I changed the last name of Brian in this chapter and the last, just to let
you know. Please review. The next chapter will involve the Cliffhangers,
for those of you who care.
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Cole and Brian walked down the steps of the administration building and began their walk. Cole looked around, not knowing what to say to Brian. A draft of cold air blew and it managed to hit Cole and Brian. Cole shivered a little and the put his hands in his pockets. Brian didn't show any signs of being cold though.
"Well, you're looking a whole lot better than you did when we first met." Brian told Cole, trying to break the awkward silence that there was between them.
Cole let out a small chuckle and then said, "Thanks." The tips of his ears turned a little pink from embarrassment.
"So how are things back on the force at home?" Cole asked, not being serious, but not being sarcastic either. He wanted to try to make conversation too, so he didn't seem like a prick.
Brian laughed at Cole's attempt to keep the conversation going and said, "You and I both know that you aren't interested in cops."
"You know, I try to use what I have learned hear. Be nice and courteous." Cole replied with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"How do you like it here anyways?" Brian asked, now being serious.
"It's not all that bad, I guess. I'm making some new friends." Cole answered, looking around. He was hoping that all the Cliffhangers were still eating and not out walking around the campus. He wasn't feeling up to making any introductions.
"Good things are I'm getting fresh air and some sun. You know, the things that were hard to come by back home," he paused, "unfortunately, the food sucks and they can be strict here at times." He added.
"Speaking of food, I saw a restaurant on the way here. You think you would be able to go out to dinner tonight?" Brian asked.
"Uh, I would hafta ask, but it should be okay." Cole replied.
Brian and Cole continued to walk around, Cole pointed out things to Brian like the woodshed, the basketball courts, and the picnic table area.
"Oh great." Cole mumbled, loud enough for Brian to hear. Cole saw Juliette, Daisy, Kristen, and Katie coming towards him.
"Hi." Juliette said to Brian in her usual perkiness.
Juliette, Kristen, and Katie all looked like they wanted to meet Brian. Daisy looked like she was dragged along with them.
"Hi guys. I thought you were eating?" Cole asked in an annoyed tone of voice.
"We got done early. So who is this?" Katie asked, talking about Brian.
"I am Brian Nicholson; I am a.friend of Coles." Brian introduced himself.
"Brian this is Kristen, Katie, Juliette, and Daisy," Cole told Brian as he pointed to each of the girls, "Sorry girls, but we were just leaving."
Before any of the girls could say anything to object, Cole pulled Brian away from the four girls and they continued their walk.
"Sorry 'bout that." Cole told Brian.
"Don't worry about it. No need to apologize." Brian explained.
The two of them walked around a little more before Cole said in a semi- shaky voice, "Hey Brian. Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, go ahead." Brian said, taking a gaze around the campus.
Cole didn't know how to say it, so he just decided to come out and say it, "How come you took such an 'interest' in me?"
Brian was the one who had arrested Cole all the times he got arrested. He managed to make it to his probation hearing and his court sentencing. Brian had even tried different things to try to get Cole back on the right track. He tried getting Cole a job, but Cole got fired three weeks into it for being constantly late. He also tried to get Cole back on the soccer team, which he got kicked off of due to his 'recreational' drug use.
Brian had even made frequent house visits on his own time. He checked up on to see how Cole and his mom were doing, he had his suspicions about abuse, ever since he saw the bruises on Cole's upper arms when he was arrested.
Most of the time he, would use the excuse of checking to see if Cole has been on drugs or alcohol recently. Whenever Brian stopped by, he and Cole's mom always seemed to strike up a conversation. His dad was either working or at the bar.
Before Brian could answer both Brian and Cole heard a voice call out, "Yo, Cole!" The two turned to see David coming towards them; he seemed to have a mischievous grin on his face.
Sophie heard David and saw him heading towards Cole and Brian. She knew that he was up to trouble so she called David to her. She would think of an excuse of why she called him over when he got to her.
"My god! Could I be any less popular today?" Cole said bitterly and sarcastically.
He led Brian towards the docks so they wouldn't have anymore 'interruptions.'
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Brian sat down on the bench and Cole leaned up against the wooden pole that held up the cover of the end of the dock.
Brian remembered Cole's question and then thought for a moment.
"Cole, the reason that I took you under my wing is because, when I first arrested you, you reminded me of myself when I was that age."
Cole let out a short laugh and then said, "Yeah right. Mr. Do-gooder cop and part time military man got drunk and got high."
