BROKEN PIECES

"Dude I cant believe she was part of the whole thing!" As we sit on the front porch I cant help but, laugh at Cole's shock. "You've seriously never seen the Saw movies?" He nods his head. "I was never interested." I smile and say, "Well watching people be tortured isn't for everyone." He scoffs, " It's not that, I've seen my fair share. I've just been...busy until recently." He gives a me a faint smile but, I can't shake this feeling that he's hiding something from me. "You know, It's okay if you don't want to talk about certain parts of your past, you can tell me about it when you're ready. I do want to let you know though that, I'am the last person who will judge for who you were or what you did in your past, that doesn't matter to me. The only thing that matters is how you come back from it."

He nods his head, "Look at me Twisted. Do i look like someone who's made a life change? Do I look like a good person?" I scoot closer to him and grab his hand, trying to comfort him in his moment of vulnerability. "Hey, I know better than anyone that, things are not always what they seem.People aren't always what they look. Otherwise, I wouldn't open up to you and you really wouldn't open up to me." He smiles to me, " From what I've been told, opening up to you isn't always a choice." I slip my hand out of his and face the street. "So someone finally got it right." I sigh. "So...you know everything about me?" Cole asks. I nod my head, "No. I don't really know why or whats happening but, I can't read you and...and that vision the other day, I've never had that happen to me before. I don't know what it means. To top that I'm suddenly in a relationship with a guy I just met, I don't know if I'm finding another part of myself or completely losing my shit. This all feels like a dream."

Cole then wraps his arms around me and pulls me onto his lap. "I know that it's odd for you to be with someone, that your worried about how good it feels to be wanted. You can trust me Twisted, I just want whats best for you and when it comes to the vision, we can figure it out together." He slips his fingers under my chin, pulling my face closer to his. "And if this is a dream, it's a pretty damn good one." He then brings his lips to mine, and this kiss is filled with nothing but, passion and acceptance. I become lost in his taste, of mint and smoke. I run my fingers through his raven hair and he slowly trails his kiss down my neck. As he caresses my cheek, a scene dances through my mind of Cole with June. He looks no different than he does today but, Junes hair is short and curly like it was freshman year. Every kiss he's giving me, I see that he's given to her. "So your'e gonna be a good girl and do as I say?" he whispers in her ear. " Anything for you." She assures him.

I snap back to reality and shove off of Cole, "Get away from me!" I yell. "Whats wrong?" he reaches for me and I move away from his touch. "Don't touch me." He recoils his hand. "Was I going to fast?" I nod my head, "Why did I see you with June Perry?" He looks at me quizzically, "I don't know what you're talking about." but the lie whispers through his eyes. I nod my head. "You know exactly what I'm talking about." He lets out a sigh, "It's not what you think." I chuckle in anger, "I can't believe how stupid I'am." I stand up and he quickly grabs my hand, "Please look again, the truth is not what you think it is I swear!" I nod my head, "I don't get to choose with you Cole. I can't see when I want to see, I can't see what i want to see." He stands up, never letting go of my hand, "Than please just trust me." I slip my hand from his, "You were kissing her Cole! Do you.. know her?"

He sigh and pulls out a carton of cigarettes and lights one up. "I didn't know you smoked." He nods his head, "Only when I'm stressed." We sit in silence for a moment and I say, "Are you going to answer me or leaving me twiddling my thumbs all night?" He turns to me and says, "Yes. I know June, I've know her for a long time." I set back down and ask, "Were you and her dating?" He scoffs, "No. She was just a friend." I huff, "Funny. I didn't know friends kissed each other like that." He throws his cigarette down and puts it out with his boot. "It was the only way for her to do what I wanted. She was just a tool in a game I used to play." I put my head in my hands and sigh, "So you were just using her? Is that what I'am? Another tool to use and throw away when you're done with me?" He crouches down next to me and says, "Never. That's a part of my past I want to forget, I'm not that person anymore. I'm changed Twisted." I nod my head, "Why the change of heart?"

He looks at me sadly and says, "Three years ago, I met a girl. She was the most beautiful girl I'd ever met but, something had happened to her that made her sad, not just her heart but, her soul. She was miserable and everyone around her took part in making sure she was. She...tried to kill herself, I saw everything and when I went to her, she begged me... to let her die." A sudden pain began to ring through my head, this story seeming familiar but, the feeling is gone as quickly as it came and Cole continues, " Until that day, I never knew what the other side of bad looked like, I never knew that I needed to change but, she made me want to. Ever since, I've lost many people who were important to me because, I could no longer be who they wanted me to be.During that time, I used people for my own gain. I did awful things that people asked me to do. I'm sorry that you saw that but, I'm not that person anymore Twisted. I've tried so hard to change who I'am. I want to be a good man and I want to be that man with you."

I take my hands around his face and kiss him softly, "Thank you for telling me the truth. It seems both of us had it rough that year but, change is inevitable and as far as I can tell, yours has been good."