Broken Silence (Silence, #2)(14)

“I’m tired, Lizzie. I don’t want to talk about that right now.” I got off the bed and flopped on the futon by the wall that I was sleeping on.

She sighed in frustration. “At least tell me if you still love him?”

I paused. Oh what the hell. “Yes, I still love him.”

“I knew you did! Oh God, this is so romantic. Reunited after years apart,” she gushed, making little squealing noises that made me want to slap her. She wasn’t helping. And it certainly didn’t feel romantic, just draining.

“Yeah,” I replied sarcastically, burying my head under the pillow and praying that either sleep or suffocation would happen soon, so I wouldn’t hear her anymore. It was getting late, and I just wanted to sleep!

“Fine I get it. I’ll go see Jas then.” Wow, don’t let him hear you call him that!



I woke up to the sound of Lizzie spraying hairspray on her now curly hair. She kept going, holding her finger on the can and spraying it all over her head. Christ that hair was going nowhere, ever. I hope she doesn’t go near a naked flame.

My mind drifted back to Cole. Would I really see him today? Or at least hear from him? He didn’t have my number so he couldn’t call, even if he wanted to, which he probably didn’t. I sighed. Obsessing wasn’t going to get me anywhere.

“Hey, you’re awake,” Lizzie chirped, sounding surprised though she had creating all the noise. “So… have you spoke to him yet?” I’d been up for five seconds, and she thinks I could have spoken to Cole already.

It took everything I had not to reply with some sarcastic comment.

“Not yet. He doesn’t have my number.” Why didn’t I give him my number? Because he probably wouldn’t want it? He did say he would see me today though. Obsessing again!

Something hard hit my leg, making me jump. Jasper was standing by the door smirking at me.

“What’s wrong with you?!” I protested. Why couldn’t he call my name to get my attention like any other normal person?

He nodded to whatever it was he threw at me. His mobile phone.

“It’s Cole.”

I sat up, almost giving myself head rush. Oh God! I grabbed the phone and stared at it. Cole’s name was on the screen along with the time ticking by. He had already been on for almost five minutes. Oh God, what had Jasper said to him already?

I gulped. My throat was dry. “I’d open with hello,” Jasper said sarcastically, winking at me as he walked out of Lizzie’s room.

Slowly, I raised the phone to my ear. Cole’s quiet laughter made me smile.

“Cole.”

“He told you to open with hello,” he said.

“Yeah, well, he’s an idiot.”

“Agreed. So, do you wanna go get some ice cream?”

Wow. How easy was that! A huge grin stretched across my face.

“I’d love to.”

I couldn’t wait get ice cream again. It was something we’d done all the time when we were younger.

“Great,” he said. As if I was going to say no!

“I’ll pick you up in an hour? Will you be ready then?”

“Yeah,” I whispered, gripping the phone tight. My stomach was doing flips.

“Okay. See you in a bit.” He hung up, and I smiled to myself. That conversation was a little awkward, but I didn’t care. Hopefully things would be normal between us by the end of the day.

Lizzie wiggled her eyebrows. “I’m outta here. Have a good date.”

Before I could correct her, she was out of the room. It wasn’t a date. Even if Cole wanted anything it was too early for that. Life wasn’t a fairy tale. Things took time and effort, and even then there were no guarantees.

Jumping up, I grabbed my clothes and ran into the bathroom to have a quick shower and get dressed. My morning routine took a little longer since I started wearing make-up. My dad never let me wear it, but that was my decision now. I didn’t particularly like the stuff, so I only used a little mascara and a natural eye shadow. It wasn’t about making myself look better; it was about having the choice.

As soon as I was ready, I went downstairs to find Mum. The smell of coffee wafted through the hallway, and I knew she was in the kitchen. She smiled as I walked in.

“Morning.”

“Morning,” I replied and smiled.

“You look nice. Are you going out?”

I froze. Nice? Trying too hard nice? I had on a navy blue maxi dress – Australia clothes! Was it too much to meet Cole in? Maybe I should go more casual.

“You’re meeting Cole, aren’t you?”

I nodded numbly, mentally searching through all the clothes I brought with me.

“What’s wrong? I thought you’d be happy?”

“Should I change?”

She smiled, and I knew inside she was going, ‘Aww’.

“No, you look beautiful. Stop worrying, Oakley. You could turn up in a bin bag and he’d still love it.”

“That’s not helping.” I sipped a glass of water slowly, trying to calm my nerves. “Yeah, I really need to change.”

Before I could take a step closer to the door, the bell rang. That would definitely be Cole. It had been almost an hour since we spoke.

“Too late,” Mum said and grinned, amused.