XPLR | Colby Brock

~22~

Thanks for 21k guys. Sorry I've been gone, been seven hours away from home at Texas State TSA. But hey, my project made it to Nationals!

I've lived in or near California for most of my life and I've never been to Coachella. I don't think it's that shocking, with my past of who my parents were and my social awkwardness, I don't think it's very surprising.

But here I was, sitting in front of Elena's closet as she searched for something for me to wear since none of my clothes were "Coachella-esque". There were dozens of tops sitting on her bed now, and not one of them would cover my stomach.

I've always been self conscious about my stomach,  ironically. A little selfishly too. Too skinny.

"Hm... well what would you do for your makeup?" she asked as she turned to me. I shrugged a little. "The usual, I guess."

Elena turned around and groaned. "You can't just do the usual, Rose! This is Coachella. With Colby Brock."

I ran a hand through my hair. "Fine. How about... reddish eyeshadow, a dramatic wing?" I say as I watched her take another out of her closet.

"Perfect. Now, Coachella is tomorrow and we're going out with the guys, so you can't be all quiet!" She said as she put her hands on her hips.

I have no idea about the Hayden situation. She didn't tell me anything, and I was too scared to ask her. When I came home, she wasn't there thankfully. She had gone to her sister's.

And I guess it's okay that she didn't tell me about Hayden, because I didn't tell her about Colby.

Colby and I had talked a little more over phone, even when we got home late that... morning. It was about three a.m. when he took me home.

As far as she knows, Colby had texted her asking her if she and I wanted to go to Coachella. And he only texted because I asked him to.

Elena would get the wrong idea. Colby and I are just friends. That's all we'll ever be.

I was nervous. Nervous for the atmosphere of Coachella most of all. Alcohol made me nervous, even just the smell. I'm nervous for the crowds. For the boys.

"Try this one," she told me as she tossed a pair of high waisted shorts and a flowing white top that would hang off my shoulders. I slipped off my clothes and changed into the new ones. She smiled when she saw me, and I stood nervously in front of her.

"Come see!" she commanded as she took my hand and pulled me in front of her full length mirror. I actually did like the way I looked in these clothes.

The high waisted jeans made my legs look longer, and the white shirt brought out my green eyes. "Rose!" Elena said as she looked in with me, "you look so beautiful!"

I smiled when she said that. Because I felt beautiful in this too. She nodded. "You look perfect. And tomorrow you'll be all set, since you know what makeup you're going to wear."

Red definitely wasn't the way to go with this. I needed something more calm. Maybe subtle orange.

You need to practice. A little voice in my head reminded me.

"Well, if that's all, I need to go..." I say softly as I turn towards the door, taking my folded clothes with me.

"Good luck with practice," she told me. It was almost like she could read my mind.

I went back to my room and sat down in front of my keyboard. It like grand pianos much better.

I turned it on and turned the volume out, before reaching down and taking out my books. I opened Winter's Wind, and paused, reading over a few notes before gently pressing the keys to match the piano dynamic at the beginning, before slowly increasing my pressure to crescendo into the next few measures to reach fortissimo.

Winter's Wind is so pretty.

I practiced for hours. Maybe two, close to three. I always loved how I could get lost in music. Now that It was getting late, I opened my laptop and began to open Microsoft Word to start on an essay I had been procrastinating on for my history minor...

I stayed up for a while longer, before closing my computer and laying down. Tomorrow was going to be stressful.