The Final Choice

62

I was lost in the feel of his fingers caressing my skin, the feel of his lips on mine, his tongue brushing against mine. I was lost in everything that was Colby. Until...

"Gross." The word penetrated my consciousness, causing me to snatch my lips away from Colby's, and take a step away. Ben stood by the trashcan, holding a large, full trash bag, looking at us, with his lip curled in teenage disgust. 

Colby looked over at him and chuckled. "Um, Ben, I can explain," I started, wishing that I had told him about Colby and I before he caught us. I wanted to talk to him about it, to explain that even though Colby and I were a couple, he was still the most important guy in my life. He was my kid. 

"No, please don't," he begged, faking a gag, before he dropped the trash bag in the large can. "I know you're together. Just really didn't want to see my mother making out with someone. Now, it's burned into my brain and I'm gonna need therapy."

I rolled my eyes and sighed, as Colby cracked up laughing. I slapped his arm. "It's not funny," I huffed, looking back at Ben. "You're being dramatic. I am still young, you know. I still enjoy-" "Oh God, no, please stop!" he exclaimed, before I could finish. I let out a heavy sigh. "I wasn't going to say THAT, you little perv," I groaned. 

"I'm the perv?!" he asked, incredulously. "Mom, I hate to tell you this, but you're the one out here, in broad daylight, making out all hot and heavy, where everyone can see you." I knew he wasn't really bothered by it, because I could see the little smirk that he was trying to hide and the mischievous glint in his blue eyes. He was enjoying teasing me.

"Keep it up, and you'll see it again. Every single time you walk in a room, I'll lay one on Colby so hot that you-" "NO, OKAY, I'll STOP!" he yelled, throwing his hands over his ears. I laughed and crossed my arms. "Don't play with me, kid. I always win." 

"Yeah, you just wait until I have a girlfriend," he muttered, grinning at me. Colby decided this was funnier than anything that had happened, and let out a loud bark of laughter that actually made me jump. "Okay, okay, truce," I sighed, smiling at Ben. "You little brat." 

The boys started joking around with one another, while I led the way back inside the house. Mom wasn't in the living room, so I assumed she went back to her bedroom. I checked in on her really quick and found her sleeping. 

I tiptoed from the room, and went to my own. I could hear Ben and Colby still talking in the living room, so I took a minute to myself. I dropped my purse on the bed, sat down, and pulled out my cigarettes. Since I didn't really get to smoke outside, I lit one and sucked in a deep lungful of the dingy smoke. 

There really was nothing like it to soothe my nerves. Quitting was going to be a bitch. 

I pulled out my phone to check, while I had nothing else to do. I had forgotten to turn off DND, so I had missed a few texts, calls, and notifications on Instagram and TikTok. Dread settled in my stomach, when I saw that some of the texts and calls were from Will. Would he ever just stop? 

I opened the texts, ready to face whatever he was throwing at me today. Instead of the hateful bullshit that I expected, it was more of an apology and a so called explanation.

"Cal, babe, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean any of what I said. You know I would never hurt you, or your family. I love all of you. I still consider them my family, too. I just got upset. Please forgive me." 

I scrolled down to the next one.

"Callie, please say something! You hate me now, don't you? I'm so so sorry! I take it all back. Everything that I've ever said or done that hurt you...I wish that I could take it all back. I miss you. You were my everything. Life just isn't the same without you. I'm miserable. I wish that I would've showed you how important you are to me, when I had the chance. You think there will ever be a chance for us, again, Cal? I miss you so fucking much. Can we just talk?"