The Way that I Love You

Cole

Miley’s mind began to race as her and Claire got closer and closer to Riley and Annie. As soon as Riley and Annie saw her coming toward them, they rushed to her side.

“What’s the matter, Miley?” Annie said with a frantic and scared tone in her voice, while attacking Miley with a hug.

“I think we better sit down to talk about this,” Miley said clenching her stomach.

“That doesn’t sound good,” Riley said as they searched for a table in the small, crowded, food court.
Once they found a table, Riley, Annie, and Claire sat down at the table while Miley paced back and forth in the front of the table. Their eyes followed Miley as she worriedly continued pacing. Finally, Miley sat down; making sure that her arm was wrapped gently around her stomach.

“Come on Miley, the suspense is killing me!” Annie said impatiently.

“Me too,” Riley said. Claire just sat there with her head buried in her hands.

“Okay, Riley, Annie, you two are two of my friends, and you deserve to know this, but since there isn’t an easy way to say it, I will just come out and say it,” Miley closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, “I’m pregnant.”

“You’re sure?” Riley said.

“Yea, Claire and I just got it confirmed from the doctor. It’s Cole’s obviously; I just don’t know how I am going to tell him. You guys can’t tell anyone.”

“We would never tell anyone, this is serious, and true friends don’t go around telling people this kind of stuff. By the way, how are you going to tell your parents?” Annie said hugging her.

“Oh my gosh! I completely forgot about them! I am so dead!” Miley said escaping Annie’s arms and putting her head on the table in frustration. Riley, Annie, and Claire looked at each other with worried looks. They knew that Cole and Miley had no where near enough money or experience to raise a baby, but they did know they Cole and Miley loved each other very much, and if anyone could find a way to make this work, they could. They knew the next nine months wouldn’t be easy, but they loved each other as friends, and that is what could help them.

Miley continued laying her head on the table until her cell phone started ringing again. Miley barely lifted her head to look at the caller, until she seen who it was.

She immediately got a worried and scared look that her friends knew meant one thing, Cole.

“Hey,” Miley said trying to hide the hint of fear in her voice.

“Hey babe, I have to come up to the mall anyway to get new soccer cleats. I am on my way now, and I’ll just pick you up and we can go to my house.”

“Okay honey, we will be in the food court, so just meet us here.”

“Okay babe, give me five minutes, and I will be there. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Miley hung up and laid her head back down on the table. “Cole is coming here in five minutes,” Miley mumbled to Riley, Annie, and Claire.

“Are you going to tell him here?” Riley asked.

“No, we are going to his house after we pick up his soccer cleats. I’ll tell him there,” Miley said nervously, and finally managing to pick her head up off the table.

“We won’t say anything to him, don’t worry,” Annie said smiling.

“Thanks, I really do love you guys as my true friends,” Miley said hugging all three of them at once.
“A little awkward,” Riley said backing out of the hug.

“Who cares? We have been doing this since we were thirteen, so get over it,” Miley said.

No sooner did she say that, then what Riley described as a ‘hot’ girl walked by and giggled seeing him in a group hug with three girls. “Thanks guys, you made me lose a hot girl!” Riley said disappointed. Claire, Annie, and Miley just laughed as they hugged him even tighter. Then, out of nowhere, Miley felt arms wrapping around her waist. Then, she felt lips on her cheek. She loved the warmth of his moist lips; it sent warmth through her body, which meant the touch of Cole.

“Hey babe, Riley, Claire, and Annie,” Cole said happily.

“Hey,” Riley, Annie, and Claire said. “Your girlfriend, Annie, and Claire made me lose a hot girl,” Riley pouted to Cole. Cole just laughed and tightened his grip on Miley’s waist, “The only hot girl I see is in my arms,” he said kissing her.

“I love you,” Miley said turning around to hug him. He hugged her back even tighter.

“I love you too, but babe, is something the matter?” Cole asked. He always knew when Miley had something bothering her.

“Yea, I’m fine. I’m a little sick in the stomach, but don’t we need to go get your cleats?” Miley said trying desperately not to let Cole see right through her lie.

“Do you want to sit down? Do you want me to get you something? We can get my cleats another day if you’re not up to it, and besides, everyone is here.” Miley loved how Cole always put her before everything. No one ever did that for her, and that just made her love him even more. “Cole, I am going to be fine, let’s get your cleats, and get out of here. Claire, Annie, and Riley were just leaving anyway,” Miley said kissing Cole on the cheek, and giving Riley, Claire and Annie a hint.

“Right, we were just leaving,” Annie and Claire said grabbing Riley’s arm, and starting for the door. Riley, completely oblivious to the hint, said, “I still have to get my video game.” Annie and Claire continued nudging him along as the whispered things into his ear.

“Bye then.” Cole said confused.

“We can go now,” Miley said looking up to Cole who still has a confused look on his face.
“Okay, let’s go,” Cole said snapping out of it, and grabbing Miley’s hand, sliding his fingers through hers.

As the walked out of Dunham’s, Miley’s stomach began to turn again.

