paisleys story
as i opened the door to the brick chalet house that i grew up in i took one last glance to where kendall had just dropped me off.
why did i say i love you. what a dick i am.
i sighed deeply and walked in the house. my mother was still in bed as far as i could gather. the mess was awful, i began to tidy up.
there was no way in hell i could live here like this.
after an hour or so of making the place semi livable in my mom graced me with her presence.
"i thought you said friday?" her voice sounded so much older than she actually was.
"yeah things changed" i answered
"ryan was round here last light looking for you, ellie mei from down the street saw you was back and told him"
"what did he want mom?" i asked
"he wants you back paisley. and if you know whats good for you you will go back... i sure as hell dont have the room for you here"
i thought for a second and looked around the house.
my reality sucked. with kendall gone and him being so far away i doubted that i would probably ever see him gain.
yeah im a pretty girl. but thats not enough to bring kendall schmidt back to me.
"i will call him mom. i will hear him out okay"
she gave me a smile before going to the fridge to get a beer out. she might as well pour the stuff on her cornflakes.
i had arranged to meet ryan in town. i didnt want to go back to his place just incase he got angry. i have been known to lock myself in the bathroom from time to time to escape a fist from him when he would accuse me of doing shit with other guys.
kendall was most definately the only guy that had been silly enough to succeed.
i sat on a bench waiting for ryan to show up, he was already ten minutes late.
my phone rang. it was kendall.
"hey! how are you?" i answered
"Pais', hey. Listen I've got some news. How does going solo sound? We are gonna sign you pais!..."
"kendall i cant talk now, solo sounds... not good"
"What do you mean?"
"im not good enough for that. i could never carry it off."
"Course you can paisley. I told you. Your amazing".
" i really dont feel comfortable with it kendall"
"No it will be fine" kendall continued."you need to get back here by Friday"
"i dont have any money to get back to LA"
"Well I will pay for it?"
"look ive got to go now"
"What? Why?..."
"im meeting ryan, kendall"
"Well what does that mean?"
"well nothing but i cant stay at my moms, you know what she is like... look he is here now, gotta go. sorry"
i slipped the phone back in to my pocket just as ryan had approached me.
we talked over a lot of things. but the fact was i had slept with someone else, he had the right to be angry... even though i knew and he knew that he had done it to me countless times with other girls.
i didnt tell him about the phonecall i had just got about possibly returning to LA. i couldnt even afford to get there so there was no way it could even happen.
it looked like ryan was my only light i had left at the end of a dark shitty tunnel.
ryan agreed that i could come back to his house. i said i would stay at my moms for tonight and he can pick me and my things up tomorrow.
he seemed happy with that. we walked around for a while, i was hoping to find a few job positions in the local shops. i would go down to the pool tomorrow to see if there was any way they would take me back on as life guard.
the night on the sofa was a long one. i tried to stay out as late as i could so i wouldnt run in to moms latest squeeze. he was a class A dick.
i was pleased that this would be my only night on this sofa. i think i would rather be dead than put up with living here again.
my night consisted of very little sleep and remembering the awful childhood that i had. looking around the room so many memories came back to me that i had lost or purposly forgotton.
funnily enough it was in this room that i lost my virginity to scott from school. and it was this room that i told my mom i was pregnant at 15.
i wish i had my time again. i wish i wasnt so scared of everything.
i wish kendall had of taken me back with him.
i woke up late the next morning, just gone ten. i got washed and dressed and walked the way in to town to the pool.
i spoke to a few old friends, they found it amusing that i had been in the papers, and asked me a load of personal questions about kendall... if i had learnt one thing from any of what had happened in LA it was to keep your mouth shut or reap the repercussions.
i denied everything and smiled sweetly.
they had no jobs for me.
as i got back to my moms i got the shock of my life seeing james maslows car out side the chalet. it wasnt alone though, ryans car was parked just infront of it.
crap!
ryan must of been in the house, james was sat in his car. i didnt blame him not getting out, i wouldt of left that thing outside on this street alone either.
i knocked on james' window, it came down and the gorgeous james maslow smiled at me, he had his sunglasses on again so all i could really see was my own reflection looking back at me.
"hey paisley" james chirped
"hi... what are you doing here?" i asked bemused.
