A/N: I just want to thank everyone who keeps reading and are consistently voting and giving such positive feedback!!I LOVE YOU ALL, I update for those people whose simple comments make my day<3 I hope you enjoy this chapter.

"C-COLBY!" I scream, running to the door-frame of his apartment door. I peak out down the hall and see nobody there anymore.

Why'd he just run?

He keeps doing that, and it crushes my soul and confidence every time. It's like he's afraid of what I'm going to say, and honestly... I'm also afraid of what I'm going to say.

I got to tell him I like him.

How though?

I'm feeling so lost, like nothing is ever going my way.

The melancholy thoughts of him and I never being able to be together are rolling in, and I'm now crying at that fact. I stare down the hallway, hoping for his shadow to reappear.

But to my dismay, no glimpse or hint of Colby anywhere.

I turn off the lights in his apartment and close the door.

My eyes drip water as I turn into my own apartment that I never locked. I open the door and wipe away the painful tears staining my pink cheeks.

I close the door and rub my puffy eyelids and slide down on the door and bury my disheveled face within my palms and cry, and cry.

For Colby Brock.

/////

"Pssst. Ash."

"Huh?"

"WAKE UP SLEEPY HEAD, IT'S TIME TO HIT THE ROAD!" An excited Ellie jumps to lay across my stomach.

"OOF!" I groan, "Well I'm DEFINITELY UP NOW, GEEZ!"

"Good, because we're taking your car and Sam's car because I refuse to ride in Colby's 2007 Corolla."

"Ha, okay. Wait Colby got his car back finally?" I yawn, slowly sitting up. Colby's car holds our secretly stupid pact that I loved because it was something only for us. Now that it's here, Colby and I could secretly spill anything in that car.

Whatever is said in this car, stays in this car.

"Yeah, Sam got annoyed that Colby kept asking him for rides so he went and got his car for him when you left that week," Ellie replies, "BUT GET DRESSED AND LETS GET GOING. Sam and you in your car, Colby and I in Sam's! Just an fyi, meet you in their apartment!" She hollers, strutting out the room.

I sigh, today I have to tell him how I feel too. It's most certainly not a one sided conversation. I have a say and we need to have a clear discussion.

I quickly brush my hair and throw on a cute outfit before getting my shoes, luggage, and back pack.

I roll my suitcase into the hallway and knock on the door. I was hoping and not hoping Colby would open up, just so I can see him but there's still a side of me wanting to run away like he did, but hide in a corner.

Sam opens the door and smiles widely, "Hi Ash! Ellie is helping Colby finish packing but they said that they'll be down in a second so we can start loading the cars now. Yesterday, Colby came to hang with Ellie, Corey, Devyn and I at around 8-ish and bought the snacks for the party."

"Oh,... great!" I grin, trying to be as equally happy. So after he told me he liked me, he went grocery shopping with our other friends?

I am peachy. Just peachy.

"Yeah, c'mon lets get the few ShopRite bags and our ALREADY PACKED luggages," Sam yells the last part to exaggerate for Colby.

"I'M SORRY I FORGOT!" Colby shouts back.

I half smile, hearing his voice made me have some mixed emotions.

Sam and I drag our bags into the trunk of my car and the food into the trunk of his car. Later, Colby and Ellie emerge from the elevator and into the parking lot. I hadn't seen Colby since yesterday and he's already breaking my heart again.

He's holding her hand.

And not mine.

I slouch into the cushion of the passenger seat of my BMW. I sigh and blow the loose strands of hair away.

Sam opens the driver seat's door. "Hey, Colby and Ellie are set! Let's go!"

I smile, "I'm stoked." I'm stoked to forget about Colby's confession, but I can't brush it off like any other petty problem. This also wasn't petty.

"You got directions set?" He asks.

I pull up Google Maps and Waze, "Yeeeup."

"Awesome, let's get this show on the road!" He cheers. I 'woo!' with him.

