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“It’s the adverts,” I mutter dryly when I notice the film hasn’t started.
“Best part.” He winks and shoves his arm around Allie’s shoulders. She tries to fight him off at first but soon loses the fight and falls into his side, pretending she isn’t happy about it. I smile to myself, hoping one day, she’ll finally give in and tell CJ she likes him. They’ll be good together. Maybe if I give them a subtle push in the right direction, it will help. I could talk to Allie. Maybe…
Cole’s arms tighten around me. “Let them figure it out,” he whispers, just as the movie starts.
Not answering, I turn back to the television, staring at it blankly. It’s not just about Allie and CJ though, but me and Cole. I don’t even know what we are. Everything seems to have happened so quickly with us. First, we were friends—well, I think we were friends—and now we’re more than that. I just don’t know whatthatis. Since we kissed, we’ve kissed some more and it’s been great, more than great.
It’s been explosive.
I just need to know what we are, and what will happen after all this Logan mess is sorted. Will he still want me or is he only with me out of sympathy? No! I don’t believe that. I don’t know why I’d even think it.
I want the answers to these questions so badly. I’m just scared that if I ask them, then I’ll somehow lose him. Something about Cole calls to me. It’s not just his extremely good looks that makes him stand out, but it’s his kind soul and the mystery that surrounds him. He’s a puzzle people could spend years trying to solve but never get close. When I see him, my heart picks up and my belly flutters. I can’t help the wide grin that spreads across my face whenever I see him or talk about him. I find myself trusting him more than I’ve ever trusted anyone else in my life. I also feel the safest when I’m with him. No one has ever made me feel like that. He’s the main reason I don’t feel homesick, because being here, around him, it feels like home.
None of my other boyfriends ever made me feel the way he does, like I’m walking on cloud nine. He acts as though he’s the lucky one, when really, it’s me who is lucky to have him in my life.
My nan, before she died, bless her soul, used to tell me that everything happens for a reason, that God has a plan.
I may have gone through hell, but it brought me to Cole, and our paths entwined. I can feel it in my bones. He knows me inside out, and so far, none of it has scared him away.
I didn’t think I’d be ready for a relationship ever again. But then, after tonight and the way Cole continually stands up for me, it finally made me see some sense.
Becca, Rosie, and Allie have all had something taken from them, not just me. And if I’m going to help each of them, I need to practise what I preach, show them that they can love again, be touched again, and go out with other people and have fun. The second Cole kissed me in his room that night a few weeks ago, I knew no one would ever be able to set my body alight the way he does. It’s another reason I know we’re meant to be together. It’s why I’m not doubting myself or questioning why I’m not scared of him.
Only time will tell if he feels the same way as I do.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Something bad is going to happen. It’s like a heavy weight in the pit of my stomach. A voice in my head is screaming at me to stop this, to not let anyone go through with it. We need to find some other way to get a hold of that box.
My fingers shake as I finish tying the back of Cole’s Ghost Face costume. I don’t want to let them all down by backing out now, but before I can force my fears down, I’m saying the words I’ve been thinking out loud. “I don’t think you should do this. I’ve got a bad feeling about tonight,” I blurt out, stepping back.
Cole pulls the mask off his face, resting it on the top of his head. His gaze runs over my face, his lips pressing together as he tags me around the waist, pulling me in for a hug.
“Low, it’s going to be fine. After tonight, you’ll never have to see his smug face again,” he promises, but it does nothing to calm my raging nerves.
I step back, placing a hand over my turning stomach. I pinch my eyes closed for a second, trying to put how I’m feeling into words. “It’s not that,” I rasp, meeting his gaze. “I just have a really bad feeling, Cole. I don’t think we should do this. We need to figure something else out.”
“Willow, it’s just nerves talking. We’re going to be fine,” CJ assures me, his eyebrows lowering.
I glance at Allie, who has just finished with Alex’s makeup. He’s going as a zombie fromThe Walking Dead. He’s pretty gruesome, and unrecognisable. It’s the only relief I’ve felt all night. I know he’ll never be recognised dressed up like that.
“Yeah, okay,” I give in, yet something still swirls in the pit of my stomach and I feel like I’m going to be sick at any moment.
“Your mum is coming tomorrow, isn’t she?” Cole asks, distracting me.
“Yeah.” I force a smile. I’m pretty stoked about seeing her.
Her last visit wasn’t for the right reasons and most of my time with her feels like a blur. I can’t remember ever really being fully present the entire weekend. I’m glad she managed to get a couple of days off work to come down again so soon after already having a weekend off. She said she has some news to share with me, but mostly, she wants to see how I’m doing. She’s still pretty upset that I never went home to recover or to try and change schools.
“Concentrate on that, Low. I promise, nothing will happen,” he declares.
I nod, twisting my fingers together. Nothing about tonight is ever going to feel right. I know that. What we’re doing is insane, but we have to do it. There’s no other way. It could be months—even years—before we get any solid evidence if we don’t get to his chest. As the thought enters my mind once again, I send up a silent prayer that we get what we need tonight without any complications.
“What do we do when we get the chest?” Jane asks.
She is dressed in a French maid costume, the side of her face dripping with fake blood. She’s hot as hell. When I first laid eyes on her—with her barely-there outfit—I thought Cole would be checking her out. But he didn’t even so much as blink in her direction. At least I can trust that he doesn’t have a wandering eye. All my other boyfriends checked other girls out openly. It bothered me all the time.
I shake my head, ridding myself of any negative thoughts as I turn to Jane. “Bring it back here. I can get it open.”