"its your turn to shine... we are going back to LA"
"what? why are you here.."
"kendall is busy with taking kacey to the cleaners, so i have come to rescue you. i did knock but the angry little guy in there wasnt very welcoming towards me" james grinned. his smile was amazing.
"but what will happen if it turns out rubbish again? ive got no where to come back to if i go with you"
"paisley what if it turns out great?"
i smiled at james. singing... and kendall, it wasnt much of a risk when i weighed the odds out like that.
"okay i will get my things"
"i will come with you paisley"
"no... its fine, its not great inside... honestly its fine i will be right out"
"paisley im coming with you"
i sighed, and nodded.
james came in the chalet with me. ryan was sat on the sofa. he must of seen me talking to james through the window. ryan looked pissed off.
"hey" i said to ryan
"wais who the fuck is that?"
"um, ryan , james. james , ryan" i introduced them "james is... my boss
"i thought you said that all that singing shit was finished, then he shows up with his flash car... and what?... you off again?"
"ryan listen. this is a massive thing for me"
"i dont give a shit pais. you aint going anywhere"
"please, ryan. you cant tell me what to do"
ryan stood up, he squared up to james. i think there must of been only an inch in the size difference between them.
"you want her? your gonna have to pry her from my dead hands pretty boy!"
james didnt say a word. he smiled and gave a small chuckle before ramming ryan up against a wall. james held him there by his throat.
im not even sure if ryans feet could still touch the ground.
"i think you should listen to your girlfriend a bit more. she wants to do this" james voice was more a hiss "if you ever threaten me again i will cut this fucking throat... are we clear?"
ryan gurgled in response.
james let go and ryan fell to the floor in a heap coughing.
"get ya shit pais' we are off" james said before walking out of the house
i grabbed my stuff and ran out the door and in to the passanger side of james' car.
ryan came out the house.
"im sorry" i called out to him
"sorry... fuck sorry" ryan shouted back at me. he started kicking at a loose fence post untill it had got free. james did my window up and drove off, he turned around at the end of the road but ryan was armed and ready. the maserati took a blow to the window. i screamed.
james put his foot down, i had no idea how he could even see out the car, but he somehow made it a few blocks away from my moms chalet.
he pulled over
"fuck... fuck" james shouted
"shit im sorry" the car was silent
after a few moments james spoke
"its not my car, its rented... fuck"
"well lets just get it fixed. its only the windscreen" i hoped it was only the windscreen.
james got out and had a look at the damage, i opened my door but stayed in the car.
james poked his head round "yeah it is just the screen... sorry i didnt mean to shout at you"
i smiled "its fine... thanks for what you did back there"
"any time" he simply replied.
james got back in the car and dialled a number on his phone.
he spoke to sheriden. told her he might have a problem because of ryan. he didnt tell her what had happened. i guess she had been through so much, having her worry about james wouldnt help anything.
he said goodbye to sheriden then googled a few local garage numbers. he tried about 6. most laughed at him, who stocked maserati windscreens? but he did find one that could get one for tomorrow morning. by the sounds of it, it was not going to be cheap.
we got a tow to the same hilton that kendall and i had stayed at. we should of been half way to LA by now.
james paid for a room each for us.
i felt so awkward relying on people for money. usually i was very independant. i had to be to survive.
as i lay on my bed i still couldnt help feel happy. i didnt deserve any of this. i really wanted to give it my best shot.
the door knocked.
"hey! this is going to sound odd but i need you to sit on the car" james flashed a smile at me.
i raised an eyebrow to him. he walked in my room.
"has this got your clothes in?"
i looked at james maslow very puzzled "yeah it does" i answered
james opened my bag and picked certain items out. could this get any weirder?
"right put that on, with those boots and i will meet you in the parking lot"
i laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation but nodded.
james left and i got changed and went out to see what he was up to.
"why do i have to sit in the car?" i asked james.
"not in it paisley... on it. im going to put you on twitter"
"what?" i laughed at him.
he nodded in the direction of the car bonnet, so i climbed on. now i know why he wanted me to change. this was a publicity stunt. james took a few pictures before i could get off.
he helped me down.
"very clever mr maslow" i laughed
"i know miss petrelli" he winked at me
"its not petrelli... it prince... paisley prince"
james cocked his head. prince didnt seem to irritate him as it had my agent madeleine.
he tapped away at his phone for a bit then declared that it was all done.
