Broken Silence (Silence, #2)(17)

“Very funny,” I replied flatly. I pulled up outside the house and sighed quietly. This is where she leaves. “So… I’ll see you on Tuesday? You’ll come view the houses?” That was only three days away. Great, now I’m back to counting down the days until I can see her again!

She smiled, and her eyes lit up. “Yes, definitely.”

I watched her like a stalker as she got out of the car and bent over to look back in. “Will you text me when you get home?”

“I would, but I don’t have your number. Obviously, I’m not one of the privileged ones.” I pouted my lip, and she rolled her eyes.

“Give me your phone then, Mr Dramatic,” she said, holding her hand out.

Sighing, faking annoyance, I handed her my phone. This was how we used to be, teasing each other. This is how it’s supposed to be.

My fingers brushed over hers as she took the phone. There was a small smile on her lips and a blush on her cheeks as we touched. It was good to know that she felt the same. I watched her closely as she punched her number in my phone. I couldn’t believe I actually survived four years without her. Nice. Very melodramatic!

“Done,” she announced, handing me the phone back. I made sure my fingers touched hers again and like last time, her cheeks flushed. “Feel special now?”

I pretended to think about it for a minute. “Um, no. You’re gonna have to do a lot more than that to make me feel special.”

She raised her eyebrow and tried to stop herself from smiling. “Really?” I nodded, my eyes lingering over her lips.

“Alright,” she said, giving me a cute smile that made my heart stop. “I’ll buy the ice cream on Tuesday.”

Oakley didn’t look back at me as she walked into the house. Was that deliberate? I think it was. Damn, I’m in some serious trouble. I had a feeling she would still be able to wrap me around her finger. In fact, I knew she could, and I think she knew it too.

I drove back to my house with the biggest smile on my face. This day couldn’t get better. Well it could if she turned up naked in my room. Stop it. I pulled into my driveway, behind Chelsea’s car. Did we have plans?

Mum and Leona walked out of the door as I started up the path.

‘Oh, hi, sweetheart,” Mum said. “Chelsea’s inside. I’m just taking Leona to get her hair cut.”

I knelt down to Leona’s height and flicked her hair. “You having it all cut off like mine?”

Her mouth dropped open, and she looked up at Mum. “I not Nana,” she shouted, looking a little terrified.

“No, you’re not, sweetie.” Mum frowned. “Cole,” she scolded.

“Sorry,” I said and chuckled. Sometimes I couldn’t help myself. Leona’s reactions were funny. “You tell the hairdresser to keep it long.” Leona nodded and skipped off to the car.

I expected Chelsea to be in the lounge or kitchen, but she was in my room. “Hi,” she said, looking at the picture of me and Oakley that still sat on my desk.

“Hey. What’s up?”

She sat down on my bed.

“You seem happy.”

I nodded slowly. This was going somewhere I didn’t want it to go.

“It’s good. You haven’t smiled like that since I’ve known you.” I hadn’t smiled properly since a good while before that.

“I am happy.”

“You know at one point I thought I could be the one that made you smile like that, but I get it now. You need her.”

She was right; I did need Oakley.

“Sorry I didn’t want more from you.” It almost sounded like a question the way I said it. I had no clue what I should say. I was not good with situations like this.

Chelsea laughed quietly. “Don’t worry about it. You’re not the only good-looking guy in the world!”

I shook my head in mock disbelief.

“Liar. Look, we’re good, right?”

Chelsea was a good friend and had really been there for me over the last two years. I didn’t want to lose her friendship.

“Yeah, course we are.” She waved her hand dismissively, and I knew that was over. “So, what’s going on then? You back together?”

I frowned. “Not yet. Well I don’t know if we ever will be.” Chelsea cocked her head to the side, looking at me sceptically. “I’m serious, Chels. Say we got back together and everything’s great. As soon as the trial ends she’s going back. I don’t think I could do that again,” I admitted. Actually I knew I couldn’t do it again.

“You’re dumb, Cole.” That took me by surprise. So I was dumb now? “You could ask her to stay with you, and if she can’t, then go with her.”

Wow, she had done a total one eighty! Only a few days ago she was telling me to get over her, and now she was shipping me off to Australia.

“Look, if you find someone that makes you this happy then you need to make it work. Life is way too short. Tell her you love her, kiss her, and get her back. You’ll regret it if you don’t. Anyway I gotta go. Good luck with Oakley. You should invite her and her weird brother along tomorrow night.” Did she just come here to say all that?

“Yeah, thanks.”

Chelsea skipped out of my room, waving her hand over her shoulder.