Secret Red

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Zoe was waiting for Alison by the corridor where she knew she would passed by around this time. Zoe stood leaning against the wall casually looking at her phone while occasionally looking up to look for the person of interest.

"Zoe, right? You are Red, I mean, uhm... Alison's friend? You were with Tristan the other time too, right?" The familiar tall, sturdy, dark curly haired boy stood in front of her showing her his perfect smile.

"What do you want?" She barked hearing the mention of the jerk's name, although she was almost drooling over his cute face.

"Calm down, girl. I just want to talk. Don't worry, I totally agree that Tristan shouldn't be treating you or Alison the way he did."

"Good that we're on the same page." She waited for him to continue.

"Well, first, I want to apologize for what a jerk he had been to you and your friend. Secondly, I was hoping that maybe you could help me with something." He smirked and they continued to talk until he left before Alison came.

"Alison! I've been waiting for you since just now." Zoe called.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Look, I just want to apologize for what happened between you, Jason and that Tristan. I guess, it was all my fault. If I hadn't brought you to the party, if I wasn't that drunk or upset or seeing him that day, none of those things would've happened. So, the least I could do is to offer you my sincere apology to you. I'm really sorry, Alison." She stated.

"Zoe, you don't have to apologize for anything. I should be there with you at the party and no one would expect the way that jerk acted so it wasn't your fault. You don't have to say sorry or anything. It's fine."

"No, I do. It's the least I can do for causing you all these troubles." She insisted.

"Alright, I accept your apology, Zoe." She hugged her friend.

"Right, now that it's off my chest, next thing is... let's go get ice cream after school? My treat, second least I can do." She gave a pleading look.

"Sure. Free ice cream, who could resist that. I'll ask the others to join us too-"

"No!" She answered too quickly and quickly resumed.

"I was thinking just the two of us. Maybe that's what we needed after these incidents happening to us both. I'll see you straight at the ice cream place because I need to get something from the library first. So, I'll just meet you there, alright?" She insisted.

"Alright, then. I'll see you later." She continued walking to her next class.

After school, Alison walked towards their usual ice cream store and took a seat at the table by the window. She took out her phone screening and was busy playing surgeon game from her phone that she did not noticed the bell rang as the door opened.

"Hey Red." Cole called standing in front of her table with a smirk on his face.

"Hey Cole. What are you doing here?" She asked surprised to see him here.

"I was just passing by when I saw you and thought to come here. Can I buy you an ice cream?"

"I'm actually waiting for Zoe."

"Then you could get double ice cream. Come on, what flavor do you like? Wait, let me guess. You're a mango sorbet kind of girl?"

"Wow, I am a strawberry sorbet kind actually, real close. But I'm also a cookies and cream kind of girl." She laughed while he went to get her a double scoop of those ice cream flavors. He also gotten himself a chocolate ice cream and sat across her.

"So, I heard about what happened with Jason and Tristan. Are you alright?" He took a spoonful of the ice cream.

"Yeah. I think you meant, are they alright? But yeah, Jason's alright, I guess. Tristan? I'm not quite sure about him and neither do I care." She licked her melting ice cream.

"Nope. I'm asking you. I don't really care about them." He said flatly.

"Can I ask you a question? And please don't tell me it's nothing kind of stuff cause I'm sure it's something."

"Okay." He answered in a questioning chuckle.

"What is it with you and Jason?"

"I knew you'd ask me that. I would've thought he'd at least explain everything to you. Seems like he totally kept you in the dark, huh?" He said almost telling it to himself.

"Yeah, sorry Red. Not going to be the one to break your bubble so you might want to ask him again, instead."

"Fine. Just a few simple questions then. Have you known each other for a long time?"

"Yeah, if you consider a few years long enough."

"Were you both friends before?"

"Yeah." He almost snickered.

"Something happened?"

"Guess that should be obvious enough." He wiped his mouth clean with the napkin.

"What? Girls?" She blurted out the common sensical logic she could think of but she was staggered to see his silent reaction.

"Really? Who is she? Is it Loraine?" She was shocked with her own suspicion.

"His sister? No! God, No."

"Then who is it? Is it... Sera?" She remembered when she overheard Jason's argument with Layla by the corridor. Cole's expression became rigid and tensed at the mention of her name which only confirmed her suspicion.

"You can keep on asking but you should know that I won't be answering your real question. You should ask him yourself, since you're both together, are you?"

"I guess so." She replied, giving him the answer that he hoped she would deny.

"Anyway, I think I'm more interested in you. What is it that you're hiding, Red?"

"What? Nothing. What do you mean?" She became anxious at his bizarre question.

"You just moved into this school from the big city but you appeared more like you've recently moved from the small town. You're the new kid but you're too outspoken and bold. You were wearing those thick glasses before but not anymore. Nor did you use any contacts. Tell me Red, what is it that you're hiding behind that pretty face." He averred, never breaking his eye contact with Alison throughout his statement.

"Wha... I think you just over analyze things. That... That's an interesting speculation." She responded while checking her phone asking her location which Zoe replied apologizing that she was held back with her work.

"Right, I think I have to get back now. Thanks for keeping me company, it turns out that Zoe is unable to make it. Anyhow, I better go now." She stood up from her seat before pausing and looked straight into Cole's eyes.

"Actually, Jason doesn't really want me to hang out with you." She stood up from her seat and they walked out of the store together.

"I understand. But that doesn't mean that you need to be who he wants you to be. You're not bound to him or anything, right? I'd like to still hang out with you, Red." He gave her a wink as he saluted her with the arrogant smug on his face and walked the opposite direction without giving her the chance to respond back.