Do I hate you? [BXB]

- Eighteen -

<Cole's pov>

I've been around the college three times and he is nowhere to be found. I've checked the usual hotspots, but he wasn't in any of them. This is so annoying. The only reason I was willing to make up with him was because I couldn't stand the thought of losing a friend as good as Sam.

We had been together since middle school and, out of all the people I've known, I admire her the most. She's very confident and brutally honest. Sure, she can piss me off, but she's got the fire in her to fight when she has to. That's another important thing to consider when thinking about Sam, she only does what she has to. That means, if she's getting angry with me then she must have good reason to be.

Therefore, if she said that I was being a total idiot - then I must be.

I'm just about to check the locker rooms again when Tripp, ironically, catches his foot on the threshold and falls into me. I've caught him before he can meet concrete, but I almost completely pushed him back the other way; he was much lighter than I had ever expected. Just what I would expect from a shitweasle from him though, now that I think about it.

"Damn, don't Tripp!" I watch him wobble back to standing and, as was common with Tripp lately, his face was drained of all colour. What the hell did he have to be so nervous about all the time?

"Haha, you were always the funny one, weren't you Cole Patterson!" He said this really loud, as if on purpose, and I swear I heard a clatter coming from the locker room. He must have also heard this and frantically slams the door shut.

"Who's in there?" There was sweat rolling down his neck, and he was obviously freaking out about me finding out about whoever was in that room. And, the more I look at him, I realise the bead of sweat was just water. He had obviously had a shower as his hair is still damp.

"N-N-Nobody! How are you, Cole? Nice weather! D-Did you hear about James?" His eyes are buzzing and he's freaking me out so much, I almost just want to run away.

"You're a weird guy. Anyway, what about James?" I could feel the nerves rising, as I worried about the news, I was about to receive.

"Well, coach gave him some big lecture about overworking himself. I heard something about Aiden suggesting that the coach pay attention to James' running outside of the compulsory hours and he found out that James had been running non-stop for the past three weeks! Anyway, just a while ago, coach personally took James back to the dorms-"

"Shit, he isn't hurt or anything right?" I surprised myself by the question and it looks like I wasn't the only one. I was screaming inside, and I felt my cheeks redden at his sudden wide eyes.

"N-No! He looked just fine to me, just think the coach is worried about the long-term." I felt a sigh escape me and I find my hand patting his shoulder - Do I have any control over what I'm doing?

"Thanks, Shitweasle, you can be a great help sometimes. I'll go get the coach for you so he can come and let your friend out; the door locks when you close it." James learnt that the hard way too after that time.

I take great pleasure in his shocked realisation of what he had done. He turns quick and tries to open the door, but no amount of wiggling will open a locked door. Just as I'm walking out, he calls to me.

"Wait, what did you just call me?"

*

"I'm afraid I can't let you in right now." Coach Scully stands strong and determined, his eyes piercing and tree-trunk arms twisting together over his chest. "He is under strict orders to stay in bed for the rest of the day."