Escape || Cole Walter

Six

••live a little••

After the meeting, trying to get through the next two periods is absolute hell. In one of them though, I sit with Alex and we talk about all kinds of different things. One of them started with the Hobbit which I've secretly loved since I was a kid.

After today, I would definitely say Danny and Alex are going to be friends now. They are just so attentive, and easy to talk to. And if we keep sitting next to each other, I'm sure we will get close.

"I don't even know what I'm going to say to Katherine if she asks about my hat." Jackie says from beside me. After school she insisted we go to the vet where Katherine works, to check on a dog.

"Just tell her the truth. Those boys shouldn't get away with that."

"You want me to just rat out her kids?" I nod as if it's simple. Our walk all the way there has been super sunny, and we've been really talkative which is completely different for us. "I'm not sure." She says as we walk into the vet waiting room.

Katherine comes out shortly after, and I just hang back as the two of them talk, taking everything in. I wonder what made her want to become a veterinarian.

I look up quickly when I notice that Jackie is taking off her hat. I hadn't even noticed I spaced out completely. "Oh god- what did you-" Katherine pauses, her eyes flying to my worried ones, and then back to Jackie. "I mean, that's cool."

"Well, it wasn't deliberate." Jackie says with a ton of attitude. "Someone put hair bleach in the shampoo." She finishes quietly.

"Jackie," Katherine says, pulling my sister aside into one of the back rooms. I stay put, taking a seat in the waiting room. And then that's exactly when Cole Walter walks in. I sit up straight, as he walks up to the front desk asking for his mom. Turning around, to head to the back room, we make eye contact and he gives a big smile.

Peeking into the room he says, "Woah." And then looks over at me, and back into the room I can't quite see in to. "Tony says your car won't be ready til' tomorrow. Um, if you want a ride home, I got the truck."

"Oh thanks honey, I still have a couple clients left to see. I'll just see if your dad can pick me up. But I know Katy from the dance gallery would like to meet Elle, so can you give her a ride?" I hear Katherine say from the room.

I quickly stand up and walk up next to Cole. "Today?" I ask her immediately.

"Yeah." She says with a proud smile. "Jackie can stay with me it won't be too long right Jackie?"

Jackie nods slowly, knowing that when she gets home Katherine is going to punish the boys. "Okay, see you two at home!" Katherine says to Cole and I ask we walk out. He holds the door open and my mood is completely dropped. My body feels like it gained a thousand pounds.

The minute we get near his car, I stop walking and step in front of him, causing him to almost trip on me. "I don't want to go to the dance gallery." I insist, looking up at his bright blue eyes.

"But my mom said-" He starts curiously.

"Cole. I don't want to go." He looks at me with an even more confused look, leaning his arm on the hood of the vehicle. "I can't go." I add.

He nods slowly, the gears starting to turn in his head. "Okay then we won't go." He says, walking away from me and hopping into the drivers seat. "Come on."

Later in the car, I look over at him for the first time since being in the car. "You helped bleach my sister's hair didn't you? You were part of the bet."