"right young lady. we have got a job to do" and he ushered me away back in to the hotel.
james took me in to his hotel room. this made me nervous. i hardly knew they guy.
"how well do you know these songs"
he played a few seconds of each song he had picked out for me on his phone.
"um... hallelujah i know pretty much all the words to. the others just the chorus... maybe a bit more".
james smiled "good. sing hallelujah to me"
"now?" i asked
"ya. we only have a few days paisley and i need to know you know the song and can hit those notes... show me what you got"
"okay"
i sang james the song. he walked around the room. it put me off slightly.
he wasnt pleased the first time
"close your eyes, pretend im not here"
i tried again
"that was better" he said after,
"now sing it with me, follow my pitch, you will notice that mine is slightly different to yours... learn from it"
i sang with james. his voice was perfect for this song. it blew me away. but i knew what he meant. i needed to give this my all. thats all james wanted.
he smiled "thats good... you need to get it out from here" he placed his hand on my stomach.
i tried again on my own. james raised his hand to help my voice hit the right note.
he smiled that smile at me. he was pleased
"paisley your voice is really astounding" he beamed
"really"
"yes. its amazing, kendall was right... this song is going to be your make or break okay. its so powerful"
i sucked in a deep breath. i had butterflies in my tummy
"do you know nothing even matters?" james asked
"big time rush nothing even matters?" i asked
"ya"
"yeah i do... why?"
"because you will be singing it with us on saturday hopefully. i need to make a few calls but i want you in on it"
"its not a duet though? that wouldnt work"
"it can be broken down very easily...listen" james played the song on his iphone. he pointed at me on the lyrics that i would be singing.
listening to the song like that made it sound like it was destined to be a duet.
i was blown away again by james. he was intelligent beyond belief. i had so much respect for him right now.
james sent the songs to my iphone and ordered me to practice. he said we will continue in the car tomorrow.
i plodded back to my room so happy. i fet for once things couldnt get screwed up.
The night went by uneventful. James knocked on my door just after nine the following morning. The windscreen had just been replaced.
James told me that when we got back to LA I would be put in to a different hotel from the last, just incase ryan showed up.
And that I would definately be signing on the dotted line with his label directly we got back.
As far as James was concerned he had heard enough that I wouldn't need to do any sample tracks in the studio.
I was beaming.
"I will be in the car when your ready paisley" James smiled " say goodbye to reno" he winked.
I did say good bye to reno. I hoped to god I would never return.
I walked out to James he took my bags from me and put them in the back.
"You ready" James smiled at me. I think he knew the feeling of excitement he had given me the gift of.
"I'm so ready" I grinned back.
Mostly on the drive to LA James helped me with the songs.
I was to sing 4 songs in front of the 1500 guests of Sheridens charity gala.
"James you said before that kendall was right about my voice?... has he said anything else about me?" I think I hid my blushes fairly well.
James glanced at me with a huge grin.
"He did say some thing about you telling him you were in love with him"
I couldn't contain any blushes after that.
James laughed.
"Oh god. I don't know why I said it" I covered my face with my hands.
"Paisley don't worry about it. He likes you... a lot"
"Really, why hasn't he called since he found out I was meeting Ryan"
"You Hung up on the guy to meet that prick. What do you expect?"
"Yeah I guess. I didn't have a choice though... you saw my moms house"
James just nodded. Being a fully bred Californian he probably expects this from the wrong parts of reno.
"Really though paisley, he is quite taken by you. The thing about kendall is he falls in love fast and hard..." James looked at me as he reached a red light."kendall does stupid things when he is in love. I wouldn't want to see him get hurt"
"I don't want to hurt him James. I like him a lot" my voice was a whisper.
"Was it his idea to make me solo?" I added
"No that was me actually. I left kendall to look after sheriden for me... thanks by the way... for helping the other day. I was a mess"
"That's okay... did you say kendall is with sheriden?"
"Yeah I called her last night. They had a meeting with their lawyers to take kacey down then kendall was keeping an eye on her for me... she still isn't right"
"Oh so he changed his mind on staying away from her then? He seemed so adament the other day"
"He did try" he laughed "sheriden slapped some sense in to him"
"Did he stay the night?"
