The Final Choice

63 Colby

I enjoyed playing the game with Ben and Callie. Especially when Cal cheated. Not gonna lie, when she kissed, out of nowhere, I didn't give a shit about the game anymore. I even forgot that Ben was in the room. When Callie's lips touched mine, I forgot everything, except her. Her scent surrounded me, enveloping me in the sweet smell that I had come to love. Her hair tickled my cheek and smelled like strawberries. Her lips were so soft, but firm against my own. 

When she pulled back, it took a minute for my brain to catch up with what was happening. Her little giggle had my pants tightening. When Ben spoke up, asking for the controller back, I remembered why I couldn't just snatch her up and drop her in my lap. 

She was gonna pay for that move. I smirked to myself, thinking about that. 

"Dude, where are you?" Ben asked, his voice dragging me out of my unholy thoughts. He was waving his hand in front of my eyes to get my attention. "Sorry," I replied, huskily, stealing another glance at Callie. She was watching me, a small smug grin on her face, her hazel eyes dancing with laughter. 

I shifted on the couch and turned my attention to the game. We spent another couple of hours playing Mortal Kombat, taking turns between all three of us. I hadn't really relaxed like this, and just enjoyed doing something that had nothing to do with work. I didn't have to fake a smile, appease the masses or the business people, no editing, no being around people when I didn't feel like dealing with them. It was great. 

"That's RIGHT!" Ben yelled, when he won the final match against his mom. "SUCK IT! I RUN THIS BI- um, show. I RUN THIS SHOW!" I covered my mouth, trying to hold my laughter back at his slip up. I glanced at Callie, to see her glaring at him. 

"What was that?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow at the poor kid. He looked like he regretted everything he had ever done in life, with that sheepish expression on his face. His blue eyes widened, as he expertly threw on the sad puppy dog look. The kid was a pro. He was so good at it, it was actually scary. 

"I didn't say anything," he rushed out. "But you almost did," Callie said, wryly. "But, I didn't," Ben said, smiling sweetly at her. "That should count for something. I stopped myself because I respect you and you don't like me swearing in front of you. I'm basically 18, Mom." He rolled his eyes but kept that sweet smile on his face. The kid was good, I had to admit. 

"Nope, those eyes don't work on me, kid. I'm immune. You better watch that mouth," Callie replied, shaking her head. Her voice was stern, but her lips were quirking with a smile. "You aren't too old for me to wash that mouth out with soap." 

Ben chuckled and nodded his head. "Yes ma'am. My bad." I let out a laugh, when he glanced at me and winked. Callie turned her glare on me and threw her hands up, letting them drop down to slap against her thighs. "You two are incorrigible! You're a bad influence," she said, pointing her finger at me. 

I raised my eyebrows at her. "What did I do?" I asked, feigning astonishment. "You're encouraging him!" she exclaimed. Honestly, I could tell she was enjoying making the kid smile. He was laughing his head off now, falling back in his chair. "I didn't say anything!" I replied. "Well.." she huffed out. "You laughed, you ass." 

"Oooo, SEE!" Ben exclaimed, laughing his ass off. "You just swore! You can't get on to me about it, then do it yourself!" "Yes, I can!" Callie exclaimed, crossing her harms, stubbornly. "You do as I say, not as I do. You do better than me. You know what, I'm gonna fight you on day." 

Ben had tears coming out of his eyes, as he gasped for breath from laughing so hard. Callie couldn't even hold a straight face anymore. She watched the kid, holding his stomach, and collapsed into a fit a laughter herself. I laughed right along with them, enjoying this moment more than I should've. It felt...right. 

"Whatever," Callie gasped out, after a few minutes. "You can both go screw off somewhere. I need make lunch and plan dinner. Go play, boys." I cocked my eyebrow at her and smirked. "We aren't children," I said. "Ben is basically an adult and I've been an adult for a while now. You can't tell us what to do." 

"Really?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. "Uh oh, too far," Ben whispered, loud enough for Callie to hear. I cleared my throat, actually wanting to take it back, under the heat of her stare. "Yeah. Really," I replied, standing my ground. "We can do what we want. We want to go outside and hang out. Not because you said so, though." "Mmhmm," she mused, pursing her lips to hide the smile. "That's what I thought. Go, you annoying men." 

She produced a fly swatter out of thin air and swung it towards my legs. I yelled and jumped up, grabbing Ben's arm and pulling him with me. We headed out the front door, with Callie's laughter following us. 

I followed Ben, but was surprised when he walked over to the rental car. "This is a nice car," he said, tracing a finger over the curves. "Yeah, she's pretty and sleek. My Corolla will always have my heart thought. You love your first car. There's just something about having that freedom for the first time," I replied. 

"Yeah, I love my little car," he said, motioning towards the little silver Hyundai Elantra that was sitting next to Callie's sporty little red Forte. "I don't know about freedom though. I've never really done anything except go to school and work. Never been to a school dance, or to a party. Only hung out with a couple of friends once, to get something to eat and see a movie. That's the extent of my high school life."

"Really? That's it?" I asked, a little surprised. Callie had talked to me about Ben not really doing anything, like kids his age normally would, but I assumed he just wasn't telling her about certain things. Like kids normally do. 

 He looked up at me and blushed a little, his pale cheeks flushing red. "Yeah. I don't really get along well with people my own age. Not many of them, anyway. They're just so...immature, I guess. I did go to Washington, D.C. once, but it was for a school thing. It was pretty sweet though. We stayed in a really awesome hotel, that had hundreds of floors, and I had to ride on a plane to get there. I think Mom was freaking out the entire time I was gone...but she didn't constantly text me or anything. She let me enjoy it. Just had to promise to talk to her at least once a day and to let her know as soon as my feet were on the ground again. She's scared of flying." 

I chuckled and nodded. "I know. She was ready to jump on that plane to come home to you though. Wasn't thinking twice about it. What about girls, though? Anybody you're interested in?" His face flushed again and he shook his head slightly. "Aw, come on," I encouraged him. "I won't tell your mom. Promise." 

He laughed a little and looked down at his hand on the rental car. "There is one girl. She's gorgeous, but she's out of my league. A couple of years older too. She's 19, almost 20. She's not interested in me." "How do you know? Did you ask her? Or talk to her?" I asked. I knew that he hadn't. He was too shy. I could tell just by the way he was answering me. 

"No," he mumbled. "I couldn't do that. I just know. Why would she be into me?" "Seriously?" I sighed. "You and your mother have got to be nicer to yourselves. Any girl would be lucky to be with you. You're a great guy, you work, you don't do drugs, you respect women, you love your mom. I don't know you that well yet, but Callie raised you. That means you've got good in you." 

"I guess," he replied, ducking his head in embarrassment. "Promise me that you'll shoot your shot," I insisted. "You'll never know if you don't try. Take chances. A good friend once had a saying that I really liked. Oh wells, not what ifs. Do you know what that means?"

He shook his head. "Not really." "It means, it's better to have an oh well, if you try something and it doesn't work, instead of a what if, leaving you wondering what may have been, because you never tried," I explained, thinking of my friend, Corey, who had passed away a few years back. "So, you have to try or you'll never know. You'll always wonder if she may have liked you, too. Life is short, man."

He stood there, not looking at me, just taking in my words for a few minutes. "Okay," he sighed. "I'll talk to her at work tonight. She's the hostess at the restaurant that I work at." "Cool," I replied, grinning at him. "Let me know how it goes, okay?" "I will...and Colby?" he said. "Yeah, buddy?" "Thanks," he replied, shooting me a smile.