Bad Taste (Part I) // Colby Brock

141 - Colby

Of all the things I thought he was about to say, that didn't even make the top 100. The only thing I could focus on was how Rebecca would feel about this... if she even knew about Ones in the first place, which she didn't. Everyone had some weird, contorted view that I should be the one to tell her, convinced that she was my One, so it would be something special. I didn't see it like that at all.

Would Rebecca be mad at Aryia for this? She let him bite Angela but getting involved was another level. He was going to be messing with her heart, not just her blood.

I'd been speechless for a few moments now, and words were finally starting to come to my head. The first ones were just the truth. "Rebecca won't be happy."

"I know," Aryia replied quickly, "but hopefully she'll understand, right? She knows it's not a choice."

I didn't say anything, so Tara filled in for me. "She doesn't know about Ones yet, Aryia. Colby still hasn't had the balls to tell her."

I glared at her. "Shut up, Tara."

"Middle school comeback, dude. You know she's your One—there's no point in even denying it to yourself anymore. All you have to do is tell her."

I didn't respond, causing Tara to groan and roll her eyes. Our business was with Aryia, not with me and Rebecca.

"You're going to have to deal with her," I told him, "because I'm not going to. That actually works out in our favour." Aryia frowned. "What Rebecca saw last night was the guy who fed on her mom and sister, that's why she freaked out so much." I was now talking to the whole room rather than just Aryia.

"It was? Shit..." Tara breathed in response.

"He's likely going to start stalking her like he stalked Angela, so we need to find him. To do that, we at least need his name, which means we have to ask someone who knows. Our best bet is Angela but he was the first one to bite her, so he has the claim over her. Talking about him would only revert Angela to him if she didn't have a One. Now it looks like it should be fine."

Aryia stared at me silently while I spoke, as did most of the rest of the room. I felt the pressure, somehow. I knew they were all thinking about how I was going to tell Rebecca this without bringing up the concept of the One, and if I was being honest with myself, I didn't even know that myself. I supposed I would just tell her that Angela was fine with talking about her first bite.

"Tara," I said then paused to look at Cassie too, "and Cassie. I need both of you to go and get Rebecca. She's at her apartment."

"Why us?" Tara replied in surprise. I just stared at her without saying anything and she seemed to understand that I wasn't going to explain myself. The two girls disappeared in a blur and Aryia darted back to his normal seat. I shuffled slightly in mine.

"Rebecca's going to call Angela at some point—go and get her as soon as you're texted," I instructed Aryia and he nodded silently.

We waited for a short while for the girls to reappear with Rebecca. My girl walked into the room wearing a baggy black dress that looked honestly more like a shirt, and high boots. She didn't look at me because she was in the middle of talking with Tara—something about her being a bitch for not warning her. I didn't know: I was distracted by her face... and a little by her exposed thighs.

When she reached the chair, she finally looked down at me. The smile on her face made my head heart jump and I had to respond. She sat down sideways on my lap, letting her legs hang over the arm on the other side. Her version of hello was leaning against my chest and nudging my neck with her nose before she looked back up at a talking Tara.

I tuned back in only to hear, "Bitch," as Tara's final response. Rebecca rolled her eyes and shifted over my lap. I couldn't help it when I let my hand slide beneath the dress—it was so short anyway. I rested my hand on her hip, the fabric covering up to my wrist. She didn't mention it, but the others looked at me with smirks. I rolled my eyes without saying anything.

"I called Angela," Rebecca told me after a moment, during which time the others got into conversation. "She said she's gonna come as soon as. I don't know if that means Aryia's going to get her or-" Aryia's phone buzzed and he darted off. "I guess it does."

Rebecca sighed, dropping her head to my shoulder. I rubbed the thumb under her dress over her hot, bare hip. Her whole body was heated; as if she'd been lying under the covers this whole time. Somehow I didn't doubt it.

When Aryia returned, he was holding Angela to his chest. It had been so that he could run with her, but he didn't move away when they stopped. Rebecca saw it instantly, her head lifting and her eyes locking on my friend. I could see the questioning in them—and the threats. She was daring him to get any closer to her sister; to do what he had done and get involved.

"Calm down with the stare, Becky," Angela giggled, wrapping one arm up and around Aryia's neck. "He won't break my heart, you don't have to get protective."

Rebecca's heart jumped in anger. "You don't know that."

"I do, actually. He's my—"

Admittedly, I panicked, because I knew exactly what she was going to say. "You two sit down," I said before she could get the word out, "we have lots to talk about today."

Angela huffed and held Aryia's hand as they walked over to the couch. I watched Rebecca carefully, painfully aware of how mad she was. She didn't even know that it was forever.

Tara was glaring at me in the corner of my eye but I ignored it.

We had business to get down to.