At the end of Nicole's spring break, she sat next to Noah, Cody, Trent, and the rest of the Drama Brothers. Everyone had just gathered to take a listen to an advanced copy of their album, and if the band liked what they heard, the album would go out just a month before the North American summer tour kicked off, with an EP going out next week. The last song was ending and Trent pressed stop on the CD player, and all eyes were on Noah, Nicole, and the rest of the band.
"So, what do we think?" Trent asked.
"It was really great! Probably our best work yet." Harold said as he smiled.
"The music really came from the heart." Cody exclaimed.
"I'm interested in hearing what our spectators have to think." Justin said, referring to Noah and Nicole. Cody rolled his eyes at him.
"Can you not call them spectators?" Justin ignored Cody, and Noah put his hand on Cody's arm, quietly letting him know he didn't have to get into it with Justin for him.
"You all know what I think. It's a great album." Noah said, having been to a few recording sessions.
"What about you, Nicole?" Harold asked intently. She had only been to the recording studio once, so most of this had been brand-new to her.
"I like the genre shift. Before you felt like a typical pop boyband, but now you've got a really cool mix of Indie, pop, and a little bit of rock." She told them. Trent smiled in her direction as he lifted and kissed her hand.
"What were your favorite songs?" Trent asked them.
"My Heart is a great song, and I'm sure I would still like it if it weren't about me." She said as she blushed. "But, I also like You Want the Sounds."
"Really?" Harold said as he beamed. He had been the one to write You Want the Sounds. This album around, each Drama Brother had a hand in creating at least one of the songs, compared to the last album that consisted of mostly Trent's lyrics and music.
"Really?" Harold said, beaming.
"It's a great song." Nicole told him. "People will love it." Cody elbowed Noah.
"What about you?" He asked. "What's your favorite song?" Noah took a moment to think about it. He had genuinely enjoyed all the songs, and it was hard to pick.
"Sarcastic Lover." Cody blushed over to him, obviously knowing that was the song Cody wrote about Noah.
"So modest." Justin said to the twins. Cody and Trent were beginning to feel annoyed at Justin's back sass towards the twins and wanted to say something, but they've already discussed this issue with the two of them, and neither wanted the conflict. For the sake of keeping the band at bay, they refrained from their choice words for him. Trent cleared his throat as he looked over to the twins and changed the subject.
"So, with the album out of the way, we have a proposition for you two." He said.
"Oh, do you now?" Noah asked.
"Yes. We would like you to come on the summer tour with us." He said. Cody butted in.
"What Trent means is, we found a way for the two of you to come with us and get the whole trip paid for - the record label said we could hire you as assistants. You wouldn't have any real responsibilities outside of helping us backstage at the venues, the record label really takes care of the rest."
"Wow. That's really cool of them." Nicole said.
"So what do you say?" Trent asked. "Will you come with us?" Cody batted his eyes at Noah, who was still thinking about what to say. He was a little overwhelmed at the idea of coming on tour with the Drama Brothers. Nicole was, too, as this meant she would have to go public with Trent on their relationship, something the two of them were taking their time doing.
"I have to drop some summer classes, but I can easily fit them in later on." Nicole said.
"Yes!" He wrapped her in his arms as he kissed the top of her head, then looked over to Cody and Noah. "What about you, Noah?" Cody looked towards Noah once more, who still hadn't said anything since Trent's proposition.
"I would love for you to be there with us." Cody said to him. "What do you think?" Harold and Justin joined the two in looking towards Noah, which made him even more nervous to respond. He didn't know why he felt this way - obviously, his answer should have been an absolute yes, getting to travel around North America with his boyfriend, but for some reason, he was feeling a bit nervous on how to respond, and if this was something they were ready for as a couple.
"What if Hannah and Spencer need me?" Noah asked. Cody's smile noticeably faded as Noah cursed himself internally on his dumb-witted response.
