The Choice (a Painful Past)

165 Colby's POV

Sherri nodded and smiled.

"Okay. We'll probably be leaving soon. Is she staying or does she need to ride with us?"

I didn't know. I hoped that she would stay with me, but I had no idea how she would feel about that. Not that I was going to try anything.

I just wanted to watch over her. I would even sleep on the floor and let her have my bed. Nate could sleep with Sam.

I shrugged.

"I don't know. You'd have to ask her."

She watched me for another moment, then put her hand on my shoulder. "How about I don't ask her? Take care of her."

I looked at her quizzically, then nodded. "I will." I promised.

She nodded again, then walked back over to where Shawn was.

"Colby!" Sam yelled, as I turned back towards the door.

"What?" I yelled back, as I maneuvered the door open.

"Where are you going, dude?! Join the party!" He exclaimed, loudly.

"Later!" I replied, then walked through the door and let it close behind me.

It wasn't actually a party, and even if it was, I would rather be out here, in the quiet night, with Callie.

I thought she had passed out, when I first saw her slumped over, with the gate against her back, but she looked up and smiled, when I came closer. Her eyes were slightly out of focus and her cheeks were flushed, but her smile...that was perfect.

When I passed her the drink, she bit down on that plump bottom lip, and I almost groaned. I had to remember that I wasn't here for that. I would not make a pass at her.

Maybe I should stop drinking, because I wouldn't be able to control myself, if I drank much more. Obviously, if she pushed me away, then I would have to accept it, but I didn't even want to make the advancement. Not when she was opening up to me the way she was.

That could wait until another time.

I vowed to kiss those perfect, full lips before I left this little town though. I had to.

"What are you sh-staring at?" She slurred, looking at me blearily.

"You." I chuckled. "You're wasted."

She shook her head and patted the ground next to her. "Washted would entile, no, that's not a word. Enter, entra, entail? Yeah, that would entail that I was ushed or emaciated, and I am neither of those thinshs, sir."

Wow, she was lit.

"Okay, if you want to tell me the rest of your story, then you better hurry, because you can barely even speak." I laughed.

"What-EVEEEER." She dragged out the word, making a W with her hands.

"Jesus Christ." I whispered.

I had never seen her like this. The closest that I had ever come to seeing her like this, had to be the night that she was wasted on the roof, after Will cheated on her. She was way more gone tonight, though.

"Okay, shhhh, let me tell my shtory." She slurred.

I motioned my hand to let her know to continue.

She blew me a kiss, which felt like a punch in the gut, then started talking.

"So, the sheating was all the time. I losst count of how many sluts he wasg wit. It got to where I would...I would just ignore it. I jush was never enough for him. I never ushe to think about if other girls were pretty or not. I didn't juchge. But...but there hash to be something wrong with me if...all of them usher girls were not pretty. That's when I realized how ugly I really am. I knew that I would jush be alone forever n ever, if I left him. I was shcared of that. Of being alone."

She fell silent for a moment and drank more of her drink.

Rage was building up inside of me, like I had never felt before.

"You are NOT ugly, Callista. You could never be. I'm sorry he made you feel that way." I whispered, taking her free hand in mine.

I waited to see if she would pull away, but she didn't. I let out a small sigh of relief and started rubbing my thumb across the top of her hand. Just a small amount of comfort that I could give to her.

The tears were falling freely from her beautiful eyes now, and it ripped my heart apart.

"I could kill him." I hissed, vehemently.

She started laughing and wiped her eyes.

"He's like a cockroach. He'll never die. He'll jush keep living, keep destroying everyone he comesh acrossh."

"Yeah, well, I can stomp the shit out of a cockroach." I insisted, squeezing her hand.

She let out a short, sad laugh and let her head drop back against the gate.

"He made me feel worthlesh. Like I was crazy and shtupid. Alwaysh telling me that I was crazy for thinking he was cheating or doing drugsh. Somehow, it was alwaysh my fault. I didn't do enough in bed. I didn't clean the housh well enough. I wouldn't stop naggin at him, so he needed a break. Whether it was girls or drugsh, it was always my fault. He let me know that no one else could ever love me. Sho, I had to deal with the other girlsh, and with him shpending all our money on drugs, or whatever elsh he wanted. Did you know that I had to beg my momma for money jush to get tamponsh? I couldn't even buy a $6 box of tampons, unless I could count enough change up. He never did anyfing with Ben, either. Football, bashketball, Taek- Tyk- ugh, the karate shtuff. He never went to any of the events. I had to hide money to be able to even afford the thingsh that B needed. So sad. He shtole my mom's IPad, B's phone, and his PS4. All for crack, or whatever he wagsh doing at that time. I can't be- believe *hiccup* that I put them through that shit for sho looong." Her last sentence turned into a whimper, so I put my arm around her and pulled her against my chest.

I stroked her hair, as she started to cry.

"It's okay, Cal. I'm here. I'm so fucking sorry that he put you through that. You didn't deserve any of it. You never did and you still don't. You've done an amazing job with your mom and with Ben. You're one of the best people that I know. He took advantage of your good nature and turned it into something ugly. I wish you could see just how amazing you are for trying to see the good in him. For giving him chances and trying to help him be better. You even made him go to rehab, for God's sake!" I exclaimed.

She sniffled and looked up at me, in surprise.

"How did you know about that?" She whimpered.

"Oh, um, I-" I stammered.

I had seen that on one of the rare occasions that I had looked her up on Facebook. Shit.

"Are you sure you didn't tell me?" I asked.

"I'm positive." She whispered, still staring at me with those damned, hypnotizing eyes.

"Okay." I sighed. "I may have looked you up on Facebook throughout the years. Just a few times."

She sat up slowly, giving me the strangest look. "You cyberstalked me?" She asked, quietly.

"No!" I exclaimed. "I mean, not really. I was just checking up on you. Seeing how you were. Cal, you wouldn't talk to me. That's the only way I had to know that you were even still alive. I'm sorry."

She shook her head and leaned towards me slowly.

I knew it was coming. I felt it.