Author Note: Hey guys! This will be my first BTR fanfic, and I really hope everyone likes it. The first chapter is set a few days after the guys make plans to go to LA and become 'Big Time Rush'. They just haven't told someone about it yet…
Read to find out! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Big Time Rush. All I got is a computer and creativity.
Chapter 1
A bird fled from a nearby tree as a girl with wavy dark brown hair erupted in laughter, her chuckles resounding throughout the park. Mirth was etched across her face and her smile stretched wide, her hazel eyes glued to four boys chasing after a golden retriever. Hanging from the dog's jaws was a black helmet, the straps flapping wildly as the golden dog ran from the teens before finally coming to a stop in front of the girl, dropping the helmet at her feet and panting happily, the retriever's tongue lolling lazily out of its mouth.
"Good girl, Addie!" The girl chuckled, petting the dog's head affectionately while bending down to pick the helmet up with the other.
Grinning she faced the approaching boys and held out the helmet to the Latino, looking into his chocolate brown eyes. "Here's your helmet Carlos. Safe and sound."
Carlos breathed a sigh of relief and gratefully took his helmet and placed it on his head, patting it for good measure and smiling at the girl. "Thanks Rory."
One of Carlos's companions, with bushy eyebrows and emerald green eyes, bent down and patted Addie's back, rolling his eyes slightly at Carlos. "Jeeze Rory, are you training your dog to run in a marathon?"
Rory grinned and sat down on the bench once more, hooking Addie back onto her leash. "Careful Kendall, one might think you were out of shape if you couldn't even keep up with my dog." She smirked at Kendall's glare before standing back up and tugging lightly on Addie's leash, starting off in the direction of her neighborhood.
Another guy with dark brown hair glanced at his watch, walking alongside Rory and the three other males. "Good thing Addie decided to go to you when she did, Rory. It's about dinnertime, and who knows what Mrs. Knight would've said if we were late."
This time, one of the others with perfect brown hair and a charming smile rolled his eyes. "Only you would be concerned about Mrs. Knight's wrath, Logan."
Logan smirked at him. "Oh really James? I'm not the one who squealed like a girl when she found out it was you that sent a hockey puck into her brand new microwave."
James winced at the memory as Rory, Kendall, Logan, and Carlos burst out laughing. Rory was particularly amused by the way James seemed to shudder, as if remembering the exact look on Mrs. Knight's face as she marched over to him and began to yell like there was no tomorrow.
Rory smiled and linked arms with Carlos and Logan, who were nearest to her. "What would I ever do without you guys?"
A hush momentarily fell over the four boys, but it disappeared so quickly that Rory immediately dismissed the thought that something was wrong. James smirked at her and lightly shoved both Carlos and Logan away, lazily slinging an arm over her shoulder to draw her closer to his side. "You wouldn't know how to carry on if you couldn't see my beautiful face everyday."
Rory chuckled and shrugged his shoulder off, stepping closer to Carlos. "You wish, Diamond."
James winked. "How'd you know?"
Rolling her eyes, Rory glanced up at Carlos, mesmerized by the way his smile lit up his entire face. She stared at him as he chuckled at James's teasing, his brown eyes glowing with amusement as he enjoyed the company of his friends.
Rory sighed and stared down at the pavement, watching as her converse clad feet led her down a familiar road, one she wouldn't ever be able to forget. As the five of them began to near the Knight household, Rory chanced another glance at Carlos only to redden considerably and have her eyes shoot back down again like bullets.
"-dad get back?"
As silence overtook them, Rory looked up at the four guys, wondering why they had suddenly stopped talking. It was then she realized they were staring at her.
"What?"
Logan shook his head at her, smiling, while the others chuckled. They were all used to the way Rory zoned out. It had happened on many occasions.
"We were wondering," Kendall repeated, this time so she was paying attention, "when your dad was going to get back?"
Usually, if anyone other than the four boys brought up her dad, Rory would've shut down and quickly changed the subject in any way that she could. Her father was a touchy subject for her, but not because she had anything against him. He hadn't divorced her mother or abandoned them, and never abused her. They really didn't have any typical teen-parent troubles.
No, the reason Rory seldom talked about her dad was because he was stationed in Iraq year round. He hardly ever came home, and when he did, it was for only twenty-four hours at most. Darien Bell was a hard-working man, and a complete family guy. If only he had the chance to see his family more often.
"Oh, well, he's supposed to come home tomorrow night." Replied Rory, the five teens approaching the Knight house.
They all stopped at the front door, the guys silent as a single question buzzed through their minds. Eventually, it was James who worked up the nerve to voice it aloud.
"How long is he staying?"
Rory blinked back tears as she twisted the handle on the door, letting her hair fall so that is shadowed her face.
"He leaves the next morning." With that, Rory pushed open the door and entered the house, any trace of her sorrow gone by the point Mrs. Knight came rushing to greet them five seconds later.
