Where We Began

chapter three

Cole let go of my hand as he opened the heavy cafeteria door ushering me inside into the sea of high school students waiting in the lunch line for whatever less than appealing food was being served today.

"Looks like pizza today," Cole stated dryly as we headed to the back of the line.

"Sounds amazing," I said sarcastically looking around to find Zane waving from our table in the corner.

"Looks like someone is happy to see you," Cole smirked.

"He thinks I'm going to land him some tail at the game tonight," I rolled my eyes.

"You were right about one thing," Cole laughed, "Zane is the biggest man whore I have ever met."

I laughed thinking about Zane. He wasn't a bad looking guy, I had just never been attracted to him. He was medium built with dark hair and always wore jeans and boat shoes with either an aeropostale or hollister shirt. He was funny and had started to grow a goatee which I was sure to tease him about when it was still peach fuzz. Zane had one thing that stood out from every other guy I knew and I'm sure it's one of the ways he caught the attention of every girl- he had the clearest ice blue eyes.

"So about what I was asking before she devil appeared," Cole said, tucking his hand in the pockets of his jeans which had become less baggy over the years.

"She devil?" I laughed, raising my eyebrow, "More like howler monkey!"

We both busted into a fit of laughter in the lunch line earning us glares from the lunch monitor.

"You're so mean BG," Cole said after we caught our breath.

"She literally pushed me out of the way," I defended, "She's lucky I'm an adult today or I may have said something.'

"Look at you being all grown up," Cole teased playfully, pushing my shoulder.

"At Least you didn't call me an old lady this time," I shoved back.

"Talking about your birthday," Cole looked at me, his tone becoming more serious, "Would you like to go to the movies with me tomorrow?"

I could feel the blush creeping up on my cheeks as I scrambled for an answer. His emerald eyes were so distracting staring into mine then moving down to look at my lips that I didn't realize I was biting. Why did he make my brain turn to static?

"I uh-" I stuttered wondering if he was asking as a friend group or just us going together.

"It wouldn't just be us if you're worried," he smirked, picking up both of our trays from the lunch line and waiting for me to grab the cartons of milk from the cooler, "My parents want me to take my sisters to see the new Divergent movie, they won't shut up about it, something about the hot guy they say."

"The hot guy you say?" I finally choked out a joke.

"Yeah the lead guy Tommy or something like that,' he rolled those amazing eyes.

"I think his name is Tobias," I giggled as we walked to meet our friends at our table at last.

"You would know nerd," he half smiled, "So is that a yes?"

"I will probably have to bring my sister," I sighed.

Since my dad had passed two years prior my mom always had me taking my sister if I went out anywhere. If she was coming I knew I would probably end up with Kaitlyn and Shelby and probably their friend Jasie too. Kaitlyn, Shelby, and Jasie used to be some of my closest friends but Jasie and Shelby started a rumor our freshman year that not only was I a whore but I was also bisexual. It's amazing the things you learn about yourself from the kids on the bus. Needless to say that was a rough year and I have spent the years since distancing myself from them. Shelby and I grew up as sisters since she had the equivalent of no parents with a pill popper mom and an absent father, my parents took her in, gave me a trundle bed and she rarely went home after that. Kaitlyn was my cousin who also spent more time at my house than her own, her mom had remarried after her birth father ran off to Jamaica when she was little and they had two more kids with a almost 10 year age gap which made Kaitlyn more of a babysitter than a sister to them. Jasie had no father and her mom was always gone with her odd work schedule so my parents took her in as well.

"And Kaitlyn, Jasie and Shelby," Cole said, finishing my thoughts. He knew how I felt about them. He was there through the entire rumor fest being my shoulder to cry on and person to vent to.

"Yeah," I shrugged, "Sure you still want me to come?"

"Where are we going?" Zane asked as Cole sat our trays down and let me slide in the booth taking my spot beside Juan before taking his rightful spot beside me.

"We," Cole emphasized, shooting Zane a look, "are going to the movies tomorrow."

"Taking my girl on a date, Matthews?" Juan chimed in from my other side putting his arm around me on the back of the booth.

"Nah man, I'm taking my girl on a date," Cole fired back, putting his arm over Juan's and pulling me closer to him.

"Guys I'm sure Brooke would like to eat her pizza," Rebecca laughed from across the table as she gently pushed Eli off her shoulder where he was nuzzling her neck.

"What did I miss?" Eli said as he sat up and stole my milk carton just as he had done everyday since the start of the year whether I sat with them or with Spring and Gunner.

"The dogs are fighting over the birthday girl," Zane laughed, preparing small balls of paper that I had no doubt he was about to launch down my shirt.

"Oh well that's a simple fix," Eli laughed, "She obviously has a thing for Matthews."

If looks could kill Eli would've combust in that moment. I glared at him with my mouth open in the perfect O in disbelief. Rebecca elbowed him in the ribs while Zane choked on his pizza.

"What?" Eli scoffed, "Everyone was thinking it, I just said it!"

"I still think I have a shot," Juan interjected, pulling me back to his side.

"Guys can I eat before Zane starts throwing trash at me?" I laughed. Almost on cue Zane launched the first paper ball at me and it went right down the front of my tank top.

"I'll get that for you," Cole joked.

"Sure you will," I said, calling his bluff.

"Don't tempt me BG," Cole stated, daring me with his eyes. As Zane launched another down my shirt.

"You wouldn't," I challenged him back. He wouldn't would he?

He leaned over toward me, putting his hand against my face and pulling me closer to him.

"Ask me again tomorrow when we don't have an audience," he whispered in my ear causing goosebumps to appear and my face to turn bright red.

"Get a room you two," Zane interjected, throwing paper at Cole this time.

"Maybe we will," Cole winked at me, "tomorrow after our date."

The bell rang then ending my favorite part of the day and sending us off to our next classes.