What could have been.

- Chapter 42 -

I’ve never in my entire life sat and thought I’d enjoy watching someone cook for me aside from the part where I get to eat what they’ve cooked. I was wrong, so very wrong. I can’t stop staring at Cole while he prepares Penne al'arrabiata. Each time his tongue pokes out from concentrating whilst preparing the sauce, my smile grows slightly bigger. And right now, an ache in my cheeks is alerting me that my smile can’t grow any bigger, so my heart swells a little more instead.  

Without lifting his focus away from the saucepan, he asks. “Can you put a 10-minute timer on for the pasta?” 

“Sure.” It takes me a few seconds to pull myself away from watching him. 

I switch my phone back on that’s been charging by the TV. Shit. I have 10 missed calls from my mum and dad. I don’t bother to open the text messages; I call my mum's number. 

“Sienna, darling.” I can hear it in her tone that something is wrong.

“Hey mum, sorry I missed your calls. My phone died. Everything ok?” I rush out.

“Tristan has snuck out. Your dad and I haven’t got a clue as to where he is. We’re really worried Sienna. What if he’s hur-“

I cut my mum off, she doesn’t need to think those things. I’m sure he’s somewhere safe. Somewhere he definitely shouldn’t be but safe. Tristan is responsible. To some extent, clearly. “I’ll go and look for him. I have an app to find out where he is. I’ll call you with updates. I’m sure he’s fine. I love you, mum.”

“Thank you, darling, love you, please keep us updated. Your father is out looking for him as well.”

“Don’t worry, I will.” I hang up the phone. I turn in the direction of the kitchen to tell Cole what’s happened but I’m met by his chest. We both take a step back. “Is everything ok?”

“No.” I run my hands over my face. “My brother snuck out and my parents are freaking out. I need to go and find him.”

As soon as I finish speaking, panic sets in. Tristan is somewhere alone, in San Francesco. I rush around, from my room back into the living room, then back into my room, grabbing my coat, house keys and bag. 

I can’t help but frantically pace the small length of the kitchen to check everything has been switched off which it has.

“Ready?” I snap my head over to the front door where Cole is standing with a faint smile. I nod, walking over to him and unlocking the door. “Do you know where he would go?” Cole asks while we both run down the steps, taking two at a time. I shake my head, opening the app that'll hopefully tell me where he is. Cole by some miracle hails down a cab, as I send a text to my parents letting them know I’m on the way to where Tristan is. “Baby get in.” Cole guides me into the cab while my focus remains on the screen of my phone. I finally have a ping as to where he is, only it’s not an address I’m familiar with. 

I give the cab driver the address.

I immediately jump out and head for the bouncer at the door. “ID.” Shit. It’s an over twenty-one club, how the hell did Tristan get in. I try to explain to the bouncer that my brother is in there. Unsurprisingly, he doesn’t care and refuses me entry. It was pointless but worth a shot.

I walk over to Cole who’s on the phone, he hangs up just as I reach him. “Don’t worry, I know someone who works here”. He grabs my hand and leads me down a side alley to an exit door. A kiss on the forehead and a few seconds later the door is opened on the other side by none other than the lime green-haired guy from the soundproof place. 

Cole takes my hand, thanking the lime green-haired man on our behalf for letting us in as we follow behind him. We have to walk upstairs before reaching a corridor covered in all different types of mirrors. I can hear the live music coming from the room at the end of the corridor.