Brian looked down then back up at Cole then told him, "it's true, I did."
Cole now saw that Brian wasn't bullshitting him, "were you as bad as I was?" he asked.
"No, you were two times as bad as I was." Brian admitted.
There was a silence between the two of them for a while, until Brian spoke again.
"I was also abused," Brian said, not knowing what reaction to expect from Cole, "I was only verbally abused, not physically."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Cole shot out defensively, embarrassed that someone outside of Horizon knew his secret.
"It's okay Cole, your mom told me." Brian reassured, knowing he touched on a sensitive subject.
"So why are you here?" Cole asked as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, changing the subject quickly.
"Um, you might want to sit down for this, it is big news." Brian warned.
"Just tell me." Cole demanded impatiently.
Brian hesitated then started, "well, your grandmother who lives across the country has been diagnosed with cancer."
Brian waited for a saddened reaction from Cole, but he just stared at Brian waiting for him to continue.
"Your mom has to go live with her to help nurse her through the radiation, kemo therapy, ect. She will be gone for a year at the least." Brian told her.
Now Cole's attention had been gotten.
"Before she left she came to me and asked me a question. At first she was hesitant to, but she finally worked up enough nerve to ask." Brian told him.
"W-w-what was it?" Cole worriedly asked.
"Well she told me that you would have several breaks from Horizon that you would be able to come home," Brian started, "she asked if I would mind having you stay with me while you came home."
Cole was dumbstruck, he didn't know how to respond, sure, Brian was nice to him and didn't hit him, but it would be a little weird staying with a cop, especially the one who arrested you.
"What if I say no?" Cole plainly asked.
"Well, since you have no immediate family, you would be placed in an immediate temporary foster home." Brian explained.
Cole's head filled with many different thoughts that were racing all around.
"I need to go use a phone." Cole said as he stared out on the lake.
Cole started off jogging back to the administration building so he could use the phone. Brian was behind him, also jogging.
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Cole ran up the steps of the administration building and burst through the front doors, he walked fast back to Peter's office, ignoring Katherine's "hi" as he passed her.
Cole burst into the doors of Peter's office, not even caring if he had anyone in there with him.
Peter stood up when Cole entered and said in an alarmed territory, "Cole, what's wrong? Are you okay?"
"I need to use the phone." He told in between breaths.
"Cole, tell me what's wrong?" Peter said, more firmly this time.
"Go talk to Brian he is by the front door. But I need to use the phone." Cole shot back as he went towards the phone.
Peter knew that he wasn't going to get anything out of Cole, so he went to talk to Brian. Cole ran to the door and closed it and then went back to the phone and dialed the operator and asked for his grandma's number.
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Peter met Brian in the front of the building and asked what he had said to Cole to make him upset.
Brian informed Peter about the conversation that he and Cole had and the about his mother.
After Brian told Peter about Cole's situation, the two of them went back to Peter's office to find the door shut. Peter was about to go inside, but Brian stopped him. Peter didn't object he just listened.
Cole could be heard yelling even with Peter's door shut. Brian and Peter stood outside the door, just listening to him.
"How could you do this to me?" Cole screamed.
A couple of seconds later after more muffled yelling there was an "I hate you as much as I hate dad!"
After Cole had said this, Peter thought it was time to intervene. He opened the door and Cole looked at Peter, he thought that he would be told to get off the phone, but Peter just asked to talk to his mom.
"Fine, whatever, I don't care." Cole retorted, he slammed the phone down on Peter's desk then started to walk out, but then turned around and asked, "Can I go off campus for dinner?"
"Sure, but be back by eight so you can be apart of group." Peter instructed.
Cole looked at the clock that was on Peter's desk, it was already six. The conversation between him and Brian had lasted a lot longer than he thought. The conversation mixed with the tour and the interruptions took about an hour and half.
"Fine." Cole shot out as he walked out the door.
"I will try to calm him down." Brian told Peter.
Peter just nodded and then started talking to Cole's mother.
"Mrs. Taylor, Hi. It's Peter Scarbrow. I need to talk to you about an incident that Cole was involved in two days ago." Peter started, and then Brian shut the door.
Brian and Cole walked out to Brian's 2003 black Ford F-150 pick up truck. Cole got in the passenger side and Brian got in the driver's side. He started the car and before they went anywhere Brian said, "Seatbelt."
Cole rolled his eyes and reluctantly put on his seatbelt, and then the two were off.
