So sorry for the lack of updates! I'm working on a new story right now because this one is ALMOST to a close. Maybe 3 more chapters left? But a huge shout out to Carlos'sCupcake! She kind of encouraged me to hurry and update, so here it is! She also has amazing stories, so check out her writings!
Carlos thanked the cab driver as he tipped him, rolling his suitcase through the automatic doors and into the hotel lobby. He wasn't sure how long he would be in San Clemente, but he wanted to be prepared for anything. After checking in, he took the elevator up to his room and scoped the place out before sitting on the edge of his bed and pulling his phone out of his pocket.
It was seven in the morning, but he wanted to catch the earliest flight out of Los Angeles to be with Ally as soon as possible. Carlos dialed her number, praying that he wasn't going to wake her up.
"Hey," her voice sounded tired and raspy, so he knew instantly that he had interrupted her beauty sleep.
"Hey, I'm sorry to wake you. But I just got to my hotel and I wanted you to know." He waited for her response and heard shuffling on the other end.
"What hotel are you at?" It hadn't donned on Ally that Carlos might be in the same hotel as her.
"I'm just at the Holiday Inn." He heard her slightly gasp and quickly got the wrong idea. "I didn't know how long I was going to be here, so it was the first thing that popped up on the booking site. I didn't want to stay at the Ritz or something—"
"No, Carlos, that's not why I gasped," She lightly chuckled, rushing from the bed to the bathroom to check her appearance. "What room are you in?"
"It's 428. Why?" Carlos was beyond confused and became even more so when Ally hung up the phone. He tried dialing her back, thinking it was accidental but only got her voice. "What the hell?" He asked himself.
Ally quickly brushed her teeth and didn't bother with anything else. She looked like a hot mess with sweat pants on and an old t-shirt, but her bed head managed to make her feel slightly attractive. Not even bothering to put on shoes, she grabbed her room key and sprinted out the hotel door.
Carlos' eyebrows furrowed together when he heard a frantic knock on his door. He rushed to answer it and was greeted with the best surprise imaginable. "Ally!" He pulled her inside and engulfed her with the greatest hug she ever received.
"Hi," she muttered, smiling and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, afraid that he would disappear if she let go. "I guess we're staying in the same hotel," she joked in his ear and felt him laugh against her.
"I guess so," He grinned even though Ally couldn't see him and held her tighter. "Happy birthday, I missed you."
"Thank you. I missed you, too." Ally sighed deeply and loosened her grip on Carlos, pulling away. She instantly regretted it because she found his eyes, big and brown and sparking right into hers. They were so full of positive emotions and Ally could sense every one of them. She let her eyes wander across his face, absent mindedly landing on his full lips. She suddenly wanted to kiss him and was scared of that because never had she felt a want like that to be so strong.
Carlos held back on pulling her in arms and kissing her passionately. It was taking so much strength for him, but he needed to do it. He wasn't here to engage in romantic acts; he was here for her. Carlos wanted to prove himself to Ally as being a loving and caring individual who would do anything for her. All of their other encounters typically ended with both of them under the sheets, but Carlos refused to let that happen this time around. He was only here for Ally, not for his own selfish reasons.
They were quiet for a minute, allowing them to become acquainted with the other's presence. "I guess I should explain what happened," Ally spoke quietly, biting her lip.
"Only if you want to," Carlos reached out to grab her hand and held it firmly, running his thumb across the back of it. "I'm here for you, though. Obviously something happened or else you wouldn't have asked me to come." Carlos replayed the memory of Ally telling him she didn't want him to visit her.
