SUPSUPSUP YALL
So for the record, I'm on vacay in Newcastle, England when this gets posted, which is why I'm preparing it the Monday before I leave so I can put it in my Doc manager so I can post it while I'm away. I'm a fucking genius. There's no wifi on the cruise ship I'm on so I'll be using the MacDonalds wifi or something to post this :)
Which is why the Paley A&A thing hasn't happened yet while I'm writing this, but it has when I'm posting. Can't talk to you about that BUT THE EPISODE HAS EVERYONE CHECKED THAT ONE OUT HOLY MOLY I'M OUT. The paley thing will probably also have me feeling all these emotions. I'll be expressing those later.
As some of you might know, music is one of my bigger inspirations for writing. Today I'm gonna try something new. Well not totally new, cause I used it in another story already.
I wrote a sketch for this chapter a while ago, before I listened to a song. After I heard the particular song, I was just mind blown with how much it describes the exact mood I was trying to create. Which is why I'm gonna ask you guys one thing.
You wanna experience something cool? Go listen to Close As Strangers by 5SOS while reading this chapter. OR if you guys don't like reading a story and listening to a song, which I tots understand, listen to it after reading. Either way, it'll blow you mind. Hopefully.
''Aaah, guys, I've missed you so much!'' Laura hugs Raini and Calum tightly, holding on for a few seconds. ''I'm so glad we were able to find a date most of us could make it.''
''Me too! How's Ross, by the way?'' Raini asks her friend as they walk through the mall. Laura raises her eyebrows, sighing slightly.
''Busy, mostly. We haven't been able to talk a lot, but it's okay. He's having a great time,'' she nods happily, genuinely glad he's having so much fun doing what he loves most.
''Shame he can't join us,'' Calum shrugs as they enter their favourite restaurant. They drop their jackets on the couch around the round table before sitting down in the booth.
''True, but there will be other times we can hang out when he gets back, for sure,'' Laura smiles at the thought of being together with the four of them again. They order their food as they talk about what they did in the time they hadn't seen each other. Calum got asked to star in a new blockbuster as one of the bigger roles, which he was super excited for. Raini was mainly focussing on her music career, writing songs for her own.
''Also, something amazing happened,'' Calum starts telling Laura as he gives Raini a bright side glance. ''Raini and I have been asked to direct some episodes of a new Disney Channel show and if they like it, we might get the chance to create and direct our own!''
''Guys, that's amazing! What a great opportunity,'' Laura widens her eyes in surprise as she congratulates her friends, squealing happily. ''I'm sure it'll be great, you have so much talent.''
''How about you, what have you been up to?'' Raini asks her as she sips on her vanilla milkshake. Laura smiles insecurely, thinking back to everything that happened in the last month. She quickly decides to come clean to her friends, telling them shortly what happened at the shoot, trying to clear everything up and not sound too sad. During the whole story, they stare at her with open mouth, listening compassionately. ''Laura, I'm so sorry. Have you told Ross yet?''
''It's okay, it's something that comes with the job, right?'' she closes the subject, relieved she eventually told them. ''And, no. I tried, but there hasn't really been a moment he was alone.''
''I think you should tell him as soon as you can, it's a big deal and you're struggling with it. He should know too,'' Raini advises as she covers her hand with her own. Calum nods agreeing before looking on his phone.
''Speaking of, does he even know we're meeting up?'' he wonders out loud in which Laura picks up her own phone.
''I sent him a text about it, I think he does,'' lifting Raini's phone up, she inches closer to the two. ''Let's make a photo to send him and post on Instagram.''
Austin & Ally reunion! #WelcomeBacks&WheresAustin
Laura posts the photo with fitting caption on Instagram before sending it in their group chat. She waits for a reaction, but it doesn't come for the next few seconds. Since there are no read receipts, she can't check if he read it yet, but she decides not to wait for it any more.
''He's probably busy,'' she shrugs as they change the subject. They have fun as they talk about the days they spent together and their new opportunities in enthusiasm as time flies by. They tell their goodbyes, promising to see each other soon again before Raini and Calum stand up from the booth. Laura stays seated as she holds up her phone. ''I'm gonna try to get hold of Ross one more time.''
She waves them goodbye through the window while typing Ross's number into her flip phone. She stares out the window while playing with the coins on the small plate on top of the bill as she listens to the dial tone.
''It's Ross, I'm un-'' as soon as Laura recognizes his usual voicemail recording, she shuts her phone as she refuses to leave him a voicemail again. Disappointed she couldn't reach him, and therefore include him in their 'reunion', she gives up and puts her phone back in her bag. A waiter collects the bill, thanking her for coming as she's staring out the window again. Seeing it's rather busy in the restaurant and not wanting to be rude, she moves to grab her coat and bag to leave the booth.
