Chapter 27 - Stop Me ♡︎

The sky was beginning to darken as soft gray clouds rolled in, spreading across the horizon and swallowing the last bit of fading sunlight. The golden glow that had filled the streets all day dimmed into a muted, silvery haze, and the gentle rumble of thunder in the distance hinted that rain wasn't far behind. Dylan glanced at the windshield as a few droplets began to fall, scattering like tiny diamonds under the streetlights. "Looks like the weather's trying to tell us something," he said with a small grin, glancing over at Olive as he pulled out of the parking lot.

Olive looked out the window, her small hands folded neatly in her lap, and nodded softly. "Yeah... I should probably get home before midnight anyway," she said, her voice quiet but sweet, almost drowned out by the hum of the car's engine. She gave a shy smile as she spoke, the corners of her lips twitching upward as if she didn't want to seem rude for ending the night early.

Dylan nodded, drumming his fingers lightly on the steering wheel. "Yeah, no worries. It's been a long day anyway." He smiled at her again, that easygoing kind of smile that came naturally to him. Olive returned it faintly, but her eyes quickly drifted back to the rain-speckled window.

For a while, they just drove in comfortable silence. The windshield wipers moved back and forth in a steady rhythm, and the sound of rain began to build, soft at first, then heavier, tapping against the roof of the truck like a heartbeat. The glow from the streetlights blurred through the rain, painting everything in a dreamlike shimmer. Olive sat quietly, her cheek resting against the glass, watching as the raindrops slid down in crooked trails.

After a minute, Dylan cleared his throat and asked, "So, what's your favorite color? You never told me."

Olive blinked and turned toward him, startled out of her thoughts. "Oh—um," she hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. "Probably... pastel blue. Or maybe soft pink. I like soft colors." She gave a tiny smile, glancing down. "They make me feel calm."

Dylan nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, that makes sense. You kind of seem like a pastel person," he said with a grin, and Olive giggled quietly at that, covering her mouth as if embarrassed to laugh.

"What about you?" she asked shyly, turning her head just enough to peek at him.

"Me? Hmm..." He squinted as if thinking hard, then smirked. "Probably red. I don't know, I just like it. It's bold, I guess."

Olive nodded, still smiling. "Red suits you."

"Yeah? You think so?" he said, grinning wider.

"Mhm," she hummed softly, her tone gentle, almost like she didn't realize she'd said it out loud.

They drove for a while longer, trading small questions back and forth—nothing too deep, just the kind of light conversation that felt easy and harmless. Favorite movie, favorite animal, favorite season. Olive said she liked spring best because of the flowers and how everything felt new again, and Dylan said he liked fall because of football and the way the air smelled when it first started getting cold.

"So... what about favorite movie?" Dylan asked, glancing over as they waited at a red light.

Olive tilted her head, thinking. "Um... probably Tangled," she said softly, a little shy laugh escaping her. "I've always liked it. The lantern scene is my favorite part."

Dylan chuckled. "Yeah? I can see that. You'd probably like that whole castle and singing thing, huh?"

Olive blushed, shaking her head quickly. "Not really the singing part," she said with a tiny giggle, "but... I think it's nice when people finally find what they've been looking for."

Something about the way she said that made Dylan glance at her a second longer than he meant to. There was something so sincere in her tone—so quietly hopeful—that it caught him off guard. He smiled faintly before turning back to the road. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I get that."

The rain picked up, turning heavier now, and the soft patter against the windshield grew into a steady rhythm. The wipers swished back and forth faster, keeping time with the faint music playing on the radio. Olive tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled faintly as she looked out at the world washed in silver.

She felt calm. Safe, even. But somewhere deep down, she couldn't shake the faint ache in her chest whenever Cole's face flashed in her mind. She hated that it happened at all—especially right now, while she was with someone else—but no matter how hard she tried to focus on Dylan's voice or the sound of the rain, that feeling lingered quietly, like a secret she couldn't let go of.

As they turned onto the familiar road leading to the Walter house, the rain began to slow. The clouds still hung heavy in the sky, but there was a strange warmth in the air—a kind of peace that settled over everything. Olive sighed softly, watching the lights of the house come into view, the glow from the windows standing out against the gray evening.

"It's really nice getting to know you, Olive," Dylan said suddenly, glancing her way with a soft, genuine smile.

Olive looked at him, her heart fluttering a little. "It's nice getting to know you too," she said softly, smiling back.

The rain had slowed to a drizzle by the time Dylan pulled up to the Walter family's long driveway. The truck's headlights cut through the mist, glinting against the wet pavement, and the soft rumble of the engine faded into quiet as he shifted it into park. Olive glanced toward the glowing house—it looked warm and safe, a comforting sight after the long day. She could see faint shapes moving inside through the windows, shadows and laughter echoing from somewhere in the kitchen.

