bubba || c.b

31

Colby's POV

We finally made it to our destination, a quiet little Italian restaurant on the beach overlooking the water. Morgan sitting on one side of me, Sam and Kat across from us, and a vacant chair next to me. Mia had somehow found her way onto my lap to eat her spaghetti she had ordered. And although eating a steak with one hand is difficult I don't complain.

At the start of dinner conversation flowed easily, we didn't shut up, we didn't stop laughing, everyone taking pictures. But as it came closer to the end Morgan had moved closer to me- our thighs smooshed together, Mia had finished her dinner and hid her face in my neck, and my two best friends across from us had gone quiet- their sympathetic faces growing by the second.

I kept a straight face, not daring at look anyone in the eye and finished up my meal. I finish off my beer and set Mia in Morgan's lap, I stand and make my way toward the bathroom without saying a word. I feel my eyes grow heavy and wet, and as soon as I reach the bathroom- grateful I am the only one in here I let the tears roll freely down my cheeks.

"Fuck." I whisper, holding the edge of the sink and hanging my head low between my shoulders. "Get it together Brock. They're just some fans."

"They aren't." Sam replies, making his way over to me. I hadn't even noticed he had followed me in here.

I shoot him a sad smile through the mirror. I don't even know what to say. Sam has always told me not to get attached to people... fans I meet at these events, and I had succeeded until now.

"You are a dumbass." he chuckles, bringing his arm around my shoulder to pull me in for a hug.

"I know." I reply. "I tried ya know? I couldn't fucking do it."

"I'm glad you couldn't." he says sincerely. I pull my face into a look of confusion. What?

"Mia is the cutest fucking thing ever, I never thought hanging out with a kid could be this much fun. And Morgan... well she has made you- well you again. Not to mention she is sweet as pie. Yeah she is a little bit shy, but I think I can break that." he says "If you decide to keep her around that is."

"I don't know man." I reply "They live in New York. We live in LA. I've known her for 3 days, I can't take this shit so seriously. I shouldn't, but I can't help it." I sigh in defeat.

"Things happen for a reason Colby. I'm not saying marry the girl, but I see the way you look at each other. In the car I almost saw hearts fluttering above your heads. See what happens is all. Try to keep in contact, if anything comes of it then great. If not, your thousands of miles away, you'll never see them again." With a final clap on the shoulder we make our way out of the bathroom and back to our table which is now empty. While scanning our surroundings looking for the girls Kat approaches from behind, saying she went to the restroom and her and Sam take a seat back at the table. He opens the check book to pay the bill and I watch his face instantly drop.

"What? That bad?" I ask jokingly "We can go halves."  I reach for my wallet.

"No bro." he hands a small piece of paper to me and I feel my eyes well up with water again as I sit down and unfold it.

Colby,

I couldn't do it. We couldn't. I couldn't spend this last night with you knowing it would be our last. I couldn't break Mia's heart... I couldn't break mine. Thank you for making these past few days amazing, creating memories with Mia and I that we will never forget, this trip has turned out better than I could have ever imagined. You now have an even bigger piece of our hearts than you did before, along with Sam, Kat, and the rest of your friends we have watched through a screen for years. I can only hope we have a piece of yours. We were enchanted to meet you Brock... remember it hurts, but it's beautiful. I'm sorry.

Love,
Morgan

I flip the sheet of scrap paper over, and as if my heart couldn't hurt anymore I see sloppy handwriting on the back.

I love you Bubba
I hope I get to see you again

Mia Grace

I already hear Kat on the phone, trying to get a hold of Morgan. She groans every time she gets sent to voicemail. I look up, stuffing the note in my pocket and see Sam typing hurriedly on his phone.

"Uber will be here in 10 minutes." he says quietly.

"They are already gone Sam." I whisper, turning and making my way toward the door to leave. Maybe if I was lucky they would still be out front waiting for a ride.

My luck is shit though, and they are nowhere to be found.

My heart is beating out of control, I don't know if I want to cry, punch something, sleep for a week, or puke. I know I probably look like a fucking psycho with my hands fisted at my sides and my face straight.

Sam and Kat make their way out of the restaurant and stay close by, but don't say anything. I hear an occasional sniffle from Kat and Sam telling her it would all be okay.

A few minutes pass of me just staring at my shoes and the Uber finally shows, I slouch into the passenger seat and close my eyes, just hoping this is all some sort of nightmare.

Morgan's POV

I'm a piece of shit. As soon as Kat stood up from the table I waved the waiter over and asked for a pen and piece of paper. He looked at me weird but didn't question it.

Mia knew exactly what was happening and I heard her begin to cry, but I just can't fucking do it. I can't kill myself over something like this. An official goodbye would for sure do that.

I push the paper in her direction and have her write something to her Bubba, before slipping it in the check book and picking her up onto my waist and booking it out of there before anyone came back.

She wails and hiccups into my shoulder as I silently cry and try to calm her down by rubbing her back. It's no use, I know she won't stop until she passes out from absolute exhaustion.

So here I am, walking down the streets of Orlando with a hysterical child in my arms.

"Why-yyyyy?" she asks.

"I'm sorry." I simply say, planting a kiss on the top of her head.

Even if I did explain, I don't think she would understand. I don't think she would understand that her big sister had caught feelings for the boy we came to meet, that she had gotten so damn attached that every time that they were more than a few feet away it felt like her heart was going to explode due to the crippling anxiety she felt.

Colby has always been my safe place, now in person that feeling had increased times ten. I knew I couldn't become dependent on him, that only ends in heart break. And that is exactly what happened. In 2 and a half short days, I had become dependent on Colby, and my heart is broken. I broke my own fucking heart... and Mia's.

I am a horrible big sister, this is all my fault. Mia's little hands clutch my dress, with an occasional swat and I don't bother correcting her. Hell, if I were her I would do the same.

I step to the curb after getting a safe distance from the restaurant and hail a cab. I slug into the backseat, keeping Mia on my lap, and give the creepy driver the name of the hotel.

"It's okay Mi." I whisper, as her body shakes from her violent cries. "It's okay."

It's not okay