The Cole Album || #wattys2019

38.

Emmet:

"Is something bugging you out?" Vanessa asked me for the millionth time.

"No," I said looking up at her and then holding my head in my hands.

"Maybe I can help," she said putting her arm around me.

"I am sorry for being so rude to you but please listen to me... I can help myself..." I said. She looked at me one last time and got up to leave. It had been quite a while so I got up and went to the common room. The lot was empty except Clara sitting on the bench staring into something on the ceiling.

She looked paler and her beauty ever so insatiable. I wanted to hug her tightly and then play with her hair which now lay haphazardly over her shoulders. Her lips had become redder because of the cold and her eyes were fixated at a point. She seemed to look nowhere except that point.

I noticed that she was looking at me. There was a hint of a spark in her eyes. I was on the verge to turn and go away when she called me.

"I thought we agreed that it shouldn't be awkward," she said. I turned around. She had gotten quicker. She stood in front of me, her hands in her hoodie.

"I..." I stammered.

"Emmet... It's alright," she said.

We sat down.

"How is everything for you?" I asked her as she looked at the point in the ceiling I had found her.

"It's alright. Have you moved on?" she asked me.

She was playing quick with the words and the dagger had hurt me deep. She looked at me innocently.

"Yes," I tried to stop myself from saying the truth.

"Hmm... I hope you are happy... I don't want to hold any grudge against you," she replied looking at me.

"The feeling is mutual but... Have you?" I asked her. Her face twitched.

"Yes," she replied looking at me for a split second before looking back at the ceiling.

"How is everything at school?" I asked her initiating our conversation.

"It's alright... The days are going on the way they should. What about you?" she replied.

"I have Brooke and Cooper with me... Everything is alright," I said.

"Is.. Brooke the one you are dating?" she asked. Her hands seemed to be shaking in her hoodie.

"No... Vanessa is the one," I said looking at her.

"Alright..." she said. Vanessa emerged in front of me.

She looked at me for a split second before turning back and going.

"I'll be back," I said getting up and rushing after Vanessa. She stood in the balcony as I approached her.

She looked downstairs at the snow that had landed on the floor carpeting it.

"Who was she?" she asked giving me space.

"She... Is a friend," I replied.

"I shouldn't have intruded," she said.

"It's alright," I replied. She smiled before closing the distance between us and kissing me. It was passionate and soft. It wasn't rushed and we took our time.

Maybe this was the destiny. Maybe the stars were just to meet but never merge. Maybe there was some fault in our Stars.

Annalise:

"Heya," I said looking up from my book as Nick entered.

"You better?" he asked sitting down on the bed next to me and kissing my bare shoulder.

"Hmm," I replied before kissing his lips.

"Oh... What do you wanna do?" he asked me.

"I don't know... What do you wanna do?" I asked him biting my lip.

"I would say..." he said putting his hands around mine and lifting me off the bed onto his lap such that my hip was on his thighs.

I laughed as he looked at me.

"God! You get thirsty," I said getting off him as he frowned.

"Someday you would be too," he said. I laughed as we both laid on the bed with my back to his chest, his head peeking through my shoulder.

We read the book together.

"He shouldn't have left her!" I said sobbing after we completed the novel.

"I know," he said comforting me. He hugged me as I wailed.

This wasn't the first time we were reading this book. I had read it so many times.

We laid on the bed as the sun settled looking out of the window with our legs flailing in the air.

"Genovese..."i said.

"Hmmm," he replied.

"I know I shouldn't ask but how are you keeping up?" I asked him. He looked at me.

"I am fine," he replied. I kissed his jaw before settling back.

Nick's phone rang. He picked it up.

"Who is it?" I mouthed.

"Hey Grandpa," Nick said. He put the phone on speaker.

"Is everything alright?" Grandad asked. He was worried and his voice seemed to be urgent.

"Yeah," Nick replied.

"Is she alright? She isn't answering her phone," he said.

"I am fine... Sorry, I had switched my phone off... I needed some time to be alone," I apologized.

"It's alright but I do have a weak heart... Bye," he said.

The phone call went down.

"Today there is another gathering... Would you want to join?" he asked.

With Adam there... Gee... Thanks.

"Do you want me to stay in to keep you company?" he asked.

"No... I am fine..." I said. Why should Nick suffer because of my dark deeds.

He nodded before he bent to kiss my cheek. He smiled and then, we cuddled and watched the television.