Chapter 38 - Avoiding Cole ♡︎

The morning arrived in a quiet haze of pale gold, the sun's gentle insistence filtering through the sheer curtains of Olive's window, illuminating the dust motes suspended in the still air. She woke slowly, finding herself cocooned in the comforting familiarity of her own blankets. A sense of profound, lingering warmth settled over her, but as her mind began to fully engage, she registered the smooth, cool feel of her clothing against her skin, noticing with a sudden jolt that she was perfectly dressed in her favorite pajamas—the soft pastel pink set with tiny, embroidered stars—a detail that sparked an immediate, dizzying cascade of memories from the night before, making her wonder exactly when and how Cole had managed to button every tiny button while she was lost in the hazy intensity of their moments together.

Olive sat up slowly out of bed, her hair falling messily over her face. She touched her lips with trembling fingers, a shy smile tugging at them before she buried her face into her stuffed animal, groaning softly. "Oh my gosh..." she mumbled under her breath, her voice barely above a whisper. Her heart was fluttering wildly, and even though she was alone, she couldn't stop fidgeting with the sleeve of her pajama top, her face hot as she thought about Cole — about how gentle he had been, how his voice had sounded when he whispered her name.

The recollection struck her like a physical wave, not a clear narrative, but a series of electric, fragmented sensations: the intoxicating scent of Cole's skin, the powerful, yet tender, intensity of his kisses, the deep, resonant rumble of his voice whispering those three impossible words, and the surprising, overwhelming boldness she had found in her own response as they tumbled onto the bed, their bodies fitting together with an unexpected, perfect synchronization.

Her skin felt hypersensitive, remembering the places his hands had been, and a blush, hot and searing, crept up her neck and engulfed her entire face, forcing her to instinctively bury her burning cheeks into the worn, familiar cotton of her bunny's ear, wishing the plush animal could somehow absorb the embarrassing intensity of her current internal state.

She shifted restlessly under her blanket, the residual heat of their passion still clinging to the sheets, and her hands, still clutching the stuffed animal. A soft, shaky sigh escaped her lips, she felt worried.

She bit her lower lip gently, a small, nervous gesture and the whirlwind of shy, overwhelming emotions swirling inside her, wondering where Cole had gone and how she was ever going to look him in the eye again after such an intimate night that had completely shattered the timid shell she had.

She sighed softly, biting her lip as she looked out the window at the snowy field beyond the ranch. Everything looked calm, pure, untouched. It made her feel small and safe all at once — and maybe, just maybe, she was beginning to understand what love felt like.___

Olive took her time getting ready that morning, still feeling the fuzzy warmth of last night lingering in her chest. She dressed in her soft, comfy clothes — a pastel sweater that hung loosely on her shoulders and her favorite pair of fleece-lined leggings. Her hair, slightly messy from sleep, fell in light waves around her face. She brushed it gently, humming to herself, still lost in her own thoughts. Every time she thought about Cole, that kiss, that moment, she had to stop and take a deep breath because her heart just wouldn't calm down.

After slipping on her fuzzy socks and a pair of sneakers, she padded quietly down the hall and started down the staircase. The smell of coffee and pancakes drifted from the kitchen, and she could hear the muffled voices of the Walter family scattered through the house. Just as she turned the corner, she bumped straight into someone — hard enough that she squeaked in surprise.

"Whoa there," Cole's voice said with a soft chuckle as his hands caught her by the shoulders before she could stumble. Olive's eyes widened, and she looked up at him, already blushing as her words tangled on her tongue.

"G–good morning," she stuttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Cole smirked, that familiar teasing grin playing at the corners of his lips as he leaned down slightly. "Good morning, tiny," he said, his tone playful but warm. His eyes softened as he took her in — the oversized sweater, the sleepy brightness in her eyes, the way her fingers fiddled nervously with the hem of her sleeve. "You look adorable," he murmured, the smirk fading into something more genuine.

Before she could respond, Cole leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. The simple gesture made Olive freeze in place, her cheeks instantly turning pink as she fidgeted with her hands, not quite knowing what to do with herself. She bit her lip and mumbled a shy, "thank you," though her voice trembled slightly. Cole chuckled quietly, watching her reaction like he always did — with affection, amusement, and something deeper that he couldn't quite put into words.

Just then, Jackie appeared at the end of the hall, keys in hand and her backpack slung over her shoulder. "You guys ready to go?" she said with a half-smile, raising an eyebrow in mock disapproval. "We're heading to campus now before we're late."

Olive blinked, snapping out of her daze, and nodded quickly. "Y–yeah, I'm ready!" she said, still blushing. Cole laughed under his breath, grabbed his jacket from the coat rack, and slung it over his shoulder. As they walked toward the door, he brushed his hand gently against Olive's — just enough for her to feel it — and whispered, "You're making it really hard for me to focus today, you know that?"

Olive's breath hitched, her heart skipping a beat as she looked up at him shyly, and he only grinned wider, clearly pleased with himself as they followed Jackie out into the crisp morning air.___

Jackie and Olive walked side by side through the campus courtyard, the chilly morning breeze tugging gently at their hair as they made their way toward their first class. Students bustled past them — laughing, chatting, clutching coffee cups — but Olive barely noticed any of it. Her mind was still tangled up in the memory of last night. Every time she tried to focus on something else — the crunch of leaves under her shoes, the chatter around her, even Jackie's voice — her thoughts drifted right back to Cole. The way his lips had felt against hers, the warmth of his hands, the way he whispered that he loved her just before kissing her again. It made her stomach flutter in a way that both thrilled and terrified her.