“Cole, can we stop at the store before we go to your house?” Miley said trying to keep herself together.
“Sure babe, we can stop at Quick-Mart down the road from here.”

“Thanks,” Miley said smiling. They walked over to Cole’s blue pick-up truck, and as always, Cole rushed to open the door for Miley and she smiled as she got in. Cole then got in, started the car, turned the radio to 92.1, and they were on their way. Cole laid his hand on Miley’s thigh and clenched it. Miley just smiled as they continued down the road until they got to Quick-Mart.

Miley read a little of the pamphlets the doctor gave her, and it says that saltine crackers help the pregnant woman’s stomach; so, she and Cole headed to the isle with food. Miley quickly grabbed the box of saltine crackers, and went to the register. Cole followed close behind with a bag of jolly ranchers. Miley began pulling out her money as the cashier scanned the crackers, until Cole stopped her.

“We’re together,” Cole said giving the cashier his jolly ranchers, and nudging Miley to put her money away as he pulled his out.

As soon as Cole paid for the food, Miley grabbed the bag and went out to the truck. Cole came out shortly after. He opened the truck, and started it, while Miley sat there trying to open the crackers quickly.

Miley wasn’t like most girls. She never minded eating in front of her boyfriend, most girls would freak, but she never did, not since eighth grade. In eighth grade, their class went to the courthouse and later ate at Pizza Hut; that was when Miley, Riley, Annie, and Cole ate together. Miley was scared at first, but once she seen how many breadsticks Riley and Cole could eat, she became not so nervous. After that, their teacher even took them to Starbucks Coffee. Cole had never tried a frappuccino before, and Miley loved them, so she bought him one, and he loved it. They sat on the couch while everyone else ordered, and they began talking, and laughing, and high fiving, and got yelled at to go back to the bus, so they did. Cole held the door open for her, and they walked out to the bus. Miley went first, and she started walking onto the bus, and seen Annie and Riley in the back, she walked toward them, then out of no where, Travis and Zeke, the two jokers of their class jumped out of nowhere and scared Miley. Miley just laughed as everyone else was, and took her seat next to Annie. Riley and Cole sat behind them, and Cole actually finished the frappuccino before the bus even left the parking lot.

Miley began to giggle thinking about it.

“What’s so funny, babe,” Cole said starting to open his bag of jolly ranchers.

“I was just thinking about the first time I ate in front of you, at Pizza Hut, and then Starbucks,” Miley said giggling some more, then putting another cracker in her mouth.

Cole began to laugh thinking about it, “I remember that, it was Riley, Annie, you, and I eating together at Pizza Hut, and you and Annie were laughing at Riley and I because we constantly got up to get more bread sticks. Then, I remember how mad Mrs. Walters got when we all started taking pictures and joking around in the booth. Remember on the way to Starbucks how I kept burping in your face,” Cole said laughing. Miley actually laughed to, “I remember it like it was yesterday, but when you burped in my face, that smelled horrible, and remember after that I gave you the rest of my pack of gum,” Miley said as she continued laughing.

They continued laughing as they drove up to Cole’s driveway. Miley’s heart began to beat faster as Cole turned off the car, and got out. He always walked around the car to open Miley’s door for her, and as he did, her heart started beating faster and faster. As she got out of the car, he grabbed her hand and slid his fingers through hers.

As they got closer to the house, Cole’s dog Hunter greeted them. Cole and Miley petted him, and then went into the house. As they walked in, Cole’s little brother and dad were sitting at the table eating dinner.

Miley always got nervous around Cole’s dad. Ever since she first meant his dad, she has been afraid of making an idiot out of herself. Cole’s little brother never helped either, he was in sixth grade, and constantly would say things about her and Cole to the family and everyone. Claire would be cousin’s to Cole if Sheri could adopt her, and Claire constantly assured Miley that the whole family loved her, she believed her, but she was still afraid of doing something stupid.

“Hi Miley,” Cole’s dad said.

“Hi,” Miley said carefully.

“Where have you two been?” his dad asked looking at Cole.

“Probably making out in the food court at the mall,” Evan, Cole’s little brother said laughing. Miley just stood there trying not to let any emotion get on her face as Evan and Cole’s dad laughed.

“We were at the mall with Claire, Annie, and Riley,” Cole finally said.

“Sure you were,” Evan said still laughing.

“Come on Miley, lets go upstairs,” Cole said pulling her toward the stairs.

“Door open, Cole,” his dad said as they continued walking up the stairs. “Yea, I know,” Cole said still pulling Miley upstairs to his room. As the got into the room, Miley began to feel uneasy.

“We can’t close the door, but we can be really quiet,” Cole said as he wrapped his arms around Miley’s waist and began kissing her neck from behind. Miley became paralyzed by his kisses and began to forget about what she was supposed to say. She turned to him, and they continued kissing. They began to move toward the bed, and soon Miley was under Cole as he kept kissing her.

“Cole, I have to tell you something,” Miley said as she stopped, and sat up.

“What is it?” Cole said as he sat up as well.

Miley swallowed hard and tried to keep herself together. She grabbed his hand and held it in hers, “Cole, I’m pregnant.”