𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 • 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐛𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤

forty

"You ready?" Colby asked me as I stuffed my recently bought phone charger into my purse.

I chuckled. "Yeah, I'm ready."

"Let's go then," he smiled and turned to the door.

"Wait," I said and grabbed his wrist to stop him from leaving his room. "There's something we need to go over."

"What's that?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Can we act like there's nothing between us? I really don't want anyone to find out yet," I said softly.

He smiled gently. "Of course."

"Thanks," I smiled back and let go of his wrist.

He put his hands on my waist and looked into my eyes. "Though it's gonna be hard not to kiss you all night."

I chuckled as I placed my hands on his chest. "We can sneak off some time."

He nodded, a soft smile still on his face. "We sure will."

He dipped his head down to kiss me for a bit, before I pulled back. "We have to go."

"I know," he said, swiftly kissing me one last time before we left the room.

We walked downstairs and met with the others. "Well," Kat said. "I'm kinda sad you're going with them."

"They wouldn't take no for an answer," I chuckled. "I had no choice."

She giggled. "Try not to get possessed."

I nodded smiling. "Will try."

"And you, Brock," she continued. "If anything happens I'm holding you accountable."

He put his hands up in defense. "Right."

"Guys we really have to leave," Sam laughed. "See you all tomorrow."

"See ya!" Kat said, and we left for the car.

"You're gonna be squished in between Corey and me," Jake said as he swung his arm around my shoulders. "You're gonna look like Stunfisk by the time we get out of the car."

"Jake," I pouted. "I don't wanna look like Stunfisk. You can sit in the middle."

"Sorry, Ellie," he snickered. "No can do."

"Damnit," I chuckled, and slipped into the backseat of Colby car. "Colbs, I'd appreciate it if you took slow turns. I'm not trying to break any ribs, you know."

He looked at me through the rear-view mirror. I really was squished between these two guys. "I'll try for the sake of not getting murdered by Kat."

I raised my eyebrows. "And not for the sake of me getting out unharmed?"

"Yeah," he snickered. "That too."

I chuckled and sat back into the seat, watching as the streets passed by. I occasionally received and elbow to the head from Jake but apart from that, the ride was fine. Can't say I wasn't delighted when I finally got to leave the car, though.

"Can't believe I made it out alive," I said as I deeply breathed in the cold, outside air. I guessed it was around 10 in the evening.

"You kinda look like Stunfisk though, sorry Ellie," Jake snickered.

I rolled my eyes jokingly and and shoved his arm. "Watchog."

He squinted his eyes at me. "Okay, we're even now."

I chuckled and watched as Sam pulled the camera out. He filmed us as we walked inside. We joked around a bit and then Sam and Colby went to retrieve the room key. As we were walking down the halls, Colby stopped us by a picture frame that was hanging on the wall. "I think this is the thing that we need to mention first," he spoke to the camera. "This girl, the Black Dahlia is what they called her, but her name is Elizabeth Short. She ended up getting killed."