The freedom, of falling, A feeling I thought was set in stone
It slips through, my fingers, I'm trying hard to let go. It comes and goes in waves
It comes and goes in waves
And carries us away
Dean Lewis
(Waves)
__Riverdale
Chapter Six
COLBY
Shock
A kind of feeling you get when something out of the blue or sometimes out of the ordinary happens. A feeling that makes your heart beat faster, A feeling that temporarily leaves you dumb, trying to comprehend what in hell was happening.
A lot of people feel this on different occasions, in different scenarios. It might be a happy moment, when you come home from work or school and you hear the voices you're most familiar with, give a yell of "happy birthday!". Or when you go out on a seemingly normal date with your boyfriend, and he whips out a ring. Or in another scenario, when someone you love just leaves you without a second thought.
In my case, I was neither happy, nor sad. I just didn't know what I was feeling.
The text message had my eyes going through it like it was the first time I'd ever gotten a text from anyone. It felt like I could hear her voice repeatedly reading out the words next to me, and it made my heart beat increase.
Daniella Varis:
So, I was wondering if you could come over to my house so we could make some arrangements about the way we're going to do this?
60, Palmwall Street.... My address.
My fingers were a little bit shaky as they hovered on the screen of my phone, thinking of a response to give her.
I've never been invited out before, and honestly, I thought it was going to be like a school thing where we meet up at the library to just talk it out and all... I didn't think she'd invite me over, I mean... why would she-
"Relax Colby." I whispered to myself, breathing in and breathing out.
At least she didn't ask to come here, now that would have been a disaster.
I blinked, my thumbs moving to type in a reply.
Me:
I'll be on my way.
I dropped my phone immediately, shutting my laptop and bolting up from my reading chair to change into my grey oversized hoodie, after that, I picked up my phone, sliding it into the pocket of my black joggers while opening my door, and bolting down the stairs.
"Mom, can I borrow your car keys?" I yelled, making my way to her designing room. My mom was a fashion designer, and there was a study like room in the house where she worked on her designs before taking them to her boutique.
I stood right in front of her design room, the door was left wide open. She was crouched down, working on a gown, her head bobbing to whatever music she was listening to on her head phones. "Mom?" I called again, this time with a knock.
She looked up at me with furrowed brows, taking her head phones off. "Colby? What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I was asking if I could borrow your car keys."
She went mute, staring at me.
Yes, it was only logical for her to go mute. I've never requested for her car keys before, and I quit driving a long time ago, when I drove right into a tree and destroyed the car I got as a gift on my 15th birthday.
It was a Sunday, and I told my parents to let me drive down to the hospital myself, since I never used my car, due to the fact that I had nowhere to go. It was all normal at first, I felt really independent and ready to go through life on my own. But that was when the dizziness came in, and the next thing I know, I was heading straight off track to the woods.
My Mom almost died and my Dad got rid of the remains of my car. Doc advised against driving and that's how I ended up hitching rides with Mom and Dad to the hospital, or whenever I decided to follow my Mom to her boutique which she had always been reluctant to accept.
So, my Mom going mute right now, was totally justifiable.
"Your car keys Mom?" My voice was starting to sound a little bit impatient.
She stood to her full height. "No." She said.
"You didn't even ask what I wanted to use it for." I stated, the impatience clearly audible.
"Why would I ask you that? Doc said you aren't-"
"I know, but it's not that far, where I'm going- it's just Palmwall Street-"
"What are you going to do at Palmwall street?" She asked, curiosity lacing her tone.
"Um... I'm supposed to be meeting someone? At their home."
Her eyes widened. "You're joking."
"I'm not."
A smile grew on her lips. "Who? Is- is it someone from school? Wait- is it Mandy? That sweet girl who invited you to her party last night?" She asked, dropping her tape measure and coming towards me.
"It's someone from school but it's not Mandy." I said.
"Oh my God! That's great news! Is it another girl or a boy?" She asked.
