Everything i wasn't- Cole Walter

4

Cole arrived at the Café, frustration evident in his expression. "Why are you hanging out with Marc? How do you even know him?" he questioned sharply.

Emerie, taken aback, explained, "We met here. It's just a casual coffee, Cole. No need to overreact. It's not like you're my father."

Cole, still displeased, retorted, "You should have told me about it. It's not okay to be out with someone you don't know."

As they continued their argument outside the cafe,the atmosphere grew tense, leaving Emerie's evening plans with Marc hanging in the balance.

Mid-argument, Marc came outside the cafe to see what was going on,sensing the tension. "What's the big deal, Cole? Why are you here and why do you care who Emerie hangs out with?" he questioned, a hint of frustration in his voice.

Cole, still upset, responded, "I just want to know what's going on. She should have told me she was meeting someone."

Emerie attempted to mediate, "Guys, it's just a coffee. Let's not make a big deal out of it."

Despite Emerie's efforts, the tension lingered, with both Cole and Marc holding onto their perspectives.

"It's not just a coffee, and you know it, Emerie," Marc scoffed at her statement.

Cole's jealousy flared, his expression growing more intense. "What's really happening here that you're not telling me?" he demanded.

Marc, with an air of defiance, admitted, "We kissed. But i see she is too scared to admit that to her little protector."

The revelation intensified Cole's jealousy, creating a palpable tension outside the cafe.

Emerie, feeling the weight of the escalating situation, defended herself, "It's not what you think, Cole. We were catching up, and it just happened. It doesn't mean anything."

Cole, still simmering with jealousy, retorted, "You should have told me you were meeting him. This is not okay."

"I didn't even knew him until like a hour or two ago and i never meant to kiss him,it just happened. And it's not even your problem!" Emerie defended herself.

"It's not okay for you to just disappear from home and kiss strangers, Emerie," Cole exclaimed, his frustration evident. "I would've taken you here if you really wanted wanted a coffee."

Emerie, trying to salvage the situation, responded earnestly, "I should have known better than to kiss a stranger,I admit that. But it was impulsive, and I didn't plan for it to happen. Can we talk about this calmly or just go home?"

Marc, feeling the tension, asked, "Are you just going to leave me hanging like that for Cole?"

Emerie, torn between the two, sighed, "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. And i'm not leaving you for him,i am just leaving with him."

Feeling the weight of the situation, Emerie turned to Cole and said, "Let's just go home, Cole."

Cole, still grappling with his emotions, nodded silently, and they left the cafe, leaving Marc behind with a mix of emotions and unanswered questions.

The car ride home was filled with tense silence, setting the stage for a crucial conversation between Emerie and Cole.

The air was heavy with unspoken tension. Cole finally broke the silence, his voice strained. "Emerie, I need to understand what's going on. Why would you kiss Marc?"

Emerie sighed, "I messed up, Cole. It was impulsive, and I didn't think. I was just feeling lonely and he was there,that's all. And about coming here all alone,i wanted to take my mind off things and i started walking."

Cole, frustrated, responded, "You can't just do things like that without thinking about the consequences. You could've gotten hurt,thank God Jackie gave me your number."

"Why'd you straight-up ask Jackie for my number?" Emerie questioned, a bit baffled about his intentions.

Cole, with a hint of concern, explained, "I was worried, Emerie. With everything I've seen you do,I thought something might have happened. I just wanted to check in and make sure you were okay and it was already dark out so i worried."

Emerie, softening a bit, replied, "I get it, but there are better ways to check on me than getting my number from Jackie.You could've just waited for me to get home,you know.."she chuckled.

Cole, understanding Emerie's concerns, affirmed, "You're right but, no chance of anything with that guy while I'm here. Actually,with any guy."

"Wow,very subtle." She laughed at him slightly surprised by what he said.

Did he care about her? Had feelings even?He barely knew her.
Maybe it was just that she was new.