The Choice (a Painful Past)

59

I couldn't put that relationship in danger, just because I was a little jealous of some girl. Plus, there was Will, who I truly did love. I knew he was waiting for my answer, and I knew what he was hoping that it would be...but I couldn't.

I shook my head slightly, and watched his hopeful expression falter.

"No, Colby, I don't. Not like you want me to. I love you, but only as a friend. I'm sorry." I whispered.

His eyes flashed a little with anger, and I prepared myself to take it.

Instead of yelling at me, he grabbed my arms and crashed his lips to mine. My mind went blank for a few seconds, before I realized what was happening.

His lips and tongue were working me in ways that I hadn't experienced since the last time I had kissed him. I wasn't fighting him. No, instead, my treacherous body was kissing him back.

I yanked myself back, and pushed against his chest at the same time, so that I stumbled back.

"You can't tell me that you didn't feel anything." He demanded.

"Don't." I said, holding my hand up when he took a step towards me.

He stopped in his tracks.

"Don't ever put your mouth on me again, unless I ask you to. I mean it, Colby."

Then, the worst possible thing that could've happened at that moment, happened. Will and Dusty came around the corner, intruding on an already awkward moment.

"What's going on over here?" Will asked, staring at Colby like he'd love to bash his head in.

Colby glared right back, not backing down. Shit.

"Nothing." I replied, walking over to Will and taking his hand. "We had a little disagreement, that's all."

"Sounded like more than a little disagreement. We could hear you all the way over by the fire pit. We could hear every word." He said, with steel in his tone.

Shit. That was when I realized that the music was no longer playing. Curse my fucking bad luck!

"Oh, um..." I didn't have an answer, or an explanation.

What could I say?

"I think you should leave." Will said, holding Colby's gaze.

"I'll leave if Callie wants me to leave." He replied.

Colby was a good couple of inches shorter than Will, but their build was about the same. I knew that Will had mainly just fought his brother and I was thinking the same about Colby. But, I also knew that Will had an extreme anger issue and I didn't want him to hurt Colby.

Plus, Dusty was right beside him, and I knew that he would probably jump on Colby, too.

"Don't do this." I whispered, as I moved to stand in front of Will. "Just let it go." I begged him.

He shook his head and kept his eyes on Colby.

"No. I'm not letting this go." He replied, moving his gaze down to mine.

There was pure hatred in those usually loving hazel eyes.

"I told you. I TOLD you that he was trying to get with you, but did you listen? No, of course not, because Callie always knows everything! You're fucking stupid, for not seeing how obsessed with you he is! Guys and girls cannot be friends, Callie. I've told you this a million times. The guy is only friends with the girl because he wants to fuck her. That's it. This friendship that you hold so dear to your precious little heart is all a big LIE. Maybe you'll believe me now." He was yelling loudly, so a lot of others from the party had made their way around to us to see what was going on.

"I believe you." I replied, softly, just to appease him.

I put my hands on either side of his face and held his gaze, before I pressed my lips to his.

"There's only you, okay? It's always been just you, Will. I don't think of Colby that way. I never have. You have to trust me, even if you don't trust him."

He didn't reply, and I could still see the storm raging behind his eyes. It was time for everyone to go home. I glanced at Dusty, begging him with my eyes to get Will away from here.

Take him inside or something, I didn't care.

He gave me a quick nod, then took Will's arm.

"Look dog, let's go get you another drink. Callie is going to make him leave, then she'll come find us, alright brother?"

"I don't need your help." Will spat at him.

He gave me one last seething look, before he shoved past me, shoved Colby, then stomped up the stairs and slammed the back door. I let out a sigh and met Colby's eyes.

"Give me a minute." I said, stoically.

I turned back to the crowd and met their amused gazes.

"It's time for everyone to leave. There's enough drama here without everyone else inventing shit, so please get your stuff and leave."

I turned back towards Colby to see Sherri and Jen coming out the back door, with scared expressions on their faces. Sherri hurried towards me, while Jen stopped near Colby.

"What happened?" She whispered. "Will is raging in there. He's, like, scary mad, Cal."

"I'll tell you in a bit." I murmured. "Help me get everyone out of here, while I talk to Colby for a minute, please?"

Worry grew in her eyes, as she held my gaze. "Okay. I'll take care of it." She replied, softly. "Do what you need to."

I nodded, met Colby's eyes again, then walked past him to the backyard. If he wanted to talk alone, then he knew what to do. Another minute later, he rounded the corner and walked to the trampoline, where I was leaning back against it, staring up at the sky.

He rested his back against it, leaving a couple of feet between us. Things were different for us now. Something was broken.

I could feel it.

"Colby." I said, at the same time He said "Callie."

We looked at each other and smiled.

"Let me go first. Please, Callie. I need to say this." I nodded and waited for him to speak.

After a moment of silence that felt like forever, he finally did.

"We've been friends for a while now. I've had a crush on you since the day I saw you getting out of the truck over at Kat's house. Then I got to know you, and yes, I fell in love with you. Will's right about that. I have wanted you from the start, but he's wrong about our friendship. Even if you never give me a chance, I still treasure our friendship. It means the world to me. You mean the world to me."