Exploring with you

Chapter 16: I want to hold you

Flashback

Colby kissed Sam in an abandoned house while filming a video. Since that moment, things have not been the same between the two friends. Their dynamic during videos had changed so much that their fans started to wonder and worry about the pair. Off camera, they never spoke to each other. Both want and need each other but neither one can admit it. They spend many nights apart and every moment they are together is awkward and feels forced.

Sam and Colby travel to Washington D.C. and meet up with the Ireland Boys to go exploring an abandoned insane asylum. For the most part, their exploration is routine, normal. They hear noises inside and out, coming to the conclusion that there are other people around, exploring as well. They explore all the buildings on the property and decide to leave before it gets too late.

When they are leaving, night has fallen and they are walking back through the woods with the light of their flashlights. They are barely away from the asylum when they hear other people in the woods and then see their flashlights. They decide to hide because they don't know the intent of those people. The group, two girls and one guy, head into the asylum and their group continues on their way. They decide to jog the road to get back to their car faster. They have barely started running and only made it a few feet when a helicopter with search lights passes over them heading toward the asylum. They run back into the woods and sprint to the exit of the woods. They stop near the entrance to catch their breath and look for trip wires when they hear a woman screaming for help. The night goes quiet momentarily then the sirens start. They finally make it out of the woods and regroup. They order an uber and call the cops while they wait for the uber. When the uber arrives, they all climb inside and are driven back to the hotel. The pairs head to their hotel rooms, Sam and Colby in one and the brothers in another. When Sam and Colby enter their room, Sam collapses into Colby's arms, shaking uncontrollably. Colby sits down on the bed with Sam in his arms. Once Sam is calm, they change clothes and Colby pulls Sam into his arms. He rubs Sam's back and whispers to him until he falls asleep.

When they wake up in the morning, Sam notices the cuts on Colby's bare arms. He gently shakes Colby awake. Colby sits up and shakes his head to clear it. That's when he notices that he fell asleep without a shirt on, exposing his arms. He must have been too tired last night to pay attention to what he was wearing.

"How long Colby?" Sam asks.

"What do you mean, Sam?" Colby asks.

"You know what I mean, how long have you been cutting?!" Sam yells.

"What does it matter?!" Colby yells back.

"What does it matter?! Colby, you're hurting yourself. That's not okay," Sam says.

"Add it to the list of things that aren't okay. I'm going to get food," Colby says.

"Colby, stay. let's talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about Sam."