Page 115 of If the World Was Ending

Hey.

His response came immediately, as if he had been staring at his screen.

Colby

Hey. How are you? How’s your mom?

Still waiting to get approved to die. It’s like waiting for your college acceptance letter but a thousand times more depressing.

Colby

I wish I could make this better.

Me too.

He held his breath and steadied himself for what he had to do.

But what we’re actually doing is making it worse.

Colby

?

The media frenzy over the hug. It’s fucking with everything. Studio is already annoyed about me taking a break.

Colby

Your mom is dying! Fuck them for not understanding.

I know. But they even sent her flowers. But like, it’s cost them. And now this. Us. It’s bad publicity.

Colby

I want to be offended but yeah. I know. I got hauled into a meeting with the label about it.

See? We’re fucking up our own careers.

Colby

I think we gotta try to be friends. I was miserable before. We’re friends right? Bottom line. Above all else. So let’s be friends.

Come on Colbs, we’ll fuck up. Emphasis on the fuck part.

Colby

I was miserable before.

Me too. But we didn’t try hard enough.

Hunter glanced at the TV because Brendan had let out a hoot. The Montreal Canadiens were ahead now. He didn’t bother to tell Brendan the game was a rebroadcast because of time zones, and he could just Google the score. He glanced back at his phone. Colby hadn’t responded.

I have a lot of pressure. This movie is huge. If I get any more questionable press, it’ll tank it. And my career. I won’t get any more roles offered to me. And my mom is dying, Colbs. She has to leave here knowing I’m okay. I’ve been her biggest worry for way too long. I have to show her, so she can rest easy.

One of his tears dropped onto the screen, and he took a second to gather his composure. He would not be a blubbering mess. He wouldn’t. He could do that later. When the movie was done and she was gone. Fuck.

You get it right? I swear it’s not personal. And you know how I really feel. You do. I just can’t fuck this all up. Neither can you.

Colby