The Choice (a Painful Past)

140

He was right. It was going to be extremely hard to outdo myself next year, but I was certain that I could do it. I already had some cash saved up, from cleaning people's houses and doing odd jobs, to buy him a car for his 16th birthday.

I wasn't sure how good of a party he could have yet, but his gift would be amazing.

I waited until the cleanup part was finished, before I pulled the ice cream cake from the freezer and stuck it next to all of the presents that I had piled onto the table by the door.

"Sam, you about finished over there?" Colby called out to his friend.

Sam looked up from where he was stripping the last sheet of black paper from the windows.

"Yeah, all finished. What's up?" He asked.

"Come help me load this stuff in Callie's car." Colby replied, as he loaded his arms down with gifts.

"You really don't have to do that." I said, as I piled my arms high with gifts and cake. "I can manage."

"Yeah, I know you can. Doesn't mean that you should have to." He said, quietly.

I didn't really know how to reply, so I kept quiet and headed towards my car. I set everything down on top of the car, so that I could unlock it. We piled everything into the car, making sure that it wouldn't fall, then I closed the door and turned towards them.

They looked so out of place in this rural surrounding. Sam, with his perfectly styled messy blonde hair, and his expensive, crisp, casual clothes.

He just looked so...clean? I couldn't find the right word, but he definitely didn't fit in here.

Then, there was Colby, with his black zipper pants, with chains hanging down on his hip, and his black, button up shirt with the red lightning strikes all over it. He had bulky, silver rings adorning his hands, and chains hanging from his neck. His look was slightly darker.

More emo, I guess. More of the style that I liked for myself but was never brave enough to attempt it. They both just looked way too expensive to be here.

"Thanks for the help." I said, as we stood around my car.

I felt awkward, but then again, I usually did. They were both just looking at me, like I was supposed to tell them what to do next.

"Um, I guess I'm going to head home. Hopefully, I'll see you guys again before you leave." I said, quietly.

"Oh, you will. Because you're going out with us tomorrow night." Sam replied, with a big smile.

He glanced at Colby, then back to me.

"Isn't that right, Colby?"

I shook my head, before Colby could answer. "Thank you for the offer, but no thanks. I'm not really into going out anymore. I don't function well, in a public setting with a lot of drinking and stuff." I replied.

"Well, what if we bring the party back to our hotel room instead? You can invite some friends, or it can just be us. We just want to relax and drink a little." Colby interjected.

Me, going to their hotel?

Where they slept? Um...I felt extremely nervous to agree to something like that, but I knew that Denise would kick my ass, if she found out that I had turned down the offer. And she would find out.

"Uh, I guess. You shouldn't change your plans to accommodate me though." I said, quietly.

I silently prayed that they would change their minds right then and there.

"Are you sure that you don't have something else you would rather do though?"

One of those big, beautiful smiles spread across his face. "Nothing at all. Catching up with you is the only thing I'm certain about, while we're here."

I felt like I wanted to throw up from how nervous I was getting. They were both just standing there, looking at me. I hated it.

"Um, yeah, catching up with old friends is great." I murmured. "Okay, well, I'm gonna go. I'm really tired, but I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

I noticed that his smile had faded just a little, as he stepped aside for Sam to hug me. I wondered why.

Did he realize his mistake already? There's no way that seeing me was the only thing he wanted to do while he was here. I was positive that they would have more fun at the little bar, than they would have with me.

I didn't even really drink.

Sam hugged me tightly, and rubbed my back, before stepping back.

"This has been one hell of a party, Callie. Thanks for having us." He laughed.

"Yeah, you kind of invited yourselves." I giggled, letting go of a little bit of that nervousness.

"Well, thanks for not kicking us to the curb then." He quipped.

I rolled my eyes and looked at Colby. He leaned in, and it felt like time slowed down or something. My stomach started to do those back flips again, signaling that the nerves were coming back.

Why did he make me so nervous now? It didn't used to be that way. It wasn't that way when we talked on the phone.

This didn't make sense. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest. He wasn't that much taller than me, but if I ducked my head, I could fit perfectly against his chest.

I wrapped my arms around him in return and relaxed a little, as he held me, just like I did when we were dancing. I didn't recognize the feeling that I got in his arms. It was different, but somehow, familiar.

Which didn't make any sense, because I didn't make a habit of being in his arms often, when we were kids. I felt one of his hands start to rub against my back. Like Sam had, but with a little more pressure.

It felt amazing. I kind of wanted to stand here forever, just so he would keep doing that.

That was definitely something that I missed from Will. He used to massage my back a lot. Of course, he always had sex being the ending agenda, so I never completely relaxed, but at least I got a massage.

I hadn't had one in forever, because it was just too expensive to go to a spa, or wherever I was supposed to go to get one.

When Colby finally let me go, I felt like I wanted to cry. Like another part of my life, from before I had changed who I was, was disappearing again. That made no sense though.

I had to be PMSing or something. It was probably just exhaustion and the emotions that I got from seeing my old friends. I just needed to sleep it off.

"It was really nice of you guys to do this for Ben tonight. You have no idea how much I appreciate it." I said, looking at them both. "You definitely made it a night he'll never forget."

"We didn't do that. You did." Sam said. "We'll see you tomorrow, Cal." He walked away, to the driver's side of their rental, while Colby stayed in front of me.

"So," Colby said, as he reached his hand behind his head and ruffled the hair there.

I could almost see the boy that he used to be, with that move.

"So," I repeated.

"What time do you think you'll be able to come to the hotel tomorrow? Or, do you want me to come pick you up? I can come pick you up." He rambled.