Status: prewritten 12 chapters and counting.
Painting Flowers
Chapter 7
About an hour after we got home, the boys found my Disney DVD collection in my room and we all started watching Tangled. Jack and I were curled up on the couch, Rian was in a hanging chair to my left, Zack, Alex, and Sam were sitting on mounds of pillows on the floor attacking each other with popcorn. I fell asleep almost instantly.
The next morning I woke up to find only Jack and I in the living room. I carefully untangled myself from Jacks arms so as not to wake him and tiptoed into my room where Alex was passed out on my bed. I took a quick picture to send to Drew later. Rian was standing out on the balcony connected to my room on the phone. He caught my eye and waved. I smiled and crept back into the living room. Where had Sam and Zack gotten to? I found them in Heileighs bed, curled up together and grinned. I walked back into the kitchen and pulled two Starbucks vanilla frappuccinos out of the fridge, hearing Rian behind me.
“How’s Cassadee?” I turn and offer him one.
“Great, thanks. She hates not being on tour with us,”
“I bet. You both being busy helps a lot, doesn’t it?” “Oh yeah, definitely. I think that’s how it’s got to be, you keep busy and you trust each other.” He said, glancing back towards Alex. I could tell what he was thinking. “Hey, don’t compare yourself to every other couple or you’ll never make it.” “Speaking of couples….” He turned to look at Jack. I came and stood next to him, thinking for a second before actually replying. “I wasn’t really aware we were doing anything.” I said quietly. Rian looked at me, surprised. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s a sweet guy, and I’m definitely not one of those one-night-stand girls, but get real, Rian. Do you think twenty-four hours ago, I was thinking I’d be here, sharing Starbucks with you in my kitchen, have Alex Gaskarth sleeping in my bed--” “Or have a picture of you and Jack sleeping together on twitter?” Zack was leaning against the door to Heileighs room with his phone in his hand. “WHAT?!” I shrieked, nearly jumping over the counter. “Shhhhh. Not yet.” He grinned. “But it’s possible. All I have to do is hit this button.” He held it out so I could see. I rolled my eyes. “I’m not the one with a couple hundred thousand followers, talk to sleeping beauty over there.” “Hey, I’m almost at four grand! That’s fucking awesome!” Jack said on the couch with his eyes still closed. I grinned. “What time is it?” He asked, putting the blanket over his face. I ran over to him and hopped onto the couch. “Time for you to get your ass up so I can show you this gorgeous town the proper way.” And with that, he sat up and smiled slightly at me. “The proper way?” He mimicked my accent. “Yes. It’s almost Christmas which means you boys need to see Times Square at night, and I’m not letting you leave without seeing anything but my silly paintings.” “Well, fine then.” He crossed his arms. “When do we leave?” “Whenever you tell Zack whether or not he can post that picture of us and you wake Alex up. He’s in my bed.” I stood and walked towards my room, leaving him to attack Zack for the phone. I walked to my closet, still trying to be relatively quiet, and grabbed some clothes and my makeup bag before heading to the connecting bathroom. From what I could here, Jack had now resolved the Twitter situation and was now attempting to wake up the adorable boy in my bed. I threw on a white sweater and my new pair pf AE jeans when I heard my phone ringing in the kitchen. I walked to the door. “Jack, can you get that? Put it on speaker?” “Hello?” He started walking towards me, but my phone was unbearably loud so every single person in the apartment heard the catcall coming from the other end of the phone. I jumped at it and hit the speaker button again. “Hello, Drew. Are you done now?” I sighed. All the boys were cracking up. Jack came and stood in the doorway as I started putting on base. He was in a fresh t-shirt and still had that bed-head he had perfected over the years. “I guess, as soon as you tell me all the dirty details about how good he is in bed.” Apparently Jack could still hear her from where he was cause he ducked out of the room quickly in a brand new fit of hysteria. “Drew!” I groaned. “You know better.” “I know you, but, come on, Ash. It’s Jack fucking Barakat. Don’t toy with me.” “We just fell asleep, doll. I swear. We watched Tangled for Christ’s sake!” “Fine.” I could hear her pouting over the phone. “Is it safe to put you back on speaker, now? I’m trying to do my makeup.” “Yeah, sure.” I hit the button and sat it on the