Chapter 187: Where are you? - Monet

I dial Cole's number once again, but just like two minutes ago, it goes straight to voicemail, because he clearly switched it off.

"Maybe he went to go see Luke." Amy says hopefully. "It's a lot to take in, maybe he just needs to clear his head right now."

"I already texted Luke." I shake my head, worry gnawing at my stomach.

What if he completely loses it this time and hurt himself?

Would he do that?

He used to be suicidal when he was a kid, but he wouldn't leave me here all alone, would he?

But I don't know what is going through his head right now. All I know for sure right now, is that he loves me, and I hope that wherever he drove off to, that he remembers that.

And that he would come back to me.

"Could you drive me home, please?" I ask Amy, my voice soft because I'm on the verge of fucking crying.

Mom would've known what to say, and what to do right now. But life hasn't been kind to us, and even lesser to Cole. I know that her death is making this even harder on him.

I can't even imagine how he feels knowing now that everything he believed to be true, is not.

"Of course."

We walk to her car, and I'm so glad I grabbed the small purse I was carrying in Cole's truck, otherwise I wouldn't have had my keys now. And I just want to be in the space that I share with him, where I can feel him and smell him, and hope that he doesn't do something stupid.

"So...." Amy says, giggling, and I look over at her like she's mad after we get in her car. This is honestly not the time to be laughing.

"What is so funny?"

She throws her head back against the headrest and laughs, looking back at me, the disbelief evident on her face. "I thought Cole was hot! Like there was honestly a time I thought I would kiss him, and remember that time he was lying on the couch at the dorm with no shirt on? I thought I'd fuck him if he was down. Turns out he is my half-brother!"

"They still have to do DNA tests." I say half-heartedly, because we all know what the results are going to be. "I'm so sorry, I'm caught up over how Cole is dealing with all of this, I didn't even think of how you must be feeling."

"I'm just glad I didn't hit on him." She shakes her head. "God, it all makes sense to me now. Why my father didn't want me involved with a player, because he was one himself and he was probably an asshole back in the day."

"Maybe he didn't want you to get hurt the way he hurt your mother." I know Cole wil never hurt me like that, even though I felt a tad bit insecure the other day. Ever since we were kids, he wanted to protect me. "At least he said it happened when him and your mom were broken up."

"Yeah, well, I think he did a lot of things when they were together, too." Amy sighs heavily. "It bothers me that she kept on forgiving him and ended up marrying him."

"People do stupid things for love." I look at the passing by scenery, my heart physically aching.

I knew that picture was going to wreak havoc. The question is, how the hell did Mark Daniels find out? What is his obsession with Cole? Did he really go digging so deep into Cole's life that he somehow discovered this secret?

I still wonder if Mom knew.

"You know what, I'm gonna stay in your guest room tonight." Amy says. "I'm not leaving you here by yourself and worry about you worrying about Cole, who I'm worried about because he's even more than a friend now."

"I thought you would be more mad." I check my text messages, but there's still nothing from Cole.

He could've at least sent me a text or something.

"Do you think I should call the cops?" I ask. If he ends up hurting himself, I would never forgive myself for just sitting by and doing nothing.

"I know you've known each other forever." Amy walks over to me, and hugs me. "But I think right now he maybe needs some time to process things."

I sniff, clutching her to me. I know that. I just hate that he didn't take me with him. I'd go wherever he asked me to, something I never thought I'd do for any boy. If he declared for the draft, I would find a school wherever he is. I can study robotics in a lot of different places.

What I can't do, is be without him.

My phone buzzes in my hand, and I answer without even checking who it is.

"Hello?"

"Monet." Cole's voice sounds wounded, the hurt palpable, and I just wish that I could hold him right now.

"Cole, where are you?" I ask desperately. "Please, come home."

"I can't." He answers quickly. "I have to go do something, okay? I love you."

He ends the call before I can ask anything else, and I stare at the screen for a minute.

What the hell is it that he has to go and do, that he can't tell me?

Or take me with him?