Page 46 of The War Revision
My breath gets caught up in my lungs, my heart feels as though it’s going a mile a minute.
“His parents announced Cole’s engagement to Liza this morning.”
My brain screeches to a halt.
“What the fuck?” Mel swears vehemently.
“Is he going to do it?” I hear Jordie’s question, but I’m struggling to remember how to breathe.
“I-I don’t know.” Russel sighs. “Cole feels this weird moral obligation toward his family. Not his parents per se, but his family legacy. Since they contacted him he’s been off-balance, kind of lost in his head. I think they are fucking with him big time.”
“To the point that he’ll marry that woman even though he doesn’t want to? That’s a huge sacrifice for a family that kicked him to the curb.” Jordie’s shock drips from his voice.
“Isn’t he gay?” Mel asks his boyfriend. I’ve never seen Cole with women before.
“He’s bi. But he’s more attracted to men. The fact is that Cole’s unattached, and I’m afraid he’ll do something stupid out of duty.”
Unattached. He is, isn’t he?
There’s a possibility he’ll go along with his family’s wishes. Knee-jerk jealousy hits me right in the chest, and I have to give them my back not to show how the news is affecting me.
Why is it affecting me, though? Do I want a relationship with him? I need to stop lying to myself. I want the Devil. And not only for a fuck. But what does Cole want?
I place a hand on the reception counter to keep myself up while the other is pressed on my chest. This is bad! Michael Myers bad!
I felt comfortable disliking Cole. He was my enemy. The antichrist. And now? Now everything I thought I knew has changed so quickly over a few days. Or has it been more than that? Maybe it has been a very slow process. The change happened little by little throughout the whole year we’ve known each other.
Motherfucking hell. My head is exploding.
I’m so pathetic that I pulled the worst prank ever this morning just to see him. To have him talk to me. Who does that? A boy with a crush does. That’s who. I’ve never felt so damn unsure of myself. If I like someone, I go for it. I can always tell how they feel about me. Easy peasy.
But with Cole… I have no idea. And I can’t just shrug and turn to the next one. I want him. Because I-I care about him. Fuck! This is turning my brain inside out.
Ironic how the truth smacks me right in the face only when it’s too late. I really wish I could see Cole as the arrogant prick I love loathing again.
“Are you okay?” Jordie’s hand presses on my shoulder.
I flinch. Fuck, I’m so jumpy. I internally smack my brain. I need it to function properly again.
Pushing the ball of emotions down my throat, I look at my brother.
“You look seconds away from recording a country album,” Mel says unhelpfully. “O. M. G. You’re fucking Cole, aren’t you?” He lets out such a high-pitched sound I’m expecting the neighborhood dogs to bark in response. Then he starts dancing in circle to the sound of hisI knew it, I knew it, I knew it.
“So, the whole prank war was what? Your mating call?” Jordie’s widened eyes are zeroed in on me, completely ignoring Mel.
“The hate was all a ruse? You actually like each other?” Russel adds.
I really don’t feel like doing this right now. Fucking Mel and his perceptive spongy brain.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” I find my voice again, an irritated one. “And it’s new, okay?”
“Umm,” Jordie utters.
“What?” I snap at him.
“I just said umm,” he barks back.
“There was so much behind that umm. An iceberg of much.”
