XPLR | Colby Brock

~23~

"How are you feeling about today?" Colby had texted me as I did my makeup that morning.

Awful. Absolutely awful. I'm a nervous wreck, and my hands are shaking so much I'm scared to do my eyeliner. Even so, I texted him back. "Good."

I was not good though. In my room, Elena changed songs on her Pandora station of the newest pop artists. I never listened to modern songs anymore, honestly. I listened to classical and only classical music. But on the rare occasion I wasn't feeling like Saint-Saëns and Dovorak, I would listen to early 2000's emo music. Sounded better than rap these days to me.

She took me not singing as upset. "What's wrong?" she asked, then paused. She put her hands on her hips. "Let me guess, you're nervous."

I laughed at that. "Of course I'm nervous. I'm scared out of my mind."

She sat next to me and watched as I did my makeup, a soft orange based eyeshadow. "Why are you nervous?" she asked as she watched me take another tap of my Morphe pallet. "Crowds."

"Colby," she said, then laughed a little. "Are you nervous because of Colby?" she asked as she started to do something with some type of glue.

If only she knew that I had spent a night a few hours before with Colby. "No. I'm not," I say softly. That might be the only thing that I'm sure of about Coachella. In fact, knowing Colby will be there is a bit of comfort. It's like having Elena there, I know there's someone I could follow around and not feel awkward about it.

Elena started to put glitter onto where she had put the glue. I pray to god she won't make me do that.

"Did you pack your bag?" she asked me. I looked at her. "Bag? What bag?"

She laughed. "They rented a house for the weekend. Invited us to stay."

On the inside, I screamed, but not in a good way. I need to practice. That's all I could think of. "It'll be fun, Rose. Please."

I sighed. "Fine. I'll need to get in your-"

"I already packed extra clothes for you," she smiled as she continued on her makeup and I stood up to pack the rest of my clothes.

"As I was saying earlier. You don't have to be nervous around Colby, because I know you are. You aren't even the kind of girl Colby would go for."

And for some reason, that kind of hurt. And it hurt a little worse knowing it was true. 

"Please. Colby and I aren't any closer than you and him are," I say from my room. Which I guess is true.

"Are you ready? We need to get over to the mansion soon," she called to me. I was just finishing packing my duffle bag. "Yeah I'm ready. Let's go." I say as I put it over my shoulder and walked out of my room. I looked back at my room for a second before I shut the door behind me.

She smiled at me as she waited in the living room. "I'm so excited! Coachella!" she said happily. I smiled and returned her excitement, even if it were a little fake. "Yeah, I'm excited too."

She grabbed my hand and started to lead me out the door to her car. We put our things in the trunk then got in the front seats.

She turned on The Weeknd, at least it was someone I knew some songs from. Soon we pulled up to their mansion.

There were people I didn't know waiting in the house.

Jake Webber, Katrina Stewart, Devyn Lundy. I knew of them, but I'd never met them, and my heart started beating quicker when I realized I would have to meet them.

Elena walked over immediately and I followed. Colby came up behind me, standing next to me as I watched Elena and Jake interact awkwardly.

"You sure you want to do this?" He asked softly, behind down a little to say that in my ear. I just pressed my lips into a line and nodded a little, before I walked over to Elena, putting on a brave face.

Some part of me suddenly didn't want to see Colby.

Jake looked at me then smiled. "This must be Rose," he said as he stopped Elena and turned towards me, holding his hand out which I gently took and shook twice.

"Yeah, I'm.. Rose," I say softly as I put my hands in my pockets. I felt out of place compared to the other girls. They all looked like Elena, half dressed with glitter. I was too self conscious to do that.

I could feel Colby's eyes on me.

Jake smiled. "Jake Webber," he said as he looked between Elena and I. "You two must be the new girls Sam and Colby were talking about," he said with a nod.

Elena laughed, more coy then she usually laughs. It bothered me. "Oh really? What were they saying?" she asked as she smiled.

"Just about how they met two new pretty girls," he said. He was flirting with her. "Aw, they're so sweet. Aren't they, Rose?" Elena said as she turned to me. She smiled like she was telling me to shape up and talk.

I smiled. "Yeah. So sweet," I said, Colby came up beside me again. "What's sweet?" He said as he looked at me then Jake Webber.

"Just what you and Sam have been saying to Jake about us," she said as she smirked at Colby. "And what did I say?" he said with a soft laugh.

"How pretty the two new girls you met were," she said as she moved over to Colby, standing in front of him as I moved away. He laughed a little. "Oh yeah, I did say that."

"Colby! We're moving stuff to the bus!" Sam called from the open door. "The bus?" I asked Jake, since he was watching too. "Yep. It's a sponsored trip for ten people. Nine of us," he said as he crossed his arms. "So were taking the company's bus."

I looked at Elena. "Give me the keys, I'll go get the bags." I just wanted to get out of the house. She handed me her keys then turned to Colby. "Here, I'll help," he said as he turned to me. She smiled. "Thanks Colby. You're so sweet," she said as she turned back to Jake.

Colby followed me outside, but I didn't say anything. "Rose, what's up?" He asked as he followed me. "I'm fine. Why?" I asked as I opened the trunk. He stood beside me. "No you aren't. What did Elena say to you?"

I guess he could read my mind too.

"Nothing?" I said as convincing as I could, and it worked. He sighed as he looked at me, and took both mine and Elena's bags. Elena's much bigger than mine. "You know, when I told Jake about the new girls we met, all I was talking about was you," he said as walked away.