-Chapter Six-
I'm running for a few minutes and my legs are screaming obscenities at me. I did beat myself up pretty bad on Saturday. I see the gate long before I'm near it—there is a small crowd of girls, maybe only fifteen or twenty, standing around trying to get a look at Short Stack as they board the plane.
I push through them as best I can with my broken body. When I get to the front, security is herding the fans far away. When I try to push through, one of them stops me.
"I don't think so little miss," he says putting an arm around me, making me want to cry out in pain.
"No, you don't understand, I have to talk to Andy," I try to explain.
"Nice try." He proceeds to push me back and despite the pain I'm in, I scream Andy's name—desperately trying to get his attention. But he's not all that interested in the few screaming teenage girls that are here and to him my call is nothing special.
Suddenly, I duck down below the security guards arms and race for Andy, trying to call out his name but my ribs hurt too much for it to be more than a hoarse whisper. Security is chasing after me and my legs just don't want to go any further. I stagger as hard as I can and grab Andy's wrist just as Shaun is giving the attendant his boarding pass in front of Andy.
I fall forwards in utter pain and topple into Andy who catches me and keeps me standing by taking a step back to stop us both from hitting the deck. "Ally?" he says with amazement.
I'm desperately trying to catch my breath when some security guards catch up and try to pull me off Andy, who is now the only thing keeping me standing. "Hey, hey," he tells the guards, putting a hand up to them briefly, "she's good, she's with me." He looks back down at me. "Ally, what are you doing here? You should be in bed resting."
Shaun has stopped what he was doing and him and Bradie—who was behind Andy—are standing close, all three helping support me. "I had to come see you before you left, I had to tell you . . ." I almost collapse and Andy gives me a full support, almost lifting me, over to a nearby lounge where people normally wait for incoming passengers.
He sets me down on a single lounge and kneels in front of me—Shaun and Bradie following. He clasps his hands to my face, observing me to see if I'm okay. "Ally, you stupid girl," Andy chastises me. "You shouldn't be here."
"I know, I know," I say. "But I couldn't let you leave without telling you . . ." I hesitate, am I really ready to do this? I think about the fights we've had since we've met. But even when I give the impression I hate him, I know I don't and he still makes me so happy—just seeing his beautiful face makes me oh, so happy. "Without telling you I love you. I didn't want to admit it before because for so long I convinced myself I wasn't allowed to be happy and if I was happy then I was a terrible person. But you make me happier than I've ever been and that's okay—I know that now."
He stares at me for a moment and Shaun and Bradie are staring at him, waiting for his response. I can't even look him in the eye once I'm finished speaking. "Ally, I have waited so long to hear you say that." He leans in and kisses my cheek then hugs me tight. I hug him back weakly but as best I can. Bradie and Shaun can't wipe the smiles off their faces as they step back a little. I'm so glad that security took all the fans away where they couldn't see anything.
"You are still so, so stupid," Andy says to me with a huge grin on his face. Both our smiles are matching and it looks like they're not going anywhere for a while. "Why couldn't you wait until I got back to tell me all of this?"
"Because," I say, looking at my lap, "I was scared that if I waited that long, I wouldn't tell you."
He lifts my chin which forces me to look at him. "Well, how the hell am I supposed to go to Cambodia without you now?"
"You'll be fine," I say, knowing how hard it's going to be on me.
He thinks for a moment. "Come with us," he says.
"What?"
"I'm serious, Shannon was going to come, but he's got some important family stuff. I was going to offer you his ticket last Saturday before I fucked everything up."
"Andy, I can't just go jet-setting off to Cambodia."
"Yes you can. Please, say you'll come with me?"
"Us," Shaun says from where he and Bradie are standing behind Andy. They were trying to make it look like they were in their own conversation. Obviously not.
"You guys don't want me there," I say.
"Bullshit we don't," Shaun says and Bradie is quick to agree.
I stare at all three of them. After a moment I say, "I want to, I really want to, but I don't have my passport, or any luggage—it's just not possible." Looking at Andy, I rack my brain for any possible solution. After a moment, it comes to me. "What if I catch a later flight? I'll exchange the ticket for another one, go home and get my stuff, and I'll meet you guys later in the day." All three boys' faces light up like its Christmas morning.
"Then I'll come with you," Andy says. "Only to make sure you're okay. I don't want you collapsing and have no one with you."
"Andy," I begin.
"No really, its okay, we're not starting shooting until tomorrow. I'll have plenty of time." I smile at him and he pulls me close.
