reunited | Colby Brock

-4-

It was Christmas Eve and everyone was going home. Sam, Colby and I had just landed in Kansas when I got a text from Jen.

"I'm staying at my parents currently and forgot to leave your key.... I'll get my dad to drop it down tomorrow morning but I guess you're locked out for tonight... sorry! I can venmo you some money for a hotel room? -j xx"

"Shit," I muttered. 

"You alright?" Sam asked, peering over my shoulder.

"Yeah, my roommate took my key so I guess I'm locked out for tonight." 

"You can come stay at mine," Colby suggested. "I'm sure my family would love to see you again." I smiled, but my heart ached slightly remembering the last time they saw me, Colby and I were 'a thing'.

"Are you sure? I mean it's Christmas you wouldn't want-"

"You're coming with me," he said, slinging his arm over my shoulder and guiding us out of the airport. Sam pretended to feel left out while I savoured this moment for as long as possible. Colby noticed his mock sadness.

"Are we still up for the video tonight?" he asked. We had planned to film an overnight video in an abandoned warehouse where the three of us used to hang out in high school.

"Of course, of course," Sam said, spotting his dad in the crowd and waving a quick goodbye to us.

"And that leaves two," Colby said, looking down at me, his arm still wrapped around my shoulder. He glanced at his phone and then back up at the crowd. His face lit up as he spotted his brother across the room.

"Gage!" he grinned. He pulled him into a manly hug but his arm never returned to my shoulder.

"Ellie! It's been five years, wow, how've you been?" Gage said, pulling me into a hug too.

"I've been well, what about you?"

"Ah, y'know. Same old, same old." We continued a casual conversation all the way back to the Brock's house. Meeting his family again was overwhelming to say the least. We used to sit on that island and eat breakfast together, I thought to myself. Each piece of furniture held a different memory. (Edit: I realised that sentence could be taken very inappropriately oops)

During dinner, his mom kept babbling on about all the great memories we had in high school, which really did not help. Colby cleared his throat.

"Um, mom we're not together anymore." 

"Oh! I'm sorry, I just thought because you live together again...." 

"Mom, Corey, Sam, Jake and Aaron live with us too."

"We're just friends," I said firmly. Colby chewed his lip nervously and refused to make eye contact with me.

After dinner, I went upstairs to figure out the sleeping arrangements. Colby helped me set up the spare room.

"I'm sorry about my mom," he said, still looking nervous.

"Don't worry about it," I smiled. "She only had good intentions. Seems like she missed me more than you," I teased.

"That's not true," he said, a serious tone in his voice. I decided to change the subject.

"What time are we meeting Sam?" 

"I texted him earlier, I'll check what he said." He paused as he read the text. 

"He can't make it, he says a family thing came up..." We were leaving early on Boxing Day so pulling an all-nighter right before our flight wouldn't be the smartest. 

"Are you still up for the video, just us?" he asked. 

"Sure, why not," I said. "The suns starting to set, why don't we leave now?"

xxxxxx

"Yo, what's up guys, it's Colby and welcome back to another overnight video!" He said, vlogging as we walked.

"Unfortunately, Sam couldn't make it today but I am here with Ellie! We are currently in Kansas for Christmas and decided to visit the abandoned warehouse where we used to hang out in high school. It's currently 11:30 pm and we have to survive til 5:30 am when the sun rises."

"6 hours? How are you going to put up with me?" I laughed. Colby opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself. I knew it was going to be a comment about all the time we spent together back then. I changed the subject.

"We grew up on this road, that's so weird."
"Don't give away our address!" he joked, even though we were a good twenty minutes away from his parent's actual house.

A/N: this is a story i wrote three years ago and i decided i might as well just publish the drafts even though they're clearly not finished. i apologise but i hope you enjoyed the short-lived book :)