Page 103 of The Breaking Pointe
sounding somber now.
“Justoneyear?”Iwhisper.Henods.
“It was unexpected—when she said no. To me. It made it harder to move past a place of hatred and anger. I haven’t done anything serious with anyone until uh,” he looks at me, “until now.”
“But we aren’t serious,” I state, accepting our circum- stances.
“Well, what’s the harm in trying it out?” he asks, quickly. “Or are we gonna keep doing this and calling it nothing?” he adds, tapping his fingers on the box softly. “I’m asking because it feels wrong to keep doing this without a label, but being with you feels so right.”
“If it feels so right, then you shouldn’t push those feelings away.I lied when I said I’m okay with no labels.I’m not good at pretending, Cole.” I bring my knees to my chest.
“I know you did. There isn’t a normal woman that I know to be perfectly fine with being monogamous with someone and not having a title on it,” he says in a dulcet voice.
“You made it clear.Commitment isn’t your thing.I’m confident, but not enough to say I could change that.”
I rest my chin on my knees, muffling my mouth, just in case.
“You already have, Noelle. It scares the hell out of me, but I don’t want to see you with another man. The thought of it makes me livid. And maybe being able to call someone—a woman like you—my girlfriend might make me feel like less of a scumbag.Maybe I’ll behave myself better, too,” he says.
“Girlfriend…”Imumble.
Please.I’m begging you to make me yours, and yours only. Just let me take care of you, Colton Kennedy.
“Would being my girl be too much for you?That’s my only fear, right now…” he mumbles, his fingers fumbling like crazy.I burst out of the shell I created with my body, tossing my arms around his neck. I mush my lips right into his, kissing him with all my might as well fall over onto the bed. His smile pushes through our kisses as he holds onto me, humming deeply.
Ripping my lips away, I sit up on his lap as he lays beneath me. “You’ll never have to view love like that ever again. Or relationships…or anything!” I cover my face, squealing with excitement.
He chuckles, pinching at my waist.“No way you’re this happy…about being with me,” he says in disbelief, his uncertainty obvious innocence.
“Everybody needs somebody. It’s easy to make it through the fight when you have at least one person in your corner who never stops cheering you on. I’m sure you know what I mean.” I kiss his forehead, cupping his cheeks.
“Wasthataboxingreference,missy?”Helaughs.
I toss some hair over my shoulder, grinning as the sound of his phone belts from the living room.The noise immediately sends him into despair—showing it with along, drawn out sigh.
“What if I answer it?” I suggest, lifting my body from his. “Go for it.” He nods, laying in place.
Jumping off of his lap, I hurry to the sound, finding it on the living room table.Before I pick it up, I check the name.
Mrs.Giles
His mom’s nurse never calls this late. Which means only a handful of possibilities could be beyond this phone call—and one of them is a really bad one.
“Hello?This is Colton’s phone,” I answer, listening intently for her to speak up.
“Hi, is this Noelle? Colton’s friend?” she asks. “Yeah, is everything okay?” I ask hurriedly.
“It’s an emergency. His mom is unresponsive. Her heart stopped, I can’t feel a pulse.I need to call the medical examiner. But I need Colton here,” she quietly explains.
“Is she…?” I whisper into the phone. “I believe so, dear,” she says.
“We’ll be there.Thank you.”I hang up, rooted in place and stunned.
It’shappening.
“Elle? Baby, who is it?” he yells from his bedroom. Peelingmyfeetfromplace,Iwalkbacktohisroom,
holding onto his phone for any source of comfort. “It’s Josephine,” I tell him without emotion. “And?” He sits up on his elbows, looking at me.
