Boredom had gripped Stevie about half an hour ago. In the back seat of Zanders truck, Kevin and Nelson were having some sort of a conversation about furious pigeons. Kasey, who was sitting behind Stevie, occasionally made some snide comment about how ridiculous they were. Stevie had tried to talk to them at first, but now she couldn't be bothered. She was so tired. Zander hadn't said much the entire time they'd been driving, Stevie could have said he was focusing on the road, but it never usually took this much concentration for him to drive.

Stevie had propped her chin on her hand long ago, trying to find something interesting outside to look at. There wasn't anything. The radio was turned down low, but Stevie could still hear the faint music. It was almost soothing.

She felt something touch her other hand and jumped. It was only Zanders fingers brushing against her own, he smiled, running his fingers over hers.

"Ok?" he asked gently, just loud enough for her to hear.

She nodded, "I'm tired though."

"I know."

She didn't ask how he knew. Usually, she could read him as well as he could read her. Maybe it was how tired she was that was stopping her from knowing what he was feeling today- at least that was what she hoped it was.

"Why don't you try to sleep now? We're at least an hour away still." Zander suggested.

Stevie bit her lip, looking down at his hand over hers, he was still absentmindedly tracing the lines of her fingers.

"Really?"

He nodded. "You're gonna need all the energy you can get for tonight."

He was right, of course. He was always right. Stevie sighed, "Alright."

"Here." Kasey pushed something at Stevie. She turned and looked at Kasey, confused. "I'm not cold, so you may as well use my Jacket as a pillow."

Stevie took it slowly, "Thanks Kase."

Kasey smiled at her friend, knowing that she'd done the right thing.

For a while everyone was silent, Kevin and Nelson had stopped talking as Stevie fell asleep and Kasey had been watching her friends quietly. They had exchanged a glance and then fallen silent, as if there was some unspoken agreement still standing from a long time ago.

Finally Kasey leaned forward, trying to get as close to Zander as possible, "Is she asleep?"

Zander nodded.

"How do you know?" Kasey insisted.

Zander gave her a weird look, "because she is." He responded flatly.

"But how do you know?"

Zander glared at her, "she's my girlfriend Kasey. She falls asleep on me all the time. I know when she's asleep. And I know when she's faking. And right now she's asleep."

"Alright." Kasey replied defensively. "Is she ok?"

"She's just tired." Zander sighed.

"Cause she's been very strange this week." Kasey told him, as if Zander didn't know.

Zander didn't say anything.

Kasey crossed her arms. "I'm worried! Why won't anyone tell me anything? Just because I haven't known her well my whole life, or have the whole soulmates thing going on, doesn't mean I don't care and I don't want what's best for her!"

"Stevie's been relatively normal this week." Nelson pointed out. "Compared to… other times."

"This is what I mean!" Kasey complained. "You all have a special bond with her and… I don't."

Zander has to admit that he does feel a little bad for Kasey. She really had no idea what they were up against. "On the contrary Kasey. Stevie thinks extremely highly of you. You are her only female friend. And she considers you extremely important."

"Why won't she tell me anything then?" Kasey asked quietly, looking helplessly at the three boys.

"Kasey. We told you, she won't tell us anything either. What we know we tend to guess." Kevin stated gently.

Kasey sucked her cheeks in nervously, "So what do you know?"

"Nothing other than what we told you." Nelson insists.

Kasey pouts.

"Look. Guys." Zander says quietly, "Can we not do this while she's right there?"

"True." Nelson states, "Stevie may hear us, after all she is STEVIE, and who knows what she's capable of right?"

Zanders tempted to face palm, but he has to keep his eyes on the road, so he just shakes his head.

There's more silence, they all need all the energy they can get for their gig.

Kasey knows Stevie's been acting weird, even if her friends tell her that Stevie's not. There's been the peculiar mood swings (that no one but her seems to notice- or they pretend not to notice), Stevie's lack of appetite and the phone call to her brother.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Zander asked, pointing to Stevie's phone, which was buzzing in her hand.

