You Are More Loved Than You Know
Chapter 6: Happy Birthday Ashley!
“Kevin! I need you to take me to the mall.” Here we go again.
“No malls. The last time made me not want to go to one for a loooong time.”
“But it’s Ashley’s birthday.” Ellie was giving me her best puppy face, and I couldn’t help but to give in. She shouted to Steph and she came right up to me and kissed my cheek. Since last week, we haven’t actually been near each other as much as I liked, but that’s what happens when you are in a rock band. We were back in L.A., staying at home. Each girl had their own bedroom that they were using while we were here. I seen Steph once out of this whole week, not counting now, when she took the pictures for a Popstar! photo shoot.
“May I at least join you? I don’t want to let you two out of my sight, especially since everyone knows you are dating Joe, Ellie.”
“What will these yanks do to me? Heckle me? Pshhh, I’ll heckle them back.”
“And get kicked out of the mall again? I think not Ellie. Kevin is right.”
“You just want to spend time with your lover boy.”
“Maybe I do, you got a problem with that lass?” Ellie shook her head in fright and I saw Steph smirking at her. I loved how Steph could go all Scottish on Ellie, and it actually worked. I guess Ashley was right in saying that Steph was the mother hen. I grabbed my car keys and opened the front door for the girls.
“Girls, who is distracting Ash?”
“Nick is. Joe can’t keep a secret for the life of him. Besides, he took Frankie to the zoo with Denise. Something about prairie dogs.” I laughed at the thought simply because that was totally something Joe would do.
So, this time, we didn’t get kicked out. I was surprised, considering that Ellie almost made a girl cry. Long story, too funny to say now, but Ellie is never going shopping with us again. Steph was helping mom decorate, Joe and Nick were writing a song for Ash, Ellie was playing with Frankie, and as for me, well, I was sitting by the pool, trying to fix Steph’s camera.
“Hey buddy. So, how was that shopping trip?”
“What shopping trip?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. I knew it as soon as Nick wouldn’t let me leave the music room. And now, I have been kicked outside with you.”
“Oh, you don’t want to be out here with me?”
“No, Kevin. I want to hang out with you. I have been meaning to tell you something. Have you noticed something about Steph?”
“She has been looking a little pale, but nothing different.”
“She should really be telling you this, but she has PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome. Right now, her sugar levels have spiked, so she is feeling a bit under the weather. She isn’t diabetic yet, so all she can do is watch what she eats, but I still worry about her. I guess when you grow up with someone who always had to be more mature, you worry about them a little bit more. I am like that about you. That’s why I agreed to help Steph with you.” My head was reeling and Ash laughed.
“You must be confused. Welcome to my world. When you have Ellie as your best friend, things tend to get complicated fast. She does care for you, a lot.”
“What do you mean by matured fast than she should have?”
“That’s not my story to tell, but she will tell you, give her time. It’s amazing that she actually trusts you this much. She used to hate men. Oh, by the way, the camera is long gone. Joe dropped it into the pool.” I sighed and put the camera down. Ash laughed at me and laid down on the lawn chair next to me.
“Now, don’t get too sunburned. We don’t need your hair matching your skin.”
“Haha, funny Kev.”
Pretty soon, it was time to party. We decided to dress up as certain characters. Ash was Ms. Scarlet from clue, Joe was Troy from high school musical, Nick was James Bond, Ellie was Snow White, Steph was a dancer and I was a nerd. I don’t know why I dressed up as that, but it worked. Mom made the most amazing pie ever! Pumpkin pie rocks. We each gave Ashley her gifts. Steph got her the new cell phone she wanted while Ellie got her a guitar kit. Joe and I gave her a purse filled with her favorite essentials. Mom and dad gave her a new car which caused her to let out a squeal I never thought I hear from her. We got back inside and Nick had his guitar out.
“I wrote a song for you, I hope you like it.” Ash’s eyes filled up with tears as he started to play.
“How can I believe
That my heart would find someone like you
You see me, the real me
No in betweens, I had nowhere to hide
You took away the walls around me
Made me feel safe to share my truth
I see the heavens open, a heart that once was broken
Is holding nothing back
Now that I found you
You hold me like a prayer, you touch me everywhere
A lifetime just ain't enough to love you true
Now that I found you
Now that I found you
I do believe we're meant to be
Our chemistry will last forever
And through the years
We'll see some tears
We'll conquer fears
And together we will grow
Looking in your eyes
They tell me
I no longer have to feel alone
I see the heavens open, a heart that once was broken
Is holding nothing back
Now that I found you
You hold me like a prayer, you touch me everywhere
A lifetime just ain't enough to love you true
Now that I found you
Now that I found you
You see me, the real me
You believe in me
I see the heavens open, a heart that once was broken
Is holding nothing back
Now that I found you
You hold me like a prayer, you touch me everywhere
A lifetime just ain't enough to love you true
Now that I found you
Now that I found you.”Ashley ran up and kissed him as we all clapped. Steph managed to sit next to me and she smiled at me. I kissed her gently, letting her know that I felt the same. Pretty soon, we were all dancing together and having a bowling contest with our bowling alley in our basement. It was funny watching the girls bowl in their costumes, but funnier when Joe and his ball both went down the lane. Needless to say, this was the best night ever.
