In Another Life

13

"God danggit," Sam muttered and followed me out onto the platform. We automatically saw Colby's leg, and his hand reaching around, trying to find good ground to rest on. "Brother, what in the actual FUCK are you doing?? Can we not go to one place without you climbing on shit trying to kill yourself?" Sam cried out, rushing to where Colby's arm was still flailing about. Colby's head turned, and I saw that grin that lit up his face. "Oh hey Sam." His eyes flicked to mine. "Did you rat me out Princess?" Sam reached up and guided his foot to the ledge, then climbed up onto the rail and helped pull him around to this side. Once they were both safely on the balcony, I let out the breath that I hadn't realized I was holding, feeling the oxygen flood back into my burning lungs. I glanced down over the railing, seeing how far up we were, and felt my stomach drop again. "Don't ever fucking do that again Colby Brock. Not while I'm around you," I said, meeting his gaze, my voice dropping an octave. That little smirk crossed his lips again, as he looked at me. "I'm a professional. I won't die," he replied, laughing a little when Sam just cursed, shook his head, and walked back inside the room. "Appreciate the help Brother!" Colby yelled, to his retreating back. Sam closed the balcony door and ignored him. I wanted to laugh, but I was honestly still shaken. I knew they did things like this, probably all of the time, but to see it happen, imagine what could have happened, was an entirely different thing. "Hey, you okay?" Colby asked, his voice going all soft. My heart skipped a beat, when I felt his hand on my arm. "Yeeahh, I guess. Just not used to that kind of stuff. That was extreme," I replied. He chuckled, and threw his arm around my shoulder, guiding me towards the door. "It's normal around here. Come on, let's get you guys some food. Call your friends and tell them to come on over." Colby Brock's arm was around my neck...the fuck was happening right now? Once we were back inside the room, he removed his arm to slide the door closed. Goosebumps erupted on my skin where his arm had been, being denied the warmth that was previously there. I rubbed the back of my neck, and looked around the room. Colby walked past me, and walked in between the two beds, falling down on the one closest to the door. Jake and Tara were stretched out on the other one. Sam had taken his previous seat next to the balcony door, and Brennen was sitting on the other side of the bed that Colby had just sat on. What was I doing here? "Sooo, you gonna call em or stand there staring at us all day?" Jake asked, looking at me. Tara smacked him in the chest. "Oof," he said, reaching up to rub where she had hit. "What'd you do that for?" he whined. She rolled her eyes, then glanced at me, before she looked back to him. "Don't be rude. This is probably pretty wild for her." He looked at me, a little surprised. "I wasn't trying to be rude. Sorry." I shook my head and cracked a small smile. "I didn't take it that way. It's okay. I'm just still in shock I think. This is weird and doesn't seem real..." I let my voice trail off, still looking around the room, taking in what everyone was doing. Sam was already eating with one hand, and playing on this phone with the other. I was standing almost right behind him, so I could see that he was scrolling Twitter. I looked away, not wanting to be nosy. Okay, I did want to be nosy, but I didn't want to be rude. Brennen was eating too, pushing Colby's hands back from his tray that room service had delivered. "No bro, you wanted Taco Bell! Get out of my food!" "Come on man, my food is next door! I'm hungry!" Realization came over his beautiful face as I watched, and his eyes swung over to meet mine again. "Hey, tell your friends to please grab my food. I couldn't climb with it. Don't know if I left it in the room or the balcony," he said, looking up and rubbing his chin in thought. Damn it, but he was sexy. Every little move...I watched him lick his lips, then try to duck around Brennen again and grab a fry. Oh yeah. Call my friends. I let out a deep breath, and pulled out my phone. Denise answered on the first ring. "What the fuck is going on? Are you next door? Is Colby okay? Are you-" "Necee, shut up!" I yelled into the phone. "Everything is fine. Everyone is fine. You guys can come over and get something to eat now. Oh, and grab the Taco Bell bags that Colby left. See you in a few." I hung up before she could reply so that they would hurry up and get over here. I was nervous as shit. I glanced around the room again, letting it fully sink in that I was surrounded by these amazing people that I watched through a screen every day. I had to get over being star struck if I was going to seem like I had any sort of intelligence though. They were just people. Amazing fucking people that I loved, that I felt like I knew, even though they had no clue who I was...yeah, that was a little weird, but whatever. I noticed Tara looking at me, so I kind of smiled awkwardly. "Come sit down. I'm sure your friends will be here soon." She scooted over on the bed, pushing Jake so that he would make more room. I headed towards her, gratefully, because I had no clue what to do, when a knock sounded on the door. Brennen jumped up to answer it, pushing the table with his food on it away from the bed, so that Colby couldn't reach it.