Chapter 9 - It's The Cole Effect ♡︎

The next morning seemed to arrive too quickly. Olive barely remembered drifting to sleep, but she had woken up feeling as though her body hadn't rested at all. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw green eyes staring back at her, felt the ghost of a touch under her chin, and heard his voice telling her to get some proper sleep. She had buried her face in her pillow more than once, cheeks burning at the memory, but there was no erasing it.

Now she was walking across the wide campus courtyard with Jackie, Skylar, and Grace. Students bustled around them, groups gathering on the grass, others rushing toward the main buildings, the hum of chatter and laughter rising into the late-morning air. Jackie was in her element, notebook tucked under her arm, already talking about student council obligations. Skylar, stylish as ever, tossed in his opinions with charm, and Grace walked beside Olive, her arm linked through hers like they had been best friends forever.

"So," Grace said, glancing between the group, "where are we having lunch today? Quad? Cafeteria? Or should we risk it and see if the food truck finally has decent tacos?"

Jackie rolled her eyes affectionately. "You said that last week, and you were stuck with soggy nachos, remember?"

"That was a once-in-a-lifetime tragedy," Grace replied dramatically, making Skylar laugh.

Olive smiled faintly, but she wasn't really paying attention. Her eyes drifted to the ground as her thoughts wandered, and she absently twisted the strap of her bag in her hands. Everything still felt overwhelming—the new classes, the endless sea of strangers, and most of all the strange, confusing presence of Cole that seemed to hover in the back of her mind no matter what she did.

Jackie noticed immediately. She slowed her pace, tilting her head at Olive with concern. "Hey," she said softly, "you okay? You look... pale. And a little spaced out. Did you not sleep well?"

Olive startled, blinking as though pulled back to earth, and quickly shook her head. Her fingers fidgeted at the hem of her sweater, tugging at the loose thread. "I-I'm fine," she stammered, her cheeks coloring faintly. "Just... tired. That's all."

Grace raised her brows, a mischievous smile curving her lips as she leaned in closer to Olive. "Ohhh, I know that look. That's not tired. That's the Cole Effect."

Olive blinked at her in confusion, clutching her bag strap tighter. "Th-the what?" she asked nervously, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jackie immediately groaned, shooting Grace a sharp look. "Grace, no. Don't start. Olive doesn't need that in her life right now. Seriously. Don't explain it." She turned to Olive, her voice firm but protective. "Whatever she says, ignore it. I refuse to let Cole get anywhere near you."

Olive's brows furrowed, her lips parting as she looked between them. "I... I don't understand," she said softly, glancing down again, embarrassed.

But Grace wasn't about to be silenced. She leaned closer, lowering her voice like she was about to reveal the biggest secret in the world. "The Cole Effect," she began with a sly grin, "is what happens when Cole Walter looks at you, talks to you, breathes near you, and suddenly your brain turns into mashed potatoes. You can't think straight, your knees get weak, and before you know it—you're hooked. That boy is dangerous in all the right ways, Olive. He's practically a walking disaster for girls."

Olive's eyes widened as she hugged her bag tighter, her face burning with every word Grace spoke. "I-I..." She trailed off, completely unable to defend herself.

Jackie groaned louder this time, throwing her hands up. "Grace! Enough! You're going to scare her." She turned to Olive again, her tone gentler. "Listen to me, okay? Cole is... complicated. And not in a good way. He's not someone you want to get tangled up with."

Skylar, who had been smirking through the entire exchange, finally spoke up. "Jackie, don't be so dramatic. Grace isn't wrong—plenty of people fall under the 'Cole Effect.' Doesn't mean Olive will." His gaze flicked knowingly toward Olive, who quickly looked away, her cheeks burning hotter.

Grace nudged Olive's shoulder playfully. "Oh, she already has. Look at her, she's practically glowing."

Olive squeaked, clutching her teddy bear keychain on her bag for comfort, her voice caught somewhere between protest and shy denial. "I-I'm not glowing!" she stuttered, her words coming out too fast.

Jackie stepped between them protectively, glaring at Grace and Skylar both. "Enough, seriously. I mean it. Olive is not going to be another Cole story." She looped an arm around Olive's shoulders, steering her toward the main building. "Come on, let's get to class before you two fill her head with nonsense."

As they walked away, Olive peeked once over her shoulder—only to catch sight of Cole leaning casually against a wall across the courtyard, talking to someone but his eyes unmistakably flicking toward her.

Her stomach flipped, and she quickly looked away, hugging her bag tighter.___

When the bell finally rang, Jackie packed up quickly, already talking about meetings she needed to run off to. Olive forced a smile and nodded, but her chest felt too heavy. "I... I think I just need a little alone time," she whispered timidly, her voice barely carrying over the noise of students leaving. "I'll... I'll catch up with you later, Jackie."

Jackie gave her a quick, searching look, worry creasing her brow, but she didn't press. She simply touched Olive's arm gently and said, "Don't wander too far, okay?" Then she was gone, swept into the crowd with her usual determination.