Rory stared at the night sky, the stars twinkling at her, as if saying hello. The grass felt cool against her back and she smiled softly, relishing in the serenity and comfort of the moment. James and Logan were laid out on one side of her, while Carlos and Kendall were on the other. Together, the five of them gazed at the stars, enjoying each other's company.
Yet, Rory couldn't help but feel a slight prick of tension in the air. Something was a miss, but she just couldn't place her finger on it. She wasn't about to ask, for she would sound ridiculous, but the thoughts nagged continuously at her, never ceasing.
"Guys, we're friends, right?" Rory whispered, her eyes never leaving the sky. She felt four sets of eyes focus on her and she shifted slightly, feeling a bit uncomfortable at the stares.
"Of course," Kendall replied, "We always have been."
Rory bit her lip and nodded at Kendall's words before pulling herself into a sitting position, a frown slowly forming on her face. "It's just…I don't know, I have this weird feeling you guys are keeping something from me. Crazy, right?"
Her heartbeat was pounding so fast, Rory was surprised they couldn't hear it. For some time, they didn't answer her, and she felt her face fall.
"You are?" Rory said, her voice holding a bit of pain.
Logan shook his head, giving Rory a reassuring smile. "Please, don't worry about it Rory. You'll know soon enough. Just give us all time to think it through, okay? Don't worry, we hate keeping things from you." He looked pointedly past her shoulder, his eyes narrowing slightly. At what, Rory wasn't sure, for she only saw Carlos and the scenery as she looked back.
"Right. I'm sorry guys, I guess I've just been feeling a bit nervous about my dad coming home."
Like a wildfire, the boys hurriedly grabbed at the opportunity to change the subject, taking to it so fast that Rory felt an unsettling feeling become present in the pit of her stomach.
What were they hiding from her?
It was late, just past midnight, and Rory was watching one of her all-time favorite movies in the Knight living room. The guys were all crashed around her, each one out cold and snoring away, even twitching a few times and pulling the covers over their heads.
As A Walk to Remember played on the flat-screen in front of her, Rory felt the hairs on her neck stand on end as a voice whispered in her ear, the person's breath hot against her neck. "How's the movie?"
Spinning around, Rory's heart rate sped up until she felt as if it would burst out of her chest. She glared at Carlos, who was silently laughing and grinning at her, his eyes dancing with joy.
"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" She hissed at him, settling down on the couch once more, pulling her blanket over her. Carlos leaped over the back of the couch and sat next to her, nestling close. It didn't bother her. Rory and the guys had known each other for years; this was all just normal behavior.
"I thought you were asleep." Rory muttered, her eyes once more glued to the TV screen. Carlos changed his position so that he was solely looking at her, and Rory turned to face him.
"I was, but you know, I'm a light sleeper." He said, shrugging his shoulders as he did so. Rory rolled her eyes and leaned back against the couch, biting her lip slightly as she tried to focus in on the movie once more. It was a bit hard to do, considering that Carlos was still staring at her. Finally, she paused the movie and gave him a hard look, her confusion blatantly displayed.
"Do I have something on my face?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
Carlos shook his head and sighed before finally averting his gaze from hers. "No, you look fine. Beautiful, in fact." Rory felt her cheek redden slightly and she stared at her hands, not daring to meet his gaze again.
"Okay, what do you want?" She asked, a hint of humor in her voice.
Carlos turned to grin at her, running a hand through his hair as he did so. "What makes you think I want something?"
Rory sighed and rolled her eyes before looking at him. "You've never called me beautiful before. Are you trying to butter me up?"
He didn't respond for a few seconds, but when he did, it wasn't what she had been expecting. "Have I really never called you beautiful? Gosh, I'm sorry, Rory. I guess I think it all the time, just never say it aloud."
Then, he rested his head on the arm of the couch and fell into a deep sleep almost instantly, leaving Rory alone with her thoughts.
She felt butterflies erupt in her stomach as she stared at the Latino and thought over his words. Perhaps they didn't mean anything. After all, they were just friends.
But there was so much more that Rory wanted them to be. Yes, she was willing to admit that she had a crush on one of her best friends. Carlos had stolen her heart three months previous, and now she knew it would always be his. Whether he would ever know it or not, Rory wasn't so sure. She didn't have a problem acknowledging in her head what her feelings were. Saying them out loud was a whole other story.
She swallowed and glanced at him one more time before pressing the 'play' button on the remote, watching as Landon ran out of the school after Jamie.
I wonder if Carlos will ever pursue me…
The thought made her insides do somersaults. She wanted so much to believe that Carlos would one day wake up and realize that he loved her, but she knew that her chances were very slim. Rory knew she was only a friend to him, and that was probably how it was going to stay.
The next day, Rory found herself sitting out in her front yard under a large oak tree, a pen and notepad in hand. She smiled as a bluebird chirped up above her, and she quickly jot down a few words before standing up and stretching, the sun casting its warm rays upon her.
