Beautiful Mess

by Preston, Jennifer

  Bri walked out to her car, beaming. She’d promised Cole she would call when she found out, but she decided to stop by and tell him in person. She did call her dad, who was almost as anxious as she was.

  “That’s great, Sweet Pea! I knew you could do it!” her dad exclaimed. “They are dang lucky to have you!”

  “Thanks Dad! And, thanks for fighting for me.”

  “Always, Pumpkin. Well, it all seems kind of official now, doesn’t it? Registration is in two weeks, and school starts two weeks after that. It’ll be here before you know it!”

  Bri’s stomach shifted nervously. Four weeks of freedom until school started. She wasn’t sure she was quite ready to face life at a new school. But summer wasn’t over yet, and she was determined to make the most of the time she had left.

  After hearing the good news, Cole insisted on taking Bri out that Saturday to celebrate. They met at a sushi joint in town. As Cole smiled at her, Bri stopped, shocked.

  “Okay, what color are your eyes, exactly?” She was utterly confused. The gray eyes she was used to seeing weren’t gray tonight, but a dark blue. Though they were no less sexy, it kind threw her that they’d changed.

  Cole laughed. “Well, they are officially hazel. But they kind of change color depending on what I’m wearing.” He motioned to his dark blue shirt. “They look blue when I wear blue, or green if I wear green.”

  “Okay, that is really cool! I wish my eyes could change color,” Bri was jealous.

  “I kind of like your eyes just the way they are,” Cole smiled. “They are like a cool, golden brown. Almost the same color as your hair. I’ve never seen eyes like yours before.”

  She blushed, and he led her into the restaurant. Bri had to remind herself that there was a very good reason they were just going to be friends, though sometimes it was hard to remember exactly what it was. They spent the night talking and laughing, and finding out they had even more in common than they’d thought.

  The next couple of weeks flew by. Bri would go visit Cole at “work”, and they would meet to go run, or grab lunch a couple times a week, and they would go out on Saturday, as friends. So, they saw each other almost every day. Bri hoped she wasn’t coming off as clingy or needy, but Cole seemed to enjoy their time together just as much as she did. And, to his credit, he hadn’t tried to kiss her again.

  Bri decided that it was probably time to invite Cole over to her house. They had been meeting everywhere, so neither of them had been to the other’s house. It had seemed too personal before, but now that she and Cole were well established friends, she felt it was time.

  They had planned to meet Tuesday morning to run. There was a park about halfway between their houses that they had been running at. It had a lot of great trails and paths. So after their three mile run, Bri brought it up.

  “Hey,” she said to Cole as they were stretching. “Do you want to come over to my house and grab a drink or something?” She tried to sound nonchalant, but her heart started pounding nervously.

  “Really?” He was obviously caught off guard by her invitation.

  “Sure! That’s what friends do, right? Hang out at each other’s houses, annoy each other’s parents. Only my parents won’t be there.” Bri had purposely picked a day when Summer and the boys wouldn’t be there. Her brothers had a gymnastics class that morning, not that the little monkeys needed any more encouragement. Then they had a lunch date with one of Summer’s friends. They wouldn’t be back until early afternoon at the earliest.

  “Hmm... you and me, alone, at your house? I’m in!,” Cole teased.

  Bri just shook her head. “Where did you park? Do you want to follow me?”

  “Actually, I ran here. It’s only a couple of miles from my house.”

  Bri looked at him like he was nuts.

  “It’s a good warm up,” Cole shrugged.

  “And here I thought I was keeping up with you! I guess I have a ways to go. Well, then I’ll just drive us. My car’s this way.”

  Bri pulled into her driveway, and led Cole to the door.

  “This is it,” she opened the door and let him in. “Living room, dining room” she motioned to the room on the right, and then the adjoining dining room. “The den is down there,” she pointed to the room off to the right of the living/dining room. “And the kitchen is this way, if you’re thirsty,” she led the way through the dining room to the kitchen to the left.

