A/N Ahhh I have a dilemma! Idk what to do! Here's the stitch: So, there's this really amazing dance program at the University of Central Oklahoma that I have been just dying to go to and I FINALLY GET TO GO THIS YEAR! AND there is a really cool camp in Kansas that I have been on the waiting list for 2 years to work at with my best friend and I FINALLY GET TO GO. And this morning, I find out that they are both the same exact week in June. WTF is wrong with my luck? HOW DO I CHOOSE JUST ONE? *slams face on the counter and sobs*
Anywho thanks for all the reviews and reads, now let's get this show on the road shall we!
"James… James!" Logan shook James' shoulder roughly, but the brunette was in a deep sleep, despite the fact that he was shivering violently. He looked like he had been crying, judging by his red and swollen tear-streaked face. His arms were wrapped around his torso protectively and his pink lips were twisted into a distraught frown.
"James, what's wrong?" Logan yelled nervously, hoping that his loud voice would awaken the unconscious boy. He was at wits end. He had no idea what was wrong with his friend and why he wouldn't wake up.
Deciding it was way too cold outside to allow James to sleep outside any longer, Logan shoved his hands underneath James arms and heaved upwards with all of his strength. He struggled to lift the tall boy up, his muscles quivering with the strain, but he just couldn't hoist him into his arms. He needed help.
Logan ran inside the apartment to Carlos' room. The little Latino was cocooned up in his comforter, but Logan wasted no time in unraveling him and forcing him awake.
"Lo-Gan!" Carlos whined with a pout, squeezing his eyes shut and grasping blindly for his discarded covers.
"Carlos wake up, I need your help. I think something might be wrong with James," Logan said breathlessly.
Carlos' eyes shot open and he sat up, concern etched upon his sleepy features. "What happened?"
"Follow me, I need help bringing him inside I can't do it by myself."
"Well where is he?" Carlos asked.
"Just follow me," Logan said, taking Carlos by the wrist and dragging him out to the balcony.
"What happened to him? He looks terrible!" Carlos cried out, catching sight of the curled up, miserable ball that was James lying on the cold concrete balcony.
"I don't know. But you get his legs and I'll get his arms," Logan instructed. Together, the 2 small boys were able to easily lift James and get him to the safe, comfortable couch.
"He doesn't seem physically injured in any way," Logan said, brushing auburn strands of hair out of James' eyes. "And he's not running a fever. He looks like he had a rough night, though." Logan put his forehead in his hands and rubbed his temples with his fingertips, feeling a headache forming. "I just wish I knew how to help him."
Carlos bit his lip as he covered James' sleeping body with a warm blanket. "I don't think he wants help, Logie," The young boy said, ignoring the questioning look he got from his friend. "Is it ok if I go back to sleep? It's only 6 AM and I'm sleepy."
"Of course it's ok, 'Litos. Thanks for your help buddy," Logan said. Carlos nodded and quickly scurried to his bedroom, shutting the door behind him. Logan sighed and tried to figure out what Carlos' comment had meant, by James not wanting any help. He wondered if Carlos was aware of something he wasn't.
James' body suddenly tensed beside Logan as he let out a small whimper. Logan put his hand on James' back and rubbed gently.
"Jamie, what's wrong buddy?"
James sat up with a start, gasping for air from another nightmare. His stomach rolled uncomfortably and he squeezed his lips together, praying the sick feeling would pass. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Logan staring at him with concern. James prepared himself for an onslaught of questions from his smaller friend, but instead he felt a warm, comforting hand rest on his cheek.
"Are you alright, James?"
James coughed and brought his blanket around him tighter. "Yeah, just cold," he said. "Freezing, actually."
"Well it's no wonder, you fell asleep on the balcony last night dude. What's up with that?"
James shrugged and fidgeted with his blanket. He hated lying to his friends, loathed it, really. It felt weird and unnatural and wrong. If there was anybody he could tell anything too, it would be Logan, and Kendall and Carlos too. They promised each other they would always swear to tell the truth after a peewee hockey game in 4th grade, when Logan was too scared to tell James that he accidently broke his hockey stick. But that was back when they dealt with silly, miniscule grade school problems. This was not just about a broken hockey stick that their parents could easily replace.
"James?" Logan prompted. "Why did you sleep on the balcony?"
"I just went out to get some air and fell asleep ok?" James said, looking over to where Kendall lay on the opposite end of the couch. "Kendall had a rough night and I was up taking care of him until like 4 AM."
"Well why don't you get some sleep than? I'll take over taking care of Kendall."
James shook his head, strands of hair flinging around wildly. "No, no, that's ok. I'll make some breakfast. Want some eggs?" James didn't even wait for Logan to answer and headed to the kitchen to make breakfast for his friends. He found that cooking kept his mind off of things, kept him awake.
When James was in the middle of scrambling the eggs, Logan's cell rang. James paid no attention to it until Logan's voice said,
"Oh hey Gustavo how are you?"
James ran into the living room, eyes wide. "It's Gustavo?" He mouthed. The pale boy nodded and held his hand up to shush James.
"…Um, no I think we need at least one more day off," Logan said, reaching over to feel Kendall's forehead. "Kendall is still running a bit of a fever and James isn't doing so well at the moment."
"LET ME TALK TO HIM!" James suddenly shouted, trying to pull the phone out of Logan's hands. He was dying to go to rehearsal. Ever since he was little, singing and dancing set him in a whole other world, away from all his pain and distractions. He wanted to be in that world right now. He needed to be in the studio.
