I'm out of luck, I'm out of state
Call on the phone
Is it too late to talk this over with you?
They tell me that it's okay to be out of line,
To make mistakes
To lie and say, I'll be fine without you

Phone Calls From Home, "Forget You"

Chapter Ten

"Hi," Brittany greeted when she approached a group of senior students she'd normally never talk to in the corridor Monday morning. She tossed her golden blonde locks over her shoulder and showed a bright smile, revealing her pearly whites. "Can I steal him for a moment?" she asked, pointing towards Conner.

"Oh, sure, we're done using him. Just give him back to us when you're done." Brittany was unsure of his name though she was certain his was a name you could shorten down. She had remembered Taylor talking about a funny boy with red curly hair before. She, of course, had never really spoken to Conner before now either. Their conversations had always been limited to hello's and goodbyes. She had had no need to talk to him unless Taylor was present. Yet this time was caused for a different reason entirely. The purpose of this conversation was to talk about Taylor.

"Will do," she said not long before she held a hand to his arm, tugging a disenchanted Conner away to a corner between two blocks of metal lockers.

That's when she used her hand to give his arm a soft punch.

"Ow! What was that for?" he asked.

"What are you doing to my friend?" She frowned at him, her mouth forming a straight line. "You know she likes you-a lot. When you and Taylor began going out, I tried not to like you because I thought you'd only take her away from me and that you'd be bad for her. And after everything she went through with Josh and in the summer, she didn't need that kind of turmoil in her life. But then I saw how happy my friend was with you and I convinced myself that maybe you weren't as bad as I thought you were. Then you broke up and as hard as it was to watch her attempt to get over you with many guys I tried to get her to go out with, she is at her most happiest moment when she's with you." Her fist came into contact with his arm again. "So why aren't you trying to win her back?"

Brittany folded her arms over her body, waiting for a reply.

"It isn't that simple."

"Yes it is. Actually, it's very simple. You like Taylor. She likes you. Now you have to do something about it."

"But she made her choice. I'm not going to put my heart on the line to someone who had clearly made up her mind in what she really wants. Maybe I don't want any kind of a relationship anymore. Maybe I've realised that the reason why my relationships don't work is because I'm just not meant to have one."

"OK, so who cares if Taylor chose the tour over you? It doesn't mean she doesn't want to be with you at all. Forget about everything that stands in the way of you and Taylor being together and just go for it. It shouldn't matter if you want to commit to being with somebody who has put the prospect of a renewed relationship aside in order to pursue their dream."

"You know?" Conner asked with tired eyes, tugging onto the strap of his black backpack.

"Of course I know. She is my friend. We tell each other everything. Besides, I may have had to force it out of her over the phone but still, she cares about you. I know that she does because this is Taylor we're talking about. She cannot just stop caring about someone. But you know what; I really don't know why I even have to put myself in the middle of you and Taylor. You should be able to get your act together on your own and clearly I'm not even succeeding so I'm just going to stop trying with you two. I just wish you and Taylor were able to see that you're meant to be together because you're just as stubborn as she is. But my job here is done.

It's now up to you. Later," she signalled him before turning down the hall in the opposite direction.

Andy walked towards Conner, scrunching up his nose. "Why did Taylor's friend want to talk to you?"

But Conner didn't say a word, refusing to give away anything his investigative friend may be able to use against him. "Nothing," he shrugged him off.

Conner began the walk down the south building towards homeroom, all the while knowing Andy wouldn't be following him, insisting he get told why Brittany sussed him out on a busy Monday morning.

"I don't believe this," Conner said, throwing up his hands in disgust. "Do you realise none of those guys can even play an instrument?"

"They don't need to, man," Evan said, leaning against the swish chocolate-brown cushions of his living-room settee and clasping his hands behind his head. "No one cares whether they can play or not—only how cute they are and how well they can dance."

Conner rolled his eyes. "I just wish they'd play music by someone who can actually play a guitar and is seen playing a guitar in the music video."