"A girl mom, we're working on something for graduation, nothing serious. Are you giving me the keys or should I just take a-"
"I'll drop you off at her place." She said, removing her little belt of drawing tools.
"Um... no? You don't need to do that- like drop me off everywhere-"
"Since when has that ever been a problem?" She asked, grinning at me. "Come on, you don't want to keep her waiting do you?" She said, grabbing her phone and walking past me.
Why did I ever think she'd agree to this again?
_
"It's okay, you can just drop me here." I said.
My Mom shot me a confused look. "Uh... it's just two houses away, Colby."
"Yeah, I know that's why I'm asking you to stop here. I'll just walk the rest of the way." I said.
She moved over to the side of the street, shutting the engine. "Why don't you want me to drop you off at her doorstep? I would love to see her and her Mom and-"
"Mom, that is exactly why I don't want you to drop me off there, okay? It'd be weird, and really awkward and I don't want to freak her out by bringing my mom along, that's just not right."
She didn't speak for sometime, just staring at me like I had said something harsh enough to kick the words out of her mouth.
I sighed. "Mom, come on. I know you're ecstatic about me making friends and having a social life, and I'm glad that you're here for me but-"
"Are you ashamed of me, Colby?" She asked out of nowhere.
My eyes widened, her question taking me by surprise. "Ashamed of you? Why would you-"
"It's okay, you should get going, I don't want to delay you." She said tersely. Starting up her engine.
"I didn't mean it that way-"
"Just go, Colby, don't keep the poor girl waiting. Besides, I have some things to finish with the gowns for this week."
She said, her gaze not meeting mine. "Mom, come on... Let me explain what I meant, I'm not ashamed of you-"
"Colby, can you just go? You have work to finish, I have work to finish... You can take the bus home or call your Dad to pick you up." She said, her hand going to grip the steering wheel.
"Jesus, are you seriously angry?" I asked, seeing as this behavior was very very new.
She didn't reply.
I sighed. "Fine." I said, opening the car door and getting out. Immediately after I closed the door, she moved the car, driving off without a second glance.
Ouch... That kinda hurt.
I shook it off, making my way towards Dany's house.
_
DANY
The moment the doorbell went off, my heart literally flew right out of my chest. Was it him? Was Colby Willis standing right outside my front door?!
Honestly, it felt like I was about to see my long time celebrity crush. The feeling was borderline crazy! It was something I'd feel whenever I fantasize over Shawn Mendes coming to my graduation congratulating me for a job well done.
Why the hell am I feeling like this towards Colby Willis? A guy I barely even know?
Hell! He might not even be the one standing at the other side of the door, maybe it was just Avery? Or Janice.
I shook my head, unlocking the door.
My heart was just prepping to fly out of my chest, and no matter how hard I tried to calm myself, I just wasn't calm.
I inhaled sharply, willing my blush to go down, as I pulled the door wide open, and there he was, standing with a smile on his face, looking so cool and collected.
Definitely the opposite of my actual look right now.
"Colby, you came on time." I said, breathing out like I had just finished running a marathon.
His smile widened. "It's not really nice to keep people waiting." He said.
I gulped down, a stupid smile attaching itself to my lips. "Well, come on in."
"Thanks." He said, stepping inside.
I closed the door behind him.
Turning, I saw my Mom coming from the kitchen with a smile on her face. "You must be Colby."
God please, don't let my Mom be my Mom!
I left the door post, just in time to see Colby smile back at her. "Yes ma'am." He replied, sounding so polite.
"Oh, you can just call me Natalie or Nat, whichever you're comfortable with."
His gaze swept to mine for a quick second before returning back to my Mom. "Well, not to be rude but... I can't... That would be impolite and-" he looked to be in an awkward situation. "Well, I can call you Mrs Varis. I'm more comfortable with that." He said.
I was awestruck by this. All my friends referred to my mom as Natalie, when she told them it was fine... Including Daniel. There was nothing wrong with it but... Colby just made it seem like they were all wrong.
My Mom also looked surprised, the smile on her face grew wider. "I wasn't expecting that." She said.
