Bad Taste (Part I) // Colby Brock

113 - Rebecca

My head snapped up to the door to find Tara standing there, arms crossed as she glared at me across the room. I frowned, looking to Colby, but he wasn't about to help me on this one. Before I knew it, Tara had zipped across the room then disappeared... or the room disappeared, because she'd ran off with me.

I blinked and we were in a small room with a black bed that filled up three-quarters of it. A black desk sat off to the side covered in pink everything while a closet filled with all sorts of colours sat just next to the door. My eyes moved between everything then to Tara.

"Me and Jake's room," she explained with a big smirk, patting the bed. I realised I was standing just in the room.

I glared at her. "You could have fucking asked to fly off with me," I growled, stationary.

Tara rolled her eyes. "And bother trying to get you away from Colby? I'm not stupid; I knew it wouldn't work. Now sit your ass down, bitch. This is your first errand."

"What is?" I snapped.

Tara started smiling now as she stood up and spun around in a circle, showing off the tube top and combat pants. "I asked you to design something for me, remember?" She asked. "So let's talk through a few details. I know nothing you have to do is urgent."

"Actually, maybe I was halfway fucking through saying—"

"Come and sit, bitch," Tara said, over my stalling. I stood there glaring at her so intensely I didn't know if it was fake or not anymore. I considered going to leave—I knew Colby wouldn't let her force me to stay in here—but I had vaguely agreed to do something for her. I made good on promises.

"Fine, but don't expect to fucking talk to me for at least twenty four hours after."

"Excluding the showcase?" She questioned hopefully.

I shook my head. "No exceptions."

She looked torn now as I moved to sit next to her and found out my personal designing sketchbook. I purposely opened it up at the back to avoid showing her one of the designs I'd already made for her and Katrina. Just little things that I drew when I didn't know what else to do. There was always some sort of inspiration when I thought of this group.

"Where's Colby?" I asked, my voice still harsh.

"Downstairs."

I shoved my foot into the floor as harshly as I could, creating a loud bang. "Colby, save me in fifteen minutes max or I kill you instead of Tara."

Tara listened for a moment for his response. "He ignored you."

"I'm aware. Go. You have fifteen minutes."

Tara started to explain the kind of outfit she wanted, and how she thought it should come across. It appeared she'd done some research because she started saying fashion world terminology—one of which I had to figure out. She had been quite happy about that until I spun it on her with a whole bank of words she had no idea of the meaning for.

We reached the stage of first sketches. Three whole different ideas, each with two sketches. They were only grey pencil, but the actual colours of black weren't going to be much different. I thought I might ask a fast worker like Maggie or Helen to make this for me while I was busy at the showcase. If I sorted this out that quickly, I'd be able to stop Tara's spontaneous running-everywhere-with-me episodes.

While I defined the sketch I thought looked best, Tara started to talk about Jake. At this point, we were just hanging out in her room. Despite knowing he could hear everything she was saying, she moved to explicit detail I didn't need to hear and didn't stop when I glared at her.

I realised too late why she was saying all of this. "So, I told you. Now you have to tell me about last night."

My mouth automatically opened, only to stare at her in part-anger, part-surprise. She was smirking at me thinking she'd backed me into a corner. In a way, she had, but I'd never agreed to this mutual exchange of information. "I never said I would," I argued.

"Oh, come on, even Katrina heard most of it," Tara whined, shoving my shoulder a little too hard. "If you'd rather talk alone, I can take you to the studio instead of Colby."

"No," I said instantly, "unless you wanna make out with me in my office?"

"I'd love to." For some reason, I let myself laugh with Tara. It took her off guard enough for us to continue to giggle afterwards in little bursts. "Is that what you two do while you're gone? Just find different places to fornicate?"

"Tara, don't even go there."

"Oh, we're already there," she replied as she snatched my sketchbook from my hand. I didn't argue, despite wanting to punch her for it. "Sometimes I think you two go off and hang out because you never talk here but then I realise there's no way you don't have your hands on each other. Have I ever told you how horny you are?"

I snorted. "Fuck off."

"Look, I'm not saying I don't jump Jake every time I get the chance, but that's a vampire thing. You're just..." Tara trailed off, smirking at me.

"Are you done?" I asked as I stole my sketchbook back and shoved it into my backpack.

She glanced at her watch. "It's been longer than fifteen minutes, so yes. I'll let you go and kill your boyfriend now."

"Thanks, slut," I muttered, standing up to head for the door.

"Oh, that's my new nickname, is it?" Tara challenged but I ignored her. I walked out into the hall, glancing around. I had no idea where I was, only that it was somewhere in the house. After a moment of hesitation, a breeze flew up to me and Colby appeared. I looked up at him accusingly but he paid no mind to it as his hands carefully landed on my hips.

I made a decision in that moment that I saw as a big step: I let the anger go. Without using my tongue or fist to do so.

"I don't feel like going anywhere in the car," I said, which was all Colby needed to suddenly sweep me literally off my feet and make everything blur around us. I half held my breath.

When I opened my eyes, we were at the studio.