A few minutes later, we're waving goodbye to Shaun and Bradie as they hop on the plane. Their flight won't leave for another twenty minutes or so, but we decide not to wait around. Andy picks up his sports bag—his only luggage, apart from his guitar which is already on the plane—puts it on his shoulder and places his other arm over my shoulders gently.
It takes almost an hour for Andy to convince the attendant behind the desk to change our tickets. At first she was hesitant, not knowing if she should or not. I think a bit of sweet talking went on, but eventually she switched us both over to a flight that would leave at four-thirty that afternoon.
We caught a train back to Newcastle then a bus to Budgewoi. When we got back to my house, Andy ducks across the road to let Emily and Richard know what was going on while I check my phone. I have a message from Matt telling me to ring him so I do, but he doesn't pick up so I leave a message.
I walk into my room and look at it for a moment—it's not much different to when we moved in. The boxes are still all over the floor, some opened, and some still taped up tight. My bed is still leaning against the wall, dismantled while my mattress is on the floor. I go into the built in wardrobe to grab out a bag to take.
I'm in my room hobbling around getting things into my sports bag when I hear Andy come in the front door. "Hey," I call out, he follows my voice to my bedroom, "won't the producer be pissed off that you're not on the flight with them?"
"Probably," he says while laughing. "But I'll deal with her angry phone call when she lands. Mum's gonna drive us back to the airport. It will be much quicker."
I nod as I open a box I haven't touched since arriving and pull out some clothes to take. When we're done, Andy carries both bags across the road and put them in his mother's car. That's when my phone buzzes and I answer Matt's call.
"Why did I get a phone call saying you'd left the hospital?" he says in the phone. I can tell how angry he is, even though he is trying hard to hide it.
"Because I did," I tell him.
"Ally, you can't just leave. How did you even manage it? Why did you do it in the first place?"
"I'm going to Cambodia," I inform him. "Just thought I'd tell you that."
"What?" he yells. "No, you're not. There is no way I am letting you run off to Cambodia. Don't you dare!"
"Too late. I'll try and call while I'm over there, but no promises. You know, I don't know what reception's like. Love you."
He pauses for a moment. "I'm not gonna stop you am I?" he says.
"Nope."
"Love you, have fun and for the love of God, be safe."
"Always."
Emily drives us to the airport and when she drops us off Andy leans through to the front seat to kiss her on the cheek goodbye. I smile and reach over to hug her and she whispers in my ear, "Take care of him."
"Always," I whisper back.
Andy and I sit and wait for our flight for an hour. I'm leaning my head on his shoulder and we're having a quiet discussion about what they had planned for the video when his phone buzzes in his pocket. I sit straight up to let him grab it and when he checks the caller ID, he groans.
"It's the producer," he says, standing and walking away to answer it. I giggle a little as I think about the conversation he's in for. I laugh some more when he cringes at some point of their talk.
A girl suddenly comes up and leans down close to me. "Is that Andy Clemmensen from Short Stack that you're with?" she asks.
"Maybe," I say, putting my guard up. I didn't know this woman.
"Off on a romantic getaway?" she asks me, looking at him.
"No," I respond. "Shooting his new video clip. We missed our flight," I lie. "Why do you assume romantic?" I ask her, despite myself.
"Because . . . it just seems kind of obvious you're together."
"Nah," I laugh. "I'm dating Bradie," I joke.
She laughs too. "You're funny."
I let out a short snap of a laugh. "Yeah, Andy Clemmensen is dating me."
"You're right." She laughs again. "Why would he ever date you? His last girlfriend was just gorgeous. And now he's just a man-whore really. Andy Clemmensen doesn't get serious."
Her words shock me and she walks away. I watch her go before Andy returns to his spot next to me—completely oblivious to what had just happened to me.
"Well, she's not happy to say the least, but she's worked everything out apparently. They've just checked in and will meet us at the airport. Let's hope she decides not to kill me like she threatened." I laugh but even to me it sounds wrong. "Everything okay?" he asks me.
"Yeah, fine." I smile and rest against him again, effectively ending the conversation whether he believes me or not.
We're allowed to board our flight ten minutes later and we're in the air twenty minutes after that.
I try as hard as I can to stay awake but my body is begging me for a decent rest after all the torture I put it through this morning.
"You should get some sleep," Andy says quietly into my hair.
"No, I'm fine just cuddling up to you," I say.
"I'm serious, I can see how much you need it, and I don't want you to stay awake just for me. I might just sleep myself."
"Mm, okay, if you're sure," I whisper.
"Positive," is his response.
