Previously Strangers (TFIL/Sam and Colby)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Sam had planned a whole bunch of things planned for after Disney, but obviously, after the whole beach thing, there wasn't much time left for any other activities.

By the time we pulled in the driveway, it was going on 12 o'clock and I was trying like hell to keep my eyes from drooping shut. Sam creaked open the front door and we both shuffled into the house. Although it was midnight, the house was still booming with energy. Elton and Corey were in the game room playing Rocket League and Colby had Brennen over, and they were filming a video in the living room. When Sam and I reached the steps, he gave my hand one last squeeze before gently letting go. As our contact was broken, it felt as though magnets were being pulled apart. My skin longed for his touch, like it wasn't complete without it. We parted, and I headed up the stairs, flung open my door, slipped into PJ shorts and a tank top, and crawled underneath the covers. I sighed and stared up at the blank ceiling, listening to the ruckus that sounded from downstairs. The TV was blaring, Corey was screaming, and Colby and Brennen we're laughing. I loved it. The thought of being surrounded by all these happy and upbeat guys that i've come to wholeheartedly love, made me feel like I finally had a home I enjoyed living in. As I recalled the highlights of my time here in LA, I fell asleep happily.

A little while later, when I was still half awake, Elton came bursting through the door. "Come on, Kate!" He shouted, opening my dresser drawer and picking out some warm clothes. "I told you to be ready by 12:30!" He said, then threw a pair of leggings, one of his long sleeved t-shirts, and a sweatshirt at me.

"Where are we going?" I slurred as I rubbed my forehead in confusion.

"Where are we going? Are you kidding? I told you on the phone this morning! We're going to that abandoned city!" He huffed angrily. "You have five minutes, let's go!" He said, then stormed out the door.

Still groggy from my sleep, I crawled out of bed and threw on the clothes Elton gave me, then put on a pair of old rubber boots and tied my loosely curled hair into a pony, then trudged downstairs.

"Oh! There she isss" Colby teased, poking my nose. I rolled my eyes at him and grabbed bottles of water out of the fridge, along with a few granola bars from the cupboard and tossed them all onto the counter. Elton's backpack sat open on the counter, so I unzipped it the rest of the way, only to find the Ouija board stuffed into the front pocket.

"Elton, why is the ouija board in here?" I called to him as he laced up his shoes in the other room.

He came walking into the kitchen where we were and shrugged his shoulders. "Why wouldn't it be?" Elton asked.

"Are you kidding?" Said Corey who was sitting on the counter.

"Do you really think that I'd go to one of the creepiest places in California and not bring a ouija board?" He said, gawking at our stupidity. Neither Corey or I answered, we just gave each other sideways glances and tried to prepare ourselves for a night of terror.

After Corey, Colby, and I fought over the front seat, All of us jammed into Elton's car, me in the front, Elton driving, and the rest squished in the back, and started on the road to this abandoned city. After a terribly boring, hour-long ride of listening to the guys talk about youtube and their youtube friends, we finally reached the empty parking lot where the abandoned city began. I had never been more thankful to get out of a car.

The cool breeze of the night stung my cheeks and forced me to squint my eyes to keep them from watering. As each one of them stepped out, they opened their phones to document their whereabouts on social media. Some of them took videos for their snapchat stories, and excitedly included the "Tired and cold Katelin in her natural habitat." However, Elton pulled out a large camera and began to set it up on the hood of the car. He then had us each line up with him in the middle, Corey and i on either side of him and Sam and Colby on the outside of us. He began to talk to the recording camera and the rest of us just stood and reacted to what he said. When he has finished, he quickly gathered up his camera and its gear, and we headed down the dirt path which lead to a group of abandoned houses. As we were walking, Corey and I clung onto each other. On every abandoned adventure, we always found comfort in each other's fear.