Lucky Number Seventeen

Chapter Sixteen

The alcohol instantly left his system as he watched the boys tumble around the lobby, picking up everything they knocked over. He knew Cora would not be pleased that he brought the boys here. It wasn't his fault really, but he tried to keep them off of her floor and from messing up the interior of the lobby too much. 

"Each of us get a floor and we have to stay the night. First person to text or go back to the car loses." Sam dictated the rules as all of the boys began to get ready for the competition. "Since Colby has an obsession with room seventeen, we'll give it to him. I think he has a fetish for furniture." Sam remarked as the boys cackled.

"Yeah, yeah. I bet Jake is going to chicken out first." Colby distracted the boys as the three of them quickly began to argue as to who was going to lose first. Colby made sure they were in their designated floors before he entered the apartment, instantly a figure was coming at him. 

"Colby! I missed you!" Cora wrapped her arms around Colby tightly as he dug his face into her hair. She smelled like strawberries and fresh laundry. 

"I'm sorry about the boys I tried to keep them away but I didn't realize we were here already-" Cora cut Colby off as he rambled on. 

"Colby, I don't dislike your friends. If you love them, I love them. As long as they stay out of my room." Cora scrunched her nose in an attempt to look threatening, but Colby found it adorable as he giggled. "Are you laughing at me?" She asked as Colby unconvincingly shook his head. "Come sit, I'll get you some tea to remove the stench of alcohol on your breath. Let me take your coat-" Cora removed Colby's jacket off of his body to see a paper on the floor, the one the blue-haired girl gave to you in the club. 

"Cora-" Colby went to grab it but she was much quicker than him, the paper instantly in her hands. "I can explain." Colby reached out for her as she recoiled. "You're upset. Talk to me. Please." Colby whined. 

"I have no right to be upset at you Colby." she sighed. "You're going to live your life, you're twenty-two, young and attractive. I can't stop you." Cora sank into the couch sadly. "I'll always be nineteen." Colby took her hand as Cora practically choked on the lingering scent of the woman's perfume. 

"There was a pit in my chest the whole time I did it. I felt horrible and it made me realize that I don't want to be with anyone but you. I am so sorry." Colby fell onto his knees in front of the couch, wrapping his hands tightly around her waist. Cora was angry, but she also felt guilty. She was holding onto someone she could never fully be with, keeping him from fully living his life. 

"Colby, live your life." She took his hand as he sat next to her on the couch. "I will always be here, but you have a whole life ahead of you! Go fall in love, kiss a couple pretty girls, have a family." Cora felt tears drop from her eyes as Colby tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. 

"I only kissed the girl at the club because of her eyes. She had your eyes." Colby ran his thumb over Cora's lips. "I don't think I can ever fall in love with anyone else." Cora shook her head. 

"Yes you can, and you will." Cora stood up with Colby as she kissed him last one time, Colby lingering in her arms as she pulled apart. Suddenly she began to fade away, the life leaving the apartment as she disappeared. "I'll see you again Colby, I will always be here. Stuck in lucky number seventeen."