Tangled Hearts.

~Chapter 14~

~Colby~

After I dropped Raelyn off, I had this weird, out-of-body kind of peace settle over me. Like the kind you get when you finish finals and realize you didn't totally bomb them. Except this wasn't about grades.

She smiled at me. Smiled. No eye-roll. No snark. No icy death glare. Just this calm, soft-eyed look that made my chest feel... floaty? I don't even know. But it wasn't hatred. It wasn't fear. That was new.

She looked—don't judge me—angelic.

I spent the entire ten-minute drive back home trying to process that one look. Her smile kept flashing in my head like a glitchy GIF I couldn't close. And sure, there's the whole she's half vampire, I'm a werewolf, we would be crucified situation. But at that moment?

None of it mattered.

That should've been my red flag.

When I walked through the front door, it was like a pack of wolves caught a scent—my roommates were instantly on me.

"Colby," Sam called from the kitchen, "you're late. Who died?"

Corey poked his head around the fridge. "Or did you finally get laid?"

I dropped my keys in the bowl and sighed. "Raelyn got slimed with an acai bowl. Katelyn had a meltdown and turned her into an abstract painting. I gave her a ride home."

Silence.

Then—

"Oh my god," Jake said, slapping the armrest of the couch like I'd confessed to a murder. "You volunteered to drive her? Without being bribed? Did someone swap your soul while you were out?"

"I'm calling the Vatican," Sam added, already pulling out his phone.

"Okay," I muttered, flopping down onto the couch. "I hate all of you."

I picked up the book I'd left behind earlier, but it might as well have been written in Greek. All I could think about was Raelyn. That stupid little smile. The way she thanked me, soft and kind, like I hadn't been a complete ass to her a few weeks ago.

My brain was on a loop and apparently, it was showing.

Sam flopped down next to me and gave me a side-eye. "You've been staring at the same page for like... twenty minutes, man. You good?"

"I'm fine."

"Liar," Jake chimed in, joining us. "You've got that look."

"What look?"

"The I think I'm in love but I'm gonna deny it with all my soul look," Corey said, plopping down on the arm of the couch with his smoothie.

I groaned. "Can we not do this right now?"

"Nope," Sam said, grinning like a devil. "Because it's hilarious."

They all stared at me.

"You're blushing," Jake said, pointing like a twelve-year-old. "Look at him! The couch grouch is blushing."

"I'm not blushing."

"Oh, he's blushing so hard," Corey laughed.

"It's just... it's complicated, okay?" I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "She's half vampire. I'm... not. There's still a lot I don't understand."

"Complicated," Sam repeated, leaning forward. "Bro, this isn't a Marvel plotline. You like her. She clearly doesn't hate your guts anymore. What's the problem?"

"You wouldn't get it."

"Oh, I get it," Corey said. "You're scared. Because you caught feelings and now your brain's short-circuiting."

Jake patted my leg like I was a dying patient. "Poor guy. Never stood a chance."

I rolled my eyes and tried to escape by sinking into the couch.

No luck.

"We're all going out tonight," Sam said suddenly, standing up. "The girls are getting ready upstairs as we speak, You've got the house to yourself."

"So?" I muttered.

"So..." Corey said slowly, "you're going to go see Raelyn."

I blinked. "No, I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"Why would I just show up at her house unannounced like a psycho?"

Jake grinned. "Because you remember where she lives. And she probably remembers that you dropped her off. You have the memory of an octopus."

"She's not gonna think it's weird," Sam said, waving me off. "You'll be all, 'Oh hey, I was in the neighborhood,' and boom, you're in."

"Guys—"

Corey leaned over, clapping a hand on my shoulder. "Do you really want to sit here alone while the rest of us are out with our girlfriends?"

"Kind of."

"Lies," Jake said again.

"Okay, fine," I groaned, shoving myself off the couch. "I'll go. But you all owe me."

"Oh, we owe you?" Corey snorted. "You'll be thanking us when you're cuddled up watching vampire diaries reruns."

"I swear to God—"

"Language!" Devyn's voice floated down the stairs.

The girls appeared a moment later, fully dressed and ready to go, catching us mid-argument.

"What's going on down here?" Katrina asked.

"Romeo over here's having a crisis," Sam said, pointing to me. "We're sending him to Raelyn's."

Tara tilted her head, all faux innocence. "Aww. Did the couch grouch catch a feeling?"

I buried my face in my hands. "I hate all of you."

"No you don't," Devyn said sweetly. "You're just emotionally constipated."

Katrina grinned. "We're calling Raelyn right now to 'check in.' So by the time she hangs up, you'll be pulling into her driveway. It's like a meet-cute, but with planning."

"I can't believe I'm doing this," I muttered, grabbing my hoodie and the sandwich they'd somehow thrown into my hands.

"You'll survive," Tara said, patting my cheek.

"Barely."

"Drive safe, lover boy!" Corey called as I walked out the door.

"Don't get bit!" Jake added helpfully.

"Fuck off, you idiot!"

The car ride was a blur. I didn't even remember starting the engine. My brain was still screaming abort mission but my hands were steering toward her house like they had a mind of their own.

Ten minutes later, I was standing on her porch with a Jersey Mike's bag in my hand and enough nervous energy to power a small city.

I knocked.

Please don't be weird, I begged the universe. Please let this be normal. Or semi-normal. Or at least not a complete trainwreck.