Along the way

Seconds. Minutes. Hours. Days.

We have exactly 60 seconds in one minute. 60 minutes in a hour. 24 hours in a day. Counting down the seconds till I die is what I did. It was my hobby. That is until Cole came into my life. I didn't quite understand why he saved me. I knew that I liked it. I liked how he cared for me.

Tuesday. It has been a whole week ever since Cole saved me. Ever since we had been texting each other. He kept talking about how he did all these pranks. I would always laugh. I would tell him about my past. He kept saying that he would be here for me.

Cole's P.O.V.
Elena. She's absolutely amazing. She's a strong girl. I've never met anyone that strong. Her strength reminds me of my past. It reminds me of how I became the man I am today. I was happy. Not for the pranks. Not for the reactions. For her. Elena Johnson had made me happy and I liked it.

Elena: have you did any other pranks..?
Cole: yeah. But my mind was on something else so I almost got caught.
Elena: wow. What prank did you try to do.
Cole: trying to put mouse traps all over our high school.
Elena: unique.
Cole:yep.
Elena:well imma go to sleep. Goodnight.
Cole: goodnight love.

I felt love. I felt caring. But I didn't feel whole. I wanted to see my brother. I knew he was out of rehab and that he was trying to contact me,but I was too busy running away from my foster homes. This time is different. I wanted to see my brother. I needed to see my brother. If I didn't see him then I wouldn't feel whole.

Wednesday. I had skipped school with Cole to look for my brother. He was living in the next two towns over from where I lived. It felt kinda weird that he was living around me,but never contacted me.

We were here. We were at my brothers apartment where he had lived and survived ever since rehab. I was nervous. I haven't seen him and years and here I am standing in front on his apartment door. I froze like I always do. Cole was gonna stay in the car and come in. He said that if he came in it would bring back memories. I wonder if he was ever gonna let me in.
"Knock knock".

"Hello? Do I know you?" He question

"Elena. You know your sister."

"Elena? Elena, elena, elena.....ELENA!"

"So you remember me?"

"Of course, and I want nothing to do with you."

"What? Why?"

"You're the reason why I had to go to rehab. The reason mom died. The reason Dad died.  The reason why our sister is crazy and psychotic."

Was he serious? He was blaming me for everything. He was saying that it was my fault that our family is broken up. I felt broken. How can my own blood say that?  I couldn't feel nothing. I feel as if a cold hand had grabbed my heart and ripped it right out. I felt tears coming down my cheeks. So I ran back to the car where Cole was in.

"Hey are you ok—."

"Just drive please Cole. I want you to just drive."

He hesitated to look at me and see that I was crying.

"Aye what happened. I'm not gonna drive until you tell me."

He was caring for me. He was asking if I was ok. And so I told him.

"He blamed me Cole. He blamed me for everything that happened in my life. My parents dying, him going to rehab, and my sister being the psychotic sister she is."

He rubbed the tears off my face and cupped it into his warm hands. He whispered words that I will always remember....

"Love. Darkness. Hope. They will always come and break your heart. But if you fight, you would survive and be stronger than ever."

He had kissed me on the forehead and started driving. Cole was my life saver. Through thick and thin he would be there and I am grateful for that.