Find Me Later, Brock

Falling For You

Tonight was the release party for my album, 'Briar Rose.' It had been a couple days since the Colby and Brennen situation and though I still felt a bit down, I did feel better and better everyday.
Colby was there for me everyday after I found out, Brennen was sleeping with another girl. He'd let me vent, cry, and even scream at first  but he'd always find a way to calm me down. I was excited for the album release tonight but I was also a little sad to see Sam and Colby packing to go to Florida tomorrow. Kat and Devyn asked if I'd like to get out of the house and go get an outfit for tonight and I thought it would be a good idea for me to leave him and Sam alone while they packed.
When we got to the first shop, I picked out a tighter fitting black dress, then I found a mesh shirt with roses on it, along with a cropped white tank for underneath it and a pair of light wash denim shorts, and then finally a nice blouse and some dark wash skinny jeans.
I tried on the dress first and liked it but the girls and I agreed it wasn't really, me. Then I tried on the blouse and skinny jeans and I immediately just felt like I was going to some fancy dinner or something. Finally, I tried on the mesh top and shorts and I just looked at myself in the mirror. I loved how I looked but I wondered if it was enough.
"You look so gorgeous in that Rory." Kat said as I looked in the mirror at myself.
"You don't think that it's too informal?"
"It's just going to be us and some of your fans right?"
"Yeah."
"You don't need to be in a gown. You look perfect just like that."
"Thanks, Kat."
"You're welcome. How are you feeling by the way? We've talk a little about it but not in a couple days."
"About what, Brennen?"
"Yeah."
"I'm sad but there was never really a huge connection or commitment to each other so I'm starting to feel better."
"And Colby?" Devyn asked and I sighed.
"I think right now we're just planning on being friends."
"Really?" They both ask in unison and I nod my head.
"Rory, Colby is like, in love with you. You should have seen him the night everything happened. He was a wreak."
I'm shocked because I didn't know anything about how Colby reacted that night, other than when he left me on the beach.
"He was? He hasn't said anything to me about how he was copping."
"Yeah, because he doesn't want to push you any certain way. You might not see it Rory but we do. The entire house sees the way he looks at you and the way that you look at him. The mutual respect you have for each other is great but it's getting in the way of you two being together."
"I don't know guys,"
"Rory, we heard him say that he loves you to Sam that night."
"He told me the day after that he just wants to be friends right now."
"Look, all we're saying is that he does have genuine feelings for you. He genuinely cares for you and about you. He said he wants to be with you. For life! That's a big thing to say. So he may want to be friends right now, but he'd be stupid and you'd be crazy if you both didn't at least go on one date."
I don't say anything at first. It's weird to hear that he's said these things about me. It's how I felt about him before they left for California.
"Well, its going to have to wait until they get back."
"So you will go on a date with him."
"Only if he asks."
Kat immediately grabs her phone.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"Texting Colby, to tell him, to ask you out."
"Kat, no. Stop." I say with a smile and she looks deviously at me.
"Kat, I'm serious. Don't. I don't want him to feel like he has to."
"Have you not been listening to us?" Devyn asked and I laugh.
"I have but still. He's going to think that I'm rebounding off of Brennen with him. If he wants to ask me out I want it to be because he wants to. I don't want you guys to meddle."
They pout and I just look at them, my eyebrows raised.
"Okay fine. We won't meddle."
"Thank you."
Later that night, I went to the venue where the release party was being held at and started setting up. This was important to me so I wanted everything to be perfect.
"Aurora, I'm glad you're here. Where would you and your friends like to sit?"
I point at the table against the back wall and then they ask me the order of how they should be seated.
"Next to me on either side should Sam and Colby. Next to Sam should be his girlfriend Kat and next to Colby should be Corey and Devyn. Aaron and Tori should sit next to Kat."
"And what about Brennen? Don't you want him sitting next to you?"
I had forgotten to take Brennen off the the list and just the mention of his name made me sad.
"Actually, I don't believe he's coming."
"Oh okay, we can accommodate to that change."
"Thank you. And these centerpieces are beautiful by the way."
"Thank you, Miss, well I believe that's all the questions I had for you. Is there anything else we can do for you?"
"No, it looks great. I'm going to finish getting ready and then I can help move anything or set anything else up."
"Oh that's not necessary, but we appreciate the offer. You have a great night and just relax."
"Thank you."
I got ready in the the back room that the record label had set up for me. I got dressed into my new outfit and put some light makeup on, before braiding my hair and putting some sneakers on.
My phone dinged loudly and I checked it to see a text from Colby.
"Hey, I'm headed over. I figured I could help set up." The text read.
"We actually finished set up but I'd like if you came over. You know where it's at right?" I wrote back and he responded with a thumbs up emoji.
I couldn't stop looking in the mirror to see if I looked okay. Everything the girls had said to me about, Colby, played back in my mind and I was nervous to see him. I didn't want to be awkward, but how could I not be after hearing that he said he loved me.
***
Colby's P.O.V.~
I couldn't wait for Rory and I to just be together, just the two of us. I knew that she'd probably get really busy later tonight, so I wanted to spend some quality time together tonight, since I wouldn't see her for the next week and a half.
I pulled into parking spot and texted Rory letting her know I was here so she could have security open the door for me.
By the time I got to the front door, a security guy was opening the door and Rory stood there with a big smile on her face.
She ran up to me, hugged me and I spun her around.
"You look great." I say as I step back.
"I hope so, I'm so excited I feel like I've been sweating all of my makeup off."
I couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm happy you're excited."
