𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 • 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐛𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤

seventeen

The five days that I had left went by quicker than I ever expected. I was currently standing in front of the mansion with my suitcase, saying goodbye to everyone.

"I'm going to miss you all," I replied as I went to hug everyone.

"You will find your way back to us," Kat said when I hugged her. "I'm sure."

I chuckled pulling back, moving to Jake. "Small Pokémon, please don't bore yourself to death in Kansas. Say hi to the cornfields for me. Or better yet, don't. They might start thinking I actually like them."

I giggled, Jake and I had been calling each other Pokémon names the past few days. I usually called him Watchog because it's the Pokémon all of my friends used to laugh about - it was the joke of Pokémon. It was also striped, and Jake loved his striped shirts as well. "Will do, Jake."

When I had hugged everyone except for Colby, as he was driving me to the airport because he was the only one with free time right now, I got into Colby's Corolla. He had already put my bag in the trunk when I went to hug everyone. I looked back as we drove off, waving at the people I had come to love so much. I whispered. "God, this is sad."

Colby stayed silent, keeping his eyes on the road. Him and the other roommates had tried their best to make my last few days in California as good as they could. "I don't wanna leave, Colbs," I said, pressing my cheek against the glass.

"I know," he replied. "I'll get you back here as soon as you've settled everything back home, you can be sure of that."

I chuckled slightly, looking out of the window, watching as the city of Los Angeles passed by and we pulled into LAX. The ride had been pretty silent, I think because we were both a little too scared to say anything.

"I'll get it," Colby said when I walked over to the trunk.

"No it's fine, I gotta take a hoodie out of my suitcase anyways," I replied. "Forgot it's actually cold in Kansas."

Colby took off the hoodie he was wearing and pulled his shirt back down. "Here. So you won't have to dig into your suitcase and struggle to close it again."

I smiled as I took it from him and shrugged it on. "Thanks, Colbs, I'll get this back to you."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Let's go."

I chucked my backpack over my shoulder as Colby rolled my suitcase over to wherever I needed to be. I was lucky he knew this airport and what to do when flying because I sure didn't.

"Here we are," Colby said as we arrived at the proper gate.

"Here we are," I repeated, a lot more silent than he was.

I heard Colby sigh as he put down my suitcase. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too," I replied.

He pulled me into a hug that was a little more tight than usual but I honestly didn't mind in the slightest. I felt him breathe into my hair as his head was on top of mine, my face pressed into the fabric of his t-shirt. I was just breathing in his scent now that I still could. Who knew I'd grow so close with the best friend of Sam Golbach, the boy I used to hang out with when I was in elementary school.

"I have to go, Colby," I said, my voice laced with regret.

"Just a couple more seconds," he replied.

I chuckled and held him for a little longer, until I really had to go. "I'll be back before you know it."

"You better be," he chuckled back. "I'll see you, Ellie."

"See you, Colbs," I smiled and rolled my bags to check-in.

After I had gone through every necessary thing, I boarded the plane and it took a while until we took off. I was so scared I almost pissed myself, but I managed to contain myself for the sake of the two people next to me. I was in the aisle seat, luckily, so it wouldn't be awkward if I had to get up. I went to switch my phone into airplane mode and noticed my lock screen was different. Colby must've changed it somewhere this morning when I didn't notice it, as it was the picture of us that the lady made at the Santa Monica Pier. I was already pretty on edge this morning when it came to my emotions but just the look of that picture made me want to bawl. I knew I wouldn't be gone forever but it really felt as if I was never going to see any of them again. I breathed in and out slowly and laid my head back onto the chair, as I tried to get some sleep.

"Hey," the elderly lady next to me woke me up. "We're about to land, child," she smiled.

"Oh, thank you," I smiled back and buckled up.

We landed shortly after and I went to retrieve my bags.

"Hey sweetie!" my mom called out to me when I made my way out side. I smiled as I walked over to her and hugged her. "Wow, I haven't seen you in so long. It's been nearly three weeks since I last saw you."

"I know, right?" I chuckled and we walked over to the car where my dad was seated behind the steering wheel.

"Hey kiddo," he said when I got into the backseat. "How was LA?"

I smiled. "It was amazing. I met some great people there. I went to the Santa Monica Pier and Universal Studios, and even to a hot spring! How was your vacation?"

"It was pretty good," my mom replied from the passenger's seat and started telling me about their trip. I smiled the entire time as it seemed they had a lot of fun, until the question came that I knew was going to come but still dreaded. "So, Elisha, what was the thing with Ethan?"

"He moved out quite a while ago, mom. That's why I never invited you guys anymore," I explained.

"What? Why?" she asked as she turned in her seat to look at me.

"We'd broken up a couple months ago. He cheated on me with Aria," I said and watched my mom's facial expressions change.

"I will end him," my dad spoke, and I chuckled.

"No, dad, I've made peace with it. I'm over it, really," I replied. "I moved on."

"Do I ask you who helped you with that or is that rude?" my mom laughed as she wiggled her eyebrows.

I laughed along with her. "It's pretty impolite."

When my parents dropped me off at my house, it's was nearing 12 o'clock. My mom had made me a sandwich that I could eat right now and that is really all I did. My phone buzzed while I was sitting on the couch, watching Netflix.

[Messages]
Colby🐨: hey ellie, how was your flight? i thought you'd be home by now x

You to Colby🐨: hey colbs, i'm home. flight was good. i miss you guys already :( x

Colby🐨: good to hear your flight was good and we miss you too. i don't really know who to hang out with anymore because i usually went with you x

You to Colby🐨: brennen will go with you, colbs. get some tender greens for me :) x

Colby🐨: will do :) x

I put my phone down and turned off the TV. I was going to give my landlord a call.