Love Lessons

C H A P T E R F O U R T E E N || J E S S

|➳| C H A N G E|➳|

Each time I spent time with Cole, I wanted to ask him what he knew about Jerry and Tyler. I knew something else had to be going on, despite what Jerry told me. Jerry's story didn't add up. Yes, they could have gotten in a best friend fight and yes, they could have had some issues, but guys weren't that dramatic.

Well, there is Cole...

Still, something was off.

I haven't seen Tyler since my eaves-dropping event and I knew he would stay low after his disappointing phone call. Thoughts of Jerry and Tyler filled my head as I sat across Cole at a library table. We both needed to get homework done and Cole insisted on coming here. I knew why he picked it-no one we knew would be here. I couldn't lie, it still burned to know that he didn't want to be seen with me, but I had to give it time. His friends probably assume we hate each other, and spending time with each other would signal exactly what we were pretending to do. I wondered when he would get over it. He asked me to pretend to be his girlfriend; why should I have to be a dirty little secret, I didn't care about his friends.

We sat in a small corner with a small table, giving me the opportunity to smell him without being creepy. The cold winter air had him dressed in a pair of sweats and college sweatshirt. His body seemed to look better each day and I mentally cursed myself for realizing how attractive he is. I shamelessly stared at him as he concentrated on his math homework. I watched as he narrowed his eyes on the problem, biting his lip as he swiftly worked through it.

It was hot.

He eventually caught on to my staring because he looked at me in slight confusion.

"What-"

"What happened between Tyler and Jerry?" I blurted out. I couldn't help but ask, dying to know what happened between them. I knew that once he thought about them, he wouldn't make a comment of my staring.

"Are they still fighting?" He asked me.

"Yes!" I sighed. "Cole, how do you not know anything?"

"Look, you just want to know so you can meddle in their lives."

"So you think it's a relationship!" He stared at my blankly before running his hand through his hair impatiently. Speaking slowly, he made it seem as if I was incompetent.

"I don't know anything about them, Jess. We don't talk about that kind of stuff."

"Why not? You're roommates!"

"And?" He pressed his lips into a fine line before speaking again. "Guys don't talk about that kind of. We keep it to ourselves until we've screwed up that someone else has to get involved. That's the way it goes."

"Bullshit."

"Don't be pissed at me because you don't have answers." He chuckled.

"Has he been acting different?"

"I see him more." He shrugged.

"Cole!"

"Jess, I don't care right now. If that's something he wants to talk to me about, he will. Until then, tell me what you got for your last answer."