While glancing out the window once more, she sees a familiar face and has to do a double take to check if it's really him. She hurriedly knocks on the glass, trying to get his attention as he walks by the restaurant. As the knocking turns into hitting the glass, he looks up, meeting her gaze as he smiles widely. She gestures for him to enter the restaurant before sitting down in the booth again. As soon as she sees him enter, she sticks her hand up, getting his attention. As he walks over to her, she stands up, meeting him for a warm hug.
''Andrew!'' Laura takes the boy standing in front of her in. Even though it was just less than a month they last saw each other, he looked nothing like he did before. The cut short hair was swooped over his forehead, instead of the longer hair in his neck she was used to. A confident grin was plastered on his newly tanned face and muscles she didn't know he had were noticeable on his arms sticking out of his wife-beater. ''I didn't even recognize you, you look great.''
''Thanks! You do too,'' he pulls her in another side hug, curling his fingers in her grown out locks. He steps back as he pushes his sunglasses up. ''I took a few weeks off to go on vacation in Australia. There, I decided it was time for a change.''
''Some change that is,'' she compliments him again, putting her hands on her hips. She looks down at the table, shooting him a smile. ''I was actually just leaving, but I guess I could do coffee. Care to join me?''
''Sure, it's been so long,'' he smiles friendly as he sits down next to her. As they retrieve memories, laughing loudly, they order their beverages. A man sitting at a table next to them looks over before subtly raising his camera, shooting a few photos before looking at the results, all going unnoticed by the two. They joke, tell each other funny stories and share emotional events.
As Laura decides to check her Instagram feed real quick, she sees Raini's photo with the four of them, making her smile. But the newest photo is what left her speechless; Ross in a photo booth with Ellington, Rydel and a girl unfamiliar to her with the caption ''Amazing day with these cool people #NeverWannaGoHome''.
She quickly closes her Ipad, refusing the bad thoughts to enter her mind. Never wanna go home? She was happy he had a great time on tour, but why couldn't he answer her phone call? She shakes her head, focussing her attention on Andrew who was looking at her curiously.
''I'm so glad I ran into you, we should do this more often!'' Laura laughs after both finishing their coffee before brushing a lock behind her ear. Andrew smiles shyly, nodding in agreement.
''Yeah, I missed hanging out with you,'' he admits, making her smile widely before hugging him goodbye. Hearing how he missed her, made her feel great, even though it was the wrong guy who told her. She missed Andrew too, but the fact that he was the one admitting that he missed her before her boyfriend gave her a weird feeling.
'' J14Magazine: lauramarano cheating on her boyfriend with childhood friend? See the pics HERE: …''
''Damn, since when do you turn down an opportunity to go out?'' Riker nags him, shaking his shoulder repeatedly as Rocky backs him up with an agreeing 'Yeah!'.
''Since I have better things to do night and don't feel like going, alright?'' he answers, a bit irritated as he kicks Riker in the rips, making step away from him. Rocky snickers, noticing his moody brother rolling his eyes. He smacks him on the head as he walks past him, entering the bathroom to spray on some cologne as finishing touch.
''He'd rather see his girlfriend he's seeing in a few days again, but who cares,'' Rocky mocks him, earning him a few laughs. His head sticks out of the door way to raise his eyebrow to Ross. ''Don't get too cozy on the laptop while we're away, bro.''
''Fuck you,'' Ross snaps, throwing a pillow at his head, which flies for a second before flopping down an inch in front of Rocky's feet. He turns back to the laptop on the table in front of him before looking at everyone in the room foully. ''Can you all just leave to give us some privacy?''
Rocky snickers as he mimics 'privacy' naughtily before standing next to Riker, ready to leave. Just then, Rydel exits the kitchen, grabbing her phone as she sits down to secure the laces on her boots.
''I understand that Ross wants to talk to Laura, they haven't seen each other for two months,'' she smiles at Ellington, looking at her lovingly before grabbing his hand as he presses his lips on her cheek. ''Must be hard.''
''Can you just, go?'' he frowns, opening his laptop, suddenly irritated by Rydel and Ellington as they seem to openly mock him with the presence of each other. Rydel raises her hands in defence before rushing the other three out of the bus. Before she lastly exits, she turns around.
''Say hi from me, kay?'' she only gets a grunt in response before deciding it would be best to leave him alone for now. As soon as he hears the door slam shut, he clicks on Laura's account before selecting the green button. After a few seconds the screen lights up, but not with the Laura he was expecting, how she always wears a comfortable hoodie and her glasses, laying down on her bed. Instead, he sees her back as she was standing straight in front of her desk. Wearing a flowy, red dress and her hair in styled waves, she seemed a bit dressed up for a skype-night.
