chapter twelve

Marcus dropped me off at home, and the entire ride had been silent an awkward, almost heavy. Neither of us said a word, and I kept my eyes on the window, watching the streetlights blur past.

When he finally parked in front of the house, I unbuckled my seatbelt slowly. "Thank you," I said softly, my hand already on the door handle.

Marcus nodded, his jaw tightening slightly. "Yeah... no problem."

I hesitated for a second, wanting to say something else, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, I gave him a small, polite smile and stepped out of the car.

As I closed the door, I could feel his eyes on me, but he didn't say anything else. I walked up the driveway, and only when I reached the porch did I hear his car pull away.

The next morning, I woke up late, way later than usual. I'd needed the sleep after everything that had happened yesterday. My head still felt heavy, full of too many thoughts, but today wasn't about me.

It was Katherine's award ceremony, and I didn't want to ruin it by being late or looking like a mess.

I dragged myself out of bed and grabbed a towel before heading straight to the bathroom. As the hot water hit my skin, I tried to let it wash away the tension from last night: Marcus's confession, the silent car ride, everything with Isaac and the play.

When I finally stepped out, wrapped in my towel, I stared at myself in the mirror. "Smile," I whispered to my reflection. "It's Katherine's big day."

I finally finished getting ready, taking a deep breath before stepping out of my room.

Isaac was standing in the hallway, and the moment he saw me, he froze. His mouth opened slightly, and his eyes widened.

"Wow," he breathed, clearly caught off guard.

I felt my cheeks heat up and glanced down at my dress, nervously twisting my hands. "Uh... thanks," I murmured, trying to play it cool.

He shook his head slightly, a small, impressed smile tugging at his lips. "Seriously... you look amazing."

I gave him a small, teasing smile. "By the way... you look pretty good tonight too."

Isaac's eyes flicked down at himself, then back at me, a faint blush creeping onto his cheeks. "Oh... uh, thanks," he said, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

I laughed softly, enjoying the rare sight of him flustered. "Don't get used to it," I teased.

He smirked faintly, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah... noted."

We all arrived at the ceremony, I slid into my seat, finding a spot between Will and Isaac.

But something felt off. Cole was missing. He hadn't shown up, and I couldn't help but notice the empty chair near the front, where he usually would have sat.

When Cole finally arrived, the doors opened, and all eyes turned toward him. He stumbled slightly as he walked in, clearly drunk, and I felt my stomach twist.

Cole finally slumped into his seat, still swaying slightly. Alex leaned over. "Maybe you should stick with water, Cole."

Cole's eyes narrowed, "Maybe you should keep your opinions to yourself, Alex."

Jackie groaned softly, "Maybe you should both just quietly eat your dessert. For your mom's sake."

Meanwhile, Isaac's eyes were fixed on Lee's dessert. "Can I please have some?" he asked, hopeful.

Lee shook his head firmly. "Nope."

Isaac leaned closer, trying to grab it. "Come on, pleeeease? Sharing is caring."

I sighed, rolling my eyes, and nudged my plate toward him. "You can take mine. Not hungry."

Someone began speaking. "Dr. Katherine Walter. Dr. Walter has run her clinic for over fifteen years and works tirelessly to ensure that animals and their owners receive the best care possible. Now, without further ado... Dr. Katherine Walter."

The audience erupted into applause as Katherine walked gracefully at the stage.

"Thank you, Damon, that was really sweet. It's so unexpected and... it just means so much to me, so thank you," Katherine said, her voice warm. Everyone clapped again.

"Thank you so much. So, when I was taking premed, I thought my future lay in the care of the pampered house cats and lapdogs and occasional alligators of Manhattan. But then I met my husband George, who...."

Cole suddenly pulled out his hip flask.

"That's enough," Will said sharply, reaching for it, but Cole waved him off. "Hey, relax, okay?" he slurred. "It's like a party."

Everyone's eyes went to him as he poured some alcohol into a glass. He muttered, "She sounds good up there," clearly oblivious to the disruption.

"Cole, pull yourself together," Will said firmly.

Cole tried to stand up, but Jackie held him back. "Sit down!" she whispered urgently.

"Jackie, I gotta hit the head. You can tell me what I missed when I get back... unless you know, you wanted to help," Cole said, pushing past her and standing up.

In his unsteady state, he bumped into a waitress carrying a tray. The desserts tumbled to the floor with a loud crash. Gasps filled the room.

"Why are you walking around in the middle of her speech?!" someone shouted.

Cole made a scene and Will brought him out and Jackie went after him.

Meanwhile, back inside, Alex's frustration was boiling over. "I can't believe Jackie went out with him! After everything he just did?"

I shrugged, trying to stay calm. "She's just trying to keep him from making it worse. That's all."

Alex groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, but it's like she's enabling him! He's drunk, he's causing a scene... and she just brings him outside?"

I sighed, knowing he had a point. "Maybe, but right now she's the only one who can keep him from doing something stupid."

We finally got home, everyone heading to their rooms after the long, exhausting night. I went to mine, shutting the door behind me, but sleep felt impossible.

I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying the events of the day over and over in my mind. Cole's scene at the ceremony, the chaos, everyone's reactions... but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop thinking about Isaac.

His teasing smile, the way he looked at me at the ceremony, the way he'd flustered when I complimented him. My heart still seemed to beat faster whenever I remembered it.