Find Me Later, Brock

Senior Year Memories

Four Years Ago...

I got out of my car and searched the crowd for Sam and Colby which seemed nearly impossible in the sea of red and gold gowns that my fellow classmates wore.
I couldn't believe it was actually happening, we were graduating high school and heading into the next chapter of all of our lives.
For me, four years of hard work was paying off in a fully paid for four year scholarship to any school in the midwest. For Sam and Colby, they had worked for the last two summers and this entire school year, saving a ton of money to move to California with some of their friends.
After not being able to find them, I just decided to text Sam and ask where they were.
A minute later my phone dinged and a message appeared on my phone from Sam.
"Already on the football field. On the bleachers next to the locker rooms."
I made my way towards the football field and instantly spotted Sam and Colby sitting together talking together and taking selfies.
I stood there and admired my two friends. They both had grown so much since I first met them in third grade when my dad and I first moved here.
Sam was like my brother. Always there for me when I needed advice and somewhat willing to watch any chick flick or reality show I was hooked on. I certainly would miss him when he and Colby left in just a couple days.
Colby however, he was just as supportive as Sam was but once we started getting older and maturing, I developed a crush on him. I never really tried to hide it or pretend I had no interest because anyone with eyes would think that he was attractive, however our friendship never really turned into anything more. At least, not until a couple months ago.
Sam, Colby and I along with the rest of our class went on a senior trip where we went camping. Naturally, the three of us decided to go explore the area we were camping at, and we found this abandoned boat dock that was super creepy; but that's besides the point. As we were all walking around the dock, Sam and Colby got distracted by something that made them stay back towards the entrance of the dock while I left them to go towards deeper water. When I got to the end of the dock, I stepped on a rotten board and my foot fell right through the dock. I screamed out in 1. surprise and 2. in pain.
"Rory!" Colby yelled immediately rushing towards me, Sam following behind him.
I felt vines sweep across my legs and it was like when your a kid and your in the pool on the deep end and you wonder what's below you because it's to dark and deep to see. I started to freak out and nearly started to have a panic attack but within seconds Sam and Colby were there trying to help me out.
Colby carried me to land and set me down slowly trying to support my bleeding leg.
"Rory, what happened? We left you alone for two seconds." Sam said as soon as I was on safe ground.
"I don't know, Sam, one moment I was standing looking out at the lake and the next my leg was shredded to pieces."
I held my leg in pain and it looked nasty. It was bleeding pretty bad and I figured that I'd probably have some terrible bruises and some scarring but with any luck my leg wouldn't fall off from all the gross bacteria that was in the water.
"We gotta get you back to camp," Colby started before grabbing the hem of his shirt and taking it off to wrap around my leg.
"This should help with the bleeding but you're definitely gonna need to wash your leg off with water and some rubbing alcohol."
He finished tying the fabric around my leg and I just looked at him like a deer in headlights.
I had seen Colby with his shirt off before like in the pool and when we played volleyball or basketball at the gym but for whatever reason, I felt myself compelled to stare at him and take in his sculpted torso.
"Yeah," was all that I got out before shaking my head and trying to snap myself out of being weird.
"Do you wanna try to walk?" Sam asked and I nodded.
They wrapped their arms underneath mine and helped me stand and I attempted to take a couple steps but it hurt so bad a couple whimpers and tears escaped me.
"Sam, why don't you go let them know what happened so they can get some first aid set up and I'll walk back with Rory."
Sam nodded and started back towards the camp leaving Colby and I alone for what seemed like the first time in forever.
"Thanks for wrapping my leg up."
"No worries. I know you'd do the same for me." He smiled and placed my right arm up and around his shoulders while his left arm wrapped around my waist.
"Try not to put to much pressure on it. If you get tired let me know and I'll carry you back the rest of the way."
When we got back, everyone surrounded Colby and I before Mr. Ferguson stepped through the crowd with a bottle of rubbing alcohol, gauze and some bandages.
"Everyone give Aurora some space, please. In fact, go make some s'mores or something. You can all come and ask her how she's doing in a while."
I sat down and Mr. Ferguson patched up my leg.
"Mrs. Hall, please refrain from doing anything else potentially harmful to yourself on this trip. If you notice any kind of puss you need to inform me immediately so we can get you to the hospital but until then enjoy yourself and stay safe."
"Thanks Mr. Ferguson. I'll do my best to stay out of trouble."
Later that night everyone was around the fire and telling ghost stories. Sam and Colby sat next to me and as one of the other teachers told a story of Bloody Mary being out in the woods, I started getting nervous. I wasn't really a big fan of horror movies - which Sam and Colby always liked to tease me about - so when we watched or heard horror movies or spooky stories I always got paranoid.