"Well," Dylan said with a small grin, turning to look at her, "this was a lot of fun. I'm really glad we did this." His voice was calm, low, and easy, like it always was, but there was a hint of something more sincere behind it now.

Olive smiled shyly and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, nodding. "I had a really nice time too. Thank you for... um, for today," she said softly, her words laced with that sweet nervousness that seemed to follow her everywhere.

Dylan chuckled and leaned back in his seat. "Don't thank me yet. You still owe me a rematch at bowling next time."

Olive laughed, a quiet little giggle that made Dylan smile even more. "Maybe," she said, still grinning, "but only if I get the bumpers again."

He laughed, shaking his head. "Deal."

For a second, it was quiet again, the kind of quiet that felt almost comfortable. Olive reached for the door handle, her cheeks still a little pink. "I should probably go inside before Jackie sends out a search party."

"Yeah, probably a good idea," Dylan said with a chuckle. "Get some rest, okay?"

Olive nodded and smiled one last time before stepping out of the car. The cool air hit her as she closed the door behind her, and she pulled her light sweater tighter around her shoulders. She turned back to wave. "Goodnight, Dylan!"

Dylan smiled and lifted his hand in a small wave. "Goodnight, Olive!" he called back before backing out of the driveway.

Olive stood there for a moment, watching the taillights of his truck fade down the road. She giggled softly to herself, her heart fluttering as she turned toward the house—only to freeze when a voice cut through the night air.

"Real gentleman, huh?"

Her breath caught. The tone was low, sharp, and unmistakable. She turned quickly and saw Cole leaning against the porch post, arms crossed over his chest, his green eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at her. His hair was a little messy, like he'd been pacing for a while, and the faint smirk on his lips didn't quite reach his eyes.

"He didn't even walk you to the door," Cole said, straightening up and stepping toward her. His boots made soft splashes against the wet ground. "Guess chivalry's dead."

Olive fidgeted with the sleeve of her cardigan, her eyes darting to the porch floor. "He—he didn't have to," she said softly, her voice small. "It's fine, really. I told him not to."

Cole raised an eyebrow, his smirk deepening, though there was something sharp behind it. "You told him not to?" He let out a low laugh, shaking his head slightly. "Wow, you're just full of surprises lately, huh?"

Olive's fingers twisted tighter into her sleeve. She didn't like the way his voice sounded—it wasn't angry exactly, but it carried that edge she'd started to recognize, the one that only seemed to come out when Dylan's name was mentioned. She took a small step back as Cole came down the last step of the porch, closing the space between them.

"So..." he said, his tone dropping lower as he tilted his head slightly, looking her over. "How was it?"

Olive blinked up at him, confused. "W-what?"

"The date," he said, smirking now, though his jaw tensed just enough to betray him. "You know, the one I told you not to go on."

Olive swallowed hard, her face flushing as she looked down again. "It was... nice," she said carefully, her voice barely above a whisper. "We watched a movie, went bowling, and got ice cream. That's all."

Cole nodded slowly, his tongue running over his teeth before he chuckled under his breath. "Sounds like a real fairy tale," he muttered, his eyes never leaving her.

Olive shifted uncomfortably. "Cole..." she started quietly, but the words faltered.

"What?" he asked, still smirking, though there was something darker in his expression now. "I'm just asking how it went. You don't have to look so nervous, tiny."

Her cheeks reddened at the nickname, and she hugged her arms around herself, staring down at her shoes. "I-I'm not nervous," she lied softly, her voice trembling just a little.

Cole took one more step closer, and she could smell the faint trace of his cologne—something warm and woodsy that made her heart race for reasons she couldn't understand. "Sure you're not," he said quietly, his voice almost teasing. But his eyes... they gave him away. They were jealous, burning and green under the porch light, and though he wore a smirk, his hands were clenched at his sides.

Olive finally looked up at him, her wide eyes uncertain, confused. "Why do you care so much, Cole?" she asked softly.

That question hit him harder than she knew. His smirk faltered for just a second, his gaze softening, before he looked away with a short laugh. "I don't," he said quickly, though his voice betrayed him. "Just... making sure he treated you right."

Olive blinked at him, unsure of what to say. The air between them felt thick, heavy with something unspoken. For a long moment, neither of them moved, the sound of distant thunder filling the silence.

Then Olive whispered, "He did."

Cole's jaw tightened again, and he nodded, stepping back toward the porch. "Good," he said quietly. "That's good." But his tone didn't sound convinced.

As Olive slowly made her way up the steps, Cole stayed where he was, watching her until she disappeared inside. The rain began to fall again, soft and steady, and Cole exhaled through his nose, his smirk fading completely.