Always the Opposites {Brollins}

[ Chapter 47 ]

"Why don't you just look it up?" Mercedes asked, watching Rebecca examine the note that quickly became a familiar object in her hand.

"That takes the fun out of it." Rebecca laughed, "The chase is just as thrilling as the final result."

"Yeah, you're definitely back to normal now." Mercedes rolled her eyes, "Getting philosophical and everything."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Rebecca joked, "Is that a problem?"

"Nope." Mercedes kissed the top of her head as she patted her back, "I'd take having you here, annoying the crap outta me, over you in a hospital bed any day of the week."

Rebecca smiled sadly as she looked down, trying to ignore her whole hospital ordeal. She didn't want to focus on it or anything else that Rebecca knew would cause her stress. Right now, she was laying low and silently thanking Colby for keeping her subconscious thoughts occupied.

While looking around for inspiration regarding her note, something dawned on her. She grabbed a napkin, pulling her pencil out of her pocket. "Wait... what if the letters are in random order?"

She began scribbling different possibilities on a napkin as Mercedes watched. "Skeetrolf? What the hell is a skeetrolf?"

"I don't know." Rebecca laughed as she planted her face onto her arms. "I'm trying anything I can."

"I have to give the guy credit." Mercedes smiled, "He knows how to keep you busy and distracted."

That morning Colby decided to take the subway to a graduation meeting since he was supposed to be walking more often. When he passed the diner, he couldn't have missed Rebecca even if he tried. He saw her laughing with Mercedes and yearned to be in there, and know what they were talking about.

He should've walked in, but he didn't. Colby just continued to walk by, even when he saw her head turn in his direction and wanted to know if it was to look at him. He didn't want to bother or add more stress to her life. Colby's thoughts about being a burden on her only intensified when she had her episode.

However, when he reached the end of the diner's long glass front, he spared the inside another look. Although when he did, a bolt of jealousy flashed through him as he saw Rebecca talking to a guy next to her.

It was almost enough to push him to turn around and walk through the doors, but suddenly it all dissipated when he saw a familiar yellow note in her hands. It could've been something else, but just the thought that she was holding onto his note, was enough to put a smile on his face.

Meanwhile, Rebecca got ready to leave and head back to her apartment because she opted to do the graduation preparation meeting online. She walked out of the diner and saw Colby walking down the sidewalk, recognizing his signature hoodie and brace around his knee.

She could've yelled his name or called him on his phone to tell him to turn around, but she didn't. Rebecca just walked up the street and continued on her path to her apartment.

She didn't want to give him mixed signals or stress him out more than he probably already was, so she didn't. Rebecca just wanted him to be happy, and until she found out what happened with him and Sarah, she figured space was best.

When Rebecca got home, she opened up the meeting on her laptop. When the teacher began to speak, she started making herself some lunch while listening. She opened her fridge and began pulling things out to make a sandwich.

She heard the papers on the fridge flutter every time the door opened or closed, drawing her attention to them for a moment. Rebecca inspected Riley's scribbles and drawings, smiling to herself, admiring the ensemble of colours and lines.

When her eyes deviated towards the side of the fridge, on the other magnetized section, she saw a folded-up paper being kept in place by a large magnet. She stared in confusion, and her teacher's babbling in the background faded away as she grabbed it.

Rebecca unfolded it slowly, leaning back on the counter. She then realized it was a copy of Colby's medicine information and schedule. She scanned through it until one sentence caught her eye.

Drowsiness and disorientation may occur upon taking said prescription and waking up before medication has been digested.

"He said he was confused..." Rebecca mumbled to herself as she paced back and forth through her apartment.

She began reading the entire page, following the words by dragging her finger under each sentence, when another point made itself blatantly evident.

Only take prescriptions at advised times in order to avoid side effects and medication mixing.

"Oh, Colby." She shook her head, realizing Sarah must've caught him at the right time when he was unprepared.

Mercedes mentioned that Colby said he had a headache, and he was on the bed pretty unresponsive when Rebecca walked in on Sarah on top of him. Things were all starting to make a lot more sense, and everything was finally falling into place.

She closed her laptop, completely disregarding her meeting and left her apartment. Rebecca almost wanted to tear up thinking about the amount of time she lost with him and Riley because Sarah took advantage of him and tricked her.

The days when she went to tell him something, but he wasn't on her couch. When Rebecca walked to the diner and saw a little girl that wasn't Riley. The times she felt alone and miserable because she wanted nothing more than to be around them. The thoughts swirled through Rebecca's mind as she waited for the elevator to go down.

Rebecca left her apartment to go to Colby's. Hoping that when all was said and done, their journey together was far from over, and the story of their lives did indeed have a happy ending.