001. BACK IN COLORADO

It had been over a summer since Blake Darley stood back on Colorado soil. In honesty, she never thought she'd actually come back to the little town. She was enjoying the time she spent in California, soaking up the great opportunity she was given. She hated to admit that she would really miss all the friends she made there.

Her summer stay extended a little bit when a friend asked for her to stay a little longer, offering her a place to stay and hone their musical skills together. Frank Darley didn't object to it — it's not like he paid much attention to his only daughter anyways. So, that's why Blake is arriving back so late, the school had already started which meant she was behind in her classes and she would have to work harder to maintain the A+ Average she had last year.

Julliard was her number one pick, her dream school. Although everyone said she still had another year of high school before making decisions on college's, Blake has always been dead set on Julliard and the music program. She was kind of a multi-talented prodigy.

Her first pick was always her violin, but she played the guitar, piano, sang, and even sometimes she would do a little songwriting of her own — she never actually wrote her own song, it always proved too difficult. The letter that said she got accepted into an elite music camp over the summer forever changed her life. It was another step closer to her dream, another step closer to her future.

Honestly, Blake became a total different person over the summer. Not only appearance wise — which she obviously knew considering she no longer looked like an ugly duckling in her middle school years, and caught the attention of many boys — but, her maturity increased, her manners, her responsibility, even her confidence increased. She was no longer that shy little girl with glasses, braces and big dreams, who hid behind her instruments and books.

She grew up.

She acted and looked way above her age, because she realized in order to become the great musician she knew she can be, she had to grow up. Grown up in very aspect.

The friends she made texted her all through her flight, exclaiming their miss you's at her absence after getting used to her presence. The flight was smooth sailing, but when she waited at the airport for her ride home, her hands grew clammy and she couldn't stand still, shifting between her two feet.

Her father, Frank Darley, was supposed to pick her up. After texting him she had landed and was waiting, she grew nervous when she never got a response back. It wouldn't be the first time Frank Darley didn't keep a promise to his daughter.

Now, Frank wasn't a bad father. He was a pretty good one, not the alcoholic abusing type. He was just non-existent mostly in her life. He didn't show up to her recitals, help her with her homework or teach her to drive. After her mother died, work became his whole life. His work replaced the dearest of his heart and pushed Blake back to second place. She taught herself to drive, trifle through her homework, not show how upset she was when everyone else's parents showed up to congratulate their child at her recitals while she was greeted by none, no flowers and no words of encouragement. She didn't hate him. She could never hate him. She just wanted a father to be their for the big moments of her life, not just saying hello once and a while when they ran into each other at home or telling her there's leftovers in the fridge.

I guess, that's why the Walter Residence had became her second home. There she found s family who out her in first place and showed her the appreciation and love s family would have.

Blake could remember the day she told the family she would be leaving for the summer to music camp. They were happy for her for this opportunity she was given, but the boys — and Parker — were put into a deep sadness for their first summer without Blake Darley barging into the house in the early mornings and eating all their food, teasing them, being another sister they never had.

In truth, she was scared to see some of their reactions. She had overstayed her original planning in California and had barely talked to any of them all summer. They were once the only people she could talk to, and now she didn't even know if she would be welcomed back with open arms into the living atmosphere.

Blake had released a relieved sigh she didn't know she had held in when Frank pulled up to the sidewalk and put her bags into the trunk. The two rode off to their home that was only a field away from the Walter's.

When they made it home, Frank immediately went back into his office, diving back into his work. Blake could only distantly looked at the closed office door that separated them. She definitely did not miss this.

She rolled her bags into her room that she felt like a stranger in. It was filled to the brim with the color pink, s previous favorite of her's, now she gagged at the sight of it. Her bed was still the one she's had since she was five, a pink ruffled princess bed. It was embarrassing how the rest of her room resembled the bed. It wasn't like her father would pay any of his overtime paychecks to update her room even though she was sixteen now and a junior in high school. She's have to get s job to have anything new.

But, in California she had gotten a job. And for the first time, bought things for herself, treated herself. It felt amazing to put herself and her happiness first for once. Blake was proud to say she no longer wore the ugly Justice little girl clothes that hid her growing femininity. California girls had great style, rich, expensive style, but cheaper substitutes that Blake could get her hands on. The female friends she made had mostly came from rich families and when her birthday hit August 25, she was gifted things she would've never been able to afford herself.

Blake barely unpacked before deciding she wanted to drive over to the Walter's. She subconsciously looked at her full length mirror before leaving her room, making sure her black curls remained bouncy and neat, her outfit of dark blue jeans, black long sleeve with a black leather jacket over it and black combat boots sat nicely on her body. She slung her kate spade white cords body purse over her body eith all her things in it over her shoulder before leaving the house altogether.