counter, ignoring Jacks quiet comments on how makeup wasn’t necessary. Boys are so full of shit. “So what are you doing today?” “Taking the boys on my tour of the city.” I can’t help but smile as I swipe on a thin layer of Kohl eyeliner. “Fun. You..er..going to be at Washington Square at any point?” I glance at Jack before answering. “I haven’t decided yet, why?” I ask slowly. “Just curious. Ty and Will were asking for you yesterday.” “Oh, well I’ll probably just text Tylar. Tell her to tell the others I probably won’t be over till tonight or tomorrow. Hey, Nate’s trying to call me, I’ll talk to you later.” She let out a laugh. “Good luck with that one. Love you.” “Love you, too.” I hung up and turned speaker off before answering my new call. “I’ll be right back.” I smiled at Jack before walking towards the balcony. “Before you say a word, let me explain.” I started. “What the bloody hell are you thinking?!” Nathan immediately started in. “Nathan. Stop.” I cut him short. “They’re just hanging out, I’m taking them on a tour of the city. They’ll be safe and sound in their hotel rooms by tonight.” “What about last night? What about--what if--Christ, Ash, what if something were to happen to you?” He finally asked, sounding desperate. I was taken aback. Nathan never acted like this. “Nate,” I started slowly. “You’re the one that told me that if I’m going to get through this properly, I’m going to have to take risks. I’m taking them. They’re not reckless, so don’t even go there.” “Then what the hell happened last night?” “We hung out at the Hustler party, like I told you. Then they invited us backstage for the show which was brilliant, by the way, thanks for asking. After the show, Daniella showed up and started being, well, herself, and blahblahblah. I offered to let them stay here instead of the bus so we could all just relax.” “Relax?!” He asked incredulously. “Will you relax?!” I shot back. “Nate, you really need to stop--” I caught myself and backtracked. “Nathan, I’m a big girl. I can and will handle myself. We both know I haven’t had much choice in my situations, lately, but it’s about damn time I started taking charge of my life.” I paused slightly, before adding in a whisper, “You let me go, remember?” After a moment of silence, I could tell this hit him harder than I expected. Look, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you tonight?” “Alright.” He quietly agreed. “Love you. Bye.” I said quickly before hanging up the phone and sighing. When did life get so complicated?
The next morning I woke up to find only Jack and I in the living room. I carefully untangled myself from Jacks arms so as not to wake him and tiptoed into my room where Alex was passed out on my bed. I took a quick picture to send to Drew later. Rian was standing out on the balcony connected to my room on the phone. He caught my eye and waved. I smiled and crept back into the living room. Where had Sam and Zack gotten to? I found them in Heileighs bed, curled up together and grinned. I walked back into the kitchen and pulled two Starbucks vanilla frappuccinos out of the fridge, hearing Rian behind me.
“How’s Cassadee?” I turn and offer him one.
“Great, thanks. She hates not being on tour with us,”
“I bet. You both being busy helps a lot, doesn’t it?” “Oh yeah, definitely. I think that’s how it’s got to be, you keep busy and you trust each other.” He said, glancing back towards Alex. I could tell what he was thinking. “Hey, don’t compare yourself to every other couple or you’ll never make it.” “Speaking of couples….” He turned to look at Jack. I came and stood next to him, thinking for a second before actually replying. “I wasn’t really aware we were doing anything.” I said quietly. Rian looked at me, surprised. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s a sweet guy, and I’m definitely not one of those one-night-stand girls, but get real, Rian. Do you think twenty-four hours ago, I was thinking I’d be here, sharing Starbucks with you in my kitchen, have Alex Gaskarth sleeping in my bed--” “Or have a picture of you and Jack sleeping together on twitter?” Zack was leaning against the door to Heileighs room with his phone in his hand. “WHAT?!” I shrieked, nearly jumping over the counter. “Shhhhh. Not yet.” He grinned. “But it’s possible. All I have to do is hit this button.” He held it out so I could see. I rolled my eyes. “I’m not the one with a couple hundred thousand followers, talk to sleeping beauty over there.” “Hey, I’m almost at four grand! That’s fucking awesome!” Jack said on the couch with his eyes still closed. I grinned. “What time is it?” He asked, putting the