Page 32 of Broken Silence
I pulled into my driveway… next to Chelsea’s car. We didn’t 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 meet Mia after work. Your dad and I are taking them to dinner. Do you want to come?”
“No, I’m good, thanks,” I replied, ruffling Leona’s hair.
“Okay, see you later.”
I expected Chelsea to be in the lounge or kitchen, but I found her in my room, standing by my desk.
“Chels.”
“Hi,” she said, looking at the picture of Oakley and me that still sitting on my desk.
“What’s up?”
She sat down on my bed and pursed her lips. “You seem happy.”
I nodded slowly, but I wasn’t sure how long it would last.
“It’s good. You haven’t smiled like that since I’ve known you. You know, at one point, I thought I could be the one who made you smile like that, but I get it now. You need her. No one else will come close, I see that now.”
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “As messed up as it is, I do need her. I’m sorry.”
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 okay, right?”
Chelsea was a good friend who’d really been there for me over the last four years, I didn’t want to lose that.
“Yeah, of course we are.” She waved her hand, and I knew that was over. She wasn’t going to hold a grudge, and I hoped we’d be cool. “So, what’s going on, then? You back together?”
“God, what a question. No, we’re not. Not yet. I don’t know if we ever will be. It’s… beyond complicated.”
Chelsea cocked her head to the side like she thought I was full of shit.
“I’m serious, Chels. Say that we got back together and everything was great. As soon as the trial ends, she’s going back to Australia. I don’t think I could go through that again.”
Actually, IknewI couldn’t… but I was still on the edge of being reckless.
“You’re dumb, Cole.”
That took me by surprise. Why did people blame me?
“You could ask her to stay with you, and if she can’t, then go with her.”
Yeah, that worked well the last time.
“If you find someone who makes you this happy, 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 got to go. I just wanted to clear the air. Good luck with Oakley. You should invite her and her weird brother along tomorrow.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
Chelsea skipped out of my room, waving her hand over her shoulder. That was it? She’d made it sound so simple when it was anything but.
I dialled Oakley’s number, wanting to hear her voice, already missing her.
“You made it, then?” she said.
