Cole Rodriguez

Cole and Noelle are high school sweethearts. Well, almost.

They were that close to be labeled as the couple of the town. Cole was the one who approached Noelle whenever its break time, but she doesn't care at all. She liked to hang out with him, but she's not getting serious. Cole wanted to be her lover, but Noelle refuses so.

Right now, seeing Cole in tuxedo and a high-cut slack, with his hair dipped backwards, a piercing at the corner of his mouth, Noelle couldn't help but to drool. She was wearing a raven dress, and it matches Cole's behavior.

Both of them stared into each other's eyes for a long time.

"I'm the new Chief Operative Officer of the company, Noelle. How about you?"

Wow. Noelle rejected "THE" Cole Rodriguez. He was in the way to his fame, to success, he's on the brink of taking the final step, but Noelle resisted being with him back then. Noelle pursed her lips, and rethink of all the decisions she made. Nothing will help at all if she dwelled on the past.

"I am here as a porn star, Cole. I am here as one of you," Noelle stated.

She smiled a little. A hint of confusion and recognition swarmed in her eyes. Cole is the apple of everyone's eye. He made every heads turn in his way, like he attached a magnet in their pupils. Cole was solemn, calm, and dark in demeanor, but Noelle knew him as a soft one.

"Wow, you're a porn star now? How long are you here?"

Noelle felt embarrassed. Under the some circumstances, she revealed how humiliating the life she chose. Noelle doesn't have any other option left. She tucked in her hair behind her ears, wondering how long she would stand there like a tree stuck in its land.

"It's been 2 years since I started. I don't know where I have gone, but I eventually ended up here, so…" Noelle squeaked her heels and shyly bowed. Cole nodded.

"You're alone?" Blake knuckled his fists. How long does he have to wait until they finish?

"Hmmm… yes, I am alone." Noelle didn't find any courage to turn her head in Blake's direction. She rarely expanded her understanding about the situation. Noelle barely involved herself in arguments and fights, but whenever it comes to love, she would never back down.

"Should we sit there? I don't have any companion, too," Cole offered.

Noelle raised her eyebrows teasingly. What's wrong with being a porn star was that in one single touch, a lot will happen. Noelle barely had any time to provide for Blake. She walked with Cole at the other side of the table, sitting down, and smiled.

They caught up with each other's life, talking about the careers they built, and how did they end up here. They were a lot more curious about the outcomes of their decisions, and the circumstances of their actions, but money is money. They needed an economic strength to build in one frame, and once they overcome it, a breath of relief enunciated.

"If you have some time to spare, I will give you all of my time, Noelle."

Noelle's regret dodging Cole back then resurfaced. She shyly turned away, watching the lights of the stage dazzling up at the ceiling, dancing around in crimson and azure reflections. Cole couldn't take his eyes off of her.

She has a boyfriend. Trust was difficult to build, and ruining it was a waste of time.

"You should give that time to someone who deserves you, Cole. I don't think I'm the right one now," she whispered. Noelle retrieved a champagne glass from the tray, sipping in the juices. She bit the lemon slice in between her lips and grimaced at Cole.

"I don't have someone in mind but you, Noelle. Clearly, you are my first love," he confessed.

Noelle choked the champagne contents down her throat, coughed up, and turned to Cole abhorrently. Right now, her decision swerved to another path. Noelle composed her surprise.

Cole's first love is her? How come it is her?

"Noelle, since I was in high school, I am pursuing you. I never got the chance to get back to you, so here I am, be lost in a world of porn stars, having sex left and right, but clearly, I want to get back to you when the clouds cleared up," he smiled. He rested his butt cheeks at the edge of the chair. Noelle can see his crotch tilting up.

At the nearby table, someone is pushed in his seat, while a girl in mini skirt cradled and kissed him torridly. The man didn't resist for a second. Noelle turned away. She whispered in her mind that she has a boyfriend, and she isn't allowed to be with Cole. If she's going to cheat, that's a big no.

"This is wrong, Cole. I don't think I should be sitting here." She regretted the action as soon as she made it.

