A/N: So sorry guys, updates are going to be pretty slow, holiday season and all. I'm hoping to keep up the 2 updates/week trend, but at the very least, I promise to post a chapter a week.
How repetitive do I sound when I express my gratitude for you guys every week? Checking the traffic of this story, you guys have blown me away with the amount of readership. Thank you so much!
[bigtimerangergirl123]: Haha, I'm the same time of reader, so thanks so much for leaving a detailed review.
[nerdygirl3.14]: Cute username! Normally, I don't answer direct questions about the story in case it kills the suspense, but I think it's safe to say that yes, the other guys will know about Katie's hospitalization. Does it make you feel better if I say that even I don't know how they're going to find out? ;)
Disclaimer: Don't own the show's characters or references.
Katie gave the punching bag all she had. She had just dropped off Kendall at James' place as per her brother's request. Carlos came out to greet them, excited as always. Kendall had questioned where James was, when the Hispanic man informed that he had gone out to dinner with a girl. Katie knew that she had turned down James, but she didn't expect him to bounce back from the rejection so quickly.
She gave another hard punch before taking a break. She sat down on the closest bench, wiping the sweat off her face. She moaned as she let her head hang, thinking about her dilemma with the older man. She knew that his actions proved her point that they wouldn't last long-term, but she still felt hurt and irrationally jealous at his mysterious date. Her eyes widened as she gasped, finally understanding her illogical feelings; she was starting to like James again.
"Please, please, don't let this be true. You can't like James," Katie mumbled into her hands, succumbing to her habit of talking to herself whenever she was stressed. "He's not worth it, you know what he's like. Get over it. Come on, Katie, don't be stupid. Whatever you're feeling isn't real, you've only reconnected for a day. It's just infatuation, it'll pass." Katie raised her head after giving herself a pep-talk, she noticed a nearby brunette, jogging on a treadmill, staring at her every move.
Katie got up, ready to leave the gym, "What? You've never seen a girl talk to herself before?"
When Katie sat down at the table in the restaurant, freshly showered, her brother gave her a curious look. "You alright, baby sister?"
Katie shrugged, nonchalantly, "I'm fine." There was little hope that Katie was going to reveal her attraction to one of her brother's best friends.
"Are you sure? You don't look like yourself," Carlos said as he reached across the table to press his hand against her forehead. Kendall had invited him to join the siblings for dinner and movie.
Katie allowed him to check, watching warily as he pulled away convinced that she didn't have a fever. "I'm not sick, guys." Her companions both raised an eyebrow in question. "If you do that too long, it may get stuck like that," Katie remarked sarcastically.
Carlos reached up and cupped his eyebrows in fear. Kendall rolled his eyes.
Katie sighed and fibbed, "I'm just hungry." She reached for a menu before asking, "So, Carlos, when did the studio say they were going to call you back?"
"They said by Friday, latest," Carlos replied. "But, in all seriousness," he leaned in towards Katie. "You are going to be my manager, if I get the job, right? 'Cause it's not fair if you're James' manager and not mine."
Katie had thought about this matter during the day, she knew that signing Carlos would increase her company's sustainability and marketability as he was a member of an extinct popular boy band. She also knew that managing Carlos would require more time and effort than a regular client; she would have to walk Carlos through every course of action. Katie's decision lay solely on the fact that Carlos had always been there for Katie.
Growing up behind Big Time Rush's limelight, Katie had few friends who liked her for her; those who befriended her only looked for ways to meet the band. However, she hardly made effort to go searching for friends, often feeling content with Kendall and his friends, and Tyler at the Palm Woods. Unexpectedly, Carlos became the person in Katie's life whom she would tell her secrets and ambitions. Carlos had lent his ear and shared thoughts of his own with her, as well. He was the first one of the four band members to offer taking her to her junior prom, even though she didn't want to go in the first place. She ended up staying in that night, spending it playing video games and eating pizza with Kendall, Carlos, Logan and James, but she kept the knowledge that all of them were willing to sacrifice their reputation to make her happy, in her heart.
Katie gave Carlos a smile and simply stated, "Okay, I'll be your manager."
"Really?" Carlos' face lit up. "Huh, I'd thought it be more difficult to get you to agree."
"Nope," she shook her head. "I forced you into reading that script, so it makes sense for me to become your manager, but, we also need to find you an agent and fast."
Kendall frowned in concentration, peering over his own menu. "I never actually understood the difference between a manager and an agent."
"Legally speaking, I am not allowed to negotiate any contractual agreements for my clients, they have to go through an agent or a lawyer. What I am allowed to do, is look for prospective projects and assignments for them and then some," Katie explained quickly, not wanting to go into the nitty-gritty detail of her work life. Katie sighed dramatically when she saw the blank stares, "Consider me a professional advisor with the ability to produce." Comprehension dawned on Kendall and Carlos' faces.
"Oh, well, I know you're going to be great at that," Carlos stated cheerfully, right before the waiter came over to take their orders.