James looked at me with a 'do I look dumb' glance.
"Sorry. He just is so... Hung up on her. I don't mean to be rude but I have trouble ever picturing that they get along let alone had a whirlwind romance"
James laughed "right!" He agreed.
"I never understood it either. But they did and it was all very... emotional"
"Don't you find it hard to see them together? I mean just knowing kendall has been talking to her makes me feel insecure".
"No, I know sheriden inside out. And I know the hurt she suffered because of him"
"Yeah I guess... well I hope kendall will be pleased to see me"
James grinned again.
"Right these songs... how are you doing? Make sure you don't over do it. Last thing you need is to lose your voice"
"I'm doing okay... I hope... your really amazing James. Thanks for your help"
James smiled
" don't tell kendall you called me amazing... he has issues" he let out a deep laugh.
Our journey back was fun. James was very normal. His head firmly on his shoulders.
He would think through everything he said very carefully before it left his mouth.
We were now minutes from his home, Where I was about to sign an actual record contract.
My excitement could not be contained.
"Paisley before you get out the car, I've noticed you haven't so much as glanced at your phone. Just so your aware kendall is inside" he gave me a smile.
"Thanks James... I'm not avoiding him, I'm just a bit scared"
"I doubt your as scared as he is right now... Go easy on him paisley"
I gave James a smile but my stomach was now in knots.
We went inside. Something smelled nice cooking. I was starving.
Sheriden greeted me.
"Paisley, welcome. come on in" she hugged me " ... thankyou paisley. For doing what you did the other day. God knows what you must think of me"
I smiled at her. She looked well. But was wearing what must of been James' sweater. It was huge on her small frame.
"Kendall is cooking us Thai, you must be hungry"
"Yeah famished" my voice whispered out.
James took sheriden around the waist and looked her in the eye.
"You okay" he asked.
"Now your home I am" sheriden replied.
I don't know what James thought was intense with sheriden and kendall but watching those two was very uncomfortable.
"Kendall is just through there" sheriden said before she locked lips with James.
I walked through. Kendall was stood with his back to me.
I gulped down the lump that was now in my throat.
"Hey stranger" I called
Kendall turned to look at me.
"Hey! ... I'm making dinner. thai?"
"Thai is good" I replied.
I walked up to kendall to give him a hug.
He held me tightly.
"Pais I missed you"
"I missed you more" I looked up to kendalls face.
We stared at each other for a few seconds.
Then his lips met mine. Beautiful soft lips. I slipped my tongue in his mouth, he met it with his own, He caressed it.
Kendalls arms still on my waist from the hug he had just given me. I moved my hands around his shoulders and got comfortable with our kiss.
My butterflys in my stomach felt insane.
I don't think I ever wanted to part from kendalls soft slow kiss.
"Hmm hmmm" came a cough from behind us.
Kendall broke his contact with me.
I turned my head to see James and sheriden.
James had his arm around her shoulders.
James smiled at me. I smiled back. Sheriden just looked. It must be hard for her to see but kendall let go of me slowly.
I kept my gaze on James. His smile made me feel safe.
"Paisley would you like to look through your contract now?"
I looked up to kendall. He didn't look at me, he was too busy gawping at sheridens confused face.
"Sure" I said with a sigh
James walked me through to a small room just off of his lounge. I suppose you would call it a den. It had a small office space inside it.
"Are you okay" James asked.
"Yeah its a bit weird. Are they always like that when they are together?"
James smiled " no I think they will probably hug it out then it will be normal"
"Are you okay with that?" I asked James.
"Paisley you have to remember that they lost a baby together and still try to be friends after a messy break up" James sat down.
"Yeah I know. Kendall is so messed up about it"
"They both are. Paisley, its going to take a while for them both to move on. It's been well over a year now and look what's happened"
"I don't get how you can be so understanding all the time?"
"easy... I love sheriden. I'm always going to be there for her. Good and bad"
I nodded."James... I do feel I love kendall, i wasnt just saying it. I'm just not sure I can fill Sheridens shoes for him"
"Don't fill her shoes pais. Be a new pair" James smiled.
"You wanna read this contract and sign your life away?"
"I sure do" I replied wiping away a stray tear.