Andy gently wakes me just before we land. He is stroking my hair and it feels so nice, but I know I have to sit up. We get through customs slowly, but with no hassle. We walk out to the baggage claim and I instantly spot Shaun and Bradie with a woman who I assume is the producer waiting for us.
Bradie and Shaun greet me with hugs and Andy with handshakes. The producer woman smiles at me and introduces herself as Alice. When she turns to greet Andy her smile is gone and she looks ready to hit him across the face.
Because Andy and I only had carry-on baggage we leave for the hotel straight away. Alice yells at Andy the whole way and it isn't helping me recover from my concussion but I don't say anything to anyone. She yells at him mostly about ditching his flight. She yells at him for ruining the room arrangements—Shannon was supposed to room with Shaun, and Andy and Bradie were supposed to be in a separate room. But Shaun informed her that he and Bradie checked into the same room and Andy and I could have our own room.
Really, there doesn't seem to be any problem with my presence on the trip, the producer is just pissed she didn't get a say in any of it.
When we get to our hotel and check in I look at my phone and see the time is seven pm. I do a double take at the bright sun outside.
"Cambodia is three hours behind Sydney," Bradie says after seeing the look of confusion on my face.
"Oh," I say with a laugh. I quickly go into my phone's settings and change the time so that all further confusion is avoided.
"Ally, I just wanted to say," Bradie begins before Andy comes over and interrupts him.
"Come on, let's go check out this room," he says, putting his arm around me and we walk off.
We walk in and the place is quite lovely. I see the huge double beds in the bedroom and instantly claim the one by the window.
Andy pouts at me but I shake my head in determination. "Nope, all mine."
"Well, maybe we could share?" I shake my head again.
It's about four-thirty in the afternoon and filming doesn't start until tomorrow morning, so everyone agrees to go shopping. We walk around with the others for a little while before breaking away to shop on our own. I find a little toy that I think Chris would just love and buy it for him.
We walk around for ages before I start feeling a bit sore. All the movement and running around has taken so much out of me. "I need to sit down somewhere for a minute," I say quietly to him. We find somewhere and when I sit, I feel a alittle better.
After a few moments, Andy speaks, "I think we should get back to the hotel." I nod and he supports me lightly as I stand.
On the way back, Andy spots something in a market stall and turns to me and say he'll be back in a moment. I wait patiently for him without complaint-despite how sore I have become.
When Andy returns I giggle. "A bandana?" Sure enough, he is wearing a white bandana with a really nice indescribable black pattern on it. Surprisingly, it looks good on him.
"Yes, a bandana. Don't you like it?" he asks with a pout.
"No, I do like it. It suits you." I smile and he returns one of his own.
We get back to the hotel and the others are already there waiting for us so we can go get dinner. When it's suggested we go out, I pull a bit of a face, but no one sees. All I really want to do is go upstairs and crawl into bed. Still, I agree to dinner because I realise I haven't eaten a decent meal in days.
Dinner passes smoothly and I enjoy my meal a lot, but the joy I felt when we finally got back to our room and I flopped onto my bed was amazing. Andy goes for a shower and I stay where I am. When he returns, I'm curled into a ball and silent tears of pain are rolling down my cheeks.
Andy walks over to me and kneels down beside my bed. He brushes my hair out of my face and asks if I brought any pain-killers.
I nod and whisper, "In the side pocket of my bag."
He gets up and walks away and comes back with a glass of water and two little tablets. I sit up slowly and take the glass from him and he sits down on the edge of the bed near me. I down the tablets with half the water instantly. After I finish the water, I lean into Andy, wrapping my arms around his waist. He wraps his arms around me and kisses my hair.
"Are you okay?" he asks. I nod, but in truth, I think I'm regretting coming on this trip-mostly for Andy's sake. I came on this trip because he wanted me to, and now he has to put up with me like this. His hold on me feels so nice and I don't want to let him go, but once the pain subsides enough, I put the glass on the bedside table.
"Shaun and Bradie wanted to go out for some drinks, do you mind? I can stay if you want," he says softly.
"No, you go, I'll just chill out here, watch a movie. Go have some fun. I'm too young to go out with you anyway."
"If you're sure," he says. "We won't be too late, we've still got work to do tomorrow."
After he leaves, I carefully change into my pajamas and crawl under the covers. I switch on the TV and flick through the channels, until I see Moulin Rouge! is on. It's only been on for ten minutes so I settle in and watch it. I fall asleep about halfway through.
I wake up some time later and Andy is back and fumbling around the room. I don't even open my eyes, or let him know I'm awake. He comes and kisses my cheek and I resist my smile. He turns the lights out and the TV off and gets into his bed. After I hear him start softly snoring, I fall asleep again.