addictive (c.b.)

twelve.

Colby's POV

I watched as Sophia spoke with the front desk guy as she was leaving. I didn't even know his name, but for some reason it made me a bit jealous. At the same time, seeing Emily again just...Did something to me.

"—Right Colby?" Emily's words interrupted my thoughts.

"What?" I looked at her.

"I said that they should definitely be able to catch the man who did this to the both of us." She furrowed her brows.

"Oh, I mean...We can only hope," I ushered her toward my car, "I'm sorry by the way. For what happened to you."

"Thanks. I think it's wild that it happened the same way to Sophia. Maybe the cops are right, and it is related." She looked worried. I just barely rested my hand on the side of her arm for comfort without many words to say.

"Well, where to?" I broke our minute of silence. She climbed into the passenger's seat that Sophia had occupied just a small while ago.

"Well...you can take me home, I guess." She spoke.

"What?" I asked. I had expected her to want to talk, to hang out, or to even receive closure on whatever had happened between us.

"Is that okay?" Her green eyes met mine.

"I mean...Yeah. I just didn't know what you wanted to...like..." I trailed off.

"Colby, I'm going to be honest with you. James, the one you caught me with at the party, that's my boyfriend now." She said.

"Oh," I responded quietly.

"I don't know what we were, and I don't want to come off as a total bitch for saying that, but I'm doing good now. I really do apologize for the way I treated you that night as well as our whole relationship. You don't deserve that and even if I was single, I wouldn't ever let myself be with you again because of how terrible I was to you. Although, somehow, I think I might have loved you at one point," She smiled at me and her hand met mine.

"I...I'm glad you're happy." I choked out.

Did I once love her too?

Why did something so bad for me hurt so much?

Why did I choose to treat Sophia the same way Emily treated me? When she's been nothing but good to me?

How could I get caught up in what little feelings for Emily still remained?

"Look. I know you feel some type of way toward us. But I also see how you act around Sophia and how she acts around you. It made me a bit jealous at first, but then I realized that's what's good for you. I don't know where all of this motivational bullshit came from, but I guess almost having my life taken from me really just...Woke me up," She said.

I understood. I didn't know what to think of everything, but somehow I understood.

"I can't do anything but respect what you've been through and respect the decisions you've made from it." I said. 

"I mean, at the same time, I'm a bit hungry. It wouldn't hurt to stop and get some food together before you take me home..." She smiled at me.

"Tender Greens?" I asked her.

"You know it." She answered.

We drove silently, mostly tapping our fingers along to the radio, until we arrived. I exited the car but stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Sam's car parked in the same lot.

"What's wrong?" Emily asked, bumping into my back after I abruptly stopped walking.

"Nothing, sorry. Got caught up in a thought." I answered.