"They'll be at camp during the week. Remember?" Nicole was desperately trying to save him, knowing Noah was feeling nervous and trying to make an excuse. "It'll be fun, and we can spend some extra time together when they're working." Before Noah could say anything more, Trent interjected.
"We can give you the week to think about it." He said. Noah sighed, not wanting this question to end on a low note.
"We all know he'll say yes." Justin muttered to himself.
"I'll have Cody let you guys know, I promise." Noah said.
"Yeah, and once I drop those summer classes, I'll have Trent let everyone know." Trent's phone began to ring and he stepped out of the living room for a moment. Nicole took the time to get her bags from her room, as Trent was taking her back to school after the album listen. Noah stayed lost in thought, and as she came back, Trent was still on the phone and whispered over to Nicole while putting his hand over the speaker of his phone.
"We have to go to a last-minute meeting with the producers to look at some final stuff for the album." Trent told her. "I don't think I'd be able to take you back until 8 the latest." Nicole looked over to Noah.
"Noah can take me." She knew he needed some time to think about how to recover from this, and he didn't mind her volunteering him to drive 4-hours one bit.
"Is that fine with you, man?" Trent asked him.
"Yeah. I used to do these trips before you came along, you know." He joked.
"You're a lifesaver." He went back on the phone to wrap up his conversation, and while he did that, Noah started to get his wallet and keys together. Trent met her at the door as he hung up the phone, and the two stared lovingly into each other's eyes. With the two of them still being long-distance, leaving one another was the hardest part for both of them.
"I had a great time this week with you." Nicole told him.
"Me too. It makes it even better knowing you're going to be with us on tour." Nicole embraced Trent into a hug, and they took another look at each other as Trent leaned in for a kiss. As they let go, Justin made a gagging sound.
"Ugh, get a room, you two!" He exclaimed. Harold gave him a light punch in the shoulder to shut him up. Nicole and Trent ignored him as Noah came behind them.
"I'll see you soon." He said to her.
"See you soon." She had the biggest smile on her face as they embraced once more, and she nodded over to Noah that she was ready as he held onto the doorknob. Noah was embarrassed at his response to Cody and gave him a nod as he walked out with her. They put Nicole's stuff away in the trunk, buckled their seatbelts as they got into the car, and
"Get a room!" Justin yelled out. Harold gave him a light punch to shut him up.
"I loved being with you this week. I'll see you soon." Trent said, smiling down at her as he held her by the waist.
"See you soon." She said, smiling. Noah waved to the boys, noting that he'll see them soon, and the two walked over to the car, with Noah noticeably quiet. Nicole put her duffle and backpack into the back seat of the car, then the two walked into the car and buckled their seatbelts as Noah started the ignition. They drove silent for a few minutes before Nicole looked over to a still silent Noah, wanting to bring up the elephant in the room.
"What was that in there?" Nicole asked.
"What was what in there?" He responded, playing dumb.
"'What if Spencer and Hannah need me?' You know what I'm talking about." She told him. "What are you so scared of?"
"Nothing."
"All right, then call Cody right now and say you'll come on tour."
"I can't just go on a summer tour on a whim. I have to let work know, I have to talk to Bethany and Joshua, and I have weekly therapy I have to go to. It's a huge decision, and I wasn't ready to give one." Nicole knew she had to simplify it down for him.
"It's an easy decision - the library will let you come back, Spencer and Hannah's camp has extended after-hours so they can stay at camp until they get out of work, and I'm sure your therapist will let you have weekly video sessions." She turned the volume down on the radio. "This isn't about Cody. This is about changing routines and being spontaneous." Noah knew she was right, and instead of getting into it right away, he thought about what she said and kept on driving, knowing he will address this with her on the two-hour drive ahead of them.
Noah arrived home around 8pm after stopping for food on the way back. Cody had gotten home from the meeting just a few minutes before him and he was sitting with Joshua, Van Doggo, and Hannah on the couch as they watched the TV. Spencer and Hannah had gotten extremely comfortable with Cody over the past few months of him living here, so much that they were a little obsessed with being around him. Cody has kept his word and teaches Spencer the piano whenever they have the chance, and he's even picked the kids up from school every now and then. He was so grateful for Bethany and Joshua for taking him in after everything that happened between him and his parents, so he did anything he could to be in good rapport with everyone.
