twenty-seven.

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"I like you." I whisper, waiting for his response.

He looks at me blankly.

I stare back, almost ready to cry.

One of the things I know best to do.

Colby, please say something.
Anything.
I can't bare the silence.
My fragile heart can't take it.

He glances down for a second and smiles at me.

I didn't expect it. All I could do was smile back.

Our smiles turn into small giggles and then full on laughs, and you probably would've just thought of two jokers being maniacs in a random car.

Our laughs die down until we were back to just smiling.

"You don't know how relieved I am," Colby grins.

"You're relieved? I'm relieved! Colby, you made my heart beat out of my chest," I laugh.

"You've been making my heart beat out of my chest ever since I met you," He murmurs shyly.

It was the most adorable thing in the world.

"Why, why me though. Honestly, I don't understand your logic, Brock. How could one like a hideous twig like me?"

He sighs, "Ashlyn, I think you'll never understand your worth to me."

"I don't understand, how am I worth something?" I ask.

"Girls never understand how amazing they actually are. And by girls, I mean you. You underestimate yourself to people a little too often, Neil. Hello Miss Valedictorian, wake up," He smiles.

I giggle, "You sure flipped me upside down... how is this even possible?"

"You ask way too many questions," He chuckles lowly.

"Well, when you just admit that you like someone, you might not know what the hell to say!"

He rolls his eyes, "I can't pretend like I hate you anymore, but you are too easy to tease, kid."

"Gee, thanks," I sarcastically say.

But in other words, my insides are so happy.

His true personality has finally been revealed for me. A true change that I hope will be forever.

He laughs slightly, "C'mon, let's go somewhere instead the side of this road." Colby starts the car again, and begins to drive. We lower all the windows and the wind blows our hair freely as we cruise along by Moonstone Beach.

I plug my phone in the aux cord and turn on Midnight City by M83. I look at Colby and he looks at me back, and we smile.

Never would have thought, Colby fucking Brock,

would like me too.

///// A/N: PLEASE READ THE END DESCRIPTION.

"What's my favorite video-game?"

"Kingdom Hearts. Was that suppose to be challenging?" I laugh.

Colby and I had just pulled up to a nice spot on an empty road, overlooking the view of the sunset.

"What's my dog's name?" I ask.

He thinks about it for a second. "You don't have a dog," He says in a matter of a fact type manner.

"Woah, correct. Thought I could trick you there..." I giggle.

He shakes his head, "Funny joke, you can't fool me, no sirree."

I gasp, "I'm a ma'am, Sir Cole Robert Brock."

He chuckles lowly, "My bad, m'lady."

We laugh again. "You know too much about me," I say.

"I know too much about you?" He asks, fake shocked, "Not surprised, I do know too much about you." He ends with a shrug.

I smile, "You're somethin' else, boy."

"Damn straight."

I smile and look away for a second to gaze at the sunset. He notices me staring at it and he pays his attention to its beautiful blues, pale yellow and red shades.

"Do you ever wish you could just go back in time and change everything?" I ask in a hush.

"Why do you ask?" He asks back.

"I'm curious to know. Especially since I don't know your answer for once," I half grin.

He gives a happy nod, "Well, I don't. The past is in the past, and you can't change anything about it once something's been done."

"But why wouldn't you change anything?" I counter.

I want him to say that he wishes he didn't treat me poorly back then, as conceded as it is.

"Because if I change something from the past, I wouldn't be where I am now," He smiles sincerely.

"And where are you?"

"Sitting right here," He pats the seat, "With you."

"Cheesy, cheesy," I blush.

That was a better answer than the one that was just circling my thoughts.

"Would you change anything from the past?"

Suddenly becoming shy, I whisper, "Nope. Not anymore. You're right, I wouldn't change anything."

He grins, "Good. There are people out there who are so inconsiderate, they don't think about the lives they affect. Those are the people who aren't worth changing for."

"Don't change for me, Colby Brock," I say.

"Only if you don't change for me, Ashlyn Neil."

"Colby... I haven't told anyone I've liked you."

"Well, I haven't admitted it to anyone yet either. So?"

I look down, sadness growing across my cheeks, "You're dating Ellie. Ellie's going to hate me."

"Screw Ellie, Ash. Screw fucking Ellie." He states.

I'm a little shocked he'd say something so insensitive. She's still my best friend.

"Colby, I've known her since I started learning the alphabet. I can't fucking 'screw' her. Why would you say that?" I defend.

He looks back, equally shocked. He wipes his mouth, "D-dd you just not?!" he glances back and forth, "Did you not see her being a drunken mess, she's fucking some other dude right at the moment. She invited me to a threesome, she has no chill, like- like she's been a real whore lately."

"That WHORE is my best friend! Also, keyword is drunken. She's drunk, she won't remember when she gets the hangover tomorrow." I persuade.

"Okay, yeah right whatever," He waves off.

"Look, we really shouldn't even, I shouldn't have said anything-"

Colby takes my hands and squeezes them, "No. Don't say that. I have no regrets today and I think you shouldn't either."

"What are you talking about? I don't regret anything..." I murmur.

