XPLR | Colby Brock

~28~

Look, I know Aaron doesn't drink but I didn't pay much attention because I wanted to be on time on chapter 27... so bare with me. Thanks and love you! Also thanks for bearing with me this week... here is the best video I could find as condolences

I changed clothes a few minute before 11pm, I headed down stairs. By now everyone was in their rooms, getting comfortable and rested before our long day tomorrow.

Colby sat at the table on his phone. He looked up and smiled when he saw me. "I'm glad you didn't fall asleep," he said as he stood up and came over to me.

"I said I'd be here," I shrugged as I looked around the dark room. He was talking quietly, so I matched his volume.

"Can you tell me where we're going yet?" I asked as I looked back at his eyes. He smirked, looking back down at me. "Nope," He said as he turned to the door, "It's a surprise."

I groaned sarcastically.

"I promise you'll like it," he said, "I said the same thing about Cavenaugh Mansion and I'm pretty sure you liked it," he said with a smirk as he walked backwards to face me.

I rolled my eyes. "You're right. I like that place."

"We should go back once we get home," he said with a smile. I laughed at that. "Maybe." Though as soon as I can I'm going to make plans with Kai.

I mean after all, I still really like Kai. And I'm starting to think he could like me too. I mean, I see him everyday in class but we haven't really made plans since coffee, because he's been busy with his own things and I've been busy with Colby Brock and company.

"What do you mean maybe? I'd love to take you out on another night to get your mind off things," he said with a smile. I sarcastically rolled my eyes. "I wasn't that angry about the whole ticket thing," I said with a chuckle.

He raised his eyebrow at me. "But you know you liked it," he said. I did. "Yeah. You know me so well," I tease.

He ordered an uber and we went to a rental car. "Wow. How far out is it?" I asked as we got out of the Uber. He smirked. "Far enough," he said as he handed his credit card to the woman across the counter. after a few seconds, she handed Colby a key and he thanked her.

He turned to me and smiled. "Let's go," he said as he started towards door and I followed quickly behind him. We went out to the rental car and I got in the passenger's seat while he went to drive.

He handed me the aux cord. "Anything you want," he said with a smile, "even piano."

He shrugged and laughed a bit. "As you wish," I said as I opened youtube and went to my classical playlist. Love's Sorrow.

I've always loved this song. I liked the melancholic tone of it, and for some reason it made me happier.

He smiled at me. "What?" I asked with a small chuckle.

"Liebesleid? Fritz. Love's Sorrow," he said with a smirk. I laughed at that. "Where did that come from?" I say with a smile. "How do you know that?"

He shrugged, leaning against the window with one hand and driving with the other on top of the wheel. "I did my homework when I found out you were into piano," he said as he laughed softly, "at least now all that memorization is paying off."

I laughed at that. "I'm impressed."

He smiled. "That was the goal."

Slowly the houses and neighborhoods became few and far between, buildings being replaced by trees.

"So what's the lore behind the place we're going to?" I ask as I looked out the window, watching as the scenery changed.

He continued looking out the wind shield as he began to speak, "Not much. Just that it got abandoned and now kids like us go to explore it," he said with a shrug.

"At least there's no death or ghosts of demons," I said with a laugh as I looked out the window. "Agreed."

He stopped at train tracks and turned the car off. "This should be it," he said with a smile as he took his backpack from the backseat.

I took mine from the floorboards in front of me. "Alright. How will you tell me what it is? It's just a bunch of train tracks," I said as I followed him to the middle of the tracks.

He pointed to a large black silhouette, dimly lit by the full moon.

"A train."