vexatious (infuriating sequel)

chapter seventy-five

"andro?" a voice breaks me from my peaceful slumber like glass shattering in a dead silent ballroom.

"mhm?" i call out to the voice, not quite conscious enough to recognize it. i am lost in my previous dreams of living happily ever after with colby, never having to worry about another thing. it's a nice fantasy, but soon enough the voice snaps me out of it once again.

"wanna go out to breakfast with me?"

for a moment, i have been dreaming for the last few months. for a moment, it is tara standing at the edge of my bed, asking to go to breakfast for a youtube video. for a moment, i am completely and utterly convinced i have time traveled.

i rub my eyes gently until tara turns into corey, and i am no longer lost in space.

"uh... yeah, give me a minute," i respond, caught off guard by my sleepy haze.

"no problem, just come up when you're ready," he smiles at me before finding his way out of my room and up the stairs.

i rub my eyes again, until i am back in the real world. when i sit up, my vision goes white for a few seconds but i quickly shake it off and focus until my head is clear.

"ugh," i groan out to myself as i change out of my sweatpants and into jeans. the tight fabric on my legs is uncomfortable, and i just want to be asleep for a little longer. i could never say no to one of the boys, though. i feel bad enough being the only girl here, it's like i'm ruining their constant playtime.

"hello?" colbys voice is thick when i answer my phone after several rings.

"hey, babe. what's up?" the pet name feels foreign coming out of my mouth, but the way he hums in response makes me think i should say it more often. i forget that we aren't a married couple sometimes, and even though it's easy to get caught up—he's just my boyfriend.

"good morning. i didn't expect you to be awake, i was just going to leave you a message," he chuckles and i grin to myself. he probably wouldn't be too happy if he knew i only woke up to get breakfast with corey, alone to my knowledge. i will have to cleverly avoid it, what he doesn't know won't hurt him right? i can't help but feel a little guilty, even though i don't think of corey in that way. i know it would make colby jealous, and i know first hand how awful that is.

"morning. i'm up early for breakfast. what are you up to?" i say in my groggy morning voice. i have already cleared my throat a few times, but i still sound like i just smoked twelve cigarettes in a row. "just finished eating with my mom. i just wanted to remind you that i'm coming home tomorrow, in case you forgot about me." his laugh is innocent, and i know he assumes i've been counting down the minutes the entire weekend. he wouldn't be exactly wrong, but he doesn't need to know that.

"haha, you're so funny," i say in my most unenthusiastic voice.

"what time should i pick you up?" i say after he lets out a small chuckle. it's still music to my ears, even after all this time. i miss his laugh more every day that he is gone. if he were here, i'd have to fight myself not to poke his cheek in glee as he giggled like a little boy.

"i land at one, i think. i'll have to double check. is that alright?" he asks and i nod my head before remembering he can't see me. "of course," i correct myself and get carried away in conversation with him until i am fully dressed, my hair straightened and pinned back. my plain white tee shirt reminds me of the old andromeda, the girl who didn't wear ripped red shirts and revealing jeans. i miss her, admittedly. i miss the innocence, the way i used to dress to impress my peers, and not just colby. from that first night, every morning when i put clothes on, the first thing that pops into my head is would colby like this?