"Conner—this is MTV. It's not about talent. It's about image. Evan waved a hand toward the plasma screen TV. "What's your problem anyway? You haven't been yourself lately."

"What do you mean I haven't been myself?"

Evan flexed his muscles over his head, picking up the remote control, changing channels. "Well, of course, you've been yourself in the sense that it's been the old you we've been seeing before you committed to one girl but I mean you haven't been yourself since…"

Evan changed channels again, this time to another music channel about a show all about showcasing rising superstars in the making.

"Her?" Conner asked, pointing at the TV. Evan stared at the screen, immediately catapulted by the image of Taylor, a smile on her face as the cameraman panned to a shot of her singing on stage. She looked so blissful, not at all like the Taylor they all knew of. She was now singing with the lead vocalist of the band she went on tour with.

"Sorry, man, you want me to flick it off?"

"No, it's okay," he said, sinking into Mr. Plummer's La-Z-boy and folding his arms over his chest. "It'll be over soon. And it's not like I'm sitting around missing her. She asked me not to. I'm getting out there meeting new girls." Conner lowered his voice. "Besides, it looks like she's not the only one moving on. Guess she was right when she said she had changed."

Evan followed his own gaze to the tv and then back to Conner, swinging the remote control around in his hand. "How do you know she has moved on?"

Conner looked at Evan as though with a dim witted expression. "Dude, I'm not an idiot. I see the way she's looking at him. She's been gone for a month already-on the road for a month straight. Of course they're gonna be forming a close bond. You'd have to be stupid to not think they're into each other," Conner grumbled.

Evan turned back to the TV, trying to understand the VJ's voice over that went with the video they had of Taylor on tour.

Bingo.

He splayed his hands in front of him. "There you go. It's not what you think after all. They're singing a duet together. So obviously they're looking that way for the fans they're singing to. Anyone could tell you that. They're supposed to look as though they have chemistry together or otherwise it just comes off as fake which is a lot better in comparison to some of the crap they play."

"Or it could be turning into something real off stage too," Conner mumbled under his breath.

It was finally the weekend after enduring a week of hell and his apparent sour mood was evident in the way he moved and spoke. He was no company for anyone lately and the last thing he needed right now was to sit here with his friend and watch some TV presenter talk about how his ex girlfriend was singing love songs with the lead vocalist of a band he no longer wanted to like.

"So tell me about this girl you went out with the other night? Are you planning to see her again?" Evan asked in an attempt to thwart the awkwardness the morning had suddenly taken as they faded off of Taylor and onto another lame music video. He had caught onto his friends bitterness and wanted to try to ease him out of the bad mood he had been suppressed to recently, get back the old Conner he knew still existed deep down inside.

"Not likely. Why you so interested in my love life all of sudden?"

Evan chuckled. "You know me? I've got no girlfriend so I'm living vicariously through you. So tell me why you won't be seeing her again?"

"Oh, that's right. We've gotta find you a girlfriend, my man," Conner conveniently changed the subject, turning the tables on Evan. No way was he about to go into detail about how he's been so out of the loop of the dating world that he's unable up to switch off comparing every other girl he does meet to Taylor. None of them are for him but he

wasn't going to say that to Evan no matter how close friends they were.

"Way to turn the tables on me. What you plan to do about it?" Evan asked suspiciously. "Take me out for a night on the town? We can paint the town red and hit on hot chicks now that we both happen to be single together. We're two single and incredibly attractive teenage men who are in the peak of their lives. Who wouldn't love us?"

Conner cracked the first smile Evan had seen him wear in over a week. "Anyone if you continue to use that word."

"I know, we can be each other's wingman. You down?" Evan leaned forward, resting his left arm on his knees while he held his right fist out towards Conner and at that exact moment, Conner did the same and then bumped fists together.