  “Wow,” Cole took in the house. “This is nice. I see you have a pool.” He headed back to the sunroom off the back of the dining room and looked out at the yard. “Okay, I’m officially jealous!”

  “Next time you come over, bring your suit and we’ll swim!” Bri tossed him a bottle of Gatorade. “So...” she suddenly didn’t quite know what to do. Having Cole in her house was throwing her off, making her nervous. “Do you want to go sit out back, or we could watch TV in the den?”

  “Why don’t you show me your room?” Cole grinned suggestively. It seemed his new favorite pastime was trying to get a rise out of her. It was working on many levels. “I haven’t gotten the rest of the tour.”

  “Okay, but don’t get any ideas,” she warned as she led him through the back of the kitchen and out into the hall. “My parents room is that way,” she pointed to the room down the hall to the right, before heading left down the hall. “This is the bathroom,” she pointed to the door on the right, “and that is my brothers’ room.” The hall turned left and then led back to the entryway and living room. “And, this is my room,” she stopped at the door on the other side of the twins’ room. Desperately hoping she hadn’t missed a bra or pair of underwear when she picked up this morning, Bri opened the door and let Cole in ahead of her.

  “Ah,” Cole appraised her personal space. “Definitely girly, but with a bit of an edge to it.” He took in the white furniture, the queen sized bed covered in a black and white french design. The black rug on the floor, and the hot pink lamp shade and accents throughout the room gave it a splash of color. He walked over to the corner bookshelf and looked over the mass of books. “Quite the eclectic collection. You weren’t kidding when you said you like to read.” He then turned and flopped himself down on Bri’s bed. “Mmm, big and comfy! Care to join me?” he patted the bed next to him.

  “Alright, that’s all the personal space invasion I can handle for today! Out!” Bri booted Cole off the bed and out the door. His eyes, indeed looking green against his vintage green Mountain Dew t-shirt, sparkled at her. He was definitely enjoying himself.

  She led him out the back door of the sunroom. Straight ahead was a small changing house, and to the right was the pool. Bri pulled off her shoes and socks and sat, dipping her feet in the pool. Cole followed suit and sat down next to her.

  “So, this is your last week down at the beach?” she asked.

  “Yep. Next week we start two-a-day practices for football, and I won’t have time for much else.”

  “Oh, football,” Bri grimaced, unimpressed.

  “What, you don’t like football?”

  “More like, I don’t like the guys who play football.”

  “Oh? Why is that?” Cole seemed a little hurt by her words.

  “It just seems like making the football team turns even the nicest guys into arrogant jerks. Football players think that they are all that, and they’d better get whatever they want. Especially with girls.”

  “Wow, that seems kind of harsh.”

  Bri shrugged. “I dated a football player once. It was such a wonderful experience that I swore off dating football players ever again.”

  “Oh,” he dropped his head. “Well, just so you know, we aren’t all like that. I’ll admit, we have our fair share of d-bags, but you can’t lump us all into that category by association alone.” Cole was really hurt and upset. Bri instantly felt bad.

  “You’re right, Cole. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lump you in with all the other jerks. I may not be ready to renege my dating ban, but I promise I won’t hold being
a football player against you!” she smiled teasingly.

  “Thank you,” he smiled. “Because I’d hate to use your own biased reasoning against you and assume that, since all the girls on the Dance Team are stuck-up bitches, you are one too!” he teased back.

  “Hey!” Bri pushed him, mock offended. “Alright, you got me. Happy now?”

  “Yes, yes I am!”

  Cole and Bri spent the next little while watching TV and talking, before Cole decided he’d better get home.

  Bri followed his directions as she drove him home, and pulled up in front of a small, quaint bungalow.

  “This is me,” he hesitated a moment. “Do you want to come in for a bit?”

  “Sure! I have to be back in a little while, but I have some time.”

  “Okay,” Cole got out of the car and led Bri up the walk to the door. “I have to warn you, though. It’s just me and my dad, so it’s probably pretty guyish in here.”

  “Don’t worry, I think I can handle guyish!” she nudged him encouragingly.

