XPLR | Colby Brock

~58~

I woke up in my bed, curled up wearing Colby's shirt. It didn't smell much like him anymore, but it was still there. And it was still his. I miss Colby a lot more than I thought I would, or should for that matter.

Things between him and I are moving quickly. I can tell Colby is totally infatuated with me, and I believe I am with him. I can't wait to see him again.

Two days. Tomorrow then the next day. The biggest concert of my life is in two days. I get to see Colby in two days.

I miss being touched. As odd as that sounds, ever since my mother died I never felt human contact that wasn't... slaps, or pushes. And no one talked to me the way Colby does, calmly. Soothingly. I was only ever yelled at, or peers talked to me menacingly with intent to hurt, as if I wasn't hurting from my father already. I always needed a savior... and by savior I mean someone to tell me they like me the way I am... and I think that's Colby.

I stretch, but even when I do I turn over and pull the plush cat my mother gave me, Sushi, she had named it. It's written in scraggly letters with a sharpie on the tag. I must've just been learning to read and write when I got it. I've always loved it.

I wish it still smelled like her. It used to, a long time ago, but it wore off by the time I was fifteen. I wish she was still alive, and I don't think that feeling will ever wear off.

My phone begins to buzz, and I see that it's Colby and smile. I slide to answer and hold it to my ear. "Hello?" I ask softly as I sit up, his shirt falling off my shoulder a bit.

"Good morning, beautiful. I didn't think you would be awake so early after your adventure last night," he said with a slight chuckle.

"Well you were awake at one a.m. last night too. Why are you awake so early?" I asked as I looked out the window above my bed.

"Because I have actual tasks to do today. I have a lot of fourteen-year-old girls to meet," he said, "but I wanted to see how my girl was this morning before I got started."

I smiled at that and stood up to get ready for the day. It's a Friday, I still have classes. Maybe I shouldn't have stayed out until one a.m., because I was starting to feel it now. I have one more class day with Mr. Ling before the concert. I'm scared out of my mind.

"When you get home, I'm taking you out somewhere," Colby said. "Oh really?" I asked as I sat down at my desk. I felt like putting on some makeup today. I put Colby on speaker when he said, "I want to go to Cavenaugh again. I miss that place almost as much as I miss you," he said, almost shyly. I chuckle at that and say, "I'd love to go too. It's too scary to go alone, and that's our place. So I can't bring anyone else there," I said.

He smiled, I could tell by his voice, because his voice always get slightly higher and he always chuckles a little in between. "That's right," he said.

"Then I vote we go to dinner, then we go to Cavenaugh. Maybe go a little night swimming," he said, but he seemed unsure. "No, I can come up with something better than that..." he thought out loud, but he was saying it more to himself.

"No, Colby. That's perfect," I said with a smile as I started on eye makeup first. Just in case I decided that's all I wanted, or had time, to do.

Someone behind the phone said something, and Colby responded, "Okay! Hey, Rose, I have to go soon. I'm sorry," he said. "Don't be sorry. I know you're busy with your tour and all," I said as I started to pick up natural, nude colors.

He sighed. "Yep. I miss you. Bye?" He said more like a question than a statement. "Bye," I said and hung up.

As a quiet mood settled over my room, I sighed. I miss him too. I looked at myself in the mirror for a few seconds. At my green eyes, natural light brown hair with waves like an ocean, falling down to my shoulder blades. Light freckles that match my hair, a tiny nose and light pink lips.

Momma.

The older I get, the more I look like her. She had always been the kind to take pictures, back at my old home in Oregon, there has to be millions and millions of pictures of her and me as a baby. I wish I still had those pictures. Wish I hadn't left in such a hurry. I'd gotten the offer to my college, and I ran with it. I'll never regret it. It led me to Elena, my best friend, music, and Colby. My boyfriend. My boyfriend. Oh, Momma, you would love Colby so much.