ELIZABETH'S POV

It was easy, hanging out with Carlos. I didn't have to worry about how I looked or what I wore, but he was still happy to see me. It didn't matter what we did either. Right now we were cloud watching. Our heads rested close to one another, nearly ear to ear, as we lied in the grass. His feet pointing north, mine south.

I knew Carlos could sense something wrong though. Every few minutes I could feel him turn his head slightly to look at me as he was talking and then back to the clouds, "Elizabeth," He started for my attention.

I instantly recognized the tone in his voice, "Yeah?" I answered.

"What's wrong?" It felt like it had been forever since someone has asked me that when a million different things flooded to mind. I didn't know how to answer him.

It was a simple question and almost over whelming when I blurted out, "My ex wants to meet up."

He quickly sat up and turned to look down at me, "What?" It sounded panicked.

I followed his motions, sitting up and turned to face him. I sat with my legs crossed and sighed, "Yeah, he sent me a text earlier saying he was in town and wanted to know if we could meet up to talk." I explained.

"The same guy who said you were an animal?" He asked.

He and Sawyer were the only people in L.A who knew what Brandon did. Sawyer was there for some of it, and I confessed it all to Carlos when he caught me in the stairwell at the Palm Woods crying about it. I was still getting over the whole thing when I moved here.

"That would be the one."

"He doesn't deserve it." He said scooting closer to me and crossing his legs.

"Deserve what?" I asked.

"He doesn't deserve to see you, to be around you, to breathe in your general direction." He listed off.

I laughed, "So you said no, right?" He asked hopeful.

"I told him I'd think about it."

Carlos almost looked hurt, but nodded with a weak smile I knew was forced.

"Do you know what he wants to talk about?" He asked.

"I haven't got a clue, he didn't say." I sighed again. This was going to be a pain in the neck.

"What if he wants to get back together with you? Would you even get back with him?" He sounded panicked again. I wish I knew where that was coming from.

"Honestly, it hasn't crossed my mind in a long time, but I don't see it happening." I replied as we both moved to get up.

His smile brightened his face as he stepped forward and gave me a hug. It was warm, the hug. The sun was beginning to set, cooling the air around us, but the warmth of Carlos was enough to make it feel nice.

I held him close, burying my face in the curve of his neck. He was a few inches taller than I was and if I didn't know any better, I would think we fit perfectly together. I felt his hold tighten around me, his fingers curving slightly putting a light pressure that I didn't know I liked until now.

"That's good, because he made you cry. I don't like it when you cry." His voice was low as he spoke to me, just above a whisper and only for me to hear.

After a few lingering moments we pulled away from each other, but still stood close to one another. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked the time, "We should probably get back to the Palm Woods." I said as I shoved my phone back in my pocket.

"Alright, let's go." He smiled and wrapped an arm around my shoulders as we walked.

With a small laugh, and a second to catch my breath, I wrapped an arm around his back, "Do you want to come over for dinner?" He asked.

"I can't. My mom actually has the night off for a change and I still need to talk to her about my trial-contract." I replied.

I wasn't able to catch Dad around often; it's been like that since he exploded because Sawyer was in my room with the door closed. It gave me a bad feeling, but it's not my place to saying anything to Mom about it. Now that I think about it, it was probably best if I stayed out of it. I have enough to worry about as it is anyway.

Our short walk from the park to the palm woods came to an end. We said our goodbyes in our shared hallway and went home.

The door was unlocked when I got there, thankfully. I forgot to grab my keys after I got the text from Brandon. I opened the door to the smell of some saucy noodle dish I couldn't quite place, but it gave me a warm and comfortable feeling.

"Hey Mom, I'm home!" I called out, closing the door behind me.

"Hey, your Dad is going to be away for a few days. So it's just going to be us." She smiled as I rounded the corner into the kitchen area.

The smile she gave seemed off. The fact that Dad would be gone for a few days seemed off, but I ignored it the best I could and stood next to her in front of the stove, looking down into a big pot of Goulash. I smiled; it was one of my favorite pasta dishes.

My stomached sensed the possibility of food and called out with a discouraging growl. Mom laughed as she added the last few touches of it.

"Since you're ready to eat, would you set the table for me?" She asked as she slipped on an oven mitt and opened the stove. She pulled out a pan of garlic bread and piled them into a bowl.

I nodded and grabbed two plates from the cabinet and the silverware from the drawer, "So what were you up to today?" She asked as I set the dinnerware on the table.

"Camille, Jo and I went to the mall earlier and I just got home from hanging out with Carlos." I replied putting everything in place.

Mom brought the cooled down pot out from the kitchen and set it on the table, reached over the peninsula grabbing the bowl of garlic bread and set it next to the pot as I walked back into the kitchen to get us something to drink.

"No wonder it took you so long to come home. I take it you didn't have any homework?" Mom asked as she fixed out plates.

"No, a lot of the others had busy schedules. So she gave us a break." I sat down at the table setting our glasses in front of us, "Speaking of schedules, I may have one soon." I spoke with a smile slowly inching across my lips.

"Can I get a little more detail?" She asked passing me the garlic bread.

"When Gustavo wanted to meet with me yesterday, the guys convinced him to let me audition even though I don't have a song done and when I finished he gave me a trial contract." I hadn't touched my plate yet, only setting my garlic bread next to my goulash.

Mom panicked, "You didn't sign anything without permission, did you?" She dropped her hand to the table from picking up her fork.

"No! Of course not, it's in my room. I was going to have Dad look at it, but since he's not going to be around for a few days-"

"I'll look at it after we eat." She assured me as she forcefully moved the conversation along.

I nodded and looked down to my plate. I picked up the garlic bread and took the biggest bite I could out of it. Garlic bread was easily one of my favorite things; it was gone in only three bites. I moved to grab my fork when Mom spoke up, "You already downed your bread?"

I stopped in mid bite of my goulash, "Yeah…" I slowly took the fork in my mouth.

"Goodness, you must be hungry." She smiled.

I swallowed hard and continued to slowly eat the rest of my goulash. Mom and I chatted a little here and there through eating, but after she said that, I wasn't much in a talking mood. She didn't mean it the way I heard it. She couldn't have possibly meant it that way. I hadn't eaten much all day, of course I was hungry.

I did what I could to shake it off and finished my plate, "Go get the contract so I can take a look at it." Mom requested as she reached for my plate.

I nodded and went to get it for her.


ALRIGHT. I kinda have a good writing vibe. So I'm going to try to update more often. :) BUT tell me what you think of the chapter? It helps loads when you guys give me feedback and express your thoughts about it. Til the next chapter!