Stepdad

ELEVEN

Allie: can i ask you something?

Colson: you're literally upstairs, you could have just came down here and asked me, you know.

Colson: what's your question?

Allie: why did you kiss me?

Colson: because it felt like the right thing to do at the time.

Allie: what if it wasn't?

Allie: i hope i didn't ruin your relationship when i kissed you. i should have never done that.

Allie: im sorry.

Colson: you didn't ruin anything. if anyone ruined my relationship it was me.

Allie: why do you say that?

Colson: because she told me if i came to bail you out, she was done with me.

Colson: im probably single now.

Allie: omg you should have stayed.

Allie: i know i don't like her but she was still your girlfriend and i got in the way.

Colson: i wouldn't have went to bail you out if i didn't want to do it.

Allie: i still feel bad. if i wouldn't have went to jail then you would still have a girlfriend.

Allie: call her right now and apologize.

Colson: you're kidding me right?

Allie: no im not. call her.

It was as if Allie had no clue how he really felt about her. He thought he made it pretty clear when he kissed her in the car, but apparently he didn't make it clear enough.

Colson: im not calling her.

Allie: why not?

Colson: she made her choice.

Allie: girls tend to do things they don't mean when they are upset.

Allie: at least see what she has to say now that she has had time to calm down.

Colson: fine. i will call her.

Even though he didn't want to, he dialed Olivia's number and held the phone to his ear, listening to it ring many times before she answered. "What do you want, Colson?"

He took a deep breath, glancing up at the stairs that lead to where Allie was, desperately wanting to go up there but it was clear that she wanted him to make things right with the person he didn't want to be with.

"I'm sorry about earlier." He stated in a bored tone, not really meaning his apology. He wanted nothing to do with her, but then again that could be the weed and alcohol talking. He didn't act this way sober, at least not to this extent.

"You're sorry? For which part? Kissing Allie or bailing her out of jail after she attacked me?" He wanted to tell her that she was the one who attacked Allie first but didn't in order to avoid an argument.

"All of it." He mumbled as he played with the strings on his pajama pants, his annoyance growing each time she spoke but he bit his tongue for now.

"I will forgive you on one condition." He hated this part, his gut telling him that he wouldn't like nor want to agree to her terms. Depending on what it was, he might just have to cut her off and tell Allie she refused to listen to him.

"What's your condition?"

"You can't see or talk to Allie anymore." He sat there in silence as he thought it over. There was no way that he was going to lose the one girl who made him nothing but happy.

He hung up on Olivia and went back to his text conversation with Allie.

Colson: i called her.

Colson: im still single. im not going back to her.

Allie: why not? what did she say?

Colson: she told me she would only take me back if i didn't see or talk to you anymore.

Allie: and you refused to do that?

Colson: yes i did.

Allie: colson you can't just throw your life away over a silly crush.

Colson: it's not silly to me. i actually do like you. very much.

Allie: no, you don't. you wouldn't want someone like me.

Colson: why do you say that?

Allie: because there's something you don't know about me yet and i know you will run away once you find out.

Allie: so go back to your girlfriend. i will go stay with rook and let you have your room back. i will be gone before you wake up in the morning.

Colson: how many times do i have to tell you that i want you and not her?

Colson: i don't care about whatever secret you're keeping from me.

Allie: im not going to let myself or my family get hurt again by some guy who doesn't wanna stick around.

Colson: im not trying to hurt you, allie.

Allie: you say that now but just wait.

Colson: what's the secret, allie? tell me. what do you have to lose? you don't wanna be with me anyway.

Allie: you wouldn't just be inviting me into your life. you would have to involve someone else too.

Colson: what do you mean?

Allie: i have a 2 year old son named ryker.