"Alright, please exit the ride to your right and have a great night," The ride operator says, escorting us out. We say thank you and Brennen quickly gives him a shout out on his vlog. I walk with Nik to our group and I see everyone except Colby and Ellie. 

I wonder where they went...

Probably off making out. 

Which hurts. 

He keeps crushing me, and we both even admitted we liked each other. What is this? Is my appeal some joke to him? 

I could just be irrational. 

I'm the one who said that we shouldn't be together. 

I'm the one who wasn't ready.

A/N: (I'm the one yeahhh oh we ohhh oh we oh) JB

"Hey you guys ready to ride more rides?" Corey asks in the midst of my thoughts.

"Oh guys, you know what we should do?" Elton intrudes.

"What?" Most of us asks.

"We should try and do an overnight challenge!" He exclaims.

"Nah, I ain't doing that shit," Nik waves off.

"Yea, neither am I," Brennen agrees, walking up.

"Pussies," Elton chuckles.

"Well I'm not doing it either!" Devyn exclaims.

"Baby, you've never done one with us though!" Corey wails. "It'll be fun!"

Devyn shakes her head, "Nope. Plus, how would you do an overnight challenge when this boardwalk seems to be open twenty-four hours a day."

"It'd be an easy challenge then?" Elton shrugs. "What do you think Ash?"

The spotlight was now shone on me and I was dumbfounded. "Eh, I'll do it if the majority of people are doing it..."

"See, Ashlyn's cooler than you dweebs," Elton says, laughing. 

"I'll join," Sam chimes in.

"I already figured that dude," Elton says. "Plus, if you wouldn't have, I would've gone and force you to do it."

"Wow, how nice are you Elty?" Sam chuckles.

"Very. Now everyone agrees?" Elton asks.

Nik, Brennen, and Devyn shake their heads no but agree to leave at, at least two o'clock a.m. Even though Colby and Ellie aren't here, I'd imagine them coming and just making out.

Which is disgusting for the two billionth time.

"Hey, what about Amanda?" I ask Elton. 

I heard good things about Elton's girlfriend, I would love to meet her and she didn't come to the party.

"Yeah, I'm already texting her," Elton says, typing in his phone, "She's at a friend's place thirty minutes away and she needs a ride... I gotta go pick her up and she does want to come."

"Then go pick her up, let's start this thing!" Corey says. 

"But I didn't bring my car... I came with Toddy and he didn't sleep over and you're driving us back, Corey," Elton sighs sadly.

"We can use my car to go pick her up then, no big deal," Corey replies.

"You okay with that?" Elton asks.

"Heck yea, Devyn and I will come too so you won't get lonely,"  Corey giggles and Devyn rolls her eyes. 

"Cool, thanks! Let's go," Elton says, walking off with Corey and Devyn, "See you guys in an hour or so, text to meet up later!" 

Brennen, Sam, Nik and I wave bye at them. 

"So now what ya wanna do?" Sam asks.

"EAT," Brennen says hungrily, "And I need some water."

"Brother, I always knew you were thirsty," Nik winks, "For Ashlyn. She has water if you know what I'm sayin'." 

My eyes shoot wide and I literally just turn my head and direction of my walk, the opposite way. 

Sam and Nik laugh and Brennen readjusts his collar. That was fucking awkward, I wonder if Brennen knows Colby likes me. I mean, they're best friends. Even though Sam and him are closer, he doesn't know for the sake of friendship. *lol*

"Let's just go find something to snack on..." Brennen awkwardly says. 

/////

"There's nothing good or everything looks good!" Brennen whines as the four of us walk down the boardwalk. 

Sam and Nik found food to eat before Brennen because he can't decide what he wants or there's nothing good enough for him.

"That doesn't really make sense man," Sam says with a confused look. 

"Dogger, we'll find something, we've only been walking for ten minutes and there's still the rest of the boardwalk we haven't covered," Nik adds.

"Ugh, I hope one place got something that looks good and tastes good... ya know, I need the worthy snap," Brennen groans. 

"Yo can we stop here," I say, "There's a map with all the shops and shit. Let's check it."

"Aight," Brennen responds.

We go up to the big sign and peer at the stores and restaurants. 

"Ooo, that place looks good. I want some good fries," I point at a little shack called "Fried Famous." 

"Cool, but I think I want a burger from five guys..." Sam replies. 

"Dude but that's what In N Out is for," I contemplate. 

He grunts, "Ugh, do they have a Chipotle around?" 

"Oh yeah! Daddy's burritos?" Nik exclaims. 

"What," Brennen and I say at the same time.

"What the actual crap is Daddy's burritos?" Sam asks.

Nik laughs, "Colby and I's name for Chipotle until they sponsor us."

"Oh speaking of Colberrr, there he is with his girl," Brennen points.

We turn around and they came looking normal. 

They weren't touching anymore but we're looking fine. 

Which I found suspicious.

"Hey, what's up guys," Colby waves.

"We're looking for food, guys wanna come?" Sam asks. 

"Oh yeah, I'm in the mood for a burger!" Ellie chimes.

"SEE SAME!" Sam jumps, "We don't need no Daddy's burritos."

"RUDE!" Nik cries.

"Yo, that's our code name!" Colby chuckles, clapping his hands.

"Yerrr, you want to see if they got any Daddy's burritos around?"

"Eh, but I'm not too hungry. Probably just want to grab some fries from Fried Famous," Colby shrugs.

