The Choice (a Painful Past)

156

Sam answered it, while Colby made himself a drink.

Their old friend, Nate, stood at the door.

"Yo, what's up man?!" Sam exclaimed.

"Nate, brother, glad you could make it!" Colby said, looking up from his task. "Let me make you a drink."

They all greeted each other, then Nate's eyes fell on me.

"Wait, I know you." He said, softly.

I nodded and smiled.

"I know you too."

He looked about the same, just a little older, with longer hair and a thin, scruffy beard.

"Callie, right?" He asked.

"Yup, that's me." I replied.

"Ahhaa," He murmured, with a knowing look at Colby.

They exchanged a knowing glance and had a silent conversation with their eyes.

"Well, it's nice to see you again." He finally added.

"You too." I answered, awkwardly.

I didn't really know Nate. Hell, I barely knew Sam, when we were all in school. I just spoke to him a little more because he and Colby were always together.

I wondered what that look that he exchanged with Colby was about. I felt a surge of insecurity, so I positioned myself to where I could kind of hide my stomach pouch.

How were they all so fucking good looking? I didn't belong here. I felt like the ugly duckling who never made it to the beautiful swan.

My phone buzzed, so I grabbed it up grateful for the distraction.

While I wished that it was a phone call from someone, anyone, it was just a text from Sherri.

"Shawn said okay. We're leaving now. Be there in about 15."

"Oh, thank God." I whispered.

15 minutes before I didn't feel like a total outcast.

What possessed me to agree to this? I had no clue how to talk to any of them. Not even Colby.

It was easy when we were alone, but he was reminiscing with his friends now, and I didn't belong in that conversation. None of them were paying attention to me, so I sipped my drink and silently watched them.

Nate seemed to be less animated, quieter than the other two. His eyes danced when they brought up something from the past though. His laugh was deep, but light and easy.

Sam used his hands to talk, emphasizing his words. His laughter brought a smile to my face, as I noticed the crinkles by his eyes.

"Remember when we stole that car?" He was asking.

I had never heard that story. I wanted to listen, but my attention was drawn to Colby's face. He was laughing, letting it start deep in his chest, then just bubbling out of his mouth.

It might have been the best sound I had ever heard. His blue eyes sparkled, like Sam's, but softer. I could see his younger self. My best friend.

He was there, behind the chiseled jawline, the slight scruff on his upper lip and chin, and there was wisdom in the eyes that used to be so innocent. He had seen some things, done some things, that had hurt him and made him see the world in a different way. I guess we all had.

I hated to think about anyone hurting him though. When I watched them on YouTube, it was different. It was like, yeah, I knew those guys, but not really.

The ones on my television screen were different from the ones that I had once known. Even when they lived in that first house with all the other people and made all of those childlike, fun videos, they still weren't the guys that I had known. I could still see them in those guys, but not like I could now.

It was a lot different than looking at them through a screen.

When Colby looked over at me and winked, that's when I realized that I had been staring at him for a while. Shit. I blushed and looked down at my phone.

When the fuck was Sherri going to be here? I needed someone to keep me from acting like a damn fool. I drank a little more of my drink, noting that I would need a refill soon.

I could taste no alcohol in it, but the flushed feeling that I was getting let me know that there was definitely some in it.

Another knock sounded on the door and Colby walked over to answer it. When I saw my cousin's face, relief flooded through me.

"Finally!" I exclaimed, as I jumped up to greet her.

"Sherri, it's nice to see you again. Sorry I missed you at the party. You were already gone before we got there." Colby greeted her.

"So I heard." She replied, giving me a sly grin. "It's nice to see you too, Colby."

She leaned in for a one-armed hug, while Shawn stood behind her with a set jaw.

He had always been the jealous type.

"Shawn, this is Colby. Colby, my boyfriend, Shawn."

"I know who he is. We were in the same grade." Shawn replied, gruffly.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." I murmured.

He was two years younger than Sherri and I.

"Good to see you, dude." Colby said, holding his hand out to Shawn.

"You too." Shawn replied, as he shook his hand.

He still didn't look the most comfortable being there, but Colby knew exactly what to do.

"Come on in." He said, standing back from the door. "We were just about to twist one up."

"Yeah?" Shawn asked, raising his eyebrows. "Nice. I can put in on it."

Colby shook his head. "No need. We have plenty. Thanks though. This is that high grade shit too. Come check it out."

Shawn walked over to Sam's bed, where he already had a rolling tray out, with blunt wraps, a pipe, and rolling papers on it. They moved fast.

Sherri rolled her eyes at me, smiling, then came to sit next to me.

"Girl, he is fucking gorgeous, holy shit!" She whispered.

It would not be a good thing, if Shawn were to hear her say that.

I blushed and nodded.

"You're telling me!" I whispered back. "The fuck did that happen?"

"I told you he would be. I said he was going to be hot as fuck, when he grew into himself." She replied. "You just never saw it, because he was your friend."

I thought back to mine and Colby's relationship when we were younger. "I only ever saw him. Never his looks. Except those damn eyes. They always seemed to hold me hostage." I murmured.

"He keeps looking over here." She whispered, bumping me with her shoulder.

"What? Stop looking at them!" I exclaimed, quietly.

"What are you drinking? You know your cup is empty, right?" She replied, in a normal tone.

"It's actually the same drink that I drank when we were in school." I replied, laughing a little.

"You don't mean that sour watermelon vodka stuff, do you? I never understood how you drank that. It's so damn sour, then you mix it with fucking lemonade. Yuck." She gagged.

"Whatever!" I replied. "It tastes better than your damn Corona." I motioned to the beer that she had in her hand.

"You don't like any beer, so your opinion on that is irrelevant." She stated, before taking a swig of her drink.

I laughed and stood up to go make myself another drink.

She followed me over to the table and watched me mix my drink.