The only vehicle the Darley's had was a little run-down truck. Frank was working at home today sense he had to kick her up from the airport, so that meant she would be able to drive the truck. She didn't even announce her departure. It was useless, he wouldn't notice her disappearance anyway.

Even though the Walter's lived next door, the farm was in a big field and Blake didn't feel like walking through their entire land just to reach the front door.

Blake smiled at the familiarity of the farm as she drove up the long driveway. She parked the truck next to the Walter family car before jumping out, nervously running her sweaty palms up and down the side of her thigh as she walked up the front steps of the porch.

"No way!"

Blake whipped her head towards the voice and her eyes widened when spotting one of the boys who had the same musical interests as her. Danny Walter lounged across a couch on the front porch, a comic book resting in his lap and his eyebrows shot to his hairline when spotting the girl he never thought he'd see again.

"Blake?"

Blake cracked a nervous smile, raising her hand in a futile attempt of a wave of hello. "Hey, Danny... uh, good to see you?"

"Shit." Danny chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "You're still as awkward as I remember." Blake's lips parted in shock.

Danny dropped his comic book on the glass coffee table before jumping to his feet and racing towards Blake. In a flash, he wrapped his arms around her torso and picked her up off the ground, spinning her around. "You're back! What the hell, why are you back so late? You were suppose to be here for the start of the school year!"

Blake melted into the warm hug as she giggled slightly into the crook of his neck. "Uh, something came up and... well, an opportunity presented itself to me. Staying s little longer was worth it, although I really missed you and everyone else."

Danny pulled away to look at her face with a grin. "Are you kidding me? We've all missed you like crazy. It hasn't been the same without you around, Blake." Blake almost missed the way his smile twitched downwards as if referring to something else entirely because of her absence. His grin formed again and reached his eyes as he grabbed her hand. "Come on! I can't wait to see the look on everyone's face when they see you! Oh, and you get to meet Jackie!"

Blake tilted her head in confusion at the unfamiliar name. "Who's Jackie —"

She was cut off by Danny pulling her into the house that was filled with chatter immediately. Blake marveled at her second home. Nothing had changed and it still felt homely.

"Guys! Guys!" Danny shouted excitedly as he dragged her into the living room where Alex and Isaac sat on the couch playing video games. "Guys!"

"What is it, Dan —" Alex's breath halted in his throat when his eyes landed on the bronze skinned girl standing behind an excited Danny. Subconsciously, his body lerched forward and her stood on his feet, staring at her with a gulp. Isaac was about to complain about Alex stopped playing when he to looked up and saw Blake. He quickly rose to his feet as well.

Blake smiled warmly at the two boys, waiting to gauge their reactions. "Hey, Alex, Isaac. How are you?" She honestly didn't know what to say. She hoped all the Walter's reacted like Danny did.

"Blake..."

Blake's nerves washed away when a grin broke out onto Isaac's face and he ran around the coffee table and towards her, practically throwing himself onto her. She barked out a laugh at the abrupt weight on her, returning his embrace.

"When did you get back, loca?" Isaac asked, voice coming out muffled into her hair. "Literally just an hour ago, and of course I had to come right over here and see everyone." Blake said gleefully.

As Isaac stepped back, Blake glanced at the boy who hadn't properly greeted her yet. Alex Walter still looked the same as the last time she saw him, except, this time he looked at her with a totally knee glint in his eyes.

Alex awkwardly approached her. "It's, uh, great to see you, Blake."

"Thanks, Alex." She smiled warmly at the boy who's cheeks flushed when she said his name. Her eyes glanced between the three boys. "Where's everybody else?"

"Oh, well, Nathan's in his room and everyone else is in the backyard." Isaac answered.

"I should go say Hi to them. I'll see you guys later, yeah?" The three boys nodded in response, watching as she walked off down the hall.

"Is it just me or does she look really different then before?" Isaac asked the other two, his teenage eyes never enabling her retreating form. Danny nodded whilst Alex gulped.

It wasn't hard to remember where Nathan's room was and when she rounded the corner, his door was wide open with him sitting on the floor by his bed, strumming his fingers on his guitar.

Blake decided to lean against the open doorway. "Sounds pretty good, working on your own piece?" Nathan, startled, stopped his playing and his eyes practically exploded out of their sockets seeing her smiling down at him.

"Blake!" She got the same reaction from him as the others. She was enveloped in another bear hug and laughed when he squeezed her tightly in his grasp. "I can't believe your back!"

