Silence was what filled their flat over the weekend, Cole didn't have work and Florence didn't feel like venturing outside after yesterday's disaster, she called her Mum in the morning and had a long conversation with her, feeling a pang of guilt the entire time as she realised she hadn't seen her parents in person for over two weeks.

She vowed to go that evening, the reporters wouldn't come out at that time.

At least she hoped they wouldn't.

Cole stayed locked up in his room with only music filling the hallway but still she could feel the tension in the flat, it was as if a bomb was just waiting to explode.

And the bomb did explode, Florence had decided to start clearing out a few of Chase's things, some old books that she knew would be of no use to anyone but she had become distracted by the folded pages and dusty spines, he had touched these books while he was still alive, did she really have the heart to give them away?

She hadn't realised Cole was behind her until he gave out a derisive snort.

"Thinking about giving away some of my brothers things? Maybe getting some new ones to replace them just like your replacing him"

Wow, that hurt.

She didn't want to cry today.

"I'm not replacing him" she tried to make her voice fierce but there was a tremor present.

"No one could ever replace him in my eyes Cole, Alex is just a friend"

Cole snorted again shaking his head, his arms crossed.

"Right and does Mr Googly Eyes know you consider him a friend too?"

She felt a deep blush creep up her neck, what was his problem?

"Yes he does"

He seemed to be at a loss for words.

"And you didn't have to be so damn rude to him Cole, I'm allowed friends you know, I don't have a problem with you being friends with Charlie and she actually went out with Chase!"

He actually smiled.

"Florence when I told you about Charlie you were practically ready to rip her head off, at least I wasn't threatening violence against this Alex"

He curled up his nose when he said Alex's name, like it was a swear word he didn't like to say.

"She's really nice actually, she treated my friend alot nicer than you did"

"Yeah yeah Florence, I just feel defensive on Chase's behalf, like he's not here to make sure your okay anymore, I just saw that Alex and I snapped, you two were so great together and it seemed like you were replacing him too quickly, we didn't get on near the end, but we were always really close before me and him..."

Florence knew that her no-tear rule definitely wasn't going to work out.

Cole looked so lost, he was usually smug or rude or sarcastic, she didn't like seeing him like he had no idea what to do or where to go.

"I forgive you for your rudeness if that's any consolation" she nudged him playfully.

"You just better roommate"

God it was so strange how two separate human beings could look so similar, how could they not be the same person?

Instinctively she leaned forwards towards him, tipping her head back.

"Chase..." she whispered touching his forehead.

Cole sprang back, Cole.

That was Cole not Chase.

And she was mortified.

"Um... Florence I'm Cole remember..."

He wouldn't meet her eye.

What had she done?

She had been so caught up in the moment, and in that moment he had resembled Chase so very much in her eyes they had become the same person.

"I have to go" she bent down and picked up the charity bag near her feet.

"If you want to keep Chase's books thats fine, he was your brother after all"

"It's fine" Cole's tone was curt  "No one really reads them here"

For some reason she wanted to keep them now but she still grabbed the bag along with her handbag.

"I'm going to my parents house, I'll be back late"

She was just about to open the door when she heard him say it.

"I still wish I was him you know"

That made her turn around.

"I'm not like suicidal or anything but even in his death Chase has everything, he made a lasting impact on people's lives and he won't ever be gone in that way, Oakwood's even putting up a plaque in memory of him they called me today to ask if I want to come to the ceremony"

No one had contacted her...

"Even though he's dead, everyone adores him, he's reunited with my parents and he has a perfectly eligible girl still pining after him, is it mad to be jealous of a dead person?"

Well this was probably the most intense silence ever.

"Col-" she tried.

"Forget it" he was already turning away.

She walked over to him.

"Cole" she said more urgently.

"Your definitely not mad to be jealous of a dead person, in a way so am I, he doesn't have to carry on living with this worldly pain, he got to escape. And I know how you feel about being forgotten, I was forgotten for an entire year remember?"

"Yeah, I did read your book"

That threw her off.

"You read Dysmorphia?"

"Of course I did"

She shook her head, trying to clear away the strange thoughts whirling round.

"Okay here's what we're gonna do, you promise me to tell me what your thinking everyday, from now on we're eating dinner together, you can't just keep this all in your head Cole, you'll go crazy! So I cook the dinner and you spill, deal?"

He hesitated for just a moment.

"Deal"

"Great" she breathed a sigh of relief.

"But today, today your going to be meeting my parents, my Mum makes the best lasagna you have ever tasted and your not staying round here moping and thinking these crazy thoughts all alone in your pit of despair"

He nodded.

"Thanks" he called over her shoulder.

"Thanks for everything Florence"

She beamed, so this was what helping others felt like, it felt so satisfying and filled her with a warm sort of glow.

This evening was certainly going to be an interesting one.