It was Saturday night and everyone piled onto their busses to make their way to the next stop, Georgia. The first two shows, in Florida, went off without a hitch and everyone was excited to hit the road and really get the tour underway.
Ashley was sitting in the back of the bus, that she was sharing with AJ, tuning her guitar. She was bummed when she left California because she couldn’t bring one along with her, but Denise surprised her and brought one of her old ones she had left in Florida. She was so grateful to have it with her. Music and song writing were her own personal therapy and she knew she would have gone insane without it. She looked up as the small door to the room slid open and smiled as AJ walked in. He took a seat next to her as she went back to tuning her strings.
“I’m sure you’re a lot happier now that you have your guitar.” He said with a slight chuckle.
“Beyond.” She smiled. “I don’t know what I would have done without it.”
“It’s kinda funny you know, you ending up with that one.” He said as she looked at him confused.
“What do you mean?”
“Well you got that guitar on your first tour with us and now it’s coming along again.”
“Guess it was fate.” She smiled with a slight laugh. “I think it’s still my favorite. I was so happy when you and Bri got it for me.”
“Well I’m just glad you stuck with it. You’ve got a lot of talent when it comes to that thing.” He complimented.
“Thanks. I’m happy I’ve kept up with it too.” She smiled. “This guitar has helped me through a lot.”
“You know you’re probably one of the most talented people I know.”
“I doubt that.” She laughed.
“No it’s true. You’re just such a natural at all of it. Singing, songwriting, acting.” He smiled at her.
“That means a lot coming from you.” She smiled.
“Well it’s true.” He smiled and then turned away with a sigh.
“What’s on your mind?” she asked. “You haven’t been the same lately, is everything alright?”
“Can I be honest with you?” he said with a sigh.
“Of course.” She put her guitar down and turned to give him her full attention.
“I know I haven’t been the best brother lately or the nicest person to be around at that.” He began. “I don’t want you to think that I’m trying to run your life or ruin your summer. I just guess I figured this summer would be a time for us to reconnect. I wasn’t around for a few months and I kinda missed out on some stuff.”
“The tour just started Alex, we have plenty of time to catch up.” She laughed a little.
“I know. It’s just that before I left I figured it wouldn’t be that big of a deal cuz you were gonna be just an hour away, but then I come back and out of no where you’re moving back to the other side of the country. I dunno I guess it just came as a surprise to me” he sighed.
“I didn’t think it was such a big deal. I’m not leaving forever, just four years. Believe me I’ll be back and forth a lot.”
“I know, it just wont be the same. I got used to having you around all the time.”
“Aww are you gonna miss me?” she smirked giving him a playful shove.
“Duh.” He chuckled slightly. “I don’t think you realize how much having you around these past two years has helped me.”
“It’s helped me too.” She smiled. “You straightened me out when everyone was ready to just give up on me. You’ve done so much for me and of course I’m gonna miss you too. But it’s not like how things used to be between us when you first moved away. I know we still fight all the time, but that’s what brothers and sisters do. You’re pretty much my best friend, me moving isn’t going to change anything.”
“It’s really good to hear you say that kiddo.” He smiled and pulled her into a hug.
“I’m sorry I didn’t talk it over with you. I promise I’ll make more of an effort to spend time with you on tour.” She smiled reassuringly as her phone beeped. She looked at the message and a slight smile came to her face.
“Who’s that?” he asked peeking over her shoulder slightly.
“It's just Nick.” She said trying to hide her smile. “Just saying he’s bored and wanted to know how things were going over here.”
“Why would he ask that?” he said slightly irritated.
“Because anyone could see that we haven’t been getting along that well. I just told him I hoped we would settle things since we were gonna be around each other so often.” She said hoping their good conversation wouldn’t be ruined by AJ’s resentment.
“I think we should discuss this whole Nick thing.” AJ said finally getting to the main reason behind his bitterness.
“Alex, lets not go there…we were doing just fine.” She sighed knowing it wouldn’t be long before he would bring it up.
“I know you know how I feel about him. I don’t want you to think that I don’t want you to be happy or anything, but I’ve seen him break girls hearts before and I just don’t want you to have to go through that, not again.” He sighed.
“I’ve told you a million times.” She said with a frustrated sigh. “He and I are just friends. Why can’t you get that?”
