A/N: I do not own the Naked Brothers Band or anything associated with them. I also do not own Nat and Alex Wolff, nor do I own any of their songs

This story will be switching between Nat and Rosalina's POV. It'll usually alternate between chapters, but I'll still put whose POV it is at the start of the chapter, just so you all know. Hope you all enjoy!

Nat's POV

The band had broken up as soon as most of us had gotten into high school. We quickly figured out that between our homework load and all the extracurricular stuff we wanted to be involved in, it just wasn't going to work. None of us knew how Rosalina had balanced it for two years. She was just that incredible. Not incredible…I mean…way to go, Nat. Take foot, insert in mouth. It was no secret that I DID like Rosalina. Emphasis on did. Not anymore. For a while, I thought she might have felt the same. I mean, that kiss in New Orleans after I had admitted my feelings? Clearly should have meant something.

But it didn't. At least not to her. We had kissed each other on the cheek the next morning. Everybody thought we were finally together. I'll admit, I did, too. Where did it go wrong? On a day I'll never forget.

We had just gotten back from that tour. I was the happiest I had ever been. We got off the bus, and I went to grab Rosalina's hand. She pulled away.

"Ok Nat, this needs to stop." I was dumbstruck.

"Huh?"

"Nat, this can't keep happening. I'm a freshman in high school. You're a seventh grader. It just can't work. I'm sorry."

"Then why did you let me think it was? Why'd you kiss me in New Orleans? Why have you been leading me on this last week and a half?"

"I thought that if I let you get your feelings for me out, it would pass. That you would realize that it just won't work."

"Thanks. So glad to see that I'm just a play toy that's here to amuse you."

"No, it's nothing like that."

"Really? Cause that's exactly what you just said. You know I love you. Look at all the songs I've written. And for you to lead me on like this…I thought you were my friend."

"I am your friend, Nat."

"Really? Cause a true friend wouldn't do this! A real friend would have been honest! Wouldn't have led me on!" She started crying, but I was on a roll. "And it's not even like you've been leading me on this past week and a half! You've been playing with my feelings since we formed the Naked Brothers Band! The kiss in Chicago? My first kiss in my dressing room? You know, I tried to accept that it wouldn't work, but every time I got close, you did something that rekindled my hope! And now…this is too much."

"Nat, I'm sorry! If this could have gone any other way, believe me, I'd have taken that other way! The last thing I ever wanted to do is hurt you. It's just that…"

"Yeah yeah, I've heard the schpeel. I'm in high school. I'm a cheerleader AND A LOWLY MIDDLESCHOOLER ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME!"

"I never said that."

"Yeah, you did Rosalina. The exact words may not have come out of your mouth, but they were there. I've got to go unpack." I walked away before I got angrier than I already was. She called after me, but I ignored her. I heard her come after me, so I ran. I got to my dressing room where most of my stuff was. I slammed the door and locked it. I heard the knock. I heard her call my name. I heard her try to open the door. I ignored it all. I wanted no parts of Rosalina Tai at that moment.

Surprisingly for us, that was the last time we talked. By the time I left my dressing room, she had already gone home. Now, three years later, I couldn't be happier. We were all still really close. None of us missed Rosalina much, not since she changed. I was a sophomore in high school, as were Cooper, Thomas, David, and Qaasim. We all were doing great. All the teachers came to me whenever they needed a pianist for anything. Alex and I had released our own album in our spare time, call Black Sheep. Cooper was the backup quarterback for the football team, so he unfortunately didn't play much. Our starting quarterback was good, and his defenders were good at their job. Thomas was already captain of the wrestling team. Qaasim was captain of the school's chess team, which had gotten national recognition due to Qaasim. David finally accepted that he was smart, not lucky, and created the first peer mentoring program that Amigos High had ever seen. He also was the goalie for the hockey team, and was surprisingly really good.

Knowing you, you're probably also wondering what Rosalina's been up to. Not that I care anymore, but she's captain of the cheerleading squad, and dating Mr. Perfect, James Jackson, the starting quarterback of the football team. Ever since I broke the news about the band breaking up, she hadn't so much as looked at any of us. We were too unimportant for her now, even though we all were as successful as her. The difference?

We didn't let the popularity go to our heads. Yeah, we were popular. Didn't mean we soaked it up. Not gonna lie, we did a little bit, but we kept our heads on our shoulders. We remembered who we were and what got us to where we were. Rosalina had lost that focus. All of her friends were now the "popular" girls, who only cared about partying, getting drunk, and sleeping with their boyfriends as often as they could. I couldn't tell you if Rosalina was involved in any of that. Again, I didn't care. I mean that, too. I've been happier than I have ever been since Rosalina and I went our separate ways.