“No malls. The last time made me not want to go to one for a loooong time.”
“But it’s Ashley’s birthday.” Ellie was giving me her best puppy face, and I couldn’t help but to give in. She shouted to Steph and she came right up to me and kissed my cheek. Since last week, we haven’t actually been near each other as much as I liked, but that’s what happens when you are in a rock band. We were back in L.A., staying at home. Each girl had their own bedroom that they were using while we were here. I seen Steph once out of this whole week, not counting now, when she took the pictures for a Popstar! photo shoot.
“May I at least join you? I don’t want to let you two out of my sight, especially since everyone knows you are dating Joe, Ellie.”
“What will these yanks do to me? Heckle me? Pshhh, I’ll heckle them back.”
“And get kicked out of the mall again? I think not Ellie. Kevin is right.”
“You just want to spend time with your lover boy.”
“Maybe I do, you got a problem with that lass?” Ellie shook her head in fright and I saw Steph smirking at her. I loved how Steph could go all Scottish on Ellie, and it actually worked. I guess Ashley was right in saying that Steph was the mother hen. I grabbed my car keys and opened the front door for the girls.
“Girls, who is distracting Ash?”
“Nick is. Joe can’t keep a secret for the life of him. Besides, he took Frankie to the zoo with Denise. Something about prairie dogs.” I laughed at the thought simply because that was totally something Joe would do.
So, this time, we didn’t get kicked out. I was surprised, considering that Ellie almost made a girl cry. Long story, too funny to say now, but Ellie is never going shopping with us again. Steph was helping mom decorate, Joe and Nick were writing a song for Ash, Ellie was playing with Frankie, and as for me, well, I was sitting by the pool, trying to fix Steph’s camera.
“Hey buddy. So, how was that shopping trip?”
“What shopping trip?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. I knew it as soon as Nick wouldn’t let me leave the music room. And now, I have been kicked outside with you.”
“Oh, you don’t want to be out here with me?”
“No, Kevin. I want to hang out with you. I have been meaning to tell you something. Have you noticed something about Steph?”
“She has been looking a little pale, but nothing different.”
“She should really be telling you this, but she has PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome. Right now, her sugar levels have spiked, so she is feeling a bit under the weather. She isn’t diabetic yet, so all she can do is watch what she eats, but I still worry about her. I guess when you grow up with someone who always had to be more mature, you worry about them a little bit more. I am like that about you. That’s why I agreed to help Steph with you.” My head was reeling and Ash laughed.
“You must be confused. Welcome to my world. When you have Ellie as your best friend, things tend to get complicated fast. She does care for you, a lot.”
“What do you mean by matured fast than she should have?”
“That’s not my story to tell, but she will tell you, give her time. It’s amazing that she actually trusts you this much. She used to hate men. Oh, by the way, the camera is long gone. Joe dropped it into the pool.” I sighed and put the camera down. Ash laughed at me and laid down on the lawn chair next to me.
“Now, don’t get too sunburned. We don’t need your hair matching your skin.”
“Haha, funny Kev.”
Pretty soon, it was time to party. We decided to dress up as certain characters. Ash was Ms. Scarlet from clue, Joe was Troy from high school musical, Nick was James Bond, Ellie was Snow White, Steph was a dancer and I was a nerd. I don’t know why I dressed up as that, but it worked. Mom made the most amazing pie ever! Pumpkin pie rocks. We each gave Ashley her gifts. Steph got her the new cell phone she wanted while Ellie got her a guitar kit. Joe and I gave her a purse filled with her favorite essentials. Mom and dad gave her a new car which caused her to let out a squeal I never thought I hear from her. We got back inside and Nick had his guitar out.
“I wrote a song for you, I hope you like it.” Ash’s eyes filled up with tears as he started to play.
“How can I believe
That my heart would find someone like you
You see me, the real me
No in betweens, I had nowhere to hide
You took away the walls around me
Made me feel safe to share my truth
I see the heavens open, a heart that once was broken
Is holding nothing back
Now that I found you
You hold me like a prayer, you touch me everywhere
A lifetime just ain't enough to love you true
Now that I found you
Now that I found you
I do believe we're meant to be
Our chemistry will last forever
And through the years
We'll see some tears
We'll conquer fears
And together we will grow
Looking in your eyes
They tell me
I no longer have to feel alone
I see the heavens open, a heart that once was broken
Is holding nothing back
Now that I found you
You hold me like a prayer, you touch me everywhere
A lifetime just ain't enough to love you true
Now that I found you
Now that I found you
You see me, the real me
You believe in me
I see the heavens open, a heart that once was broken
Is holding nothing back
Now that I found you
You hold me like a prayer, you touch me everywhere
A lifetime just ain't enough to love you true
Now that I found you
Now that I found you.”Ashley ran up and kissed him as we all clapped. Steph managed to sit next to me and she smiled at me. I kissed her gently, letting her know that I felt the same. Pretty soon, we were all dancing together and having a bowling contest with our bowling alley in our basement. It was funny watching the girls bowl in their costumes, but funnier when Joe and his ball both went down the lane. Needless to say, this was the best night ever.