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Please review. I promise that the next chapter will involve the Cliffhangers and Cole, not just Cole.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Cole and Brian walked down the steps of the administration building and began their walk. Cole looked around, not knowing what to say to Brian. A draft of cold air blew and it managed to hit Cole and Brian. Cole shivered a little and the put his hands in his pockets. Brian didn't show any signs of being cold though.
"Well, you're looking a whole lot better than you did when we first met." Brian told Cole, trying to break the awkward silence that there was between them.
Cole let out a small chuckle and then said, "Thanks." The tips of his ears turned a little pink from embarrassment.
"So how are things back on the force at home?" Cole asked, not being serious, but not being sarcastic either. He wanted to try to make conversation too, so he didn't seem like a prick.
Brian laughed at Cole's attempt to keep the conversation going and said, "You and I both know that you aren't interested in cops."
"You know, I try to use what I have learned hear. Be nice and courteous." Cole replied with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"How do you like it here anyways?" Brian asked, now being serious.
"It's not all that bad, I guess. I'm making some new friends." Cole answered, looking around. He was hoping that all the Cliffhangers were still eating and not out walking around the campus. He wasn't feeling up to making any introductions.
"Good things are I'm getting fresh air and some sun. You know, the things that were hard to come by back home," he paused, "unfortunately, the food sucks and they can be strict here at times." He added.
"Speaking of food, I saw a restaurant on the way here. You think you would be able to go out to dinner tonight?" Brian asked.
"Uh, I would hafta ask, but it should be okay." Cole replied.
Brian and Cole continued to walk around, Cole pointed out things to Brian like the woodshed, the basketball courts, and the picnic table area.
"Oh great." Cole mumbled, loud enough for Brian to hear. Cole saw Juliette, Daisy, Kristen, and Katie coming towards him.
"Hi." Juliette said to Brian in her usual perkiness.
Juliette, Kristen, and Katie all looked like they wanted to meet Brian. Daisy looked like she was dragged along with them.
"Hi guys. I thought you were eating?" Cole asked in an annoyed tone of voice.
"We got done early. So who is this?" Katie asked, talking about Brian.
"I am Brian Nicholson; I am a.friend of Coles." Brian introduced himself.
"Brian this is Kristen, Katie, Juliette, and Daisy," Cole told Brian as he pointed to each of the girls, "Sorry girls, but we were just leaving."
Before any of the girls could say anything to object, Cole pulled Brian away from the four girls and they continued their walk.
"Sorry 'bout that." Cole told Brian.
"Don't worry about it. No need to apologize." Brian explained.
The two of them walked around a little more before Cole said in a semi- shaky voice, "Hey Brian. Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, go ahead." Brian said, taking a gaze around the campus.
Cole didn't know how to say it, so he just decided to come out and say it, "How come you took such an 'interest' in me?"
Brian was the one who had arrested Cole all the times he got arrested. He managed to make it to his probation hearing and his court sentencing. Brian had even tried different things to try to get Cole back on the right track. He tried getting Cole a job, but Cole got fired three weeks into it for being constantly late. He also tried to get Cole back on the soccer team, which he got kicked off of due to his 'recreational' drug use.
Brian had even made frequent house visits on his own time. He checked up on to see how Cole and his mom were doing, he had his suspicions about abuse, ever since he saw the bruises on Cole's upper arms when he was arrested.
Most of the time he, would use the excuse of checking to see if Cole has been on drugs or alcohol recently. Whenever Brian stopped by, he and Cole's mom always seemed to strike up a conversation. His dad was either working or at the bar.
Before Brian could answer both Brian and Cole heard a voice call out, "Yo, Cole!" The two turned to see David coming towards them; he seemed to have a mischievous grin on his face.
Sophie heard David and saw him heading towards Cole and Brian. She knew that he was up to trouble so she called David to her. She would think of an excuse of why she called him over when he got to her.
"My god! Could I be any less popular today?" Cole said bitterly and sarcastically.
He led Brian towards the docks so they wouldn't have anymore 'interruptions.'
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Brian sat down on the bench and Cole leaned up against the wooden pole that held up the cover of the end of the dock.
Brian remembered Cole's question and then thought for a moment.
"Cole, the reason that I took you under my wing is because, when I first arrested you, you reminded me of myself when I was that age."
Cole let out a short laugh and then said, "Yeah right. Mr. Do-gooder cop and part time military man got drunk and got high."
Brian looked down then back up at Cole then told him, "it's true, I did."