"Oh, I'm sorry Mrs. Varis, I didn't mean for it to sound rude or anything like that-"
"It's alright Colby, I take no offense at all, in fact, this just only reinforces what Dany told me about you."
My heart stopped in my chest as my eyes widened towards my Mom. When Colby's eyes turned to my direction, I plastered a sweet wide smile on my face.
"Um... Okay."
"Please Colby, make yourself at home." She said sweetly before turning to my direction with a fast wink, and heading back to the kitchen.
My cheeks burned with embarrassment, and my heart thumped loudly. I was definitely going to be having a word with my Mom after he leaves.
"Well," I spoke up, rubbing my palms together. "let's escape the Mom before she brings out the baby pictures shall we?" I said.
Colby gave a light chuckle, and the sound of it caused a sudden jolt to my already fast beating heart, creating a whole lot of butterfly chaos in my stomach.
I gulped again. "Come on."
I led him towards the staircase.
"Dany!" Riley's tiny voice echoed from somewhere around the house, it didn't take long before she appeared with her Rubik's cube in her grip. "Neil broke it, you fix it!"
I sighed. "Riley, not now, and besides," I eyed the Rubik's cube, it was basically the definition of back to square one. "It's basically destroyed, it'll take a lot of time to fix it back together, and I have things to do at the moment." I said, my eyes shifting to Colby.
Riley frowned, her eyes meeting Colby's. "Who's this?" She asked, holding her Rubik's cube protectively over her chest.
That cube seemed to be stuck to her with glue, you'd never see Riley without it. Ever since Dad got transferred to Miami hospital, the cube became even more special because Dad gave it to her on her birthday, just before he left.
"This is Colby, a friend from school." I said.
"Hi, I'm Riley." She introduced, but the frown was still on her face.
Colby smiled at her. "Nice to meet you, Riley."
"Great, so if you'd excuse us, Miss Riley, we have some school work to finish." I said, the frown on her face shifted to a cute pout of sadness, but I ignored it and made an attempt to go up the stairs before she spoke up.
"Well can Colby help?" She asked.
I raised a brow at her, trying so hard to stop myself from glaring. "Riley, I just told you-"
"I can try." Colby stopped me.
"You really don't have to-"
"It's fine Dany, I'll try to help." He said, his eyes meeting Riley's.
Crouching down in front of her, Riley warily gave him the Rubik's cube.
"Do you know how to?" She asked.
"Well... Let's see." He told her with a cute smile.
Did I just call his smile cute?
"The thing about a Rubik's cube is that, it's so easy to fix, and at the same time, just as easy to get complicated." He said.
"It's not easy to fix, it takes months." Riley whined.
"No it doesn't have to, Riley." He said with a smile as his fingers gently turned the cube, eyes glued to the colours, as if memorizing the patterns at the surface of it first. "Watch the magic." He said, and the next thing I saw was his lithe fingers rapidly twisting, the cube itself blurring at the speed.
Riley's eyes shot open at the nearly indistinguishable movements, her jaw dropping open and her eyes widening.
"There." he said, stopping the cube, and giving it a final twist.
Riley gingerly took the fixed cube from his grip, staring at it like some magician had just waved a wand and everything went back to the way it was meant to be.
I also stared in surprise.
This boy never ceases to amaze me.
"You... You fixed it in seconds." She stuttered.
"6 seconds." He told her.
"Thank you!" She exclaimed, jumping to give him a tight hug. "You're awesome!"
Colby laughed, gently hugging her back.
She hugged him? Riley has never hugged me! Or any of my friends. In fact, she doesn't like any of them... Daniel especially. She's the kind of kid who has just a few favorite people. The way she looked at Colby just now, was the same way she looked at my Dad, the same way her face lit up whenever she spoke to him on the phone. Did Colby just make his way into her list of favorite people?
When she pulled away, she smiled up at him before rushing towards the kitchen to show my Mom.
Rising to his full height, he turned to me, and gestured at the stairs. "Shall we?"