It Comes With Time || ✔

5

Word count: 1260

🟣🔷️🟣🔷️🟣

As I packed away my books, April leaned against her locker waiting for me to finish up. Cole already signed up for baseball, so he had his first practice today. He played baseball since he was 8. He used to go over to his friends' house to play with him everyday. Before he turned 11, his mom and dad bought him a full baseball set. Cole used to ask April and I to join him, but we only played 1 or 2 games.

As thoughts of Cole ran through my mind, I decided to stop before it got too creepy. Even for me.

Since I never got my learners license, April had to drive. I trusted her a lot, but I couldn't garentee that she would drive us home safely. Just as April started the car, I saw Reece walk past us. He looked at me with a blank expression then looked away as he continued walking. He has been avoiding me all day after I let him into my house and stay there for the night.

"What's his deal?" April asked.

"I don't know. He has been avoiding me all day and when I try to talk to him, he doesn't respond." I said with a slightly angry tone.

"If he doesn't change his attitude, I'mma do some serious shit that no one has ever seen before." She said while driving out of the school gate.

I smiled at her comment, "I'mma let him be. He can do what he wants. All I know is that he still owes me for last night. Just because he's avoiding me now, won't mean he'll avoid me forever." I said smirking.

When we got home, I made everyone something to eat. I made Cole something extra since he was coming from practice soon. While I drank a sip from my 7 Up, April screamed.

"Dude! What the hell?" I asked since she made me spill my drink on the floor.

"It's Jesse!" She yelled happily.

"Let me guess, he finally asked you out on a date." I said with a smirk.

"Yes!! Saturday night at 7." She smiled.

I was happy for her. Hopefully she can keep this one. Wait, let me rephrase; I hope this one can keep her.

"We need to go shopping on Friday for a dress." She said.

"Shopping, really? We have our first shift on Friday." I said trying get out of shopping.

I've never liked shopping. Not then, not now, not ever!

When I was still a toddler, I wondered around the mall often and got lost almost always. One day, I wondered into a store that sold cigars and pipes. The owners didn't notice me reaching for random items because I was so short.

Eventually, I walked out and a security guard saw me. He asked me a few questions and promised that he'd help me find my mother. He spoke over the intercom and kept me company while we waited. After a few minutes - which felt like forever - my mother came to pick me up.

Up to this day, I still wonder around and get separated from my group.

"C'mon. It'll be fun." April said with a smile on her face.

I find it stupid to buy a dress for the first date. Why can't you just wear a random outfit in your closet? On the other hand, Jesse seems nice and I want April to have a great time.

"Fine. We will go after our shift, okay?" I said.

After an hour or so, Cole arrived at home and told us about practice. He seemed super hype about it.

"I made a home run and Coach was like, 'You! You made the team, my boy.' and I was like, 'What?! No way, dude...'," he continued blabbering about practice until he eventually passed out on the couch.

A few hours later, it was dark and I went upstairs to get ready for bed. I went to the bathroom and washed my face with water since I could see the bags under my eyes. After a quick hot shower, I went back inside my room to get dressed. I put on a long sleeved blue shirt with a matching pants, along with blue fluffy socks.

I was attempting to fall asleep when there was a knock at my door.

"Come in! The door is open." I said while looking up.

Cole walked into my room. I was a bit shocked, since he never came into my room unless he needed something.

"Do you need something?" I asked sitting up.

"Why do you always assume I need something?" He asked. "But actually, yes. I need to talk to you." He said after a nervous pause.

Shit! Does he know? It looks like he knows. Let me disappear! 

"About what? Is something wrong?" I asked.

"No. Nothing's wrong." He said.

I took a deep breath, hoping for the best, "What's it about then?"

"I know you like me. I know you liked me since we were 13. I only found out about it before baseball practice. Is it true, Janine?"

Do you know what I did after that? I sat there, unable to say a word.

He knows.

I looked down at my hands and started rethinking my life choices. I wondered if I should confess to him. Cole let out a small chuckle as he lifted up my chin so that I can look in his eyes.

"C'mon, you can tell me," He said with a smile. His smile was so comforting that I felt as if I needed to confess.

"Cole, I liked you for quite some time now and I didn't know how to tell you. I thought that I would get over it, eventually. And as you can see, it didn't work out so well. So yeah, it's true," I finally said.

Cole didn't say anything. He just stared at me as if he was trying to figure out what to say. "Say something," I laughed nervously.

What did I just do?

"Uhh... What I'm about to tell you can only stay between the two of us. Okay, Janine?"

I looked at my hands once again. "S-sure."

"I like someone else."

Well, this escalated quickly.

"Oh."

"Yeah. Well, there's something else too. There's someone else, because I'm bisexual."

"And this someone else is male?"

Cole nodded.

"Well. That- that's okay. I mean, I don't judge you. I never had a problem with the LGBTIQ+ community. I accept you," I shrugged with a smile.

Cole seemed less tense after I said that, "Yeah. Just don't tell anyone. I wasn't sure about my sexuality, but now I'm certain. Since you're my best friend, it was fair to tell you," He smiled.

"Cool, but how did you find out that I liked you?" I asked.

"When I told April about my sexuality, she told me about your little crush," He laughed. In return, he received a little shove.

"Well, it's close to 10pm and I have a movie waiting for me downstairs. Wanna come?" He asked making his way out of my room.

"Is a smurf's butt blue?"

Cole laughed and raised his arm as he waited for me to duck under it. When I got to his side, he wrapped his arm around me. We walked towards the TV room and covered ourselves with a blanket.

After the movie, I was tired and headed upstairs with a smile on my face.

"Goodnight, Cole."

"Night night, Janine."