  “Well, then, after you,” he opened the door and ushered her in.

  The living room was indeed guyish with car posters on the walls and a neon beer sign above the TV. Sitting in front of a leather couch and loveseat was a glass table top sitting on top of a car engine.

  “Okay,” Bri pointed to the unusual coffee table. “That is the coolest thing ever!”

  Cole grinned. “Glad you like it! My dad owns a repair shop, and he likes to get creative with the leftover parts. The kitchen is back through there,” he pointed to the doorway at the back of the living room. “And the bedrooms are back this way. This is my dad’s office.” Cole turned to the hall on the left and opened the first door to let Bri in.

  A desk and a few filing cabinets were set up along the left wall, and on the right was a large easel with a drop cloth covering it. A few paintings and drawings, presumably Cole’s, hung on the walls. Bri walked in to get a closer look.

  “Um, I’m going to leave you here to browse while I go make sure my room is somewhat presentable. I’ll be right back,” he smiled before quickly ducking out of the room.

  Bri went straight for the covered easel and lifted the cloth. Underneath was a painting in its beginning stages. She could tell it was the profile of a girl looking out towards the ocean. None of the details had been added yet, so she couldn’t tell what the girl looked like. It looked like Cole was taking her advice after all. She gently replaced the cloth and turned her attention to the walls. She was immediately drawn to a black and white sketch of a boy and his dad, hanging above the desk.

  The little boy was no older than five or six, and was obviously Cole. He sat on the ground next to a large tool box, holding up a socket wrench for his dad. Cole’s dad smiled down at him as he reached out one hand for the wrench, the other hand holding something under the hood of a car. The look of hero worship on little Cole’s face was so adorable, Bri couldn’t help but smile. The pride and love on Cole’s dad face was unmistakable.

  Feeling eyes on her, Bri turned her head to find Cole leaning against the doorframe watching her.

  “Is this you?” she asked, hoping he’d tell her more about the picture.

  He walked in and stood beside her.

  “Yep. Someone had taken this picture of me and my dad working on his old Corvette. I found it, and decided to copy it. My dad liked it so much he framed it and hung it up.”

  “Look at you, you were so cute! How old were you when the picture was taken?”

  “I was five. I think that was one of the first times my dad let me help him with a car,” Cole smiled wistfully. “It was the best day of my life. Well, up until that point anyway.”

  Bri smiled at him. “Are you and your dad still close?”

  “Yeah. I mean, we still butt heads every once in a while, but he is always supportive of whatever I want to do. Even when I want to try making a go of it as an artist, selling paintings to tourists on the beach. How about you and your dad? Are you guys close?”

  “We used to be,” she sighed sadly. “Then my stepmom came along, and everything changed.”

  Cole nodded. “Well, my room is this way, if you want to come check it out?”

  “Oh, definitely!” She grinned and followed Cole next door. “Hmm, definitely guyish,” she teased as she walked in.

  The small room was dominated by a full sized bed with a black and gray plaid comforter. Above the bed hung a huge cityscape, obviously New York, also done in blacks and grays. “Yours?” she asked Cole, who nodded. The guy really was talented. A tall dark dresser stood against one wall, covered with a few pictures. A desk occupied the other wall, with an iPod docked in a speaker. Bri boldly walked over and turned on the iPod, fully enjoying her turn to invade Cole’s space. Metallica started blaring loudly.

  He quickly turned down the volume and sat on his bed. “So, what do you think?”

  She sat on the bed next to him. “It’s great,” she said honestly. “It’s warm and comfortable. The kind of place you’d enjoy spending time in.”

  Cole smiled at her, and Bri suddenly wondered how many other girls had gotten warm and comfortable in Cole’s bedroom. She was surprised at the spike of jealousy she felt. She quickly banished those thoughts from her mind. She and Cole were friends. She didn’t have the right to feel territorial over him. He was free to do whatever he wanted with whomever he wanted. Bri wasn’t interested in dating right now anyway. But telling herself this did little to diminish the sudden regret she felt. Deciding it was time to leave, she stood.

