Arcade | s.m (✔️)

Twenty-Four

After getting midnight ice cream with Cole and having him properly meet Shawn, I had fallen asleep, thinking that I would be going out with Shawn for dinner and my day would be perfectly normal.

I thought wrong.

When I woke up, I had no worries except on what I was going to wear tonight. By the end of the day, my biggest worry was how fast I could get out of the state.

Lunch was where it all started. Cole had offered to drive me an hour away so that we could get lunch at one of those cafe places, and I agreed. Mom decided to stay behind, saying that she would call if she needed us back at home.

"So, you and Shawn?" Cole says once we're in the car and driving, and I groan.

"Yes, we've been over this. Shawn and I."

"You know, when I advertised that you were single the first day we got here, I didn't think he would actually go for you."

"Oh? And why is that exactly?" I question him, and he shrugs, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Well, for one, you must have told him that it wasn't a guarantee we would be staying in our current house until you graduate. Maybe he's just looking for a summer fling."

I stay quiet, and as we stop at a red light, Cole turns to look at me.

"You didn't tell him, did you?" His voice is deadpan, like he expected this from me.

"The chances of us moving again are slim, and you know that. It's better Shawn doesn't know about it."

"Well, does he at least know about why we keep moving?"

"Yeah, because that's something I can just pull out of no where during a normal conversation." I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm. Cole had a point though, I needed to tell Shawn a little background info before things got out of hand.

"Seriously, Rose? You guys have probably been alone with each other more than once. And I have no doubt that somebody asked you about our father in front of him. What do you tell them? That our dad died in a car accident?"

"No, I didn't lie. I just didn't say anything, that's all. Does Eva know about everything?" I ask, testing him, and as he takes a turn he answers.

"Actually, yes, she does."

"Are you serious?! She could tell all my friends!"

"If they were really your friends, you would have told them by now!" Cole points out, and I groan.

"Oh yeah, why not? 'Hey Harper, great story about your trip to the fair. By the way, did I mention my family is under the Witness Protection Program?' I'm sure they'll all love the story, and they'll definitely believe it too."

"What's not to believe?" Cole asks, and I scoff.

"Um, maybe the fact that there's a group of men hunting us down as we speak? Yeah, that doesn't sound like a movie at all. I'm sure my friends will believe me completely."

"Okay, you know what? Fine. Don't tell them. But when stuff comes crashing down, don't come to me about it." Cole says, and the rest of the ride is silent until we reach the cafe, then changing the topic as we order our food.

"When do you go back to college?" I ask, and Cole shrugs.

"In a week. Good news is that Mom is almost done with her studying, which means you won't be so lonely. Not like company is a problem though, with Shawn by your side."

"Oo, good one, you really got me there. Does Eva laugh at all your jokes too?"

"Oh, I do a lot more than just tell jokes to her."

"I could say the same about Shawn and I." Cole's jaw drops as I take a bite of my sandwich, and I hold myself back from laughing.

"Oh, I know. Do you think I'm stupid? I mean, I doubt both of you had to go to the bathroom at the same time last night. Tell me though, how long can you truly last without Shawn's tongue down your throat?"

When he says that, I choke on the water that I was currently drinking, and multiple people turn to look at me as my face turns red.

"The real question is, how much can Eva bench?"

Cole looks at me confused, and before he can ask me what I'm talking about, I continue to speak.

"I mean, she seems like a pretty strong girl. But last night when she needed your help to close the freezer door all the way near the storage room, it got me thinking."

"Okay, no. The freezer door was actually stuck, and I had to shut it."

"Mhm, right. Is that why your face is turning red right now?" I ask, and Cole looks around to make sure no one is watching us before flicking me off.

We continue to eat, changing the subject to something that didn't have to do with either Shawn or Eva.

"So, what's the gossip I've been missing out on? Any juicy stories? Got any bad blood with the town people?" Cole asks me, and before I can even say a word, the door to the cafe opens and my jaw drops.

"Speak of the devil." I mumble, loud enough for Cole to hear, and he turns his head to look at who had entered.

Victoria stood with some guy I had never seen before, making eye contact with me almost instantly.

Out of all the cafes in the entire world, why did she just have to go to this one?

"Rosie! How are you?" She walks over with a smile on her face, and to my surprise, actually bends over to give me a hug.

"Hey, I'm good, thanks for asking." I say, trying my best to stay casual and not roll my eyes over her calling me "Rosie" again.

"Oh, you're Colton, right?" Victoria instantly begins to check out my brother, and I think of a thousand deaths I would rather have than watch this moment.

"Cole, actually. You are?"

"Oh, I'm Victoria, but your sister and everyone else just call me Vic or Vicky. I'm sure Rosie's spoken about me before, right? We hang out a lot."

"Actually, yeah. She might have mentioned your name once or twice."

"Oh, has she? Love her to bits, honestly. Anyways, I've got to go, Isaac is waiting on me and I'm killer hungry right now. Talk to you later!"

The moment she walks away, Cole and I both do the biggest eye roll at the same time. As I finish off my sandwich, Cole pulls out his phone and his eyes widen.

"What?" I ask, and he turns his phone to face me.

"Nine missed calls from Mom."

"You didn't feel any buzzing?"

"My phone's on 'Do Not Disturb', just like yours always is. Anyways, we should probably get home."

I check the time, and my eyes widen when I find out that we were here for two hours, which means by the time we get back I'll have an hour to get ready for my date with Shawn. Not only that, but my mom had also called me a solid fifteen times.

I go over to my contacts and call her back, waiting a while before I'm sent to voicemail.

"What do you think she wants?" I ask as we both walk over to Cole's care, then getting in.

"I don't know, but maybe she's lost the house keys. Or she made another cake. Yeah, it's probably another cake."

We later found out that it was most definitely, not another cake.