Bad Taste (Part I) // Colby Brock

154 - Rebecca

"Regardless of what you two have been through, she's had no control over this. Neither of us did," Colby continued to explain. "Do you know what a One is?"

"I've heard of the concept," Dad replied slowly, "but creatures like you don't get good things. You don't deserve them."

"No, we don't deserve them," Colby agreed, his eyes meeting mine. I dreaded to think what I looked like, but I didn't care. He was telling me... what now? "We're supposed to change for them, that's the point of it."

"Have you changed for her?" Dad questioned.

"Yes."

"Do you think you deserve her?"

"Not yet."

Dad went silent, staring Colby right in the eyes. This tense situation felt like it was a million times worse, not to mention confusing. I couldn't comprehend what was going on in front of me; what I was hearing.

Out of nowhere, Dad started to scowl to himself. "Have you bitten her?"

Colby hesitantly nodded. "With her permission." Dad cringed as he turned away, walking to the wall to bang his head against it just once. Colby didn't say anymore or even look at me, he just watched my father battle with himself over this situation.

"But you love her?" Mom asked softly and Colby nodded. She looked at me, asking me the same thing. Even through my daze, I nodded, too. "You didn't know you are his One, did you?" I gulped and shook my head. Mom smiled. "As long as you are happy, I am not going to get in your way."

Mom's words moved me, but she wasn't the one with the stakes or the hatred for vampires. In fact, she liked vampires a little too much.

After a long, silent moment, Dad walked away from the wall and up to me, and he took both of my hands in his, staring intensely into my eyes. "Tell me honestly right now that you are happy with him," he demanded.

"I am."

"And he's never hurt you?"

"No." I stole a glance at Colby and found him smiling at me, but he snapped out of it when he caught my gaze.

"But you're happy?" Dad asked again. I nodded and he sighed, forcing me to hug him. The way he held me so tightly to his chest had my heart racing, this time for a different reason. "Okay," he whispered, "I can accept this for now."

I couldn't help it when I hugged him back ferociously. This was the first time I'd had any sort of real affection from my father in many years, and knowing that it was because we'd come to an agreement—about Colby, of all things—was making me need it more and more.

Dad pulled back and turned to Colby, narrowing his eyes. "This doesn't mean I like you or your kind," he snapped, making me roll my eyes.

"I can understand that," Colby replied confidently. Dad slowly nodded, moving back over to Mom. I noticed that they were distant, but I didn't want to acknowledge it now.

I glanced toward the living room entrance, which was just around the corner. "Angela!" I yelled, though it was unnecessary. "Your turn!"

"Oh no," Dad said and I almost laughed. The sound of Angela's heels clicking through the hallway echoed through the room. I took Colby's hand to lead him out of the way so she could reveal her own news, but as soon as I had him away, I turned to him with almost a glare.

"You are explaining everything later," I warned, subtly punching him on the side.

"I will," he promised as he pressed his palm to the side of my face. I automatically melted into it before remembering that we now had to witness Angela and Aryia with my parents.