  “Well, I’ve got to get back home. Summer and the boys will be home soon.” She headed towards the door, Cole following.

  “Oh, okay,” he looked slightly disappointed. “But, before you go, I have something for you.” He went into the office and pulled something out of the closet. “Here, this is for you.” Bri was shocked when he handed her the painting of the sun setting into the ocean.

  “What? You’re just giving this to me?” She couldn’t believe it. Cole nodded, but she still needed to clarify. “Really? I can just take it home with me, right now?” She was starting to get excited.

  “Really Bri, it’s yours. You’ve spent all summer staring at it.”

  And she had. Every time Bri went to visit Cole, she was drawn to this painting. It had captivated her. Apparently, Cole had noticed her fascination as well.

  “You liked it so much, I wanted you to have it.” He smiled at her, and Bri threw her arms around him.

  “Thank you! This is seriously the nicest thing anyone’s ever given me,” she squeezed him once more before letting go. “I love it! I’m going home right now and hanging it up in my room!”

  “I’m glad you like it! I have to admit, I kind of like the idea that a piece of me will be hanging up in your bedroom.”

  “Wait,” she looked at him dubiously. “There aren’t any hidden cameras in this thing, are there?” she teased.

  “Dang it! I knew I had forgotten something!”

  Cole walked Bri out to her car. She put her painting in the back seat and turned to him.

  “Well, I’ll see you later,” she said. She pulled him in for one more hug. “Thanks again, Cole,” she whispered. He squeezed her before letting go.

  “Anything for you, Ambria,” he smiled.

  Bri watched him turn and walk back into the house before driving away.

  Chapter 6

  Friday night, Bri was up late, reading in bed. Just after 11:00, she got a text from Cole.

  Hey, you still up?

  Yeah, what’s up?

  Any chance you’d want to head down to the beach with me???

  Right now?

  Yep. I’m actually outside your house right now. I hope you don’t think that’s creepy.

  Stunned, Bri sprang off her bed and opened the blinds on her window. Sure enough, there was Cole, lounging against his old pickup truck. A nearby lamp post cast just enough light for her to see him give a small wave when he saw her
in the window.

  Give me two minutes? she texted back and closed the blinds. She quickly changed out of her pajamas and into a tank top and yoga pants. She grabbed a jacket, her flip flops, and her keys, and slipped quietly out of her room.

  Her parents’ door down the hall was closed and their light was off, which would make sneaking out of the house much easier. Bri tip-toed to the front door, soundlessly slipped out, and locked it behind her.

  Cole’s face lit up as she headed towards him. He opened the truck door for her and she hopped in.

  “So,” Bri began as they pulled away. “You want to tell me what’s going on?”

  “What do you mean?” he answered evasively.

  “Well, it’s not often you ask me to sneak out in the middle of the night, so I’m assuming something is up.”

  He didn’t say anything as he parked the truck and led her down to the beach. She let him walk a moment in silence, before pressing him again.

  “Well?” When it became obvious Cole wasn’t going to respond, Bri brought out the big guns. “Coleston...?”

  Cole looked up at her and grinned. “I think that’s the first time you’ve called me that. I kind of like it!”

  “Well, you forced me to use drastic measures. Now that you’re finally talking, will you please tell me what’s wrong?”

  He let out a breath. “Nothing’s wrong. My dad had his girlfriend over tonight, and I just really didn’t want to be there anymore.”

  Bri knew exactly how he felt.

  “You don’t like her?” She stated more than asked.

  “No. She’s one of those women who thinks she needs to come in and start being my mother, even though she doesn’t hold that title yet.”

  “Oh, yeah,” Bri knew the type well. “Those are the ones you wish you could bash their faces in with a frying pan or something, just to get that pitying, condescending look out of their eyes.”

  “Exactly!” Cole laughed. “See, I knew there was a reason I picked you up tonight!”

  “Why did you pick me up tonight?” she asked seriously. It was a question she’d been thinking about since she’d gotten in his truck.