Before the Fame

-The following night-

The following night arrived and I was a nervous wreck. Nick and I had avoided one another for the rest of the hours even until it was time to perform. I’d done my set, but for once decided to sit out the guys set. I walked around the outside of the arena, it being empty since everyone was inside, but the peace was eerily soothing to me.

I found a nearby bench and sat on it realizing I really was in a rut. Running a hand through my hair from stress, a sigh escaped me.

What had I gotten myself into? If only things were back to the way they were before I was famous then maybe just maybe I wouldn’t be in this mess.

But how can I control how I feel towards Nick or anyone I like? An annoyed sigh escaped me as I stood, walking towards the parking lot to our bus. I boarded it, my mind entirely fuzzy. Soon enough, my phone vibrated, me answering at the buzz not bothering to look at the ID.

S: Hello?
J: Where did you go?
S: Joe, don’t you have to go back on?
J: Not right now. I have a good three songs before I have to go back on. Where are you?
S: *sighs* Take a wild guess.
J: You’ve gotta stop moping over him, Sammy. Seriously, you’ll make yourself sick like that.
S: I know I just don’t know what else to do.

Soon enough, the door opened and his voice filled the air.

“Samantha, get your ass out of that bunk right now!” he exclaimed catching me off guard.

I scrambled doing what was ordered not knowing what else to do. It wasn’t like Joe to yell especially not to me.

I swallowed as he approached me slowly still in the same clothes from earlier he wore during the concert. His face didn’t soften at my shocked one, but once he stood inches in front of me, he placed his hands on my shoulders, pulling me into him. Joe was hugging me and it wasn’t just a friendly hug; he was comforting me. It didn’t take long before I silently cried in his arms, Joe patting my back gently.

…

We made it back during Miley’s third song, my makeup having to get redone from the tears, but even after that was done I felt much better. I was in such a good mood, I performed On the Line easily even with Nick acting the same way he did on Ellen. When that was over, I went backstage smiling from ear to ear as I enjoyed myself as the boys and Miley performed We Got the Party for the umpteenth time of the tour.

Once they finished, we did our final bows for the night not even having a meet and greet. I took Joe by the hand after they finished before dragging him to the bus not bothering to explain why until we got there first and had some minutes before the others would show up.

“OK, what’s wrong with you? Why are you so happy?” he asked in a weirded out way.

“Nothing. I just wanted to thank you for comforting me earlier,” I answered in an honest tone.

He smiled brightly, scratching the back of his neck nervously before speaking.

“Ah, that? It was nothing,” he said modestly. I lightly hit his shoulder.

“It wasn’t nothing; it was sweet of you to do that when you didn’t have to,” I replied with a small smile.

He shook his head before ruffling my hair, waving his right hand once before he climbed into his bunk leaving me there. I shrugged my shoulders changing into my pajamas before I went to climb into my bed, but my eyes landed on Nick whom had just entered. Our eyes met, but I tore mine from his before climbing into my bunk.

It didn’t take long before I heard approaching footsteps, but Nick didn’t stop at my bunk. He stopped at his own grabbing clothes. I heard the bathroom door close for a couple of minutes before he came back out and walked to the lounge area.

I pulled out my IPod listening to the Miscellaneous folder when What’s Left of Me by Nick Lachey blew through the headphones. I listened to the song as it soothed my soul making me slightly depressed compared to the happiness I thought I was feeling earlier.

A quiet sigh escaped me as I thought of Nick and the lyrics to the song. Lachey’s song filled me and I soon felt a tear slide down my cheek and eventually drifted into a deep slumber.

…

-December 24, 2007-

It was finally Christmas Eve and I was trying to pretend like everything was OK. The boys had just finished filming Camp Rock and I’d found a new friend named Demi Lovato. We got along beautifully even though we’d only met once and have talked almost every day since around the 5th of this month.

She knew I liked Nick and even knew what had happened between Nick and me. She was like my newest female celebrity best friend, but she could never replace Kat of course. Demi was with us currently which was in New York. She was recording her own album with the guys, but we were taking a break. She told me about her best friend Selena Gomez and I thought she was OK.

I was counting down the days, but was goofing off with singing a song the guys wrote when they walked in-or at least I thought they all did.

Joe and Kevin entered with sympathetic looks.

