The Choice (a Painful Past)

114

I swirled the straw around in the pretty liquid, as I thought about Colby.

"No competition. You guys are both incredible friends that I didn't and don't deserve. Colby was there when I first started dating Will. He never liked him, but he tried to. For me. Will didn't like him either. Swore that he was in love with me, and only wanted to break us up or get in my pants. Or both, I don't know." I laughed bitterly, thinking about those fights. "Turns out he was half right. Colby had a crush on me, but I thought he had gotten over it, once we became friends. He didn't and I never had a clue. Him not liking Will wasn't about that though."

Denise scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I know Will, so I know why he didn't like him. If Will treated you that way in the beginning, then I can't blame him for not liking the dick."

I sighed heavily. "Yeah, I guess not. I don't know, Necie. It wasn't like that in the beginning. Will wasn't always a dick."

"Um, yes he was." She replied. "I know he was, because I know his type. That douche just didn't show you who he really was, until you were in too deep."

"Okaaaay." I groaned. "I don't want to talk about Will anymore. I thought you wanted to know about Colby."

"I do! Okay, enough about Will. Fuck Will! Will who? Tell me about Colby." She gushed out in one breath.

I glanced at Bryon's face, as he watched her, and I couldn't help but to laugh.

"Breathe, woman!" He exclaimed.

She glanced over to him and rolled her eyes.

"Shush, so I can hear about this hot guy that Callie is talking to!" She replied, as she jokingly dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

"Ooo yes, let's hear it about this luscious man, Callie! Do tell!" He said, as he rested his chin on his hand, and looked at me.

I giggled again and looked back down at my drink. It was easier to talk, when I didn't have everyone looking at me.

I took another long sip of the fruity cocktail, as I thought back to my friendship with Colby. It had been so long since I had talked about him to anyone. I hadn't even allowed myself to think too hard about the memories that I had of him, because they just made me miss him more.

They made me miss myself and who we were then.

"I kissed him, ya know? Did I ever tell you that?" I asked, looking back up at Denise.

She nodded.

"Yeah, when you were both at that party or something, right? Playing Spin the Bottle?"

I shook my head. "Yes, but that's not the time that I'm talking about. I guess I kissed him twice. It was the first time that I had broken up with Will. I was drunk, heartbroken, and crying on an old man's rooftop. Colby found me up there. He comforted me and made sure that I didn't break my damn neck falling off of that roof. I don't remember why I kissed him, or what possessed me to do such a thing. He was only 15 to my 17 at the time, I think. I do remember thinking that a kid his age shouldn't know how to kiss so well." I laughed and felt my face heat up, just from the memory.

That entire night was mostly a blur, but I remembered that kiss.

"Damn, you filthy cougar." Denise laughed.

"I don't know, Cal. You may want to stop talking until you have a lawyer present. Telling me this story could be incriminating for you." Bryon said, grinning at me.

He really was a good guy.

"Whatever." I replied, smiling back. "That's how I felt though. Like I had just done something really bad with a minor, even though I was technically still a minor myself. It was weird. You know how that is, when you're a teenager? How even one year age difference can seem so huge. Two years is nothing now."

"You're telling me!" Denise exclaimed. "I'm dating a 21 year old! I mean, really, the man is just barely legal drinking age!"

"Oh, that's right!" I laughed. "I forgot that Bryon was younger than you. Hell, I tend to forget that you're younger than me. You and Colby are the same age."

"Yeah, I'm still a baby, blah, blah, blah." Bryon replied, rolling his eyes. "If I can take down meth heads, then I can date a woman who's a little bit older. Besides, I like my women a little older."

He wrapped his arm around Denise's shoulders and pulled her against his side. She giggled and leaned up to give him a quick kiss.

"Dork." She replied, before she leaned towards me again. "So, tell me more! What have you guys been talking about? Why didn't you tell me that you were talking to him again? Do you like him?"

I just stared at her for a second, trying to keep her questions straight.

"On that note, I'm going to go get you ladies a couple more drinks. Be right back. Don't show her any shirtless pics, while I'm gone, if this guy has abs. Don't do me like that, Callie." Bryon said, as he sent Denise a wink.

"Of course not." I replied, smiling at him.

As soon as he walked away, Denise cut her eyes to mine.

"Show me shirtless pics right now." She demanded, then looked around like we were on a bank heist or something.

I laughed and shook my head.

"You're ridiculous."

"And you love me." She replied.

"Always." I responded. "But, back to Colby. I don't know what we talk about. Everything. Nothing. It depends. Sometimes, we just send stupid ass memes to each other. Other times, we can start talking about the weirdest things, like the universe and how insignificant our own small life can seem, or even weirder, like what flavor ice cream would we be and why. I've told him about Ben, and he's told me what it's like living in LA. We just talk about normal things, I guess."

"That sounds like a beautiful friendship, begging to turn into something more." Denise replied.

I shook my head again.

"No, it's just a great friendship. I would never do anything to jeopardize that. Especially since we just found each other again."

"Hmm, well, I think there's something more between you guys. It's unfortunate that he lives so far away." She said, as she tapped her finger against her chin.