Cole now saw that Brian wasn't bullshitting him, "were you as bad as I was?" he asked.
"No, you were two times as bad as I was." Brian admitted.
There was a silence between the two of them for a while, until Brian spoke again.
"I was also abused," Brian said, not knowing what reaction to expect from Cole, "I was only verbally abused, not physically."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Cole shot out defensively, embarrassed that someone outside of Horizon knew his secret.
"It's okay Cole, your mom told me." Brian reassured, knowing he touched on a sensitive subject.
"So why are you here?" Cole asked as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, changing the subject quickly.
"Um, you might want to sit down for this, it is big news." Brian warned.
"Just tell me." Cole demanded impatiently.
Brian hesitated then started, "well, your grandmother who lives across the country has been diagnosed with cancer."
Brian waited for a saddened reaction from Cole, but he just stared at Brian waiting for him to continue.
"Your mom has to go live with her to help nurse her through the radiation, kemo therapy, ect. She will be gone for a year at the least." Brian told her.
Now Cole's attention had been gotten.
"Before she left she came to me and asked me a question. At first she was hesitant to, but she finally worked up enough nerve to ask." Brian told him.
"W-w-what was it?" Cole worriedly asked.
"Well she told me that you would have several breaks from Horizon that you would be able to come home," Brian started, "she asked if I would mind having you stay with me while you came home."
Cole was dumbstruck, he didn't know how to respond, sure, Brian was nice to him and didn't hit him, but it would be a little weird staying with a cop, especially the one who arrested you.
"What if I say no?" Cole plainly asked.
"Well, since you have no immediate family, you would be placed in an immediate temporary foster home." Brian explained.
Cole's head filled with many different thoughts that were racing all around.
"I need to go use a phone." Cole said as he stared out on the lake.
Cole started off jogging back to the administration building so he could use the phone. Brian was behind him, also jogging.
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Cole ran up the steps of the administration building and burst through the front doors, he walked fast back to Peter's office, ignoring Katherine's "hi" as he passed her.
Cole burst into the doors of Peter's office, not even caring if he had anyone in there with him.
Peter stood up when Cole entered and said in an alarmed territory, "Cole, what's wrong? Are you okay?"
"I need to use the phone." He told in between breaths.
"Cole, tell me what's wrong?" Peter said, more firmly this time.
"Go talk to Brian he is by the front door. But I need to use the phone." Cole shot back as he went towards the phone.
Peter knew that he wasn't going to get anything out of Cole, so he went to talk to Brian. Cole ran to the door and closed it and then went back to the phone and dialed the operator and asked for his grandma's number.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Peter met Brian in the front of the building and asked what he had said to Cole to make him upset.
Brian informed Peter about the conversation that he and Cole had and the about his mother.
After Brian told Peter about Cole's situation, the two of them went back to Peter's office to find the door shut. Peter was about to go inside, but Brian stopped him. Peter didn't object he just listened.
Cole could be heard yelling even with Peter's door shut. Brian and Peter stood outside the door, just listening to him.
"How could you do this to me?" Cole screamed.
A couple of seconds later after more muffled yelling there was an "I hate you as much as I hate dad!"
After Cole had said this, Peter thought it was time to intervene. He opened the door and Cole looked at Peter, he thought that he would be told to get off the phone, but Peter just asked to talk to his mom.
"Fine, whatever, I don't care." Cole retorted, he slammed the phone down on Peter's desk then started to walk out, but then turned around and asked, "Can I go off campus for dinner?"
"Sure, but be back by eight so you can be apart of group." Peter instructed.
Cole looked at the clock that was on Peter's desk, it was already six. The conversation between him and Brian had lasted a lot longer than he thought. The conversation mixed with the tour and the interruptions took about an hour and half.
"Fine." Cole shot out as he walked out the door.
"I will try to calm him down." Brian told Peter.
Peter just nodded and then started talking to Cole's mother.
"Mrs. Taylor, Hi. It's Peter Scarbrow. I need to talk to you about an incident that Cole was involved in two days ago." Peter started, and then Brian shut the door.
Brian and Cole walked out to Brian's 2003 black Ford F-150 pick up truck. Cole got in the passenger side and Brian got in the driver's side. He started the car and before they went anywhere Brian said, "Seatbelt."
Cole rolled his eyes and reluctantly put on his seatbelt, and then the two were off.
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Please review. I promise that the next chapter will involve the Cliffhangers and Cole, not just Cole.