Page 74 of Missed Notes (Rixon High 5)

And I was.

Even though it was complicated and a terrible idea, opening the door to find him standing there was exactly what I’d needed.

Even if I hadn’t realized it.

“Yeah?” His whole face lit up.

“Yeah.” I chuckled, and he pulled me into his chest, holding me tight.

And I never wanted him to let go.

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

Cole

“Haveyou decided what you want to do?” I asked, after Sofia had just spent the last twenty minutes explaining everything to me.

She’d been hesitant at first, and said that it wasn’t exactly romantic subject matter.

But I didn’t care about that.

I only cared that she knew I was in.

All in.

I wanted to know as much as she was willing to tell me.

“I think I want the procedure. Who knows how my treatment will go? If I don’t do it, I’ll always wonder, you know?”

I nodded. “Makes sense.”

“But it’s so weird thinking about that kind of stuff now. I’m only eighteen. I mean, aren’t you freaked out talking to me about all of this?”

Sofia peeked up at me. We’d come up to her bedroom a while ago and now we were sitting on her bed, my arm wrapped around her. Part of me couldn’t believe it. That I was here, that she’d kissed me back and invited me in.

But I understood what she was saying.

“I think it’s only weird if we make it weird. I’ve known you a long time, we’re friends. This is just an extension of our friendship.” I pressed a kiss to her hair, and she let out a soft sigh.

“You’re too good at this, Cole.”

“At what?” I nudged her gently.

“Making me feel like we can do this, that everything will be okay.” Fear glittered in her eyes, and it was like a punch to the stomach. Because I couldn’t promise her everything would be okay, but I could promise her that I’d be here to hold her hand.

No matter what.

“We can do this. We can do whatever we want.” I went in to kiss her again, but she pressed her palm to my chest.

“I want to take things slowly. And we need to talk to Aaron.”

“Whatever you want.”

“So we’re really doing this? You want to…” She trailed off, glancing away from me.

“Sofe, look at me.” I gently gripped her chin, forcing her eyes back to me. “I want this. I want you. I want to be here for you. I don’t care about all the other stuff.”

“But things could get messy, Cole. I’ll be doing treatment and—”

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