We were up high; I knew that for sure. I could also hear the water crashing below so I knew we were farther out somewhere. Not in the city.
“You’re a shit liar.”
My eyes narrow. I was not.He seemed to be the only person who knew what I was always thinking. It was disturbingly frustrating.
He extends his hand. “Come on, you’re missing the view.”
I scoff, helping myself up. His eyes flare in humor dropping it.
Dusting my hands off on my pants, I sit down. Taking in this ‘view’ Cole was talking about and wow.
…Just, wow.
Had the stars always looked this shiny, and I never noticed? Twinkling so bright. Luminous, like thousands of little fireflies glimmering in the night. The entire city’s skyline below us. The buildings highlighting the area in a variety of colors. The stars and the buildings reflecting off one another in an elegant rhythm.
It felt like I had the whole world at my fingertips. Is this how Cole felt every time he came up here? Like the world was his?
Who am I kidding? He already has that at his disposal. This view though, wow.
“See over there?” Cole points. “That large building that looks like a castle. That’s the academy.”
“It looks so small from here,” I say in awe.
“And that,” he says, leaning over. “Big building over there is Hardin.”
It was hard to miss from any view but from this angle, it stood out monumentally. The dark building is double all the others around. Both in height and width.
“This is a cool spot.”
“I like it,” he agrees.
“Do you come up here a lot?”
Cole hesitates, fingers picking at a loose thread on his jeans. He was never not confident but now he seemed unsure. He hesitates. “Only when I feel suffocated.”
I look straight ahead, realizing something. This is the place Cole can breathe. Here, he doesn’t have to live up to anyone’s expectations. He can be himself, not an elite, not a hellhound, just Cole.
I rest my chin on my knees. “I get it.”
He snorts and I roll my head. Looking down, mouth curving up at my patronizing scowl. “I guess I wouldn’t have found you on the side of an abandoned road if you didn’t.”
“It wasn’t abandoned!” I defend.
It was a lie. I had no clue. Still, he didn’t have to be a dick and point it out.
“I had it covered,” I grumble under my breath.
“With what? A compass?” He glowers and I roll my eyes. “Know how to read the stars?” Heaving a finger into the air.
I stare ahead, irritated. More frustrated with myself than him. His motives were belittling but he was right. I didn’t know this area enough to take off in the middle of the night. It was foolish and naive, but I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t be around Lorna.
“Did you even bring your phone with you?” The ire in his voice came out of nowhere surprising me.
“I understand,” I snap. “It was stupid.”
“And reckless,” he adds.
“Like you’ve never been reckless before?” I defend. “My Jeep was driven into a lake, remember?”