In Another Life

136

We all entered The Pirate's House, and found a place to sit together. Corey ordered for the entire group, getting us all fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes with gravy, cornbread, greens...it was quite a spread. After we finished, we were all stuffed to the brim. We didn't talk much on the ride home, our bellies being too miserably full to communicate much. Corey told Denise good night, then followed Sam and Jake to their room. Colby stopped me outside of mine and Denise's room, trapping me inside his arms, with my back pressed against the wall beside our door. "So, I was wondering if you wanted to maybe...spend a little more time together tonight," he said, leaning closer to me, and pressing his lips against my jawline. I shivered in the night air, and put my arms around his neck. "I would love that. Especially since we have to be apart again tomorrow. I'm going to miss you Colby," I replied sadly. He looked up and met my gaze, sadness radiating from him now, instead of the playfulness. "Yeah, that's something that I wanted to talk to you about actually...and I guess I should do that before...well, before anything else." I felt my stomach drop. I knew it. I knew something like this was going to happen. "No," I replied softly, bringing my hand up to place my fingers over his mouth. His forehead creased, as his eyes narrowed a little in confusion. "Don't say it. Whatever it is, it can wait. We have one night here. One night to spend together. Let's not ruin it with...words that we can't take back." He sighed, then lay his forehead against mine, looking into my eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked. I nodded, fighting back the tears that were threatening to come. Just then the door to my room opened, and Denise popped her head out, looking around, till she found us. "Oh...um, are you coming inside any time soon?" she asked. Colby leaned back away from me, his arms going down so that I wasn't trapped anymore. I felt cold. I shrugged at her, then looked back at Colby. He didn't say anything, and just kept his eyes on the ground. "Yeah, I'll be in, in a minute," I told her, after that awkward moment of silence. She nodded, then looked at Colby, her face scrunching up as she studied him. Then she ducked back inside and closed the door. "Well...I mean, the rooms are all filled up, so unless you want to come inside and talk, I guess I'll just see you tomorrow," I said quietly, putting resting my hand on the door knob to my room. He didn't reply again, so I turned it, and- "Terra, wait," he said, coming up beside me, and placing his hand on mine. He took my hand in his, and pressed his lips against it softly, before meeting my gaze. His blue eyes burned into mine, taking my breath away, like they always do. "I, um, got a room. I mean, an extra room, earlier today. In case you wanted to spend some time alone together." His eyes turned soft and sad. "I mean, I know how fucked up that sounds, and that's not what I meant. Okay, maybe that is what I had in mind, and I'm sorry, but it's just been so long, and I've been...it doesn't matter. If you want to just talk for a while, I have this room. Just so we can spend some time together. It doesn't have to turn into anything. I just want to be with you," he replied softly, before folding his lips inside his mouth. I smiled at how nervous he was. He had gotten the room so that we could have sex. I knew that and he knew that, but he was letting me know that he thought that made him sound like a jerk for expected anything, and that we didn't have to do that. I fell in love a little more somehow, feeling my heart drop for him again. Oh, but tomorrow was going to hurt so fucking bad. That was okay. I had gotten through it before, and I would get through it again. I could and I would. This wouldn't be the end. It couldn't be. I nodded at him and smiled a little. "I'd love too," I whispered, before leaning up and pressing my lips gently to his, savoring his taste, letting my tongue invade his mouth, biting gently on his bottom lip. He groaned a little and grabbed my waist, his fingers digging into my hips, as he hoisted me against him, my feet almost leaving the ground. "Are you sure?" he asked breathlessly, against my lips as we broke the quickly progressing kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck and nodded again. "I'm never been more sure," I replied softly. He looked into my eyes for a moment, like he was searching for any inclination that I might not be sure. He didn't find one. "OH!" I yelped as he snatched my feet out from under me, picking me up bridal style, before heading down the open hallway to a room a few doors down. He set me gently on my feet before pulling the key card out of his pocket, and swiping it through the lock on the door. My tummy was fluttering, the butterflies getting out of hand as they beat against my stomach walls.