"I don't know. It was just a suggestion. But I like your idea. I don't want to sit around here our entire winter break. We've already wasted most of it. It's boring and depressing like we have no lives. We're two singles guys who should be living the life not lounging around while I mope over whether or not my ex girlfriend is dating a musician who's better than me. By the way, the fact that I said I'm moping shall never leave this room and if it does, I'll know who to kill. So you're the brain. You come up with good ideas. You got a plan now?"

"We're getting out of here," Evan replied.

"Out of where?" Conner asked suspiciously.

"Out of Sweet Valley. We both need to put some distance between us and this town-at least for a little while. Go somewhere where people don't know our names. What do you say? You in?"

"Hell yeah, I'm in. Where you wanna go?" Both guys hadn't been having much luck lately, especially when it came to relationships.

The phone began to ring and Evan leaned across the sofa, reaching for the portable phone.

He picked up and said hello into the receiver.

"Hi, Evan?"

"Yep," Evan responded. He frowned, wondering who could be calling him. The voice wasn't familiar at all.

"This is Jeremy. Jeremy Aames. Jessica's boyfriend."

"Oh—hey, man. How's it going?"

Conner nodded his head toward the phone, silently asking who it was but Evan ignored him. Why would Jeremy be calling him? They weren't friends. He didn't even know the guy that well other than being Jessica's boyfriend. Oh, shit! Was something wrong with Jessica? Did she have an untreatable disease?

"Um, I know this is going to sound kind of strange—since we've never hung out but…"

The silence was conspicuous and Evan could practically sense Jeremy's discomposure through the phone. "That's okay—I'm used to strange. You should see the people I call my friends," Evan joked, but scored Conner tossing a cushion in his direction. He didn't know Jeremy that well but he'd heard enough from Jessica—and Jade, for that matter—to know he was a good guy. "So what's up?"

"I don't know how much Jessica has told you about me but the rest of my family just moved to Arizona."

"Yeah, Jessica mentioned that—but you're finishing out the year here, right?"

"Right, except I was hoping to drive out and help them get settled this week, which is why I'm calling."

Evan was still baffled and obviously Conner was too. He was looking over at Evan with his face in full glower form.

"I need someone to make the drive with me and when I mentioned it to Jessica; she said she thought you might be up for a road trip."

At the sound of the words road trip, Evan's entire face lit up, causing Conner's frown to intensify even further.

"Yeah, well, Jessica was right," he said enthusiastically. He got up and started pacing across the room. "I'm definitely up for it—what's the plan? I mean, when do you want to leave?"

"Uh—don't you need to ask your parents or something?" Jeremy asked, his tone of voice vigilant.

"They'll be cool with it."

"Oh, okay. Well, then, I guess we leave Monday morning. I was thinking around eight-thirty?"

"Sounds good," Evan said, feeling the grin on his face spread through his entire body. A road trip was exactly what he needed. He glanced over at Conner who had reclined in the La-Z-boy and closed his eyes. Conner needed a road trip to get out of town as well.

"Hey," Evan said, suddenly struck by an idea. "How about one more person? You know—to split the driving and help pay for gas?" Conner's eyes immediately popped open and he looked over at Evan, whispering what he was on about.

"Um, yeah, I guess so. You got somebody in mind?" Jeremy questioned with uncertainty.

"Actually I do. Conner and I will meet you here Monday morning at eight-thirty."

Conner got to his feet and moved closer to Evan. He was scrutinizing his friend now, eager to know what his friend had signed him up for so early in the morning. It was winter break. He should be making the most of his morning sleep-ins while he got the chance. Instead, he was unwillingly forced into something he'd probably regret knowing.

Evan's smile grew wider. He knew his friend would be psyched once he understood what was going on. He had said it himself. He, too, wanted to get out of this town for a while. He'd thank him in the long run.

"Did you say Conner?" Jeremy asked, drawing his words out slowly and cautiously.

"Uh-huh—do you know him?"

"Only through Jessica," Jeremy said and all of a sudden, Evan realised where his uncertainty came from.

"Don't believe everything Jessica says about him," Evan chuckled. "He's really a nice guy once you get to know him."

