Chapter 21 – Kenna-Past
Chapter Twenty-One
KENNA-PAST
The bell rings, signaling the end of another school day, and I can’t help but exhale a breath of relief.
I grab my bag and start heading toward the door, but not before giving Cole a quick glance.
He’s sitting with some guys, laughing about something that sounds like inside jokes, and I feel a strange pang in my chest. I hate that I’m going to miss him tonight.
But I also know that I promised Millie and Lucie a sister night, and I can’t back out on that.
The parking lot is full of cars as everyone rushes to leave for the weekend.
The air is crisp. The sun beginning to dip behind the trees, casting long shadows across the pavement.
I get into my car, pull my seatbelt on, and start the engine.
My hands grip the wheel tightly as I head out of the school parking lot, the weight of the decision I made earlier creeping back into my thoughts.
Did I make the right call? I wonder, turning onto the main road.
I glance at the phone in my lap. The temptation to text Cole hits me, but I push it away. I’ve already made my choice. I promised my sisters we’d have a night together, and I don’t want to backtrack just because I’m missing him. Besides, I know Cole will understand.
I take a deep breath as I think about the evening ahead.
I’m looking forward to spending time with Millie and Lucie, but there’s this quiet ache in my chest that I can’t ignore.
It’s not just that Cole isn’t here—it’s the fact that we’ve had this unspoken tradition of spending our Fridays together, and now it’s just… different.
Shaking my head, I try to push the thought away. I’m being silly. My sisters and I are going to have a great night. I’ll text Cole later, maybe after the movie. It’ll be fine.
As I drive, I make a quick decision to stop by the market on the way home.
I pull into the lot and cut the engine, heading straight for the flowers.
Millie always talks about how much she loves camellias, how they remind her of the soft beauty in the world.
I find the perfect bunch and smile, knowing how happy they’ll make her.
For Lucie, I pick out a bouquet of daisies.
Simple, but always bright and cheerful. They’ve been Lucie’s favorite for as long as I can remember.
The market is quiet. The air smells faintly of fresh produce and flowers.
I wander down the aisles, picking up snacks we’ll enjoy—chips, cookies, candy.
These are the kinds of treats we always indulge in when we have these nights together.
I grab everything in one go, heading for the register and paying with a quiet smile.
It’s nice to do something for them, to show them how much they mean to me.
Still, as I stand in the checkout line, my gaze drifts to the door. Part of me keeps expecting Cole to come walking in—flashing that sideways grin of his, teasing me for buying too many snacks like he always does. The memory stings a little too sharply around the edges.
As I’m driving home, I glance at the clock.
It’s still early enough for the night to feel like it has potential.
When I pull into the driveway and park, I’m greeted by the sound of my brothers getting ready to head out for the party.
I watch them through the window as they rush around, grabbing their jackets and talking about what they expect from the night.
It stings a little, I’ll admit. Why am I not with Cole right now? I wonder for the hundredth time. I miss him. I want to be with him. But I can’t ignore the promise I made to Millie and Lucie.
After checking out, I load the flowers and snacks into the car and head home. The drive feels a little less lonely now. The thought of surprising my sisters with a special night is enough to push the feeling of missing Cole to the back of my mind.
Grabbing the bags, I head inside after parking in the driveway.
I can hear my brothers getting ready to leave—probably for Cole’s party.
I pause just for a moment at the door. A lump forms in my throat as I think about Cole again.
It’s silly, I know. He’s going to have a blast without me, and I’ll be fine here with Millie and Lucie.
But that doesn’t stop the emptiness that seems to grow inside me every time I think about him.
As I walk in, Reuben looks up from where he’s gathering his things to leave.
He’s got that knowing look on his face, the one he always gives me when something’s wrong.
Though he’s my older brother, we’ve always had an unspoken connection.
Reuben has always sensed when I’m off, and right now, I feel like I’m walking around with a weight I can’t shake.
“You alright, Kenna?” he asks, raising an eyebrow as he glances over at me.
I shrug, even though the feeling in my chest won’t go away.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say. But even as the words leave my mouth, I can tell they sound hollow.
“I just…I feel bad. Cole invited me to the party tonight, but I told him no. I promised Millie and Lucie that we’d have a sister night.
I’m going to miss him, though. We usually hang out on Fridays. ”
Reuben’s gaze softens, and he pauses for a moment, his eyes flicking to my brothers as they rush around, talking about the party.
“You miss him, huh?” he asks, his voice quiet but knowing. “It’s okay to miss him, Ken. I know the two of you are close. But don’t feel bad. You’re not being selfish. You promised them, and I get it. But hey, if you want, I’ll tell him to text you. Just so you don’t feel so out of the loop.”
I can’t help but smile at that. Reuben’s always had my back, even when I don’t need to ask for it. “Thanks, Reuben. I’ll text him later. I just…” I trail off, biting my lip, my fingers twisting the hem of my sleeve. “It’s just different without him.”
He nods slowly. “Yeah, I get it. But you’ve got the girls tonight. And you’ve got to know he’ll be thinking of you too. Just because he’s at a party doesn’t mean he’s not missing you.”
I feel a little bit better after that. It’s not easy, but Reuben’s right. I just have to remember that Cole’s not going anywhere, and I’m not going anywhere either.
“Thanks, Reuben,” I say again, feeling a little more at ease. “You’re the best.”
“No problem,” he says with a wink. “Now, don’t forget about us tonight. We’re your family too.”
I laugh lightly as he heads for the door. “I won’t. Go have fun at the party.”
He gives me a thumbs-up before walking out. I take a deep breath and turn toward the living room, where the quiet stillness of the house greets me. It feels so different when it’s just me and the silence. I walk over to the couch, arrange the pillows, and lay out the blankets.
