Love, Colby

Chapter 4

      I walk into the kitchen and find Colby sitting on a stool at the counter, with a beer in his hand.

     "Hey, you came to join me." He smiles.

      "Yeah, I came to see if I could find something to drink that doesn't involve alcohol, but I don't think I'm going to have much luck." I laugh and lean against the counter.

Some punch or something would honestly be great, but adults don't really drink punch very often, do they? I'm new to this whole "adult" thing.

      "Oh, you don't drink?" Colby seems surprised.

      "No, I'm underage. I'm only 18..." I suddenly feel like I'm too young to be here with all these older people.

      "Oh wow, you look older than that. I'm 22, by the way." He must sense my discomfort, because he adds, "You're the same age as Tara, though." I nod. It's nice to know I'm not the only 18 year old here.

      I shift and rest my chin on my hands and look at Colby. I had only glanced at him before, so I hadn't noticed until now how blue his eyes are; they remind me of the ocean in shallow water- bright and clear, but somehow still mysterious. The blue streaks in his dark brown hair go well with his eyes.

He has a little color in his cheeks- from the alcohol, I figure, because it wasn't there earlier when we were outside, and we both get a little more when we realize that I'm staring at him. He clears his throat before speaking:

"What do you think of the party so far?"

"It's pretty good. I like the music." I close my eyes and really listen to it. I hold onto the counter and let my body sway to the beat and I can feel the bass in my chest. There's something almost magical about music. It's like it can completely drown out all of your emotions and replace them with brand new ones. Happy, sad, angry, overjoyed, homesick...

The song ends, and I open my eyes.

"Okay, now you're staring at me."

Colby chuckles. "Sorry, I couldn't help it. You looked so cute when you did that."

I blush, and he notices and chuckles some more.

      "Oh, you said you were thirsty, didn't you?" He sets his beer on the counter. "Let me go find you something."

"Okay," I mumble.

He stands up from his seat and walks around the counter, past me, and over to the fridge. He opens it and rummages around.

      He pulls his head back out and holds out a red can. "Do you like Dr. Pepper?" He asks.

       "Oh my god, I love Dr. Pepper." I reach out and grab the can. "Thank you."

      "No problem." He shuts the fridge and heads back over to his stool. When he walks by me, he grabs my elbow and takes me with him. "Come sit with me," he explains.

      I follow him around the counter and sit on the stool next to his. For a long time, we just sit in silence and drink our beverages, getting lost in the music. A few people come in and out of the kitchen, grabbing drinks and snacks, but pay no attention to us sitting there.

      "Hey," Colby whispers suddenly.

      I look at him.

"Give me your hand."

I comply. I hold it out to him and he puts his hand underneath mine, wrapping his long fingers around the sides. My breathing speeds up a bit. I watch as he lifts our hands up together and places my palm on his lips. That was adorable.

"What was that for?" I question as calmly as I can as he lowers our hands into his lap. He shrugs.

"I don't know...I'm drunk and you're cute." He shrugs, as if that explains everything.

"Uh, okay," I breathe out. He's still holding on to my hand. This is... wow. I'm so nervous, I almost feel sick. I'm not good with social interaction. Should I leave? That might be a good idea.

I pull my hand out of his. "I think-" I pause to reconsider, but can't come up with a better idea- "I think I'm gonna go home."

      Colby looks shocked and disappointed. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable..." He bites his bottom lip anxiously.

      "No, it wasn't that-" even though it technically was- "I just don't feel very well right now. I think I just need some sleep."

      "Oh. Okay then." His anxious expression relaxes a little and I stand up. I'm going to go find Jordyn first before I leave.

"Wait." Colby grabs my forearm as I walk past him. I freeze. "Can I get your number before you go?" He asks, letting go of my arm.

"Oh, yeah. Here, you can put yours in." I unlock my phone, open up the contacts app, and hand it to him. He types his name in as Colby Brock and returns my phone.

"Thanks. I'll see you later sometime," he says.

"Yeah," I say with a smile.

Jordyn's probably upstairs in the loft somewhere, so thats where I look. Sure enough, there she is, making her way over to the stairs. I meet her at the top.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I'm heading out. I'm not feeling that great," I admit.

"Aw, that's fine, did you have fun at least?" She replies.

"Yeah I did. I really like the lights, by the way. They're a nice touch."

She laughs. "Thanks, I actually stole that idea from Sam. You should see his apartment. It's insane. And it's right across from yours," she suggests.

"Maybe I will sometime," I say.

"Alright, well, have a good night, Lily," Jordyn says as she starts to head down the stairs.

"Yeah, you too, Jordyn," I respond as I follow her down. At the bottom, we part ways and I head to the door. Colby is still sitting at the counter and I give him a small wave when I walk by.