A/N: Hey guys! I know, I know. I suck! I haven't updated "Killing Me Softly" in months. I've had major writers block. Anyways, the company that I was working for shut down. So I'm now unemployed, yay! More time to write. This story should be updated pretty frequently. Since I have nothing else to do but play Zelda :). And yes, I plan on continuing "Killing Me Softly" as soon as I figure out what I'm going to do with it.
Anyways, as usual; I don't own South of Nowhere. I even kind of borrowed the plot from Imagine Me and You, but it's going to have a bit of my own twist to it. Oh and I'm not entirely sure why, but I got a few messages a while back asking my sexual orientation and I never got around to responding lol. I'll just go on the record here and say that I am in fact a Lesbatron :).
Okay, on with the story!
Oh and look out for the switching of point of views. Later on in the chapters I'll notify when it happens.
If I don't get my caffeine fix soon, someone is very likely going to die.
Seriously.
Ashley Davies does not do well with mornings mixed with stress and no coffee. There are at least twelve lives depending on my best friend getting here within the next five minutes with my Starbucks.
I slouch down in my chair and lay my head down on the metal table, willing the chaos to just stop. The cool metal against my forehead soothes my headache a little. I'll take all that I can get. However, the voices in the room are relentless. Everyone is in a panic; each person is trying to solve a million problems at once, forgetting to breathe. I know that they're just trying to help. That's why my father hired them after all, but right now they seem to be causing more problems than solving one.
I hate big crowds of stupid, and that's exactly what I'm in the middle of right now. One tiny little vomiting epidemic and people are running around like idiots. I guess that's what you have to deal with when you own a business, or in my case; a strand of businesses.
Blocking out the voices, I take in my surroundings. My office is fairly huge, even though with all of these people in here it hardly seems that way. It even has a small Koi Pond off to the side, opposite to that is a fully stocked bar and a pool table. My Dad definitely went all out when it came to designing this room. He believed that work and play could go hand in hand, and that was why he chose a career path that he enjoyed so much. After he passed away, I couldn't bear to change the room. I wanted to preserve it just as he left it to me, along with several other branches.
My Dad spent his life building up this business. Music was his passion, and although he had to give up the dream of touring with his band, Purple Venom, to raise my Sister and I after my Mom bailed; he still wanted a career in Music. So he started up his own Music shop, it mainly focused on selling instruments and giving lessons, but that soon evolved into a chain of businesses. He owned 17 in the state of Ohio, and some scattered in the bordering states. They focused on a range of specialties from: selling instruments, fixing instruments, giving lessons, and even having the house band play at events.
I developed my Fathers passion for music at a young age. Ever since I can remember I've been singing and playing guitar, violin, saxophone, piano, and pretty much anything else. When I was 17 my Dad decided that I should sing for the house band, it was such huge deal for me.
Now I'm 22 and I own all of it. At first it was overwhelming, it still kind of is. But you have to deal with it. Speaking of which; back to the matter at hand. The house band is suppose to play at a Wedding in 4 hours and the lead singer and guitarist have gotten sick along with at least 5 other people. No one in this entire business can seem to find a replacement.
"Miss Davies I just got off the phone with Ethan, he said that there are no other people suitable to take the positions." Roger says timidly. I look around and notice that the voices have stopped. Everyone is looking at me with weary faces. I don't really blame them; I probably look like I could rip someone limb from limb….that's actually not a bad idea.
"Where the hell is Maddy with my fucking coffee?" I stand and straighten out my black Gucci business suit. I can't wait to get home and put on a hoodie and some sweats and just forget the world.
"Jesus chica, there was a line. You need to breathe." Maddy says as she walks into the room, I can't even come up with a retort because she is holding my beloved coffee. As soon as she gets within range, I snatch it from her and breathe in its wonderful scent before taking a large swig.
Ah, much better.
As I savor the deliciousness I weigh the options. We could cancel and suggest a different company to replace us and pay for it. Or I could do something that I haven't had the heart to do since my Dad died. My therapist tells me every single day that I need to take steps and overcome my grief. Well, when life hands you lemons….