"I know," She sighed, tugging on Carlos' hand. "I know." Carlos pulled her over to sit on the edge of the bed, still holding her hand. She stayed silent, trying to figure out where to start and the only beginning she had was literally the beginning. "When I was 14, I got asked out for the first time by this guy Taylor Harbor. He was seriously my first crush, so I had said yes." Ally smiled at the memory, but kept going. "My mom had told my dad about it and next thing I know I was getting a lecture on putting school first. He told me that boys only wanted one thing, and that I needed to grow up and see that. He kept going on and on about how my grades were already slacking, but it was only because I had gotten the flu that year, so I had missed so much." Carlos watched her face contort and began to run his thumb across her hand again. "I remember crying in front of him and I was trying to defend myself, but he literally screamed, 'Crying is a sign of weakness, Allyson, and I never want to see tears in your eyes again.' He made me call Taylor Harbor while he was still in the room. It was so embarrassing. For a while that was the last time I cried. Even when I broke my arm my sophomore year, I didn't cry. I didn't want to disappoint my father because in my mind, he was the greatest person in my life. He gave me everything, so to disappoint him would make me selfish. But then my grandmother died. And I lost it." Ally swallowed back the tightness rising in her throat before continuing.
"My grandmother was pretty much my best friend. I always went over to her store after school and she taught me so much about the fashion industry, but when I was 16, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She was in the hospital for the last 5 months of her life and I was there every day with her. She knew about my dad always heaping on me, and told me to just ignore him and do what my heart wanted. So, when she passed away, I was crying uncontrollably at her funeral. My brother had to hold me up, and I know my mom wanted to comfort me, but my dad refused to let her. Michael tried to not let his feelings show, but he let a few tears slip and my dad lost it." Ally let Carlos wipe a few escaped tears from her face before she kept going. "He told us death was just a part of life and we needed to accept that. That was the first time I ever stood up to him. I told him to just shut up and leave us alone. He was so shocked that he didn't say anything to me for a week." Ally laughed, trying to relieve some tension.
"After that, I tried to take control of my own life. I dated a couple of guys, but it would never last because my dad would scare the shit out of them. Then Michael moved out and I was left alone to defend myself, and I just knew the only way to get out was to let my dad win. I never cried after my grandmother's funeral, well, until Michael got in his accident."
"Why was your dad always like that?" Carlos questioned, not used to hearing stories about terrible dads.
Ally shrugged, "I don't even know. I have theories though. He didn't have a lot growing up. My grandfather died when he was 8, so he grew up without a father. I have a feeling though that his dad might've started the crying is a weakness tradition. I feel like he wanted me and Michael to have the best education possible because he had to work so hard for his. My grandmother only ran her store, so she didn't make much so she couldn't pay for best things for my dad. I think he got picked on a lot in school, and he didn't want that for us." Ally frowned. "I think in some fucked up way that's his sign of affection for us: giving us the best with abusive wording."
Ally chuckled at the thought of her life, "He started his own firm when he was 26 and worked hard for his money. He wanted me and Michael to do the same, but of course, I had to choose fashion, which infuriated him, especially after my grandmother died. I didn't tell him for a while though. I told him my major was business, and it is, but it's really my minor." Carlos laughed. "But now that Moore Clothes is taking off, he's pressuring me to settle down and get married. 'Los Angeles is too dangerous, and if you don't marry someone, you'll lose your appeal and run your store into the ground.'" Ally imitated her father's voice, but frowned after she said it. "Word for word, that's what I get every time I see him now."
"Hey," Carlos said softly, moving his free hand under her chin so she would look at him. "You know that's not true. You're too smart to ruin your business, and way too beautiful for someone to not want to marry you." He caressed her cheek while staring down into her hairs. "You've had me hooked since day one. I'm always thinking of you."
Ally smiled, feeling a blush creep up her face. "Carlos," she whispered, almost ready to argue with him, but stopped herself. She needed to hear someone tell her that. "Thank you."
Carlos shook his head at her, tracing her bottom lip now with his thumb, "Thank you." He said it only because he meant it. She let him in, and he was determined to stay there for a while.
Without another word between them, Carlos leaned his lips down, pressing them softly to Ally's. Ally sighed into his kiss and immediately placed her free hand on his neck, pulling him closer to her. The kiss was painfully sweet. There was nothing lustful about it. It was a deep, meaningful act that had Ally breathless. Carlos was being so gentle about it; he didn't try slipping his tongue in her mouth, or move his hands anywhere. He had opened his mouth a little and tilted his head, but he put everything he had into this kiss and Ally did too. They pulled away when they both had to catch their breath, but kept their foreheads together.
