Broken Silence (Silence, #2)(18)

I should invite Oakley tomorrow. I had never seen her on a proper night out before. Did she drink now? I couldn’t imagine it. Chuckling to myself, I dialled her number. Should I ring her so soon after dropping her off? Damn was I the stalker ex now?

“You made it then?” Oakley said down the phone, sounding amused.

“No hello?”

“Hello, Cole,” she replied sarcastically.

Thankfully, she couldn’t see me because I was smiling like an idiot again.

“You and Jasper are coming out with us tomorrow night.” I didn’t give her an option. She needed a night out, and I needed to see her.

“If it’s a strip club, I’m walking straight out of there.”

I could practically see her grinning. It was still a little strange hearing her speak. I would usually just look at her expressions and reactions to know what she was thinking.

“Prude!” I teased. “No strip club, I promise. We’re just going to a couple of clubs.”

“Okay, we’ll come.”

“I’ll pick you up at eight. Wear something short,” I said, hanging up and laughing to myself. I bet she was blushing.

Less than a minute later, I received a text message from Oakley, a one-word text that made me smile from ear to ear. ‘Behave!’

The rest of the day, I spent with Leona, helping her draw princess castles. I didn’t even care that I was wearing a pink tiara while we drew, nothing could remove the smile from my face. Once I’d finished drawing the princess in front of the golden castle I gave it to Leona for her approval.

“What do you think, Fifi?”

“It’s Princess Oaley,” she chirped, smiling at me with one of those wide smiles where you could see all her teeth. Oakley? I looked down at the picture, and Leona was right, I’d drawn the princess with long blonde hair and blue eyes.

“Err, yeah.” Damn it. Now I’m drawing her!

“Do you love Oaley?” Leona asked bluntly. I loved how kids had absolutely no tact at all, kind of like Jasper.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Tan I be bridesmaid? Jessa was, and I want to be one too.” God, the bridesmaid thing again. Leona was absolutely devastated that her friend Jessa was a ‘princess bridesmaid’ and she hadn’t ever been one. She even tried convincing Mia to get married so she could be a princess for the day.

Leona looked up at me with big hopeful eyes, the ones that magically expected me to make all her wishes come true. How do I tell her that I don’t think I’ll ever be lucky enough to get Oakley back, let alone marry her?

I pulled her on my lap and she immediately started rearranging the stupid tiara on my head.

“When I get married you can be the princess bridesmaid.” She squealed and threw her arms around my neck, squeezing tight.

Leona distracted me for a while but as soon as she went to bed, my mind wondered back to Oakley. Again. So I wouldn’t call her for no reason other than to just hear her voice, I showered and played the PlayStation until I was tired enough to go to sleep.



I gulped, raking my eyes over Oakley’s outfit. She wore a sexy little dark blue dress. It sat just above her knees and clung to her body, but unlike a lot of girls clubbing, she didn’t look like she was trying too hard. She actually looked so beautiful I could barely breathe.

“Put your tongue away, Cole,” Ben joked. I glared but did stop staring, just as Oakley and Jasper got in the car.

Jasper sat in front of me, next to Chelsea, and Oakley sat beside me.

“I thought I said short,” I whispered as she put her seatbelt on. She glared. “I’m kidding. You look amazing.”

“Thanks, you look alright.” She shrugged and smirked.

Tonight, I learnt something new. It only took three drinks to get Oakley drunk. She clung to the bar and laughed at god knows what. We had lost Kerry and Ben a while ago. Chelsea was dancing with some random guy, and Jasper chatted up everything with a pulse.

“You’re such a lightweight,” I nudged Oakley in the ribs, gently.

She gasped. “Let’s do shots!”

What? I shook my head.

“I’ve never been this drunk before. Can we do Sambuca? I haven’t had that one.” She waved her hand to get the barman’s attention before I even had time to reply.

I made eye contact with Jasper and gestured for him to come over. He was beside us in seconds.

“Jas, we’re doing Sambuca,” Oakley announced to her brother

His mouth dropped open. “You’re doing shots?”

Oakley nodded enthusiastically. “We all are. Three Sambucas please,” she said to the barman.

“Is this a good idea?” Jasper asked.

She handed him a shot. “Yes. Drink.”

I tipped the disgusting liquid in my mouth and swallowed. She may not have had it before, but I had, and it tasted like piss! Oakley slapped her hand over her mouth; her face scrunched up in disgust. It was worth it!

“I don’t like that,” she slurred, slamming the shot glass down on the bar.

“What the hell are you looking at?” Jasper suddenly shouted at some guy who was standing beside us. What’s that guy done?

“Jas, don’t.” Oakley pushed him towards the exit, and I followed. What the hell had I missed?