Page 125 of The Breaking Pointe
I look down, scouring. “You didn’t.”
Hepauses,thenrunsahandoverhishead.“Isitme…?”
I sigh, shaking my head as I continue to stare at the lines on the wooden floor. “You didn’t talk to me all day, and I’m worried,” I quietly admit.
Hedoesn’trespondimmediately,soIraisemyheadtosee
him harboring a penitent expression.
“I…got busy. I’m sorry,” he says. “It’s not anything bad, though. I promise,” he calmly adds.
“Okay,” I whisper, dropping my head again. “Noelle, look at me,” he commands.
I shyly raise my gaze to meet his, seeing him now holding a warm smile.
“It’s all good.Please don’t worry.”
The only way I’ll feel better about that is if he answers me one thing.
“Colton, I need to talk to you,” I say, taking his bicep and pulling him to some chairs nearby.
Isitusbothdown,facedwithhispuzzledlook.“Uh… should I be scared?” he asks hesitantly.
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly.
He nods very slowly.I cross my arms and toss one knee over the other.
“It’s about me going to Chicago soon,” I tell him.
“I almost forgot about that…” he says in a melancholy voice.
“That’s the thing, Cole. You don’t have to stay here. What if you and Steven came with me? For the Christmas holiday.” I tense up after the question finally gets out.
He sits back in his seat, looking as if he’s thinking it over. “Like…in less than three weeks?” he questions me.
“That’s when Christmas is…” I sheepishly shrug, nodding. He sits quietly again, now looking at his feet.
“That’s incredibly last minute, Elle, what about your parents?” He shakes his head, already doubting.
“They love guests,” I dismantle his argument with my excuse.“They’ll be fine—I know it.My dad watches your
tournaments, anyway.They’d love to have you,” I say, buttering him up to the idea.
His face proceeds to fill with more doubt.
I deeply breath, taking one of his hands. “I don’t want you two to be alone. Please? You won’t regret it,” I beg.
He glances at me, curling his fingers around mine and nodding.I smile, kissing his hand.“Look.I don’t know about you, but we’ve been seeing each other for well over six months, almost an entire year. I think they should get to know who this Colton guy is that I keep talking about.”
He flashes a quick grin.“Talking about me and saying what, exactly?”
I suck my cheeks in slightly to control my smile.“Nothing. How I feel about you. That’s all.”
“And how do you feel about me? I wanna know, too.” He squints, cheekily playing detective.
I love when he interviews me, but right now?I think honesty is not the best policy.
“I don’t know if I should say that,” I say, taking grasp of my stockings, pinching them.
