Chapter 28 - In The Rain ♡︎

The rain poured harder now, the kind that blurred the air and made the world shimmer under the porch light. Olive had just stepped through the doorway when she heard him call out behind her—his voice sharp and desperate enough to cut through the storm.

"Olive!"

She froze. Her hand still rested on the doorknob, her wet hair clinging to her cheeks as she turned slowly. Cole stood at the bottom of the steps, his shoulders soaked, rain running down his face and dripping from his hair. His green eyes burned even brighter under the heavy downpour.

He looked nothing like the smirking boy from moments ago. This was Cole stripped of his defenses—raw, trembling, furious at himself. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, his chest heaving as if he'd been holding something in for far too long.

"I'm not okay," he shouted suddenly, his voice cracking through the rain. "Alright? I'm not okay, tiny!"

The words stunned her. She blinked, clutching her sweater tighter around her, her breath visible in the cold air. "Cole—" she started softly, but he kept going, the words spilling out like he couldn't stop them.

"I should've never let you go on that stupid date," he said, stepping closer, his boots splashing through the puddles. "I should've stopped you the second you said yes to him. I should've done a lot of things, actually. From the beginning. From the very first day we met."

His voice softened for just a moment, his expression breaking. "Because ever since that day, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."

Olive's lips parted, her heart hammering in her chest. The rain soaked her completely now, her hair plastered to her forehead, but she didn't move. She couldn't.

Cole ran a hand through his wet hair, pacing a step before turning back to her, eyes burning with emotion. "You came into this house all shy and quiet, barely able to talk to anyone—and somehow, somehow, you managed to get under my skin," he said, his voice trembling but full of feeling. "You drive me insane, Olive. Every time you look at me, every time you speak, every time you smile, it's like the whole damn world stops for a second."

He laughed once, brokenly, shaking his head as the rain poured down. "I told myself not to care. I told myself to stay away because you're sweet and kind and you deserve someone better—someone who isn't... me. But I can't. I can't pretend anymore."

Olive stepped closer, her eyes glistening with raindrops and confusion, her soft voice almost lost to the storm. "Cole..."

He looked up at her, his jaw tightening. "I should've never let you go," he said, his voice cracking now. "Not to Dylan. Not from the start. I should've never let you slip through my fingers, not when I knew what I was feeling."

Olive stood at the edge of the porch, rain dripping from her eyelashes. Her lips parted slightly, trembling, unsure what to say as the weight of his words sank in.

Cole took a deep breath, his voice dropping low, rough with emotion. "I love you, Olive," he said finally. "I'm in love with you."

The words hung in the air between them, heavy and fragile, carried by the sound of the storm.

Olive stared at him, her wide eyes filled with shock and something else—something she didn't have a name for yet. Slowly, almost hesitantly, she stepped down from the porch, the rain hitting her full force. Her heart pounded as she walked toward him, each step echoing in the puddles beneath her feet.

Cole stood still, watching her, his breath catching as she came closer. When she was finally in front of him, soaked from head to toe, she looked up at him through the rain. Her voice was small, uncertain, but it carried.

"You... you love me?" she asked softly, her words trembling.

Cole swallowed hard, his chest rising and falling rapidly. "Yeah," he said, his voice rough, honest. "I do. I love you, Olive. More than I've wanted to admit."

The rain thundered around them, cold and unrelenting, but neither of them moved. For the first time, Olive didn't shy away. She didn't hide behind her sleeves or drop her gaze. Instead, she stood there—heart racing, cheeks flushed, eyes wide—and simply looked up at him.

Cole's hand twitched at his side, like he wanted to reach for her but didn't dare. The silence between them felt like the whole world had stopped.

"Cole..." she whispered again, her voice barely audible, but there was something in her tone that made his chest ache.

Olive could barely breathe; her chest rose and fell quickly, her pulse fluttering like a bird in her throat.

Cole took a step closer until she could feel the warmth radiating off him despite the chill of the storm. His hand lifted, hesitating for just a heartbeat before his fingers brushed against her cheek. Olive's breath caught at the gentle touch, her lashes trembling as she met his eyes — those intense green eyes that somehow softened only for her.

"Tiny," he whispered, his voice low, rough with emotion. "You drive me crazy, you know that? I tried to stay away, I tried to let you figure things out on your own, but I can't. I can't just stand by and watch you be with someone else."

Olive's heart pounded so hard it almost hurt. The rain clung to her hair, streaking down her skin, and she couldn't look away from him. She wanted to speak, to say something — anything — but all she could manage was a trembling breath.

Then Cole leaned in closer. His forehead brushed hers, their noses nearly touching, and the rest of the world fell away. It wasn't hurried or wild — it was slow, deliberate, and full of meaning. The way his hand lingered at her jaw, the way his thumb traced the line of her cheek, the way he looked at her as though she were the only thing that existed.

When he finally kissed her, it was the kind of kiss that said everything words couldn't — a confession, a promise, and an apology all at once. The rain soaked them to the bone, but neither seemed to notice.

When they finally pulled apart, Olive's face was flushed, her eyes wide and shining. Her breath came out in soft, uneven gasps as she stared at him, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"I love you too, Cole."

