Do I hate you? [BXB]

- Seventeen -

*The following Monday*

<Cole's pov>

"What the fuck did you say to him?"

Okay, I'm just about to leave for home because it's been a long day. I've spent most of it moping in regret for my drunken words. Not only that, but every time I suddenly felt myself becoming sober yesterday, I chugged another drink. Even though I still felt shitty when I was drunk, at least that as more bearable than being able to think clearly.

That is why I'm sat here, under the heat of cafeteria lights indoors, wearing sunglasses. The pain in my head was seething and my throat was forever dry. My eyes hurt and body ached. I'm joined by the usual crew, but the air is thick with death.

Not only that, but coach has been in a tizzy for the past week. Apparently, according to Tripp, he's been getting on James' case for the past fortnight. Therefore, because his start pupil is acting up, the rest of us must take the brunt of his crap. Therefore, I was in a bad mood.

"Who are you-" I feel the effort drain from me with each word. At this point, I shouldn't even waste my breath. My head is heavy and, every now and then, Toby has to pull me up straight, so I don't fall face-first into my food.

"James, obviously!" To be honest, I was still kind of pissed with all these guys for forcing me into that situation at the weekend.

"Well, if you had talked to me about your shitty plan before you did it, maybe none of this would have happened. I could have warned you things were going to end up this way if you'd just said something-"

"And what, if we had asked you, can you honestly tell me you would have given us a straight answer?" I think about this and, once I realised he has a good point, I give up fighting him.

"We only want to help," Toby has his hand back on my shoulder, but it's more of a comfort than a support. "Is there anything you can tell I so we might be able to make him feel better?"

"Look, I get you have good intentions and all, but this is a personal matter. It's not my problem if he doesn't tell you shit, but it's not my place to talk about his private affairs."

"So, you agree that you are the only one who can talk to him about this?" Aiden is glaring at me and it's a pain that I have to get on his bad side.

"No, you aren't listening to me. What I'm saying is this is his own problem and, no matter what any of us say, he's not going to get better just after a few words."

"But you're the reason he's acting up so much now-"

"Wow, you're really going to turn this on me. You're his best friend, right? Can't you go do something or doesn't he care about you as much as you led us all to believe?"

"You both need to stop!" Sam usually kept her cool, so it was a bit shocking to see her raising her voice. And to me no less! I understand Aiden but...
"This isn't solving anything. You said something and he got worse. Right, that's something at least. It's a lot more than we managed to get out of him in three weeks. And, that means, if he can get worse, then he can get better.

"Cole, stop being a dick. You've been getting on my nerves ever since we got to college! You aren't even hung over; you're just being lazy and it's pathetic. The sight of you is pissing me off; the willpower it's taken me to have not punched you in the throat so far, is incredible.

"There's something going on between you and James, we know! We've all been thinking it ever since you got with the Hannah Montana groupie. What, you only dated her to get back at him or something? That is low. Well, condragulations Queen you pushed him away now, so I hope you're pleased with yourself.

"Stop being so narrow-minded and thinking like we're back in the nineteen-hundreds. You like who you like but stop acting like we give a shit when we don't. I mean, I can't speak for these guys but this crisis you're going through is getting old. I won't start hanging around people who can't be honest with themselves. So, until you sort out your shit, don't talk to me because I really don't want to hear it."

She throws down her drink, grabs her tray and bag, and leaves. Trevor slinks away with her, hiding in her shadow and I'm left staring at where she once was. Toby follows not long after and its only Aiden and I left.

"He's probably somewhere on campus but I couldn't tell you where. I'd try the track first though, if you decide to take my advice.