Page 24 of Chasin' Cole

Bolts of electricity zing through my body and the likelihood of me passin’ out becomes more real with each passing second.

Most.

Important.

Person.

In.

His.

Life.

Me. It’s me.

Did he...does this mean he’s been thinkin’ about what we’ll be when he leaves?

"I…I love you, Rose," Cole gives me a sheepish grin as the breath is stolen from my lungs and whatever I was plannin’ on sayin’ is lodged in my throat. "It's not some realization I slowly stumbled upon late at night while falling asleep to the image of you in my head. It hit me all at once at the creek when you kissed me. I know it might not make sense to you, because it certainly doesn't make sense to me, but I love you, Rose."

I keep tryin' to repeat the words back to him. It's just...they can’t seem to leave my throat no matter how much I will them to. I’ve wanted to say the same words for weeks now, but I’ve been too afraid.

I love you, Cole.

I love you.

But I can't form words. So, I settle for jumping on him and wrappin' my legs around his waist and slammin' my lips against his. In the middle of the noisy crowd, we kiss as I mold my body and my lips andmy heartto his. Right there, in front of the Ferris wheel we rode a decade ago, never imaginin' life would lead us here.

Someone yells, "Get a room!" so I untangle myself from Cole and laugh into his chest. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Cole hums as his fingers find my chin and tips my face up to look at him. "I know you might not feel the same—"

"I do," I breathe out. "I do feel the same. I love you, too, Cole. I was just surprised you feel the same way."

His smile slowly starts to fade across his face as he peers down at me. "I don't want to leave you. I…I don’t know how I’m going to leave you."

My heart beats sporadically against my chest as I stare into his charcoal eyes. Eyes that feel more like home every time we're together. "I don't want you to leave either."

"I tried getting out of my contract," he reveals.

My hands slide up his chest and settle on his shoulders. "What do y-you mean? You tried to quit?"

"I tried to get out of the contract so I could stay," he explains, "but I already signed it. I’d have to pay a lot of money to get out of it. They offered me more to stay. I…I didn’t know what to do."

"Oh, Cole," I almost sob as I hug his neck. "You didn't have to do that."

"I did," he says into my ear as he snakes his arms around my back and holds me close. "I love you like I've never loved anyone before. The thought of being away from you for any length of time is agonizing."

I don't say anythin' because I'm not sure what to say. How do I tell him that it's agonizin' for me, too? We have to be apart for a whole year. I...I can't go with him, and he can't stay.

"When do you leave?" I ask.

"After Christmas," he answers.

A whole year without him.

How am I supposed to survive? Especially now that I know he feels the same way. He even tried gettin’ out of his contract for me.

"Let's not think about it then." My voice catches as the words come out. "Let's just enjoy the time we have together without worryin' about you leavin'."

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