XPLR | Colby Brock

~93~

I was asleep in Colby's bed, I had long since been. Colby came into his bedroom, loud. He must've forgotten what time it was, because he woke me up immediately just by opening the door. He must've forgotten that I was here.

I sat up in his bed, rubbing my eye as I looked towards the door, as it let too much light into the previously dark room. Colby said something to what I presumed was the camera, and he laughed, then turn to look in his room when he saw me. "Oh," he said, then paused awkwardly, "Rose. I thought you would've gone home," he said and shut the door behind him.

I stood up and he came to me and hugged me, and for that, I was thankful. I missed his arms around me in the few short hours we were apart. "Do you want me to go home?" I asked, looking up at him once we pulled away. He shrugged. "I love your company, you know that. I just thought you'd want to go home by now," he said.

"I don't. I don't want to see Elena, after finding out about you two," I said as I sat back down on the bed and opened my phone to see the time. Nearly five a.m..

"Where were you all night? How did the Elton thing go?" I asked, pulling the sheets back and getting back under. "It was an overnight challenge. I should've texted you, I know. I was tied up with the camera," he said as he took off his jacket, then went to lift off his shirt.

"It's alright. I was asleep an hour after you left," I said and got up to brush my hair. I fell asleep while my hair was still wet, it left the pillow wet as well. I flipped it over before I stood up.

"You could've called me and I would've been home in an instant," he said. "That's not true, Colby," I said with a soft, tired chuckle as I took my brush off the desk and started to brush through its waves. "How do you know? You've never called," he said with a chuckle, a bit accusingly. "I can't see your pride letting you leave Elton and Sam alone in the middle of the video. They'd say you're pussy-whipped, you know it, too."

"Rose, a real man would choose his girl over work any day. If you need me, I'd be there in a moment. Count on that," he said, coming to me and taking me by my waist, and kissing me a bit more than I would expect.

That's when I tasted it. The alcohol was still fresh on his lips.

The taste of it immediately made me pull back in surprise, and I pointed my lips down so he couldn't pull me in for more. "Whoa," I said, without thinking. Caught off guard. The smell and the taste brought back many memories, most of them not so good.

"Have you been drinking?" I asked quietly. I didn't pull all the way away, I let him keep his hands on me. As not to alarm. "Yeah? It's no big deal. I only had a couple," he said, but he did try and kiss me again. I pulled away this time, going back to his bed.

He must've sensed that something changed inside of me. "What's wrong, Rose? Are you going to get mad at me for drinking?" he asked. He seemed annoyed with me. I'm not going to argue with him. When he's sober, he'll apologize.

"No," I answered to his question, laying down on the dry side of the pillow and closing my eyes. He sighed as he pulled his shirt off his skin. "Are you sure? You get all freaked out anytime there's any alcohol around. Just because your dad was some drunk," he said as he crawled into bed next to me. His choice of words lit a fire in me I wasn't ready for.

"My father was more than a drunk, he was alcoholic, and he beat my mother every night until she killed herself, didn't even leave a note, and then me until I ran away to California. So no, Colby, don't belittle my triggers because my father "was some drunk"," I said, flipping so my back was to him. I could feel Colby's confidence shift suddenly. He knew my whole story, but in his current state of intoxication, he must've forgot.

"Rose, baby, I'm sorry..." he said, turning towards me and wrapping his arm around me, pulling me close. "I didn't mean to make you mad. I'm really sorry," he said. Even drunk, he knew he struck a nerve. "How can I make it up to you?" he whispered in my ear, before kissing the back of my neck.

"I have a performance, December 8th," I said. That's the day I would have to make my final decision, and get back to Gerald Brown. He would be disappointed in me, everyone would. Logan, Mr. Ling, Gerald Brown...

I still have three days until the inevitable.