Tangled Hearts.

~Chapter 20~

After that night, Colby, Blake, and I became even closer. Me and Colby eventually started secretly seeing each other soon after that night and becoming more than just "friends with great benefits" as we called it.

~February 21st, 2022~

The evening air was tinged with the sweet scent of lilacs as Colby stood at my door, a nervous smile playing on his lips. I watched from the threshold, my heart quietly pounding in anticipation. Blake, with his toy car in hand, looked up with innocent curiosity.

"Hey little dude," Colby began, crouching down to Blake's level. "I've got a super important question for you." Blake's eyes widened; his attention caught. "Can I be your mom's jedi hero and ask her to be my girlfriend?" Colby's voice was gentle, hopeful.

Blake tilted his head, considering the question with the utmost seriousness a five-year-old could muster. Then, with a giggle, he replied, "Only if you can make the best Darth Vader sound!" Colby let out a spooky raspy breath that had Blake laughing and clapping his hands in delight.

"Alright, Blake has given his blessing," Colby said, standing up to face me. He took a step closer, his eyes locked with mine.

"Raelyn, I know we didn't exactly get off on the right foot, but you've taught me that life's too precious to judge a book by its cover. You and Blake... you're my favorite story. Would you make me the happiest man in being my girlfriend?"

The sincerity in his eyes melted any lingering doubts. "Yes, Colby," I whispered, my voice laced with emotion.

Our lips met in a kiss that sealed the start of something beautiful. The rest of the night was a blur of laughter and shared glances as we snuggled on the couch, watching Blake's favorite movies, and playing cars with him too.

Colby had thought of everything, even bringing Jersey Mike's, which we devoured between smiles. It was simple, it was perfect, it was us. And as Blake drifted to sleep in Colby's arms, I knew this was just the beginning of our my life has taken on a new rhythm, one that beats in sync with Colby's.

Our days have been a tapestry of shared moments, woven together with laughter, whispered dreams, and the kind of understanding that comes from truly knowing another person.

When Colby's not off to Kansas with Sam, Jake, and Corey for pack business, he's here with Blake and me, making our small house feel like the biggest home.

It's in the way he reads stories to Blake, his voice doing all the characters, or how we cook dinner together, dancing around the kitchen to whatever tune is playing that we picked. I remember how we used to barely tolerate each other, how the air would crackle with our stubborn pride.

Now, I can't imagine a day without him. He's my rock, the steady hand in my world of chaos. His laughter is the melody I crave, and his arms are my sanctuary. It's not just about passion, though that's there, burning brighter than ever.

It's about the quiet moments, too. The way he looks at me across the room, the soft kisses in the morning, the gentle way he brushes hair from my face. It's in every 'I love you' that slips from his lips, each one sounding like the first. He's become my everything.

I love him with a fierceness that surprises me, a love that's as deep and vast as the ocean. With Colby, I've found the kind of love that I thought only existed in fairy tales. And to think, we went from arguing at every chance we got, to this overwhelming, all-consuming love. It's crazy, it's beautiful, it's romantic and it's ours. So, tender it could melt the edges of any hardened resolve.

The move to LA had been a seismic shift for Blake, uprooting from London's familiar streets where tragedy had struck like a cruel, unbidden storm, leaving him orphaned and vulnerable. But here, under the Californian sun, with Colby's unwavering presence, I saw a transformation that kindled a hope I clung to fiercely.

Since Colby had stepped into our lives, Blake's laughter had become a regular melody in our home. Where once there was a shadow of reservation, now stood a boy with a spark in his eyes, ready to take on the world. Colby, with his easy smile and adventurous spirit, had taken Blake under his wing, not merely as a mentor but as the older brother Blake had never had.

Our adventures were the threads weaving a new tapestry of memories. From paddle boarding on the shimmering waves of the Pacific to hiking the rugged trails that snake through the Santa Monica Mountains, each moment spent together was a step towards healing.

I saw how Blake hung on to Colby's every word, how he mimicked his mannerisms, and how, with each shared sunset, he seemed to stand a little taller. It wasn't just the physical activities that brought them closer; it was the quiet moments too. Reenacting star wars movies and telling stories.

Blake's voice, once so soft and uncertain, now rose with confidence. The bond they shared was a lifeline for Blake, pulling him from the depths of his grief.

In Colby's laughter, in his fearless embrace of life, Blake found the strength to face his own pain. And I could finally exhale, watching the boy I had taken under my wing, flourish.

The void left by his parents' tragic passing would never fully close, but with Colby by his side, Blake was learning to live alongside it, to find joy in the everyday and to dream of a future filled with endless possibilities.

For me, there was no greater comfort than seeing Blake's transformation, knowing that he was finally finding his footing in this sprawling city of angels. I had worried that the scars of his past would be too deep, that warmth of companionship and shared experiences between Blake and Colby is just like the bond you have with your friends.

It's amazing how new connections can help us heal and grow.