"Okay, so it looks like we don't really have much of a choice. I guess that I'm going to have to step in."
The entire room stops what they're doing and stares at me. It's well known that I haven't sang or picked up a guitar in months.
"Ash, are you sure that's a good idea? Are there no other options?" Madison looks me over with a shocked expression. I know she doesn't think I'm ready. She and my Sister Kyla have both done their share in picking my drunken body up off of dirty club bathroom floors. I've come a long way since those days, and I don't plan to go back.
"Yeah, I'm sure." She gives me an uneasy look.
"Maddy is okay, I've got this. If I feel uncomfortable at all I won't do it okay?" She looks somewhat relieved, but I can still see the uncertainly in her eyes.
"It'll be fine." I open my arms and she steps into them, hugging me.
It has to be fine.
Beep, beep, beep, beep. *SMACK*
As the battered alarm clock bounces off the wall and falls to the floor with a shattering finality, I run a hand through my tousled blonde hair and grudgingly sit up. I feel like death.
No, wait. In death you get to rest in peace. I hate to quote Usher, but the man knew what he was talking about when he sang about a Zombie coming back to life.
I just want to snuggle up in my warm blankets and go back to sleep. Looking down I see the source of my irritableness. It lays in pieces on the floor.
"Ugh, I really need to invest in more durable alarm clocks. That one didn't even last a month."
"Well if you would stop bitch slapping them, I'm sure they would hold up more. And for your information, that one was a trooper." Says Kyla as she waltzes into the room with purpose.
I jump about a mile off my bed and land on the floor with about as much grace as Bambi on ice. I rub the spot on my ass that is surely going to bruise in the next few hours. "Holy fucking shit Kyla! Way to scare a girl. How the hell did you get in here anyways?"
"Spencer, whenever you hide a key, you probably shouldn't tell me about it unless you expect me to use it." She says bossily as she walks around my apartment organizing and cleaning up random things. She's wearing dark skinny jeans, black heels, and a black and grey cami. I know Kyla's my best friend and I shouldn't say things like this; but damn, she looks good.
"…By the way, do you even remember that you're getting married today?"
The shock on my face must have been priceless.
"Oh my god. I am aren't I? I'm getting married! How could I of forgotten?"
By the end of that sentence I've transferred from sitting, to standing, to pacing, and then to running around in hysterics trying to find my dress.
"I know I hung it up in here somewhere. How in the hell could I of lost my Wedding Dress?"
I look back at Kyla and she's leaning against my dresser and she's….giggling.
What is so fucking giggle worthy about me losing my effing dress?
She must of caught my 'I'm going to stomp on your throat' glare because she stopped giggling and hugged me. "Calm down Spence, your Mothers bringing it over. Remember?"
Oh yes. Mommy dearest. Splendid.
"Oh and Spence? I don't want you to freak out okay. Because everything is fine. But you should know."
She's pacing.
Ohh no. It is never good when Kyla paces; that means she's nervous. I can't have her nervous today.
"What is it Ky?"
"Well you know how I booked the Davies House Band? Well there's been some sort of virus going around and all the members of the band got it. But don't worry." She adds when she sees my face pale.
"You remember me talking about my Sister Ashley right?"
I nod. Yes I remember. I haven't met her, but the way Kyla talks about her….she seems a bit unstable.
"Well, she's going to step in. We have the recordings of the back music. We just need a Singer and a Guitarist, and guess what? She can do both. So she's just going to do it. That's okay…right?"
I take a minute to process this. I really don't need this. Not now.
"Do you trust that everything will go fine? I know that you've mentioned that she's been having a difficult time dealing with….you know…your Dad and all. Which is completely understandable." I add quickly.
"But if you have faith, then so will I. I trust your judgment." I say with a smile.
"I think she's ready for this. I really do. I think it'll be good for her. And you. Her voice is beautiful, I'm sure everyone will be impressed." She says with confidence.
"Then no worries Ky. Come on, lets get this tragedy over with." I say with a laugh. I'm sure everything will be fine.
It has to be fine.
A/N: Next chapter they meet! Review! It gives me motivation.
