He skid down the road in his new Infiniti. He had music blaring though the speakers as all his windows were rolled down. He felt free and alive. He reflected back onto his life. Just last year he was the boy who listened to every command being thrown at him. He had gradually lost his 'life-spark' and was just another human along the other billions. He had hated many things about the industry and was real close giving up once and for all until she worked her magic on him.
He was across the globe in some European country. He had just hung up with his acting manager, and then suddenly his music manager came in, next his siblings, and parents, than there were his stylists, and of course the yelling fans waiting for them, and all of these people wantedĵ one thing... They needed to give him more orders so he can follow through. He was fed up, he reached the point where he just wanted to walk away from his jobs, fans, family and most of all life. As much as he loved all these people he had hated them at the moment... well except his mama because let's face it he's a mama's boy... he just nodded to whatever shit was being said and headed for the stage.
On stage he felt at home. He rocked out that night forgetting all about his problems. Once the concert was over... the routine started. He smiled at them and walked away, picked up his phone and opened his Skype app. He waited for a bit before video calling her. He checked his time...it was currently one a.m in Sweden meaning it was 4pm in Cali (day before). He knew she must've been busy but he needed to hear her voice, to see her face even if it was just through the screen.
A couple of rings later her voice filled the air, as her face popped into screen.
"ROSS! Hiiiii! I miss you so much! Why haven't you been calling me. Everyone is so worried including your family what the hell is wrong"
She greeted him. He felt the worry. He saw the worry written all over her face.
"Hey Laur." He greets quietly. She widens her eyes as she sees the pain. "I can't do this anymore." he starts "I'm about to blow up. I'm not my own person anymore. Fuck Laura everyone wants something from me. I've got the whole Goddamn Disney image to portray. I'm tired and fed up. The guys go out and are carefree and I have to think about my every move. Laura how the hell are you doing it. I just want to live life yet I'll be judged if I wear a ripped jean. I can't do this anymore because I feel like I'm living the life they want and not the life I want. I'm a second away from walking out of everyone and everything for good."
The whole time he had his eyes closed as tears threatened to start falling. She on the other hand looked at him each word that escaped his mouth broke her heart as tears formed in her eyes.
This wasn't her best friend at all. The blonde she fell in love with was a care-free, lovable, fun, talented person. He never worried about anything and his one life goal was to live life to the limit. Apparently he had broken it.
She watched as he leaned back and sighed then slowly opened his eyes. He opened his mouth to continue but she stopped him
"Shhhh. Ross Shor Lynch stop right now. Get up sit on your ass and look at me because this is not you. You don't have to keep any type of image. Just be yourself and live however the hell you want as long as you keep your priorities straight. Do whatever feels right for you and you don't have to prove yourself to anyone. Ross you can't just give up because of a few orders, as much as our jobs are in our favor this one thing is not. So please just live your life. Don't forget that at the end of the day you're doing what you love." she sighs as she watches him slowly open his eyes and grin.
She smiles widely as he started talking "Thank You, Laura you have no idea how much that brightened everything. Thank you so Goddamn much"
"Ha I'm glad Ross but seriously just be you and if you don't want to do something say it." she replies while smiling that beautiful smile she only gave a short list of people, it than turns to a frown as her lips begin to quiver "I miss you" she whispered
And right than there his heart broke into a million pieces..."Baby, please don't ... we only have a couple of months left and I promise i'll never leave you side."
That was a lie as he skids though the street, shaking his head to erase the memory that consisted of broken of lies. He sighed as he parked the car and jumped out, stretching his legs. He sighed just last year she was his and he was hers in some twisted way with no labels. And now their lucky if their conversation surpasses the regular 5 minutes.
She had moved on while he was on tour and he followed through only 8 months after.
Now she was currently dating a Californian surfer who attended UCLA and he was dating an Australian model and Actress.
Their friendship was there yet there not as close as the used to and this had killed him. He sighed as flashbacks of the years prior re-played in his mind. They were hella close and now they act as if they don't know much about each other.
He gets back into the car and furiously drives to the familiar residence. People would think he was absolutely crazy for driving at that speed. But in his defense it was mid-night on a Tuesday. He drove and drove for about 20 minutes until finally reaching the familiar gates. They were closed and as he pulledout his phone to call her he spotted her lights on from the distance. The Marano's had a very large residence so do excuse his squinting. He whispered a "yes" as he dialed her number and waited for her beautiful voice. Two rings later her voice is the only thing he can hear.