Conner sneered, clearly annoyed about being talked about. He merely rolled his eyes and flopped back into his chair, folding his arms over his chest, his intense hazel eyes gnawing into Evan's skull.

"All right so I'll pick you up Monday morning at…"

The two stayed on the phone for a while longer, just enough to give Jeremy the address he and Conner would be waiting at on Monday morning. Then once he ended the phone call, hanging up the phone and placing it back onto the cradle next to him, he was met with an irritated Conner, his eyes piercing into him like daggers.

If looks could kill, there'd be a dozen people dead on account of Conner and his wayward glances.

"Do you have something to tell me?" Conner snapped.

"Yes, we're going on a road trip," Evan said, patting his friend's shoulder.

"We're what?"

"Road trip," Evan pronounced slowly. He ducked into the hallway and pulled a big duffel bag out of the storage closet. "With Jeremy Aames—Jessica's boyfriend," he said as he re-entered the living room. Conner gave him a blank look. "You know—tall guy, short black hair—he goes to Big Mesa, works at House of Java? Football player—really clean cut?"

"Oh, just what we need—some other guy who isn't single. He's got a girlfriend and will no doubt be talking about her the whole trip. I don't get why we're going. We don't even know him that well," Conner whined.

"He's driving out to see his family in Arizona and we're going with him."

"Why?"

"It's simple. He invited me, I invited you. Besides, you said it yourself. You're looking for an opportunity to get out of Sweet Valley for a little bit. This is the perfect way to do it."

"What, tagging along on someone else's road trip? Yeah, it's just perfect." Conner sneered.

"Cheer up, man. It is perfect. There's nothing like a little road trip to clear your head—free your mind so you can return home and attack things from a fresh perspective. How could you possibly pass on this?"

Conner exhaled deeply. "Even if I said yes, there's no way my mother would let me go. Not after everything else I've been through this year. She'd freak."
Evan nodded, remembering what it had been like to watch his friend lose control. But Conner had been to rehab and he was taking care of himself now. He hadn't even seen him try to taste a drop of alcohol at all in recent weeks when he guessed he had probably craved it more than ever. The only thing currently weighing down his mind was the fact that he couldn't get a grip on his love life. His ex girlfriend had run off to go on tour the first chance she got. But that was another story.

"I'll talk to your mother," Evan offered. "I'll convince her that this would be good for you to get your mind off of a certain girl who broke your heart. Your Mom loves me."

Conner scoffed. "Yeah, she thinks you're really mature and responsible, but okay, if you think it's going to do some good, then talk to her. Though I highly doubt she'll even listen to you."

"Does that mean you're in?"

"Provided you can convince my mother of how responsible we'll be on this little road trip, it's a yes."

"Yes!" Evan exclaimed, grabbing a pair of sneakers and stuffing them into his duffel bag. "This is going to be so sweet—a chance to let loose and go wild."

Evan grinned at his friend and Conner actually cracked a small smile.

"Just don't use that argument with my mother. I don't think she'd be very impressed if she heard the words loose and wild escape your mouth."

"Deal," Evan reassured him. "But it's still going to be fun."

Conner silently agreed. Who knows, maybe this was exactly what he needed to get his mind off of all things Taylor.

Monday morning after enduring many lucid dreams of how a road trip with two people he rarely knew could go; he pulled up next to the curb outside Evan's house and sighed, instantly noticing the two of them ready and waiting already. Evan was playing hacky sack while Conner stood appraised, one hand tucked into the front pocket of his faded jeans and the other wrapped around a cardboard mug of coffee.

As Jeremy stepped out of the car, Conner stepped forward.

"Nice car," he murmured, running his hands along the hood of Jeremy's Mercedes.

"It used to be." Jeremy raked a hand through his thick black hair.

"What do ya' mean, used to be?" Conner asked, walking around to the driver's side.

"Just that it's my Dad's old—"

"Sixty-five SEL," Conner mumbled, opening the car door and getting in the driver's side door.