''Ross, hey!'' she smiles at him, a hint of surprise in her eyes before turning her back to the camera again, grabbing some things from her dresser. ''Sweet of you to call.''
''Why? It's our Skype night,'' he answers in confusion. A part of him is scared she actually forgot and he knows he's right when she turns around, horror and shame clear on her face.
''That was tonight?'' she covers her mouth as she comes closer to the camera to look at him regretfully. ''Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I totally forgot!''
''That's okay, I mean, you're here now,'' he smiles insecurely, hoping the dress she's wearing isn't for something else than their Skype date.
''No, you don't understand,'' biting her lip, she turns to the dresser to grab some lipstick before turning back. ''I kind of planned something else tonight, I can't cancel it.''
''Oh,'' was his only response, unable to hide his disappointment. ''Where are you going?''
''Out,'' her short answer makes him frown as she uses the skype camera to neatly apply the red lipstick on her full lips, pursing them together before checking if she covered every inch.
''Out,'' repeating her, he tries to figure out why that one word upsets him that much. ''With who?''
''Friends,'' she picks up her laptop before setting it onto her dresser and takes place on the chair in front of it. Looking over the camera, at the mirror, she fixes her hair as she brushes her fingers lightly through her slightly straightened locks. He can only watch as her single silver bracelet dances around her pulse, making his jaw tighten at the sight. Seeing she's still wearing his necklace makes him feel a bit better as she brushes against it lightly.
''What friends?'' he finds himself starting to turn the conversation into an interrogation, but he can't stop himself, even the blunt look Laura gives him, he answers with a raise of one eyebrow.
''Just friends, you don't know them,'' she picks up her phone to check the time. ''They're from school.''
''Oh, well, have fun then. I really miss you a lot,'' deciding to drop the questions, he smiles at her, but finds her staring at the screen of her flip phone.
''I miss you too. Hey, I gotta go, Andrew's waiting outside,'' before he can respond, she brings her hands to the lock of her necklace, lifting it in a fast tempo before grabbing a shiny, silver necklace and hanging it in its place. He looks in dumbstruck as his present quickly gets replaced by a different accessorise while Laura tells him the new information.
''Wait, Andrew? Why are you taking the neck-'' he stutters in utter confusion as she stands up, taking the Ipad with her and cuts him off.
''I'll see you in a few days, okay? Love you!'' she blows him a kiss, waving one last time before closing the cover, turning the camera off.
''What the hell just happened?'' he mumbles, trying to process everything that just happened in just a matter of seconds. His entire evening plan was quickly wiped away as he was now left alone in the bus, his girlfriend and band going out. Should he feel weird about the fact that Andrew was joining them? Laura had told him she didn't like it when he acted jealous, especially around Andrew and he was trying to hide it from her.
He sighs, suddenly bored out of his mind and the thought of his girlfriend having fun without him, making him miss her even more. He just needed to hear her voice, he had planned to listen to her all night before she left him hanging. Then he remembers it, the voicemail she told him to delete. If it wasn't anything important, like she told him, he could listen to it. Anything to hear her talk to him. He taps a few times before bringing his phone to his ear, a smile laying on his lips.
''Hey, it's me. I-I just, just wanted to hear you. Ehm, could-could you call me back?'' when he notices her short breaths, he straightens his back, his eyes widened. He listens to her breathing as she falls silence, only the faint sound of her muffled sobs audible through the phone, making him stand up, running his hand through his hair. He could just imagine her, sitting wherever she was, her arms holding her knees tightly as she covers her mouth with her hands to restrain her shaky breath, biting back the tears. After a long silence, she speaks up again, her voice now more clear. ''I kinda need you right now. Okay, bye. Love you. I-''
As he hears the beep cutting her voice off, he freezes, his phone still pressed against his ear to be able to hear every little sound she makes.
''Laura? Laur-'' when he realizes the message has ended, he throws his phone on the couch with great force, letting out a scream. Then he runs back to the couch, picking up his phone to dial the number as fast as he can.
''Hey! It's Laura Marano, I'm busy at the moment, but please leave a message after the beep!''
''Laura! I need you to call me back as soon as possible, it's really important. Call me!'' he starts pacing through the tiny space, breathing heavily and squeezing his fists. After a minute of silence, he tries again.
''Hey! It-''
''Laur, I'm serious, you need to call me right now,'' he grunts as he tries to find a better way to deliver the message. ''Just-just do it. I'm sorry for everything.''
With another twenty minutes of no response, he enters his bunker, not bothering to change out of his clothes, trying to find the answers he needs. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he feels that the event he just witnessed, changed something. He wasn't sure what, though.
She was standing there on the parking lot, wind messing up her hair as her arms were wrapping itself around her frame, trying to heat up her body as much as she could. She could wait in her car, it could very well be another half hour before the bus arrived, but she couldn't rip herself away from the place she was standing. Nobody was with her, by own choice. She didn't know how she would react upon seeing Ross again and didn't want to embarrass herself to more people than necessary.