Olive slipped out of the building, her heart pounding with relief at the fresh air. The courtyard buzzed with people, but she made her way toward the quieter side of campus, where the grass sloped under a wide oak tree that looked as though it had been there for decades. She sat down slowly, curling her legs to her chest and hugging her bag close, the soft bow in her hair tickling her cheek as she lowered her head.

A shaky sigh escaped her lips. The weight of everything pressed down on her—leaving home, moving in with the Walters, starting at a new school, trying to navigate a family that felt larger than life. And then there was Cole. The one person who confused her the most. She remembered the smirk when he called her "Tiny," the steady eyes when he touched her chin, and she whispered softly into the fabric of her sleeve, "Why did he even come into my room?"

Her throat tightened, and she let out a small whimper, hugging herself tighter. "Why me?" she breathed, her voice trembling. "Why does he keep..." She trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

Her eyes squeezed shut, overwhelmed, and she didn't notice the shadow falling across the grass until it stretched over her. A subtle shift in the air, the sound of boots on the ground, and she opened her eyes suddenly—only to see Cole standing right in front of her.

Olive flinched instantly, her whole body jerking back as if she had been caught doing something wrong. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and her small hands gripped her sweater tightly.

"Woah," Cole said, his voice calm, his hands sliding casually into his pockets as he tilted his head at her. "Relax, tiny. It's just me."

Olive's lips parted, but no sound came out. Her pulse was so loud in her ears that she could barely think, her gaze darting anywhere but at him. The oak tree, the grass, the strap of her bag—anywhere to avoid those green eyes staring down at her.

Cole crouched down a little so he wasn't looming over her, his smirk faint but not cruel. "You always look like you've seen a ghost when I show up. Do I scare you that much?"

Olive whimpered softly, clutching her teddy bear keychain on her bag like it could shield her. She wanted to answer, but her words caught in her throat. She hated that he could make her feel this small, this nervous, this... aware.

Cole studied her for a moment, his eyes flicking over her face as if trying to read her. Then, with a sigh, he leaned back on his heels, waiting, almost daring her to speak.___

Cole tilted his head, watching Olive with the same unreadable look he always wore, but there was something softer in his gaze this time, something beneath the smirk. He let the silence stretch for a moment longer before finally speaking. "You know what, tiny?" His voice dropped into that low, casual drawl of his. "You look like you're about to fall apart from all this school nonsense. Classes, people staring, walking around like you're lost—yeah, it's too much for you right now."

Olive blinked, startled, hugging her knees tighter. "I... I'm f-fine," she stuttered automatically, though her trembling voice betrayed her.

Cole gave a small laugh, shaking his head as if she'd just proven his point. "Fine? You've got 'not fine' written all over you." He leaned a little closer, lowering his voice like he was letting her in on a secret. "Good thing I know exactly how to fix that."

Her brows furrowed in confusion. "F-fix?" she echoed softly, her fingers nervously twisting.

"Yeah." Cole stood up, brushing grass off his jeans like it was the easiest decision in the world. "You need a break. A real one. And lucky for you, I've got just the thing." He looked down at her with that half-smile that made her chest squeeze. "There's a party tonight. Lake house, some friends, nothing serious. That's where you're going. With me."

Olive's eyes went wide, her heart lurching in panic. She shook her head quickly, her voice coming out high-pitched. "Wh-what? A p-party? N-no, I can't. I shouldn't. Jackie—Jackie would—"

Before she could finish, Cole reached down and caught her small hand in his, his fingers wrapping around hers with ease. He gave a gentle tug, pulling her up onto her feet. The sudden contact made her stumble, her breath catching in her throat as she looked anywhere but at him. Her cheeks burned hot, her whole body stiff from the closeness.

"Don't worry about Jackie," Cole said smoothly, brushing off her protest like it didn't matter. "She doesn't get to make every decision for you." His green eyes held hers now, sharp and steady, and Olive felt like she couldn't look away even if she wanted to. "You've been hiding, tiny. You need to live a little. Trust me on this one."

Olive fidgeted, her free hand clutching at the strap of her bag, her lashes fluttering as she tried to find the words. "I-I don't... I don't know if I should..." Her voice wavered, so quiet it nearly disappeared. "I've never... I've never been to something like that."

Cole smirked faintly, but there was something in his tone that almost sounded reassuring when he said, "Then it's about time you start. Don't overthink it." He squeezed her hand lightly, like he was grounding her, then added in a low voice, "You'll be with me. You'll be fine."

Her lips parted as if to argue again, but the words stuck in her throat. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her nerves twisting with a tiny spark of curiosity she didn't dare admit. She lowered her gaze to the grass, whispering, "I-I'm scared."

Cole's smirk softened into something else, just for a second. "Yeah, I know," he said quietly, almost like he understood more than he let on. "That's why you're coming with me."

And before Olive could gather enough courage to refuse him outright, Cole gave her hand another tug and started leading her away from the oak tree, already making the decision for both of them.