A Piece of Me

8

Elizabeth's pov

After a couple excruciating minutes of trying to hint at Stas that I wanted to be by myself, she finally left

How I did it, you might ask. I went to the bathroom and shouted that I needed tampons ASAP.

She was out of the door before I could blink, on a mission to help out her best friend.

When she gets to the store I'll tell her that I found some and don't need any. Stas will get distracted and go shopping or run other errands while she is out.

Too easy.

"You can come out now," I sighed, walking out of the bathroom.

"Is it safe?" Colby shouted, his voice muffled from the doors he was behind.

"What do you mean? Of course it's safe," I walked over and grabbed both of the handles, swinging the doors open to reveal Colby, his feet stuck in two random shoes while his back was pressed against the wall.

"Well, you need tampons. So I thought your room would turn into a warzone," He explained, causing my mouth to drop open and slap his arm before pulling him out of the closet, "I'm just kidding I'm just kidding don't hurt me,"

"What the fuck?" I asked, unable to control the bubbles of laughter escaping my lips, "What's gotten into you?"

"He's so cute," Colby mocked in a high pitched tone.

"You're in a good mood because I called you attractive?" I asked, unsurprisingly not receiving an answer. Boys don't make sense.

"Anyways," He cleared his throat, bringing himself to be serious again, "Why would he care?"

"Huh?" I hummed as we walked over to my bed, sitting at opposite sides.

"Why would your dad care that you are talking to a guy?" He asked, "It just doesn't seem right. You are an adult,"

"He's always been like that," I shrugged, "He was very, very strict when I was younger. Now that I live here, if he finds out that I have people over in his house he's gonna be pissed,"

"Why would Stas tell him?" I felt like this was an interview, but all the questions were all the wrong ones.

"It's not that she would tell him, Stas would tell her dad who would tell my dad," I explained, "I've had past relationships that didn't end - or start - so well. Plus with the whole issue with my mom he'll be on my case more,"

"Your mom?" He asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"I don't want to talk about it," I looked down at my lap, which caused the silence to stretch until he sighed.

"That's fine, we don't have to," Colby said as I looked at him, "Tell me about your exes,"

"Why?" I asked, it made no sense that Colby would care about who I used to associate myself with.

"Because I don't want to be like them," He said, and since his reason made sense, I did.

"I've really only had one ex before, one that would actually count for something I guess," I began, leaving out some of the important details.

Like how he was four years older than me, so our entire relationship was technically illegal.

And how he was incredibly abusive. He said he'd never hit a woman but abuse isn't always physical.

I didn't tell him that he got me addicted to a monster, the monster that consumed my mother. The monster was meth.

I was only clean because my dad forced me to. It was either I stay clean with regular drug tests or he takes the house away.

"His name is Isaac," I began, unsure of what exactly he wanted to know, "I was fifteen when we started dating, he was nineteen. I wanted to protect him from everything and try and fix him but I just couldn't. He scared the shit out of me unless we were alone then he was so sweet I never wanted us to end,"

"Why did he scare you so much?" The way he asked questions made me feel as if I was telling him a story, not like I was telling him something that is a serious part of who I am today.

"He was a reckless driver, raging alcoholic. He is a drug addict, and the reason why he broke up was because I wanted him to get sober," I said.

"That's fucked up," Colby sighed, nodding along as I spoke.

"Yeah, but I'll be more careful from now on. I learned my lesson," I promised, like I had something to prove to him.

"I believe you. On one condition," He added suddenly, causing my eyebrows to furrow.

"What?" I asked, feeling my nerves bubble up.

"You come with me to the orphanage," Colby said.

"Didn't I already agree to that?" I asked.

"I don't think you did. Which is why I'm asking you," He pointed out in an obvious tone.

"Okay, well whatever. I'll go as long as your friends don't mind," I sighed.

"Cool. I already told them you were going so this works out perfectly," He smiled, causing my jaw to pop open.

"Why would you do that?" I asked, hitting him lightly in the arm.

"Because I already knew you would say yes," He shrugged, pushing himself off the bed.

That was his silent signal that it was time for him to go home.

It turns out that Colby walked here, so I let him take the shortcut home.

"Where's your back door?" He asked, letting me take the lead to go outside.

I held the door open for him pointing to the fence.

A pang of sadness filled my heart as I brought Colby closer and closer to being away from me.

I turned to face him as we reached the fence, his voice light and cheery, almost, "So I'll see you later tonight?"

"Yeah," I smiled, "Do you want me to come over before or-?" I left the question hanging

"No, I'll pick you up," Colby said, "But we'll probably get dinner afterwards or something,"

"Okay," I didn't know what to say, and Colby didn't either.

I hated how awkward I felt around him. I should be able to get along just fine with him.

He grabbed my arm, pulling me abruptly into a hug. "Bye Liz,"

"Bye Colby-" I looked at him, my voice cutting off as his eyes locked mine.

It freaked me out, but I knew what he wanted. I swallowed, watching as his lips got closer and closer to mine.

At the last second, I turned my face away, too giggly to kiss him.

"Whatever. I see how it is," He smiled, but I could tell he was still pretty hurt.

He kissed my cheek once before turning to hop the fence, "I'm sorry," I told him once my fit was over.

"It's alright, don't worry about it," He said before disappearing, though I could clearly hear his footsteps on the other side of the fence.

Something told me that I should, in fact, worry. Just a little