Chapter 16

(2005)

It's a Monday night in LA. Ricky and Aly just got done eating dinner after a long day of shooting another episode of 'Phil of the Future'. But instead of taking Aly home Ricky decides to take a detour..

"Ricky where are we going?" Both teens sitting inside Ricky's dark grey Honda civic. Ricky on the drivers seat behind the wheel and Aly right next to him unsure of where he was taking her.

"It wont be a surprise if I tell you." Ricky says smiling to what he has up his sleeve.

10 more minutes has passed. They arrive at their destination. Ricky pulls up on an almost empty Target parking lot. Aly more confused then ever.

"Why are we at a target?" She asks looking out the window then right at him.

He looks right back at her. "Just trust me, you're gonna like it." Ricky opens his door, Aly does the same. They both get out of the car and walk toward the store.

"Its closed." Aly points out. Ricky knocks on the glass door and a older man opens.

"Hey Ricky." The strange man lets them inside."This has to be fast."

Walking inside Ricky turns to him. "Don't worry it will be. Thanks Al."

Al while holding a broom points a direction and Ricky grabs Aly's arm walking over to their music section.

It took a moment to realize what Ricky was trying to do. But it hit her when she finally saw.

"Omg...its here." She says looking at her and her sisters first album, 'Into the Rush' all stocked on the shelf. Shes already seen the whole album before but the fact that it was in a store right in front of her was so surreal.

"I just wanted to show you this...before it actually goes on sale tomorrow. I'd buy you a CD now...but I figured you would want to save that moment for Amanda. And I don't know...its kind of cool to see. You know? Your hard work paid off."

"Yeah..Rav. This is amazing..thank you." Aly says completely breathless.

She leans in for a hug. Ricky smiles. He loves seeing her so happy.

Ricky's Loft (present time)

Ricky wakes up from his dream. An old memory...He turns to his side and sees Aly still fast asleep. Noticing the time, its morning, he slowly gets up and heads to the living room to check on Brad. Brad still sleeping on the couch, Ricky shakes his arm a little. Brad wakes up.

"Sorry man, I just wanted to let you know its 6:47am. Amanda should be up soon." Ricky tells him.

"Oh crap." Brad gets up.

"But I have an idea...just text her, tell her you and Aly got up early to get breakfast. And she couldn't call herself because she forgot to charge her phone last night or something.. and didn't think of writing a note. "

"That's pretty good it might work..." Brad reaches for his phone then pauses, looks at Ricky. "...wait what if she asks where were going to eat?"

"uhhh...Just say a random name and its at the other side of the city. You guys wanted to try somewhere new."

Brad agrees. "Okay...is Aly up?"

"No. Shes still sleeping. I'm gonna go get breakfast for all of us. You stay here just in case she wakes up. If she sees you she won't freak out as much." Ricky grabs his keys and wallet from the kitchen counter.

Brad looks over to him. "Alright. You need money or anything?"

"No its cool. I got it. Feel free to grab anything in the kitchen in the mean time." Ricky takes his leather jacket and heads towards the door.

"Okay. Thanks!"

"No problem" He says walking out.

About 45 mins later Aly finally gets up. With a banging headache she grabs her head as if it feels like it expanded. She looks to the side and sees a water bottle and pain killers. Aly takes a dose and slowly walks out the door.

Brad sees her. "Well good morning alcoholic" He makes fun.

"Shh..Not so loud." Aly makes her way to one of the bar stools by the counter. "What happened?"

Brad sits next to her. "You got wasted.. You past out on Jason's bathroom floor while you were throwing up. I had to carry you and Ricky insisted on letting us crash here for the night so momma Aj wouldn't chop my head off...and... other parts."

"We're in Rickys?" She takes another good look around. "No wonder the place looked familiar. So...where is he?"

"Getting us breakfast. Hes a pretty cool guy." Brad tells her.

"Yeah..the best." Aly nods.

"He..wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Wait...Aj?"

"I already texted her. I told her we're out eating breakfast" Brad assures her.

The door opens and Ricky walks in with two large paper bags from Stella's.