“Because I see how he looks at you. I wouldn’t be telling you this if that were the case. And I know you like him; he’ll figure that out eventually if he hasn’t already. Can you honestly tell me that if he said he wanted to take things further you wouldn’t?”
“I’m not a fortune teller Alex, I can’t predict the future. Right here and right now we are just friends and that’s where I intend to stay. You know I’m not ready for anything more then that right now.” She sighed.
“I know that you say you’re not ready, I’m just not sure when it comes down to it if you’d stick to your guns or go against that just because you want to keep him around.”
“Alex, cant you just trust me on this. We are friends that’s all it will ever be.” She said firmly. “You need to just accept that I’m old enough to make my own decisions and choose my own friends.”
“I know it’s none of my business, but I just worry for you. I’m never gonna stop looking out for you, you’re my sister, it’s my job.” He half smiled hoping she would know that he was only looking out for her because he cared.
“I know, and I appreciate it, but like I said I’m never going to learn to make decisions and do things on my own if you’re always there to tell me which way I should go. Let me try it out on my own at first and just be there to support me if I fall.”
“You’re a smart kid. I trust your choices and I know you can make your own decisions. I’ll try to back off. I just worry about you that’s all.”
“I know and it’s good to know you’re looking out for me but just trust me on this one ok? Nick is a good guy and I like hanging out with him. That’s it just hanging out.” She smiled hoping he would drop the issue.
“I know he’s a good guy, and I want you to have a fun summer just try and take things slow ok?”
“Is just friends slow enough for you?” she laughed.
“Ok ok, I get it. Just friends.” He smiled and gave her another hug. “I’m gonna get some rest, it’s a long ride you should try and sleep too.” He said standing up from the couch.
“Night.” She said as he walked through the door.
She smiled as he slid the door closed. She was glad they had a little talk, but she still knew that as many times as he said he was fine with everything he was lying. Especially when it came to Nick. Maybe if she made more of an effort to spend time with him he would see that the two of them being friends wasn’t such a big deal.
She sighed as the thoughts of what he said about Nick floated through her head. Why couldn’t everyone else understand that they were just friends, and why was it that AJ thought he was so bad for her? He had been nothing but open and nice to her. She knew he didn’t have the best track record when it came to dating, but neither did she. She quickly shook that thought from her head.
‘You’re just friends, stop thinking it will ever be more then that.’ She said to herself, but her heart was fighting back. As much as her head told her she shouldn’t fantasize about what could be she couldn’t help it. She had always crushed on him, but now that they were spending time together her crush was quickly developing into real feelings for him. She wished she could just turn them off, but every time he was around all she could feel was butterflies. He just had this power over her and whenever she thought about him she could do nothing but smile, and lately she had been smiling a lot. She knew nothing more would ever come of it, but she loved being around him, even if it was just as friends.
She reached down next to her and picked up her notebook with her songs. As she flipped through them she realized it had been a long time since she had wrote anything. Since she and Ryan had broken up she hadn’t been the same. She hid it well from everyone, but inside she was crushed. She really thought he had been the one, but he broke her heart just like everyone else had. Nick had been the first person to really break down her barrier and make her feel happy again, and he did it without even knowing or trying. She smiled to herself as she turned the pages until she reached a blank one. She grabbed her pen and started writing for the first time in months. The words came to her quickly and with little effort. She dropped the pen in her lap as she took a look at what she had just written. Though it wasn’t anywhere near finished she smiled to herself as she read over the words. Not only had it been a while since she had written but thinking about it this was the first time in a long time that she had written about actually being happy rather then heart broken. It was new to her, but she liked it. Picking up her guitar she knew she couldn’t be too loud or she would wake up AJ. She started strumming and messing around with chords, trying to find the perfect chord progression to fit what her head was arranging. Finally it came to her and she began to hum it, piecing together the words with the music. Once she was content she reached for her phone and dialed Angel. Whenever she wanted an honest opinion about a song she knew who to call. She let the phone ring, hoping Angel would pick up. Finally she heard someone on the other end.
“Ash! I miss you, how are you?” Angel said as she answered the phone.
“Doing good, being an insomniac on the way to Georgia.” She laughed.
“How’s the show going?”
“It’s amazing. You have to come out and see it.”
“I know! I don’t think I can wait until you guys head over here. I’ve been trying to find a time to come out for a few days.” Angel informed.
