Sliced Hearts | Solby ✔︎

Chapter // 9: Back Again

C o l b y ' s P.O.V

The rolling of my wheeled luggage sounded through the airport as I made my way towards my ride. I had finally made it back to LA. I was finally here and it felt amazing. The thought of Sam had been crossing my mind the moment I left my hometown and my heart's been thumping against my rib-cage with pure excitement to be back with him.

After being away for so long, I couldn't imagine ever letting him out of my grasp again. I perked lightly once I spotted my good-old-friend Elton Castee standing near a big white truck, with the keys swirling around his finger. "Brother!" He greeted after pushing away from the car and pulling me into a bro-hug, patting my back before pulling away.

"It's been long, man." I smiled. It's been so long since I've felt like this, happy. I was broken without Sam. And now I'm just miles away from him, wherever he is. "It has." Elton nodded in agreement when suddenly I felt a blow at my nose.

"What the hell, man?!" I exclaimed, crouching down as I held my nose in pain. "That's for being a dick." Elton shrugged and swatted the pain of his fist away. I groaned and sniffed blood before glaring at him the slightest. I mean, I did deserve that at some point.

"Come on, let's head out."

-
The random taps of Elton's fingers against the steering wheel filled the car as he jammed to nothing in particular. "What's changed while I was gone?" I suddenly asked, curious. He hummed and glanced my way before looking back at the road.

"Well, the trap house as been bought by a family of six and-" "Wait, you guys split up? Where's Sam?" The second part of my question seemed to leave him a little silent. I looked his way with a frown but shook it off for now. "Things between Corey and I didn't seem to work out and everyone had become distant until a few months after." Elton explained, clearly excluding the second part which had me most interested.

I looked out the window, watching LA's rain pour down from the cloudy skys. It also seemed a lot colder seeming as it was already December. As we drove through deeper, the roads ahead of us seemed to have snow coating if shortly.

The ride went along with a little chit-chatter between us until we arrived at Elton's new apartment. It was one story and had a wooden roof to finish the cozy look with a few plants at the entrance and around the house itself. "Thanks for having me, man. I'll surely find an apartment by the end of the week." I spoke as Elton helped me with my bags.

"No sweat. Let's get inside before my balls shrink." He shivered making me chuckle and follow after. Compared to outside, the place was quite a mess but what did I expect from Elton? He's one messy dude.

-
I swipe at my phone with a gentle smile as I admire the few pictures I had taken of Sam and I. But most were of Sam and the smile that never seemed to bring me down. I stopped at a photo a random stranger had taken for us a few days before I left. I had my forehead pressed against Sam's with a sweet smile, our eyes showing nothing but affection for one another. I'm s missed him more than anything, I just hope he still felt the same.

I let out a light sigh and swiped to the next one and the next until my eyes drooped and I eventually fell asleep. Yet my mind never left one person: Sam John Golbach.