You Can't Choose (BoyxBoy)

Chapter Five

Cole checked with everyone who he could think of— which only happened to be his father, and Ian— before he asked his mother for a ride. His father said he'd do it, but Cole could hear in his voice that he was busy, so he said he changed his mind and wasn't going to go anymore. He didn't want the older man to feel bad.

Then he called Ian, who was with Ryan at the time, so Cole didn't even bother to ask him.

When he asked his mother, he had been hoping she would say no. Actually, he had orchestrated it to assure she would say no: "I know since you and dad are getting divorced we're a bit tight on money, and gas is super expensive these days, that I shouldn't be asking you for a ride, but I need to go somewhere. I'm sure I can convince Sarah to give me-"

But his mother, who was desperate for his attention after him being so cold to her because of the divorce and her affair, insisted on driving him. "I would pay anything to spend a little time with you, sweetie". And thus, his plans of guilting Sarah into driving him went down the drain.

It was quiet in the car, but mostly because he didn't want to participate in any of the conversations his mother was offering. "How was school today?"

"Good".

"Are you happy with both of your art classes?"

"Yeah".

"Did Sarah have a good summer".

"Uh-huh".

"Did you make any new friends?"

Just as Cole was about to say no, he thought about it. Was Jake a friend? He most definitely was friend-ly, but Collier didn't actually know him that well.

"Maybe".

"What do you mean by that?"

"I don't know".

With a sigh, his mother finally gave up, allowing a silence to fill the car that was only disturbed by the gentle voice on the radio.

The house they ended up in front of was only five minutes away from their own, and Collier was both upset and surprised.

Upset because he probably could have walked and avoided spending time with his mother. Surprised because he wasn't expecting the address to lead to a home, though it made sense when he thought about it.

Sarah hadn't given him a specific time, which he had found odd when he was assuming they were meeting up somewhere public, but if she was planning to spend the majority of the night at someone else's home, that made more sense.

"Who lives here?" His mom asked him and Collier shrugged, honestly having no clue. "Cole, you at least need to tell me that much".

"I really don't know mom". As she peered through the windshield up at the small house with green siding, she made a weary face.

"And you're sure Sarah's going to be here?"

"Of course she's going to be here. She's the one who gave me the address," Collier reminded, kicking open his car door and moving to exit the vehicle. He was stopped by his mother's hand on his arm.

"I'm going to run some errands, but I'll be home the rest of the night if you need me to pick you up before ten, okay?"

Ten o'clock was Collier's curfew. At that time, he either needed to be home, or on his way home. It was annoying since he was almost eighteen, but Cole simply accepted it for what it was.

"Right mom," he muttered before fully climbing out and slamming the door behind him.

Sometimes, but not all the time, Cole wished he could just get over the past and start driving again. Then he wouldn't have to constantly bother people for rides, and he wouldn't have to walk to school on mornings that his mother worked. He had a car in the garage at home, just sitting rusting away, but he still couldn't bare to start it, no matter how many hours he spent sitting behind the wheel with his fingers holding the key right before the ignition.