Colin's POV
Baby, plz. Plz.
I don't know what else to text her anymore. She ain't texting or calling me back. From the hotel to the airport, she hasn't replied. I pace back and forth in the narrow space of the private jet Becca got. I feel claustrophobic, the top of my fitted hat brushing the ceiling. Claustrophobic....or am I just going fuckin crazy?
"Fuck!" I snap, throwing my phone against a polished wooden wall. The sound makes everyone inside jump. Becca seems the most irritated; everyone else on the PR team cowers, lowering their heads.
"Do you really think she would want to talk to you right now? Really, use your head Colin."
"I didn't fucking do anything! I didn't rape that---"
"Ok. Ok, say you actually didn't do anything..."
"Are you saying you don't believe me?"
"I'm saying I wasn't there, and I didn't see what happened.."
"Wow."Of all people who I thought would be on my side, it would be Becca.
"Colin, get your shit together, and really think about it! No matter what happened, all Vera sees is that you are being accused of rape, of being at the scene of a drug bust. Do you honestly expect her to leap into your arms and willingly listen to your end of the story!?"
"Becca, I don't know what to think. I'm....I'm done."
I collapse onto a cushioned seat, Becca opposite from me. She hesitantly places a comforting hand onto my knee.
"Colin, things will be fine. Everything is rolling in the right direction right now. Tinashe doesn't have any solid evidence, no bruising, and she has a pretty terrible history behind her. Everything will be fine," Becca says confidently. She always has this air of reassurance about her. No matter what the situation is. I think that's why I always feel so drawn to her. She's been a steady rock to lean on in the bullshit that usually builds up in my life.
"I'm all over the news," I realize quietly, scrolling through instagram and twitter. Fuck. Everything's blowin up right now with my name thrown right in the middle. "I just hope she isn't jumping to any conclusions right now," I say, feeling uneasy. But who the fuck am I kidding? Things don't look so good right now.
Vera's POV
"Aren't you going to pack anything?"
Confirming a ticket or a flight first thing in the morning wasn't difficult. Convincing Leah to let me get on the laptop to purchase it was more of a struggle. After practically shoving her off the keyboard I found that I was able to pay for a one-way ticket To Sea-Tac airport with no problem, especially with the internship money I earned at Levi.
"I don't need to pack anything except for baby's clothes," I say quietly, looking around my room. Amidst the aftermath of my temper tantrum last night, everything feels odd to me. Anything and everything in this damn room reminds me of San Francisco, of Colin. That's the last thing I need.
"Are you seirous? Do you even have any clothes back at your aunt's?"
"I'll buy new clothes."
"Vera."
I whip around and hold up a hand to motion Leah to stop talking.
"Leah, I don't want anything that reminds me of Colin, of this damn city. I......I am so tired. I just want a break, I want to start fresh. With baby." Leah folds her arms tightly across her chest, speechless for the first time..since...forever.
"My flight leaves in a few hours, so if you can, could you drop me off?"
She tries to hold back tears as I squeeze her into a hug. She lets out a long deep sigh before talking.
"Vera, I love you. You're my sister; I need you to know that. Seeing you like this, going through all of this fucking shit, it hurts me just as bad." Her voice breaks and I try to hold her together in my arms. "I don't want you to leave me, but I know you gotta go. When you have your mind set, that's all there is to it."
"Leah, you act like I'm leaving for forever."
"You might as well be! Damn. As long as you're not with me its an eternity."
"I love you Leah. Nothing could ever change that. Thank you for taking care of me."
"Girl shut up, you're the one who takes care of me."
"Anyway, I need you to be strong for me. Stay on your school grind, and we'll be together before you know it."
"V, I'm going to be on my way up there within the week."
I roll my eyes.
"I forgot, my besty is filthy rich, with jets on call," I laugh, trying to lighten the mood. We both sit onto my bed.
"Girl you know I'm fancy," She casually flips hair off her shoulder, trying to lighten the mood, but I know she isn't feeling like her usual self. Its hard to be lighthearted right now.
"Leah, I need you to swear to me something. Pinky swear, on everything."
"I promise."
"On my unborn baby's life."
Leah hesitates.
"Am I going to regret this?"
"Leah, it's the only way I can guarantee you won't say anything."
"Are you trying to say I have a big mouth?" Leah feigns shock with a hand on her chest.
"Yes. Yes you do."
"Fine. I swear."
"I don't want you telling Colin anything about this baby." Leah bites her lip. "I mean it Leah. Not a damn thing. I want you to tell him I'm done. And if he really cares about me, he'll leave me alone" I say with finality. The words shock me when they leave my lips. Do I actually mean it?
"Ok." Leah chokes out. I can tell its painful for her to say it.
"And...if worst comes to worst...I want you to tell him that...that if he tries to come after me, I'll...I'll press charges. I'll put up a restraining order."
"You don't think that's a little too much? You didn't even do that to Cam," her tone is accusatory.
"Leah, I wouldn't actually do it. But he doesn't know that. And I think everything I've been going through is a little too much. I want to minimize as much drama from my life as possible. I don't want him to be around me. I don't want to be around anyone I've been around for the past few months." Leah purses her lips. If there's anyone who could make a case for Colin to leave me alone, its her.
"Ok Vera. You have my word."
"Ok."
"Since there's only a few hours left before your flight do you just want to stay awake and kick it?"
"You don't have a date with Sean tonight?"
"Sean can wait."
"Will you get me some chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream?"
"Girl please, I have some in the freezer."