Tangled Hearts.

~Chapter 17~

~Colby~

~Tuesday, September 16th~

After that night and this morning, I could not stop thinking about Rae. I pulled into the driveway and turned my car off. As I locked my car, I pushed open the door of the Trap house, the familiar scent of coffee and the muffled sounds of my friends' voices welcoming me back.

"Well look who decided to show up," Sam called out, his tone teasing but friendly. I grinned, running a hand through my tousled hair. "Hey guys," I greeted, my voice tinged with the remnants of the night's excitement.

Corey looked up from his laptop, a smirk playing on his lips. "So, Mr. lover boy, how did it go with Raelyn?"

Before I could answer, Jake chimed in with a laugh, "Yeah, did you woo her with your charm or what?"

The girls, Katrina, Devyn, and Tara, leaned in with eager eyes. "Tell us everything, Colby," Katrina urged, her curiosity clear. "Yeah, we wanna hear ALL the tea!" Tara said.

I took a deep breath, the events of the night before replaying in my mind like a favorite song. "Okay, okay," I started, settling onto the couch as my friends gathered around.

"So, you guys convinced me to hang out with her yesterday. So, I brought us some food for dinner, right? And we just... talked.

"About what?" Devyn prodded gently, her smile encouraging.

"Everything," I said, my eyes lighting up.

"Childhood stories, dreams, hobbies, our families. Blake was there too, her son. He's a great kid."

Sam raised an eyebrow, "Sounds cozy. So, you stayed the night?" A soft blush crept onto my cheeks.

"Yep. She fell asleep on me, and I didn't want to wake her up. So, I just... stayed. I slept over on her couch and we cuddled after we ate dinner." A chorus of 'awes and pouts came from the girls.

"And?" Corey nudged, clearly wanting more details. My smile widened. "In the morning, she made us breakfast. And then we kissed. Like, really kissed."

The room erupted in cheers and claps. "That's our boy!" Jake exclaimed, while the girls exchanged looks of approval.

Kat leaned forward; her expression sincere. "You know we love Raelyn. She's been amazing since day one at West creek. She's like a soul sister to us." She beamed.

"Yeah, we gave her the thumbs up for you the same night you went over there!" Devyn said.

"It was such a coincidence! She was wanting to go for you too Colby!" Tara added, her eyes sparkling with happiness for me.

Sam, still grinning, slapped me on the back. "Well, looks like you've got yourself more than just a project partner now, huh?"

Corey's laughter filled the room. "From the way you talked about her, she sounds pretty fucking awesome"!

The girls chimed in, "Oh my gosh, you guys have to meet her she's literally so cool"! I smiled.  My face lit up with a mixture of excitement and gratitude.

"Thanks, guys. I really appreciate all your support. Rae really is the best and I'm happy things are going well. I guess you guys were right about her after all."

Katrina playfully nudged me. "Well, it's about time you found someone special. You deserve all the happiness in the world, Colby."

I chuckled, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. "You guys are the best. I'm glad I have such amazing friends to share this with."

Jake grinned mischievously. "So, when are we all going to meet Blake? I bet he's dying to hang out with us."

I nodded, my eyes sparkling. "Definitely soon. I think it's time for my two worlds to collide. Plus, I know Blake will love you guys as much as I do."