It's about ten o'clock, and trust us,

this is the earliest we'll all ever wake up.

/////

*Ring Ring*

I glance down at my phone, it was a call from Colby.

"Who's calling?" Sam asks.

I hesitate, "Colby...," not knowing whether to pick it up or not.

"Well answer it," Sam urges.

"Okay, okay," I murmur. I click the answer button. "-H-hello?"

A voice on the other end whines, "ASHLYN! I'm so bored and hungry, can we please stop for In-N-Out?"

I roll my eyes and look at Sam, "It's Ellie, she wants to stop for In-N-Out."

"PLEASE!" Begs Ellie over the phone.

"Fine, next exit, we'll go," Sam laughs.

I smile, "Hear that, El?"

"Colby we're going to In-N-Out!" Ellie yells at him.

"YAY," Colby screams.

"Kay well just follow us, since ya'll are already behind," I say.

"Kk, got it Colby?" Ellie says to Colby.

"Yeah, yeah follow them," He responds.

"Right, see ya later," I mumble.

Ellie says, "Bye!" I hang up.

"Are you hungry?" I ask Sam.

"Not too much, but I wanna get some chips," He smiles.

"Same, we should just ditch them," I joke.

"Ha, that's a great idea! Too bad I'm too good of a person to actually ditch them," Sam shrugs.

"Party pooper," I tease, "I honestly don't really want to encounter anymore human interaction."

"You were acting kinda off, Ash. When you saw it was Colby calling but it was just Ellie on his phone."

"Erm, well you know, Colby and I aren't always on the best of terms," I attempt to convince.

"True..."

/////

"Ellie, just get fucking drive-thru, we're on a schedule and I think you're the only one who wants a burger," I yell at Ellie over the phone. Sam and I lead them to the exit where In-N-Out is located but we only parked in the lot and didn't get out since no gas station around sold any food, and we are not hungry enough to get a large shake, burger and fries.

"But Ash, Colby wants fries too!" She whines.

"FEED THEM TO HIM," I shout, "Just get your food and go, we're giving you five minutes."

"I got the timer!" Sam yells through, pulling out his phone.

"COLBY DRIVE!" Ellie screeches. "We'll be ready soon, don't worry, we'll get to Moonstone Beach on time."

"Lies, we still have forty-five minutes to Moonstone!" Sam exclaims.

"That's not that long!" Ellie replies. I hear in the background Colby ordering food.

"Colby's forgetting to order a side of-" Sam covers my mouth.

He shakes his head, "Don't say it, Ash."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I mean it."

I playfully hit his arm, "Oh shut up Samuel."

"WE GOT FOOD," Colby and Ellie both yell.

"Can we leave now?" Sam and I both ask.

"Moonstone Beach here we come!" Ellie happily hollers.

/////

The car ride was fun for Sam and I, we enjoyed hanging together.

I feel like I should spend more time with him, and maybe I'll get over Colby's little scene.

Er, big scene.

But still, Colby's not going to do anything about it I bet. Should I still tell him I like him too?

Question really is: Does he deserve to know?

I could mess so many things up, I can't be selfish. Ellie's relationship with Colby could end and Sam and I's relationship could dwindle to nothing. Ellie could forever hate me and there goes our friendship. It will diminish into a pile of fucking ash because it got burned up by Colby's hell.

My name's Ash, and I will be burnt like fucking ash.

"So, what's first to do when we get there?" I ask Sam.

"Well, we gotta settle in, decorate the beach house, and prepare the foo- CRAP! I forgot to order pizza."

"I'll order it now, don't worry," I say, calling Domino's Pizza.

I order four large pizzas and chicken tenders, which are pretty bomb even though it's a pizza place.

"Thanks Ash," Sam says, relieved.

"Yeah, but you're picking it up," I giggle.

"What! They don't deliver?"

I roll my eyes, "Don't you know it cost extra for them to deliver? A tip is always required! So no, you're picking it up."

