Escape || Cole Walter

Seven

••live a little••

Stepping in the door, Cole smiles back at me. "Is there anything left? Because I am starving!" Cole yells as we walk into the completely silent dining room.

"Hey you know you're supposed to call if you're running late right?" George asks from the head of the table. Everyone eyes fall onto us, including my sister who looks extra confused. "I mean that's the whole reason you have the phone."

"Where have you guys been?" Katherine asks as we take our seats at the awkward table.

"Yeah, we uh went to the watering hole after the dance thing." Cole lies, taking a big bite of a bread bun. "Lost track of time."

"I'm sor-"

"Elle, excuse me-" George interrupts me, looking at his son still.

"First, that's funny because Katy from the school called and said you never showed up." Katherine says, looking between both of us.

"And Cole, you know anything about a bet with Isaac this morning?" George asks with his stern voice.

Cole's face goes absolutely stupid and he plays dumb as my sister looks at him, completely hurt. "No. No, doesn't ring a bell." His mouth is full as he talks through his food.

"I didn't get that." George says.

"Seriously Cole?" His mother scolds as we all just watch back and forth.

"It was a joke, okay?" He finally says. Jackie gasps quickly from next to me and my eyes meet Alex who looks at me with the same pain that Jackie has.

Looking down at his plate his eyebrow twitches. "Maybe ask Jordan what he's got on camera."

My mouth falls open as the whole table breaks out in chaos. Everyone starts to scold Alex, the arguing getting louder and louder until Katherine speaks. "Jackie I don't even know what to say I'm so-"

"I have to go fix my hair." Jackie interrupts, rushing away from the table.

"Jackie hang on." I say, standing up abruptly.

"I don't need help." She says in an extremely upset tone. Sitting back down, the whole family stares at me with wide eyes. This is probably the first time they are realizing our relationship isn't the best.

"Jordan." George finally speaks from the head of the table, taking attention off of me. "Go get the camera." My eyes meet Alex's who is completely somber.

Everyone shares looks as Jordan goes and gets his camera. Afterwards, their parents scold them once again. And I'm dismissed from the table.

That night, I wake up at one a.m. from a terrible dream. Just because I am able to push my families death into the furthest part of my mind, doesn't mean it doesn't come up in dreams.

Walking to the kitchen, the house is almost completely silent. It's so different at night.

But there is a faint noise coming from the TV. Following the noise, I find Danny, sitting on the couch. He looks up at me with surprise, and pauses whatever he's watching. "Hi Danny."

"Hey Elle." He says, taking off some headphones. "Couldn't sleep?"

Shaking my head, I walk towards him and sit down next to him. "Had a bad dream."

"I'm sorry." Looking over at me, his face is cast on my the tv.

"What are you doing down here?" I ask, looking around.

"I just like the peace and quiet." He explains.

On the table there are a bunch of random classic play books. "What are these?" I ask, picking Hamlet up.