Jackie glanced at her friend as they walked, noticing the faraway look in Olive's eyes. She nudged her lightly with her elbow. "Hey," Jackie said softly, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. "You okay? You've been quiet since we left the house."

Olive blinked and looked up, her face instantly flushing. "Oh! Um—yeah, I'm fine," she stammered, her fingers twisting nervously in the sleeves of her sweater. "Just... thinking about stuff."

Jackie tilted her head, studying Olive carefully. "Stuff?" she repeated, smirking. "You mean Cole stuff?"

Before Olive could even respond — or deny it — a familiar voice cut through the air from behind them. "Wait, wait, what did I just hear? Cole stuff?" Grace called out playfully as she jogged up to join them, her bright red scarf flapping behind her. She grinned mischievously, slipping an arm around Olive's shoulders. "Don't tell me you two finally made out or something!"

The words hit Olive like a lightning bolt. She froze mid-step, her entire face turning bright red. "W–what?!" she squeaked, her voice jumping an octave as she glanced frantically between Grace and Jackie. "W-we didn't— I mean— why would you even say that?"

Grace laughed, clearly amused by Olive's panicked reaction. "Oh my god, I was joking!" she said, holding up her hands in mock defense. "I didn't think you'd actually— wait—" she paused, noticing Olive's deer-in-the-headlights expression. Her grin widened. "Oh my god, you did! Didn't you?"

Jackie's eyes widened in shock, her jaw practically dropping. "Ollie!" she exclaimed, trying to sound serious but struggling to hide the disbelief in her tone. "Are you telling me that you actually made out with Cole Walter? Like— last night made out?"

Olive's cheeks burned even hotter as she fidgeted and looked down at the ground, wishing she could disappear into it. "I... um... maybe?" she whispered so quietly that they barely heard her.

Grace gasped dramatically, covering her mouth, while Jackie just stood there speechless for a moment. "I can't believe this," Jackie said finally, shaking her head. "Cole actually made out with you."

Olive groaned softly and hid her face in her hands, her heart pounding. "Please don't make it sound like that," she mumbled, her voice small and mortified. "It wasn't—it wasn't just that. It was... it was really sweet."

Jackie blinked, then softened immediately, seeing the shy, dreamy expression flicker over Olive's face. Grace, meanwhile, squealed quietly and grabbed Olive's arm. "Oh my god, this is so cute! You guys are like the shy girl and the brooding football player romance that everyone talks about!"

Olive's lips curved into a tiny, embarrassed smile as she whispered, "Please stop," though her tone was more flustered than upset.

Jackie finally sighed and smiled too, shaking her head. "I still can't believe it," she said quietly, half in disbelief and half in awe.

Just then, from across the courtyard, Cole spotted her. He was standing with a few of his teammates near the steps of one of the buildings, dressed in a denim jacket and that signature confident smirk on his face. His gaze immediately locked on Olive, and his whole demeanor changed. The easy grin softened into something fonder, his eyes lighting up in that quiet way they always did when he saw her. He excused himself from the group, ignoring whatever teasing comment one of the guys tossed his way, and started making his way toward her — long strides, hands tucked in his pockets, that familiar look of purpose written all over him.

Olive didn't notice him at first, too busy nervously fidgeting with her sleeve as she tried to change the subject with Jackie and Grace. But when Grace suddenly nudged her shoulder and whispered, "Oh look who's coming this way," Olive followed her gaze — and froze completely.

Cole was walking straight toward her. His expression was soft, that crooked half-smile playing at his lips, the one that always made her heart do that ridiculous fluttery thing she could never control.

"Oh no," Olive muttered under her breath, eyes widening in panic. She could already feel her heartbeat speeding up. She wasn't ready for this. Not here, not in front of everyone, and definitely not after Grace had just guessed — correctly — that they'd made out last night.

Grace grinned knowingly, elbowing Jackie. "Uh oh. Incoming boyfriend alert," she whispered teasingly.

Jackie laughed but tried to muffle it behind her hand, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Relax, Ollie. He's just walking over here. You can handle that, right?"

But Olive couldn't handle it. Every nerve in her body was screaming at her to run. The sight of him — tall, handsome, confident, heading right for her like she was the only person in the entire courtyard — made her entire face heat up again. Her mind was a blur of last night's memories.

Cole called out her name softly, a small smile curving on his lips. "There's my girl."

That one word — the way he said it — melted her composure completely. Olive's breath hitched, and before she even realized what she was doing, she squeaked out something completely unintelligible, turned around abruptly, and bolted.

Grace's eyes went wide, and Jackie's jaw dropped as Olive's brown curls bounced behind her and she practically sprinted down the walkway, clutching her bag to her chest like it was a shield.

Cole stopped mid-step, blinking in confusion, then burst out laughing under his breath. "Seriously?" he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, both amused and exasperated.

Jackie crossed her arms, giving him a knowing look. "You really have her flustered, you know that?"

Cole grinned a little, his eyes still following Olive's retreating form disappearing into one of the nearby buildings. "Yeah," he said quietly, shaking his head with a soft smile. "I know."