SUNSHINE - COLE WALTER

017.

• ───────────────── •

Breaking the silence that filled the car, Cole spoke up, a sly smile hinting at his lips. "It's gonna be a pretty boring drive if neither of us speaks, so..."

Relieved to have a distraction from her lingering disappointment, Jamie decided to engage in conversation. "Fine. How was Alex's competition?" she asked, genuinely curious about her friend's performance.

Cole let out a sigh, his voice tinged with frustration. "A disaster," he admitted, sounding almost defeated.

Concern etched across her face, Jamie instinctively pressed for more details. "Why? What happened?" she inquired, eager to understand the challenges Alex had faced.

Cole paused for a moment, unsure of how much to reveal. "Well, he struck out. It's okay, though," he hesitated, realizing it wasn't his story to tell. "You know what? He'll... he'll want to tell you himself," he finally said.

Baffled by Cole's response, Jamie couldn't help but question further. "Why can't you tell me?" she pressed gently.

Understanding the complexity of the situation, Cole responded earnestly. "Because Alex likes you, and he'll want you to hear it from him," he confessed.

Just as the conversation reached a vulnerable point, a dreadful noise erupted from the engine. Cole quickly pulled the car over and hopped out to assess the problem, Jamie following closely behind, concern knitted across her face.

Her voice filled with worry, Jamie asked, "Can you fix it?"

Cole's shoulders slumped in disappointment. "I don't have my toolbox. I was on my way home to get it when I got asked to pick you up," he admitted, his frustration evident in his tone.

Realizing she unintentionally caused this unexpected trouble, Jamie reflected on Cole's words from the award night. "Oh, I see. It's my fault," she recalled, her voice tinged with regret. "Bet you really wish I'd never moved here now. Then you wouldn't be stuck with me in the middle of nowhere."

Determined to find a solution, Cole reassured her, his voice laced with sincerity. "I'll call Will to come pick us up," he offered, walking away from Jamie as she climbed back into the truck, her thoughts conflicted between the evening's turn of events and the gratitude she felt for having someone like Cole by her side.

•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

As darkness settled around them, Jamie found herself sitting in the truck while Cole perched on the hood, their breaths creating small clouds in the chilly air. Seeking solace from the cold, Jamie hugged herself tightly, desperately yearning for warmth. Suddenly, a muffled knock on the window startled her, causing her to turn and discover Cole standing there, holding out a blanket. A flicker of gratitude appeared on her face as she rolled down the window to accept the offering.

"Thanks," Jamie murmured with appreciation, wrapping the blanket around her shivering shoulders.

Observing Jamie's discomfort, Cole's voice held a hint of concern. "The engine got so hot, it's still warm. You could come try. There's less chance of freezing to death," he suggested, hoping to alleviate her discomfort.

Asserting herself with a blunt tone, Jamie replied, "I'm fine," clearly determined to endure the cold on her own terms.

Unfazed by her response, Cole shrugged nonchalantly. "Suit yourself," he said before walking away from the window. Jamie watched as he retreated, briefly contemplating his offer before eventually deciding against it. She rolled up the window, effectively sealing off the outside world, and focused on finding her own source of warmth within the confines of the truck.

•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

Jamie stepped out of the truck and made her way towards Cole, who was lying on the hood. Curiosity sparked in her eyes as she approached him.

"Is it really warmer?" Jamie asked, her voice carrying a hint of skepticism, causing Cole to sit up.

A mischievous smile played on Cole's lips as he responded, "See for yourself." He extended his hand, offering Jamie assistance. She accepted it, appreciative of his gesture, and once settled on the hood, draped the blanket over herself. They lay side by side, gazing up at the front windscreen as their breaths mingled in the cold air.

"Will should be here soon," Cole informed her, trying to shift their attention away from their current predicament, "How was the interview?"

"Terrible. I got stumped on the last question," Jamie confessed, her voice filled with frustration.

A playful glint danced in Cole's eyes as he teased, "Something actually stumped Jamie Howard?" Jamie couldn't help but playfully roll her eyes in response.

"She asked me how I would describe the color gold to a blind person," Jamie explained. The memory of her faltering answer caused a tinge of regret to wash over her.

Curiosity piqued, Cole probed further, "What did you say?"

"Nothing. My mind just went blank," Jamie admitted with a sigh. "But I should've said, it... looks like the taste of warm honey. Or... that it sounds like Nina Simone's voice when she's singing 'I Put a Spell on You.' Or that it feels like the sun on your face. But I couldn't say any of that because I was thinking of something else. I was distracted," she confessed, her gaze shifting towards Cole, "And I hate being distracted."

A tender expression crossed Cole's face as he interjected, "And I hate that you think I wish you never moved here."

Shock registered on Jamie's face. "You said you didn't remember," she countered, her voice tinged with confusion.

"You just walked away before I could finish," Cole clarified, sitting up with Jamie following suit. "Look, things were bad between me and Alex long before you got here, okay? And I was trying to fix it. But then you showed up and made that impossible."

Comprehension slowly dawned on Jamie's face as she tried to piece together the puzzle. "But didn't you say that you and Alex did fix it?" she asked, her confusion evident.

"Yeah, finally," Cole acknowledged. "But it doesn't mean it's still not complicated. I won't break my brother's heart again, but... I can't not want you," he admitted, his vulnerability laid bare before her.

Jamie sat in stunned silence, grappling with the weight of his confession, when suddenly, the piercing glare of approaching car lights disrupted their shared moment.

•───────•°•❀•°•───────•

After arriving home, the heaviness of the evening hung in the air, prompting each of them to retreat to their rooms in silence.

Hours drifted by, but sleep remained elusive for Jamie, her mind flooded with Cole's heartfelt confession. Frustrated by her racing thoughts, she decided to abandon the futile pursuit of slumber and quietly made her way downstairs to fetch a glass of water. Lost in her own world, Jamie started her ascent back upstairs when the faint creak of a door caught her attention. She turned, facing the source of the noise, to find Cole standing in the doorway.

Unable to keep the words to herself any longer, Jamie spoke with a mixture of vulnerability and determination. "For the record, I don't like Alex like that. And I also don't want to hurt him, but I can't help how I feel either," she confessed, sending a small, understanding smile towards Cole. Sensing no need for further explanation, she turned and gracefully retreated back to her own room, leaving behind a moment of shared honesty and acceptance.

•───────•°•❀•°•───────•