Chapter 8 Oakley
OAKLEY
“Do you have any plans tonight?” I ask Cole, who’s sitting on the couch, probably not even realizing I’m in the room.
He’s wearing blue plaid pajama pants with his sweatshirt over his head.
His eyes are staring straight ahead at the TV, and I lean over to see that he’s watching some rom-com.
“Cole,” I say again, smiling when his light brown eyes finally reach mine.
“Hmm? My bad, have you ever seen this? It’s so good!”
My eyes drift to the screen, seeing Nicholas Galitzine and Anne Hathaway on the screen. “No, but isn’t that the guy from the movie you’re always watching?”
“Yes! He’s in this movie with Anne Hathaway, and I’m obsessed. Don’t be surprised if you see me watching this on repeat for the next few weeks.” He bounces excitedly in his spot, his eyes going straight back to the screen.
Walking over to him, I take a spot on the couch beside him, chuckling. “I love how you always do that. Whenever you find something you like to watch, you have to watch it over and over again. How do you never get bored with it?”
“I don’t know, there’s just something comforting about knowing what’s going to happen, and I love romance movies because they always find their soulmate and their happy ever after.”
“Who knew you were so sentimental?” I joke, pulling Cole closer to me and squeezing him tightly against me.
“It’s the feeling of being safe, of knowing how it ends… I don’t know. Is that weird?”
My hand gives his shoulder another small squeeze. “Never. I love that. It’s way deeper than I think when I’m watching movies, that’s for sure.”
Cole turns in my arms, resting his head on my chest. He fits perfectly against me. “Sorry, I got off topic. What were you asking me before I rambled on and on?”
I gently pull away, wanting to make eye contact. “Oh, do you have any plans tonight? I thought maybe we could go bowling? We haven’t done that in a while.”
Cole jumps up onto his knees, hitting the back of the couch. “Yes! I haven’t taken my bowling ball for a spin in so long. Let’s go now.”
I grab hold of his arms as he flails to hop off the couch. He’s so damn excited, and to be honest, I would give him anything he wanted. Even if that means going bowling at ten in the morning. “You know the bowling alley isn’t open yet, right?”
“Who cares! We can get ready and be waiting outside the doors for it to open. Hell, maybe we can even request a specific lane so that way, we don’t have to be sandwiched in between two lanes. I’m gonna shower.”
He’s up and down the hall before I can even get a word out.
Cole loves bowling. I enjoy it, but Cole is obsessed.
He has three different bowling balls, his own bowling bag, and a shirt he wears every time we go.
I only have my own personal ball because he gifted it to me for my birthday one year.
I completely suck at bowling, but Cole is great.
He still hasn’t been able to bowl a perfect game, but we still have so much fun even when we’re getting back-to-back gutters.
“Take your time!”
A few hours later, we’re coming back into the apartment, Cole screeching excitedly. “Eight strikes, Oak. I got eight! One day I’ll get a damn perfect score.”
“You still played really well. Compared to my one itty-bitty strike. In only one game.”
“Aw,” Cole pinches my cheek as I pull away. “It’s okay. One day you’ll get more than one strike. Probably not anytime soon, but you will.”
“You are so lucky I love you, or I wouldn’t deal with your teasing. Now, to celebrate your amazing eight strikes, how about a movie night? Maybe a comedy?”
“Hmm,” Cole taps his chin with his finger playfully. “How about we do a rom-com? We can finish our Marvel nights another time.”
“You and your damn rom-coms. Whatever you want is fine with me. I’ll grab the blankets.”
Cole and I separate, with him heading into the kitchen to grab some snacks and drinks, and me going to my room to grab a couple of throw blankets.
Before grabbing them, I quickly change out of my clothes, tossing on some sweats and forgoing a T-shirt.
Once I’m changed, I take the blankets and place them onto the couch before going into the kitchen to help with the snacks and drinks so Cole can change his own clothes.
We both take our spots on the couch, a bowl of candy in each of our laps and two water bottles sitting on the coffee table.
I let Cole pick a movie that he wants to watch because I honestly don’t care what’s on the television as long as I get to spend more time with him.
It isn’t long before the candy bowls are on the table and Cole and I are lying on the couch.
Cole twitches in my arms, and I realize he’s fallen asleep.
Not wanting to wake him up, I grab the remote and put on another movie.
Cole snores softly on my chest, and it isn’t long before I’m joining him.
“Need a spot?” Jensen asks, coming up to me as I reach the weights.
“Hey man,” I fist-bump him, then continue adding more weights to the bar.
Knowing Jensen works out here has been so damn helpful, and it’s made my workouts so much easier having a spotter.
