Last Of Spirit Bear

Flashback?

Tw: abuse!!

Short notes before it begins -

I forgot I wrote this a while ago, and I want to makeup for not posting much by uploading something longer and cuter ^⁠_⁠^!

This isn't in order to the current story, but I feel like it could match, if only I had written it before the first chapter. So maybe like a flashback?

--

Coles mother skimmed through the clothing  racks as she hummed along to the music playing from the mall speakers, occasionally lifting a shirt from the rack and looking at the measurements. The mall was crowded and loud, with teenagers pilling up in stores with their parents for back to school shopping deals. As Cole watched family's with functional dads, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. When his father was in his life, all he had done was either beat Cole, drink till he couldn't speak, or neglect him.

His thoughts were quickly interrupted. "Oh, Cole, wouldn't this just look so lovely on you?" She lifted up a suit and brought up his arm to the sleeve, measuring how long it would be on him.

Cole smiled awkwardly and nodded. "It's very nice, but, I don't think I should dress so fancy for something as simple as the first day of school," He put it as nicely as he could. He wouldn't want to hurt his mother's feelings.

His mother clicked her tongue and took one last look at it. "Yes, perhaps it is a bit much.." She sighed. Reluctantly, she hung it back on the rack and continued searching.

They had been looking for clothes for hours now, Coles legs were starting to numb and he desperately wanted to go home.

"How about this?" Her face lit up as she raised a bright, neon green T shirt. "I think it matches you perfectly. Not to fancy either!" She said brightly.

Cole struggled to smile once more. "Mom.. Maybe," He hesitated. "Maybe I should shop with Garvey instead? I haven't seen him in a while, and it might be good to shop with someone who, you know, isn't the opposite sex as you?"

It was true, Cole hadn't seen Garvey sense the last school year. After being mauled by a bear, he'd become somewhat attached to Garvey and even viewed him as a father-figure, even if he did get on his nerves sometimes. Even if his talks seemed worthless and idiotic, they all did help Cole quite a bit in the long run.

Coles mother frowned, but soon smiled softly. "Thats true, I'll call him now!"

---

Garvey snuck behind Cole and pulled him into a hug, ruffling his hair. "Hey, champ! Haven't seen you in a while! You've certainly grown,"

Cole laughed and hugged back. Two years ago, he would've pulled away immediately and made some snarky remark, but he'd changed from when he was a edgy 15 year old. He'd learnt he didn't need to be in defense mode constantly, that there were people who *did* care.

"Hi, Garvey. I missed you," He admitted. Garvey released him and patted him on the back.

"Yes, it has been a while. But why dwell on the past? Today marks a new adventure, and-" Cole rolled his eyes. Garvey always made the simplist sentence turn into some kind of lesson, but in a way, that made him more father like. Not that Cole would know about having a good father.

---

They walked into the mall, immediately heading towards the store he and his mother had gone to a few days prior. It wasn't as crowded as before, but it still did have a few familys looking around. Cole looked through the clothing with Garvey by his side, speaking about life sense they'd last talked. Really, nothing interesting had happened sense Coles last school year, when he'd successfully changed his school for the better with the help of his best buddy at the time, Peter. After the entire circle justice meeting and changing the mascot to a spirit bear, almost all bullying stopped. Of course, there were a few trouble makers here and there, but the principle finally started actually doing something about it for once. It was calm and peaceful for once in Coles life outside the island.