Chapter 21:
I don't think I've ever been this nervous. I feel sick I'm so nervous! Just as well I haven't eaten recently...
The thing is... '4 U' are releasing our first single in a week. We'll have a lot of promotional stuff coming up. Plus we're kicking off a big nationwide tour. It had originally planned to wait until after Christmas (an idea I'd liked since I wanted to spend Christmas with Michael) But now we're leaving at the end of the week!
And I have to tell Michael...
OH...HELP!
---Josh---
"Hey Amy" I said with a smile. I cradled the phone to my ear as I walked into my room.
"Hey. Sup?" She asked.
"Just the usual. Studying and boredom" I said making a face even though she couldn't see it.
"Ugh! Hideous combination!" She laughed
"Uh-huh! So you wanna do something?"
"Sure!"
---Ashley---
Aaron and I were walking around central park at twilight, each eating ice creams.
"How does yours taste?" He asked. Before I could react he took a lick of it.
"EW! Gross!" I said laughing "Cooties!"
"Sorry!" He said obviously not meaning it.
I was unable to come up with a comeback, my attention was drawn to another couple sitting by the fountain. One of whom was very familiar.
"Josh..." I whispered quietly.
"Sorry?" Aaron asked.
"N-nothing!" I said shaking my head and smiling. "Hey lets go walk over there!" I said pointing to a path heading in the opposite direction of Josh and... whoever his date was I didn't know. But she sure did laugh a lot! It was really annoying. Or maybe I decided not to like her since she was dating Josh.
What on earth?
I shouldn't hate her for the fact she's dating my ex! I should be sympathetic!
*sigh*
---Zac---
"But I really like it!" I insisted, following Mary-Kate through the mall.
"It's falling to pieces!"
"So? We can redecorate!" I insisted smiling. "Maybe I don't wanna redecorate!"
"Then I will!"
"But I still have to live there"
"Maaaaaaaaary-Kaaaaaaaaaate" I whined.
She just glared at me.
"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease" I asked her.
She walked into a bookstore and went to the house and garden section. She picked up an interior decor book and leafed through. "Would I be able to choose the paint and everything when it's restored?" She asked.
"Sure!" I said feeling a little hopeful.
She eyed me while considering. She sighed "I guess so" she finally said.
"YES!" I screamed triumphantly hugging her and dancing around the store. The shoppers looked at me like I was insane, but I didn't care. The house of my dreams!
Chapter 22:
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"Um,...Michael?" Melanie said when we were seated.
"Yeah?"
"I...um..." She paused then swallowed "Remember how I said '4 U' was going to go on tour next year?" She asked
Of course I remembered. I totally hated the idea but I did understand it was a major part of her career. Course I can understand AND hate the idea...
I nodded.
"Well, the first singles release date has been brought forward which means..."
I didn't like the sound of this.
"We start the tour in a week" She blurted out "I leave in a week" She said more quietly.
I just sat there totally in shock.
---Zac---
"How on earth am I supposed to pack everything?" I asked Ashley as I surveyed my apartment.
Zac and I had decided we'd get everything moved into the house before the wedding. We'd then go away on our honey moon and come back with it all packed. Of course it was the sensible thing to do, but it was also pretty difficult. I own a lot of stuff.
"I don't know" She said "But I have to leave in.." She glanced at her watch "Half an hour"
"WHAT?!"
"I have a study session!" She exlaimed.
"Oh man!" I could feel myself freaking out "Well, lets start then" I said picking up a box and heading for the room with the least stuff.
---Melanie---
I wish he would say something! That look on his face is like.. totally freaky!
"You're what?" He finally asked. So quietly though that it was hard to be sure of what he said.
"I'm leaving in a week"
"When will you be back?"
I gulped "Early March" I sunk down in my seat a bit.
He looked like he was going to explode, but remembering he was in a restaurant he didn't "I can't believe it" He said quietly. He had a really sad expression on his face that made me feel SO bad about it.
"I tried to convince them to take the date back. But it's really important for sales if we have the single out around Christmas" I explained.
"We were going to spend Christmas together" He said quietly.
"I Know! And I sooo want to" I said sadly. "But we could spend next Christmas together" I tried to cheer him up, even though I wasn't totally sure we'd be able to.
"Whatever" He sulked.
Yup! That went well... REALLY well!
Chapter 23:
|
"One month!" I said crossing a day off on my calender. "I can't believe Mary-Kate and I are getting married in one month!" I said excitedly. I smiled as I sat down on the couch. One Month!
"Don't smile so much!" Taylor said, walking into the room with his girlfriend Tanya "It's scary!"
I just stuck my tongue out at him. I was in such a good mood, not even my annoying big brother could get me down.
---Josh---
Why can't I concentrate studying? My mind is like, totally on another planet. It seemed to be all I ever did lately, but I decided to call Amy and stall on studying.
I picked up the phone and dialed. I let it ring one then quickly hung up , when I realized what number I'd been dialed.
Ashley's
What on earth was that about?
---Ashley---
The phone rang, interrupting my groups study session "I'll be right back" I explained to the others, who were so engrossed in their books they didn't even notice.
'Weird' I thought to myself. 'They act like they almost enjoy it?' I shuddered at the thought.
"Hello?" I said picking up the phone. I realized my heart was beating quickly anticipating who'd be on the other end. But then I realized I wasn't hoping for Aaron...
Didn't matter who I hoped it was though. The phone just beeped to show the person had hung up. I sighed and went back to studying.