After a long ten minutes, she hears the sound of a big vehicle entering the parking lot. As it inches closer, she notices the five band members on the side of the bus. Two short honks sound before it stops right next to her as the anxiety grows inside her. Noticing the dead windows, she can't see the inside of the bus, but knows they can see her. She hears a few bangs on the windows, making her smile and wave at the pitch black glass.
She waits a while, knowing they have to grab their belongings before exiting the bus, but no door opens. Walking closer to the bus, she finally realizes that this side of the bus doesn't have a door next to the driver and the one in the middle refuses to open. Meaning they must exit at the other side of-
''Laura!'' she hears him yell from the other side, making her freeze.
''Ross?'' she's about to run around the bus when she hears him drop his bags and run to the front of the bus where she meets him. With a smile too wide, she jumps up as he catches her, her legs tangling around his waist, arms around his neck as she lays her head in his neck. Murmuring unintelligible words, he smiles as she buries her face in her arms.
''Missed you too, Laur. So, so much,'' chuckling, he wraps his arms tighter around her frame.
''It's been so long-'' she starts as she shakes her head in disbelief before he shushes her.
''Shh, hey, I'm here now,'' he lowers himself until he's on his knees, sitting on the asphalt with Laura straddling him. Raising one hand, he pulls his head back before lifting up her chin to be able to look at her.
''Hey, Ross! You coming? We have-'' Riker yells at him before earning a sharp elbow in his side.
''Jesus, Riker, can't you see they're having a moment? Let him, he'll come later,'' Rydel snaps at him before pulling him away, him shrugging in the progress as they leave the two behind.
''Nothing has changed, we're together again,'' Ross pecks her lips before she pulls away to hug him tighter.
''Nothing has changed,'' she repeats, trying to convince herself with saying it out loud.
''I love you,'' rubbing her back caringly, he repeats his usual way of comforting her. ''Don't forget it.''
Together again, at last
So what did you think about the chapter, the song and the combination? Am I right that it fits?
Oh, by the way. You know how Laura was talking to Ross in her room? You remember the silver bracelet she was wearing? Let's remember who gave her that.
Also don't forget Ross's way of telling Laura he loves her, it's kinda a quirk
Next chapter is where things take a turn, can't wait to share it with y'all :)
Ooooh shout out to Luckystarz910 who just caught up reading and reviewed for every chapter like she normally does, you rooooooock!
And another one to fictionxvelvet, who's not caught up yet, but getting there and also reviewing bunch xxxx
Guest chapter 33
I really liked the chapter, I want to know what's coming next! It's too bad for Laura that that people where so mean for her! It's not her fault that she is that short (I just hope that it never happen/happend for real) Well, I just really want to know what is coming next!
Loves,
the crazy Dutch girl without an account - Heeeeey crazy Dutch girl without an account, nice to meet ya! I'm Leonoor, you new here? Glad you liked it! Tbh, I had such a hard time figuring out what I was gonna use against her in the photoshoot part, she's honestly so perfect and writing it broke my heart :(
Guest chapter 33
Poor Laura! I really hope Ross listens to the message and that he calls her and they have a real conversation. It would be awesome if she could come visit him on tour, too! - Aiii sorry that didn't happen girl.. But don't worry, the message is definitely coming back to cause some trouble. And I CAN spoil, Laura will indeed be there for an R5 performance in the future
Guest chapter 33
Ahh, you've done it again! You never fail to amaze me with your writing! It's absolutely beautiful; grammer is on point, plot is perfect and realistic, I don't think it can get any better than this! But everytime you prove me wrong:) IVE never read a chapter without me being all like: OMG WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT? :D - Oh my, all you sweet guests! Leaving the cutest reviews. Aww it means so much you say that! I'm super insecure about my writing style, grammar and word use so this really lifts my spirits :) Guess I'm gonna have to keep surprising you with my ideas, don't I? Hope you'll keep an open mind to all the upcoming things I have in store for you
Bols123 chapter 33
Loved this chapter by the way, can't wait to see what happens in the next. I've read the chapters you told me to and now I understand everything and I'm back on track, woohoo! So basically my other account is Chico15 and I realised you left a review on my story "Getting Down And Dirty In The West". Dude I was freaking out when I saw it! You're one of my favourite authors and you reviewed my story, just wanted to say that I appreciated it and as you can tell was over the moon about it, ahahaa - I'm glad you managed to understand it after all! Oh god, I feel terrible for having to tell you this, but I've never read that story.. I can tell you I've read the plot and I can honestly say I like the idea and an M rated story is always right up my lane. If you want, I can check it out! I'd love post a nice review about it :)