Then, I head for the kitchen and start setting out the flowers I picked.
I find two vases, one for Millie’s camellias and one for Lucie’s daisies, and place them carefully on the coffee table.
I step back, looking at the living room.
It’s cozy, inviting. Everything is ready for a night of laughter and comfort.
Still, I catch myself checking my phone every few minutes. Nothing. No texts from Cole. No updates.
And something in me feels unsettled.
With everything set up, I go upstairs to my room to wait for Millie and Lucie.
They won’t be home for a while, so I take a moment to clean my room, picking up clothes and putting things in their place.
As I organize, I try to focus on something other than the gnawing emptiness in my chest. I pick up a notebook and start working on the homework assignment due on Monday.
It’s supposed to be about a topic we studied in history class, but my mind keeps wandering.
I can’t seem to focus on anything other than the thought of Cole.
I glance at my phone, waiting for a text from him, but it doesn’t come. I check the time. It’s still early. He’s probably having fun at the party. But the thought of him there with all those people, having fun without me, hits me harder than I expected.
I shove the homework aside, unable to concentrate.
I walk back downstairs and check on the snacks I’ve laid out, making sure everything is ready for when my sisters come home.
Then I head back to the couch and sit down.
The house feels so empty without the sound of my sisters around.
I let out a sigh, trying to shake off the loneliness, and stare at the TV for a while, letting the quiet wash over me.
The silence grows heavier. Thicker. Like it’s trying to tell me something.
Then finally, I hear car doors opening and shutting outside. My sisters are home.
When Millie and Lucie walk into the living room, their eyes widen with surprise.
“Kenna! What is all of this?” Lucie exclaims, her voice high with excitement.
I grin, feeling a little proud of what I’ve done. “I thought if we’re going to have a sister night, we should make it special. We deserve it, don’t we?”
Millie’s grin mirrors mine. “Wow. You really went all out.” She examines the snacks I laid out. “I can’t believe you did all this. What did you get us?”
I pull out the snacks and spread them across the coffee table. “A little bit of everything,” I say, watching their reactions. “We’ve got chips, cookies, chocolate—anything you want.”
We settle down on the floor, and everything feels a little brighter. The night is ours, and even though a part of me is still missing Cole, it’s nice to have this time with my sisters.
We sit down on the floor, and the three of us dig into the food, savoring the snacks as we chat.
Eventually, the topic turns to pizza, and I place the order for delivery.
I know Millie and I will be happy with the same pizza—white pizza.
But Lucie is the odd one out. She always orders cheese and pineapple, and every time, it sparks a debate.
“I’m telling you,” Lucie says, picking up a slice of her pizza, “pineapple on pizza is perfect. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and savory.”
Millie scrunches her nose. “It’s weird, Lucie. It’s like you’re eating dessert and dinner at the same time.”
I laugh, leaning back against the couch. “Can we please not turn this into a pizza debate? I just want to enjoy my slice without arguing about it.”
Lucie raises her eyebrows. “What? You’re not going to defend pineapple pizza? What kind of sister are you?”
I grin, shaking my head. “Not tonight. I’m staying neutral. Millie, you should really do something with your baking skills. You’re amazing at it. You should start a blog or something.”
Millie blushes at the compliment but shrugs it off. “Maybe one day,” she says with a smile.
We finish eating, and once the pizza boxes are empty, Millie insists we bake cookies.
Of course, she’s the best at baking, and I can’t argue with her.
She’s talented, and the thought of warm, gooey cookies just makes everything feel even cozier.
We get up and start pulling out the ingredients, the sound of measuring cups and spoons clinking filling the air.
While the cookies bake, we settle down to pick a movie. I suggest 13 Going on 30, an old favorite. It’s the perfect choice for a night like this. We all know the lines by heart, but it doesn’t matter. It’s one of those movies that never gets old.
As the movie plays, we laugh at the same parts, reciting lines in unison. It’s comfortable, easy, and for a moment, I can almost forget about the loneliness I felt earlier. Almost.
By the time the movie ends, Millie and Lucie have both fallen asleep on the couch, their heads resting on each other. I get up, careful not to wake them, and make my way to my room. The silence in the house feels louder now, and I crawl into bed, pulling the covers up to my chin.
Just as I close my eyes, my phone buzzes on the nightstand. I glance over and see that it’s a call from Cole’s mom. My heart skips a beat, and I immediately sit up, my pulse racing.
“Kenna?” she says, her voice strained and shaken. “There’s been an accident. Cole...Cole was in a car crash.”
The room feels like it’s spinning, and I can’t seem to catch my breath. “What? Is he okay?” I whisper, my voice trembling.
There’s a long pause on the other end of the line before she responds, her voice breaking. “He’s alive, but he’s in bad shape. He’s in the hospital right now. I—I don’t know what’s going to happen, Kenna. You need to come to the hospital. Right now.”
Everything in my body goes cold. My limbs feel heavy, and I can’t stop shaking. “Okay,” I say, my throat tight. “I’m coming. I’m on my way.”
I don’t even wait to hear the rest of her words. I throw the covers off, scrambling to get out of bed. My heart is pounding, and my mind is racing, but I can’t focus on anything except getting to Cole. I don’t care what’s happening. I just need to be there for him.
Grabbing my keys, I run down the stairs, skipping my jacket. I have to go. I need to be there.
The door slams behind me. The night air is icy against my skin, but I don’t even feel it. My hands are shaking as I jam the key into the ignition. The car engine roars to life, but I barely hear it over the scream in my chest.
And in the back of my mind, one thought keeps repeating.
Please be okay, Cole. Please be okay.