chapter 4

Chapter 4

Vanessa

"Vanessa, your ride to school is here!" Mom yelled from downstairs.

What the hell did she mean by my ride? My father was the one who always took me to school, or... sometimes I used the bus.

I walked to the window of my room. I pushed the curtain aside and looked down. A big-ass Jeep was parked in front of my house with Cole leaning on it in school uniform, and for a moment I couldn't stop looking at him. He looked so... good.

I shook my head quickly.

"What the hell? Stop that," I whispered to myself.

And what was he doing at my house? The better question was how he even got my freaking address.

"Vanessa!" my mom screamed my name again.

"I'm coming!" I yelled right back at her.

I took my bag off my bed and rushed out of my room.

When I was finally downstairs, I found my mom in the kitchen. She was leaning against the counter, a cup of coffee in her hand and the wildest smile on her lips.

"Who is he?" she asked.

"Nobody," I replied.

"So Mr. Nobody is now waiting to take you to school? Well, Mr. Nobody seems romantic."

"Ew, Mom, no. I can tell him to leave and go with Dad."

"You will not do such a thing. This handsome gentleman offered to drop you at school. You will accept his offer."

She was trying to keep a serious expression on her face, but it didn't last long because she started smiling again, and the confusing thing was what exactly was funny. She looked like she was about to explode with joy.

"Mom... you are literally turning red. I need you to calm down, okay? Just calm down. We are just... friends."

Was it even ideal to call him a friend? I wasn't sure what the hell Cole and I were, but we sure as hell weren't friends.

When I got out, for a moment I just stood in front of the door. He waved at me from his car, that mischievous smile on his lips.

I walked directly to him.

"What the hell are you doing here? And what did you tell my mom? She was practically hounding me to come downstairs and go to school with you. That doesn't usually happen."

He folded his hands over his chest.

"That's because I'm very charming. Have you seen this smile?"

His finger went to his lips, and no matter how much I couldn't stand Cole, he wasn't wrong. His smile was definitely one of a kind.

"You are so full of yourself. Has anyone ever told you that?"

"No one needs to tell me, little bunny. I know."

"Wait... wait," I said, lifting both hands in the air. "Little bunny? What the fuck was that?"

"My nickname for you," he replied casually like it's no big deal, like he didn't just call me a freaking rabbit.

I stepped forward, making sure I was all up in his space.

"Don't you ever, I mean ever, call me a bunny."

I was so furious, but this stupid-ass human being wouldn't stop laughing.

"Has anyone ever told you how cute you are when you are angry? It's really a beautiful sight to behold, wouldn't you agree?"

I folded my hands over my chest and just watched him laugh at me. I could only pretend to be angry for so long. His laughter was actually kinda funny.

He moved aside and opened the door to his car for me, bowing like I was royalty and he was a butler.

I rolled my eyes at him before getting in.

He got into the driver's seat, and within seconds the car started moving.

I looked at him from the corner of my eyes, and his side profile was insane.

"I'm sorry calling you bunny pissed you off."

He had his serious face on, and he looked like a totally different person from the guy laughing just a while ago.

It felt like two different people were living in Cole's body. That was actually my honest take because the rate at which he switched up was actually scary.

"It's fine," I replied, looking out the window.

For a moment the car was quiet, then he asked, "So, are you in on the plan? You didn't actually give me an answer yesterday."

"I told you I'd think about it, but you decided to show up at my house in a... Jeep, and only the goddess knows what you told my mom that had her smiling from ear to ear. Even if you were my best friend, she wouldn't allow you to drive me, but you, who she barely knows, she agreed without a second thought."

I turned to face him properly now.

"What the hell did you tell my mother?"

"It's a secret I'll never tell."

"You are so annoying."

"I know, but Vanessa, for this plan to work, you have to be fully committed to being my girlfriend."

"Your fake girlfriend," I corrected him quickly.

"Whatever. You need to be serious about it, and you need to act like you are into me."

"Ew."

"That's why it's acting. And why exactly do you hate me so much?" he said, his eyes on the road.

He thought I hated him.

"I don't hate you, Cole. You are just so annoying."

He laughed.

The rest of the ride to school was quiet, and I was seriously confused. If our plan went accordingly, no one would ever be able to bully me again because, of course, I was with Cole. But then again, what if it didn't go well and the entire school found out? Nothing was going to happen to Cole, and I was going to be the one humiliated again.

I was so lost in thought I didn't realize we had arrived at school and he was pulling into the parking lot now.

"Oh shit, we are here."

My heart started racing like I was about to go into shock.

He noticed and took my hand in his.

"Breathe, bunny."

"Don't call me that."

He laughed.

"Are you ready? Cause it's showtime," he asked after a moment of just sitting in his car.

"Let's do this.”