Fighter {Completed}

Chapter Thirty: Someone's Having Fun {Cole}

Chapter Thirty: Someone's Having Fun {Cole}

"Scarlet's not answering," she says, hands shaking as she lowers her phone, glancing up to me for a second. It's clear she's not too happy about being trapped in the closet with me, the nervousness pours off of her in waves.

"Don't worry," I tell her. "Someone will come looking for us soon."

I slide down the wall, stretching my legs across, unable to straighten them as the other wall keeps me from doing so. Ellie sits down as well, beside me but painfully far away.

It's silent for a few moments before a new sound fills the air, coming from the bedroom just across the hall. I shake my head, laughing.

Someone's having fun.

The moans don't bother me, but Ellie clearly feels different. Her face turns a deep shade of red, matching the t-shirt she wears. It's hard to tell where the shirt stops and her skin begins. Her wide green eyes go down to her hands, obviously uncomfortable.

I don't fight my smile at seeing her hands itch to cover her ears.

"It's just sex, blondie. Everyone does it."

She freezes, turning even more red if possible. Her hair falls slightly as she shakes her head.

"It's supposed to be private. Other people aren't supposed to hear it, and besides, sex should be..." I raise a brow as she trails off, thinking of the word. She only glances at me before continuing. "Sex should be special... with someone you love. I don't think that hooking up with random strangers is special." I laugh again.

"There's nothing wrong with sex, Ellie. It's fun."

"Well, I wouldn't know." Oh yeah... she's still a virgin...

"I forgot you were a-"

"Yeah." She cuts me off, looking away from me and to the other side of the closet. A brief bout of guilt runs through me but it's stopped by the way my body feels electrifying as she says my name. I scoot a little closer.

"Did he try to do anything else? I mean, did he ever... force anything?" I question, remembering our talk at the King Estate.

"No." Ellie pauses, the mention of him making her uneasy. She looks down at her hands again, playing with her fingers nervously. "He constantly begged me, but he didn't force anything other than the time with the pictures. That's the only time anything sexual has ever happened." Ellie's eyes turn darker, and she hangs her head. "He believes that I had sex with you. That's... That's probably why he's so mad about you. He thinks I gave you something he never got."

Anger pushes through me. It instantly makes me want to punch something. Anger for the way Keenan treats her. Anger for the pain she feels. Anger for the thoughts he's put into her head. Anger for Ellie every going through any of this. Before I can control myself, I spit out words that I know will take a wrong turn instantly.

"I'm not scared of jail, Ellie. Someone needs to stop him."

"I've already told you, you can't do that. I won't risk your future by letting that happen." Her tone is icy, more angry than she's ever used on me before. I feel like a scolded puppy dog as I sigh, hanging my head. "Don't you think I would let you help if I could?" Her anger has a clear hold of her, the skin on her face turning bright red for a new reason other than embarrassment, tears shining. "Look, I just... I can't risk losing anybody else, alright?"

Her heartbreak shines through her wavering voice, and the sound shoots straight through me, piercing my own heart with agony.

"Please," she says, wiping at her face angrily, as if disgusted that she's crying. "Please, just drop it, Cole." My heart fucking shatters.

My love... please, don't cry.

I don't stop to think before I get right next to her, so that our sides touch as I grasp her hand softly, lacing our fingers together. She returns the gesture, squeezing my hand softly as her own shakes. Her head leans against my shoulder, her temple warming my skin through my shirt.

She sniffles softly, alerting me to the fact that she's still upset.

"Hey, Ellie?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you a parking ticket? Because you have 'fine' written all over you." It's silent for just a moment, but then her petals of laughter fill the air around us, loud and genuine. It brings a smile to my face, so I tell another.

"Do you have a band-aid? 'Cause I scraped my knee falling for you."

She laughs harder, wiping her sadness away with the a swipe of her hand. I grasp her hand tighter.

Suddenly, she nuzzles her face into my arm, sighing.

I must be dreaming.

Christ, can she hear how fast my heart's beating?

As silence ensues, the feeling of something missing flows in the air.

"Can I see your phone?" I ask her. Without speaking, she hands it to me, curious. I angle it toward her for her to put her password in, but she surprises me.

"1510," she says.

Something like sunshine radiates from my bones.

She trusts me with her password... My heart sings.

I play the same song we danced to not long ago, Ellie freezing as she hears the familiar notes begin flowing through the speakers. As I glance at her, I see the rosiness form across her cheeks and nose, dusting across her entire face.

Squeezing her hand tighter, I sigh, relaxing against the wall. Her head stays on my shoulder, a small smile on her lips as she closes her eyes, listening. I grin, mouthing the words to the song as it plays.

Despite being locked in a closet with no leg room and no bed, I realize I wouldn't mind staying right here for the rest of my life, so long as Ellie's here with me.

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