𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 • 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐛𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤

sixteen

We drove for quite a while but eventually pulled into a pretty deserted parking lot.

"Are you going to kill me, Colby?" I asked as I watched him park the car.

"Just might," he joked as he pulled up the hand brake.

I left the car as he did, and he pulled open the trunk. He pulled out a hoodie and threw it my way, I only just caught it. "Colby, my brain is too slow today for catching things," I chuckled. He smiled back and I pulled on the fabric. It was one of his purple 'Take Chances' hoodies, and it was slightly too big for me but I didn't mind. I watched as he pulled a backpack out of his trunk as well, and then closed it. I eyed the backpack suspiciously. "Wait, you really are planning on killing me, huh?"

He winked at me and swung the backpack over his shoulders. "Come on," he said. "It's quite a hike."

He was right at that. It took us an hour long walk to arrive where Colby had led us to.

"Oh my God, Colby!" I exclaimed. I looked at the springs in front of me. "These are beautiful."

"They're hot springs," he grinned.

"But how are we getting in? I didn't bring a bathing suit," I replied, looking at the scene in front of me. It was really beautiful.

"Well, they allow skinny dipping?" Colby grinned, dragging his hand through his hair. I raised my eyebrows at him and he started chuckling. "I'm kidding. I had Kat go through your clothes to find your bathing suit."

"So you did plan this?" I smirked.

He looked at me with a small smile. "I had to make the best out of the five days you're still here with me."

My smirk faded and I turned my head so I could look Colby in the eyes. "How did you know?"

"I saw the plane ticket stick out from your laptop when I went to edit this morning," he replied. "When did you actually buy it?"

"The day before New Year's Eve," I answered. I looked down at the ground, trying to keep my eyes on the gravel as I couldn't bear looking at Colby's pleading face. I felt pretty guilty, you could say.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he said, and by now his voice was barely a whisper. My heart felt as if it was being stabbed by a good twenty needles, at the same time.

I looked back up, turning back to Colby. "I was going to. It's just that all of the festivities were coming up and I didn't want to ruin that. And Colby," I said, whispering the last part. "I'll be back if you let me."

His frown turned into a small smile again. "You don't even have to ask."

"Good," I replied, smiling as well. "Now, there's hot springs all around, waiting for us."

"You're right," he chuckled. "Let's find the changing cabins."

After we found the changing cabins and pulled on our swimming attire, we took our stuff and dropped it on a rock next to the spring we were about to claim. There wasn't a lot of people - Hell, it was cold as fuck and the middle of winter - so this wasn't a very difficult thing to do.

"Oh my Lord," I said as I set foot into the water. Colby was already completely in, watching as I stepped into the spring. "This is great."

"I know, right?" he chuckled as I sat down across from him.

"Do we even have hot springs in Kansas? I don't think we do," I asked, relaxing into the water.

"Honestly, I wouldn't know," Colby laughed. "One more reason why you should just stay here."

I looked at Colby with pleading eyes. "Colbs, please, don't do that."

"Do what?" he smirked, as if he didn't know what he did wrong.

I sighed with a small smile. "I have to return one time or another. I have a whole house there, and my parents are probably wondering about me. I have to go back."

"You could move out here," Colby replied, tilting his head.

"You know that's not as easy as you make it out to be," I chuckled.

He sighed as well. "I know. It's just that Kansas is so far away and you belong right here, in California, with me and our other friends."

I looked at him for a couple seconds, as the words left his mind. I couldn't help but think about it.

"You said your biggest fear was not belonging anywhere else than in Kansas. I feel like you know you don't have to worry about that anymore. You should be here in California, Ellie. You belong here, with us," he proceeded, and I don't know what happened to my heart but it did something that I wasn't sure of whether it was positive or negative.

"You're about to make me cry again, Colby Brock," I spoke, chuckling softly.

"If that's what it takes to get you to stay, I will have you overflow this spring," he laughed.

I splashed water his way, laughing as well. "How nice of you."

"Hey!" he exclaimed. "Don't get that in my face! There's bacteria in here that literally kill people."

"So you really are trying to kill me?" I chuckled.

"It was planned all along," he joked with me, sitting back into the water. "This was literally the best idea I could've had after a hangover."

"Well, if you pretend there was no hour-long hike, maybe," I retorted.

We'd been there for a good three hours when we decided to go back to the house and when we finally reached the car after hiking back it was quite dark already. The drive took another thirty minutes, and when we got to the house, it was 8 in the evening.

"I thought you guys were never coming back," Sam chuckled once we entered the house. He was carrying a bag of McDonald's food. "Y'all ate already? We have a bunch of burgers left over as some friends canceled our get-together last minute."

"No and I am starving," I replied, and Sam gave me the bag. "I owe you my life."

"We were literally about to Postmates McDonald's or something so thanks for saving me the trouble," Colby chuckled. "I don't know why we didn't pick it up while we were coming home."

"Well, y'all enjoy it," Sam replied smiling and went to the TV room with us.

I looked around, but there wasn't any space on the couch so I plopped down next to Colby on the bean bag.

"This is actually quite comfortable," I said as I opened the paper bag up. I took out whatever burgers were in the bag and dumped the fries and nuggets into the bag, of which I ripped the top of so we could grab them easier.

Colby immediately shoved a handful of fries into his mouth. "I'm sorry for eating like a pig but my stomach feels like it's starting to digest itself."

"It's okay," I chuckled, unwrapping a cheeseburger and taking a bite from it.

It didn't take very long for us to finish everything there was, and I didn't even feel the slightest bit of shame. We were all talking about our favorite spots in America and as every roommate, including Kat, was currently here, I decided to tell them. "Now that we're taking about different states," I said, and scratched my neck. "I'm leaving for Kansas on the eight."

"What?" Katrina said. "That's in five days."

"I know," I replied, smiling small.

"Why are you going back now?" Sam asked, and I looked down at my hands.

"I have to figure things out. I'm moving back into my parents' house so I have to settle things with my landlord and figure out what to do with the stuff I don't need," I replied.

"Why don't you move out here?" Devyn asked.

I chuckled. "You're not the first one asking me. Truthfully, I wouldn't even know how."

"We'll help you!", Kat said. "Come on, Ellie. At least consider it."

I nodded. "I'll think about it when I'm in Kansas. I really have to get out of that house first."

"Great," Kat smiled. "I think I can live with that."