Stevie swallowed, staring at the phone as if it was poison, she licked her lips, "It's my brother." Stevie whispered, and then a little louder, "It's James." She turned her phone around, showing them the picture accompanying his name. A laughing, much younger Stevie was being hugged by James who was looking down at her with a big smile.

"Answer it!" Zander insisted.

Stevie gulped and with a shaking finger, pressed answer. "Hi James!" Her voice instantly changed from terrified, to very confidant and nonchalant.

"Stevie!" they could all hear his voice through the speaker, slightly tinny but still audible. "How are you baby-girl?"

Stevie's eyes widen in shock, but it was only momentary, before she's back to total calm. "I'm good! How are you?"

James replies fast, in a jumble of words, "Good, but Steves, I've got really exciting news for you!"

"Really?" Stevie tugs at a bit of hair.

"You know how I was telling you last week how you guys are really popular here?" James voice is fast, and it's hard to pick up some of the words he says.

"Yes…" Stevie looks apprehensive, Kasey thinks, like she's not sure if she want to know what he's about to say.

"And I was telling you about the Friday night concerts we have?" James doesn't even wait for a response, he just continues, "YOU GOT THE GIG STEVES!"

There's a moment where Stevie looks like she's processing the information before she lets out a shriek. "REALLY! OH MY GOD JAMES! YOU'RE AMAZING!"

"Anything for you Steves." James responds, It's hard for Kasey to totally pick up on his tone of voice, but she thinks it's gone softer, like he couldn't think of anything better right now than making his little sister smile.

And, oh, Stevie does smile. Kasey would almost describe it as a beam, her smile is so big. For the next few minutes Stevie and James have an animated discussion on hotels and times before saying goodbye and hanging up.

"We've got a gig at James' collage." Stevie says, as if it's no big deal.

Pretending they hadn't just been listening to the phone conversation, Kasey shrieks with delight, Kevin and Nelson discuss which furious pigeon's games they should take and Zander pulls Stevie into a heated kiss.

They have exactly a week's preparation time. Playing a collage with as many students as James' is a huge deal for them. The amount of exposure they'll get from a half hour set is huge.

It's clear to Kasey that Stevie's not as excited about this as she'd like everyone to believe, but Kasey plays along with Stevie simply because she doesn't know what else to do.

Their arrival at the collage pulls Kasey back to reality, it's almost six-thirty and they start at eight-fifteen. An hour and forty five minutes to set up and warm up, that should be enough, right?

Zander wakes Stevie up gently, kissing her cheek and rubbing circles on her palms with his thumbs.

Kasey can't help but feel a little jealous, as fantastic as Dean may be, he never looked at her the way Zander looked at Stevie. Zander looked at Stevie like she was the only person in the world who really mattered, like even though he was tired from school and driving, he still put every last ounce of his energy in to making Stevie feel good.

Stevie's hazel eyes fluttered open, she smiled at him. "Z." She whispered.

"Hey sweetie. We're here." Zander kisses her cheek again and Stevie sits up a bit.

"How long was I asleep for?" she asks with a yawn.

"About an hour. Feel better?" Zander takes her other hand to, holding them both gently. Stevie nodded, leaned forward, and kissed him on the lips.

Mentally, Kasey 'awwww'ed.

When James appeared five minutes later, grinning like an idiot, he picked Stevie up in a tight hug and spun her around before gently placing her back down in front of him. "I'm so glad you're here!" he exclaimed with a grin. "And tomorrow I have so many things I want to show you!"

James takes them to the 'courtyard', though this courtyard is at least one hundred times the size of their school courtyard. He introduces them to the stage manager, who smiles at James flirtily, "When you said your little sister was part of Gravity 5 I really wasn't sure I believed you. But here she is, and I can see the resemblance."

James nods and looks at Stevie, "She's my favorite little Sister!"

"I'd better be! Who else could you pick?" Stevie retorts playfully.

By the time the sound check is over it's almost seven-forty-five, James disappears to find his friends, promising Stevie with a hug that he'll be at the front of the crowd cheering her on.

Kasey wishes that someone would come specially to cheer her on.

They change into their concert clothes, and to Kasey's amazement, Stevie lets Kasey do her hair and make-up.

