The Choice (a Painful Past)

137

"He told me that he wanted you to be happy. He said that you stressed way too much about things that didn't matter, like what to get him for his birthday, when all he really wanted was for you to have fun." Sam replied.

I felt tears sting my eyes, so I looked down at the ground and sniffled.

"How did you know about the game system then?" I asked, keeping my head down.

"You told me." Colby chimed in.

My head shot up in surprise, my eyes meeting his.

"I did no- oh, wait." I remembered. "But I was just talking to you! I didn't mean for you to go buy the damn thing!"

He rolled his eyes, before he reached out and turned me towards Ben and his friends. "Does that make you happy? The smile on his face?"

I watched the kids for a moment and took in the way that Ben's lips seemed to be stuck in a permanent grin. The kid was cheesing so hard, his cheeks were definitely going to be sore tomorrow. Surprisingly, he wasn't looking at the game anymore though.

He was sitting at the table, doing something with his new phone, while his friends oggled the game system.

"Yes." I whispered.

"Then, what does it matter what gift we brought?" Sam asked, as he walked past me and back over to Ben.

I stood there, with Colby's hands on my shoulders, and watched my kid for another minute. He was getting so grown up.

Okay, that was enough. If I kept thinking about that, then I would start crying and reminiscing.

"Alright, it's time to get this party started for real." I said, turning, so that Colby's hands dropped. "Wanna help me out?"

"Whatever you need." He replied, with a wolfish grin.

"Oh my God, you're such a guy." I laughed. "Come on."

Sam, Colby, and Denise, all helped me get the lights off, the blacklights on, the music started, and everything else done, for the glow party. When we were finished, and the kids were dancing, I stepped back to admire our work. It was perfect.

The kids were swirling the glowsticks around, while their neon shirts and the body paint that I bought, stood out in the blacklights. The speakers that I had borrowed, had lights that flashed to the beat of the music, and a fog machine had the floor of the building completely obscured. Some of the adults even joined in on the fun, painting their faces, and dancing.

It was amazing and I couldn't have been prouder of myself.

Sam was on the dance floor, waving the glowsticks right along with Ben. I smiled, as I watched him acting a fool, just like the kids.

I noticed one of the girls edging closer to Ben, as she swayed to the music.

"Nope." I muttered, as I turned away, only to find Colby's chest right in my face.

I jerked to a stop and swayed on my feet.

"Whoops." He said, as he grabbed my arms.

I froze, having a flashback of a time when Will had grabbed my arms so tightly, that I had bruises for days.

"Um, sorry." I said, as I gently pulled my arms away from him and stepped back.

"For what? That was my fault. Guess I was standing too close to you." He replied, smiling.

I returned the smile, then walked past him to the closest chair. My work was mostly done, so I could sit back and watch Ben have fun.

Where the fuck was Denise? I still felt like the outcast kid at the school dance, who just stayed stuck to the wall watching everyone else have fun. I looked out into the crowd and saw her dancing with Bryon.

Guess I was going to have to endure that awkward feeling for a while.

"Why are you sitting over here by yourself?" Colby asked, as he walked up and stood in front of me.

I looked up at him and shrugged.

"I'm just enjoying watching the kids have fun." I replied.

He clicked his tongue, watching me intently, until I started squirming under his gaze. He held his hand out, looking at me expectantly.

"What?" I asked.

"Dance with me." He responded, moving his hand closer to me.

"Oh." I exclaimed. "Um, no. I don't dance."

"Yeah, me either." He said, still holding his hand out. "But it doesn't look like anyone out there does either. Come on. Let's show em that we still got it."

I laughed and shook my head. "No way! We never had it." I exclaimed.

He reached down and took my hand in his. I tried to pull away, but he held it tightly.

"Come on! Please. Humor me." He practically begged, as he stuck his bottom lip out.

"Oh, that's cheating." I sighed. "Fine."

"Yesss!" He replied.

I let him pull me up from my chair and lead me out to the so-called dance floor.

"Wait. We need to blend in." He said.

He led me to the table that held all of the glow supplies, like the glowsticks and body paint. He picked up a very bright pink paint and opened it.

"Noooo." I groaned, as I backed up a little.

"Oh yeah." He replied, pulling me back to him.

"Ugghh." I pouted.

"Oh, come on, Callie. It'll wash off. Loosen up and have some fun." He said.

I held his insistent gaze for a moment before I sighed.

"Fine. But don't do anything stupid, Colby. Do not cover my entire face with that mess."

"I won't." He said, grinning like a little boy who had just been told he could go play in the mud.

He dipped his finger into the bright neon paint and started rubbing his fingertips against my cheeks. When he first touched my face, I had a flashback to when he held my face, as he kissed me because of a stupid game. I felt my face flush, embarrassed because I was thinking about that time.

Why?

Why was I thinking about that? We were both kids, and we had been through so much since then. We had two totally different lives.

Even when he was a part of my life, we had always been just friends. Then, I remembered the party where he proclaimed his love for me. I had been confused then, because I had realized that I was starting to have feelings for him.

Unfortunately, Will had won out that time.

As his smooth fingertips ran over my skin, I wondered what my life would've been like, if I had chosen him back then. It didn't matter though, because that could never happen. I lost that chance, like I had lost the last few years of my life.

"Okay, all done." He said, as he stepped back from me, so that he could admire his work. "Perfect."

"What did you paint?" I asked.

I was kind of worried that there was a dick on my face, or something equally embarrassing.

"Oh, just a little design. It looks great. Don't worry." He said, smirking at me.

"Oh, God." I sighed, as I rolled my eyes. "Did you draw a dick on my face, Colby?"

He laughed loudly and shook his head. "No, of course not. Would I ever do something like that to you?"

I gave him a deadpan expression. "Yes." I replied, confidently.

This only made him laugh louder.

"I didn't draw a dick, Cal. Don't worry." I watched, as he swiped the neon orange paint across his cheeks, then screw the lid back on the small bottle, and set it down.