Him & Her

Ch.20

Ch20

Elizabeth called Brandon and he almost immediately picked up.

"Hi Elizabeth, what's up?" he asked, his voice sounded light and cheery.

"Hey Brandon. Henry and I are having this New Year's party and we were wondering if you wanted to come." Elizabeth paced her room as she spoke into her phone.

"Cool. Just you two?" he asked.

Elizabeth walked over to her nightstand and opened the top drawer. In it sat a lonely red box that contained a single abandoned red diamond bracelet. She had taken off the bracelet Brandon had given to her when Cole and his family had come over for lunch. She hadn't put it back on; it just didn't feel right wearing it and it felt like it weighed a million pounds when Cole was around. She didn't know why the bracelet bothered her do much. Every time she thought of Cole, she would feel guilty for wearing it. And every time she thought of Brandon she would feel guilty for NOT wearing it. Right now, she really wished Brandon hadn't given it to her in the first place.

"Ya, I think so." Elizabeth finally replied, "I like it that way, you know? Just a small group of friends." And Cole might come, she thought, but couldn't say.

"Ya, I'll be there. What time?" Brandon asked.

Elizabeth thought a while, "9:00."

"Ok, see you then. Bye." he hung up.

Elizabeth hung up too and put her phone on her desk. All she had left was to ask Cole. She walked over to her window and leaned out, looking into Cole's room. His curtains were open and his room was empty.

"Cole?" she called.

Suddenly the door to his bathroom in his room opened and Cole stepped out, hair wet, a towel in his hands, wearing nothing but long grey pants, his chest bare.

Elizabeth swallowed. She had to tear her eyes away from him and then she took a step back in her room. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.

"Oh, hey Liz." Cole said.

She turned back to him. He was smiling, the towel on his bed now, a shirt in his hands.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked.

"Not really." he answered.

"Well, put a shirt on. It's December for crying out loud!" she said.

Cole's electric blue eyes met her brown ones and he smiled mischievously, as if he could read her thoughts just by looking into her eyes.

"What if I don't want to?" Cole threw his shirt onto his bed.

"Put your shirt on." Elizabeth said, "You'll get a cold."

"I think I'm fine." he replied. His smile getting wider.

"Put your shirt on."

"No thanks."

"Put it on. Now."

"Nope."

"Now."

"Uh-uh."

"On."

"No."

"Fine then!" Elizabeth said, frustrated, "Talk to me when you get dressed!" she closed her curtain and turned away from her window .

She heard Cole's voice call, "Ok, ok fine! Come back! I got a shirt on! It's on, it's on!"

Elizabeth smiled and turned back. She opened her curtain and saw Cole smiling at his window, wearing a black long-sleeved shirt.

"So..." Elizabeth said.

"So..." Cole said.

"What're you doing for New Years?" she asked.

"I'm going to Dixon's place, there's going to be a huge party. I hear that..." Cole continued talking about the party and Elizabeth nodded and put a fake smile on her lips. She didn't want to be one of those clingy girlfriends. Was she really his girlfriend? Although, she really wanted to be with him as the clock strikes twelve.

Cole stopped talking and stared at her, his eyebrows furrowed. Elizabeth's smile faded, "Uh, Cole what's wrong?"

"What's wrong with you?" Cole asked.

"I...nothing."

Cole stared at her, his blue eyes penetrating.

Elizabeth sighed, "I just wanted to be with you at New Years."

Cole smiled.

Elizabeth threw her hands up in the air, "You smile at the most unexpected, inappropriate times! Why are you smiling now?"

"You want to be with me at New Years." he said.

"No I don't."

"As everybody starts to count down." he said dreamily.

"Who said that?" she crossed her arms over her chest.

"And when the fireworks go off-"

"Stop Cole." her face burned red.

"-I'll pull you close and kiss you."

Elizabeth couldn't move.

"And you'll finally say, 'I love you Cole'." Cole suddenly laughed, "I want to be with you too, but I can't miss this party. But maybe I can come to yours too."

Elizabeth's eyes fell to the floor. Suddenly she heard intense coughing come from Cole. Cole covered his hand over his mouth, stepping closer to the window. Elizabeth's eyes widened as the last cough came out and Cole took in a deep breath of fresh air. He breathed heavily, gasping at the air as if there was none left.

"Cole..." Elizabeth whispered.

He started to calm down. He closed his eyes put a hand to his chest, clenching his fist, his shirt wrapped tight in his balled fist. "Stupid cough." he wheezed. He cleared his throat and continued, "I started coughing like that yesterday, it's really annoying."

"Yesterday?" she asked him suspiciously.

He looked up at her, his hand dropping to his side, "Well, I started coughing lightly only a few times a day about like...last week." he paused, "But it's no big deal, it's probably just a cold from the day of the Christmas party." he smiled.

Elizabeth ignored the last part, "Anyway, so your not coming?"

"Sorry, I can't." and he really did look upset about it.

Her heart fell and she said, "Well, have fun at your party."

"You too."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Elizabeth closed her curtain and walked away.