A/N: It will be a short story, 4 or 5 parts, I think. And it should be completed by the end of the week. I'm still working on my other story, but right now I'm taking a breather with it because I'm not really inspired at the moment.
Anyway, I hope you can enjoy this little short story... Feedback is appreciated.
I'll Give you the World
Part 1 – Berlin, Germany
As Ashley made her way through the crowd, she sighed… She was getting sick of hanging out in packed clubs where there was barely any space to move. She was suffocating. She heard a voice call after her but her mind forced her to keep going. She needed air more than anyting else at the moment. As she pushed the door, the cold fresh air hit her in the face and a sigh of relief passed through her lips. It felt great. She took a few steps and started to relax. Sometimes, she wondered what all this was about. The partying, the drinking, the meaningless sex with girls that just wanted to fuck a rockstar. She never imagined 7 years ago, when she was fresh out of high school that her life would turn out to be exactly like it was 3 years prior her meeting with Spencer Carlin. She had worked so hard to change who she was for Spencer and at times like this, she felt she was right back where she started. It's funny how Spencer managed to pop up in her mind once in a while to remind her of a life that was eluding her.
Her own ambition had gotten in the way and she wanted Spencer to be part of her plan, perhaps out of selfishness. And for a while, it had been working, at least for her. She had everything, the money, the fame and the girl. But at the time, she didn't realize what she was doing, keeping Spencer locked in a golden cage. She had been hurting her more than anything else. But fortunately, she came to her senses, although a bit too late, the damage was already done. The spark in Spencer's eyes had disappeared and when one night, Ashley saw it clear as day, she felt the guilt like she never had before. She had caused this spark to disappear. She knew Spencer loved her and had sacrificed a lot to follow Ashley and her dream. She had risked it all and lost herself in the process. Ashley knew that Spencer had always risked it all for Ashley, even when they started dating, fighting with her mom and brother for her relationship with Ashley to be recognized like Clay's love for Chelsea or Paula's marriage to Arthur. Spencer had always put Ashley first, but Ashley realized too late that she never put Spencer first, that she had always put her ambition and her own needs first, she decided that enough was enough. She needed to release Spencer and let her spread her wings the way she was meant to. Because Spencer was never meant to be locked in a cage, away from the world. She was meant to experience every single drop of happiness the world had to offer. So, Ashley did the hardest thing she ever had to do, she let Spencer go free 5 years ago, telling lies after lies, breaking her heart in the process so that Spencer would stop fighting for a relationship that was destroying her. And Ashley had never recovered from that. Mainly because she still had hope that one day, their paths would cross one more time and if she was given that chance again, she would get it right this time.
And right now, standing outside of a gay club in Berlin, Germany, where her latest date on her tour took her, Ashley had had enough. She needed to breathe, she needed to find her way home, she needed to find the person that she knew she could be, the person she had been before all this started.
As Ashley's mind was flashing back to simpler times, the voice that tried to stop her a few moments ago, resonated next to her.
"Hello, Earth to Ashley ? Can you hear me ?"
Ashley shook her head and looked into the gentle brown eyes of her sister. She smiled at her sadly and saw kyla's face soften considerably and saw the understanding spread across her features. Kyla and Ashley had become masters at this, non verbal communication. They had been getting closer and closer after Spencer's departure from Ashley's life. Mainly because of Ashley being heartbroken but also because Kyla was the only constant from Ashley's old life.
"Had enough, big sis ?" Kyla whispered softly. "Time to go home ?"
Ashley knew what Kyla meant and she felt her eyes burning and a tear on her cheek. She nodded and found comfort in her sister's arms.
"I'll call the airline tomorrow morning to get us out of here. I think a visit to Ohio is in order. I'll tell Ethan that we're postponing the rest of the European Tour."
"He's not going to like it!" she sobbed.
"Let me handle it, Ash." Kyla answered simply. She knew that her sister was at the end of her rope and it was time for a little Carlin TLC.
Kyla called the car to get Ashley back to the hotel and went back inside to deal with Ethan. He practically became purple when Kyla told her that Ashley was going back home and Kyla found it extremely funny. After half an hour, Kyla finally calmed him down. After all, they were just postponing and Ashley was not just a one hit wonder so, it wouldn't affect her that much.