“What’s wrong?” Demi asked with a concerned tone.

“Something big is gonna happen between Nick and Miley,” Joe answered.

“Like what?” I asked in confusion.

“Well-,” Kevin began, but we soon heard arguing outside of the room.

“That sounds like Miley and Nick!” Demi whispered as we all walked closer to the door.

Joe being the nosy person that he is opened the door just a crack so we could hear fully. I rolled my eyes and tried thinking of lyrics Demi could use in one of her songs, but the shouting got louder thanks to their voices raising or at least Miley’s was.

“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU, NICK! I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING! MY TRUST, MY LOVE, BUT THAT WASN’T ENOUGH, WAS IT?!” she cried.

“Miley, stop yelling, please,” Nick begged, his voice echoing in the halls of the enormous building.

“WHY SHOULD I?! YOU’RE THE ONE WHO CAUSED THIS! IT’S YOUR FAULT! I HATE YOU! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!” she exclaimed.

Joe soon walked out of the room not caring about being seen as he watched them. Demi followed suit while Kevin gave up and sat down next to me. I hadn’t realized I wrote scribbles on the paper messing it up entirely.

“Fuck,” I said in slight anger.

Soon enough, Nick walked into the room with his hands in his pockets. Kevin and I’s faces turned to his and he just stared blankly at us.

“What?” I asked in confusion like I did earlier.

Nick didn’t speak, but just walked back out of the room.

I looked at Kevin before I uncontrollably went after Nick. I practically ran after him as he walked outside of the building following his swift pace down the street.

“Nick! Nick, slow down!” I exclaimed trying to catch up to him.

But he didn’t slow down. I sped up my pace until I stood panting in front of him.

“Wha-what hap-happened?” I got out.

“I broke up with Miley and the entire world heard basically,” he said in a monotone.

“What about the concert in a few days?” I asked in a serious tone.

“I don’t know. I could try to get out of it, but my dad more than likely wouldn’t let me,” he said, but it sounded more like mumbling.

A sigh escaped me before I spoke again.

“OK.. I’m sorry by the way,” I said honestly.

I never wanted Nick and Miley to break up and if it had to do with me, that’ll only make me feel worse.

“It’s not your fault. Things just happen, you know?” he asked as he resumed his pace again.

I sighed loudly catching up to him quickly.

“OK, wait. I know you may not be OK with what you did, but who knows, Nick. Maybe one day you and Miley will-,” I began, but he cut across me

“She and I will what, Sam?” he said in a cold tone which intimidated me slightly. I swallowed my saliva unable to speak any words.

“I know what I did and to be honest, I agree with you. The reality is, however, the exact opposite; she wasn’t private with anything we did and when she was, it was unnecessary. I didn’t want to be with someone like that. To make matters worse, she was always coming up with theories about you and I being together.”

“When we kissed back in September it only made things worse. To complicate things further, we kissed again last month, but to make things down right horrible, we both enjoyed it. Hell, I’m sure at least I wanted to kiss you again. I wanted to be with you, but neither of us wanted that either. Ugh, things are so messed up right now!” he exclaimed.

I bit my lip as guilt filled me.

“I know what we did was wrong and I apologize for everything. I shouldn’t have agreed to the tour. I shouldn’t have-,” I began, but he cut across me again.

“Stop. Just stop. Everything happens for a reason, Samantha and regardless if the outcome of it all wasn’t what any of us wanted initially, it happened-it’s happening right now and we can’t stop it,” Nick said blatantly.

“What’s happening to you? Why are you being so straightforward and honest all of a sudden? Is this how you’re going to be now that you broke up with Miley?” I asked being just as blatant.

Nick ran a hand through is curls before speaking.

“You don’t get it at all, Sam. I ended my first relationship and to make matters worse, I don’t feel as bad about it. I’ve been honest like this forever and me ending my relationship with Miley isn’t changing me,” he said, but it sounded like it was forced.

“You sound like a confused person right now. You may say you don’t feel as bad, but somewhere down the line you will. And as for changing, it is. The Nick I knew wouldn’t have treated me the way he did for almost a month nor would he have changed like this instantaneously,” I concluded before walking back to the studio.

I had had enough. Nick needed time to deal with his decision and if that meant more time not talking to him, I was willing to keep my silence until he was ready to talk again.