falling in love with a gang leader

chapter 11 (colby's pov)

sam and i stepped in and grabbed katrina and emma. i grabbed emma and sam grabbed katrina. emma got out of my grip and stormed out the front door as tears streamed her face like a river. i ran after her with zero hesitation and ran out of the door behind her. i stopped in front of her when i finally caught up to her and hugged her tightly without thinking twice. she clung onto me and gripped my shirt in distress as she sobbed louder than i have ever heard anyone cry. her strangled sobs pierced right through my soul and it hurt me. it physically hurt me. i felt my knees buckle beneath me. and to know that katrina hurt her that bad made me want to hurt katrina that bad. how could she do this to emma? i did my best to calm emma down. it took time, but she eventually calmed down. i stroked her hair with one hand, and soothingly rubbed her back with the other. i took the time to let my nose rest in her soft, shiny hair. it smelt of flowers and emma. the best combination i could've ever imagined possible. wow, she smells good.
colby: "let's go inside." i cooed.
she shook her head no and stepped out of my grip. no, don't walk away. she wiped her face while tears proceeded to fall from her face, then tried to walk away. i grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer to me and hugged her again.
colby: "i'm here for you, i promise." i purred.
she sobbed into my chest for another few minutes or so, and then she pulled away. i brought my hand up to her face and rested my hand on the cheek opposite from the bruised one. her bruise is even more swollen than before after katrina hit her. she pressed her cheek into my hand and blinked slowly. when she opened them, her sad, wet, beautiful blue eyes shed another couple tears as her eyes found mine. i wiped the tears out from under her eye with the pad of my thumb and she smiled a sad smile. not a word was said, but we were both feeling the same way. i noticed that her makeup was streaked all over her face from the tears, but she didn't look ugly and i'm not just being nice. she was still beautiful. her mascara was running and her lipstick was smeared... it only made her look more perfect in my eyes. i took a leap of faith and paused for a second before i interlocked my fingers with her own. she paused before giving my hand a soft squeeze to let me know that she's okay with it. she's holding my hand! i smiled sadly and she followed me into the bunker where everyone was standing in shock. sam ran up to emma and hugged her tight, causing her to release my hand— unfortunately— to hug him back, but the hug didn't last as long as mine and hers did. it gave me a sting of hope.
sam: "she didn't mean what she said." he said gently.
emma: "no, she's right. i am a disappointment... and my parents would agree." she sniffed, her tears disappearing. poor baby... no, you're not a disappointment.
sam: "you are not a disappointment. don't ever say that. you hear me?"
emma: "can you drive me home?" she ignored what sam told her. i reluctantly brought my hand up and caressed her back with a soothing intention. i felt her lean back into my touch before sam looked at me expectantly. i nodded and looked down at the beautiful, distressed girl in front of me.
colby: "you're staying with me tonight." i snaked my arm around her waist and ushered her toward the stairs. she said nothing and walked at the same pace as myself while my arm was around her waist. this felt right. my arm wrapped around her body protectively. it felt like it needed to be there. like she was the one that i needed to protect and make sure that she wasn't hurt. when we arrived at my room, i opened the door and ushered her inside. she looked around a little bit as she sniffed and wiped her gorgeous face. i went to my drawer and pulled out a pair of my sweatpants and one of my t-shirts. i gently handed them to her and she smiled, not saying anything. she brought them up to her nose, without thinking, i think, and she closed her eyes. they sprung back open in realization and her cheeks turned crimson through her smeared makeup. i smiled down at her and it took everything in me not to kiss her right then and there.
colby: "once you get changed, you can take the bed. i'll sleep on the couch." i pointed to the couch in my room.
she frowned a little before nodding and i walked out of my room even though i didn't want to leave. i walked downstairs and saw everyone standing around katrina. katrina? i thought sam told her to leave? where did she go?
colby: "why the fuck would you do that to her?" i snapped, anger dominating my voice.
kat: "i wasn't thinking, i just said it! i don't know what got into me!" she cried.
colby: "she did nothing to you! you clearly hurt her more than she what she already was!"
kat: "I'M SORRY!"
elton: "if she hurts herself over this, you're going to be more than just sorry! think about what just happened, katrina!" he shouted angrily.
sam: "katrina, drive emma's car home. i'll come over tomorrow and talk to you privately." he kissed her temple and she said nothing as she walked out the door. i could tell sam was pissed.
