Unholy Gestures

Chapter 7

I don't realise where I was going until I slowed down and recognised the path to the little clearing I go to during my night walks. As beautiful as the place is I don't think I've been there during the day.

Because I'd been with Cole all day every day.

I'm happy that I kept this little place from him, he is someone who knows my every move and if I had told him of this place this would be the first spot he would look.

I pushed past the little brush there was and walked to the far edge. I sat down and looked at my surrounding. From here was the sight of the city. Santorini. Such a beautiful place. I'd come here hoping to explore the culture. Fly to Athens for a couple days, walk around the wonders. All the ruins that hold so many stories that had been lost to time.

Being with Cole gave me all of these opportunities, I could finally learn who I truly was, and I was happy. Cole helped me become me.

I was no longer the anxious, overworked young adult moving to Melbourne to find a new life. I was running. I loved my family and friends but sometimes I felt suffocated. Claire followed me and we had stayed the closest of friends. Both stressed to the max but living together and having fun. Or what we called fun.

But Cole, I met him, and my life was turned upside down. He took me on dates, actually showed me the city and was the kindest person I had ever met. He helped me realise that there was a lot more to life than actually just going to work, earning money, and going nightclubbing some weekends. Spending time with people who really never mattered in life. He showed me how to become a flexible and carefree woman who still knew when to be serious. I love him. And I love the person he helped me become.

I trusted him with everything. More than I trusted Claire and Jax, he truly not only was my other half but my best friend. I don't know how to live without him. I don't think I could. Everything would remind me of him.

Except this clearing. I came here on night walks when I struggled to sleep. He knew I walked around at night but he assumed it was just around the block and back.

"ADDISON!" I heard a voice yell. I knew that Claire or Jax would find me. They know about this place and they know me. They know that I run, I run and find someplace safe.

I could hear the rustling of the brush being pushed aside as someone walked into the clearing. I didn't take my eyes of the ocean in front of me. I kept looking over the view, watching as the sunset in a burst of colour. Watching as the sky glowed from the suns slow course, going from a bright blue burning to an orange and yellow fading into a gorgeous pink and eventually darkening the sky into a dark purple. Nearly how I'd see this area every night.

Claire sat down by my side.

"Jax told me everything. I'm so sorry Adi." I didn't say anything, I was afraid that if I opened my mouth, the tears that had stopped hours ago would come flooding back. The burn of my throat wouldn't let me forget. The ball of pain I only held back by silence.

"Cole is desperately searching for you, I had to sneak out of a window to make sure he wouldn't follow me." I manage a weak laugh, the image of Claire climbing out of a window was not something that I'd imagine but I could totally see her doing it.

"He's trying to explain and reason his way out of it. Celeste isn't taking any of it, neither is his parents or Dylan. Heath and Tyler however see nothing wrong."

"That's because they try to get with any girl no matter their relationship status." I say dryly. I thought that those two had more respect when it came to cheating, especially when it came to their friends. Apparently not.