The teacher screamed and literally no one but me jumped and I covered my face.
"Loser," Colby teased as he put a hand around my back.
"Shut up, Brock." I said resting my head on his shoulder.
The rest of the night we all played card games and then finally after everyone had already gone to sleep it was just me and Colby awake sitting by the fire.
"Thanks again for everything today, Colbs."
"Don't stress. There's no way I'd let my favorite girl get too beat up."
He poked the fire with a long tree branch he had found and it crackled in the silence between us.
"It's been a journey hasn't it?" I asked out of nowhere and he looked at me with a raised brow.
"What has?"
"School."
"Yeah, and your gunna torture yourself more after graduation."
"I know school was never your thing but you're a good student. Do you ever think you'll go to college?" I ask him and he shrugs.
"Nah, I'd rather work myself to death. Make my life more interesting."
I push him to the side with my shoulder and he laughs.
"I'm gonna miss you guys. My best friends are leaving me for warm, exciting, California."
"Hey, you could have come. We asked."
"I know, but unlike you, Brock, I like school and a four year scholarship is something I'm not passing up."
"You're gonna be awesome. You have an amazing voice already so you shouldn't have to work too hard."
"You think so?"
"Rory, I know. You have the best voice of anyone in our entire school. I'm surprised that you haven't already been discovered."
I smile and look at him.
"That's very nice of you to say. Thanks."
His blue orbs stare back at me. God he's so beautiful.
"Of course. Just don't forget about us when you get famous okay?"
"Hey, you guys too. You're YouTube gig is pretty great. How many people watch your videos again?" I say with a knowing smile and a small laugh.
"I could never forget you, Rory. You're too important to me." He says almost in a whisper, placing a piece of my hair behind my ear.
We're so close, closer than we really ever have been before. We've given each other hugs and I've fallen asleep next to him on his couch after Sam and I would come and binge watch the Harry Potter series but this was different. It was just him and I, face to face, his hand resting on my thigh and a feeling of a newfound chemistry between us.
"You're important to me too, Colby. You're like, my best friend. I can't explain to you how much I'll miss being around you, exploring with you and just having you around me everyday."
"Rory," He says and my eyes connect back to his.
"Yes, Colby?" I ask wondering what he was gonna say.
His face gets closer to mine as he leans in to me and his hand moves to my waist.
"You're my best friend too, but don't tell Sam that." He said and I smile.
"Whatever, you guys are the definition of best friends."
"Well then, I guess your my best girl friend." He says with a smirk on his cute face that makes my heart race.
"I'll take it."
"Good, because it's true. I don't know what I'll do without you either. No other girls are like you." He says, his face literally inches from mine.
"You'll be okay."
"If you're in my life, I'll always be okay."
His lips brush against mine for a split second and my heart stops and an audible noise leaves my lips making him smile.
"Sorry." He runs a shy hand through his hair and I shake my head.
"It's okay. We should uh, get to sleep though."
He nods standing up and extends his hand towards me. I take it standing up next to him.
"I'll walk you to your tent."
We got to my tent just a few feet away and we said goodnight before I zipped it closed.
For the rest of the night, I found it hard to sleep. I wondered all night if Colby regretted kissing me. I sure didn't, but I wasn't going to be weird either. I brushed the kiss off to us being tired after our long day and finally fell asleep.
The rest of the camping trip was interesting. I don't think we knew quite how to act around each other but I tried my best to act like nothing happened.
In all reality, it was just a small simple kiss. It was triggered by the heat of the moment and Colby probably didn't mean to kiss me. He wasn't into me and I knew that because he'd been with plenty of other girls that looked nothing like me. All of them for the most part had blonde hair, blue or brown eyes, perfect bodies, and seemed like they had never had a single carb in their life. I had brown hair, hazel eyes, and wasn't the size of a stick. I just knew that I wasn't Colby's type. I had seen his type time and time again and I wasn't what he was attracted to.
When we got back from the senior trip, I really focused on finishing out the rest of my senior year strong. My finals came back all a's and my final senior performance was thrilling. Sam and Colby sat front row with my dad and my grandparents. Before I knew it, it was graduation day.
I snapped out of my day dream and continued over to Sam and Colby where I was greeted with a group hug.
"We did it boys. We're finally here." I say pulling away with a smile on my face.
"Are you nervous to do the speech Mrs. Valedictorian?" Sam ask and I nod my head.
"I'm terrified. I feel like I'm going to pass out."
Colby takes my hand into his and looks at me confidently.
"Rory, your going to be fine. We'll be here supporting you the whole way."
"Thanks, Colbs."
Sam places a hand on my shoulder and we all group hug again.
"Let's do this thing." I declare as we prepare to begin the rest of our lives.