You Again (Completed) ✔️

34.

Cole's POV

I open the car door for Julia and she climbs in. "Thanks, Cole."

"You're welcome." Once she's in I close the door, before rounding the car and climbing into the driver's seat. I put my seatbelt on and start the car. As I pull out of the driveway I look at Julia and say. "Julia, I'm worried about you."

She gets a crinkle in the forehead as she frowns. "Why are you worried, Cole? I'm not your responsibility."

"I know, but I don't like seeing you like this. You should be sleeping. Not sneaking out in the middle of the night and going to the beach. Why do you go to the beach when it's a trigger to what happened?"

She looks at me. "When I was on the island I slept with the window open because the sound of the ocean pulled me to sleep. It was soothing. Every time I come to beach it reminds me of how some things can be controlled, like the water from the beach here and how some of the water can't be controlled like the one that hit the island." She pulls down the window and leans her head back against the chair.

I concentrate on the road until I end up at the same beach Julia went to the night before.

She looks out the window. "How did you know which beach to go to?"

"I followed you last night. Your dad wanted to make sure you were okay and he sent me to watch out for you. When I saw you we're okay I stayed in the dark so you couldn't see me."

"When I got home you looked the same way I felt. If I knew you were following me I would have been pissed. Thanks for following me and being honest. That's all I want from my family at the moment is honesty, but it looks like they can't do that for me."

"Julia?" She looks at me and waits for me to continue. "You should go home this weekend and spend time with your family. Maybe, they'll tell you everything you need to know."

"I'll think about it. What about you? Aren't you going to be lonely without spending time with my family?"

I shake my head. "I'm going away for the weekend. It was planned before you came home. When I get back we should catch up over coffee?"

"I'll think about it, Cole." She opens the door and climbs out of the car. Julia walks down to the sand and sits down. She wraps her arms around her body and looks at the full moon.

Grabbing a blanket from inside the car I walk over to Julia and wrap it around her. I sit on the sand next to her.

She looks at the water and doesn't say anything for a while. "Can we get something hot to drink? I'm starting to get cold."

"Sure," I stand up and hold my hand out to her. She takes my hand and stands up.

Wrapping the blanket tighter around her we walk to the cafe I saw her sitting in the night before. She walks over to the counter and orders two hot chocolates.

I look at her as she shivers again. "Take a seat by the heater and I'll join you with our drinks."

"Okay," she walks away from the counter and takes a seat.

The guy behind the counter looks at me. "She was in here last night until the sun rose."

I know.

"If she ever comes in here in her own can you give me a call?" I slide my card to him and he takes it from me. "She's been sneaking out of the house and it's worrying her father."

"It looks like she didn't do it this time."

"Nah, I caught her before she could get into the car."

He places the drinks in front of me. "These are on the house." He pulls out two croissants. "The croissants normally end up in the bin by the time my boss comes in for her shift at 6am."

"Thanks," I take the hot chocolates and croissants to the table and sit across from Julia.

She wraps her hands around the cup. "Thanks, Cole." Looking at the croissants she says. "You didn't have to buy these."

"I didn't. The guy behind the counter gave it to me. He saw you in here last night and thought that you could use something to eat. Especially, since you didn't leave here until 6." I start buttering my croissant and adding the jam on it.

She butters hers and then takes a bite. "This is good. I should buy some when I come out here again."

I reach across the table and take her hand. "Please, don't come out here again without someone."

"I'm not going to promise you anything, Cole. If I need some fresh air and the sound of the ocean to help me sleep then I'm going to do it." She brings the cup to her mouth and drinks. She begins to yawn and her eyes begin to droop.

I grab out cups and carry them to the bin. I walk back to the table and lift Julia up and carry her out of the cafe.

When I get to the car I unlock it and put her in the front seat. I put her seatbelt on before rounding the car and climbing into the driver's seat. Starting the engine I pull the car out of the parking lot and head in the direction of my house.

At home I pull my car into the driveway. Unbuckling my seatbelt I climb out of the car and round it to Julia's side.

Lifting Julia up I carry her to the front door and open. I step into the house and see Antwon sitting on the couch with Liam.

The boys stand up and say. "What happened to her?"

I put my finger up to my mouth and say. "Shhh, she just fell asleep and I don't want to have her waking up until the sun is up."

"Why didn't you leave us a note telling us where you went?" Liam says.

"I didn't have time. Let he put your sister to bed and we'll talk." I step around her brothers and walk up the stairs with Julia in my arms. I place her on the bed and cover her up. Moving a strand of brown hair from her face. "Goodnight, Julia." I step out of the room and make my way downstairs to where Liam and Antwon are waiting for me.

When I get to the room Antwon says. "Where did you go with Julia? Why didn't she stay asleep when she went to bed?"

I sit on the couch and look at her brothers. "You're sister went through something bad and she's been having problems sleeping from it. The way you two are acting towards her isn't helping her any. She came home to be with her family and all she gets in return is half-truths and excuses from everyone. I'm going away this weekend and I hope when I get back on Monday that everything is out in the open for Julia to know." My gaze lands in Antwon. "You have a lot to answer for, Antwon. No more sitting back and letting your family talk about what they lost." With that I stand up and head to my bedroom.