"James, what are you doing?" Logan whined, squirming out of the taller boys grasp. James snatched the phone away and held it to his own ear. Logan "humphed" and sat on the couch with his arms crossed in a pout.
"Hey Gustavo, it's me, James. Do you need us to go to the studio today?" James asked hopefully.
"No, Kelly forbade me to let you dogs work until Kendall was completely healed. You're lucky we don't have anything pressing to get done at the moment," Gustavo said, though he didn't sound very annoyed. He was kind of enjoying his time away from the loud, grumpy teenagers. "But there's a CD release party tonight in downtown LA at a nightclub for 'Lil Crank-Crank' and Big Time Rush was invited. It's good publicity and whoever is healthy needs to go."
"Ooh a party?" James said. He raised his eyebrows and looked up at Logan, who stared at him questioningly.
"What party?" The smaller boy asked.
"Gustavo wants us to go to a CD release party can we go please, can we Logie please?" James jutted out his lower lip and pleaded. Logan rolled his eyes and grabbed the phone back.
"Gustavo, it's Logan again. Do we really have to go to this party-"
"Yes we do!" James said. "Logan, I haven't partied in weeks! And remember, if I don't party, I might die!"
Logan wrinkled his nose. "What? You're not gonna die-"
"Maybe flirting with cute celebrity girls will make me feel better!" James said quickly. "Please, Logie? I'm dying holed up in the apartment all the time."
Logan sighed. He wasn't sure if it was such a good idea, but James was looking kind of desperate the way he was now on his knees with his hands folded and eyes wide with hope.
"Fine, put James and Carlos on the guest list, Gustavo. I need to stay with Kendall." Logan hung up and turned to James, who was saying "thank you, thank you, thank you" over and over again while hopping up and down.
"Don't get too happy yet," Logan said, even though he himself was happy to see that, despite his bad night, James was still his hyper, party-obsessed self. "I'm not letting you go to that party unless you go to bed and rest and for a few hours. You look exhausted."
"But I'm fine," James said. Logan frowned and ran his thumb along the dark circles beneath James' hazel eyes.
"I can tell you haven't been getting much sleep. You need to try, James. You look so tired all the time. It's hard to see you like that. You'll feel so much better if you go lie down for a bit."
James sighed, slumping his shoulders with defeat. Logan was so persuasive. He couldn't tell little Logie "no" when he was only worried for his friend.
"I'll finish breakfast and watch over Kendall. Get some sleep," Logan said gently, and only compassion could be heard in his voice. James couldn't deny that.
"Ok," James finally agreed. He headed to his room, which was quiet and dim and warm. He changed into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, than slithered down underneath his comforter. It did feel nice to lie down in his bed and rest his aching, exhausted muscles. He let out a contented sigh, pushing away memories of the other night from his mind. He was completely aware that he had basically had some kind of mental breakdown just a few hours ago, and he didn't want to remember the details.
After a few minutes, James realized it was awfully quiet in his room, too quiet. Carlos always snored. Always.
"Carlos, you awake?" James asked, peering over his blankets to the bundle on the bed across from his.
The lump on Carlos bed rustled a bit, but didn't speak.
"Carlitos I know you're awake, you can't fool me," James teased. Too his surprise, Carlos did not speak a word. James frowned, a bit offended, and walked over to Carlos'. He sat down next to the lump and reached his hand under his comforter. His fingers met Carlos' bare foot and started tickling, making the Latino giggle and kick.
"Ha! I knew you were awake," James said.
"No, I'm not!" Carlos said, curling his legs in so James couldn't reach his feet. James could hear the dejection in his voice.
"Carlos, are you alright?"
"…"
"Come on, 'Litos. Talk to me. What's wrong?"
"Do you really need to ask me that?" Carlos asked acidly. James blinked, not used to hearing Carlos sound so… Mad.
James put his hand on his younger friend's back and rubbed gentle circles, something Carlos always loved. But this time, the Latino wormed away from his touch and turned on his side. James retracted his hand sadly.
"Gustavo is making us go to a party tonight," James said, not giving up. Carlos was pretty easy to break, most of the time anyway. He just wasn't the type to stay mad forever. "It'll be just the 2 of us, like the old days. The Super Hollywood Party Kings of Hollywood."
Carlos was stubborn this time. He didn't even look at James, let alone speak. He simply ignored James, which only made the brunette feel even worse. The silent treatment was making him a little angry.
"Come on Carlos, say something," James pleaded. He just needed to hear his best friend say that it was ok, that he forgave him. Carlos was everything to him, and now he felt like a disappointment to the kid who he considered a younger brother.
"Please don't be mad at me Carlos," James said in a small voice. He hoped his friend could hear the desperation in his voice, but apparently he didn't, because instead of turning around and giving him a huge bear hug like James was hoping for, he rolled out of bed and wordlessly left the room for the kitchen to eat breakfast.
Stunned, James blinked back a tear and buried his face in Carlos' pillow, and he wondered if it was possible for him to feel any lower than he did at that moment.
A/N Oh no, will Carlos and James ever be friends again, or is their fight only going to get worse? Sorry if this seemed like a filler chapter, but it's all leading up to the party, because of course, I can't just let the boys go have a fun, enjoyable night. Something bad has gotta happen, right? ;)
Please review! Reviews make me want to post the next chapter quicker, and the party scene will be worth it!