"Oh hey, how was the drive?" Joshua asked as he noticed Noah come in.
"Not bad." Noah said. He straightened his back as he looked over to Joshua. "I need to ask you something."
"Sure."
"Can I go on the summer tour with the Drama Brothers?" Joshua looked at him funny, and he began to laugh.
"How old do you think you are?" He asked. "You don't need my permission. I figured you were going." Hannah overheard their conversation and looked over to her dad.
"I want to go with Cody and uncle Noah!" She exclaimed.
"I'm sorry, guys. You can't go with them." Hannah batted her eyelashes at her dad, snuggling up to him.
"Why not?"
"Well, they'll be gone all summer, sweetie. And they'll be in a different country." He said to her. "And wouldn't you miss mommy and I if you went?"
"You can come with us!" Hannah said proudly. "Tell him, uncle Noah!" Joshua looked over to Hannah and put a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm afraid we can't all go. Mommy and I have to work. And besides, you're going to camp!" Hannah pouted as she crossed her arms. Cody looked over to Noah again.
"So, you'll come?" He asked. Noah paused, knowing he really wanted to do this but needed the validation from his brother for some odd reason.
"I have to take a leave at the library, but… Yes! I will go." Cody began to snuggle closer to Noah, thinking about how exciting this would be with Noah by his side.
"This is going to be awesome!" Cody looked at Noah seriously for a moment, and as their eyes locked into each other's, they felt the light of the TV flicker off as Hannah groaned.
"Show's over, time to get ready for bed." She frowned as she crossed her arms at Joshua. "Say goodnight to Cody and uncle Noah."
"Goodnight!" Hannah piled onto the two and gave them a big hug, then pet Van Doggo goodnight as she took her dad's hand to get ready for bed. Joshua handed them the remote as they headed out, and the two scrolled through the TV guide as they settled on an episode of Pretty Little Liars.
"Pretty Little Liars?" Cody asked. "You watch this?"
"It's a good series." Noah said to him, his face turning red. Cody began to nuzzle into Noah's shoulder, and there was a pause as the two of them quietly focused on a scene from the show, and when there was a commercial break, Cody looked up at Noah.
"I love you." Noah nearly missed this in a mix of shock and serotonin burst out of him. He felt so validated at this moment, even if it came randomly and out of nowhere. Neither had said this, as close as they have gotten, and he could tell Cody was relieved to finally let it out.
"You do?" This was all Noah could get out of himself. He was speechless and wasn't sure what else to say.
"I love you, Noah. This has been the best few months I've ever had. Every decision we've made together has fit so well, and every day we've been together has brought us even closer."
"I never thought I had the capacity to love anyone, let alone myself, but being with you, I realized how much love I was holding back. I love you so much, and I'm so sorry that I hesitated when you asked me to come on tour with you."
"I understand. I thought it would have been better if Trent asked you and Nicole together, but I should have asked you alone." Cody said. The two of them embraced each other, then met their lips for a kiss. As they let go, Cody held onto Noah's jaw, taking a second look at his eyes. Noah chuckled as the two turned their attention back to the TV, as if nothing had happened.
"Did they ever find out who A was?" Cody asked.
"Apparently she died, and there's another A?" Noah chuckled. "Should we go to bed? I'm getting tired from that drive."
"You better be ready for long tour nights where we'll be up past midnight." Cody laughed. The two got up and Noah held his hand out for Cody. He grabbed it as Noah turned the TV off and began to walk over to their shared bedroom. As he changed into his pajamas, he couldn't help but replay Cody's word in his head. His life had gotten so different in the best way once he began to reconnect with Cody, and he was so excited for what this summer tour would bring for him and the two of them.
