Selfless

13

I shouldn't have fought Colby.

He was just scared and I was selfish.

I couldn't control the sobs that were wrecking my body, as my head throbbed. An image of me and Colby dancing outside in the rain outside of a hospital played in my head which caused me to cry harder. I just wish the memories would play a little longer.

I didn't even hear the door open or realize anyone had come in until someone's arms were around me. I twisted in their embrace to see it was Colby, "I'm sorry, I'm so so so sorry." I sobbed out and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"It's okay baby girl. I'm sorry, too." He whispered and held me closer, "no, you shouldn't be sorry. You're scared, I'm just being selfish. I'll wait for the memories to come back. I won't ask any questions. I'll stay safe. I promise." I said into his shoulder as I clung onto him.

"Shhh." Colby shushed and sat down on the couch, lifting me into his lap. "I should trust you and your limits a little more." He said and I shook my head, "Don't. I don't know my limits well enough. I just want to think I can handle things when in reality I can't." I said and pulled away from him, then placed my hand on his cheek.

"I wanna tell you a story." He said and wiped my tears from my face, "I-i don't think it's a good idea." I said and frowned at him, "you can handle it." He said quietly then grabbed the remote and went to a YouTube video. In the video it was me, Colby, Sam, and Kat and we were at a place called the witch's den. "Why are we watching this?" I whispered and wiped my face. "Shhh, just watch." He said and nodded towards the screen.

I watched all of us intently, trying to understand the relationships we all had with eachother. It didn't seem like Colby and I were even dating yet, but we were playing with a ouija board. I remember always wanting to go ghost hunting and stuff when I was younger so seeing myself doing it on screen was surreal.

I could feel Colby watching me as I studied the screen. I could tell I was scared in the video, but I was hiding it well in front of them. The board started spelling out 'hurt' when a rock came falling from the roof of the cave almost on top of us. I shook my head and looked at Colby, "why are you showing me this?" I asked quietly.

"We filmed that video the day after we met. Sam and I weren't planning on filming that day but I couldn't stop thinking about the beautiful girl I met at the party the night before." He said with a small smile, "I begged Sam to change the filming schedule so that we could go that night instead of a couple nights later. He finally agreed and you said you were free." He said and I just watched him, listening carefully to his story as I sat in his lap.

"I could tell you were scared the whole time, but you didn't really show it until the end when shit started getting real." He said and took a deep breath, "anyways, I had only know you for a day and I knew you were the strongest person I would ever meet." He said and looked into my eyes, "That was the same night we talked on the beach, you told me about your mom leaving and it just proved to me even more that you were strong." He said and leaned in to kiss my forehead,

"why are you telling me this?" I asked and closed my eyes as soon as his lips met my skin. "I'm not finished." He said with a smirk,

"a few weeks after this video you wanted to go back, I was hesitant to let you of course because even at the beginning of our relationship I was super protective." He said and sighed, "I didn't want you to get hurt, but you told me you wanted to look your fear in the face. You didn't want it to define you, and ever since then you have been doing that." He said as I listened intently.

"You've been through more things than I can count but you always bounce back." He said and brushed my hair behind my ear as he raked his eyes through my features, "you've really become such a badass and it hurts to see you back at square one." He said and I shook my head.

"What do you mean I became a badass. If I was a badass then I wouldn't have let that girl push me into the wall." I said and he chuckled, "You would have beaten her up if your dad didn't yell at you for slapping her already." He said with a laugh. "Wait I actually hit her?" I asked and brought my hand to my mouth, "yeah, you would have done more if Aryia wasn't there to stop you." He said and I frowned.

"Who's Aryia?" I asked and he smiled, "he's our friend. We have another group of friends that we hang out with all the time. Aryia, Kevin, Cassie, and Reggie. They call themselves the krac house." Colby explained as chewed my cheek, "when can I meet them?" I asked and he grinned, "whenever you want. They miss you." He said and I nodded.

"Do you know why this girl did what she did?" I asked, knowing I might be pushing my luck with the questions. "She's in love with me." He said and took a deep breath, "do you love her?" I asked causing him to burst into laughter, "no I hate that bitch. I hate her with my entire heart. She's a fan of mine, one of the kinds that thinks she's going to marry me." He said and I just looked at him.

"So she thought pushing me into a wall would get you to fall in love with her?" I asked and he breathed out a laugh, "I don't know what she was thinking. All I know is that she took away something so valuable to me, and I'll never forgive her." He said as I frowned slightly.

"Do you think she's the one spreading rumors about us?" I asked as his face shifted to confusion, "what are you talking about? What rumors?" He asked as I went to twist the ring on my finger that was no longer there.

"A fan came up to Kat and I at breakfast the other day and asked if the rumor was true that we broke up." I explained as anger filled his eyes, I gasped and put my hand on his cheek, "sorry." He whispered and closed his eyes at my touch.

"Kat told her that we were together still, maybe she cleared the air." I said and rubbed his cheek with my thumb. "Hopefully. I just don't like when they talk about you. I'm really protective of you." He said with a laugh, "I can tell....and I think I love you for it." I said and he smirked, "you love me?" He asked as I looked into his eyes.

"It's confusing because I don't know you but at the same time I feel like I have I known you for forever." I admitted and sighed, "A couple hours ago I got so mad at you that I gave you my ring back, now in this moment I just want you to hold me and never let go." I said and moved the hair on his forehead to the side. "Do you want the ring back?" He asked and let his eyes dart to my lips. "Yes." I said as he fished it out of his pocket, he slid it on my finger and looked into my eyes as a small smile bloomed on his face.

"Cora, you know I love you right?"

"yeah, I do."

"I've been thinking a lot these past couple weeks about how much I love you and how much you mean to me."

"When you got into the accident I felt my whole world crumble. I didn't want to live in a world where you weren't right beside me. It made me realize that you are so much more to me than the love of my life, you're my lifeline. You're the sun that shines on my cloudy days."

"You're so special, and unique. I love you so much."

"We have been through so much and we have so much that we are going to go through and I never want you to go through it alone, baby girl. I want to be by your side through all of the good and all of the bad, but only if you'll let me,"

"I love you so much and I have been meaning to ask you..."

"Cora Elizabeth Williams, will you marry me?"

I gasped as the memory of him proposing hit me like a ton of bricks. "What happened? Are you okay?" Colby asked and searched my face with concern in his eyes.

"I..." I started then held his face with my hands.

"I love you Cole Brock."