mike: "how's emma?"
colby: "not good."
kevin: "go up and comfort her. she needs someone right now. we'll handle whatever happens down here."
i nodded and ran upstairs with no hesitation. i walked into my room and heard emma sobbing loudly. her face was buried under the blankets laying on her side. i closed the door behind me and locked it before i ran over to her and crouched next to the bed. i played with her hair a little bit to try and calm her down, but it didn't seem to work as quickly.
colby : "try to relax, it's over now." i said soothingly.
she lifted her head up to me and her puffy face was covered in tears. i felt so terrible. she leaned towards me and hugged me. i hugged her back tight without missing a beat. i stroked her hair smoothly down her back and kissed her head a few times. she's so precious. she pulled away and looked at me after three or four minutes.
emma: "c-could i use your bathroom?" she wiped her face.
colby: "of course." i stood up and held my hand out to her. she grabbed it and i helped her up. she wobbled backwards, almost falling back onto the bed, and i quickly steadied her by her waist. she looked up at me.
emma: "i'm sorry." she said sheepishly, embarrassed.
colby: "don't apologize. are you okay?" i asked, genuinely concerned if she was going to fall or not. she nodded and i carefully let go of her. i noticed her in my clothes and i smiled. she walked to the bathroom after closing the bedroom door behind her and i sat on my bed and took off all of my rings and jewelry. i checked my pillows and blankets to see if there was any makeup on it in case i needed to wash them, but there wasn't any on there. emma walked back into the room with no makeup on. she closed and locked the door behind her and she stopped in her tracks as she saw me standing there. her wideneyes scanned my body, but she recovered quickly.
colby: "are you sure you're okay?" i asked sympathetically.
emma: "no." she sniffed, shaking her head and averting her eyes from me.
colby: "what can i do?" i want to make you feel better.
emma: "you can't do anything. i just don't want to feel anything anymore. i wish i could just throw it all away. my past, my memories... all of it. i want it gone." i walked up to her and gave her another hug and her cold, shaky arms wrapped around my bare torso. this felt right. she felt right.
colby: "try and get some sleep." i kissed the top of her head. she nodded and pulled away. i laid down on the couch and she went over and got into my bed. i watched her get snuggled up under the blankets and after roughly three minutes, she was asleep. i closed my eyes, and tried but couldn't fall asleep. i felt my phone buzz, so i looked at it and it was sam saying to let him in the room. i opened my bedroom door and there he was.
sam: "is she okay?" he whispered.
colby: "not at all."
sam wiped his face out of frustration and put his hands behind his head before pacing in small steps back and forth.
colby: "why did katrina do that? especially after all the times you and emma told her to stop."
sam: "i don't know. they're best friends, i don't know what could've caused the freak out."
i hesitate to ask what i want to ask, before i decide to ask anyways.
colby: "so, what katrina said... it was true?"
he sighed and nodded slowly, closing his eyes and opening them back up again as if he was refreshing his memory.
sam: "yeah, all of it. emma always tried to-" he got cut off by emma talking.
emma: "c-colby." she called to me and caught my attention immediately. i peeked my head towards her direction and she was wiping her eyes and running her fingers through her already knotted hair.
colby: "i'm right here." i replied softly.
emma: "c-could you get s-sam for me?" ouch. she started crying again. i looked over at sam and he walked in and walked over to her. i stood in the doorway, still able to hear what was being said between the two of them.
emma: "it's all replaying in my head, sam. it won't stop." she sobbed.
sam: "i know. i know." he purred. i looked over at them and i saw emma's head buried in sam's shoulder. i started tearing up. i hate seeing her like this. i feel terrible. sam came walking back over to me after he released emma.
sam: "she needs someone next to her. do you mind?"
colby: "not at all." i said a little too happily. he smirked at me.
sam: "thank you. if you need anything, let me know."
i nodded and he walked out. i closed the door and locked it, once again, and i walked over to emma and crawled in bed next to her. she snuggled up next to me and buried her face in the blankets. she was so hidden that if anyone were to walk in, they wouldn't be able to see her. i wrapped my arms around her and kissed her head. i felt her arm sling around my torso and she squeezed ever so softly against me. i smiled at the action and kissed the top of her head once more. her breathing slowed after a couple of minutes and i finally caught some peace when i knew that she was okay and asleep. i dozed off to sleep after her and neither one of us woke up for the rest of night.