was healing, but something inside him wasn't. She reached for his neck, grounding him.
"I'm not a baby, Vi."
"I know you're not," she said softly.
"Then stop treating me like one. Everyone's doing that!"
She winced. "I didn't mean to. I'm sorry."
"Stop saying sorry!" he snapped.
She swallowed hard. "Then what do you want me to do? I care about you. That's all."
The anger drained from him, leaving exhaustion. "Can we just watch a movie?"
She nodded, lying beside him as if the world outside didn't exist.
Minutes stretched into quiet, until he wrapped his arm around her and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry."
She looked up. "It's alright."
"No. It's not. I'm not."
"I know."
His voice was a rasp. "You're beautiful."
She smiled faintly. "So are you."
And for a fleeting moment, it felt like the love they'd built could survive anything.
But Violet would soon learn — some fractures never heal.
AUTHORS NOTE:
i have many many plans for this book it will be updated weekly!! hopefully this wasn't too confusing x