"—car," Jeremy finished. He looked over at Evan who simply shook his head.

"Don't mind Conner. His head hasn't been with us ever since he confessed his love to a girl for the first time and she turned him down. Oh, he also lacks social grace which is probably why his ex girlfriend dumped him," Evan explained. He knew he shouldn't be cracking jokes at his friend's saddest expense but he had to admit it was a little funny. "Conner! Hey, don't you think you should say hello first?"

Conner glanced over his shoulder at them. "Oh, yeah, right." He waved toward Jeremy and nodded. "How's it going?"

Jeremy returned a forced smile to show politeness but his first impression was that Jessica had been right. The guy was an arrogant ass.

Jeremy cleared his throat and insisted they get going, popping the trunk of the car to put their duffels in just as Conner stepped out of the car to help.

Then within a matter of minutes, they were on the road.

"Oh, man, that felt good," Jeremy said, almost eight hours after their road trip began. He stretched his arms over his head, breathing in the fresh streaming through his partially open window as he surveyed the stunning landscape passing around him. The sun had all but gone, its last rays keeping the deep blue sky from turning completely dark.

"Welcome back, man," Evan said with a smile, turning to look at him before directing his attention back to the road.

Jeremy mumbled thanks as he dropped his chin to his chest, rolling his head from side to side.

"How long was I out for?" Jeremy asked, reaching for his cell phone on the dashboard. His LCD screen lit up, showing the time. "Whoa—I was asleep for almost four hours."

"Yeah, you and Conner both," Evan nodded toward the back seat.

Jeremy glanced back at Conner, catching him as he was writing away into a notebook, slouched against the driver's side door, his long legs resting across the seat. He didn't make eye contact. Clearly he wasn't in the mood to talk anymore than he had been all day. What was his deal anyway? Plenty of guys had had their heart broken before. He wasn't the only one.

He turned back to the road in front, asking where they were.

"Funny story actually…" Evan began, his eyes concentrating on the road ahead.

Jeremy notices a sign reading 'The Mojave Desert' passes them by.

"It's strange we're seeing a sign for The Mojave Desert. You'd think that would be in the opposite direction."

"Yeah, about that…" Evan said, his hands forming a tighter grip of the steering wheel. Conner leaned forward, suddenly taking an interest in the conversation for the first time all day. "We're not near Tucson? Then where are we?"

"Las Vegas or there about," Evan said with a wide smile.

"Vegas? Are you kidding?" Jeremy broke out.

"Yeah, Vegas, man," Evan said, slapping the steering wheel a few times. "It's going to be cool. We can walk the strip, check out the casinos and just chill out and have fun."

"We're not going," Jeremy tried to take a stance.

"What do you mean we're not going? I mean, you can try and get us back to Tucson tonight but we'll never make it there until early tomorrow morning. It's your choice."

Conner shook his head, going back to his notebook as though Jeremy was some guy who was bothering him and not the guy whose car he was in and whose road trip he was helping to screw up.

"Hey, man, chill," Evan said. "It's not that big a deal."

"Not a big deal?" Jeremy shot back. "You decide to hijack my car and head for Vegas when I'm supposed to be out in Arizona helping my family to settle into their new home and it's not a big deal?"

"Is there anything in your life that isn't a big deal?" Conner asked. Jeremy whirled around to face him, but he hadn't bothered to look up from his writing. What on earth did he keep jotting down in that thing anyway?

He returned his focus to the front when Evan began giving him a speech about how they were seventeen year old guys on a road trip craving excitement in their life. Then there were Vegas with its bright lights, casinos, Elvis impersonators, wedding chapels and the strip. According to Evan, it was a fantasy land—for adults. Evan said there would definitely be a story to tell afterwards but Jeremy already had a story to tell.

He still wasn't one hundred percent certain they should be doing this, but after a moment of pondering the map, realising they'd be to make the drive to Tucson tomorrow and still be there in time for dinner, he finally gave to Evan. "Okay, Vegas it is." He just hoped his decision wouldn't come back to haunt him.