"Fine, fine, but why-"

"Because you forgot to order before delivery is free! Dingus," I chuckle.

"Ah, kay I deserved it," He sighs.

"Yeah but- WOAH!" I exclaim, looking out across Sam. We were driving on a road beside a cliff and the ocean was beautiful and there was some high rocks that were perfect for taking pictures at.

"Dang, that's a really nice view! Can't wait til we get to the house!" Sam grins.

"Totally," I agree.

My phone begins to ring and it's Colby but it's Ellie definitely calling from his phone again I bet.

"Ellie do you see that hella beautiful view!" I exclaim in the phone.

"Ellie? It's Colby, Ellie put me on speaker so I'm just gonna ask to stop right now."

I freeze. Goddammit. "S-stop? Why stop? Why would you need to stop?"

"Just want to take a picture up under that rock up ahead, tell Sam," Colby replies.

"O-Okay, Sam did you hear that?" I ask Sam.

"Stopping? Kay, lets pull up by the little fence here," Sam says.

Both cars pull over and I see Colby run out down the cliff, wearing a blue hat and tank top and shorts. It was honestly so attractive, he's cheesin' so hard, it's adorable. I grab my camera and hand it to Ellie so she can take a pic for Colby.

Ya know, if only Colby thought of me like how I think of him, then maybe we'd have a chance.

"Guys! Lets just hang here for a bit, it's beautiful. We got time, lets just enjoy our little vacation," Ellie says.

"Yeah, that sounds fine," Sam agrees.

Colby and I both nod our heads and we all walk down the beach together.

Like we all knew how to get along.

/////

"Haha! You're it!" Sam laughs, running away.

I laugh too, chasing after him. After losing my breath from all the running of tag on the shore, I stand, putting my hands on my hips and squinting to look at my phone.

"It's 5:09. GUYS IT'S 5:09!" Sam panics, running up the cliff.

Colby, Ellie and I, all cuss at the fact that we aren't ready for our own fucking party because we're all dipshits.

We literally just spent half the day playing on the beach like little kids.

The four of us rush into our cars and speed off to the direction of the beach house.

We arrive shortly, and hop out at lightning speed. Sam and I grab the snacks and our own luggage with Colby and Ellie. The owner of the beach house was literally just sitting outside reading a newspaper.

"Hello, hi, hey!" I say quickly at the old man.

"Hi there, I'm Gregory, do you have everything needed? You all seem like in a rush, I just need your name," He says politely, "I also would like the paperwork."

I glance at Ellie, "Ellie, you cover for us. Sir, could we have the keys? We are kind of in a rush to get inside."

He holds the keys from his back pocket, "O-okay...just I need the paperwor-"

I snatch the keys from his grasp and open the front door of the beach house, "Thanks!"

Sam and Colby pile inside and Ellie goes and pays attention to Gregory.

"Okay so you two are decorating this place, so drop off ALL the bags in the rooms and then head out to go buy party decorations," I tell them, "Ellie and I are going to pick up all the food, and arranging the snacks is what I'm going to do, right now." I rush over to the grocery bags and pull out the bags of chips and dip, then head into the kitchen. Sam and Colby go and do as they were told and quickly scamper out the door to the nearest Party City.

Ellie walks into the room, "Hey, the only rule here is to clean up when we leave."

"Okay well, we gotta pick up ALL the food, surprise cake, and banner without having them seeing us," I say, dumping out all the chips into some bowls from the house. I finished the dip like a split second ago because I'm that fast.

"Right, I'll meet you in the car, I'll look up for the nearest ShopRite and..."

"Domino's! We ordered pizza so long ago, maybe they'll still keep it there!" I yell, finishing up and putting the empty bags away and running out the door. "C'mon!"

"I'm going, I'm going!"

/////

"Okay turn here," I say hurriedly, "That on the left, look Domino's is also in the shopping center so I'll pick that up and you head to ShopRite across the street."

