Turn Right

It’s August 14th now. We played at Madison Square Garden a few days ago and it was absolutely amazing! Now we’re at Bethel Woods. Taylor left touring with us but now Demi’s here! And although I love Taylor to death, I have to admit that I love having Demi around. Selena came with her, when she first got here and we’ve all been hanging out non stop, but then Selena had to leave and it was back to just me and Demi but that didn’t change anything. Right now, we’re all at the venue and it’s kind of early so no one is here yet but there are a few people already waiting to be let in. We’re all playing whiffle ball on the grass hill and let me tell you…it’s really hard running and sliding to basses on a grass hill. I got to second base and started running down the hill at an angle, I slid and flew right into Nick as we started rolling down the hill. Soon after us, Frankie and Joe followed as Demi and Kevin were laughing so hard, they were tearing up. Nick popped up and tripped a little as I popped up as well but he grabbed hold of me and got me my balance back. Then Frankie and Joe rolled right into us and we fell again with a thud, but we were all still laughing.

“Guys can you all please just be careful,” Anna pleaded but we continued to laugh.

That night we performed. The crowd was amazing. We had beach balls flying all over the place and the lighting was so cool…not like it’s ever not so cool. After it, we got back to our bus and fell asleep…but I was woken up the next morning around 10:45 by my cell phone ringing. It was playing Our Song by Taylor so I knew it was her…it rang once…twice…three times…then I lazily picked up.

“Hello?” I whispered.

“Rachael?” I heard a sad Taylor.

I sat up quickly and hit my head and cursed silently under my breath. “Taylor? What’s wrong?”

“Joe and I broke up…” was how our extremely long phone call started.

I sat in my bunk for I don’t know how long. Maybe an hour or two. Around 11:30, there was a small knock on the wall beside my bunk as the curtain moved slightly.

“Rea? You okay?” I heard Nick’s voice as he pulled the curtain lightly.

When I caught his eye, I put a finger to my lips to make sure he’d stay quiet and then I mouthed the name Taylor to him and he nodded as he sat on the side of my bunk waiting patiently.

“We’re at the hotel,” he whispered and I nodded.

I guess I hadn’t notice the bus stop. I’ve been cracking jokes, being sarcastic with her for the past…however long it was…and she was adding to it so on cue, I started laughing.

“That’s too funny Tay…hey, my phone’s about to die and we’re at the hotel now for our next venue, I’m gonna have to call you back later okay?” I asked.

She said a response, we said our good byes and hung up.

I took a deep breath and released it as I just looked at him while he gave me a sympathetic look. He so knew. “Twenty-seven seconds…really?” I asked in disbelief.

“What?” he asked and gave me a look.

“I know you know they broke up…” I said in a hushed tone. “But in twenty-seven seconds?”

“Hey, I knew they were having problems and he was going to try helping the relationship but she wasn’t cooperating”

“She wasn’t cooperating? That is so…” I started to say but was cut off.

“Come on kids” Denise said.

So I rolled my eyes at Nick and walked passed him with my stuff. “Wait Rachael” he pleaded with a sigh.

“I’m sorry I cant cooperate,” was all I said as I put my sun glasses on and walked off the bus with Nick following.

“Rea that didn’t come out right…” he started as I got to the elevator and hit a button so the door began to close…but he slipped in.

“Come on Rea I was just kidding,” he said.

“No you weren’t,” I scowled and he just looked into my eyes.

“You’re right…I wasn’t…but I didn’t mean to say it like that…” he said as I had my back leaned against the wall and he put an arm up on the side of my head so he was leaning on it.

“Do you think I cooperate Nicholas?” I questioned with a playful look in my eyes. He smirked.

“Right now? No” he said with a funny tone.

“Well I’ll make a bet with you…I bet that you cant go two weeks without any kind of physical contact with me…kissing, hugging, hand-holding…” I said and I saw…pain? Flash across his face.

He recomposed himself.

“Two weeks? I bet I can…what will this prove though?”

“Just how cooperative I can be,” I smirked.

“What do I get when I win?”

“Whatever you want,” I said with a shrug.

“Even if that includes you?”

“Hon, I think you’re stuck with me forever…”

“I’m perfectly fine with that”

“Well we’ll see how fine you’ll be in two weeks…we start today,” I said and slipped around him and walked out of the elevator.

“Wait, what?!” I heard him exclaim but it was muffled by the doors shutting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Joe was acting different…and I obviously knew why. Nick, Joe, Kevin and I were all sitting in the hotel room…and it was actually quiet. Nick was being restless and stealing glances at me…it’s only been just a few hours and he’s already about to crack? But he’s Nick…he’s stubborn…so he wont give up so easily…Kevin was texting…most likely Danielle...and Joe? He was just sitting there, his eyes were looking at his phone but I could tell he was just staring into space. I texted Anna an idea I had…and she agreed. So then I jumped up and walked over to Joe and just stood in front of him until he looked up at me.

