Not Your Typical Prom

Chapter Twenty Seven

Dedicated to @hepburnettes because Slow Dancing is perfection!

The song for this chapter is Stitches by Shawn Mendes

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

-Scarlett-

"It's my father. He's sick," Cole said.

"Sick?" I was confused. "I'm sure he'll get better though. It's probably just flu season."

"No, Scar," Cole sighed tiredly and faced me "he's sick. As in he has a brain tumour and has to have surgery to remove it."

"Oh." I was stunned for a second.

"Yeah," Cole gave me a shaky smile.

"I'm sorry to hear that Cole."

"Why do people say that?" Cole shook his head.

"Say what?"

"That they're sorry. Why do they say it?"

"I...I guess it's because they are sorry that it happened to you and they understand your suffering," I said thoughtfully.

"But you can't understand my suffering!" Cole shook his head.

"No..." I said slowly "I can't. But my father left me and my mother so I understand what you're going through with a piece of your family missing."

Cole sighed and turned to me. His eyes were troubled and I wanted nothing more than to give him a hug but he beat me to it.

Folding me in his long arms, he held me tightly to his chest. I could feel his sweet breath stirring my hair and I snuggled in, wrapping my arms around his slim waist.

"I'm here for you Cole," I whispered softly and I knew he heard me because his arms tightened.

We sat there for a while, with entangled limbs. I didn't want to let go. I felt at peace and safe in his hold even though I was supposed to be comforting him.

He finally let go and sat back and I did too.

"Thank you," his voice was raspy "I needed that."

I nodded and tucked my hair behind my ears. I was at a loss for words now that our intimate moment was broken.

Just as I was about to get up, Cole wrapped his arm around my waist again and pulled me close so my head rested on his shoulder. I settled in comfortably and sighed.

We watched as the sky darkened to hues of orange and yellow and slight tinges of pink. The sun was beginning to go down and we could hear the light buzz of crickets and the rustling of birds who had returned to their nests for the night.

"This is weird," Cole finally said.

"Why?"

"I never thought I'd be sitting here with the queen bee of the school. Or that we would even be friends," Cole replied after some thought.

I tried to ignore the slight sting at the mention of us being 'friends'. I wasn't exactly sure how I felt but I was sure I wanted to be more than just friends.

"Why not?"

Cole sighed and turned to face me.

By now, the sun had nearly set so all I could see was the very brief outline of his features. I could however feel his warm breath as it hit my cheek.

"You aren't exactly the easiest person to talk to, you know? And you're always surrounded by your friends."

"But you never even wanted to talk to me before!"

"That's not true," Cole interjected.

"Sure it's not. You hated me when we first became partners."

"It's not," Cole insisted, shaking his head "I used to have the biggest crush on you during freshman year but I never had the guts to talk to you. And as we got older, you became even more popular and then the whole you and Brandon began and I knew I no longer had a chance."

By the end of this, I was finding it hard to breathe. Cole used to like me? Cole, as in the guy who acted like he hated me actually used to like me?

But there was one thing I was still confused about.

"I-I don't understand. The whole Brandon and Scarlett shipping began in Junior year?"

Cole rubbed the back of his neck and huffed, sounding embarrassed. "So?"

"So... you said you thought you didn't have a chance since Brandon came into the picture..."

"I didn't have a chance before either but yeah...I liked you in Junior year as well," Cole had turned his head away from me now and his arm was loose around my waist.

"And now?" I whispered, feeling too scared to ask. "How do you feel about me now?"

I was watching Cole with wide eyes as he got closer and closer to me until his breath was stirring my hair slightly. I closed my eyes finally as he was an inch away.

I didn't know what he planned to do and was slightly startled when he came in close enough for me to smell his delicious, green apple scent. I felt his lips softly kiss my cheek, close to my mouth but not quite there.

He pulled back and I opened my eyes. He was close enough for our foreheads to be touching.

"Does that answer your question?" he whispered, his sweet breath hitting my cheek.

All I could do was nod.

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A / N : OMG HI! I have missed wattpad so much but I have returned with another chapter. And PS... thoughts on the whole Cole/Scarlett thing that just happened? I was planning to wait a little more but then I decided I've been dragging it out way too long!

Anyway don't forget to vote and comment if you enjoyed :)