Escape || Cole Walter

Ten

••the cole effect••

With the next week, everything is back to chaos in the Walter household Jackie and I are finally getting settled in, and everyone has started to move on with their own problems and their own lives. The most exciting thing for them, is homecoming.

Jackie and I have never had a homecoming. I barely even knew what it was until a couple days ago.

Because of Alex and Jackie, and student council, I am tied into the whole ordeal, even though it sounds absolutely ridiculous. The only part of the whole thing Im in for, is the drinking and partying when they win.

At school, with tons of convincing of Erin, Jackie and I come up with our idea to do a silent auction. In this town I'm not sure how well it'll go but it's the best idea anyone came up with, so I helped Jackie pitch it to the council.

Now I am stuck at the auction table while everyone around me screams and yells at the whole party going on.  Peoples bodies are painted and tons of school pride colors are represented everywhere. Fundraisers and vendors of all sorts are lined up around the whole parking area, and on the stage there are cheerleaders, including Erin, doing a whole routine.

At the dead auction booth, I get to watch Alex and my sister from across the way. They both look super miserable, but try cracking an awkward joke to each other every once in a while. I would love for the two of them to get together. Alex and Jackie just make sense. Alex and I couldnt ever in my mind.

Leaving the booth for a minute, I walk around, a smile that cant seem to go away. Ive never actually been to a homecoming and I kind of like it after all. The non-stop partying and yelling is exteremly fun and invigerating. Even if all of the excitement is over a football game, which I have no interest in, I enjoy it.

On my way to the cider cart, I run into Skylar. "Hey girl!"

"Hi!" I yell back with a laugh, he grabs my hand and twirls me to the music before rushing back off in the direction he was originally headed.

I walk up to the apple cider cart with a large smile. "Hey you two!" I yell.

"Hey, hows the first hoco going?" Alex asks me.

I shrug, and then laugh. "Its actually really fun. The auction table is boring, but I am enjoying the rush of everything." Alex laughs, throwing his head back a little bit. "Can I have some cider?"

"About that-" My sister starts, looking back at the cart.

"It is kind of broken right now." Alex finishes.

"We are waiting on someone to get here to fix it." Jackie explains.

"Shit." I say, walking around the cart and observing the huge tap. I have no idea what Im looking at but I pretend to, trying to move around random things that dont even move.

"We are gonna go walk around for a bit." Alex says, coming up next to me. I nod with a smile, and continue to look around at the set up theyve got.

A couple minutes after the two of them leave, I sigh and step down from the cart. "Get out of here New York." Coles familiar sarcastic voice registers from behind me, and with a little jump I turn around.

"Cole." I say, surprised that hes even here. "I didnt think you were coming."

He steps up to the cart with a completely cocky smile. I can read through it though, the smile is all for show. I know he doesnt want to be here.

"My, uh, brother made me." His confidence kind of dies from the truth. "There we go." He says, moving down from the cart and facing me.

"What are you here for?" He asks me, stepping up to the cart, with a smile to anyone who gazes our way.