Give It a Chance for Our Love to Start

"You warned me that you were gonna leave," I sang as Nick, Kevin and I sat in our recording studio singing Can't Have You. "Never thought you would really go…..uh… Broke your heart—" I groaned, looking down as my brothers' eyes were on me. "Sorry guys," I mumbled for what must have been the twelfth time in the last hour. I had been messing with up lines and all the whole morning.

Kevin put his hand on my arm. "Let's take a five," he suggested.

"Yeah," Nick agreed quickly. "Maybe you just need a break or something."

Or something, I though as I nodded, walking out of the studio and to the couch in the other room. Leaning my head back, I closed my eyes and sighed. I didn't know what was wrong with me. I had been messing up so much since we came to L.A. last week. I felt so weird. It was like a restlessness I couldn't explain. I sighed, keeping my eyes closed. More than anything right now, I really wanted to be in Texas again. I wanted to talk to Bethany about this. She'd know what was wrong with me, and she'd help me get over it. I shook my head, knowing that my best friend was in Texas, not here. I sighed again, remembering my last day there. Saying goodbye had been hard, harder than I thought it would be. I remembered what she had said. When you need me most, and you're ever in need of a friend, just close your eyes, and think of me, and I'll be there. Closing my eyes tighter, I thought about her, wishing she would somehow turn up.

Opening my eyes, I looked around. Sighing, I realized it hadn't worked. I groaned at myself. Had I really thought it would? And then I smelled something familiar, something that had always gotten my mouth drooling.

"Hey Joe, ready to go back on," Nick asked, turning up at the doorway.

Ignoring that, I asked, "Hey Nick, did someone whip out pancakes?"

Nick looked at me weirdly. "Pancakes? Joe, it's 4 in the afternoon. It's not really high time for pancakes."

I rolled my eyes, standing, and sniffing the air. "Don't you smell it?"

Nick sighed, sniffing the air too, probably just to play along. "No, I don't smell anything. Now recording time?"

I sighed. "I'll be there in a minute." I started walking towards the smell. It led me out of the studio, and down the stairs to the lobby. A girl with curly brown hair was standing in the lobby, facing the other way. "Um, hello," I said, not really sure what I was doing.

She turned around, smiling. Her brown eyes lit up as she saw me. In her hand was a container… of pancakes.

I gasped. "Bethany?" I ran to her, hugging her tightly. I was so excited. "What are you doing here?"

She laughed. "Hey Joe. I am here for those college interviews remember?"

"Oh right," I nodded, my arms still wrapped around her. "Well since you're here, I'm going to have to keep my promise in showing you around."

She smiled. "Good, because I got lost on my way here."

I grinned. "Oh man! I was just thinking about you."

"Didn't I promise," she asked, smirking. "You just had to think of me, and I'd be here." She smiled. "So why did you need a friend so badly?"

I sighed. "I'm just – restless. I don't know. It's so weird. But it'll be okay now because you're here."

She blushed and opened her mouth to say something. But before she could, Nick came into the lobby. "There you are. Kevin said to call you so we can – Bethany," he asked as he noticed her. He laughed, hugging her too. His face lit up as he hugged her tightly, picking her up slightly. I raised an eyebrow, watching him. There was something weird in his demeanor. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm checking out a few music schools," she said, linking her arm with mine. "And Joe offered to show me around."

"Unfortunately," I sighed dramatically. "Kevin and Nick are making me stay here and record a song." I looked at Nick pointedly.

"Fine," he sighed dramatically too. "Go. I'll cover with Kevin."

"Yes," I shouted, giving Bethany a high five. "Thank you brother! Come on Bethany," I grabbed her hand, leading her towards the door. "Let me show you your future city."

---

Joe showed me all around L.A. We walked along the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame and I got a picture with Michael Jackson's star. It was so amazing! He pointed out Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and he showed me tons of other stuff. I even got to see a few celebrities.

"This is amazing," I sighed as we walked along the beach. I had my arm linked with his. Our shoes were in our hands, and we were just looking out at the ocean and feeling the sand between our toes as we walked. "I love L.A."

"It really is so awesome here," he said. "It would be even more awesome if you came here."

I laughed, blushing a bit. "I would honestly love to go to school here. L.A. is so beautiful."

"And you don't mind the earthquakes," he asked, smirking at me.

I smiled, not answering. I knew he wasn't really looking for an answer to that. I looked around, taking it all in. I couldn't believe I might actually go to school here. My interview was tomorrow and I was getting a bit anxious. I sighed. "What if I don't get into the music school here?"

Joe scoffed. "Bethany, I've heard you singing in the shower," he smirked at me. I rolled my eyes, glaring at him. "You'll get in."

"Thanks," I said, looking away from him. I knew my voice still sounded anxious.

He sighed, stopping and turning to face me. "Bethany, you're amazing. I was going through your computer the oth—"

"You what," I asked, shocked.

"Sorry, I was trying to upload some of my pictures from our tourist day in Texas," he explained quickly. "And I saw the file. Sorry."

I sighed. "It's okay."

"But the point is," he continued. "Your stuff was amazing. I actually got inspired by it and I wanted to write a song. Honestly, and I saw the song you wrote for Tinsley's recital, the one that won her first place two years ago. There's no way they wouldn't accept you."

I smiled, still not saying anything. "It's not that good," I said.

He sighed again, looking around. His eyes sparked up as he seemed to get an idea. "I got an idea," he said.

"Yes?"

He took my hand, leading me away from the beach. "Come on."

"Where are you taking me," I asked.

He grinned. "You'll see. Just come on."

I sighed, shaking my head. "Fine, but you better not be taking me to some dark alley to kill me."

He turned back, smirking. "Would I ever do that?"