Chapter 3
COLE
I probably shouldn’t have been excited to hear that Oak and Alex got into another fight yesterday, but I was. I’m always critical of the girls that Oak hangs out with, but there’s something about her that rubs me the wrong way. Since the first time I met her, she just seemed so...
Fake.
From the fake smiles to the slight rolling of her eyes that she thought I didn’t see. Any time I was around, she seemed to get upset if Oak gave me any type of attention. So yeah, hearing they got into another fight filled me with much more joy than was probably necessary.
Oak had ditched her again last night, choosing to come to Peaches, and the screeching I heard coming from his phone later that night sounded like Alex had turned into a wild animal.
He told me he was breaking up with her, but I don’t know if they worked things out since I put my headphones on to drown them out after all the yelling.
I don’t get it; the whole constantly arguing with someone thing.
Maybe it’s because I haven’t really had a girlfriend or whatever, but it would just make sense that if you’re constantly fighting, then why keep talking?
That has to be way more drama than it’s worth.
But again, I haven’t had a girlfriend since high school, so maybe I have no clue what I’m talking about, and it’s normal.
I wouldn’t put up with it, but to each their own.
Two fingers snap in front of my face, drawing me out of my thoughts. Oak is standing in front of me, and by the puzzled look on his face, he’s probably said my name a few times.
“Yes?” I ask, sweetly batting my eyelashes at him. He already knows I can’t hear shit when I have my headphones on, so why he still tries to have a whole conversation with me is baffling.
“I was saying,” he huffs, taking the spot next to me. “I’m off today, so if you’re around, I figured we could play a few games and then go grocery shopping and get some things to cook.”
“Sounds good. Wanna play Call of Duty?”
“Do I ever say no to that?”
“When Alex begged, you did,” I mumble, rolling my eyes and getting down onto the floor.
“What?”
“I just said, let me get comfortable,” I lie, turning on the gaming console.
As usual, Oak sits behind me, one of his legs on either side of me.
It’s a quiet comfort, playing games with him.
Sure, there are a few times we’ll yell or get excited, but for the most part, it’s relaxing.
We have code words for when we need the other to do something in the game.
We tried playing online with others a few times, but damn!
Those kids can be intense. All they do is yell and cuss, and it was too much, so I stopped getting on there.
Oak doesn’t mind the kids going off on him; hell, he joins in, but he only gets on when I’m not here.
Halfway through the game, Oak quits, putting his controller down next to him.
His hands find my shoulders next, massaging deeply as I keep playing.
Oak gives the best massages. I keep telling him he should go to school to be a masseuse, but he blows me off and says he only does it because it relaxes me.
I’ve tried to return the favor, but damn, my hands hurt after a few minutes, and I had to keep giving myself a pep talk to finish the ten-minute massage I’d promised him.
Whereas Oak can sit behind me for close to an hour and never complain about rubbing my back.
“I’ve gotta piss, and then we can head out,” he tells me, planting a kiss on the top of my head.
“Gotcha. I’m gonna grab my sweatshirt. I’ll meet you at the door.”
A few minutes later, we’re in Oak’s car heading toward the store.
I’m not a big driver, so we usually take his car unless it’s an emergency or I have to drive myself.
He drives a blue Chevy Camaro, and I’m not the biggest fan of it.
It’s not only impractical, but it’s also small as hell.
Neither of us is on the small side. We’re both over six feet tall, and while I’m lean but muscular, Oak is bulky.
He spends at least an hour a day working out, with thick thighs and a six-pack that girls drool over.
And yet, he chose this tiny-ass car that we always have to squeeze our asses into.
“So, I meant to ask you earlier, how are things with Alex?” I ask, wanting to know if I’ll ever have to see her again. God, I hope not.
“Eh, I don’t think things are going to work out with her.
” My heart beats fast, a smile wanting to cross my face.
He gives me a quick glance before turning his attention back to the road.
“I’ve told you before, and I’ll say it again.
No one comes between me and my best friend.
She wanted me to choose. So, I chose.” His hand reaches my thigh, giving me a quick squeeze, before finding its way back to the steering wheel.
“I’m sorry,” I say as sincerely as I can. As much as I didn’t like her and I’m happy she’ll be gone, I hate that Oak won’t have a girlfriend in his life. He deserves to be loved fiercely and cared for. But yeah, I’m happy as hell it isn’t with Alex.