"I, um," Carlos tried to speak, but he began to trip over his words. "I just want you to know that when you first met me, I was in a bad place." Ally gave him a confused look as she pulled her head away to look at him. "You told your story, now I wanna tell mine," he playfully smirked at her and she nodded.
"Okay," Ally whispered, now taking the chance to be the one to comfort him, if needed.
"I was dating this girl for a year, and I was completely head over heels for her. We did practically everything together, I mean, everything. But I had to go out of town for a couple of weeks to do a radio tour, and when I got back to L.A., all of her stuff was packed up and she just out of the blue told me she didn't love me anymore and was moving out. I was devastated, and for a month, I literally felt so broken and hurt, that I thought I would never be myself again." He frowned as he continued and Ally watched him carefully. "Logan actually helped me get back into the field because he was the only single friend I had, and just every night we were always drinking and clubbing, and I literally became that guy. The guy that just flirts with everything that walks and gets what he wants because of his charm. That day I first met you at that coffee shop, and that night you came over, I was being that guy. But you were just so honest that eventually, I stopped flirting and just became myself again." He laughed, and Ally smiled slightly. "I was so scared that next morning because I woke up and you were gone, and I thought you were going to just leave me high and dry and start dating the other guy. And when I found out it was Logan," He took a breath. "I lost it. I knew you would pick him because he's just the perfect guy that every girl wants to take home to their parents; that's just how he is. I was so determined to not let that happen because I wanted to be me again. And now," Carlos smiled down at Ally, feeling her thumb caress over his skin. "Now, I am me again because you picked me. And I don't plan on going anywhere, Ally."
Ally was hesitant to bring Carlos with her to the hospital, but he was very persuasive with being entirely too cute. Plus, she couldn't just leave him alone all day in a town he knows nothing about. Luckily for her, Jennifer had spent the night with Michael and neither of her parents were there.
When they arrived at Michael's room, Ally could hear Jennifer and her brother laughing and it made her smile. Jennifer might've been a bitch sometimes, but she was good for Michael and that was that mattered. Ally smiled nervously at Carlos as she knocked lightly on the door frame, "Hey, guys."
"Oh, hey, Allyson," Jennifer greeted with a grin. "Happy birthday!"
"Happy birthday, baby sis!" Michael grinned before looking behind her and seeing an unfamiliar face. "Who's your friend?"
"Thanks, guys. This is my," Ally looked at Carlos with an open jaw, unsure of how to detail him.
Carlos quickly understood and walked across to Jennifer and shook her hand, "I'm Carlos. I came down to visit Ally on her birthday." He firmly shook Michael's hand, wanting to make a good impression. "It's nice to finally meet you, Michael. Your sister talks about you all the time."
Michael chuckled, appreciating the fact that Carlos wasn't treating him like a delicate doll with his hand shake. "It's nice to meet you, too, even though I've never heard a single thing about you."
Ally blushed, "I just haven't gotten around to it, Michael. We've been kind of preoccupied."
"There are no hard feelings, I hope." Michael chuckled at Carlos, seriously hoping that Carlos was understandable.
"No way. Not with all this going on," Carlos gestured to the machines.
After a few more minutes of small talk with Jennifer and Michael, Jennifer stood up. "I need to get going." She leaned down at kissed Michael before turning back to Ally. "If you need anything, just call me. I'm going to be back around 4 so you can leave early and enjoy dinner with your parents, as much as you can at least," Jennifer tried to joke, but wasn't sure if Ally would laugh or not.
Ally found Jennifer to be surprisingly funny and chuckled, "Thanks, Jennifer. I'll try."
"Do they know he's coming?" She whispered to Ally, not wanting Carlos or Michael to overhear. Ally shook her head no and Jennifer raised her eyebrows, "Maybe they'll take it easy with it being your birthday and all." She knew her parents well enough to know they would be a little upset.
