XPLR | Colby Brock

~21~

"Do you want me to take you home?" Colby asked as we started walking back down the beach away from Cavenaugh Mansion.

I didn't want to, but I shrugged and said, "If you want to call it a night you can."

He smirked. "I still have a few ideas."

I laughed and sarcastically sighed. "Well, we better get going then... damn, it's already two a.m," he said. "You don't have class tomorrow, right?" He asked. I shook my head, putting my hands in my pockets.

He nudged me with his elbow playfully. "Talk to me, Rose. What's up?"

I shrugged. "Just worries about Elena, I guess."

He smiled at me softly, looking down at me. "Why are you worried?"

"She'll be a mess. I'm glad she's with her sister. She's a bitch to deal with when she's sad..." I laughed a bit at that, and he did too. "I'm sure you're good at taking care of her," he said.

"Doesn't mean I want to tend to a crying girl and make frequent ice cream runs..." I laugh a little at that, "but I guess I don't mind. She is my best friend after all."

He smiled, "See? You are good at taking care of her."

There was a pause of silence between us before Colby spoke. "What do you want to do when you grow up?" He asked, which made me laugh. After all, we were already grown up, or at least to a kid.

I paused. "I want to move, maybe."

"Why do you want to move?" He asked as he asked as he turned to me. I shrug. Bad memories.

"I don't know. I'm just tired of California, I guess."

He scoffed. "Tired of California? Am I hearing you right?" he said as he laughed, but I didn't. There was a beat of silence between us. "Well... where to?"

I knew exactly where I want to end up.

"New York City."

He looked at me, stopping. "New York City? But that's so far away..."

I shrug. "Yeah? But I have a lot of time until I even have the chance..."

He breathed a sigh of relief as I said that. I laughed. "What? Think you're going to miss me?" I teased. He looked at me with hard eyes. "Yeah, I would miss you," he said then started to walk again, looking at the stars.

"Unless...," he paused. "I moved with you."

He was joking, I'm sure. I laughed. "That would be interesting."

"Doesn't seem out of the realm of possibilities," he said as we walked towards the parking lot where his car was. Then he stopped, and turned to me and smirked. "I got it."

I paused as well. "What..?"

"You and I, and Elena, and Sam and Katrina, and Corey and Devyn, and Elton and Amanda, and anyone else who wants to go..." he trailed off, seeing if I would catch on.

I didn't.

"Let's go to Coachella."