ETHEREAL / COLE SPROUSE [✓]

ELEVEN

"kj? is cole here?"

a sharp intake of breath from behind the doorframe tells me yes. but i don't push the question, i just bite my lip and sigh as kj's hands reach to fumble with his hair.

"i'd lie and say he's not but it's obvious he is. what do you want him for, lyla?"

"i just wanna talk to him, he's my best friend," i gulp as those two words leave my lips, "i shouldn't need an excuse! but i want to tell him i'm sorry."

kj let out a deep breath and nodded. "i need to go get some groceries, i'll leave you guys to it for a little while. please make up, the world is a darker place without cola." he winked, pulling a coat off his coat hook and over his shoulders before swiftly exiting the house.

"cole? please hear me out-" i began, eyes locking with cole's now that kj had shut the door after i had stepped inside.

"hear you out? you don't have anything to explain, anything to be sorry for lyla. you're dating my brother. go you!" his jaw was tensed and his eyes glassy, and i just wanted to pull him into a firm hug.

"i do, don't say that. i'm sorry, cole. i'm so sorry. we kiss - twice - and then i fuck off and date your brother in secret? it was a dick move and i feel like crap i'm sorry. i just want things to be okay again. i want to go back to before we kissed and before i had feelings because maybe then this wouldn't have happened and i'd be single and you wouldn't hate me because-"

"wait, wait - feelings?"

"don't make me explain cole, please."

"no i think you owe me that. if you're going to tell me you felt anything for me more than a best friend does you don't get to brush over it like it's nothing when it's the whole reason we're in this mess!" cole's tone changed entirely, his eyes stern and his body language shifting entirely.

"well i'm fucking sorry! i liked you and i knew it was wrong because i didn't think you felt the same so i pushed it away. i bumped into dylan in atlanta by accident and - i don't know i liked him i guess? we had a good time together and he got my mind off you despite being so much like you. i'm sorry. i'm sorry. i'm sorry, okay?"

cole sighed. his hands dropped to his side and he took a step towards me, eyes softening. "no i'm sorry. wow i'm being a dick about this. i shouldn't have been so distant after the kiss; i just struggled to come to terms with the possibility of having feelings for a girl i've been best friends with since i was five."

"i know that, cole," i reached up, hands cupping his face, "i felt the same. and i've said it a million times but i'm sorry. i care about you so god damn much i didn't want to ruin things."

he lifted his left hand to caress my cheek and my heart rate increased beyond belief, "but what the fuck do we do now? you're with dylan!"

"i don't know. fuck. i didn't think this through. i'll call him, i have to tell him everything it's only fair to him. we'll see from there? i'm sorry cole. i made a mess of this."

"it's okay, lyls. i'm just happy to have you at all. even if it is as just best friends."

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was gonna write more but ... idk i thought i'd leave it here
this is moving really quick i think all of a sudden i'm SORRY lmao