In Another Life

129

"I hate that I missed it," Corey replied, grinning at me. I smiled back. "We had a really good time, but I'm sure it would've been more fun if you were there," I replied, pulling my blankets back so that I could crawl into my bed. "So, what did you mean that you think Colby is going to end it with you? The man is head over heels in love with you Terra. There's no way that he's going to do that," he said, shaking his head. I gasped a little from the overwhelming feeling that rose in my heart from one of Colby's closest friends telling me that he was in love with me. "No," I replied sadly. "I don't think that he is. I know that he cares for me, but there is just too many differences there. He knows that there isn't any way that we can work, and he's keeping his heart guarded. I can't blame him...I was doing the same thing with guys before I met him. But he doesn't love me." He kept those big brown eyes locked on mine, his forehead creasing in thought. "I don't believe that. He may not know it yet, but he loves you. I can see it with my own eyes, and the way he talked about you when we were in LA...it's there." I pulled my knees up to my chest, and rested my arms and head on them, fighting the tears that were threatening to come. "I don't want to talk about it anymore, please. I just can't," I whimpered, hiding my face. He didn't reply, and I heard the bathroom door open, signaling that Denise was coming back out. I wiped my face quickly to hide any evidence that I was upset, and look up smiling at her. She walked out of the bathroom wearing the tiniest pair of pajama shorts that she owned with a cut off shirt that showed her bare midriff. I met her gaze and gave her a look, letting her know that I knew what she was doing. She just shrugged and sauntered over to the bed. "Guess I've got middle, huh," she asked before crawling over me, and settling in between Corey and I. He was down towards the foot of the bed, so Denise patted the small space beside her. "Come on, you can sit up here so that you can prop up against the wall. It's not going to be comfortable just sitting there like that, if you plan on staying for a little while." "Um, I'm okay down here. I don't want to squish you guys," he replied before turning his attention back to the television. Neece looked a me, a little disappointed, but I just shrugged. I turned the tv on and flipped through the channels until I came across Family Guy. "This'll work," I replied, before lying back in the bed. I was actually getting a little tired. The adventures and emotional situations that I had been through today had really taken out of me. We were quiet, laughing occasionally as the cartoon, before my eyes started drifting closed. Then I dreamed. I knew it was a dream, because I was so happy. Colby and I had figured things out. I had found a job in California, somehow come across the money to help me move there, and Colby and I were dating exclusively. We were having a great time, walking the beach at night, before he grabbed me around the waist, and started to tickle me. We both fell down, me on top of him, so that he cushioned my fall. I leaned up and moved my hair that was falling into his face. The look in his eyes was one of pure love, something that I had never seen in any guy's face before. Then I woke up to my phone ringing. I groaned, grabbed it off of the table. "He-hello?" I yawned into the phone. "Hey sleepy head, did I wake you?" Colby's deep voice rang in my ear. "Um maybe," I said, giggling a little. "What have you guys been up too, besides sleeping?" he asked, chuckling. I glanced over to Denise and noticed that she had at some point moved herself down to the foot of the bed beside Corey. He was lying on his back, with his feet on the floor, while Denise had her head lying over on his chest. She was lying sideways, with her feet below mine. "Wow," I said softly, bringing my legs up to cross them under me. Denise shifted a little, and Corey brought his arm up around her rib cage. I couldn't resist taking a picture really quick. "What?" I heard Colby's voice again as I snapped the pic. "Oh, nothing. We were just watching TV, and I guess we all fell asleep," I replied. The pic was for Denise, no one else. "Corey's there too?" he asked, surprise evident in his tone. I nodded, then remembered that he couldn't see me. "Yeah, he didn't want to go back to his room alone, so he stayed with us for a little while and fell asleep too." "Oh...okay. Well, we're about to do the Ouija board in our room. You sure you don't want to join us?" I heard the hope in his voice but I just couldn't. I had emotionally had it today. "Yeah, I'm sure. I'm sorry. I'm just really not up for it tonight," I replied, lying back down. He was silent for a minute and I heard Sam yell in the background. "Yo Colby, come on. It's time to get started!" "Okay," he replied, kind of haughtily. "I guess I'll see you in the morning then?" I smiled to myself. "Of course you will. Oh should I wake Corey, or just let him sleep?" I asked, staring down at my friend. "Just let him sleep. He'll be fine." "Okay," I replied. An awkward silence ensued after that for a moment. "So um...I guess I better go," he said. I could picture him twisting his helix piercing. "Yeah, guess so," I replied softly. "Okay...hey Terra," he continued. "Yeah Colby," I asked. He was quiet again and I started to think that he had hung up. "Uh...just...sleep well baby girl," he replied back, just as softly. "I will. Be careful Colby," I said. "Always."