Broken Silence (Silence, #2)(7)

I shook my head. “No. I like the bar.” I slumped against the wooden counter and raised my hand for the bartender. “Double JD and Coke, please. Want anything, Chels?”

“No thanks.” She huffed and spun around, storming off.

“What’re you laughing at?” Ben asked, sitting down on the stool next to me.

I waved my hand. “Don’t worry.” My body was heavy. I hadn’t been so dunk in a while.

“Drinking your problems away.” Ben shook his head. “You have to face the problem. Head on.”

“You’re right, man. I’m pathetic.”

He sighed. “True. You either need to get over her or go get her.”

“I can’t do the first one ’cause I love her,” I said, waving my finger at him to try and make him understand. “I’m going to America.”

“Australia,” he corrected.

Laughing, I shook my head. The room span making me feel sick.

“She’s in Australia.” I frowned. “That’s not funny actually. You know why?” I waited for his reply. He rolled his eyes and gestured with his hand for me to continue. “Because I love her, and you know what you do when you love someone? You follow them to Australia. I’m right, right?”

“Yes, Cole, you’re right,” he muttered.

“I knew it!” I said, slamming my fist down on the bar. “Alright, let’s go.”

“Whoa.” Ben grabbed my arm and pulled me back. “You need to sober up first. I’m taking you home to bed.” I swayed and gripped the bar. “No more alcohol for you. We need to find the girls and get you home.”

Kerry and Chelsea were dancing at the edge of the dance floor. They looked possessed, throwing their arms up in the air. I chuckled. They were drunk too. Chelsea looked over and rubbed her body against some stranger behind her. I shrugged. Trying to make me jealous wasn’t going to work.

“We’re leaving,” Ben shouted over the music. Chelsea glared. The random behind her moved over, grabbing another girl.

“Fine,” she snapped, shoving past a group of girls with the longest fake eyelashes I had ever seen. They looked like spiders had died on their eyelids.

I sat as still as a statue in the front of Ben’s car. Movement made me want to hurl. I could tell already that I would feel like shit tomorrow. The alcohol hadn’t even done what it was supposed to do; I still had a bloody Oakley conversation!

“Ben, for fuck’s sake!” I hissed. It seemed like he was hitting every bump on the road on purpose.

“I can’t help it! Stop being such a pussy!”

Groaning, I pressed my forehead to the cold window. Kill me. Ben pulled into my drive and walked around to my door. I leant against him as we walked to the front door.

“Tomorrow I’m going to Australia,” I announced as Ben turned the key for me and shoved me inside.

He snorted and closed the door, saying, “Enjoy.”

Mum, Dad, and Mia gaped at me. Dad opened his mouth, but I held my hand up.

“I’m not going right now, don’t worry. I need to sleep first,” I mumbled, staggering towards the stairs. The journey to my room took longer. The hallway had stretched.

Collapsing on my bed, I squeezed my eyes shut, effectively stopping the room from spinning. I felt something dip on the bed and knew it was one of them come to ask me what the hell.

“Good night?” Mia asked.

“Australia’s really far away, isn’t it?”

Sighing, she placed her hand on my shoulder. “Yes. Are you serious about going or is the alcohol talking? I don’t think it’s a very good idea just to turn up there.”

“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “She left me. She wouldn’t let me go with her. It hurts,” I admitted.

“I know it does, but you need to make a choice, Cole. You have to either try getting back together or move on.”

“That’s what Ben said.”

“It’s been too long. This isn’t healthy. Whatever you decide, I’ll be here for you, but you have to decide soon. I hate seeing you like this. I’ll leave you to sleep.”

She left my room, closing the door behind her. I thought about her words. ‘Get her back or move on’. I tried the second option, but it was too hard. She didn’t break up with me because she didn’t love me any more. If she had, at least I would know we had no chance, and I could move on.

Oakley left because she couldn’t be here, and knowing that made me unable to move on.





Chapter Three


Oakley




We approached our old neighbourhood and so many memories flashed through my mind. Most of them included Cole and things we had done together. My heart skipped. I was so close to him. We turned the corner and his house came into view. Butterflies swarmed in my stomach. My old house was just past his, but I refused to look at the place I grew up in.

“Oakley, you can say no if you want to,” Mum started. She lifted her foot off the accelerator and the car slowed. My eyes widened as I realised what she was asking.

“What are you doing?” I asked, trying not to show the panic in my voice.

“We’ve not seen them in almost four years. I’ve missed Jenna,” she whispered. “Honey, if you don’t want to, we can do it another time. I will understand.”