"Ooo, so do I," I say. 

"I saw it up there by the pier, wanna come?" Colby asks me.

"Yeah, sounds good," I comply. 

Sam says, "Kay, we'll split, Ellie and I are so getting burgers from five guys."

"Oh hell ya, five guys! Move out!" Ellie giggles, running down the boardwalk. 

"UGH. I better find something as good as good good!" Brennen groans once again.

"BROTHER, NOTHING IS AS GOOD AS GOOD GOOD!" Colby shouts as he walks into the distance.

"COLBY, What about DADDY'S BURRITOS?" Nik yells at him. 

"MY BAD BRO," Colby says with his hands up.

"Yeah, YOUR BAD," Nik laughs, walking off with Sam, Brennen and Ellie. Colby shakes his head and walks in the opposite direction. I follow him. 

Why'd I agree to come with him? He just kissed his girlfriend.

Wait a minute...

It's his girlfriend. 

Ellie is his girlfriend, not me and I keep forgetting that. 

I'm not ready to be his yet. 

We walk in silence but the noise of the public fills the empty sound between us. We get to the little stand and order two small fries. He pays for me when I distinctively offered my cash. He took my cash, made me turn around, and put it back in my backpack. 

"Thanks for the fries," I half smile as Colby and I are now leaning on a fence by the water, looking out at the sunset. 

Another sunset.

"No problem," He grins sweetly. 

The quiet between us isn't awkward anymore but comforting. 

We just leaned on a fence that divided us from the ocean, overlooking the pink cascaded sky. 

He scoots closer to me for our shoulders to be touching. After a solid ten minutes, we had finished our fries. He goes to throw them away and turns back. I don't face him but have my back towards him and keep admiring the view. 

"You ready to head back?" He asks, breaking the silence between us.

"Few more minutes... I don't usually get to admire sunsets like these often," I sigh, scanning the horizon. 

"You always admire sunsets like these," He scoffs.

"May be so, but not really with you," I say in a hushed voice.

He walks over next to me and puts an arm around my shoulders. "There'll be more sunsets for us to admire, Ash."

"Next time you admire a sunset, it'll be with Ellie," I reply softly, leaning my head in the crook of his neck. 

"Don't say that, you know I'd rather be with you."

I widen my eyes, what a fuck boy move. I wiggle from under his arm and stare, "Wow, fuck boy."

"What! What I do?" He questions with genuine confusion. 

"I saw you kissing Ellie! Don't lie to me," I interrogate. 

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" I'm confused, why isn't he being normal and denying it. 

"Yes. I'm sorry, truly am okay."

"Is that sarcasm? How come are you not-"

"Denying it?" He glances down for a second and peers up, "I just don't really know what to do with myself if I can't be with you. I'm like, forced, to be with Ellie. She's an amazing girl but I'm not the guy for her."

I open my mouth to speak but no words came out. He looks at me, encouraging me to say something.

I stammer, "What are you saying? Are you going to break up with her?" 

"Yes... Maybe... No? I don't know!" He exasperates, burying his hands in his face. "This is so complicated."

"Now, I'm sorry. You know what I'm putting at risk, my-"

He muffles harshly into his hands, "Your friendships, your fans, your career, your life, ya I remember. How could I forget."

I step back, kinda hurt he said it like that. "O-oh, sorry then."

"N-no! I didn't mean to say it like that! Baby, you know I'll wait," He says, taking in my hands. I look into his ocean eyes and smile. 

This kid drives me crazy. 

He smiles back, "I'll wait for you, I'll be with her until I can have you, I want you." 

I wrap my arms around him and connect our foreheads.

I smirk, "Fill in the gap."

He grins and leans in to kiss me. It was soft and loving and I'm really feeling the fireworks. Or bombs... it's just so explosive. He makes me feel like no other. 

  A/N: DOESN'T IT LOOK LIKE COLBY ISH?

We were rivals, but to everyone else, we still are. 

 How can we change that?

We pull away from the slow rhythm to breathe. 

"Uh, Ashlyn?" He whispers.

"Mhm?" I hum happily.

He looks past my shoulder, "I think we just fucked up... should've stuck with the car pact."

"What?" I turn around to meet someone I'd least expect. They were red and looking furious. 

"How. Long. Has this been going on!" The person shouts at us. 

"Please don't tell!" Colby pleads, walking up to them.

"No way in hell is this actually happening... and you didn't even tell me? HOW?" The voice yells.

"Calm down, we can explain," I rationalize to them.

"Fine, let's be quick. Elton's back."

"Okay, Sam."

--------------------------------------------------

HOLY MOTHER COLBY OF FUCKING HELL WHAT IS DIS. 10K+ READS? whAt. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH IT MEANS THE WORLD<3

I didn't imagine two reads when I was first writing this book. But ya'll keep blowing my expectations out the water! I read every single fucking comment and I'm so grateful for all the lovely people I've met because I've been writing this story<3

@alohaa_ayanna @malllloryyyy @Ash_Golbach_Brock 

Thank you girliessss<3 It's deeply appreciated *tears up*

I'm writing this on my birthday which is da 10th and and we reached 10k today:D Coincidence? I THINK NOT.

COMMENT, *VOTE* & SHARE!! FEEDBACK IS ALWAYS APPRECIATED! DON'T BE SHY!

comment "colbean is my favorite bean" if you read up to here!:)

hugs, kt