"Hey you're alive." Ricky says walking to the kitchen counter. He sets the bags down and begins taking out and opening white take out containers.

"Yeah. Thank you so much for everything." Aly says.

"Don't worry about it. So we got donuts, muffins, and Stella's famous hangover pancakes. Dig in guys." Ricky says with a smile.

Brad gets up and starts setting his plate.

Aly gets up as well but moves to Ricky. "Hey...about our fight. And about what I said..-"

Ricky cuts her off. "Don't worry about it. Really..its...all good." He smirks at her.

Aly throws her arms around his neck and hugs Ricky tightly. Ricky having his arms around her waist. Brad at the side pretending not to notice but feeling as if hes a third wheel.

"Go eat your breakfast." He whispers into her ear. She lets go with a smile and grabs a plate.

After eating Ricky called a cab for Brad and Aly to take them to their hotel for them to change. Rushing to get ready so they wont be late for their 10:15 band meeting in the recording studio.

Red Door Studio

Aly and Brad walking in right on time. Seeing the rest of the members waiting with their instruments.

"Hey sorry we're late. Should think twice before going to a restaurant on the other side of New York." Aly says.

"Its cool. What restaurant? Was it good?" Aj asks.

"Ummm. Not really. Don't really remember the name of it. That how much it wasn't that great. I know it started with a 'J' but that's about it." Aly making up a total lie.

"Alright then." Aj says.

Band Practice ended.

Everyone departed. The guys went out to a video arcade and Aly and Aj decided to walk around. They stopped by a local newsstand. Looking through almost every magazine talking about rumored stories going on in Hollywood.

"I swear she got a nose job." Aj claims holding open a US Weekly.

"Thats crazy.." Aly tells her. Not noticing a spiky haired boy wearing a jean jacket and having a messenger bag swung across his body walking up from behind them.

"Hey." Ricky says greeting the girls.

Aly turns around shocked, but happy. "Oh hey Ricky" Aj says to him.

Aly just standing next to Amanda smiling.

"Sorry. I dont mean to interrupt." He turns to the Newsstand owner. "Hey Dan. You got my daily?" Ricky pulls out a few bucks to pay the man. "Here you go Ricky." The newsstand owner says.

"Thanks" Ricky replies back with a smile while receiving his newspapers.

He turns back at the girls. "Well..I guess I'll see you girls around then."

Ricky about to leave but Aly quickly stops him. "Well hey... uh me and Aj were gonna go walk around time square to watch street performers. Wanna come with?" She asks. Aj a little surprised to see them talking considering their fight.

"Uh..nah its okay." He tells her.

"Oh come on Ricky. It'll be a plus to have an actual local showing us around." Aj adds on.

"I'd love too...but I'm kinda getting a headache. I was just heading back to my apartment to lay down. Another time maybe?"

"Oh..okay" Aly says a bit disappointed.

"Okay..well catch you girls later. Have fun though." Ricky says walking away both hands in his pocket and his newspaper under his arm.

"So..I assume you two are good?" Aj asks completely out of the loop.

"Yeah...we uh kinda ran into him last night while I was with Brad and talked it out...kinda. I mean I guess were good. No yelling or bitchy additudes from either of us. You saw." Aly says while looking through another magazine.

Aj looking at her with her arms crossed "Yeah...but kind of awkward." She says.

Aly slams the magazine shut. "Omg, completely awkward. I'm not sure where I stand with that boy. He said everything's fine again and he forgives me, but I tried to invite him out with us and he makes up an excuse to bail out. He did not even look sick to me." Aly puts the magazine back on its shelf.

"Oh healthy as ever." Aj adds.

Aly turns to her sister. "I dont get it."

Aj takes a deep breath and rolls her eyes "Boys.."

Aj looks back at her sister. "So..what about you? I mean you still think you... like him?" She questions.

"What? No. I realized it was stupid. A phase. I mean its Ricky. Yeah he's a cool guy and has been their for me countless times but...its...Rav." Aly reassures her with a lie.

Aj nods her head to what shes hearing. "..Well then..okay."

She turns back to the news stand and continues to look through magazines.

Aly putting on a fake smile joins her.