I always hate asking random people to spot me in the gym, so having a buddy to come with me most days has been great.
Plus, Jensen is a great guy to talk to. We might have a decade’s age difference between us, but we have a shit ton in common.
Working out aside, we both watch the same movies, we both like riding motorcycles, and we both like to draw.
While I don’t draw as much as I used to, it’s still something that I do every so often when the mood strikes. Talking about it with Jensen lately has me wanting to get back into it and draw some more. It’s just finding the time to do it that’s been hard.
I had a motorcycle when I first turned sixteen, but once the bills piled up and I realized I needed a more reliable vehicle, I traded it in for a car.
I know the car I picked isn’t the most sensible, but it’s been a lot better for those days when it’s raining.
However, I still miss it. I’m going to try to convince Jensen to let me take his for a spin one day. I doubt he’ll say no.
“How has work been?” I ask, lying down on the bench and putting the bar to my chest. While continuing to talk, I lift the bar.
“I’ve been meaning to ask, does your job have any openings?
I’m trying to figure out my next move,” I strain on the last word, my arms already feeling jelly from pushing the bar.
Maybe I shouldn’t be trying to have a conversation while lifting heavy as hell weights.
Jensen grabs hold of the rod, putting it back into place. “I can definitely check. Send me your resume, and I’ll see what we’ve got and if I can get you an interview for something.”
“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”
Our conversation dies down while we keep working out. Trying to hold a conversation while we’re both sweaty, aching messes doesn’t really work too well. It isn’t long before we’re both in the sauna trying to cool down, or technically heat up from our workouts.
“Do you go to Peaches every night?” he asks, grabbing a small towel and wiping his face.
“No, only on the nights that Cole is working. I love being his hype person. That way he knows there’s at least one person in the crowd who’s excited to see what he can do on the stage.
” Which is why I hated the few nights I wasn’t able to go.
He deserves to have one person constantly in his corner, supporting his every move.
“From the few times I’ve gone, he’s been really good. Able to get the crowd’s attention. Lennox raves about him all the time, says he’s an amazing dancer and always has these great ideas.”
“Yeah, he’s been trying to get better and think of new things that haven’t been done.
” My mind replays all the mornings that I’ll walk out into the living room and see Cole dancing around trying to make up choreography.
He’ll sit with his headphones on, watching hundreds of videos on YouTube, trying to find new things he can incorporate.
It’s amazing to watch the little snippet he does in the living room blossom into a spectacular dance on the stage in front of so many strangers.
“I don’t go as much as I would like. Maybe I should, though. I love how supportive you are of Cole. I hope this doesn’t sound strange, but when I first met you, I thought you two were dating. I kept referring to you both as boyfriends for the longest time.”
“Ah,” I chuckle, smiling at him. “A lot of people think that. I’m not too sure why, though.”
“You’re not sure why people think you two are dating?” He stares at me wide-eyed as though I’m missing some giant clue.
“No? Am I missing something?”
“No, sorry. It’s just that you two do a lot of things that couples do.”
“Like?”
“Hold hands, kiss each other on the forehead, always stay around one another.” His face twists as though he’s confused. Which I get. Cole and I have always been touchy-feely with one another. It’s just who we are.
“Isn’t that what best friends are supposed to do?
Be loving and caring and a safe space for one another.
” I ask, bewildered. Cole has always been my person, and there’s a reason I’m always wanting to be around him.
He’s my safe space; he’s the one person I can be myself with and not have to worry about what they think of me.
I can show him all the ragged, broken pieces of me, and he never judges.
He sees me for who I am, and I do the same for him.
“You’re right. And I love that you’re so supportive of him. He’s lucky to have you. By the way, have you ever read their group chat? The things that are said in there.”
Laughing, I nod my head, letting him change the subject. “Hell yes, I’ve read them. They’re hilarious and very dirty, and I keep asking Cole to add me to the chat so I can join in.”
“I swear I’m hearing those notifications go off at all times of the day and night, and then I’ll hear Lennox giggle. My curiosity was piqued the first couple of times, and then after that I was like, ‘I’m good not knowing.’”
“I still like hearing what they’re talking about. It makes me laugh so hard sometimes. They’re ridiculous, but I’m glad Cole has them now. Speaking of which, I’m about to head out and go home. Same time tomorrow?”
“Hell yeah, man. I’ll be here.”
Our lives have changed so much since Cole started working at Peaches, and for the better.
It’s always been the two of us against the world; the only people we could count on were one another.
But ever since we’ve met the Peaches crew, our world has expanded to include more people.
Cole, of course, has made great new friends, but after hanging out with Jensen and getting to know him better, I’m realizing how much they have also included me in their little circle.