Ally laughed again, "I doubt it, but thanks for the encouragement." She pulled Jennifer into a hug to silently thank her for everything. When she left, Ally watched Carlos and Michael interact and knew they were becoming friends fast. Her mind wandered back to when she first introduced Carlos. Was he her boyfriend? They hadn't made anything official yet, but she was pretty sure they were labeled without the labeling.
The day flew by fast with events that consisted of explaining how Ally knew Carlos and why he was there, all while Carlos was off getting coffee for them, and then Carlos and Michael just bonding even more. Ally managed to get a call from Melissa telling her happy birthday and Ally confirmed that she would be back next week, also informing Melissa of the Carlos and Logan triangle.
It was a good day so far, until 6 o'clock rolled around and Ally was gripping onto Carlos hand as they stood in front of her parents' house.
Ally took a deep breath, closing her eyes and thinking happy thoughts. "Ally, it's going to fine. Whatever happens, happens, okay? I'm still going to be here by your side."
She turned to look at him with hopeful eyes and quickly pecked his lips, thanking him for his words. Ally rang the doorbell and was quickly greeted by her mother. Julienne was very surprised to see another face with Ally, "Happy birthday, Allyson! Come inside, dear. Who's your friend?" Her mom kept a smile on her face, but Ally could tell she was beyond nervous to see how Patrick was going to react.
"Mom, this is Carlos, my boyfriend," Carlos' eyes immediately twinkled at the word and he tried not to smirk. "Carlos, this is my mother Julienne."
"It's so lovely to meet you, Mrs. Moore." He shook her hand and gave her a charming smile that he hoped would ease her nerves.
"Oh, thank you. I had no idea Allyson had a boyfriend, so forgive me and my husband for the shock." Julienne politely smiled at Carlos, praying in her head that She turned to look at him with hopeful eyes and quickly pecked his lips, thanking him for his words. Ally rang the doorbell and was quickly greeted by her mother. Julienne was very surprised to see another face with Ally, "Happy birthday, Allyson! Come inside, dear. Who's your friend?" Her mom kept a smile on her face, but Ally could tell she was beyond nervous to see how Patrick was going to react.
"Mom, this is Carlos, my boyfriend," Carlos' eyes immediately twinkled at the word and he tried not to smirk. "Carlos, this is my mother Julienne."
"It's so lovely to meet you, Mrs. Moore." He shook her hand and gave her a charming smile that he hoped would ease her nerves.
"Oh, thank you. I had no idea Allyson had a boyfriend, so forgive me and my husband for the shock." Julienne politely smiled at Carlos, praying in her head that Patrick would be kind.
"I know I should have called earlier to let you know I was bringing someone, but I was with Michael today and I didn't have time." Ally explained.
"It's not a problem, honey. It is your birthday after all. Let's go into the dining room." Julienne led the way and Ally smiled at Carlos. He grinned at her, grabbing her hand and squeezing it as they followed Ally's mom. "I'll just go get your father."
Ally sat down in her usual seat beside the head of the table where Patrick would sit. She might've been upset with him, but she wasn't about to let Carlos sit beside him. Instead, Carlos sat beside Ally, not wanting to mess up any traditional seating.
"What do you mean 'she brought someone'?" Ally could hear Patrick whispering to Julienne in the foyer and she nervously looked at Carlos.
"Here we go," she joked as Carlos winked at her.
Patrick entered the dining room with Julienne right behind him, "Happy birthday, Allyson." Ally could hear the annoyance in her dad's voice, but ignored and simply nodded a thank you to him. She didn't bother standing up out of her sit for him, but Carlos did. "I'm sorry, my wife didn't tell me your name."
"Carlos, sir," Carlos stuck his hand out for Patrick to shake and he mustered up the strongest grip he could find. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
Patrick nodded, "That's a good handshake you have there." Ally was incredibly surprised. Did her father really just compliment someone that wasn't her mother? "Well, let's eat then."