I read through the 6 month contract which included 1 album and 2 singles. Plus free accomodation.
I was over the moon.
I hugged James .
"Right shall we eat?" he said
"Definately" I agreed.
As we walked out from the den. The kitchen was quiet. James and I walked in to a disturbing sight of kendall and sheriden in the middle if what looked like an intimate kiss.
I stepped foreward from James ready to show my anger. But James grabbed my hand tightly before I could step foot in to the kitchen.
He stared at me to wait.
We both stood there. Watching his girlfriend and my boyfriend to be kissing. Eyes shut, exchanging tongues. Very much ... kissing.
Kendall pulled away and rested his forehead on Sheridens.
"I'm sorry" kendall said
"It's okay...im sorry too. for everything... james, the baby. but don't hurt her kendall"
Kendall smiled "I won't shoo I promise"
"James loves you more than I ever could shoo. Don't give him any more of your shit okay"
sheriden gave a small laugh"I promise"
They hugged, and James pulled me by my hand back to the den.
"Are you okay" he asked.
"Yeah that looked like..." I couldn't think of a word for what I had just seen.
"closure?..." James offered.
"was it? Shit are you okay? That must of been rough" I asked James
"I'm surprised its taken them so long. But in a way I'm glad I saw it" he replied
We both looked at eachother in silence
"Paisley could I ask you to maybe not mention that we saw ... that"
"um... Course, that's fine"
James walked out of the room loudly talking this time. I didn't listen to what he was saying. When we reached the kitchen this time sheriden was sat alone in a stool and kendall was dishing up dinner.
James pulled a chair out for me, I sat opposite sheriden.
She smiled at me.
" all signed up then?"
"Yes... its very exciting"
Kendall gave me a kiss on the cheek.
"Told you she was amazing" he added
I smiled. So did James.
kendall had made us all a nice meal. i was so hungry. james didnt stop at all unless it was to use the toilet on the way back for reno.
my mind whirred with thoughts of kendall and i, and the thought of the kiss i had just witnessed. how the hell had that just happened. and james, oh my god he must have the patience of a saint to have put up with all this for so long.
as i found myself questioning if i was up to the challange of kendall as my boyfriend, he stood up.
"would you like a lift back to your hotel?" he asked.
if my face hadn't given me away that i really didnt want to be sloppy seconds from sheriden lloyd tonite then my refusal was just about to.
"um.." i started.
"actually i need to go over a few things with paisley. i will drop her off if you dont mind" james cut in
"no thats fine" i said and smiled at kendall.
i said my goodbyes to both of them. james made sure that kendall was out of the door at the same time as us.
"paisley... that kiss. it was a one off. dont let it put you off okay"
"if your so sure of that why did you wait until kendall had left your house before you took me to the hotel?"
james sighed but added a chuckle.
"ive got a funny feeling that sheriden will tell me all about it when i get home"
"and if she doesn't?" i asked.
"if she doesn't then ... im just going to let it go... it was a one off pais"
"james can i ask you something? ... its a bit weird but i dont know who else to ask"
james glanced at me, the night lights from the road flashed on his face as he drove the car.
"sure... shoot"
"im not very... experienced when it comes to... you know... it. and kendall said he has only slept with 4 people. he seems a lot more, advanced than me."
"well i dont know about the only 4 girls thing, as far as im aware thats all he has under his belt. logan is more the one that gets the girls back after a show... that kind of thing, but ive not shared a bus with kendall since he got together with sheriden... it was weird before and its weirder now. and your only 19 paisley. he isnt expecting anything from you... just enjoy each other"
"your keen for him to be with me arent you?" i said
"i think it will do everyone good if he got a girl... he hasnt so much as looked at anyone since sheriden so you must have something he likes pais'"
i nodded.
"paisley... dont take this the wrong way but im going to send you off shopping tomorrow. your look is amazing but we need to diva you up a bit... my treat" james said.
"i have taken that slightly the wrong way" i laughed.
"right well here we are, they are expecting you, so just check yourself in. i will send some things over for you tomorrow... and i will need you in studio by 3. i will run through a stage set with you for saturday"
"thanks james. you run a much more oiled machine than i have experienced so far"
james smiled " we will make it work this time"
james got my bags out for me and i made my way in to the hotel room.