The Cole Effect - Cole Walter

6 - Orphan Annie

Later, lunch hits. The class I have before lunch, I don't have with Cole so I walk to the Cafeteria by myself and stand in line.

I see Jackie sitting with Alex and Nathan so I'll probably sit there. Then I look to my left and see Cole walking towards me. His blonde hair lightly bouncing on his forehead and his blue green eyes looking into mine.

Ok, I get it, I'm just very observant, alright? Not like obsessed or anything.

"Hey Claire Bear." Cole says. I laugh and give him a light punch.

"Hey Coca Cole-a." I say. Cole laughs.

"God, we're so stupid." Cole says.

"We really are." I say, laughing.

"Do you really want to wait in this line?" Cole asks.

"Not really, no." I say. Cole lightly grabs my wrist takes me to the front. He grabs me some food and then pays for me. "Are you allowed to do that?" I ask.

"No one ever yells at me." Cole says, shrugging. Then he takes me to his table. "Alright everyone, this is Claire." Everyone stares at me. "Claire, this is, everyone."

"Hey." I say, giving a small smile to the group.

A girl sitting next to the girl that Cole kissed earlier gives me a smile. "Hi!" She says.

"Sit." Cole says to me. Then he looks at his girl, whose name I learned is Erin. "Come on, move over." He says.

"It's pretty cramped already." Erin says.

I'm not feeling very well-liked by Erin.

Then Cole grabs his tray and hands it to his friend. "Hold that." He says. Then he looks at me. "You can have my seat." He says.

"Oh, Cole it's fine I can just sit somewhere else." I say, feeling bad that he's giving up his seat for me.

"Cmon Claire, just take the seat." Cole says. I nod and sit down next to Erin. She rolls her eyes at me and I eat my lunch.

After lunch, I head to the rest of my classes and then I see Jackie in the hallway with her friends.

"Hey Jackie." I say.

"Hey Claire. This is Skylar, Kiley, and Grace." Jackie says.

"Hi!" They all say.

"Cmon Jackie, we gotta go." I say. Jackie nods and we both walk outside and see the car with all the boys in it driving off.

"Shit." Jackie says.

Then Grace walks outside. "Oh I'm sure they just forgot, they're always in a rush to leave for some reason. I'll give you two a ride."

"Thank you." I say. Grace nods. We all walk around the corner without Kiley because she has work. Then I see Erin.

"Hey! Claire." Erin says, walking up to me. "I don't know who you think you are. But just so you know, Cole is only being nice to you because his mom told him to. You're nothing special to him." Erin says.

"Listen Erin, I never said that I was interested in Cole, alright?" I say. "Even if I was, I know that he wouldn't be interested in me. So I don't know what your problem is."

"Just watch it." Erin says. "I'm not buying this little Orphan Annie act of yours." I look down.

"Hey Erin? Is that bag authentic?" Jackie asks.

"Of course it is." Erin says.

"Yknow, my mom designed some bags for your little company there and if it really was authentic, the logo would be stitched on the inside, not printed." Jackie says.

"Whatever." Erin says, walking away, looking shocked.

"Woohoo!" Skylar cheers.

I smile a little at my sister. "You're such a badass, you know it?" I ask.

"No, I'm just smart." Jackie says. We all get in the car. "Hey Claire I'm going over to hang out with Grace do you want to come with or not?"

"I think I'll just go back to the Walter's." I say.

Grace drives me to the house. "Thanks for the ride, Grace. I'll see you later, Jackie." I say, getting out.

They drive away and head inside the house. I go straight to my room and walk past Cole. I'm sad and angry right now.

"I'm not buying this little Orphan Annie act of yours."

"Hey Claire, I'm sorry that we forgot to pick you up, we were just in a rush." Cole says. I don't respond and I walk into my room and close the door.