Cole froze, searching her expression as if he couldn't believe what he'd just heard. Then a smile broke across his face — soft, relieved, almost disbelieving. His thumb brushed her bottom lip gently, his voice low and tender.

"You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you say that," he murmured.

Olive smiled shyly, rain still dripping from her hair, and leaned forward until her forehead rested against his chest. Cole wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, their hearts beating together under the rain-soaked night sky.

Neither of them cared that they were drenched, or that the storm was still rumbling overhead. In that moment, nothing else mattered — not the fights, not Dylan, not the chaos of the Walter house. Just them.___

The house was quiet when they came in, the only sound the steady dripping of rain from their clothes onto the hardwood floor. The soft hum of the heater filled the air, and the warm light spilling from the lamps made the living room feel like a sanctuary compared to the storm outside. Olive shivered as she kicked off her wet shoes, her hair clinging to her cheeks in damp strands. Cole watched her with that same teasing half-smirk, his green eyes glinting with amusement as he tossed her a towel from the nearby chair.

"Thanks," Olive murmured shyly, wrapping the towel around her shoulders. Her voice was soft, still a little breathless from everything that had just happened outside. Cole just nodded, his smirk never leaving. They both disappeared upstairs for a few minutes to change out of their soaked clothes — Olive slipping into her favorite oversized sweater and pastel pajama pants, and Cole pulling on a gray hoodie and sweats.

When they came back down, the rain was still falling, tapping gently against the windows. The air smelled faintly of rain and fabric softener. Olive sat down on one end of the couch, curling up her legs and tucking her hands into her sleeves. Cole flopped down beside her, close enough that their knees brushed. For a moment, neither said anything. It was a comfortable silence, the kind that said more than words could.

Then Cole turned toward her, his voice low and slightly teasing. "You know," he said, that grin tugging at the corner of his mouth, "that was our third kiss."

Olive blinked and turned to look at him, confusion washing over her face. "Third?" she asked, her cheeks flushing pink. "That can't be true... I— I haven't even had my first kiss before."

Cole chuckled quietly, leaning back against the couch with that maddeningly calm confidence he always seemed to have. "Oh, it's true," he said. "You just don't remember the other two."

Olive tilted her head, her brows knitting together. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice small, almost nervous.

Cole's grin widened as he looked at her. "The night at the lake house party," he said, his tone casual, like he was telling her about the weather. "You'd had a little too much to drink, remember?"

He smiled—one of those rare, gentle smiles that softened his whole face. "During truth or dare. Erin was going to make Dylan kiss you, and... well, I wasn't about to let that happen. So I did."

Her cheeks turned bright pink. "You—you did what?!" she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Cole's grin deepened, teasing but tender. "Yup. You were blushing so hard after, I thought you might actually faint."

Olive covered her face in embarrassment, groaning softly. "Oh my gosh, Cole!"

He chuckled quietly, but his expression softened as his voice grew quieter, more thoughtful. "And then," he continued, his eyes dropping to the floor for a moment, "the second one happened later that same night."

Olive peeked at him from behind her hands, her tone small and nervous. "When?"

Cole leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. His voice lowered to a near whisper, his words carrying more weight now—more emotion. "You were half-asleep when I carried you upstairs," he said. "You were mumbling about the stars spinning and how warm everything felt. I laid you on your bed, and you looked so... peaceful."

He paused, his throat tightening slightly as he remembered. "Your hair had fallen over your face, and you were smiling in your sleep. I don't know what came over me. I just stood there, watching you for a second, and... I felt something I hadn't felt before. Something I couldn't ignore."

Olive's lips parted slightly, her heartbeat fluttering as she listened.

Cole looked at her, his eyes soft and vulnerable now, his tone full of quiet sincerity. "So, I brushed your hair back," he said, his voice trembling just a little. "And I leaned down, real slow, and kissed you. Just once."

Olive's breath caught in her throat. "While I was asleep?" she whispered, her voice fragile.

He shook his head gently. "You weren't fully asleep," he said. "You looked at me, just for a second. Your eyes were heavy, but you smiled, and then you closed your eyes again." He swallowed hard, his tone softening even more. "It wasn't a kiss I planned, Olive. It wasn't even something I should've done. But it wasn't about the party, or the drinks, or any of that. It was just..."

He met her gaze fully now, his eyes glimmering with emotion. "It was because I care about you. Because that night, for the first time, I realized how much you meant to me."

Olive sat frozen, her cheeks flushed, her eyes wide and shining. Her fingers twisted in the fabric of her sleeves as she struggled to speak. "I... I didn't know," she whispered.

Cole gave a small, almost shy smile. "Yeah," he murmured. "I didn't think you would. You were too oblivious and sleepy to remember."

She let out a shaky breath, her lips curving into a nervous smile. "You're kind of unbelievable, you know that?"

He chuckled softly, leaning closer until his shoulder brushed hers. "Maybe," he said quietly, his voice laced with warmth. "But I meant every second of it."

Olive ducked her head, her cheeks glowing pink again. "So... you kissed me twice before tonight?"

Cole smirked faintly, but his tone stayed gentle. "Yeah," he said. "But tonight's the one that really mattered."

She smiled softly, hiding her face in her sleeves, her heart racing faster than ever.