I Wanna be Face to Face

Internet with benefits

~Colby~

"Get some sleep, love." I smiled, watching Neele yawn over my phone screen. She rubbed her eyes and shook her head. The only light illuminating her face was from her computer screen. 

"I don't need sleep. I just wanna talk to you...." Neele looked at me, placing her fingertips on the screen. I smiled and reached out, placing my fingertips against hers. 

"It's past one in the morning there," I smiled and looked to the time. 8:12 pm. Munich, Germany was five hours ahead of Boston. Sure, the time zones sucked, but I went to bed every night, the image of Neele still in my brain. The sound of her soft giggled laughter ringing in my ears. 

Neele brushed some blonde hair from her face and smiled tiredly. She kept her fingers on her screen. I kept my fingers on my screen. "I love you. Now please, go to bed." I told her softly.

Neele smiled with a small sigh. "I love you too. Don't stay up too late." She pulled her fingers from the screen only to kiss them and press them back to the screen. I smiled and did the same. 

"Goodnight, love." I whispered just as the call ended. 

I laid back on my pillow and closed my eyes, Neele's beautiful smile flashing in my mind, still. 

Senior year at Lincoln High. It was a weird thing. Being the youngest in my class, I was seen basically as an underclassman. But I was also a senior. A top dog to everyone else. 

"Did you get any sleep last night?" Duffy looked to me. Her short, dark red hair falling out from behind her ear. She pushed her glasses up. 

"Yeah. I went to bed at eleven. I slept straight through the night." I forced a smile, running a hand through my hair. Yeah. The first part of that was true. I went to bed after a couple episodes of "Doctor Who". But, as usual, I couldn't sleep. I had had sleeping problems for a few years now. I only got a few hours of sleep each night, causing me to wake up around the same time as Neele would in Germany, four in the morning or so. 

Duffy stared at me doubtingly as I felt someone come up and wrap their arms around us as we walked towards our lockers. I turned to see Oli smiling at us. His mop of black hair was sticking up everywhere. His brown eyes were bright. Oli was about half a foot taller than me and a whole foot taller than Duffy. "What are we talkin' about?" Oli looked at the two of us as our lockers came into view. 

"Colby isn't sleeping again." Duffy said bluntly, walking to her locker and putting in the combo. I shot her a glare as I reached above her to my locker. Oli sent me a glance, going to his locker beside mine. 

"What? But didn't the doctor prescribe you stuff for that?" Oli lowered his voice slightly. 

I shrugged. "Stopped taking it. It made me too drowsy in the morning." I popped open my locker and smiled at the photo of Neele taped to the back of it, slightly hidden by books and binders. 

Neele was smiling brightly in the picture. She was in front of the old town hall. Her arms were crossed and she had her usual shy smile on her freckled face. Her blonde hair was in a braid over her shoulder. Her blue eyes bright and full of life. 

I always smiled when I saw the picture. 

I grabbed my books and binder, giving the picture one last glance before shutting my locker. Oli and Duffy stared at me, eyebrows raised. "That's why you aren't sleeping..." Oli glanced back at my locker. 

"Colby, haven't we discussed this whole internet friends thing?" Duffy leaned against her locker, hair falling in her face. 

"I believe we have. On multiple occasions. But that's a problem. I can't just leave them. They're my friends. My second family...." I started walking to class. I heard my friends exchange conversation about me. 

I shoved past students to get to class. But that's when someone grabbed my arm. I flinched and turned to see Orson. His blonde hair had fallen in his cold grey eyes. I slowly blinked, looking at him. 

Orson was about my height with impressive platinum blonde hair and grey eyes. He usually wore a screen tee with a plaid pullover, skinny jeans, and converse. I'll try to put this nicely. 

The guy was hella gay. 

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with homosexuals. In fact, I had multiple friends who were interested in the same sex. 

But when a guy continually flirts with you day after day, well, it gets a little old. Especially considering the fact that I was "sorta" straight. 

Orson sent me a flirtatious smirk. "You sure are rushing off to class pretty fast, huh?" He raised a brow. 

I stumbled back slightly. "Yeah, I guess. I really can't afford another tardy, Orson." 

"Tardy shmardy." Orson shrugged. "When are ya gonna learn how to have a little fun with your life?" I stared up at him, wide eyed. 

"I have fun all the time. But, unlike some people, my school comes before my fun. So, if you'll excuse me." I tried to shove past him but he blocked my way. I glared at him slightly. "I said excuse me." 

"You coming to practice tonight?" Orson asked, still smiling slightly. 

"I have to, Orse. I'm the lead." 

"Oh, right. Well, I'll see you there." He smiled sheepishly. I nodded as he walked off. Looking around, I sighed as I noticed the halls nearly deserted. Just as I started walking, the tardy bell rang. 

Three tardies makes a detention.