Upon their arrival, both Jeremy and Evan seemed amazed when faced with the assortment or coloured lights as Conner, now sitting behind the wheel, drove toward the strip, taking directions from Evan.

"Tropicana Avenue," Conner read the street sign aloud as he clicked on his blinker to signal before turning down the street. "Man, even the street names sound fake."

Evan voiced his excitement over the whole thing as they drove to the end of the strip, while Jeremy noted how he wanted to get to the hotel to call it a night ahead of another long drive they'd face tomorrow morning but not before he called his parents to check in with them. He could have sworn he saw Conner roll his eyes at his suggestion but he chose to ignore him.

Conner turned into a huge, curvy white building with lots of palm trees out front, pulling the Mercedes into a parking space.

Once they were in the lobby of the hotel lobby, Jeremy felt himself begin to relax. This place was obviously expensive but not too over the top.

As they approached the customer service desk, Jeremy stepped forward a bit, taking the lead. "Hi. We'd like a room, please," he said, gesturing to himself, Conner and Evan.

"I see," a blonde woman in a white blouse said, smiling politely. She glanced at all three of them but her eyes lingered on Evan longest. She was clearly put off by his dishevelled appearance—a Pearl Jam t-shirt that had seen better days and shoulder-length black hair that was in full shag mode from being blown around in the car all day. But at least she didn't question their age. Obviously they all looked old enough to be there on their own.

She tapped a compute keyboard lightly with her long, pink fingernails. "We do have a few rooms with two queen-size beds available," she told Jeremy. "Will you need a cot?"

"Yeah, that would be great. Thanks," Jeremy said back to her.

But once they had heard the price of how much one room would cost, they had been forced to turn around in search for a more reasonable hotel they'd be able to afford. Finally after the third hotel, they had found one that fit their budget and filled out the paperwork before they were given their room key.

When the receptionist finished rattling off the instructions she'd obviously given countless times before, she turned and retreated back into the office. On the way to their room, the red carpeted hallway was flecked with bits of yellow that had probably been brighter and a bit more golden about ten years ago but it was still relatively clean. Not spotless but passable, especially for three teenagers who were just passing through. When they reached their room number, they walked in to reveal a fairly small room with two double beds, a narrow bureau with a television and a large window flanked by red and gold curtains that matched the bedspreads. The cot they'd asked for was supposed to arrive later.

Evan's peppy mood returned as he flopped down on a bed to relax for a little bit while Conner began opening drawers and checking out the bathroom but Jeremy had just one thing on his mind-to get in touch with his family. After pulling out the piece of paper with his relatives address scrawled across it and following the instructions to use the phone, he dialled the number and let it ring though until he got no answer. Jeremy began thinking the worst had happened until Evan had suggested they had probably gone out to dinner. And of course it seemed like a more logical explanation but Jeremy couldn't stop worrying or beating himself up for going along with Evan and continuing north rather than turn around and go back in the direction of Tucson. For one instant moment he'd been tempted at the idea of seeing Las Vegas but deep down he'd known this whole Las Vegas trip was a big mistake and he should have listened to himself.

After a while they had ended up at a quaint little cafe resembling a fifties diner until Evan decided to make small talk with Laney, a girl they had met there who had insisted she take Evan on a guided tour through the town she called home. She had offered Conner and Jeremy too but both had declined the offer, opting to do their own thing instead. Jeremy had said he'd retreat back to the hotel early and callit a night while Conner figured he'd go exploring on his own for a while-but maybe that hadn't been such a good idea after all. After aimlessly walking up and down the street, Conner couldn't believe how many bars he had found already. The place was loaded with them apparently.

