a fortiori

...Chapter 12...

I asked the doctors to leave the room.

I was still trying to wrap my head around how Cole could have left. More importantly, how no one noticed.
Looking around the room, I saw three paintings from past patients. They were directly in front of the hospital bed I was still laying in. I slowly rised and plant my bare feet on the sickly cold floor. My hand kept contact with the bed to ensure my stability. Until I could stand on my own I viewed the paintings from a distance. I creeped closer and touched the frames. They were coated with a thin layer of dust.
The first painting was of a girl. She was looking out a window and she had cancer it seemed. She was looking out into colorless space and her eyes showed that she was depressed.
The second piece was of a boy. He was plucking away at a guitar and in the background could have been his dad leaning on the decks railing. Listening to the music perhaps.
The third painting was of a wolf sitting silent at a full moon. It was quite beautiful and I was not sure what inspired this because it wasn't like any of the others.
I traced my finger along the frames, unintentionally dusting them as I did. I looked closer at the girl in the first painting, she looked kind of like me. Yet I have never ever posed for a picture before. I went to the second one, the boy was dressed in black, like Cole. My eyes wandered all over the painting and I noticed a small faded symbol of a maze in the bottom corner. Like the one branded into the tree at Coles apartment.
Overwhelmed I sat down on the edge of the bed and continued to look at them. The wolf painting meant nothing to me, but the other two definitely got me thinking.
This couldn't be me. Could it?
Then I heard a knock on the door. Three small taps and I jumped.
"Um... it's open." I said calming myself down before welcoming the unexpected guest.
It was Cole.
He scratched his head and looked down at the ground. He knows damn well enough not to look me in the eyes after disappearing.
"What the hell Cole?" I stood up and crossed my arms.
He just stood there like he was taking a beating he knew he deserved.
"The front desk... they didn't know anything of you and you expect me to just, what, let that fly?!" I tapped my foot. I was getting heated and I wanted him to know how much disrespect I was feeling for him right know.
   " Zee let me—" he started.
" No, Cole, let me... for whatever reason, you disappeared, probably because of commitment issues, and then u most likely paid the front desk to 'forget'  you. Well listen here, I've taken enough crap in my life to know that sitting around for someone I'm not even sure is going to be there in the morning is a waste of time." I watched his face. His expression never once changed and his gaze never left the floor.
I released a big stressed out sigh and rub my temples. Making my way over to the large windows, I look out at all the kids running off the school buses into their parents arms.
I feel Coles breath on my neck. His hands make their way to my hips and he moves my hair out of the way so he can kiss my neck. Obviously, if I'm not going to let him talk, this is the best way he can make it up to me. He spins me around and his lips find their way to mine.
My emotions are surging through me and then I finally only feel passion. My hatefulness suddenly flys out the window I was currently pressed against and I know Cole feels it too.
"Zee... I—" I press my lips back into his cutting him off. I really didn't need him ruining this moment.
I take his hand out of my hair and put it on my back. His hand trails up and down until I hear a faint knock on the door.
Trying to catch my breath, I lean my forehead against his. My hands are on either side of his face and his hand his lower than my back.
"I.. uh... think someone's at the door..." I say.
"I know." I knew he didn't want to let go, but this could end badly if I didn't go answer the door. Meaning someone could walk in on something they most likely don't want to.
I release my hands and brush against his arm and I open the door handle.

"James?"