I waited impatiently on my front porch steps. I tapped my fingers against my chin as I stared down my street. My foot was tapping to a nonexistent beat, the wood shaking underneath me. The sun was just about to set, the ball of flames lingering over the horizon. Crickets were starting to chirp and the animals were going to sleep. But I was waiting for Colby.
He called me an hour ago, his words rushed. There was so much background noise that the only words I could make out were "your house in an hour". So here I sit, waiting for my best friend.
It was just the start of summer and I was making a list of all the things Colby and I could do. We tend to get bored easily so we always have to think of new ideas every summer. This year we've been into exploring abandoned places so I've been looking up where we could go.
I could hear the tv on inside as my brother and sister watch cartoons. They wanted me to join but I had to wait for Colby. And although Colby lives right down the street, he was taking forever to get here.
I was just about to text him when I heard the familiar sound of his car. I jumped up and leaned against the wall of the house. But it wasn't Colby's car that pulled into the driveway, it was their family car. I noticed his father was driving and his mother was sitting next to him. Odd, I thought it would be just him.
The backseat door opens and the familiar brown haired boy appears. He smiled at me but it didn't reach his eyes. Suddenly I felt very nervous. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and fumbled with my shirt.
"Hey Sam," Colby shouts at me, walking up the driveway. His black jeans hugged his legs and I noticed how thick his thighs were.
"Hey what's up?" I meet him halfway and we pump fists. He stands rather far from me which is unusual.
He glances back at his car, at his parents looking at him impatiently. I wave to them. That's when I notice the car is packed full. Suitcases lined the windows and a bunch of bags filled the trunk. His older brother was also in the car, headphones in not paying us any attention.
"Oh are you going on vacation?" I question, pointing to his car. Colby's family usually goes somewhere exotic over the summer. It's the only time his family can go with his parents working and all. Colby scratches the back of his neck and doesn't say anything.
"Colbs, you're scaring me," I say quietly, closing the distance between us and grabbing his arm. My fingers latch onto him like a bug. His skin is warm and he smells really good. I've never noticed this about him until now.
"I'm sorry Sam," Colby's voice cracks and it looked like he was going to cry. My eyes dart to his car and back to him again. I am so confused.
"I should have told you. I just didn't want you to be mad," Colby said, voice shaking.
"Colby?" I whisper. My heart clenches, waiting for what he was going to tell me. He looks everywhere but at me. I wanted to see his ocean eyes, I wanted to see what emotions he was hiding from me.
"We're moving," he finally blurts out.
It was like time was frozen for an instant. My heart seemed to stop, my breath came in short gasps. And I looked at Colby, waiting for him to crack a smile and tell me it was a prank. But I saw how sad his eyes looked. I finally saw the emotions he's been hiding.
"Wait, what?" My voice squeaks out. Colby lets out a big breath and reaches for me but I step backwards, feeling betrayed.
"Moving? To where?" I blurt out before he could say anything. Hot tears spilled from my eyes but I was more angry than sad right now. I could see tears falling from his eyes too but I wasn't concerned about it right now.
