YOURS

Chapter 3

I thought I would never get out of the closet with Cole.

"If you're going to call the police then go..do it." He said to me.

I took a couple seconds to think this over. It would need more than a few seconds, but what was I going to do, spend the rest of my day stuck in this small and dark janitors closet with Cole? No.

"I'm not going to call the police." I softly spoke.

I backed up from him and placed my hand on the door to leave.

"I won't tell anyone you're here. Just leave me alone." I looked down.

"That's gonna be kind of hard considering I'm your partner for the college program." He reminded me.

I stayed silent.

"How am I suppose to protect you if I'm not close to you?" He took a step towards me.

I felt my heart jump a bit.

"I don't trust you, Cole. I can't just be your friend. Or even pretend like you're my friend. You're part of the reason I'm here." I made sure to say that with intent. I let it sink in for a moment before turning the knob and leaving the closet.

I looked both ways in the hallway before feeling safe to head back to my class now that no one had saw me sneak out of the janitors closet.

I had made it back to the classroom and walked in as quiet as I could.

The third wheel of a partner - Emma was sitting at our table with her arms crossed and rolled her eyes as I sat down.

"Where's Sean?" She asked.

I shrugged my shoulders to answer her. She scoffed. What's her problem?

Cole walked through the door and turned mine and Emma's head. She perked up and sat up straight with a wide smile on her face. She bat her eye lashes as he sat down between us.

"So Sean.." She started.

Only if she knew she was flirting with a kidnapper.

"Yeah?" He asked her.

She grabbed his arm.

"I was wondering what your ideas are for my project?" She asked him.

"Your project?" He was confused.

I pulled out my notebook and started to write down the outline for mine.

"You know...one of the things you're suppose to help me with? It counts for a big part of my grade." She spat at him. Clearly annoyed but also drooling over him so she was trying to be nice.

"I'm suppose to help you, not do it for you." He spat back.

Cole turned to me.

"What are you doing?" I looked up.

I didn't speak to him, only turned my notebook so he could read my outline.

"A Nightmare Without Sight?" He pushed the notebook back to me.

"Words, sounds, smells, and feelings without the vision. Experience my worst nightmare with your eyes closed..just like I do every night." I tried to explain my idea. He tilted his head.

"I'm going to create a box that you sit in and you get to experience my nightmares. Without actually having them." Cole opened his mouth to speak.

"Dark." Emma interrupted.

Cole looked to Emma and back to me.

"Brave." He corrected.

I looked down to my notebook and continued writing.