“That would be awesome, cuz I’m missing you way too much right now.” She smiled.
“You better be.” Angel laughed. “So how are you surviving so far?”
“Pretty good. It’s the first night on the bus. We took a van to the Florida shows since they were so close. Me and Alex almost got into it for a while but I dunno I guess we kind of sorted some things out. I just need to make more of an effort to spend time with him.” She shrugged.
“So what’s there to do on the bus?”
“God, absolutely nothing.” She sighed. “Thank god mom brought me a guitar from home. I have a feeling I’ll be making up for a lot of lost time writing on tour.”
“Well at least you have something productive to do.” Angel laughed.
“Already started.” Ashley chuckled. “Which is why I was calling. Wanna tell me what you think of this?”
“Um of course! It’s been way to long. Play away.”
Ashley placed the phone next to her and put it on speaker. “Can you hear me good? I can’t be too loud, Alex is sleeping.”
“Loud and clear.” Angel said.
“Ok here it goes. It’s not complete but I wanna know what you think so far.”
“Play!” Angel laughed.
Ashley positioned the guitar in her lap and began to strum the melody she had just come up with as she started to sing.
“I don’t know but I think I may be falling for you, dropping so quickly. Maybe I should keep this to myself. Wait until I know you better.
I am trying not to tell you, but I want to. I’m scared of what you’ll say. So I’m hiding what I’m feeling but I’m tired of holding this inside my head.
I’ve been spending all my time just thinking bout you, I don’t know what to do. I think I’m falling for you. I’ve been waiting all my life and now I’ve found you. I don’t know what to do. I think I’m falling for you. Falling for you.
I just cant take it, my heart is racing.
Emotions keep spinning out…
I’ve been spending all my time just thinking bout you, I don’t know what to do. I think I’m falling for you. I’ve been waiting all my life and now I’ve found you. I don’t know what to do. I think I’m falling for you. Falling for you.”
As she finished she placed the guitar down and closed her notebook before picking the phone back up.
“It’s not finished yet, but what do you think?” she said timidly.
“I absolutely love it.” Angel said enthusiastically. “You’ve never written anything like that.”
“Like what?” she said with a chuckle.
“Like happy.” Angel smiled. “It’s nice to hear you happy.”
“It’s nice to be happy.” She sighed with a smile.
“Anyone in particular making you happy?” she could hear the grin on Angel’s face.
“Shut up.” She said with a laugh.
“I didn’t say anything.” Angel said innocently.
“No, but I know what you’re thinking. So shut up.”
“What? I think it’s cute.” Angel said. “Can I say it now?”
“No.” Ashley laughed.
“Too bad…Awwwwww.” She finally said loudly into the phone.
“You’re such a loser.” Ashley said shaking her head. “Just because you think it’s about a certain person doesn’t mean it is.”
“Yeah ok.” She said sarcastically. “You like my brother.” She said in a sing-song voice.
“Shush.” She said as she could feel her cheeks start to flush.
“I think it’s cute, and you must really like him if you’re writing songs about him.”
“So what.” She smiled finally admitting it.
“Ohhh I knew it.” She said cheerfully.
“And that stays between you and me forever or I might have to kill you.” She laughed.
“You know you’re secrets safe with me.” She said.
“It better be!” she laughed as she was overtaken by a yawn. “Think it’s my bed time.”
“Okie dokie, night babes.” Angel said. “Call me soon, I miss you!”
“You know I will. We have another long drive in a few days. I’ll call you then.” She said as she yawned again. “Miss you too. Night babes.” She said hanging up.
She smiled as she placed her phone on the charger. She switched on the TV and laid back on the couch pulling a blanket up as she closed her eyes and drifted off into a light sleep.
Author's Chapter Notes:
finally some brother sister time :) hope you guys like it thanks so much for all the amazing feedback im so glad you guys are getting into the story!
Chapter End Notes:
Song used: Falling For You-Colbie Caillat
For those of you new to my stories I use a lot of songs throughout and although it would be awesome if I could write them all myself it would take a lot longer to update. So finding a song that fits is often times a lot easier :)
For those of you new to my stories I use a lot of songs throughout and although it would be awesome if I could write them all myself it would take a lot longer to update. So finding a song that fits is often times a lot easier :)