He was supposedly looking at antique and classic cars after reading a sign a while back when he was still walking the streets but so far all he had come up with was how many bars he could find. Although the whole trip to Las Vegas was so far proving to be a distraction from what had been consuming most of his thoughts since he said good bye to Taylor. She was all he could think about for some time. Although if he didn't find what he wad looking for, he'd probably resort to going back to the diner and enduring yet another long and painful conversation with Jeremy.

Conner headed back down a winding staircase through a narrow hallway and up another staircase that appeared to lead to a balcony. When he reached the landing at the top, he almost laughed out loud. This had to be some kind of joke right? It was another lounge-only this one was practically deserted. He had started to turn around when someone

called out to him.

"Hey-you look like you could use a drink. What'll it be?" Conner sent a scowl the bar tender's way and stared at her. She was a slender, thirtyish woman with long, brown hair pulled back into a ponytail and way too much eye make-up.

He was about to tell her, "Thanks but no thanks," when a bottle just behind her caught his eye. It was Stolichnaya vodka and had been his favourite back when he was still drinking. That drink had been responsible for his stint in rehab and for losing control of his relationship with Taylor.

Just looking at the label, he felt like he could taste it-feel the warmth of it sliding down his throat. They'd always made a big deal in rehab about how just one drink could send you right back into the downward spiral and it had made sense to Conner. But now he wasn't so sure. This wasn't like one of those other times. He was in control now. He wasn't some sloppy drunk anymore. He could handle himself. He took a step closer to the bar, imagining the glass in his hand. The desire was intense. He couldn't turn away like the other time at the beach when he had. Last time he had been strong. It hadn't been as easy. Besides, how much could one drink hurt him?

Meanwhile, Evan had been having an incredible amount of fun with Laney as they went on many of the rides she had dragged him to. He only wished this night would never end. And probably not for a while yet when she insisted they go to a show.

"What's got you so glum? You should be on top of the world."

Surprised by someone talking to him, he turned his head and saw a pretty blonde walking his way.

"Why? Because I'm in Las Vegas?"

She laughed in return, pulling up a chair beside him. "Actually I was gonna say because I'm here now. But now that you mention yet, yes you should be smiling because of where you're sitting. Lemme guess, girlfriend trouble?"

On that note, Conner grunted, giving her an answer.

"Or maybe we just won't talk about it if you don't wanna. The choice is yours but just so you know I've been told that I am an excellent listener if you ever do decide to change your mind and you'd like an opinion from a female's perspective or you just want to vent."

Conner picked up the drink toaster along the side of the bar, flipping it over. "I'll keep that in mind."

A couple of minutes later, the girl hailed the bar tender over and a drink was offered in front of him.

"For you," she said. "On the house of course. You just look like you could use a drink."

"Um, thanks, but..."

"But you don't drink. I am so sorry. I always jump into things without considering the consequences. But that's just me. I should have realised that maybe you'd be the type of guy that didn't drink."

She pushed the drink away, giving it back to the bar tender.

Conner gave her a small smile in an attempt to calm her nerves down.

"Then again I am sitting at a bar in the middle of Vegas. It's only natural that you'd assume I'd be drinking but it's cool. It's not a big deal. I wouldn't have had it anyway."

The tension she was feeling fell down around her shoulders in a soothing way.

"That's good that you're taking the initiative. So how long you been sober for?" she asked, taking an interest in him and Conner was surprised when she had worked out his problem all on her own without so much as to a question to farther instate her curiosity.

"Uh..." he stumbled on his words. "Two months."

If only she had shown up minutes before then she would have seen him almost take a downfall for the very first time.

His attention finally fell on her for the first time since she sat down beside him. And he realised that this girl wasn't just pretty. She was gorgeous. Why hadn't he paid closer attention when she first sat down beside him? He would have given her a second look. If he looked closely, he could see that her eyes were that of a shade of dark blue. Her skin wasn't pasty but it also wasn't so tanned she came out looking orange. She wasn't huge or thin but slender enough to still be called slim and she looked to be in her early twenties. She reached for his drink, but before she drank it, she said, "Do you mind? Can't let a perfectly good gin and tonic go to waste now can we?"

