The New Separation (Book 2)

Chapter 19

Colton

"You gotta know something," I begged. "Please, Kyle."

He looked up from his laptop and raised an eyebrow at me. "What do you think I talk about with Josh? Do you honestly think we have nothing better to do with our lives than talk about you and Elliot?"

"But I know Elliot and Josh talk to each other all the time!"

"So what? I don't know anything about him right now, Cole. And I'm not going to ask for you either." Kyle stood up from the couch, closing his laptop. "You were the one who cheated on him and broke his heart. I've known the kid longer than you have, in case you've forgotten. I don't think he deserves you anymore."

With that, my wonderfully helpful brother left me sitting alone in the living room. He couldn't possibly have meant that, right? That he was so against us getting back together? Well, I guess he was never a fan of our relationship to begin with, but he and Josh eventually came around. I guess we just proved them right after all, it only took two years to do.

Maybe they were right. What if Elliot and I really weren't good for each other, like they originally thought? What if that was why they tried keeping us apart back then?

"Kyle!" I shouted, getting up and running down the hallway. I stopped in the doorway to his room, where he was sitting on the edge of his bed, looking up at me. "Does this have anything to do with why you didn't want us to date in the first place?"

"What? No."

He picked up his phone, seeming to want to end the conversation there, but I needed answers. "Kyle. Please?"

He sighed and looked up again. "We said no at first because you were both young and stupid." I went to complain, but he shot me a look and kept talking. "Neither of you had dated before. And every high school relationship ends up failing miserably. Honestly, we didn't expect you guys to last two months, let alone two years. We thought that maybe keeping you guys apart would let you still be kids for a little while longer, without any heartbreak." Kyle let out a sigh and I sat down next to him before he went on. "Then we saw you two together. Obviously you loved each other, so we thought that we wrong after all."

"So help me get back with him."

"I can't do that, Cole. Obviously you two talking didn't help anything. So I meant what I said. He doesn't deserve you anymore. You cheated. End of story."

I flopped backwards across his bed with a long sigh. Kyle was right. I fucked up big time. There wasn't even a tiny chance left that Elliot will ever accept me again, whether or not he still has feelings for me.

"Will you go to your own room?" Kyle asked. "Josh is coming over. I need to change."

I rolled my eyes but stood up anyway. "Why bother changing? He's seen you in all kinds of outfits." I didn't want to picture the other outfit he's seen that doesn't involve clothes. "You guys better not be too loud. I'm still here tonight, even if Dad won't be home for a few hours."

Elliot

Colton still loved me and I already knew he felt guilty for what he did. Was it possible that he'd remain faithful if I asked him to go out with me again? Should I even ask him? What if he says no? What if he cheats again?

I was currently sitting at my desk chair, slowly spinning in circles as I tried to think. It's been two days since I ran into him in the cafe. Two days since we've talked, since neither of us has even tried to text the other. But that was the norm recently. We used to go days. once almost a week in between our short text conversations.

I just thought things might have been different since he was home now, since we actually saw each other and talked. Granted, it wasn't much, but it was something that hadn't happened in a while.

Just as my chair spun to face my door, my brother walked by. "Josh!" I called. "Come here for a second."

He stopped walking. "What's up? I'm about to leave."

"I just need your advice really quick." He nodded, so I went on. "I want to ask Colton out again."

"Why?"

"Because I'm still in love with him and I don't think I'll ever get over him!"

Josh sighed and walked into my room. Then, sitting on my bed, he just looked at me for a long minute before speaking. "You remember my ex? Brandon?"

I nodded. "He cheated on you too, right?"

"Yeah. I loved him too. And it took me way too long to get over him. But I did, because I found people who treat me so much better than he ever did. You'll find someone too, someone who won't cheat on you, who treats you right. You're still young. You don't need to find 'the one' right now."

Josh came over and gave me a quick hug. "Everything will work out for you eventually. Promise." Then he walked out of my room, leaving me alone with my thoughts again.

What if Colton was my 'one' though? What if I lost the only hope I had at being happy? Was that possible? What would happen to me if I really did move on?

It took me nearly two hours to come to a decision. At that point, I wasn't about to back down. I practically ran around the entire house trying to find someone to ask for the car.

Finally, I found Mom in her bedroom. "Mom," I said, almost out of breath. Man, I needed to start working out again. "Can I borrow your car? Please? It's important."

"Elliot, it's a school night."

"Please, Mom? I'm not going to be long. Ten minutes. Tops. Please?"

"Why do you need it all of a sudden? It's almost ten o'clock. Whatever you need to do can wait until tomorrow, can't it?"

"No, Mom. You don't understand. I need to go tonight."

She crossed her arms, giving me that stern look that said I probably wasn't going to get my way tonight. "Where?"

"Colton's. I need to get him back."