Dead to me // Colby Brock

027 • 𝗟𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 •

I analyzed the millions of nail colors that were in front of me switching between a nude colour and a baby pink. Andrea had taken me to get our nails done at her cousin's business, who she had introduced herself as Valentina.

Valentina was weirdly the exact same as Andrea. Their bubbly personality had matched perfectly together and the way they had talked was like they were programmed to just be like each other. And just to top it all off Valentina was surprisingly also apart of this gang.

''I'm sorry sweetheart, but you can only get purple, that's our colour'' Valentina states before shouting out to another coworker to get a lavender purple. Not even twenty seconds later another lady walks out from behind me, sitting down in front of me with a purple powder.

''So are you excited?'' Valentina smiles at me as she patiently waits for Andrea to pick out a colour. I nod my head towards the lady in front of me indicating if I could say anything around her. ''Oh yes it's all fine darl, she's actually apart of our gang to'' Valentina laughs waving her hand.

''I'm Malu'' The girl in front of me smiles before reaching for her equipment. I reply back a simple ''Hi''  nodding my head.

''Valentina pick my colour this is too stressful'' Andrea finally speaks pushing the colours towards Valentina. ''Anyway Ava spill how you feeling about getting your nickname'' Andrea yawns trying to start small talk but I could tell there was something else on her mind.

She's more worried.

''I'm feeling fine I guess, just a bit worried'' I respond back watching as Malu glues the fake nail to my real nail.

''The worrying bit is all fine, that's all normal, no one has really practiced shooting cans to get a nickname'' Valentia comforts me as she picks out a soft blue for Andrea.

''That's true Colby always says that it is going to be all fine'' I reply back grinning. Andrea huffs shifting a bit in her seat. I turn to face Andrea shooting her a confused look but she doesn't even look back at me.

''That's nice, you guys are extremely lucky to live with such a good looking man'' Malu grins. ''Yeah I guess'' I add on laughing under my breathe. Andrea moves a bit more in her chair before she stiffens.

''Ava is there something going on between you and Colby?'' She finally asks me a worried look on her face. Everyone turns to look at me, all giving me the same look.

''No, of course not, we are no more than friends, why?'' I reply back feeling extremely confused due to the fact that Andrea was even thinking that Colby and I were more then friends.

''Oh nothing it's just that I saw his toy Koala bear sitting on the bed today'' She answers back turning to face me. ''Yeah he gave it to me because I was worried'' I add on watching as her face turns into shock.

''Ava that bear means so much to Colby, literally once I was cleaning and I touched it because I wanted to clean the dust off and I have never seen Colby so angry in my life'' She replies back looking extremely stressed.

''I still don't get it, what does this mean?'' I question her looking between Valentina and Malu wondering if they understood Andrea but they both were on the same page as me.

''His engraved on you Ava'' Andrea randomly states. Valentina and Malu whip their heads towards me, both had a shocked and worried expression painted both on their faces.

''She's been engraved'' Malu whispers underneath her breathe like it was some illegal government secret. ''His engraved on Ava way too early, that's extremely dangerous'' Valentina says shocked turning to face Andrea.

''Does anyone care to explain to me what that means, you guys are scaring me'' I whisper switching my eyes between all three of them.

''Ok so, before a gang leader has to become a leader they have to do some weird spell shit which only makes them able to fall in love with one person in their life so it keeps them more focused on their job'' Valentina explains to me.

Love, I hate that word so much.

''They can't help who they engrave on it's just who their brain thinks is right for them, and since it has happened way too early it is extremely dangerous because you and Colby haven't been around a lot of people together meaning that Colby hasn't given enough signs to any other leader, so if another gang leader was to engrave on you it could end very bad'' Malu adds on playing with the nail brush.

''Well, then how do you know he has?'' I question them my heart racing in my chest. Love is an extremely bold word. I have never thought that Colby is that type of person.

''Ok, Ava answer me honestly, whenever you talk to Colby, doesn't matter how hard you try, you just can't seem to read his emotions'' Andrea questions me looking me dead in the eyes. I sat still thinking back to every conversation I had ever had with Colby. I thought back to the Mcdonalds drive through, at Tara's house, the first time we had ever met before it had hit me.

Dead to me.

''Um well yeah I guess, we kinda have this inside joke where we call each other dead inside because we both somehow can't seem to read each other's emotions, but it's just a joke we have'' I reply back nervously playing with the rings on my fingers as I prayed that they were joking, but they weren't.

''Ava darl, that defiantly isn't a small joke'' Valentina whispers.