The Pitcher's Act

30

OLIVIA

It's still dark outside when I begin to stir. No light shines from the closed curtains. A warm body lays under me, and two arms hold me in place.

Colby.

I don't know what possessed me when I went to his apartment last night. I went to talk to him, but he took so long in the shower, and his bed was so comfy that I fell asleep. He obviously did, too.

I still can't get over the fact that he told his dad about me. I mean, maybe I was wrong that he didn't actually want me. Maybe he does, and that's what I need to find out.

My stomach growls in hunger, and I try to wiggle out of his grip. I hardly ate dinner because I had the urge to go over there. I left mid-meal because I couldn't take it anymore. I had to talk to him.

"What are you doing?" His husky voice whispers in my ear.

My stomach growls again. "I'm hungry," I whisper.

"What time is it?"

"I don't know. I was trying to look, but you have a death grip on me," I joke. He immediately loosens his arms and lets them fall on the bed. I untangled my legs from his and reached for my phone on the nightstand. It reads 2:22 in the morning. "It's almost two-thirty."

He yawns, slightly stretching. "You want some eggs? That's pretty much all I got."

"Okay," I squeak out. That'll do for now. I feel awkward now that we are awake. I totally just showed up in his bed uninvited. I probably ruined his plans for the night.

He slowly climbs out of bed, and I follow. The apartment was dark, but all his roommate's doors were left open, as they were all somewhere. Crawford must be next door. I'd stay there too if I were Sadie. It looks like he has a singular pillow on his bed with no case.

Colby only has two pillows on his bed, but they're both cushiony, though I usually use him as a pillow.

He turns on a small light above the oven, and I pull myself onto the counter as he takes out the egg container and a pan. I watched him cook as he stood in front of me, facing away, and I never realized how muscular his back was. I want to run my hands down it.

We sit in silence as he cooks. I'm not even sure what to say. I'll blame it on the fact I'm half asleep, and I'm sure he is, too.

He hands me a bowl and a fork with the eggs a minute later. "Thank you." I begin to eat them quickly. At least I can't speak when I'm busy shoving food into my mouth.

He leans on the countertop beside me as he looks into the dark apartment.

I've got words on the tip of my tongue, but I'm unsure how to say them.

"I hope you know my dad was serious when he said I talk about you. I know it's weird, but I, for some reason, can't shut up about you."

I almost choke on the eggs. Oh. Here we go, I guess. I say nothing as he sits up to look at me, and my appetite is gone again, but I force myself to continue eating.

"Can I explain myself for the other night?" I shakily nod, my grip on the fork tightening in fear.

He tells me how Jayden and Bryce let her in to let her look for whatever she was missing. He told me how she sobbed because he didn't like her and that she would be better for him. "I swear on my life she kissed me. I kicked her out after that, but I should have kicked her out the moment I saw her. I was just so fucking shocked at everything. I don't know why I did what I did."

I licked my lips as I stared down at my bowl, "I know. Bella told me you called her right after you couldn't get me. I was just in a trance I couldn't get out of. I just needed to process what I saw. I just remembered how you told me you didn't date and weren't a romantic, and I hurt myself over it."