"Come on, let's go sit down." She grabs my hand and leads me to the table towards the back of the room.
"This is no joke." I say looking up and around me.
Rory smiles up at me and sighs.
"I think it looks pretty nice."
She looked really nice. I was going to miss seeing her everyday. She was going to be really busy when we got back from Florida, so I wasn't sure when we'd be able to just hang out and relax together again.
"I'm ready to hear your songs. Are you ready to perform some of them?"
"I am, but I'm nervous too."
I place my hands on her arms and run them up and down.
"You're going to do great. I've never heard a more beautiful voice in my life."
She visually blush's and it makes me smile.
"You think my voice is beautiful?" She asks and I nod.
I think everything about you is beautiful, I think to myself.
"Rory, I hear you singing every day so I think I'd know."
She looks away from me and then back before sitting us down in some chairs.
"Enough about me. You guys are leaving tomorrow and I wish that I could go with you."
"I wish you could come too. But you're gonna be busy being miss pop superstar."
"Hey! Said enough about me."
"Tonight is all about you, Rory. You'll have to get used to being the center of attention."
"You know I'll never get used to it."
I pull her into a hug again.
"Well I guess it'll always keep you humble."
"If I ever get to a point where I'm not, Imma need you to snap me out of it." She says looking at me.
"You got it." I say as my hand slowly slides down her back. "Hey, why don't we go somewhere so you can practice singing?"
She smiles and furrows her brows.
"Why?"
"Because, I'm your biggest fan and I just want to hear you sing."
She pushes me away playfully and I get on my knees and act like I'm begging her.
"Please? Pretty, pretty please? It would be the best gift I could get before we leave tomorrow."
She rolls her eyes and puts her hands out for me to grab so I can stand up.
"Come on, loser. I guess we can go to the back into my dressing room and I can sing to you there."
"Yay!" I say playfuy clapping my hands together.
We walk to her dressing room and we sit together on a couch.
"What song do you want to hear?" She asks and I shake my head.
"I just want to hear you. Whatever you want to sing."
She clears her throat and smiles.
"Okay. Well, I guess I'll just sing the first song I'm singing tonight."
She takes a deep breath and breathes out loudly, her hands clasped together tightly.
"Okay." She says again avoiding my eye contact and then she starts with just some hums and then starts singing.
"I was hanging with you
And then I realized
I didn't think it was true
I was surprised
When I found out I'd fallen for you
I didn't wanna believe
My feelings for you
I didn't wanna believe
That I could lose you
If I told you just how I felt,"
She stands up still singing and takes a few steps away from me. I watch her with my head on my hand, and close my eyes as she continues to sing.
"But I can't help it
I'm falling for you
And I can't quit it
'Cause I'm stuck on you
And it might be pathetic
And you might be skeptical
But I just want to be with you
Please tell me boy can you
Get a clue or come through,
'Cause I just want to be with you,"
Her singing goes into a whispered spoken word as she says the last lines of the song and turns towards me.
"I'm scared...
Of telling you how I feel
Maybe
It's better
If I just try to conceal
The truth
For me
And for you
But I'm still stuck on you
I
I'm still falling for you
...for you."
I stood up and steped towards her.
"That's was, uh, really great." I say and she looks into my eyes.
"I'm happy you liked it." She says her eyes shifting from the floor to my face like she was nervous to look at me for too long.
I step up closer to her, just inches away and I hold her hand.
"I have to ask, who was that song written about?" I whisper and she closes her eyes.
"Do you want me to say it?" She asks and I move my other hand underneath her chin and lift it up so I can see her eyes.
"I hope that you'd tell me since I'm you're biggest fan."
She smiles and then takes a breath.
"Colby, I..."
She looks away again and I just want her to tell me that she wrote it about me.
"I wrote it a month before we graduated and it's been such an important song and meant so much to me..." she looks back at me and sighs.
"So I guess to answer your question, it was written about you."
"Do you... still feel that way?" I ask.
"Do you?" She asks back and it takes me off guard.
"You know how I feel." I say with a side smile.
"Yeah, but you also know how scared I am to be with you like that."
"Rory, just give me a chance. Go out with me one time and see what happens. You know how I am as a friend. You know me as a person. So let's try this out, because I'll tell you one thing, I would never do to you what Brennen just did." My hand falls on her face and our foreheads touch together.
"I might kill you if you ever did. Because, this is a lot."
"So, you will go on a date with me?" I ask and she smiles and nods.
"Okay. I'll go on a actual date with you." She says and I smile.
"You will?"
She nods and before I knew what I was doing, my lips had pressed to hers and I had pulled her into me. At first she doesn't kiss me back, but then she relaxed and her hand fell onto the back of my neck and up into my hair.
So many years of wanting to have this moment with her all crashed into me and I couldn't stop kissing her, however our moment was ruined when the door opened and we pulled apart fast.
It was an older gentleman and he cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry to interrupt you Aurora, but we're about to let in some fans so we need you to come sign cd's, posters, shirts, you know the drill." He said and Rory nods.
"Thank you, Kane. I'll be right there."
He shuts the door and Rory turns to me with a bashful smile.
"That's Kane, my new manager."
"I see that." I say grabbing her hand and pulling her close to me.
"I have to go, Colby." She says blushing bright red.
"Okay, just give me one more hug. I know I won't get anymore alone time with you tonight."
She hugs me and I kiss her forehead.
"Rory," I start.
"Hm?"
"Thank you for giving this a try."
She steps back and I let go of her hand slowly.
"Well, you'll have to wait on that date for a week and a half so don't change your mind, okay?" She says before walking towards the door.
"I won't."