Noelle stood up from the chair and drank the remaining wine inside the glass. She walked away while holding a hand up. Cole was astonished by her sudden withdrawal and hitched her hand, but Noelle stepped away, catching her balance off-guard.

Her heels twisted at the floor. She squealed out, but Cole caught her waist fast. He pulled her closer, without hesitation, at the side of the dance floor where everybody made out. Noelle grasped Cole's coat pocket. Her mind reverb back to their high school days.

Cole was a destiny she let go in one blink of an eye.

"That's why I want you to be careful," Cole reassured. He smiled a little.

Noelle pushed him away, knowing Blake will come at this moment. Cole composed himself when her boyfriend swept her waist away. Noelle found herself attached to Blake's body as Cole exchanged glances to the two of them. Noelle hid her face in embarrassment.

"Noelle, who is he?" Blake asked sternly. Cole raised his eyebrows. Who is this authoritative boy holding her waist? Of course, it's natural inside the A&E Royal Ball to make out. Cole doesn't have anything against it.

"He is Cole Rodriguez, my high school friend and classmate," Noelle stated simply.

Cole doesn't understand the reaction of her face. Noelle must be scared to commit a single mistake. In her side, Blake's nasty jawline conveyed a prior duel to the new CEO of A&E.

"Oh, a high school friend and a classmate?" Blake let go of Noelle's waist, examining Cole from head to toe. Cole stood straight, pertaining he has much more charisma than Blake can show. Noelle doesn't want that kind of interaction.

"Very good on looking at the brighter side, Noelle, I thought I'm going to be dumped."

Blake rolled his eyes and walked away, not even hitching Noelle's wrist towards him. Noelle shouldn't have done it. She has waited for the royal ball to dance with Blake, but she ruined the moment as it goes.

What a cracking joke to state at.

…

"Blake, Blake!" Noelle followed his boyfriend out of the hall. Blake brushed his face, stressed out about the actions of his girlfriend. Both of them agreed to be in a relationship, but Noelle is being harder than the stone. She was starting to shred off her nicest girl image in just a second.

"You know what, you're being a hard-headed girl now, trying to convince me that I'm the wrong one."

"Blake, it's not like that. Cole and I know each other for so long." Noelle doesn't like misunderstanding. She needed to be rational.

"So, what was that kind of interaction?"

Noelle had to admit she got carried away by his charisma. But Blake is different. He will never be a candidate for exchange.

"Cole has been special for me, Blake. He is my high school sweetheart, perhaps."

Her cheeks turned red. She was reminiscing the memories Cole and Noelle has.

"That guy is transferring me somewhere else, Noelle," Blake stated after a few moments. He has no choice but to crack up and wake her sense.

Noelle must have hit the wall. She turned to Blake slowly. What is he saying?

"Transferring where?" Noelle blurted out.

Blake sighed, brushing his fingers to his hair. Noelle paid attention to the words he will say. The smile in her lips turned to a grimace.

"I'm going to leave you here now, Noelle. The A&E has a new branch of porn company that is needed to be filled with popular stars. You are not included on the list, and my name is on that list," he pointed out.

If Blake is getting transferred somewhere else, then Noelle will be left alone here. Her eyes glimpsed of regret about scolding him endlessly. Noelle approached him slowly, planting serious gazes to his eyes, wondering if she heard it right.

"What am I going to do here without you, Blake?" she blurted out.

Blake couldn't contain his sadness anymore. He reached out for her hand, squeezing it tight. One second they were fighting, the next moments, they were all cuddling.

"You are actually here not because I recruited you but because you needed a job, Noelle."

Suddenly, the fight changed to a twinkle of sadness. Noelle gasped, seeing their fingers tightly crossed in each other. Blake cherished her a lot, and with the help of him, she is able to rise and stand confidently now. If it weren't for him, Noelle will be at the dump trash.

"No, Blake, I am here because of you. What will I do if you transfer branches?"

Blake didn't answer and just lean forward, planting a kiss in her lips. Noelle didn't step backward or did anything. She accepted the kiss with dwelling heart.

She felt guilty for not believing him. Regrets came too late, as always.

"Let's spend the night before it happens."

Simultaneously, Blake didn't hesitate to pin her on the wall and kiss her torridly.