"Kay, what kind of cake should I get?" Ellie asks, grabbing her purse.

"Marble, now go, and meet me by Party City. Sam and Colby are there buying decorations so we gotta secretly buy the banner."

"Kay, good luck recruit," Ellie salutes, getting out my car.

I laugh and rush out into Domino's.

"Yes, hi, I'm here to pick up a pizza by the name of Ashlyn Neil," I burst, not realizing that I technically just asked to pick up a pizza named Ashlyn Neil. Which sounds ridiculous.

The guy goes into the back and heats up my pizza and tells me to wait for twenty minutes. As I stand there, I realize how stupid it is to just be standing there while I could go pick up the banner now. I ask the employee if I could come back when it's ready and he says yes. Which astounds me because I was late to pick it up in the first place. Also, this job was for Sam and not even me!

I'm just too nice for my own good. *Smiles sweetly*

I say thanks and sprint towards Party City. I sneak around the corner to see if Sam and Colby are there but as I turn my head, I bump straight between two taller figures.

Just the people I wanted to avoid in the first place.

"H-hey guys, done?" I stutter, awkwardly waving to Sam and Colby.

"Yeah... need anything else for us to do?" Sam asks.

"Uh...could you guys go get the pizza and...help Ellie get some other stuff?" I ask.

They both nod and walk out.

Okay, quick thinking time.

This is just a normal party in their heads but it's a wild surprise party in Ellie and I's heads. I text Ellie and the Sam and Colby Operation: Surprise Party 🎉  Group chat.

To Ellie:
A: STALL THE GUYS. N look at the group chat. Stall til after 6 then u can come home.

E: KK. CAKE IS DONE IT LOOKS HELLA YUM 😋

A: awesome, theyr comin to u so secretly drop the cake @ my car

E: GOTCHU THEY COMIN I C THEM. CYA🤘🏼

A: TTYL🎉

To Sam and Colby Operation: Surprise Party 🎉:

A: HEY YALL COME EARLY NOW. SURPRISE PARTY IS IN PLAN. Thanks for all coming in advance, but we got lil side tracked and I'm asking anyone who is close by to come hang decorations😂🤙🏼

I hope there's someone close by, we could use all the help we could get, and honestly, if nobody says they can, we are so screwed.
But thank god, Corey and Brennen are texting.

C: Devyn and I are on they way!! B there rlly soon.

B: Me n Nik are coming once he can get his short legs 2 run faster ;) cya in 10

I sigh a sigh of relief. Thank fucking god.

/////

It has been twenty minutes and the guys should have the pizza, I have the banner, and I'm heading to the house where Corey, Devyn, Brennen, and (Big)Nik should be waiting.

As I hop into my car, Ellie quickly waddles to me with four plastic bags.

"ASH! Here's the cake, and the three bags full of party decorations!" She yells out of breath, "Now go quickly before the guys see you here and notice that the decorations are missing! They're in the silverware aisle figuring what type of forks they want."

"Right, okay, I'm going now. See you by six o'clock, but don't be in a rush," I reply, carefully putting the cake and decorations into the seat next to me. She nods and runs back.

I drive back to the house, where it was only a five minute drive.

"Ashlyn!" My friends exclaim, walking over to my car.

"Okay guys, we have twenty-five minutes to get this party together. Brennen and Corey, put up the banner on the front of the stairs so the guys see it when the first walk in. Devyn, Nik and I will decorate."

"You really have a plan!" Brennen laughs.

"I do stressful things for my friends because I'm a nice person," I roll my eyes, "You'd be hella lucky if you got a party thrown by me."

"I know I would, this banner is fire," Corey exclaims, getting it out from my backseat.

I clap my hands, "Kay let's get going!"

After taking all the supplies into the beach house, Brennen and Corey carefully and quickly pin the sign up that says "Congratulations on 1 Million Followers, Sam & Colby!"