---Melanie---
"I love you" I whispered into Michael's ear as I hugged him good-bye at the airport.
"I love you too" He whispered back.
For about a day he'd been really mad and not talking to me. Then he seemed to come around to the fact we wouldn't see each other for ages and that he shouldn't waste his time being mad.
We'd spent the whole week hanging out together. Going on nice romantic dates. Spending hours together just talking. I even helped him study, solely for the reason of spending as much time together as possible.
It had been one of the best weeks of my lifes. Something really great to look back on when we were touring.
"Mel! We gotta go" Malcolm called to me from the boarding gate. He gave me an apologetic look, understanding what I was going through. Malcolm and I were had become really close, he was probably my best friend out of all the members of '4 U'
"Coming" I called. I brushed away a tear, quickly kissed Michael then turned and started for the gate
"Don't look back" I kept telling myself "Don't look back" I felt that if I did, I'd run back to him and refuse to leave. I reached Malcolm and he put an arm around my shoulder as we walked out the door. I risked one last glance back at Michael and he gave me a little wave. Then totally disappeared from site.
I had to keep telling myself it wasn't forever.
Chapter 24:
---Mary-Kate---
I put the box of things in the garage, at Zac and I's house, then pulled the roller door down. I started walking to my car shivering from the cold.
I couldn't deny it, I had a strong sense of foreboding about this house.
---A month went by and the day before Mary-Kate and Zac's wedding went from the future.. to the present.---
---Melanie---
"Ugh!" I collapsed on the couch in Jamie's motel room. The whole band had got together in there, we'd just finished a concert which had gone really well.
"What's wrong?" Malcolm asked sitting down next to me and putting an arm around my shouler. Michael would freak if he was there but it wasn't like it meant anything. Malcolm and I were just friends.
"It's my old roomies wedding tomorrow" I explained "I would have loved to be there"
"I know how you feel" Jamie said "It's my little brothers birthday in a week. Wish I could go home for that"
I guess touring isn't all it's cut out to be.
---Mary-Kate---
"The caterer hasn't rung back about the reception and the Minister has a slight cold and doesn't know if he can come and... AUGH!" I sad pulling at my hair.
"Calm down" Zac said walking over to me and wrapping his arms around me protectively "Everything will go fine, you just need to stop stressing" He leaned in and kissed me.
"Ok" I said "I'll just go read or something"
"Good idea." He glanced at his watch "Ooh I better get going"
"Don't do anything too wild" I said with a smile.
"I p-p-promise" He pretended to have difficulty saying it "Seriously though, don't worry" He said "I'm just getting together with my brothers, Nothing dangerous"
"Contradiction "getting together with your brothers" and "Nothing dangerous" in the same sentence!" I teased.
He just made a face at me then disappeared out the door.
---Michael---
"'Love, Love, Love, LOVE I WILL!'" The song ended and I sighed. That song had been played none stop. But thats not why it made me feel down. Nope 'love, love, love' Was '4 U''s first single. I sighed again. Melanie had been gone for a month and I missed her so much.
The music video and interviews that were constantly on tv didn't help much either.
In the music video Malcolm and Mel played this totally in love couple which I didn't like very much. Then in all the interviews Malcolm was so obviously flirting with Mel.. and she flirted back. Whenever I talked to her about it (on the phone) she just said it was part of their image and everything and nothing personal.
For some reason I didn't believe her.
---Mary-Kate---
I'd been curled up on the sofa watching a movie when the phone rang interrupting me. I glanced at the clock 11pm. Who'd be calling at this time of the night?
With a sigh I got up and answered the phone "Hello?"
"Mary-Kate?" A familiar voice asked.
"Taylor?" Why was he calling me?
"Mary-Kate. Zac's been in an accident.
The soon suddenly felt very cold and it appeared to be spinning.
Chapter 25:
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I breathed a sigh of relief. "But what happened?" I asked.
Taylor didn't answer for a moment "Um, I think you should come around here" Taylor said. His voice sounded really weird.
I had a bad feeling about this.
He gave me the name of the hospital and I drove over there.
---Michael---
Ugh! Another '4 U' interview was on tv. Some friends were over and we'd somehow ended up watching it together. They didn't know Melanie was my girlfriend, however.
"That girl on the lefts kinda cute" One guy named Tim said. The girl on the left was of course Melanie.
"That's my girlfriend" Oops, I hadn't meant to say that.
"Yeah right!" They all said.
"Unbelievably she actually is" Josh (kinda) stood up for me.
"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" I asked testily.
He just ignored me.
"Well, if she is.... Shame" Tim said.
"What do you mean?" I asked though I was pretty sure I knew.
"She and that guy she's sitting next to seem pretty 'friendly'" Tim said referring to Malcolm.
He was right. I decided as I watched.
Malcolm was saying something about how he'd asked Mel out a thousand times and she'd turned him down. He acted all sad and the audience made 'aw' sounds. Melanie then leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Which of course started all the 'oooooooh' sounds.
Ugh!
---Zac---
"She's what?" I asked Taylor. I was sitting on one of the hospitals waiting room chairs, My head in my hands. Boy did I ever have a headache! It felt like my head was going to split in half.
"She's coming over here" He explained apologetically.
"No way! She can't see my like this" I was starting to freak.
"She has to know. How else are you going to explain the broken arm and accident?" Taylor pointed out.
"Well,...can't we just say somebody drove into the car?" I begged
They just simultaneously shook there heads.
I groaned. This was gonna be an ugly site..