"Me either, honestly." Blake matched his smile when they parted. "It's so good to see you, Nathan, seriously." The boy nodded in agreement, saying, "Yeah, same here. How was California?"

"It was... amazing. Like, really, it was. I'm thinking of moving their one day in the future."

"After Julliard?" Nathan mused with a playfully arched eyebrow. Blake laughed in response nodding. "Yeah —"

Blake cut herself off when she turned with Nathan to walk down the hallway, her feet stopping in their movements upon her eyes meeting the blue of a boy she had avoided reconnecting with purposely. A boy who had made her little young naive heart patter before leaving, who didn't had tried her hardest to get over and succeeded, but barely.

Cole Walter stood in the doorway to the door to the back porch, s towel in hand as he dried his hair, appearing fresh out of the pool in only his swim trunks and flip flops. Blake barely resisted from letting her eyes wander down to his toned torso where her knees would surely start to waddle. He paused drying his hair when their eyes connected and his whole body stilled.

Cole couldn't believe he was seeing her standing there, laughing with his brother as if she didn't abandon them all over the summer, with no real answer to if she was ever coming back or not. His hand holding the towel dropped limply to his side.

Cole had taken her absence the hardest out of all of them. None of the other's knew why he would isolate himself and become a completely different person, why when a very close family friend leaves he falls in a depression and is no longer the same Cole Walter anymore. They were all left questioning, he never told anyone why he changed so much so quickly.

"Blake." His jaw clenched and Blake saw a bit of resentment behind his eyes although he tried to keep the facade of giving her a flirtatious look. Blake had always been able to see through his facades. She might've been the only one.

"Hey, Cole." Blake attempted a smile although he couldn't even manage one back. Nathan glanced between the two in confusion. He thought they were good friends, at least they were before she left. Blake seemed just as oblivious as him, although she seemed to be feeling other things as well.

Blake had tried so hard to forget Cole Walter and her unreciprocated feelings for him the time she was away. And she had done that. But, currently, as his eyes bore into hers, she was finding that very, very difficult now.

Cole's hard eyes suddenly softened and his lips parted as if to say something but he never got the chance because behind him, came running in Parker and Benny, yelling excitedly as they laughed by him and ran towards Blake.

"Blake!!" They chorused as they jumped into her arms. Blake laughed softly at the two bundles of joy she had missed, the two youngest Walter kids. "Hey, guys, how you doing?" Blake said.

"Great! Did you bring us anything back?" Parker asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet. A stern yet warm welcoming voice scolded the little blond girl from behind.

"Parker, we don't ask that." George Walter approached from the backyard as well. He looked at Blake with a warm smile. "Hey, kid. Welcome home."

Blake nodded gratefully. "Thanks, George."

Nathan suddenly got an idea as he turned to Blake. "Hey, why don't you stay for dinner? We're barbecuing some burgers."

Blake shook her head in dismissal. "No, no, I shouldn't —"

"Well, I think that's a great idea." George remarked. "Katherine will be so happy to see you. And you can even meet Jackie, I think she would appreciate another girl around here her age."

Blake didn't want to reject the offer, especially when George said it was good and that Katherine would be home soon, waiting to see her again. She let out a breath through parted lips before nodding in reluctance. "Okay, Okay, Alright."

"Great! I'll start getting it ready." George went off to start preparing. Nathan cheered.

Parker grinned, showcasing the array of missing teeth within her mouth. She grasped onto Blake's hand. "Come play with us, Blake! Come on!"

Blake simply went along with Parker and Benny to dragged her off, Nathan laughing in amusement from behind her. Parker and Benny pulled her towards the back door which was past a frozen Cole who had watched the entire conversation through steel eyes, rooted in his spot.

Their eyes met once more before Cole shook his head with a small scoff before stalking off to his room. Blake frowned, wondering why he was giving her the cold behavior. This was not the Cole she remembered.

Blake let Parker and Benny drag her out ingot he backyard, deciding to let Cole be Cole and brood by himself

authors note.

   i really went ON with man-splaining and this cut my original idea for this intro chapter into two parts. I'm already at 3000+ words and I normally try not to hit 4k because I usually think that was enough and don't update for a while.

i'm honestly here for cole and blake. like, ya'll don't understand how their relationship is so messy and complicated until future chapters and trust me, you will be kicking and screaming.

just an fyi, there is a little alex walter x blake bc I could not help myself with the whole two brothers one girl sitch. but, in the end alex and jackie get together cause they are so perfect together and so innocent. (opposite of cole and blake).

   i love you all, don't be a ghost reader!