Cole Walter, played by Noah LaLonde, is the most charming of the Walter brothers. He develops feelings for Jackie, but she chooses his brother Alex over him.
Cole Walter is one of the most popular boys at school. He is effortlessly attractive and can sweep anybody off their feet. It is believed that women cannot resist his charm; this is known as the “Cole Effect”.
When the future looks bleak
Cole used to play football and was considered the best quarterback in their school’s history. However, due to an injury, he cannot play anymore. His leg was crushed, and even though his parents spent a lot of money on his rehab, his leg never got back to how it used to be.
Cole was going to be a professional football player, but now that he cannot play, his future looks bleak to him. He can no longer get a sports schlorship and his parents cannot afford college tuition, which is why he thinks that he will never be able to get out of this town.
He struggles a lot to accept his new life. He stops putting effort into school or caring about his grades. The fact that someone else has taken his spot on the school team does not help. He is reminded of what he has lost again and again.
Cole even thinks about dropping out and getting a full-time job at the local garage. When he gets into an argument with Alex, his brother tells him that he peaked in his sophomore year. Alex’s comment hurts him so much that Cole starts making self-destructive choices.
He starts thinking of himself as a disappointment and a burden. His parents worry about him, but no one is able to help him. Cole keeps pushing everyone away, even Jackie, who tries to understand what he is going through.
Changing his life for the better
Cole sleeps around with a lot of girls but refuses to date anyone. He has been with Erin for a long time now, but he is not willing to commit to an official relationship. This changes when Jackie comes to live with the Walters, and Cole starts liking her.
While Cole is often mean to Jackie, there are times when he wins her heart with his grand gestures. One day, when Parker accidentally breaks a teapot that meant a lot to Jackie, Cole glues it back together because he knows how much she misses her family.
However, Cole never gives it to her, as Jackie starts dating Alex. Cole accidentally hurt Alex once when he hooked up with Alex’s first girlfriend, unaware of his brother’s relationship. Cole tries to fix his and Alex’s relationship, but Jackie’s arrival makes it impossible.
The two brothers eventually talk it out and apologize to each other. Cole does not want to do anything to hurt his brother again, so he tries to stay away from Jackie but keeps failing. Cole confessing his feelings to her confuses Jackie as well.
Now that he is not fighting with Alex anymore and is starting to accept that Jackie chose Alex, Cole tries to turn his life around. He makes an effort to pass his classes and signs up for summer school instead of going on a school trip. He also apologizes to Erin for hurting her.
After Will’s wedding, Jackie finds the teapot that Cole glued together in his room and realizes the extent of Cole’s feelings. Jackie confronts Cole, and they end up kissing. This leads to Jackie leaving with Richard the very next day.
Also Read: Alex Walter: My Life With the Walter Boys character explained