“Get up,” I demanded. “Get up…now”

I don’t think I’m very really assertive with Joe…it feels weird…I’m never doing it again, but right now, it’s necessary.

“We’re all going to go record a song,” I stated.

“What song? We don’t have a song ready to be recorded,” Kevin said as him and Nick came over to me.

“Who says?” I smiled. “Come on,” I said as I grabbed Joe’s hand and pulled him up. We all ran out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“But we don’t have any music ready for this song,” Nick said. Anna pushed a button and music filled out ears.

“What do you guys say?” I asked.

“I say lets do it!” Kevin cheered.

“I’m down with it,” Nick said and I giggled.

“Joe?” I asked and he smiled.

“I was hoping we’d get this song onto the album,” he said and I smiled brightly. “Lets do it then!” I cheered.

I jumped on his back as we all got behind our microphones and I jumped off, we put our head sets on and then Anna pushed a button so we heard the music come on and Nick started singing.

I was sittin' at home watchin TV all alone
I’m so tired of reruns, I’ve memorized this show
So I pick up the phone, call everyone I know
Said there’s gonna be a party, hit the music here we go
Yeah

Then Joe, Kevin and I all joined in as Joe and I got into the music.

{CHORUS}
You gotta live to party, bust your move
Everybody’s in the groove
Tell the DJ to play my song
Are you ready to rock and roll

Then Nick started singing again.

We were out on the floor, yeah we danced the night away
Then she looked at her watch and said that it was late
Then she pulled me aside and said she couldn’t stay
(I really got to go) {I spoke into the mic and the guys all smiled at me as I smiled back}
But I begged her for one more song, let the music play
Yeah
We all started singing again.

You gotta live to party, bust your move
Everybody’s in the groove
Tell the DJ to play my song
Are you ready to rock and roll

Nick started singing while Joe and Kevin sang along but Nick’s voice was the most audible.

I drove her home and then she whispered in my ear
The party doesn’t have to end we can dance here

Joe and I started singing in almost a speaking manner

Live to party, bust your move
Everybody’s in the groove
Tell the DJ to play our song
Are you ready to rock and roll {we shouted/sang}

Nick and Kevin joined in.

You gotta live to party, bust your move
Everybody’s in the groove
Tell the DJ to play our song
Are you ready to rock and roll

You gotta live to party, bust your move
Everybody’s in the groove
Tell the DJ to play our song
Are you ready to rock and roll

Joe began singing alone.

You gotta live to party, bust your move
Everybody’s in the groove
Tell the DJ to play our song
Are you ready to rock and roll

Live! To! Party! {we all shouted together)

We all started laughing at the end and I wrapped my arms around Joe and hugged him. One friend down…one to go.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I haven’t worked much on my next album although I’ve had the songs ready so since we were already there, Anna felt it was necessary to just sing a few songs that already had the music set up. Nick and I sang What If and I sang Blind-Sighted and two more songs. Then we got to the venue. The whole time, Nick seemed to be more fidgety than normal and I couldn’t help but laugh at him. I went into mine and Demi’s dressing room but Demi wasn’t there yet. I pulled out my laptop and right on cue, Taylor’s face popped up for our online chat. Her eyes looked kind of red and puffy and she was wearing a puffy sweat shirt and her hair was back in a pony tail.

“Hey Tay,” I said gently.

“Hey Rea,” she said back and rubbed her eyes.

“How you feeling?” I asked.

“Better I guess…I’ve been working on this song for my next album, wanna hear it?”

“Duh…but I thought you finished your next album”

“I did but if I finish this song tonight, I’m going to try and record it tomorrow,” she said and pulled her guitar onto her lap and started playing and singing.

Once upon a time
I believe it was a Tuesday when I caught your eye
And we caught onto something
I hold onto the night
You looked me in the eye and told me you loved me

Were you just kidding?
Cause it seems to me
This thing is breaking down we almost never speak
I don't feel welcome anymore
Baby what happened, please tell me
Cause one second it was perfect now you're halfway out the door

And I stare at the phone, he still hasn't called
And then you feel so low you can't feel nothing at all
And you flashback to when he said forever and always
Oh, and it rains in your bedroom
Everything is wrong
It rains when you're here and it rains when you're gone
Cause I was there when you said forever and always
“That’s really good Tay,” I cooed.

“Any suggestions?” she asked and I started thinking.

“…how about…”

I told her what I was thinking and I came up with the whole next verse and we agreed that the chorus would come next and then we came up with a bridge and then it went back to the chorus. We called it Forever and Always. It coming close to the concert so we had to sign off and right when I shut my lap top, Demi came in.

“Hey…is something wrong with Nick?” she laughed.

“We made a bet that he couldn’t have any kind of physical contact with me for two weeks,” I said with a shrug and she laughed some more.