Alone Awaken

Chapter 20: Colton

As the sun fully sets, the crickets begin to make music. A chorus of strings that echo in the early night. The air smells cold, yet I'm warmer than the sun with Remi's body against mine. This soul that I'm holding to my chest is mine and I fear more then ever to lose it. I never would have thought that an idea sparked by her music, would bring me to loving her. I've given her so much, all at once and she didn't run away. She didn't get scared of my promise to be hers. I honestly should have scared myself with what came out of my mouth, but for some reason it felt right. There wasn't any hesitation or doubt in my voice. I know that I want this. And she said yes. I can't tell her now what I started but maybe in time, she will understand why I did all this. She, herself is dealing with something that she isn't ready to tell me. When that day comes, when she's ready to tell me, then I can tell her too.

I hold her tighter and she grips her hands around my arms. I don't want this moment to end, but it is getting late and I have to be in the locker room by 9am for game prep. I lower my lips to her ear and whisper.

"Let me walk you back to your dorm."

Remi leans her head up and looks back at me.

"Can you stay with me tonight?"

Shit. I want nothing more than to be with her tonight. To fall asleep wrapped around her until morning light. But I can't bail on my team for what could be my last game for the rest of my career. I hope she understands.

"I.. can't. I made an obligation to my team and I need to be there early tomorrow." I kiss her forehead, hoping she can forgive me.

"You're right." She shrugs. Well that was easy. I'm use to a whiny complaint about how I'm choosing soccer over a girl. Remi keeps proving everything I know about girls, wrong. And I'm not mad at it. Not one bit.

I lean forward and push myself off the ground with one hand, while my other hand is still supporting Remi. I place my hand out to her and when she grabs it, I pull her up quickly. She squeals and falls into my chest. We laugh together and I pull her neck to me and I kiss her. The way she relaxes in my arms is comforting. That only I, can ease her. I slowly take my lips off of hers and open my eyes and look into hers. I instantly smile and Remi reciprocates.

"Let's go." I whisper and Remi nods. I lean down to get the blanket and Remi grabs the lantern. Our hands find each other like second nature and we head out from under the Willow tree.

Once we got back to the car, the parking lot lights are already on. I throw the blanket and lantern back into the trunk of my car and continue to bring Remi back to her dorm.

Campus is quiet now. Small groups of people come and pass us chatting about random stuff. It's funny the difference a campus can get from day to night. How loud laughters dim to such whispered conversations and it feels soft and almost therapeutic. You can hear every footstep at night and every chime of a dorm key. I should record the campus sounds and make some sort of song from it.

We finally make it to the Main center and I stop dead in my tracks while Remi keeps walking. Her arm extends and she turns from gravity when my body stops her from moving forward. I softly yank her back to me and she laughs. God that laugh unravels me. I wrap my arms around her and kiss her soft lips.

"Can I ask you one last thing tonight?" I wait for her to open her eyes. She smiles and waits for me to ask. "Will you come tomorrow? To my game?"

Remi slightly pulls back and her brow furrows. I had a feeling she wouldn't like that question. She didn't like when I asked her to come to the soccer house and that is a memory I don't want to relive. "I know it's a lot to ask, but it's most likely my last game and I want you to see me play. I know it sounds like a childish request but I kind of want to look up at my girl in the stands. I never really had that here." I rub the back of my neck afraid of what she's going to say. I was pretty vulnerable just now and my ego will be slightly bruised if she rejects this.

"Welllllll, when you put it that way.." Remi smirks trying to hold her laugh in.

My eyebrows shoot up almost to my hairline. "Is that a yes?"

"Yes! I mean, I'm a little hesitant about certain people.." she's clearly referencing Tori and Josh. "..but I really would love to see you play. I use to watch.." Remi looks down at her boots and starts to clear her throat as if she stifles something she was going to say. "..sorry, throats a bit dry." She gives a small smile and tucks her brown hair behind her ear. "..when does the game start?" She's hiding something. I can tell. But I don't want to ruin this night by pushing her to ask me. I won't forget to ask her about it, but another time.

"Game starts at 10 on the north soccer field, right outside the athletic building. You know where I'm talking about?"

"Oh yeah, I know where that is. I'll be there." She gives an overly exaggerated thumbs-up. I can't help but smile. I playfully push her "thumbs-up" away and wrap my arms around her again. She tightens her delicate arms around my waist.

"My girl, up in the stands, cheering me on. It's a turn-on." I make a surprise face at my unplanned rhyme and we both start laughing.

"You're ridiculous." Remi shakes her head at me.

"Yeah, you'll get use to it." I look down at her and she looks up at me.

"Thank you for tonight Colton, it was perfect."

"You're perfect, Remi. And I still can't believe your mine." She pauses for a second and kisses me softly. She pulls away and starts to unzip my jacket. I stop her hand from finishing.

"No-no, wear it tomorrow, please?" I practically beg.

"Ok." She says with a shrug and quickly zips up the jacket with ease. She smiles at me playfully. It's as if she knew all along I was going to ask her to wear it, but she wanted to hear it anyways.

I shake my head and smile. "Always surprising me Remi."

"You'll get use to it." And she winks at me turning on her heels. My mouth drops. Oh-no-she-didn't. Remi keeps walking but looks back satisfied with my expression. "Goodnight Colton!" She yells from the building entrance and with a quick swing of the door, she's gone.

Fuck, I love that girl.

I make it back to the soccer house and most of the guys are already in bed. I make it up to the second floor and I see Josh's door is shut. Thank god. Last thing I want is to be hounded by Josh with a bunch of stupid questions about tonight. At least I don't have to lie about Remi and I being together now.

I unlock my door and close it behind me. I quickly take off my shirt and pants. I struggle getting my pants past my thighs. Fuck, I really need new pants. I toss my clothes and miss my hamper. I stare at them on the floor, nearly a foot in front of me. I wave them off and don't put them in the basket. I put my sweats on that were laying on the bed from the night before and plop myself down. My body quickly bounces up and down from the bed. Once I'm stationary, I let out a big sigh.

Tonight was amazing.

I think back to everything that happened tonight. Remi being my girlfriend, still can't believe that happened. Her being a virgin, caught me off guard but I like it. Then I thought about how upset she got, she couldn't tell me why.

I spring up.

Something isn't working.

Picking her own music didn't work.

I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and crossed my room to sit at my desk. Well, it's not much of a desk. It's more of a makeshift table holding up my electric keyboard and laptop. I open my laptop up and let it load, in the meantime I turn on my keyboard. My laptop is loaded and I noticed the time 9pm. I'm usually asleep by 10 before a game, I have an hour to work on this.

I push my chair closer to the keyboard and open up the music app on my computer. I take out the sheet music I printed off from early and I click record.

I paused for a second. I lean awkwardly over to my nightstand and stretch my arm in hopes I can reach my phone. Damn it. I give up and huff getting up. I grab my phone and open the video app. I prop my phone up against some pointless books I never read and pressed the record button. The next half hour, I work my magic.