My heart aches.

My brain craves.

My stomach twists.

And every other part of my body wants to touch you.

I can't help but feel drawn again.

Do you need an update on my life?

Ever since that night at the party, I don't know whether I should feel awkward or happy every time I see Colby. Our group still hangs out all the time and it's been about five days later. He admitted to me that he wanted to kiss me but ended that conversation with, "But, we are still rivals."

And it drives me insane.

I want Colby, and it really is shitty when you end up liking your rival, your friend's best friend, and your best friend's boyfriend.

Like what the fuck is wrong with my emotions, why can't I like Sam, fall for an LA boy, and become friends with my rival?

Later that night, I remember the bitter vibe that was coming from both of us. We were the only sober people out of the four of us. Ellie was bent, and Sam was just too tired to function. Colby had no drinks so he drove my car, while I sat in the passenger so he could figure out how to get back home. The only time we spoke to each other during then was when I told him to take a right, left or keep going straight. It was useless to ever think that he could like me.

Colby hates me, might as well give up trying.

Not that I was even trying in the first place.

/////

A thunderous knock sounds on the door, that definitely startled me.

"GUYS! OPEN UP, BIG NEWS!" Somebody shouts, who I assume is Sam.

I swear to god, I did think a burglar was trying to break in.

"YEAH! ELLIE, ASHLYN, GET OVER HERE!" Colby yells.

I slowly stand from my position on the couch and groan from having to get up.

"ALRIGHT, I'M COMING," I yell back, jogging, to open the door.

"What, guys it's like ten o'clock in the morning?" I sigh, looking at the two excited boys.

"WE HIT A MILLION FOLLOWERS ON VINE!" Sam and Colby both yell.

"OH MY GOD, CONGRATULATIONS GUYS HOLY CRAP!" I scream, now getting equal as much excitement as them. I spread my arms and we all get into a group hug while jumping up and down and laughing.

"What's all the commotion?" A tired Ellie walks out her room in pajamas and rubbing her eyes.

"WE HIT A MILLION FOLLOWERS ON VINE!" We all yell except I said 'they' not we.

"OH MY GOD YOU GUYS HIT A MILLION FOLLOWERS ON VINE!" Ellie screeches, running to join the group huddle.

The four of us just bounce to our own sound of laughter for a good ten minutes. We all pull away, still smiling and congratulating. I give Sam a hug, Ellie a hug, which was kind of unnecessary, and then Colby a hug.

But I then realize it was Colby I was hugging.

Colby and I immediately felt awkward, so we both pull and turn away from each other.

No matter how much I wanted to continue to feel his embrace again.

"So... we gotta celebrate guys!" Ellie howls.

"Yeah! We so need to throw our own party!" Sam excitedly says.

"We could rent a place by the beach and celebrate there, since the apartment might be too small," I suggest.

"The four of us could spend a weekend on the beach!" Ellie exclaims.

Colby pumps a fist in the air, "LETS GET PLANNING!"

/////

I'm so proud of the guys. They have been working for this moment, and that's primarily why they moved to LA right?

Even though Colby is my rival, I'll be happy for him.

I promised Ellie I would try to be nice.

Yet, it's so hard when he continues to take pieces of my heart.

"You guys rented the house yet?" Sam asks, looking up from his laptop.

"Yeah, we got this real nice one with two bedrooms, a kitchen, big ass living room, balcony, porch, and pool. All on Groupon!" Ellie exclaims on the other side of the room, looking at her laptop.

"Wait, but check this place, it doesn't have a pool but it's cheaper!" I say, from the kitchen counter, while on my laptop.

"Maybe we should get the one without the pool, since we'll be at the beach for most of the time..." Colby says, not glancing from his laptop.

We all had our laptops, in different places of my apartment, searching for beach house rentals, party essentials, and people to invite.

Sam is assigned to invite people, Colby has to order food at a budget and get cool decorations, and Ellie and I have to find the perfectest, cheapest house. We're also secretly going to buy them a big banner and giant cake.

They're thinking this will be a small party, but... jokes on them.

"How's the budget holding up?" Sam glances up from his screen. "I just invited our twenty people, Fitz is the only one who couldn't come."

