VERONICA WAS IN THE CAR WITH ERIN, Olivia and Ruby; the three other girls singing along to the songs that played while she drove silently to Dylan's lake house.
As the music blasted on and the girls in the back sang to their heart's content, already a bit tipsy by the bottle of vodka Ruby had brought, Erin turned to Veronica. "What's up with you? You don't look so good."
The black girl shrugged, unsure of what to tell her friend. She couldn't just tell Erin about everything that was happening with Cole and his family, so she decided to put on a smile and tell a little white lie. "Just a bit worried about how my dad will react once he finds out that I skipped school to party."
Erin laughed at that, "Well, my mum will also be furious so I'd say when they get out the knives we run away together and live as nomads in the woods."
Veronica laughed at that and finally let herself relax a bit, humming along to the songs and smiling with her friends. This day would be great, she just knew it and nothing could stop this little party from lifting her mood.
Okay, well maybe one thing could actually ruin Veronica's mood, or rather the whole party. Unannounced and uninvited Jackie just had to show up to this little get together, wearing Cole's jacket.
All Veronica wanted to do now was get drunk and not think about Cole. She was conflicted, really. Because why would he care so much about Jackie, would talk to her throughout the whole party, would disappear with her when he was upset about football, when Veronica was here? And she wasn't just any friend, she was his girlfriend.
Of course, what had happened on the day of Parker's game had put somewhat of a strain on their relationship, but they hadn't broken up or talked anymore, so why did he act like that? Has he realized that he actually didn't want the relationship anymore and just wanted to explore the field a bit?
To distract herself, Veronica took another sip of whatever had been given to her, truly not caring, today was all about forgetting. She talked with Erin, criticized Dylan for his taste in music and finally was talking to Danny about the movie he had recently studied, though she was a bit tipsy and not the best conversation partner right now.
"Okay, Olivia, truth or dare?" Erin asked, catching everybody's attention, distracting Veronica from her conversation with Danny, only to notice that Jackie and Cole had been talking to one another the whole time, standing inappropriately close.
Everyone gathered in a circle around the fire and the game began after explaining the rules to Jackie, who was a newbie. Some people kissed, others responded to the asked questions while others did their dares. Veronica up until now hasn't been picked once, which was both lucky and boring; truthfully, Veronica was glad about it, she didn't want to know what kind of questions she would be asked and she most certainly wouldn't be able to not answer them since she wouldn't kiss somebody other than Cole over her dead body.
Finally, Olivia picked, and being her, she just had to choose Cole and the boy was dumb enough to choose truth. "What do you really think about Dylan stealing your spot and number?" Olivia asked, a mischievous smile forming on her face.
A tense silence filled the air as everyone watched Cole, waiting for his next move. Veronica caught him looking over to Jackie who was the person standing to his left, the person he would have to kiss to avoid this question. Her heart sank right in this moment.
Cole looked over to Veronica, who had her face scrunched up in worry as she looked back and forth between him and Jackie. "I'm actually done with this game. I quit," Cole said, not removing his gaze from Veronica.
Erin looked over to him, her expression hard, "Not surprising. Quitting things is kind of your MO these days." Veronica looked over in shock, not expecting Erin to snap at him in this kind of way.
The boy turned to leave but Jackie just had to choose this moment to return to the firepit, her steps wobbly and only thanks to Cole was she able to not fall down on the wooden floor. As Cole held Jackie and steadied her on his left side, he chuckled, looking over to Erin and then to Veronica next to her.
Veronica almost dropped her cup as she saw the expression on his face, would he really do this just because Erin challenged him? "You wouldn't," those few words left her mouth in shock as she couldn't remove her eyes from him. He wouldn't, right?
"Oh, I wouldn't?" Cole asked, the alcohol seeming to take over his mind as he took a few steps to get closer to Jackie and he leant down. Just as he was about to connect their lips, God decided to offer some form of divine intervention (Veronica would have to go to church this sunday) and Jackie, who had had too much to drink, puked over his sweatshirt, forcing Cole to move away in disgust.
The rest of the group couldn't help but laugh at his disgusted expression, Veronica however didn't think any of this was funny at all. Her boyfriend was about to cheat on her right in front of her eyes, she could feel the tears forming as they locked eyes. Cole looked at her for a moment but then turned away, following Jackie who had run away.
As she watched him leave one thing was for sure, Veronica couldn't handle Cole anymore.
She did love him, still does and will continue to do so forever, but she knew that staying with Cole as he was now would do her more harm than good. No matter how much she wished to support him, help him to get better, she knew that he wouldn't listen to her, maybe he needed that let down to recognize what was happening with his life.
The car ride back home was much more silent, as Erin turned the radio up, probably also upset by Cole's almost kiss with Jackie, and well, Ruby and Olivia slept soundly in the backseat.
Deciding to no longer wallow in self pity, Veronica turned down the volume and turned to look at Erin. "So, what was that with Danny back there?" she asked teasingly. "Oh, Dany that is so sweet of you, you are the best," she poorly imitated Erin's words. "Drive home safe", she then imitated Danny.
Erin chuckled at her poor imitations. "Come on, that's not how I sounded," she protested.
"Oh, you so did and then you also did the lash thing. You know where you just look at him and blink a few times. I swear Erin, that gets you each guy," Veronica rambled on, trying to imitate what Erin was doing with her lashes. "See, when I try it, it just looks as if I have something in my eye."
"Well, it doesn't work, if it would, Cole wouldn't have tried to kiss Jackie," Erin responded bitterly, holding the steering wheel a bit tighter.
Veronica nodded at that, she didn't intend for the conversation to turn to this topic. "Well, you know what? Cole's changed so much, I don't think I want to continue being friends with him and Erin, you're such an amazing girl. You shouldn't miss the opportunity of true love just because you're chasing after Cole Walter, a complete asshole."
Erin threw a quick glance over to her friend, not expecting her to talk about Cole this way. Veronica had always been the person to talk about Cole in a good way, but it seemed that something had happened between the pair of friends, something that might never allow their bond to be repaired.
The blond girl put her hand out and Veronica took it, both of them holding on to the other as they drove through the dark streets of Silver Falls, tears gathering in their eyes but both were too proud to let them fall, just because of some boy.
YOU ARE READING
WHERE WE ARE ; COLE WALTER
Fanfiction. . . IN WHICH . . . things get a lot more difficult for Veronica Summerhill once Jackie Howard shows up in the little town of Silver Falls and threatens her 'friendship' with Cole Walter.
