In This Life (Sequel to 'In Another Life')

39

 "I really am sorry," Jake said, looking at Colby instead of me. "I know man. Just try to be careful please," Colby sighed. I rolled my eyes and moved through the water, away from them. "You doing okay?" Devyn asked as I raised myself up onto the side of the pool next to her. "Yeah. Just wish everyone would stop asking me that. Just concentrate on having fun, instead of whether or not I'm feeling pain. Because I'm always feeling pain. It's always there and I don't think it's going away any time soon. I can't take anything for the pain, because I'm weak and just fucked up enough to not be able to take them correctly." I sighed heavily. "Sorry," I said, meeting her gaze. She smiled at me, and shook her head. "It's fine. I know you've got to be feeling very frustrated. We're just worried about you, is all." "I know...it just gets old constantly being worried about, and not just being with your friends for the fun of it, ya know? I just want to be treated normally, for one fucking day," I replied, leaning my head back to look up at the blue skies. It should be a perfect day. All of my friends were here, old and new, people that I looked up too for years were now at my house partying. Granted, Brennen and a few others had brought white claws and a bottle of liquor, but that was fine. I knew how to resist them now. I pushed the thought of the little white pill out of my mind, and looked at Devyn. "I'm sorry Dev. I know you must think I'm such a baby for acting this way. An ungrateful one at that." She smiled at me softly and shook her head. "I think you're very strong for what you went through and I can understand how having people constantly on your ass would get annoying. Just try to remember that these people love you so much. Before I met you, and you were in the hospital, I could see how much it affected Colby, how much it affected them all. You really made your mark. You're special." I snorted, and rolled my eyes. "Sure, if you say so. Special at being clumsy and having the worst fucking luck ever." "Do you really think that? After everything you've been through, after everything you've been through with Colby, and your friends...you think you have the worst luck?" I looked away, a little embarrassed. Devyn had really just put things into perspective for me. I had to stop feeling sorry for myself. "You're right. I'm actually really damn lucky. I couldn't ask for better friends, I'm alive, and..." My eyes found Colby, who was still on the other side of the pool. Only he wasn't arguing with Jake anymore. Instead, they were wrestling around in the water. I watched as Colby jumped up in the water, pressing his hands on Jake's shoulders, pushing him under. As soon as he let him go, Corey crept up behind him, and did the same to him. Colby came back up sputtering and wiping his eyes. "Cheater!" he yelled at Corey, who just died laughing with Chazz and Tavan. "That's what you get!" Jake yelled, splashing water into Colby's face. "Brooo," he said, wiping his face again. When his eyes met mine, they softened, and he smiled. I smiled back, in what I hoped was an apologetic way. "Get off me," he told Jake, tossing him back in the water when he tried to dunk him under. "I'm trying to talk to that girl over there. Go tell her, that I think she's cute." I laughed, and shook my head at him as he winked and started moving through the water towards me. "I'll see you later. Just remember he loves you so much more than you know," Devyn replied softly, before moving towards Corey and giving him a big hug. I watched them for a moment, thinking about how they had found their way back to each other. It was a sad day in the fandom when we found out that they had broken up. They had both grown and learned how to be themselves, alone, before they found each other again. "Hey beautiful, can I get your number?" Colby said, resting his hands on the concrete, on either side of me. I shook my head and flipped my hair back. "No, sorry. I'm taken." He grinned, and moved a little closer. "Really? Well, he's a mad man for not being right next to you. Giving all of these other guys a chance to fall in love with you." I sighed heavily, playing my part well. "I know. It's a shame really. There are some pretty cute guys here." I looked away from him, letting my eyes circle the backyard, landing on all of the guys present. "WHAT?" He asked, startled that I had said that. I laughed, and met his worried gaze. "I've only got eyes for one though." The shock left his eyes, and he smirked. "Yeah, and who might that be?" "Well," I replied, lacing my hands around his neck, letting my fingers tangle in the hair at the back of his neck. "I think you're pretty cute." "Yeah? What would your boyfriend think about that?" he asked, inching closer so that he was in between my knees. I shrugged. "I think I owe him an apology. I was pretty annoyed with him earlier, and I shouldn't have been. He was just making sure if I was okay, and he didn't deserve that." He turned his head, so that he placed a kiss on my forearm, before meeting my gaze again. "I'm sure he knows that you didn't mean anything by it. He knows that it has to be annoying having people constantly worry about you. He'll probably try his best to ease up." I leaned down, resting my forehead against his own. "I love you Colby Brock. Thank you for caring about me so much. I'm a lucky girl."