The Choice (a Painful Past)

159 Colby's POV

I thought she deserved way better than that prick. He was always such a deadbeat, controlling piece of shit, and I never understood how she didn't see it. I had tried to like him, to see the side of him that she saw.

The few times that I hung out with them I only saw the way he spoke to her. I only saw the way he would walk ahead of her, instead of beside her. I saw how he left her to carry things from the car.

She even told me how she could never get anything for herself, because he worked for his money, so he got to spend what was left after bills. But I knew that he didn't even pay the bills most of the time. She would go without so many things, just for him to be able to buy his drugs.

She lied for him so much. I was never sure if she was protecting him or protecting herself.

When I left for LA without her, it was the hardest thing that I had ever done. I had this image in my head that she would just jump in my old Corolla, leaving him far behind. I should've known better though. That wasn't who she was.

I watched her take a couple swallows from her drink and noted the way her cheeks were flushed. She must've been feeling the alcohol.

I watched her eyes move slowly around the room at the people sitting on the other bed. They rested gently on each person for a few moments, before they moved on to the next.

Something about Sam had her smiling a little. I assumed it was his laugh, because he was cracking up at something right then.

Just before her eyes landed on me, I looked away. I didn't know why, but I wanted her to have the chance to look at me the way she was looking at everyone else. It was like she was recording every detail to her memory, or maybe she was reliving her past.

I wasn't sure but I wanted to make sure that I was part of whatever it was. I felt her eyes on me, like they were her fingertips caressing my face. The urge to glance at her was almost too much for me to bear, so I closed my eyes for a moment.

"Hey, are you okay?" I heard her whisper.

Her warm breath sent shivers down my spine.

I opened my eyes and met her gaze.

"Yeah, I'm okay." I replied, softly. "Just getting a good buzz now."

Honestly, I was probably on my way past a good buzz and headed to being drunk. Weed always enhanced it for me.

"Oh." She giggled. "Me too. I think I made my drink too strong."

I cracked a grin and leaned over to look in her cup. "Looks like you need another refill. Want me to make it for you?"

She looked down at her cup, like she was surprised that it was almost gone. "Oh. No. I can do it." She answered.

I watched, as she stood and wobbled a little.

I chuckled and took the cup from her.

"How about I make it and you walk with me? That way you won't fall. I think you're a little drunk."

She blushed and shook her head. She never used to blush this much. She seemed to do it all the time now.

"I'm not drunk. Just maybe a good buzz." She replied, sheepishly.

"You should try telling your legs that." I quipped, as I stepped around her.

"Wait!" She exclaimed.

I turned back to see what the matter was.

"I love this song!"

I blinked at her, then started laughing. "I thought something was wrong!" I replied. "Don't do that!"

She smiled and closed her eyes, as she started to move her hips to the beat. I couldn't resist the urge to let my eyes trail down over her body, watching it sway to the music.

It was a fast song. I couldn't, for the life of me, tell what song it was, but my muddled brain did register that it was a fast beat. Somehow, she made it seem slow and erotic, but still on point.

It was strange. I had only dated Instagram model types lately. Even if they weren't models, they still looked that way.

Callie was different. There was a fullness to her that these other girls didn't have. Hell, in LA, your image defined you and the girls were dead set on being totally fit.

I didn't usually think about that sort of thing. If I thought a girl was pretty, then she was pretty. If her personality was amazing, then she turned beautiful.

Now that I was looking at Callie, I recognized how different LA girls were.

Callie rolled her hips, causing my eyes to lock the movement in my memory. I watched her shirt slide up, just a little, giving me a glimpse of the skin beneath. That small stretch of skin almost had me salivating.

What the fuck was wrong with me? I saw girls practically naked on any given day, just walking around outside.

How did one little stretch of Callie's stomach almost have me hitting my knees? I shook my head at myself and turned away from her, back towards the little makeshift drink station.

I poured myself another shot of whiskey and turned it up. The fire raged in my chest for a moment, but it was a smooth fire, with a hint of vanilla. I kind of liked this kind.

As I made Callie's drink, I began to think. It had been a really long time since I had seen, or even spoken, to her.

When she first messaged me, those old feelings had resurfaced, but then faded again. The more we talked, the more my best friend came back to me. There were instances though, like when she laughed and her eyes would sort of sparkle, that my body remembered that crush.

I tried to remind myself that she had never liked me that way, so there was really no point in drudging up old feelings.

Then, my mind wanted to flash back to that damned party. The one where I told her how I felt. The one where she got jealous of the girl I was with.

I had liked seeing her that way. It had given me hope. Then I had kissed her.

I remembered the way her body had responded, pressing into my own. My young mind and heart had jumped for joy. I loved her. I always had.

I had thought that maybe we could finally be together, when that happened. I was wrong. Will had to show his ugly rat face and ruin everything.

I had wanted to kill him that night. I had never even been in a fight, but I wanted to kick his ass so badly. I still wanted to.

I didn't know what all he had put her through, but she was different. She had always been shy and softspoken, unless she got angry. She had avoided conflict, if possible.

Now, it was like she just shut down, if anything became uncomfortable. Her eyes were always looking away, like she was scared of challenging anyone. Her movements were skittish and wary, like she wanted to fade into the background of any place she was at.

She was that way for a while tonight.

Then, Sherri had gotten here, and she opened up a little. Not to us though. Not to me.

I turned around and saw her still moving to the music with her eyes closed. She always did love to dance, when she was drinking.

Her body was more mature now. Fuller.