I got home from school that day and was home alone. Dad was at an accordion convention, and Alex was still at school. I picked up my guitar and started playing some of the old Naked Brothers Band songs. I did this every day, just for the laugh at how far my music had progressed in a short amount of time. One song that I found myself singing was Catch Up With The End. It was one of the few NBB songs I was actually proud of. It was really deep, and fairly well written. It also was my inspiration to keep going, being the best I could be. Why sit around and do nothing when all that leads to is missing everything and just accepting that you're going to die. I knew I was going to die, but I wanted to die being remembered for all that I accomplished, not all that I could have done. Moving on from NBB songs, I started strumming one of the songs Alex had written for Black Sheep, Colorful Raindrops. It was another good reminder for me. No matter what I went through, it all made life worth living.

As I started to sing the chorus the final time, I heard Alex come in. He came in as I finished.

"Trying to steal my song, bro?"

"Every time. Wish I could write lyrics like that."

"What do you mean? You write great lyrics!"

"But they're all from memories. I haven't recently experienced any of what I wrote about."

"You don't have to tell me, Nat. I know you haven't had a girlfriend since the fight with Rosalina."

"So you're saying I've never had a girlfriend."

"Kinda. But you thought you did, for two weeks. So I guess it kind of counts. You still miss her, don't you?"

"Of course not. After all she put me through? After completely ignoring us all for her popular crowd? No way."

"Don't lie to me, Nat. I may not be as old or as smart as you, but I'm not an idiot."

"Ok, maybe a little. It's just that she was my closest friend, and for her to stab me in the back like that…"

"I know, bro."

"What about you, Al? Do you miss her?"

"As your brother, she hurt you a lot, and I have to say no."

"Now the honest answer?"

"Yeah. She was like an older sister to me. It hurt a lot when she just abandoned us for popularity." I wrapped an arm around Alex.

"Don't worry, bud, we'll be fine. We just need to forget about her. She's clearly forgotten about us."

"I know. Hey, being you stole my song, mind if I steal yours?"

"Which one and why?"

"Greatest Prize. I want to sing it to Juanita."

"How can I say no to a cause like that? Of course you can steal it." He hugged me, smiling from ear to ear.

"Thanks bro!" He ran out of the room. I had to smile. He had grown up a lot, but he really was still a little kid, even if he was a little kid in love. I let out a long sigh. Why did it come so easy for him? He and Juanita just worked so naturally. Why couldn't I find that? I had gone on a couple of dates, but at the end, we both walked away agreeing that it wasn't right. I was still friends with most of them, but nothing had ever gone further. Alex came back in.

"Dad wants to talk to us." He said. I got up and went to the living room, where I found dad with his accordion.

"I'm glad you came, Nat. I've got some big news to tell you."

"What's up, dad?"

"Well, you know how I've been working on my accordion playing?" Alex and I both nodded. Before you laugh, my dad had actually gotten a lot better. Like, a LOT better. Like, we'd actually let him play with us occasionally, and we wouldn't yell at him to stop whenever he started.

"Well, I finally am getting noticed! I'm going on a global tour with a bunch of other accordion players, and we're all going to be performing, both together and solos!" Alex and I both cheered and hugged our dad. He deserved this.

"Wait," I said. "A global tour? As in, around the world?"

"Yes indeedy."

"How long is the tour going to be?"

"Well, it's kind of going to be a four year tour. We're going to a lot of countries."

"Four years!?" Alex exclaimed. "What are we going to do without you around here for four years!?"

"Well, that's actually the other part of the news. I told the group about you, and they want you two to come with us! They said that it'd be a great way to open our show, having THE Nat and Alex Wolff opening!" I sat there, stunned. A global tour. Four years of traveling around the world, playing music, even if it was just to be an opening act for a bunch of talented accordion players.

"But wait. What about school? Alex is only in 7th grade. I'm a sophomore. We need to keep up with our education. We all agreed that education was the top priority now."

"I completely agree. That's why I'm hiring a tutor! Come on in!" He yelled, and the tutor came in. We both jumped up and gave her hugs.

"Hey guys. Nice to see you both, too. It's been so long." Jesse, our former tutor and Alex's former love interest said. We all sat down and started catching up. Alex then looked at dad.

"When do we leave, dad?"

"We've got a month to get everything in order. You guys probably want to start soon. Alex, I know Juanita isn't going to take this easily. And Nat, don't you have a fight you probably ought to make for?"

"No dad, I don't."

"You mean you really don't want to make up with Rosalina? I mean, you are going to be gone for four years."

"What's the point in trying, dad? It's already been three. If she really cared, she'd have made some effort. She doesn't even look at any of us. None of us are important to her anymore. So no, I don't want to try and rebuild that bridge when she's clearly happier with it burned. And so am I, for that matter!" I yelled and went back to my room. I mindlessly started strumming songs on my guitar. It always made me feel better, even if I never listened to what I played. One song that I strummed while in my mindless state was the last song anyone would have expected me to play, one of the first NBB songs. Even I wouldn't have expected it out of me after three years and a horrible fight. But I still strummed it.

I lay on my bed strumming Rosalina.

At the same time, unknown to me, the subject of the song was walking along the sidewalk below my open window.