XPLR | Colby Brock

~38~

Okay, so I lied. The "good" chapter is going to come EVENTUALLY... but I wanted to put in something else.

We all stared at each other.

Hayden coughed. "Oh, Rose. It's good to see you," he said, trying to break the silence as Elena slinked away. Colby spoke next. "Hey, Hayden. I haven't seen you in a while," he said. He nodded towards my bedroom, signaling for me to get what I needed so we could go. I went to my room and shut the door.

No fucking way. No fucking way! She wouldn't do that, would she? Did she actually sleep with Hayden? Are they back together? I had so many questions for her when I got home.

Suddenly, my door opened and Colby slid inside. I was at my closet, choosing clothes. He pointed to the door, "Are they back together....?" he asked, at almost a whisper. I shook my head a bit. "Not that I know of..."

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. I looked back at him as I took a shirt off a hanger. "What is it?" I asked. "So... when we were at Coachella... Elton said Elena got pretty drunk and started trying to... Uh... you know..." he said.

I made a circle motion with my finger, telling him to turn around. He held his hand up in surrender. "Just tell me, Colby," I said as I started to lift my shirt off. "Came on to him," he finally admitted, "we all made a pact not to tell you."

I turned to him, a little shocked. "Why wouldn't you tell me?" I asked. "Elena asked us not to," he said as he shrugged.

I felt betrayed. I could see why she wouldn't want to tell me something like that... but why would she make sure none of them told me?

"Sorry..." he said nervous, embarrassed. I shook my head, brushing it off. "It's not a big deal," I said. There was a pause of silence before he said, "You know, you didn't need to tell me to turn around. It would've been a nice view, I would've loved it." I could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

I gasped as a smile grew on my face, and I didn't even know why. It was an embarrassed, surprised smile. "Oh shut up!" I said as I laughed, throwing his shirt at his back as I buttoned my jeans.

He turned around and tossed it back. "I told you you should keep it," he said as he smirked, "you liked wearing my shirt." What's with this new confidence of his?

I decided to meet him with my own bit of confidence, and honesty. "Yeah, I did." He smiled at that.

"Are you ready yet?" He asked as he sat on my bed. I went to my keyboard and took my backpack, putting my binder and music in there. "Almost. Be patient," I said as I took my eyeliner pen and put it in my bag. "I've been using all my patience on waiting for you to come around," he said as he laid back on my bed and closed his eyes. I rolled my eyes and put it on.

"Come on," I said as I laughed a bit and started towards my door. "Coming," He sang as he stood up and followed me. Hayden had disappeared, and Elena was dressed and sitting on the sofa. She looked over at me and smirked. "See you," she said to me, "Bye, Colby," she said and waved.

Somehow I couldn't look at her the same way knowing she had came on to Elton and slept with Hayden.

Colby closed the door behind him and looked to me. "Lead the way, boss," he said and reached out to take my hand. I took it away without thinking. He just smiled a bit, "Sorry."

I just shook my head and went into the elevator. "So, What's this guy look like?" He asked as he cracked his knuckles. I laughed a bit. "I really don't want you to get in a fight," I said as I leaned against the wall. He shrugged. "Too bad. No one messes with my girl like that and gets away without bruise."

Why is he saying all of this...?

"My girl". "Beautiful". "Perfect". All those things he's always told me. "My girl" is the newest one.

And I'm not his girl. I'm no one's girl.

"Don't get the cops called," was all I said as the doors opened and we went out to his car. I sat down and took up my eyeliner pen as he went to drive to the campus.

"I still don't know what he looks like," he said. I rolled my eyes sarcastically and opened my phone and pulled up a picture of us orchestra pianos.

I pointed to him. "Alright, there you go," I said. He glanced at my phone then smirked. "I'm definitely taller than him," he said as he handed my phone back to me.

"You are," I said as I closed my phone and put it in my back pocket.

We arrived at the campus and I got out. "Ready?" He asked as he looked around. "Lead the way," he said again, smiling at me. Trying to distract me as he took off his rings.

As we walked to the orchestra hall, I noticed a few glances our way. Do they recognize him?

Kai leaned against a wall next to James, the other piano in the orchestra, and when he looked at me and smirked, then he saw Colby and I could practically see his face turn white.

Colby smiled. "Eyes over here or you lose them," Colby said. "You must be Kai. Let's have a talk," he said, and put his arm around Kai's shoulders to make sure he doesn't go anywhere. "What happened?" James asked. I shook my head and went inside.

"Oh, Rose!" The conductor said as he motioned me over. "Come on, I need to talk to you."

I walked over to him nervously. "Yes, sir?" I asked curiously. "I think you're the one that deserves the solo this year in the concert," he said as he held out a folder of music to me. I looked at it then him, surprised.

Every year at the final concert, a month before, the music department rewards three students with solos to play at the final concert. One string student, piano student, and horn student. There had to be at least two hundred piano students at this campus.

"R-Really?" I asked, shocked. He motioned for me to take it. "Of course," he said as he smiled, "couldn't think of someone better."

I took it and looked at it in my hands. Rachmanioff Etude Tableaux Op. 39 No. 6 in A minor.

The rest of class I was worried about Colby, but also very excited that I got the solo. When class finally ended, I walked out and looked around. Colby came towards me and smiled, he'd been waiting outside of the door.

"Hey," He said and put his hands in his pockets. "How'd it go?" I asked. Once we were pretty far away from the doors, he took my hand and I didn't pull away. "Good. We just talked. He won't touch you ever again," He said. I looked at our hands.

His was bruised.