WHERE WE ARE ; COLE WALTER

015

"VERONICA," SOMEONE SHOUTED FROM downstairs, probably Skylar who had already called her at least five times. "We really have to go."

The black girl looked once again into her mirror, unsatisfied with her appearance.

She had been crying the whole night and a big part of that day, so of course by night her eyes were completely red and swollen. As best as she could, she had tried to fix her dark circles with makeup and cooled her swollen eyes with a spoon (it was a hack she had found on the internet and it kind of actually worked) but the redness of her eyes couldn't be hidden that easily. Veronica just hoped it would be dark in the Lark so that no one would be able to recognize those imperfections.

"I'm coming," she shouted back, once again readjusting her skirt and top before leaving her room behind.

Both Mato and Skylar were in the living room, having been finished with getting ready over 15 minutes ago. "Even Hayley won't take that long to get ready and it's her big day," Mato commented jokingly as he wrapped respectively one arm around one of his kids shoulder.

"Dad, you see my face right?" Veronica asked, shoving her face closer to his, so he could take a look at it. "It's perfection and you don't get that without putting some kind of effort into it. I mean look at Skylar."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Skylar asked, from the backseat of the car, ready to strangle his sister.

"Exactly what you think it means."

Mato smiled as he listened to his kids bickering.

He hadn't forgotten about the last night and didn't ask Veronica about any details, all he knew was that someone has hurt his little girl and whoever that was, wasn't deserving of the tears that had fallen down her face for the whole night.

"You remember, help out as best as you can, don't drink too much alcohol and don't forget: have some fun," Mato Summerhill told his kids as they stood outside the Lark, ready to enter and celebrate the opening of the "Lark after Dark". Both Skylar and Veronica nodded, giving him their okay to leave and mingle with the town's people, but he did so only after having messed with his son's hair.

Skylar and Veronica stood outside the cafe for a second longer.

Veronica did so because she really didn't want to socialize and pretend like everything was okay today and Skylar remained there because he was worried; not once had he seen his older sister in such a distraught state as he had yesterday night. He also couldn't help but wonder what had happened, however, he could never ask her, since she would just smile at him and pretend like nothing had ever happened (Veronica was like that, always preferring to play the role of the strong person, when really all she wanted was for someone to comfort her).

Clearing his throat, Skylar finally turned away from her, not bearing the sight of her nervously biting her nails, "I'm gonna go inside and look for Kiley. She said she would also be helping out here."

Veronica just nodded absentmindedly at his words, not really having listened to him, since just now a car arrived in the parking lot, one that was too familiar to her in order to ignore it.

Veronica just nodded absentmindedly at his words, not really having listened to him, since just now a car arrived in the parking lot, one that was too familiar to her in order to ignore it.

The girl watched on with watering eyes as one after the other a Walter left the car, though the person she wanted to see, or rather shouldn't want to see, was nowhere to be found.

Katherine spotted the girl in the parking lot and waved over to her with a friendly smile, Veronica returned the gesture, but quickly turned around and entered the cafe, not wanting to talk to the woman with the smile that reminded her so much of Cole's.

Grabbing a tray full of champagne glasses, Veronica finally took on her duty and handed them out to everyone who was willing to take one, a smile on her face as she indulged in meaningless small talk with some people she didn't even know the name of.

After her father's (this time not so long) speech, Veronica settled on staying behind the counter and cleaning up the plates and glasses people left standing around, this way, she wouldn't run into her ex-boyfriend's family and didn't have to put on that fake smile that had started to hurt her cheeks half an hour into the festivities.

At some point Kailey and her brother had joined her behind the counter, though she left the two of them to talk with each other, not wanting to impose on their conversation. However when Alex joined the pair, she strained her ears to listen in on their little exchange, though she could gather nothing useful from it, only that Alex was still as unimaginative as he had been when they were younger.

Once Kailey left the two boys to themselves, Skylar (being himself and unable to mind his own business) asked Alex about why things between the kindergarten friends never worked out. With a glance in Veronica's direction he replied something along the lines of him and Kailey being best friends like Cole and Veronica were, nothing more. Veronica's expression turned sour as she heard those words, of course, best friends and now, they probably wouldn't even talk anymore, since that was how Cole dealt with people criticizing him. He just ignored them.

Now Skylar, too, left the counter, leaving Alex to stand alone with an empty glass in hand. Veronica walked up to the boy, and offered him some water and as he drank from it, the two of them stood there in complete silence, Veronica observing the room and Alex observing her, noticing the slight redness in her eyes.

"Are you oka –"

"Where's your bro –"

The two started simultaneously, sheepishly looking away as Alex's cheeks turned red. "You go first," he told her, scratching the back of his neck nervously, avoiding eye-contact as best as he could.

Veronica nodded, not even noticing the boy's nervousness. "Where's Cole? I saw everyone in your family but him."

Alex sighed, why else would Veronica, Cole's best friend, talk to him if it wasn't about his dearest brother? "He got grounded for taking Jackie to a party and drinking, but I thought he'd tell you. He tells you everything."

The girl nodded, picking at the skin around her nails as she heard the name of the Walters' newest family member. "And where's Jackie?" she continued to implore, ignoring his last comment.

"Back at home with Cole, she got grounded for skipping school and drinking," Alex stated as he noticed the girl's fidgeting fingers. "By the way, is everything alright with you?"

Quickly, too quickly Veronica nodded her head, her braids jumping around her face. "Of course, why wouldn't it be?" And with those words she ran off to a table to gather the dirty dishes and once she returned to the counter, Alex thankfully had left his spot there.

She just wanted the remainder of this night to be as Walter-free as possible, she didn't need to be reminded of Cole every step she took.

With a champagne glass in one hand and a cake in the other, Veronica exited the full caffe, not really caring about the storm raging on outside, thanks to the building's protruding roof, she could escape both the rain and the people there.

Though, not fully, seeing as soon after she had finished the cake and was about to take another sip from the champagne, Nathan had to walk outside, a loud sigh escaping him as he finally left the crowd of people behind him.

Once he spotted Veronica there, sat on the ground with tears running down her face and her mascara messed up, he didn't say a single word and just sat down next to her in silence. Without a word being said, the two of them spent a great part of the night outside the bustling caffe, watching as lightning lit up the night sky and listening to the sound of the rain around them.

HOPE speaks!

another chapter for you guys since i can't sleep and writing this story has become fun to write again :)

this chapter is dedicated to all the people who keep me motivated with their kind comments and many votes, i love you! 🫶🏼