XPLR | Colby Brock

~88~

Merry Christmas. Here's a chapter for you to read while you hide in the bathroom from your family. I love you!

I was first to the orchestra room, as I usually am. No Kai, which is unusual. He was usually right after me. But no, the testosterone was quickly replaced by someone new. I was playing piano, Little Red Riding Hood, just for fun. Just letting my mind go back to that wonderful August concert. So long ago.

"Bravo," Logan's voice said as I finished the piece. I glanced over my shoulder to see him leaning over his guitar. "But come on, let's work on that entrance on the opening of Phantom. Yeah? We got a few minutes," he smiled that smile at me again.

"Sure thing. But this isn't an organ. And I can't practice for long, I have actual rehearsal today," I said as I looked back at my piano keys and shadowed the music.

"That's fine. Technically, we've got ten minutes. And ten minutes is better than no minutes, huh?" He asked as he plucked the guitar part to a Panic! At the Disco or a Falloutboy song. It fit his outward impression pretty well.

"I guess you're right. Let's run it," I said, waiting for him to count us off, but he still plucked his song. "What are you gonna so about Juilliard?" He asked. I didn't have a definitive answer, even though it didn't concern him, I said, "I might take it."

"You don't have much time to decide," he said. "Four days! I have four days," I retorted before looking over my shoulder at him. "Why do you care anyway?"

He snickered and stopped his playing, looking up at my eyes. "I don't care. You definitely do. I was just asking, Romano," he said.

I turned towards him. "Did Mr. Ling tell you to give me your number?" I asked, suddenly. It had been weighing on me lately. I no doubt love Colby and I would never imagine him or me coming deceitful and duplicitous, that's not the kind of man Colby is and that's definitely not the woman I am. But I still wanted to know why Logan gave me his number.

"He did," Logan said as he continued to mindlessly pick at his guitar. He's great at this. Seeming nonchalant and laid back, without a care in the world. "Was your boyfriend mad when you told him?" He asked. "I didn't tell him," I said. Logan laughed at that. "Bullshit," he said. "What's his name, I could feel his eyes on me the whole time I was going to my car."

"Well that was because you were looking at us!" I said. "Ooo, forgive me for wanting to see who's the pretty woman's boyfriend," he said with his tell tale, New Yorker snicker. "His name is Colby," I said. Disregarding his comment on me being a "pretty woman". "Colby Brock."

Logan suddenly stopped, before a look in his eye changed. "Wait a minute. You're telling me your boyfriend is Colby Brock? Like the YouTuber?" He asked, leaning on his guitar with one hand.

"Yeah, Colby Brock the YouTuber," I said, mocking him somewhat teasingly. "That's crazy. I've watched him for a long time," he said with a nod. "I met him on the LA tour."

"I didn't think guys watched Colby," I said. "And that's just your sexist views, I can like YouTubers outwardly known to be subject of looks-crazed girls," he said, standing up and putting his guitar down. "And just like that, you wasted our time. Talking," he said. He gave me a smirk to let me know he's joking.

I rolled my eyes sarcastically and turned back to the piano, but I chuckled at his smart comment. "I'll see you tomorrow, Logan," I said and for a moment I thought about glancing over my shoulder at him, but I caught myself on time. Little did I know, he was approaching me at the piano.

To be mean, he interrupted my playing, pushing down to keys, d and e. The rang against each other, and when I looked up at him, I expected him to give me another smirk, but he just smiled, both corners of his mouth turning up.

"You have my number, let me know when you make a decision, eh? From one musician to another, because I know normal people don't exactly understand the situation at your hands. I think you should take it. If Colby loves you, he'll let you go. Maybe even encourage you. But I don't mean to come between the two of you, I really don't. I just know if I had your chance, I would take it. See you tomorrow, Ms. Rose," he said and walked away towards the door. Not letting me say a word.

Not that I would know what to say anyway.