He shrugs, tapping his fingers against the wheel. “Don’t be. I’m already over it.”
“How?” I ask. “It hasn’t even been a day.”
“She was never going to be the one. I knew that from the start. She was someone I was having fun with… until it became less fun and all fighting. Not worth it anymore.”
“That easy?” Another thing I don’t understand, I guess. Investing time in someone and then being able to easily move on. And I’m not just talking about Oak. Most of the guys at Peaches—outside of the taken ones—are the same way.
“That easy. Now, enough talk about Alex. Let’s go grab some groceries.”
Oak and I walk side by side into the grocery store, stopping to grab a cart on the way in.
We spend way too much time in the freezer aisle, snatching up as many frozen dinners as we can.
As much as we try to cook dinner, we’re not really the cooking types, aside from breakfast, and our oven gets more work than anything else.
“Grab that turkey HungryMan, I love those,” I tell Oak, as I grab a pack of dino nuggets.
“Cole?” a soft, feminine voice asks.
Turning around, I smile big, seeing Trisha Banks standing before me. I haven’t seen Trisha in a few years. We tried to go on a couple dates during college, but it fizzled out quickly. She’s just as I remember her, with curly red hair, bright green eyes, and a huge smile that shows all her teeth.
“Hi,” I gush, walking over to her and hugging her tightly. “Wow, it’s great to see you. How have you been?”
“I’ve been great,” she beams, patting her stomach I’m just noticing is round. “Six months pregnant and loving it.”
“That’s amazing! Congratulations.”
I can sense him before I see him, a looming presence at my back. Oak drapes his arm across my shoulders pulling me close to his body. “Hey, Trish,” Oak nods.
“Oh hey, Oakley.” Her eyes widen as her gaze drifts from me to Oak. “Oh my god, did you guys finally get together?”
“Huh?”
“What?”
We both reply in unison.
“It’s just that,” her voice trails off, her finger pointing between us. “Ah, never mind. It was great seeing you, Cole. Maybe I’ll see you around again.”
“Good to see you, too.”
Oak and I watch as she walks away before laughing loudly. “Why does everyone always think we’re together?”
“I have no idea,” Oak says, squeezing me tightly before letting go. “They just don’t have a best friend like us. Now let’s go check out.” Oak kisses my forehead, then grabs the cart, taking off toward the checkout lanes.
Yeah, no one has a best friend like me.
Wicked Games by The Weeknd blasts through the speakers as I reach up high on the pole.
I grip it tightly with one hand and use the back of my knee to hold the bottom of the pole.
The rod slowly turns as I let go and use my legs to keep me upright.
When I first started planning my choreography for my routines, I assumed getting on the pole would be easy peasy.
What a fool I was. This shit is hard as hell and takes so much more strength than I thought it would.
The first few days I practiced, I was sore as hell every time I tried to walk, let alone dance.
So being able to twirl easily on the pole now has the biggest smile on my face.
Dropping my foot down onto the ground, I lean the front of my body against the pole, doing a sexy body roll that gets the crowd wild.
Sweat is dripping down my back and causing my hair to stick to my face, but it’s so rewarding to know that I’m the center of attention.
I love doing my duets with Bash, but being out here on my own is such a thrilling feeling.
To know that all eyes are on me and my dancing, my body, ugh, I love it.
The overhead lights dim as a spotlight shines brightly onto the top of my head.
If you’ve never stood under stage lights, it’s hot as hell.
It ramps up my sweat, and I hope like hell I still look sexy to those who are watching in their seats.
The song reaches its end as I’m face down on the ground with my ass in the air.
I give myself a few seconds to catch my breath, and then I’m standing up, plastering a huge smile on my face as I collect my tips.
A loud whoop from the side catches my attention, and I turn my head, seeing Oak standing proudly next to the booth, clapping loudly.
“Hell yeah!” he shouts, smiling at me.
A warm sensation blooms in my stomach, knowing Oak came tonight.
I know he said he would, but there was still a small thought in the back of my mind that he wouldn’t show up.
I hurry over to his table, well, as fast as these damn heels allow me.
Some people can walk in them, but I am not one of them.
My feet can barely handle dancing in them; as soon as the music cuts off, my feet want to be cut off, too.