"You're really making a mark, baby sister," Kendall remarked, happy that his sister's business was successful.
"Yeah, and I've taken into consideration what you told me yesterday about hiring another manager for the company and I've already started looking, so thanks for that."
"No prob."
"So Carlos, we're going to have to go agent hunting some time this week; I do know a couple that you may be interested in hiring, but I'll let you see which one you think would be the best for you. You'll have to stop by the office, possibly some time tomorrow after lunch, I have a meeting in the morning. You definitely need an agent before you are able to act in movies," Katie stated, unconsciously using her business tone. She turned to her brother, "I'm sorry, big brother, I didn't expect to be so busy this week, I didn't even want to be in the office at all this week."
Kendall shrugged, good-naturedly, "No worries, I'm staying here for another week anyway, we'll have plenty of time to hang out. Besides, you won't have to go to the office this weekend, right?"
Katie nodded, her eyes lighting up with a thought. "Hey, Carlos, make sure you don't plan anything for this weekend either. I have the perfect idea of how we can spend it."
Carlos' eyes sparkled with excitement, "Okay! What are we doing?"
"You'll see. I promise you guys will love it," Katie smiled before sipping her wine.
That night, Katie fell into a deep slumber, feeling like she hadn't slept in days. But Katie was never one to sleep for very long, she woke up before dawn. She lay in bed thinking about all that had happened to her in the past few days, mostly of her feelings for James. Her cheeks heated, as she thought about her redeveloped feelings for the older man. While she knew that she was physically attracted to him, she really didn't want to be. James was everything she didn't want in a man. Not only was he famous and self-absorbed, he was also a very good-looking sleaze, using and discarding women like they were nothing but tissue paper.
Katie sighed audibly, as she flipped over to rest on her side. She continued to think about his redeeming qualities. She gave a small smile when she thought back to their relationship when they were younger. James had played the role of the overprotective brother when she had gone out on her first date; while she was annoyed with him for most of that night, she did find what he had done endearing. Katie also remembered how James was always the reluctant one to agree with the rest of the gang to do good deeds for others, but in the end, he maintained his loyalty and lent a hand when needed. James was also, surprisingly, the one who taught Katie how to drive. Kendall had yet to learn himself, refusing to learn because he knew that Logan would drive him wherever he needed to go. Her mother was, at the time, going through a difficult of empty-nest syndrome and refused to teach her daughter on principle of not allowing Katie to get away from her faster. Logan was originally supposed to teach Katie, but while he was able to teach and help her with her schoolwork, the two had clashed inside a car; after one lesson, both parties were ready to tear out their hair. Kendall didn't trust Carlos enough to let him teach his baby sister, which left James as the only option.
James was a natural behind the wheel of a car, and his cool demeanour transferred over to his teaching style. Katie, always a quick learner, picked up driving, easily. The two would spend occasional free afternoons and evenings cruising along the Californian coastline. These bonding moments that Katie had with James made her develop her crush on him. For the first time since she was born, she didn't feel like he looked at her as only Kendall's little sister, but as an equal, someone he could talk to. While James didn't keep his dreams and desires a secret, she did learn about his insecurities and fears.
Katie remembered one moment in particular, she had pulled off to the side of the road one night and the two had laid down on the hood of the BTR Mobile, looking down at Los Angeles. James had told her of how he was afraid of the day that his fame would come to an end, unlike the other guys, he didn't have a back-up plan. She thought back to what she had told him to appease his fear, she recalled telling him about how she was essentially in the same boat with her desire to be a mogul in America's entertainment industry. She chuckled as she remembered how she told him that there was no doubt that the two would succeed, there was enough brain and beauty between both of them to run Hollywood and if they didn't last, then they would torch the city together.
Katie sat up in bed, remembering how she believed that she and him would always have each other to depend on. James had apologized for his lack of support for Katie during the past few years, but Katie thought about how she hadn't been there for him. As much as she would like to blame the lack of time she had to spare during college or during the first year of her company, she never attempted to call James to see how he was doing. He had mentioned that she was the only one he had left, and it was likewise for her, she had suffered through many nights of loneliness when her brother and mother left for Minnesota. While both of them had friends, such as Camille, to remind them of their past, no one could fill the void left behind by the lack of family and it seemed that both of them had forgotten what each other meant to one another.
Katie rubbed her face, James may not be the person she was willing to live her life with romantically, but she knew that she wanted James back in her life as the companion he once was. She was willing to try again with James, she wanted her friend back. She got out of bed, ready to face the long day she had.
A/N: Ah, some of you readers may be upset with how temperamental Katie is in this chapter, but let's face it, she's a 22 year old girl who has developed feelings for one of her brother's best friends and he's someone that she grew up with to boot! I wanted to convey the idea how human Katie is; her feelings for James isn't going to be linear.
Like always, please review! I personally love reading everyone's favourite parts. ;)
-D