The four of them managed to get half way through dinner with small talk, Ally only speaking directly to her father when necessary. The tension was filling the room with every passing minute, and Carlos took notice. Patrick's questions for him became harder and harder.
"So, what do you do, Carlos?" Patrick asked, sipping his wine with a stern face.
"I'm actually a musician. We're just starting out, but we already have a great fan base. Our album is releasing in a few months and we're already working on scheduling a tour." Carlos explained, knowing how Patrick felt about musicians. Ally instantly tensed up as she watched her parent's facial expressions for any signs of outbursts.
She was shocked to find nothing but interest on her father's face. "Wasn't the last boy you were seeing a musician, Allyson?"
Now she understood the interest he had. He was testing them. He wanted to know if Carlos knew about the last boy she dated and wanted to see if he could stop this before it even really started. But Ally knew she was going to win this round. "He was. I stopped seeing him a while ago."
"Hm," Patrick hummed, nodding his head.
"If you have something to say, just say it." Ally blurted. She felt Carlos' hand on her knee in attempt to calm her down, and it did, but only slightly. "You obviously want to say something."
Patrick shook his head, "Allyson, I don't have anything else to say. You're still not listening to what I have to tell you anyway, so why should I bother anymore?" There it was. He was bringing up the fact that he thought musicians were never good enough. "You know how I feel about musicians."
"Oh, come on, are you seriously going to bring this up? There's no stop for you, is there?" Ally was beyond annoyed now.
"Excuse me, sir," Carlos piped in and Ally quickly turned her head to look at him. What was he doing? "I'd like to know how you feel about musicians."
"Carlos," Ally warned him, but Patrick hushed her.
"Let him speak for himself, Allyson." Ally scoffed at her father. "Musicians have either a hit or a miss career, and mostly they're all misses. Allyson has a degree from UCLA and can take that anywhere. Musicians think they have talent when really most of them are going nowhere. My daughter deserves someone with a little more class than a nobody from a small town looking for a dream."
Carlos thought out his answer for a second before speaking again, "You're right." Patrick and Ally both looked at him incredulously. "Musicians have hits or misses, and Ally deserves someone who can easily take care of her." Carlos felt Ally's hand over his and kept going, "Luckily for you, my job is a hit. Not that it's any of your business, but I can easily take care of myself and your daughter." Carlos stared Patrick down, already deciding that he didn't like Ally's dad. He told himself to try to give him the benefit of the doubt, but it failed as soon as he said he didn't like musicians. "Ally's store is very successful and it's only going to keep growing. You should be proud of her. She's worked hard to get to where she is, and she's only going to go farther."
"She won't if she has a tool on her arm holding her back," Patrick struck back.
"Patrick, that's enough." Julienne shocked them all by talking back to her husband, but she had enough.
"Excuse me?" He questioned.
"I said that is enough. This conversation is over. I'll discuss it with you later." Julienne glared at her husband, feeling satisfied when he closed his open mouth and stood up, throwing his napkin on the table and walking out of the dining room and into his study.
"Mom," Ally started, still shocked at her mother. "What are you doing?"
"I'm doing what I should have done years ago and telling your father to back off." Julienne swallowed a knot in her throat. "I'm almost lost two of my children last week, and I'm not letting it happen again. I can't stand the thought of knowing you won't come see me or talk to me when you ignore your father." She had tears in her eyes as she made eye contact with Ally. "I'm not letting this family fall apart."
Ally quickly stood up and rushed to her mother's side of the table and pulled her into the biggest hug, "Thank you."
"Honey, you are successful and I know you're going far. Don't let him bring you down," Julienne whispered into her ear, referring to Patrick.
Carlos looked on at the scene and could feel the love in the room. He smiled to himself, so happy to be part of the moment.
I dove into writing this chapter because of all the detail about Ally's life. It was fun to write and probably my favorite so far! Let me know how you felt about this with a review! Don't be shy!