The Choice (a Painful Past)

29

I guess I wouldn't want him hanging out with other girls that I knew he used to like or who liked him. That was okay.

I sighed again and l looked back at my mother.

"I'm okay, Mom. Sherri and Kat like to drink a lot. I'm not really into that." I replied.

I was telling her the truth. I knew that they had been getting drunk every weekend, and I wasn't really fond of being around that all the time. Give me a blunt any day of the week, but I wasn't big on drinking too much.

I wasn't big on taking care of drunk friends who partied way too hard, either. I was okay with sitting at home with Will, smoking blunts and playing cards.

"I'm just worried about you." She replied, with a heavy sigh.

I smiled and felt my heart swell for the woman who had birthed and raised me. I leaned over and pressed my lips to her cheek.

"I promise that I'm okay, Momma. I'll make plans to spend some time with my other friends, okay?" I replied.

She smiled, as I leaned back into my own seat.

"Okay. That's all I can ask, I guess. I love you, Callie. Oh, and you'll always be my baby girl, even when you're 80."

I laughed, and nodded in agreement. "Yes ma'am."

I still hadn't made any plans to hang out with anyone else. I knew they were probably all hanging out together, and I didn't want to upset Will. Maybe I could invite Sherri and Chad over one weekend to play cards with us.

Maybe that would help Momma see that I still had other people in my life. I mean hell, I still talked to Colby. We had even moved passed texting, and starting talking on the phone a lot.

Probably 2 or 3 times a week. Will didn't like it, so I kept that part from him. He knew that we texted some, and that Colby would occasionally call me, but he didn't know that we talked as much as we did.

Colby had turned into my confidant. Almost the only friend I had now. It didn't even feel like he was younger than me anymore.

I told him everything, literally everything about what was going on with me. My family drama, problems with Will, good times with Will. Everything.

He always listened and offered advice, although he was always sure to tell me that I didn't have to listen to him. I smiled, as I thought about him stuttering that out the first time he had told me that Will shouldn't have gotten mad about something and that I should've cussed him out. I didn't even remember what he had gotten mad about now, but I did remember Colby getting upset at him for it.

I didn't think he liked Will all that much, but he had never said anything. Besides, telling me that he thought Will should treat me better, but he didn't see us when we were together. All he knew was what I told him.

Maybe I should stop telling him every little bad moment that we had, so that he could have a chance to get to know the real Will. The one that I knew. I would love to have my two fave guys be friends.

The more I thought about it, the more I knew that was what I wanted. So, while I had the night free from Will, I picked up my phone to call Colby.

"Hey!" He said excitedly, answering the phone.

"Hey." I giggled.

"Why are you calling me so early? I thought we were keeping our relationship a secret." He replied.

I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever." I replied. "So, what's up? What are your plans on this Friday night?"

"Well, I was thinking about going to Luke's again, but I'm not really feeling it. I'm actually going to hang out with a new friend. Sam Golbach. Do you know him?"

I shook my head, even though he couldn't see me. "No, I haven't heard of him. But I don't know that many freshmen."

I could hear the eye roll in his voice, when he replied. "Oh, so sorry Ms. Junior. I forgot that us lowly freshmen didn't show up on your radar."

"Oh, shut it." I replied, laughing. "I just don't have any opportunity to know that many. Do you know that many juniors?"

"Well..." He mused, thinking about it. "I guess not. Damn, and I thought that I had a good reply. Jokes on me, I guess."

We ended up talking about everything and nothing for a good two hours, before I asked him what I wanted to ask him. "So, um..." I stalled.

"What is it, Callie? I don't like it when you hesitate. That means you're about to talk about something big, and I was having a good time talking to you. Shit."

I laughed again. "No, you dork. It's not bad. I just...so, I wanted to know, if it's okay with Will, if you wanted to come hang out with us one weekend. Kind of get to know him. I think you would like him, if you gave him a chance."

He was quiet for a long moment, before answering. I even checked the phone screen to see if he was still connected. Finally, I heard him let out a long sigh.

"I don't know, Cal. I mean, I'm not crazy about the guy. I see how hurt you get from the things that he does or says, and I don't know if I can look past that." He replied, heavily.

"I know, Colby, but I only tell you the bad things. I mean, I tell you some good things, but I tell you ALL of the bad things. You have a warped image of him, because of me. Please? Just give him a chance? Please, with cherries on top?" He was quiet again, so I kept going. "With sprinkles, and chocolate syrup, and caramel, and whipped cream, and-"

"Shut up." He laughed. "Fine, but I don't think it's gonna happen. He doesn't like me either. I can tell by the way he sounds when he catches you on the phone with me, or when I see you guys in town. He always gives that 'eat shit and die' look. But, IF he agrees, then I'm fine with it."

I let out a happy squeal. "YEEEE, thank you, thank you, thank you! It'll be fun, I promise! You can even bring a date, if you want, and we'll go play laser tag, or something!"

"Nah, I might bring a friend though, so I don't feel so alone. I'm only interested in one girl and she just can't see it." He replied.

"Aww, I'm sorry, Colby. Well, she doesn't know what she's missing out on. You're a great guy." I said, quietly. "Maybe you should just take a chance and ask her out. See what she says."

"No, I don't think that's a good idea." He replied.