"Ross?" her voice full of concern as he chuckles
"Hey..." he sighs into the phone "I miss you"
"Ross are you ok? Is everything alright? Where are you?" her voice by now was full on panic mode
"Laura I'm alright...I just miss you...I'm in front of your house, Come out because I think i'm officially gonna loose it if I don't see you." his voice was calm but he was far from that feeling.
He hears her whisper a "I miss you more" and with that she hangs up.
He waits two minutes and he finds her right in front of him. Dressed in a sweater she stole from him last year and overly large sweats. He sighed knowing that 'his' girl would've taken at least 30 minutes and would have overly dressed makeup included. She smiles at him. The smile that has stolen his heart for so long.
"I missed you more" she whispered
He closed his eyes "Come on... I think it's about time you've joined me in my mid-night rides"
She giggles as she jogs over to him and plunges onto him as he catches her and they share one of their many Raura hugs.
Its been so very long since they've been themselves, and in all honesty they bring out the best of eachother.
"C'mon...let's get out of here" she whispers into his ear
He puts her down and they both climb into the car. The car ride was quiet as they let the music do the talking. Thirty minutes later they were at the beach. He turns off the car and turns to stare at her. She nods and as if on cue they're both out of the car. They walk out of the parking space and into the sand. He stops as he watches her take off her UGGs and jog towards him. He offers her his hand and she whispers a "Courtney" to him.
He sighs as they walk together leaving a couple of inches of space between them.
He's lost in his mind trying to figure out what had made them become like this, he doesn't ven realize that she had settled down onto the sand near the shore until she calls him.
He walks back to her and plops right next to her.
"Hey" she says as she brings her knees to her chest
"Hey" he says while looking onto the water. The water that held so any secrets. The water that deeper than anything in the world...except his feelings for the petite wonder beside him.
"So what have you been up to" she questioned making him escape his trance.
"Nothing much...ever since A&A ended I've had a mini vacation. It ends soon tho,,, how about you"
"I've practically moved into the recording studio. No joke" she answered
He watches her as she lies down and stares into the stars.
"Wow...Laura is recording her first album and I haven't been there" he said to no one in particular.
She heard him though acted as if she hadn't she closes her eyes and speaks up
"Ross...what's wrong?"
"I told you...I missed you."
"But we haven't spoken ever since it ended and that's been a two months and a half...and our last year there was horrible... why now'
"I don't know..." he sighs
"C'mon...Rydel told me that you've changed...and it's worrying her"
"You still speak to Rydel?" he questions shocked
"I still speak to everyone even Papa and Mammoo"
"WHAT?" he says shocked
"You didn't know? I mean I was at your parents house yesterday...and I went to a hockey game with the guys last week"
"The guys meaning my brothers?"
"Yep and Ell + Rydel"
"How the hell did I not know any of this?" he questions
"Dude you moved out and you don't keep in touch unless its one of your monthly family dinners, or an R5 thing...btw why the hell did you move out? you were living with the guys not your parents"
"Wait i'm asking questions here...You still keep in touch with everyone...how 'bout Raini and Calum and the rest of the crew"
"Dude...just because you drifted away doesn't mean i'll stop talking to your family or the crew... they're my family too" she sighed "Ross...what happened to you...to us?" she questioned
"Laur don't you dare blame this on me?'
"Blame what? I'm not blaming i'm asking...you just I don't know...Your not Ross... at least Your not my Ross"
'Well course not...I'm not yours...and as much as it kills me your not mine...Your Andrew's"
"And your Courtney's, Now I'm gonna ask this flipping question one more time WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?"
"I miss you" he said for about the tenth time that night "I miss you, us, and everything else we represented. Laura I never got to thank you for that one Skype call we had that changed my life. That one conversation changed me forever, like I'm actually doing everything I love. I've been going out on these midnight rides ever since and everyone I know has joined me at least once, except you... What happened to us, you...me. I just can't live another minute knowing we can never be Ross+Laura again..."
"I miss us to...and i'm incredibly proud of you. I watched you a lot while we were still working and I saw the little changes... I noticed so many tiny stuff that no one will ever notice and it just made me so happy. There is no answer to whatever happened to us but I just want you to know that I also can't live without you. I just want to go back before the summer of 2014 ever happened. I want us back more than I want anything else."