blanket over his face. I ran over to him and hopped onto the couch. “Time for you to get your ass up so I can show you this gorgeous town the proper way.” And with that, he sat up and smiled slightly at me. “The proper way?” He mimicked my accent. “Yes. It’s almost Christmas which means you boys need to see Times Square at night, and I’m not letting you leave without seeing anything but my silly paintings.” “Well, fine then.” He crossed his arms. “When do we leave?” “Whenever you tell Zack whether or not he can post that picture of us and you wake Alex up. He’s in my bed.” I stood and walked towards my room, leaving him to attack Zack for the phone. I walked to my closet, still trying to be relatively quiet, and grabbed some clothes and my makeup bag before heading to the connecting bathroom. From what I could here, Jack had now resolved the Twitter situation and was now attempting to wake up the adorable boy in my bed. I threw on a white sweater and my new pair pf AE jeans when I heard my phone ringing in the kitchen. I walked to the door. “Jack, can you get that? Put it on speaker?” “Hello?” He started walking towards me, but my phone was unbearably loud so every single person in the apartment heard the catcall coming from the other end of the phone. I jumped at it and hit the speaker button again. “Hello, Drew. Are you done now?” I sighed. All the boys were cracking up. Jack came and stood in the doorway as I started putting on base. He was in a fresh t-shirt and still had that bed-head he had perfected over the years. “I guess, as soon as you tell me all the dirty details about how good he is in bed.” Apparently Jack could still hear her from where he was cause he ducked out of the room quickly in a brand new fit of hysteria. “Drew!” I groaned. “You know better.” “I know you, but, come on, Ash. It’s Jack fucking Barakat. Don’t toy with me.” “We just fell asleep, doll. I swear. We watched Tangled for Christ’s sake!” “Fine.” I could hear her pouting over the phone. “Is it safe to put you back on speaker, now? I’m trying to do my makeup.” “Yeah, sure.” I hit the button and sat it on the counter, ignoring Jacks quiet comments on how makeup wasn’t necessary. Boys are so full of shit. “So what are you doing today?” “Taking the boys on my tour of the city.” I can’t help but smile as I swipe on a thin layer of Kohl eyeliner. “Fun. You..er..going to be at Washington Square at any point?” I glance at Jack before answering. “I haven’t decided yet, why?” I ask slowly. “Just curious. Ty and Will were asking for you yesterday.” “Oh, well I’ll probably just text Tylar. Tell her to tell the others I probably won’t be over till tonight or tomorrow. Hey, Nate’s trying to call me, I’ll talk to you later.” She let out a laugh. “Good luck with that one. Love you.” “Love you, too.” I hung up and turned speaker off before answering my new call. “I’ll be right back.” I smiled at Jack before walking towards the balcony. “Before you say a word, let me explain.” I started. “What the bloody hell are you thinking?!” Nathan immediately started in. “Nathan. Stop.” I cut him short. “They’re just hanging out, I’m taking them on a tour of the city. They’ll be safe and sound in their hotel rooms by tonight.” “What about last night? What about--what if--Christ, Ash, what if something were to happen to you?” He finally asked, sounding desperate. I was taken aback. Nathan never acted like this. “Nate,” I started slowly. “You’re the one that told me that if I’m going to get through this properly, I’m going to have to take risks. I’m taking them. They’re not reckless, so don’t even go there.” “Then what the hell happened last night?” “We hung out at the Hustler party, like I told you. Then they invited us backstage for the show which was brilliant, by the way, thanks for asking. After the show, Daniella showed up and started being, well, herself, and blahblahblah. I offered to let them stay here instead of the bus so we could all just relax.” “Relax?!” He asked incredulously. “Will you relax?!” I shot back. “Nate, you really need to stop--” I caught myself and backtracked. “Nathan, I’m a big girl. I can and will handle myself. We both know I haven’t had much choice in my situations, lately, but it’s about damn time I started taking charge of my life.” I paused slightly, before adding in a whisper, “You let me go, remember?” After a moment of silence, I could tell this hit him harder than I expected. Look, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you tonight?” “Alright.” He quietly agreed. “Love you. Bye.” I said quickly before hanging up the phone and sighing. When did life get so complicated?