And when she had her answer, she swiftly took it, bringing it to her mouth and swallowing every last drop in one fine gulp. Conner figured she had done that many times before.

She dropped the empty glass onto the bench then signalled the bartender for another along with a club soda for Conner. She figured if he couldn't drink then she'd try to talk to him while he was sober anyway.

Strangely enough, Evan then appeared out of no where. His deep voice echoed through the bar as he spoke.

"Dude, we're going to a concert. You wanna come?" he asked Conner without jumping to any kind of conclusion that maybe his friends had done the unthinkable and relapsed. Evan figured his friend deserved the benefit of the doubt. He figured Conner knew better this time than to allow the drink to take over his life in a way that would have him spiralling out of control.

Conner pulled his attention away from the girl for a moment to find the person whose voice he heard and shook his head curtly.

"Nah, I think I'm just going to stay here with…" He stops mid sentence and looks back at the girl next to him, not knowing her name.

She clears her throat then tells him "Ashley."

"With Ashley," Conner finished.

Evan only shrugged his shoulders, flipping his black shaggy hair out of his eyes as he turned to walk away, looking over his shoulder just once to give his attention toward Conner and Ashley, wondering if his friend was into her.

"So," Ashley said, sliding her empty glass farther away. "You wanna get of here and do something?"

Conner raised an eyebrow with curiosity. He had only been in the city of bright lights for a couple of minutes and he was already being asked out by a hot girl. He guessed he still had the kind of affect he had on the opposite as he used to before his heart belonged to one girl. "Maybe—what you have in mind?"

"Well, I was thinking we could continue our little conversation back at my place. Maybe you'll feel more inclined to open up to me if we get to know each other a little better. What d'ya say? I know you want you to. You never know, my opinion might be what you needed all along." She pressed him.

Conner was speechless at the fact that she had just invited an almost stranger back to her place.

But Conner did something that was out of the ordinary these days—he said yes. Who knows, maybe she was right. Maybe Ashley was what his life needed all along—to get over Taylor once and for all.

"Wow, I am utterly speechless at that girl on stage. She was totally awesome. Her performance, her voice was powerhouse," Laney said as she and Evan made their way out of the arena after the concert finished.

"Yeah, she was something," Evan murmured to himself. Amid the crowd of people weaving around them, he stopped and turned to Laney. "You mean she's never performed here before?"

Laney shook her head, raking a hand through her long tousled brown hair. "No. Apparently, she's a rising star so my friend told me who saw her perform in New York City and insisted I go see her in concert and I guess Cameron was right because she's awesome. So you wanna go grab something to eat? I'm famished." She patted her stomach through the long sleeved blue t-shirt she was wearing.

"Actually, you're gonna hate me for doing this to you after such a great night—"

"But you're ditching me, right?" Laney finished.

"Yeah," Evan said, looking down at the ground. "There's just somewhere else I got to be right now."

Laney nudged his shoulder, showing a big smile. "Hey, it's okay. I get it. Do whatever you have to do. But, um, next time, you're in Vegas, give me a call. We'll hang out." She programmed her name and number into his cell phone then handed it back to him.

Five or so minutes after he bid au revoir to Laney, he stood out in the foyer next to two big black doors reading private use only, assuming this was the place where each musician entered to and from the stage and waited. He slouched back in a metal chair until he saw the doors open up and someone emerge in all her glorious beauty, dark brown hair flowing down her back, and Evan realised this was the reason why his friend was unable to get his ex girlfriend off his mind.

Then Evan rose to his feet, standing tall as her big blue-green eyes instantly fell on his face in a surprising way, but she didn't say a word. Instead, she left that to him.

"Hello, Taylor."

A/N: So part of this chapter were excerpts from book #32 since the story fit in with the storyline I'm writing, yet I didn't feel the need to include everything that happens, just the important information to tie in and set up where I was taking the story. Everything that happens at this point in book #32 with every other character except for Tia and Trent, happens.