"See, now I know you do. You don't want to tell anyone you like me, you want Ellie to still be with me, you were about to say you shouldn't have said you liked me to me,... Ash, you're beginning to regret everything! I don't want you to. Because I'm glad my life is finally getting straightened up. I'm admitting to an internal battle right now. The war's almost over, Ashlyn. The war's almost over."

"But Colby, you know what we're putting at risk? Our relationships, our feelings, possibly our careers for all I know! You and Sam are best friends, wh-what if Sam likes me? Plus, I'm going to be a full time med-student, I won't have time to go out and be a teenager. I know Ellie probably loves you. She's liked you since the beginning. She deserves a little more than being dumped for her best friend. I've owed it to Ellie for being the girl I can always rely on, no matter how fucked up everything gets. At least make her break up with you. If anything, I'll feel...guilty."

He blinks longingly, "You're a kind one, princess."

"I try, Sir Cole Robert Brock," I half smile.

He hesitates, "Do you not want to be with me?"

"Were you planning to get into a relationship with me?" I ask.

"I don't know. I'm certainly not leaving L.A. anytime soon." He sighs.

"Why wouldn't you leave?"

"Living in L.A. is a new life style for me now. I'm not going to college, Ash. I'm not going to become any doctor or lawyer. I'm going to inspire ,motivate, and make people laugh. I'm going to change the world with social media. You're going to change the world by finding the cure for cancer or some thing that will stop the blood sugar for diabetes patients from going so low. You're going to physically heal people. I am too but with my words. The only way for me to do that is the power of social media. Sam and I are going so far on YouTube and Vine. We can't give up. The reason we started Vine was to get a following to spread the message of going onward and upward, hence we are creating a project. The Life Project."

"And here is the one thing I never knew about you," I ponder.

"Is that a good thing?" He raises an eyebrow.

"Course it is. I'm a little, surprised, but, proud of you." I reply, "You're going to cure people and touch people's lives in a way that will make their souls happy. You've already touched mine, Brock."

He smiles, "One down, a few million more to go."

"But, anyways, I don't think we should be together."

His content expression fades at my words. "Because of Ellie?"

"Because of our lives," I mumble. "I can't be in a relationship while my best friend has to deal with getting out of one. It makes me feel guilty."

"Ugh, why do you have to be such a nice person," He groans, leaning over to kiss my cheek. I blush at the contact. I glance for a second at his captivating pupils and he steals a peck from my lips.

"Colby, you can't kiss me while you're dating someone," I giggle.

"Who's going to tell?" He smirks. "Think of it this way, whatever is said in the car, stays in the car."

I raise an eyebrow, "You didn't say anything, you kissed me. That's an action, smart one."

He rolls his eyes, "Okay I'm modifying the car pact. Whatever happens in the car-"

"Stays in the car," I finish.

"That's my girl," He chuckles.

"You can't say that, I'm not your girl!" I retort.

"Hey, we just discussed that whatever happens in the car, stays in the car. And hello, we're in the car. Which we are counting to be my car, I can say or do whatever I fucking want, babe," He smirks, leaning over and connecting our lips again.

He pulls the back of my neck gently to his face and I drop my ice pack to tangle our fingers together. I move my mouth in a steady sync with Colby's. He slowly parts his lips and slips a swipe of his tongue. It wasn't getting too heated but, his soft lips were passionate, and fulfilling.

Gentle.

We pull away to catch our breath and both sit back in our seats.

"We can't tell anybody that we had this conversation, Colbs." I sigh.

"That's what the car pact is for, stupid."

/////

It's now the next day and I just woke up off the couch. It's probably nine a.m. at the earliest.

After we got back to the beach house, which was around ten o'clock, we parted ways. We went off and partied hard with our friends and got a little intoxicated to forget about our worries. We didn't talk to each other for the rest of the night. We had to pretend like nothing happened.

When people asked about my head, I said I just fell.

I never said that I fell because I was looking for Colby.

When people asked about where I had gone for a few hours, I said I was just somewhere in the house within the crowd.

I never said that I was confessing to Colby that I liked him.

When people asked about where Sam's car went, I said it was just me out getting more food for the party.

I never said that Colby took me to the hospital and that we spent two hours talking about life on the side of the road, overlooking the sunset.

I just didn't.

And neither did he.

Yeah, I may have confessed to my rival that I like him.

And in the end, he likes me too.

But I still hate liking him.

He has to like my best friend.

Only because,

I'd feel guilty,

if he didn't.

I hate liking my rival.

-----------------------------------------------

I'm sorry.

i know.

they're not together.

my bad.

But I love you all for continuing to read (like 7K YO) and vote!! It really motivates me so keep it up!!<33 I need to ask of ya'll for something for a sec.

Do you guys have questions for me?? PLEASE ASK ME ANYTHING I'M OPEN YO.

I have questions for you guys... I'm thinking about writing another book, but it will be dedicated to the point of views (POVS) of Colby! It will be "bonus" chapters of you, the readers, choice! I don't know if ya'll would want to read his POV but hey it might be interesting;) lemme knowwwwww!

COMMENT, *VOTE* & SHARE!! DON'T BE SHY, FEEDBACK IS ALWAYS APPRECIATED!!

comment "vroom vroom car pact" if you read up to here ahaha

hugs, kt

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