"Yaaah this party be lit," Nik says, looking at the now hung banner.

"Yo, did you help put up decorations," I interrogate.

"I did blow up balloons, dog."

"Balloons aren't the only things he can blow if you know what I mean," Brennen smirks in the midst.

I roll my eyes, "Brennen, you go blow up the balloons since we all know you're so good at blowing hoes like yourself."

"Ohhh," Corey and Devyn say.

"Point taken," Brennen says defeated.

It's now 5:45 and everyone should here in five to ten minutes because I sent another text that they'll be here by 6:00 so we can surprise them. I have set up the cake and Devyn and I have really set up the place nicely. I still got to put lights on the deck and set up the grill. I also asked if anybody wanted any other type of food to eat, and hamburgers and hot-dogs were up on the top two, so I texted Ellie to get some. Corey's offering to barbecue. I guess Corey can set up the grill.

/////

Lights are done, so hell yeah, we set.

I think everyone is here, the place is crowded as fuck already and I even already changed into my swimsuit along with some other people. There's almost no room and I need everyone to quiet down because the guys and Ellie are going to be here any minute. It's 6:02 and I'm flipping out.

"EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I scream at the top of my lungs. Everyone shuts up, sorta, and other people try helping to shut up too.

"OKAY. THEY'LL BE HERE ANY SECOND EVERYONE HIDE or erm, get down and be quiet. JUST SOMEONE TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AND WHEN THEY OPEN THE DOOR, YELL CONGRATS ON 1 MILLION FOLLOWERS!" I shout.

Ellie texts me that they're pulling in. "THEY'RE HERE EVERYONE GET DOWN!" Everyone kneels on the floor and we all attempt to wait silently.

Suddenly, the door opens and in walks Sam and Colby.

"We got pizz-"

"CONGRATS ON 1 MILLION SAM AND COLBY!" Everyone screams, applauds, and hollers.

"Woah! Holy crap!" Colby says surprised, covering his mouth.

"Yo! Did we leave our door unlocked?" Sam laughs with the pizza in his arms, and then being greeted by all the party guests.

"This is awesome, so you all, ALL of you, drove hours on end for this party?" Colby asks, happily. A murmur of yes and pretty much, cascades through the crowd.

"Insane is what you guys are, thanks everyone so much, holy crap!" Sam exclaims putting the pizza down on the kitchen table.

I then tell everyone to step aside as I bring out the cake.

"In honor of you two's accomplishments, we got you both this cake," I laugh, holding the cake in my arms. In blue icing, it says congratulations for 1 Mil and then it has both their faces plastered on, Ellie and I chose those embarrassing pictures for the cake.

"Yooo!" Colby laughs, stepping back at it.

Sam stared wide eyed and smiles, "That looks just amazing."

"It's fucking dope!" Colby chimes.

Ellie steps beside me with the cake cutter, "You're welcome!" We both giggle.

We all sing a little song of happy birthday but with the words of "Congrats on 1 Million to you, [Sam and Colby]!"

After that, they did a little dance and cut the cake together like how a groom and bride would cut a cake on their wedding night.

It was such a fun moment, I'm glad I got to witness this.

If they hadn't moved into the same apartment building as us, we wouldn't have had had this party. We wouldn't all have a good fucking time.

I would like to say I'm doing this mainly for Sam but I can't.

Because as long as Colby still exists, I'll still like him.

And I hate liking my rival.

------------------------
THANKS SO MUCH FOR FREAKING 4K+ READS HOLY SHIT. It's amazing that you all love this book and enjoy it so much, bless y'all. This chapter was long, I know, but let me know if you like them LONG OR SHORT CHAPTERS? Also, sorry not sorry for the past cliff hangers... but they were necessary. Hopefully this chapter was more light hearted for you guys hehe.

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

Comment, "Colby craves my cake" if you read up to here;)

hugs, kt