The crowd makes a loud din outside the stage area and Kasey feels slightly nervous. This is a much bigger crowd than they've ever performed for before.

"Night" Stevie tells Zander with a giggle after their make out session finally finishes. She stands dreamily resting on the door post and watches Zander disappear down the hall into his room.

The collage provided accommodation to guest performer's speakers and others like them. The rooms weren't big, or fancy, but they had beds and ensuite bathrooms, and right now that was all Kasey needed.

The stage manager had estimated at least five-thousand people at the concert, a lot of them had picnic rugs and were cuddled up with their friends. None the less, they had gotten a standing ovation and whistles when Kasey had introduced the band.

Stevie closed the door slowly, the dreamy smile still playing on her lips and flopped down on her bed.

Kasey gave Stevie a nudge, "shove over." She told her friend good-naturedly.

Stevie did, turning a little to Kasey, "that was amazing!" she grinned.

"I know!" Kasey squealed, "The crowd was so enthusiastic!"

"If that was five-thousand people, imagine how cool it will be to play in front of ten-thousand!" Stevie giggled.

They lay for a while staring at the ceiling, reliving the glorious time on stage.

"Stevie?" Kasey asked quietly, rolling over on to her side so she was facing her friend.

"Mmm?" Stevie responded vaguely.

"Are you ok?" Kasey almost regretted the question as it came out of her mouth, and she did regret it when Stevie didn't respond.

Finally, Stevie nodded. "I think so." Stevie didn't have to ask what Kasey had meant. It briefly occurred to her that she clearly wasn't doing a very good job of hiding her issues, but she didn't dwell on that.

"Kase?" she whispered a moment later, Stevie sat up, "Why do you hate it when Zander and I kiss?"

Kasey sat up fast, a horrified look painted on her pretty features, "you think I hate it when you and Zander Kiss?"

Stevie nodded, "you always say eww or something."

"Oh." Realization hit Kasey. "I don't hate it at all. You guys are so sweet with each other. I guess…" Kasey sighed, "I guess I'm kinda jealous sometimes."

"Jealous?" Stevie questioned.

"Yer, you guys have such an amazing relationship. You guys are perfect for each other. Zander looks at you like you're his world- which I guess you are. I don't know, I guess I want what you guys have."

"Oh." Stevie whispered. "I'm sorry Kase. What about Dean? You really like Dean!"

"I know, but Dean and I aren't as close as you and Zander."

"It takes time." Stevie pointed out. "Zander and I were best friends for a year before we started dating. Besides, you guys are always breaking up. Why do you do that?"

Kasey shrugged, "every time we break up I think it's going to be for good, but somehow we always end up going out again."

"You guys are clearly really attracted to one another. That's a good sign."

"I guess." Kasey sighed "but it's not keeping us together."

"Try staying together for a bit longer. Maybe that will work." Stevie suggested.

"Do you think we can work?" Kasey asked Stevie, her eyes hopeful.

"Of course!" Stevie said with conviction. "But you guys are different to Zander and I. remember that. Be Kasey and Dean, don't try and be something you're not."

Kasey grabbed Stevie's hand, "thanks Stevie." She said quietly. "I wish we did this more often." Kasey said after a moment.

"What?"

"Talked. Just the two of us." Kasey was starting to feel a little loopy from tiredness, "you know that's why I want you to come shopping with me. So we can talk."

Stevie laughed, "Kasey, if you wanted to talk you could just say so. There are so many other things apart from shopping that we could do together."

Kasey smiled as Stevie rested her head on her shoulder as she said, "you're the only girl I've ever really been friends with, do you know that? I really have no idea how the whole girl thing works. You have to show me."

Kasey grinned, "I think we can arrange that."

"Not too much shopping though Kase." Stevie pointed a finger at her friend.

"Sure." Kasey nodded, "just girl time."

HTRobsessed, this is for you darling.

This turned out happier than expected, none the less, the next chapter wont be.

MY dear guest reviewer: thankyou! Annie is Amazing :)

I love It when you guys review! so tell me what you liked, hated or anything, I don't mind!

Encantria 3