Escape || Cole Walter

Two

••welcome to colorado••

Their house is yellow, and looks quite large. They have a barn, and a pool. It looks unorganized but it fits them so well, it looks good.

Jackie and I share a look before we get out of the car. I try to give her the most joyful glance I can, to try and get her moods up before meeting everyone.

Up on the porch, I glance over to a guy around my age sitting with his feet crossed and reading a book. "Move!" Someone yells from behind me, and I shuffle me and my heavy bags in enough time not to get squashed by a younger boy on his skateboard.

"What the hell." I whisper to my sister who only watches after him.

"Hi!" Following the voice, I look back over at the boy who is reading. "I'm Danny."

"Hi." Jackie says quietly and still disturbed.

"Hi, I'm Elle." I think I've already figured out how this family works as we walk inside. A boy runs around, and two other teenagers play video games in the entryway room.

This seems like a kill or be killed family. All for yourself but there for each other. And I like the sudden edge of them. I've never experienced uncertainty like this, and I like the dynamic.

By the look of Jackie's face, she hates it, and it makes me laugh.

"Hi," Alex, the boy with freckles and dark hair says, pausing their video game and standing up. He shakes both Jackie and my hand, watching us both attentively.

"Alex can you go help grab some bags?" His dad asks him. With a nod, he sneaks between us and heads towards the double doors.

After George introduces us to Issac and Alex, we head to the kitchen where Katherine is getting off the phone with someone from work. "I am so sorry but I am getting called in right now. I told them you were gonna get here today."

"No no it's fine." I insist, looking at Jackie as she also nods.

"We will just have to-" Her eye light up as another older boy walks into the kitchen with a tray of random things. "Oh good! Will is here."

"This is Will. He's the oldest and he's the best." She grabs his arm with excitement. "He'll give you the rest of the tour?" She looks up at him with questioning eyes and he quickly nods.

"Can I go upstairs to the room? I'm not feeling the best." I voice as she heads out the door.

Looking at Will, he answers for her. "Yeah of course, you've had a long journey. What about you Jackie?"

She shakes her head with a pleasant smile. "I can meet everyone. I'm fine."

"Okay, um, Alex!" He yells. Alex comes bounding around the corner, his eyes meeting Jackie's again. "Could please show Elle to their room?"

"Uh yeah." Alex says with an awkward tone, looking over at me. A smile small climbs across my face and we head upstairs. "This one will be your room."

The room is beautiful. It's filled with colorful painted walls in all kinds of patterns. There are shelves that line the walls with paint supplies. And then two beds set up and ready for Jackie and I.

"It was our mom's old paint room so sorry about the mess."

"No it's okay, I love it." I turn around and look back over to him. "Thank you Alex." He nods once and backs out of the room quietly.

Wandering around the room, I take in everything slowly. It occurs to me that Jackie and I are going to have to clean and pack everything up for it to actually be our space.

I sit down on the edge of the bed and exhale as I lay back, looking at the ceiling. The sun shines through a small window and hits my chest, making it warm quickly. For being a house full of kids, everything is silent to me right now. It has come easy to block things out recently.

Until I hear a loud slam from near the door. I sit up quickly, and my eyes meet a pair of beautiful blue eyes. "What the hell." I say, looking down at the large box.

Glancing back up at the boy, I notice his strong muscles through his blue shirt, and middle parted blonde hair that is slightly wet. "Some of your stuff New York." He says with a deep perturbed voice.

"Barely any of that is mine country boy." I say back, with the same annoyed tone.

His eyes flick up to mine with curiosity and his full lips turn up into a smile. "It's Cole." He says, stepping over the box and into the crowded room.

My eyebrows furrow at him inviting himself in. "Um I'm Elle."

He shrugs and sits down on my sisters bed. "You're different than your sister then huh?"He asks, picking at the blanket he sits on top of.

I shrug, grabbing the box out of the way and putting it on Jackie's side of the room. "You could say that."

He smirks, looking up at me with a cocky presence. Who does he think he is? "And you're definitely different than your siblings?"

"You could say that." He says in a slurred flirty tone. Rolling my eyes at him, I cross my arms.

"Can you please leave?"

Pursing his lips, Cole stands up and nods. "I'll just go grab the rest of your stuff."

"I will do it."

"No you two get settled in." I hear Wills familiar voice from the doorway.

"Yeah, don't worry about it." Cole says, turning around and walking out of our door.

A huge sigh comes from me and I quickly follow them out the door. "Where are you going?" Jackie asks me.

"Getting my shit." I curse, not caring if we are allowed to or not. Coles attitude was enough for me already, and I will not tolerate it.

As I walk up to the garage, I pull my dark hair back into a low pony tail and grab two of my boxes stacked on top of one another. The two boys stare at me with confusion, but Cole has his usual sly smile. "What are you doing New York?"

"Grabbing my crap. Wouldn't want to be an inconvenience." I add, making a cocky glance towards him. He laughs and follows me to my room.

I get all of my boxes before the two of them are done, and then lay on my bed while they finish and Jackie tries to clean. Staring at the blank ceiling instead of doing things I have to do is the easier route.