He looks at her "C'mon...I haven't seen you in like forever...let's get strange with the stars together" he quoted with a smirk
"Because there ain't no way were going home" she teased
He chuckled and stood up "let's get out of here, lets really get lost with the stars"
She looked at him curiously but followed suite onto her feet. They walked hand-in-hand leaving the peaceful ocean far behind them. They get into the car and drive away.
She closes her eyes as her hand is out the window. He heard her hum a tune he has never heard and his smile grew. It was her song. He never heard it but he could tell. That's how they were...he understood her, and she understood him.
As they drive through the somewhat empty highway he starts talking "I don't know if what were doing is safe at night."
"Goodness Ross, please don't kill us"
"Dude relax...I've done this before, and I want you to be the first one I experience this with...other than dad."
She gasps "Ross...I'm so proud! You finally did it! Your finally free!"
"He quickly glances at her "and it's all thanks to you." he states simply before returning his attention to the open road.
The rest of the ride was silent. Only the sound of the rushing air was heard. No words were needed because all words were understood.
As they reach the airport lot...her heart beated with anticipation, pride and joy. As he unlocks the door to his latest possession her breathe hitches and as she watches him with admiration as he checks the engine, gas etc.
Thirty minutes later he grins and she takes it as her cue to climb in. He helps her up, and makes his way to his door. The smile never leaving her face.
Her eyes never left him, as she watched with admiration and pride. She watched how he totally focused on the one dream he wanted to accomplish his whole life. As they were jetting off...she watched as his mouth turned to a grin. When they finally reached the stars they were both smiling wider than anything imaginable. She looked out the tiny window frame as the city lights were far far away and the stars seemed closer. She contently closed her eyes and laughed.
He hears her laughter even though his ears had the head thingys. He sighed contently as they roamed through the sky together. They were dancing with the stars and they both never felt as free as they felt at that moment. They party with the stars for another hour or so. And as they land he can't help but wonder how his life would've been by now if he never called her that night last year.
The rest of the night is spent with laughter and adventure. They drove to every place they could...including the home they've share for 5 years. As They both haven't been back since that last day of filming and as the enter the parking lot tears threaten to fall from her eyes.
The sun was rising and the beauty of the sky was just breathtaking, but they both kept there eyes on the entrance...the door that opened a million of other doors for them. He rubs his finger on her hand and she smiles at him. They both nod and exit from their respected doors.
They walk to the front of his car and lifts her up to sit on the head of the car as he leans back. Both there eyes drift off to the beautiful sky.
"I miss this place..." she whispers
"Me too." he sighs "Its already been alost three months...Wow"
"Tell me about it," she looks at him "What are we doing here?" she questions
"This Is the one place I can bring you that'll have as deep of a meaning to the both of us...your the only other person that still calls this home"
She giggles and jumps off the car "Its the weekend so no one will probably come today...anyway I don't think i'd want to see the inside...I just want to keep the memory of the Austin And Ally set, nothing else"
"Same dude same" He grabs her from the waist and pulls her in for a hug. She tightens the embrace as he begins to sway them. She contently lets go and he whispers a "Let's go home"
But this time home wasn't their home of 5 years. As they drive away she thinks of all the memories those walls held, and for once she's glad that walls held more secrets than life ever would.
They drive back to her home and as they reach their destination she unbuckles the seatbelt and turns to face him.
"Thank you" she says smiling
"No, Thank you." he replies grinning
And as she opens her door to exit, she turns to face him one more time
"I'm still in love with you" she states
He smiles as the familiar sense of love bursts through his body "Good, because i'm still in love with you" he replies Her heart skips a beat "Does this count as cheating?" she questions
"no...no, because deep down they both know that were end-game, but Laura why aren't we together"
"Because our love story is forever,,,,, and our forever still hasn't started...just know that when it starts, it's never gonna end."
"That's what I love most about this twisted story"
She giggles and as she exits he jumps out of the car "I might call you tonight." he yells as the sun beams above them
"And I might answer" she teases.
He shakes his head and chuckles as he enters his car... She waves him away. And as he starts to drive away he hears her yell a "I love you!" he stops the car mid-road and jumps out
"I love you more" He yells as he jogs towards her she meets him half way and as he lifts her up she can't help but feel at home in his familiar arms. They share a passionat and loving kiss before both letting go and smirking.
"Get out of here." she whispers
"I am...now go home and sleep."
And as they both walk away they can't help but wonder when their forever is gonna start, but both knowing it's sooner than they can ever imagine.