"Well, I haven't gone over the one hundred fifty dollar food limit yet or the a hundred dollar decoration limit yet," Colby says, typing something in his phone.

"Ellie and I are still debating to get the house with or without the pool," I sigh, scrolling through airbnb.com.

"I say we get a pool but maybe we'll get one bedroom and someone can sleep in the living room," Ellie proposes.

"I'm okay with sleeping on the couch, I do it often already," Colby laughs.

"Babe, I was thinking we'd sleep in the same bed together since we're a couple," Ellie advocates.

"Yeah... I agree with that actually," Sam adds.

I scoff, "As long as those two are far far away from me, at night, I'm fine."

"So we will get a pool?" Ellie asks, happily.

"But like, what's the point of a pool to swim in when we have a BEACH?" Colby points out.

"Babe, it'll be so much cooler if we had a pool," Ellie pouts.

"But we're getting a beach house."

"Think of all the cool pictures we could take!" Ellie exclaims.

"Think of all the cool pictures we could take,... at the beach."

"COLBY!"

"FINE, get it," He replies, throwing his hands in surrender. "Whatever, waste money," He mumbles. I don't think El heard though.

"Woo! So I can get the one with the pool?" She claps.

"Guess so," I comply and the guys nod.

She pumps a fist in the air, "Yay!"

"Hey guys, what's today's date?" Colby asks.

"It's Wednesday bro, June 28th," Sam answers.

"Aw man, I can't use this coupon for ketchup," Colby replies, annoyed.

"I thought you didn't like ketchup, babe?" Ellie asks.

I roll my eyes, "El, do you not remember the time at the school picnic where he just slobbered his fries with ketchup? Colbs is literally so disgusting."

"Ha, Colbs," Sam murmurs under his breath.

"Oh, yeah, right I remember," Ellie quietly agrees.

"Glad to know Ash knows me well," Colby laughs.

"I know you!" Ellie blurts, offended.

"Babe, but not as much as Ashlyn," Colby says with a tad of annoyance. It surprises me he would say that out loud. It doesn't surprise me that I know too much about him.

Slowly, the conversation just headed into dead silence and we all worked on our assignments.

Didn't think planning a party was so serious.

/////

Tomorrow, we leave for the weekend.

A weekend that hopefully will be unforgettable.

I honestly feel like I attend to many parties, but it has been about almost a week since my last one. Today is Friday, and we're leaving Saturday morning and the party will be Saturday night.

All night.

Some of Sam and Colby's friends are going to be staying over for a night too, I think on Saturday. Tomorrow is going to be hectic. As of now, I'm last minute packing because yesterday I was uploading and editing YouTube videos for my channel. It's five right now and Corey and Devyn came over with Sam to ask if we wanted to hang out about two hours ago but I stayed because I didn't finish packing and I'm not sure if Colby went too.

I began to set my clothes in nice piles and figure out the outfits I wanted to wear.

I began to file my makeup into my travel packs and arrange them into my luggage. I'm only bringing one luggage and my purse, since we'll only be there for a night.

I have to do so much editing tonight, my last video with Sam and Colby, when Colby had to do the dare, was hilarious and is already at the top of my most popular.

Maybe one day I'll force the guys to collab with me.

Or at least Sam because I bet Colby would never agree to sit in the same room with me.

It's hurtful to myself that that's what I think of Colby to be like towards me but it's not a wrong hypothesis.

We just hate each other.

I hate liking my rival.

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

UPDATES ARE SUNDAYS DEFINITELY ALWAYS. I still get some comments saying to update soon but trust me, they'll be on Sundays definitely, or on another day of the week when I feel like it haha, I think Wednesdays and Fridays too?;) Lemme know!! SoRRy this is kinda short compared to my last few chapters, I just wanna space out my shiiiiit. (I usually write like 2000-3000 words) This one was just 1,652 words... sorry... disappointment I know.

BUT HEY THANKS FOR READING! This story is really progressing, and I can't wait until we get to the happy climax... hint hint. if you read up to here, comment colberity is my asperity.

COMMENT, *VOTE*, & SHARE! FEEDBACK IS ALWAYS APPRECIATED, DON'T BE SHY<33

hugs, kt