to my destiny 💫

011.

[jackie's point of view]

i was in shock that kiley had said that to me. i could feel the red color burning my cheeks from embarrassment as i walked to sit with grace, nathan, and skylar.
grace could immediately tell something was off. "hey, are you okay? it's the first day back! it's a new year, and you have every reason to be happy with your favorite little rodeo guy!"

i had completely forgotten to tell her! after cole and i talked earlier in the morning before class, i just went into the building instead of to her car! i looked over at nathan and skylar's eyes followed mine. "nathan, what's wrong? you look like you're about to burst at the seems!" he exclaimed.

"n-nothing," nathan muttered. the color in my cheeks only seemed to be getting more intense. "i kind of have to tell you guys something. nathan already knows, and that's why he's trying not to worry anyone."

grace and skylar looked at me with wide eyes. "okay, jackie, well are you going to do it in this century?" grace asked with anticipation.

"i broke up with alex officially last night," i told them. grace's eyes lit up. "wait, does this mean you're officially after cole now?" that was like a shot to the heart. "no, of course not. he's dating courtney. i think it's just... better if i'm on my own for a little while, you know?"

"no, i don't know!" grace exclaimed. "jackie, come on! i know he's dating courtney now, but there's no way nothing is happening between you two! come on! everyone sees the way he looks at you!" the way he looks at me? i couldn't believe what i was hearing. "grace, he has a girlfriend. i'm not going to do anything to sabotage their relationship. besides, cole and i aren't on speaking terms right now."

i could tell grace was taken aback. "why not? you guys were good friends the last time i checked." i glanced away. "alex kept saying that cole and i cheated, and that's why he thinks i broke up with him. he told all the guys in the car this morning on our way to school." grace shook her head. "i knew he was clingy, but i didn't know he was so jealous. that's obviously not even why you broke up with him."

skylar stared at me intensely. "it is apart of why you broke up with him, isn't? come on, jackie. we're your friends. we won't tell anyone." i looked at nathan and quietly asked, "you promise you won't tell anyone?" nathan shook his head softly. "no. i don't want to get involved in their drama. besides, alex was even worse with paige. i can't imagine it getting any worse than it already is. the last thing i want is for him to be moping around for the rest of his life."

i nodded. "okay, fine," i sighed. "i still have feelings for cole, and it is a big part of why i broke up with alex. cole and i didn't do anything bad or cheat or anything. i just couldn't string alex along anymore when the person i decided i wanted to date over the summer while i was in new york was cole. but it doesn't matter anymore now that he has courtney. i'd rather just not say anything and end things with alex because being in a relationship with someone when i have feelings for someone else isn't fair to him."

"aw jackie," grace said with soft eyes, "you truly are in love. this is so sweet. i just wish cole could realize it and end things with courtney." i shook my head. "i don't want that. courtney is really sweet, and we're friends. i don't even know how i'd date cole after that anyways. it would violate girl code."

skylar shrugged. "it might violate girl code, but you're in love with him, girl! go for it! everyone else can tell you that boy definitely feels the same way. he's probably just using courtney as a distraction." 

"no, he's not like that anymore," i replied. "cole has changed a lot over the summer. he doesn't just hook up with girls anymore and leave them. he's loyal to courtney. he's happy with her too. it hurts to watch... but i know it's better than cole and i would have been together. if we had been together, everything would've just gotten more complicated."

nathan frowned. "so... you're just never going to tell cole how you feel?"

"i--" i hesitated for a second. "i don't think so. as long as he's with courtney, i'm out of the picture. it's simple. it'll make things better with alex too, especially now that cole and i aren't talking at all."

skylar laughed out loud. "yeah, good luck with that, honey. i think that's only going to be able to last you a few hours tops. he won't be able to live with not talking to you."

i gave him a look. "come on, you know that's not true."

skylar smiled and shrugged. "if you say so."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[cole's point of view]

i couldn't live with not talking to jackie.

it wasn't fair that we had to stop talking to each other completely just because of one stupid ass thing alex said to everyone in the car. i didn't know how, but i was determined to change jackie's mind. after the way alex acted in the car, i didn't care if it hurt his feelings if i was talking to his ex or not. i was dating courtney and things were going great. alex needed to worry about his own life, and it obviously didn't include jackie anymore.

i tried to talk to her when we home, but she ignored me. i also tried talking to her the next day at lunch, and i was ignored again. i decided enough was enough.

on the third day, after school she was doing homework in her room, so i went in to talk to her. she didn't even realize i was there, or maybe she did and just ignored me, i'm not entirely sure, so i quickly picked up the paper she was working on at her desk and she glared up at me. yes, i might've had a little smirk on my face while doing so.

she tried to grab it back, but i kept pulling it away or high above her head so she couldn't get it. she was going to have to talk to me. i started walking towards the door with it high above my head when she shouted, "cole, stop it!"

i quickly did a 360 with a huge smile on my face. "wow, she finally speaks to me again! congratulations on lasting almost three days." she crossed her arms with a frown and simply said, "cole, stop it. just give me back my homework."

"i will once we actually talk about this whole not talking thing. because when i tell you i am sick of it, that's the biggest understatement i've ever said. it's stupid. we shouldn't have to stop speaking to one another entirely just to make alex happy. he should be able to be happy in his own little world," i told her.

jackie heaved out a heavy sigh. "do you think i want to do this? it's the only way for everyone to stop making assumptions about us. i'm mad at alex for what he said too, but not talking to each other is the right thing to do."

i gave her a look. "you're seriously talking to me about the 'right thing to do'? that's the most unfair thing to say after you just ditched everyone after we kissed last spring. i wanted to talk to alex with you so he wouldn't get all pissed off, but you just left without saying anything instead."

her face flushed into a deep red color. "it doesn't matter anymore, cole. what's done is already done. you're with courtney now, and i don't want to date anyone right now. alex is single. we're all off for the better."

i put down her paper on her dresser and took a step backwards. "you're right. it is a good thing i didn't end up with a cheater."