In Another Life

2

"So, we got the hotel that most of the creators are staying at. You think that's too stalkerish?" Kenzie asked, tilting her head so that her pink hair fell back from her face. Sarah laughed. "Not if we don't hunt them down. If we just so happen to run into them, then that's okay. I think they expect people to just be out searching for them by now though." She curled her black hair behind her ears, and pulled her black sunglasses down her nose to meet my gaze in the rear view mirror. I shook my head, letting my blue streaked blonde hair hang around my face. "Doesn't matter. We aren't going to harass them. It's not right. No matter how much we might WANT too," I laughed, eyeing Denise. She rolled her warm brown eyes at me, and smirked. "I don't know what you're talking about! I would NEVER do that...besides," she replied, tapping her finger against the radio. "I'm not the one completely OBSESSED with Colby Brock, having dreams about him and shit." My mouth dropped open, just as she turned the volume up on the radio. I had told her NOT to tell anyone about that! "Shut the fuck up! You're obsessed with Corey! I can't help what happens in my head while I'm asleep," I yelled over the music, feeling my face heat up as they all laughed. I rolled my eyes, and kept them locked on the road. "You guys suck, you know that? I can't help how the man makes me feel. Besides, you like him too Kenzie!" I said, looking back at her accusingly. She nodded, and sat back. "Sure do, but I'm not obsessed with him. I mean, I have a boyfriend and all...of course, I'd hit that if he'd let me." "KENZIE!" Sarah exclaimed, and slapped our friend's leg. I shook my head again. "Oh dear God, this is going to be one hell of an adventure, isn't it?" I groaned. Denise laughed, and put her sunglasses back on her face. "You bet your Colby obsessed ass it is sweetheart!" "Stooopp," I replied, laughing. "I'm just a fan. We're all just fans. I just want to meet them. Tell them how much they mean to me. Trust me, I don't expect anything other than that." I shook my head. "My dreams will have to suffice." I had a smile on my face, but in reality that thought hurt my heart. I know it's stupid to say that you love someone that you've never even met, or spoken too, besides a few random comments on a fan page post on Instagram or Twitter. But I did. I loved him. I loved them all, or who I thought they were. There was just something about Colby that made me actually fall for him. I always appreciated a good looking guy, don't get me wrong, but it was more than that. They were all hot. Somehow, the entire damn friend group was insanely hot, guys and girls alike. They all had individual qualities to their personalities that just made you love them. Colby, though. I guess he had that effect on probably millions of people from what I saw online. Sam owned my heart too, of course. They all did. Sam, Colby, Elton, Jake, Tara, Aaron, Katrina, Devyn, Corey, Mike, Kevin, Aryia...all of them. I even found some really great music that I absolutely adored with Mike, Aaron, and Aryia. The entire friend group had a special place in my heart, and always would...but Sam and Colby owned it. They had saved me without me even realizing it. When I was stuck in this house, with no one to help me escape my thoughts, realizing that I never really had anyone that cared about me...they were there. My parents cared, but maybe just not as much as they should've, or they would've stepped in a lot sooner than they did. I think the only reason that I got grounded was because their beautiful home was threatened with all of the people that were over for that party. Whatever though. With Sam and Colby, I had found my true friends, and people that actually cared about me, and shared the same interests. They didn't want anything from me except my company. Denise was my best friend. The Sam to my Colby, as we like to say. I went from being someone that was considered popular in school, to someone that hung out with the "outcasts" and I couldn't have been happier about it. We had been planning this trip for forever, and now we were finally adults, no school, able to do what we wanted, and we were on our way. The road trip was part of the fun. We had enough money saved up between all four of us to stay in cheap hotels some nights, we brought cheap snacks to keep us fueled, plenty of water for the trip. And lots and lots of music. Wouldn't take us that long to get to Orlando, Florida, where Playlist was being held. Two days of driving, and we would be there one day before the event started, giving us plenty of time to get settled in. Our hotel was already booked and waiting on us. Sarah's dad had helped us out with that actually. He ran a chain of the higher up hotels, and managed to talk one of his buddies into letting us stay in a room on the top floors. The more expensive rooms and we didn't have to pay for it. So that was awesome! After two long days of driving, more junk food than I ever wanted to eat again, and so much laughter and music, my ears were starting to hurt, we finally made it. It was Denise's turn to drive, while I stared out the passenger side window, admiring the palm trees, and the blue skies that matched the ocean. My mind was wandering, my imagination taking over, as I thought of meeting Sam and Colby.