Where We Began

chapter thirty-four

After dropping Zane and Eli back at Zane's house I decided, despite the boys best efforts to keep me there where they felt I was safest, I would go talk to Kella, Kurt's wife, and wait until he got home to ask about Cole. I was worried about him having to spend the night in jail, not that he couldn't hold his own but he shouldn't have to, especially because of me.

I'm coming over. I texted my cousin Kacen who was Kurt and Kella's son. Kella was my moms cousin so naturally Kacen and I became friends when they moved back almost four years ago.

Figured you would. Mom has coffee and tea waiting for you and I have clothes for you after you shower the ew off. He replied.

Kacen was my favorite cousin and always had my back. He had had a huge crush on Shelby at one point but had soon gotten over it when she shot him below the belt and into the brother zone. I was pretty sure he was secretly deep in the closet but at the same time he still talked about some girls here and there. Either way, apart from my friend group with Zane and Cole, he was my closest friend and he knew everything.

I pulled in front of the mailbox and all but ran inside where Kella was waiting with sweet iced tea and coffee just as Kacen had said.

"Aw baby come here," Kella said pulling me into a motherly hug, "go run and grab a shower then we can talk about everything and you can use all the bad language you need to get it all out!"

"Thanks Kella," I laughed while taking a drink of tea before heading off to shower, "tell Kacen thanks as well when he drags himself out of his room!"

"I heard that," Kacen said as he appeared holding a tshirt and basketball shorts for me to change into, "take these and go shower ya nasty."

"Rude," I laughed, taking the clothes and heading into the bathroom, "come sit with me Kace."

"Only because you've had a shit day," he laughed waiting outside the door until I had started the shower to come sit on the sink behind the dark curtain, "so wanna talk about it?"

"It's a fucking diaster," I sighed as I began to wash my once beautifully curled hair, "I stopped to pick up gatorades after having a stressful dinner with the family where mom decided I would be attending UofA this Fall."

"I thought you were going to UofA anyways?" he said.

"I am but that's not the point," I said, trying to find the words, "I wanted going there to feel like my decision. Like it was actually up to me to get to choose where I go to college."

"Of course it's your decision like it's your life," Kace said as he ignored a call on his phone.

"Who's that?" I asked, poking my head out of the shower, "your new girlfriend?"

"No actually," he paused looking nervous, "its this guy I've been talking to."

"I freaking knew it!" I shouted a little too loud, "I mean omg a guy what?"

"Shut up asshole," he laughed, throwing a body wash bottle at me as I ducked back into the shower, "you've known for a while now."

"True,but I was waiting for you to tell me," I laughed, picking up the bottle from the shower floor and using it, "so who is he and where is he from?"

"Oh no you don't get to change the subject like that," he sassed, "tell me what happened tonight."

"Okay fine," I sighed as I began to tell him the whole story of tonight's events minus the guys' names except Juan's.

"Holy shit Brooke," Kace said as I turned off the shower and he handed me a towel through the curtain, "did you know them?"

"I- Um," I stuttered as I dried off and wrapped the towel around me just as Kace slung open the curtain glaring at me to tell him the truth, "yes I know them."

"Fuck was it Henley?" he asked, looking more pissed now than concerned, "or are we still referring to him as Riley?"

"Shh no one knows about Henley and Riley being the same person but us," I whispered, listening to see if Kella heard us.

I should have known something was wrong with Henley the moment he said he didn't want anyone to know about us because it would cause unnecessary drama on the football team but he wanted to date me. Instead I ignored all the obvious red flags and told everyone I was seeing a guy named Riley from a different school who had already graduated and was off at college so they wouldn't ask to meet him. Whenever we went on dates he would always pick me up in a rented car or I would drive out of town to meet him so the Riley facade held true until that night.

"Brooke?" Kace waved his hand in front of my face to bring me back to reality, "you still there?"

"I'm fine,' I said as I grabbed the shorts and pulled them on under the towel then pulled the shirt on and towel off, "I shouldn't have dropped the charges then. He might not have had the chance to do it all over again."

"You didn't know this would happen," Kace said, putting his hand on my shoulder, "none of this is your fault."

"It feels like my fault," I said as tears began to escape my eyes again, I was so done with crying, "Cole is going to jail because of me."

"Cole is going to be fine. He showed up and beat the fuck out of the asshole to protect you," Kace said this time pulling me into a hug, "he loves you and so do I and my parents and we're all going to be supporting both of you through this."

"Should I tell everyone about Henley being Riley?" I asked as I stood up and wiped my face, "I know your dad knows because he helped me file the report but should I tell Cole if I see him again?"

"If you love him and you want him to know then yes," Kace answered before he booped my nose and said, "only you know if you love him though. No one else can make that call but you."

"Okay," I smiled as we walked out of the bathroom. Down the hall I heard a familiar voice talking to Kurt and Kella. A voice I thought I may not hear again for quite some time. Cole was here somehow and it was time to tell him the truth about everything.