She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, and with nimble fingers, Rory took it out and flipped it open. The name 'KENDALL' was spelled out across the screen. A smile coming to her face, Rory read the text.
Hey, the guys and I are at Frozen Cone Kingdom. Join us? ;)
She quickly replied with a simple 'yes' before heading off to the infamous ice cream parlor. As she approached the Frozen Cone, Rory spotted the guys sitting around an outside table, a single empty chair in-between James and Carlos. Assuming the obvious, Rory sat down in the seat and smiled brightly. "Hey guys!"
As she was greeted, Carlos handed her an ice cream cone that was beginning to drip down the sides. "Sorry, but we couldn't wait. I made sure to get you your favorite, though. Neapolitan, right?"
Rory nodded, a grin on her face as she happily licked up the trails of ice cream. "Yeah, thanks."
Silence ensued for a few minutes afterwards as the five teens enjoyed their ice cream. To a bystander, they looked like a normal group of kids just enjoying one another's company, not a care in the world or anything out of place. But to Rory, everything was wrong. James wasn't glancing into the shop windows fixing his hair with his 'lucky comb', Logan wasn't spouting off mathematical equations or trying to start conversation, Kendall wasn't giving his usual play by play story of yesterday's hockey game, and Carlos wasn't cracking jokes. He wasn't even smiling, something that was very un-Carlos like. Anyone else noticed nothing; Rory noticed everything. With a sigh, Rory finished her ice cream before turning to stare accusingly at the four boys.
"Okay, what's up? You guys have been acting all weird and off for the past couple of days now. It's like you can't stand to be around me anymore. What's going on?"
A hint of hurt had begun to creep into her voice near the end, and Rory glanced down at her hands, which her resting in her lap.
"Oh, Rory, please look at us." It was Carlos who had spoken, and this was the sole reason that Rory did pick her head up to glance at her friends.
"Rory, you're our best friend. We love you to pieces, how could you ever think we don't want to be around you?" Kendall said, a worried frown resting on his lips.
The brunette sighed, her eyes dropping down to her lap once more. "I…I don't know. It's just…I know you guys aren't telling me something. And it's affecting the way you act around me. Please," She said, finally looking up at them again with pleading eyes, "please talk to me. I promise I'll listen with open ears."
Logan closed his eyes tightly while Kendall and James both turned to glare pointedly at Carlos, who was looking rather uncomfortable as he avoided their eyes. Rory frowned, not able to understand what was going on.
"Guys?"
Finally, she got a response as Logan opened his eyes to stare sadly at her. The look sent shivers down her spine, and she knew to expect the worst.
"Look, Rory, you'll know everything soon, okay? Just not right now. Lets just try and enjoy today and all that is in store."
Though she nodded and plastered on a fake smile, her heart was pounding rapidly and she felt her worries mount. He made it sound as if she would never get to see them again.
Oh please, please just let the news be something like they forgot the day of my birthday and are terribly sorry.
Somehow, Rory didn't think she would be so lucky.
It had been three days after Rory and the guys had hung out at the Frozen Cone Kingdom, and her unease had yet to vanish. She knew that they were trying to act normal around her. They really were, but they had always been terrible actors, and she could see right through them. Finally, Rory had had enough. She wanted answers, and she was determined to get them. As she made her way down the few blocks to Kendall's house, the forced smile that had previously been on her face ultimately disappeared at the sight before her. A 'For Sale Sign' reared its ugly head in the Knight's front yard, the faces of a few Real Estate Agents plastered on it. A feeling of confusion washed over Rory, and she quickly walked two houses down to Logan's. Anxiously, she knocked on the door.
As it swung open, Rory smiled nervously up at Mr. Mitchell. "Hi, um, is Logan here?"
She felt herself shrink under his gaze, and a chill went down her spine as he spoke. "Logan doesn't live here anymore. He left this morning on a plane to LA with Kendall, James, and Carlos. They were signed a few days ago by some record company." Then, he slammed the door in her face.
Rory felt has if someone had drenched her in ice cold water. What did he mean? Surely he was just playing a joke on her, right? The guys weren't really leaving. They would've told her.
Desperate for answers, Rory raced to James's house, only to get the same, if not kinder response from his mother.
Backing away from the front porch, Rory fell to the ground, her knees giving way under her.
They left me? They…they left without telling me?They left without even saying goodbye?
A single tear leaked down Rory's cheek as she picked herself up off the ground. Her hand shaking, Rory took out her cell phone and sent a one-word text to Carlos, her lips trembling.
It hardly said anything, and yet it said everything.
Why?
And for the first time in a long time, Aurora Lotus Bell cursed, more tears streaming down her face as she ran home; hurt, angry, confused, and most of all, heart-broken.
What did you guys think? I'd love to hear from you!
I'm not quite sure yet if all of the chapters will be this long or not, though they should all reach at least 900 words or more per chapter.
Review! ;D