It Was All Leading Up To You

Chapter 5:

We get to the Resturant after what feels like hours but really isn't that long. Cole gets's out to open the door for me and gives me his hand to help get out. I take it but he doesn't hold onto it as we can both feel my brother's gaze on us. He open's the door for Phoebe and me. We enter and wait to the side as we do not have reservations. I feel a shift in the air around me. Ross and Cole stand on either side of me not saying a word with Josh and Phoebe still making conversation off to the side. I see him move a bit of hair from the side of her face and she smiles blushing as he does so. 

I look over at Ross who is looking down at me his blonde hair looking brown in the dim and unique lights of the beautiful restaurant. He smiles down at me putting his hand on my shoulder and dragging his hand down to my wrist and grabbing my hand. The same hand Cole had just held a moment ago. I didn't know how to respond. I'd wanted this since I was a little girl and I'd dreamed of how amazing it would be if he finally liked me. But it didn't feel as I thought it would.       

After about 30 seconds he dropped my hand as the waiter was here to offer us a table of 5. We are walked towards our table in the back corner. Cole sits against the wall and I join him. Sitting next to him. Phoebe sits on the other wall with Josh sitting next to her and Ross sitting head of the table. I smile at him, I can see he is disappointed because he didn't get to sit next to me. 

"I am Ryan, your waiter for this evening. May I start you off with drinks or starter's." He says in an extremely cute British accent.

"Can we just get 2 jugs of water and 2 plates of Garlic Bread, Royley's style, please," Josh speaks up finishing talking to the waiter and turning his head straight toward Phoebe to continue talking. 

"I like what you've done with your eyes," Cole says pointing at my eye makeup, blue's and greys blended to complement them. 

"Thank you, it's just makeup. I should do yours sometime." I say looking at the indents of his cheeks. 

"I would be honoured, my lady." He says taking on an accent from what can only be described as Texan. 

I laugh and smile looking into his eyes as he looks back into mine. I see someone I like. Someone I have feelings for. 

"Here you are." He says placing our water jugs and Royley's bread on the table leaving so we can enjoy. 

"Mmm, this is so good," Cole says taking a second bite of the soft, salty and flavoursome bread.

"Welcome to Royley's," Ross says shoving a whole piece into his mouth and swallowing it smiling. He looks sad and I think I know why. 

We devour the bread and make small talk conversations around the table before we order our mains and dessert's eating them together as a new cohort of friends. 

We got back into the car and drove home. Silence in the back seat and nothing but noise and pleasant conversation coming from the front. Which then resonates towards the back. 

Cole takes my hand again and places it in his lap exploring my palm with his thumb seconds before we get out of the car and continues holding it when we get out of the car. I hold on for dear life waiting for reactions from my brother and Ross. Both of them notice but say nothing. I get a filthy look from Ross who looks heartbroken. I need to speak to him. 

"Hey, I'm gonna pull the car around with Ross. I'll meet all of you inside." I say jumping into the passenger side door.

"We need to talk Ross," I say facing towards him. He has now stopped the car in the middle of our culdesac to speak to me. 

"I thought you liked me, Laney? All those years of awkward conversations and staring and being together. I was starting to like you I really was, I mean you're beautiful. I don't see you as a sister anymore Laney. I want to be with you. I guess I always kind of have. I finally realise that now." he says on the brink of tears reaching for my hand. I let him take it. 

"Ross I-I don't know what to say." I can't speak I cant move. Up until yesterday, this was my dream. This is what I always wanted. I can't find the heart to tell him that I don't feel the same way. 

He lets go of my hand and pull the car into our driveway. He comes around and opens the door for me. I get out of the car and start walking towards Coles house in a rush. I feel a pull from behind and in what felt like a microsecond my lips were connected to Ross's his hand slithered around my waist and my hands lying limply by my sides. I pulled away after about 5 seconds and stepped back unsure on how to feel before I hear something fall to the ground. A glass. Cole was standing in his driveway.