DENVER, CO – HOTEL – MAR. 31th, 2002 – SUNDAY

     “Ash?” Kirstin asked after the waiter placed their order on their table.

     “Yeah.” Ashley took a sip of his soda.

     “Do you think that I… I don’t know… that I could go with you to this radio interview you have after lunch?” Kirstin played with the food on her plate. She wasn’t so sure Ashley wanted her around so much.

     “Why, of course! I’d love to. I never asked because I thought you’d be bored out of your mind. It won’t be that nice to sit and watch us talking, but I’d love you to come.”

     “Well, it’s just that I’m getting a little sick of waiting in the hotel for you to arrive. There’s nothing to do. I doubt I’ll be more bored there than I am here at the hotel.”

     “Then, sure, come! I’ll love to have you there.” Ashley smiled at her and placed his hand over hers on the table.

     “Good.” Kirstin smiled to his eyes and got up just enough so she could peck his lips on the other side of the table “Thank you.”

     “Thank you!” Ashley raised his eyebrows.

     “Hey, love birds!” Trevor greeted as soon as he said Ashley’s side.

     “Hey, Trev.” Kirstin smiled and took a bite off her burger.

     “Hey.” Dan also greeted after sitting next to Kirstin.

     “Hey, Dan.” Kirstin turned to him and took a sip of her coke.

     “Kirstin is joining us at the radio interview today.” Ashley informed both his friends.

     “Sweet!” Trevor exclaimed and made a gesture, calling the waiter over their table.

     “You’ve never been to one of our radio interviews, have you?” Dan wondered.

     “Nope. It’s gonna be the first one, actually.”

     “Well… don’t know if you’ll like it. But sometimes we get freebies. I like those.” Trevor said smiling after ordering his food.

     “I’m all for freebies as well.” Kirstin raised her glass and took a sip.

     “Where are Erik and Jake? We have to be out in 30 minutes.” Ashley asked Trevor and Dan.

     “I have no idea, man. Last time I checked, Jake was in his room, calling Jane. Erik… no idea.” Dan answered Ashley.

     “Oh… about Jane. Why didn’t she come to the tour? I was hoping I’d have a company, so I wouldn’t be all alone in the hotel.” Kirstin wondered.

     “She had some things to do in San Diego, so she couldn’t come to this time.” Dan informed.

     “I see…” Kirstin nodded “Aren’t you gonna eat, Dan?”

     “Already ate.”

     “Right…” Kirstin continued eating her meal.

 

     “Hey, Kirstin, wait up.” Kirstin turned around to see who was calling her. She was going to her room to get her purse and then go with the guys to their radio interview.

     “Yes?” Kirstin frowned when she realized it was Jacob who was calling her out. ‘This is weird.’ she thought. Jacob had never held a conversation with her before.

     “Hey, what’s up?” Jacob asked after he approached her.

     “Nothing much. I was just going back to my room to pick up my purse so I can go with you guys to the radio interview.”

     “Oh, cool.” Jacob nodded “I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

     “Alright…” Kirstin frowned again. Jacob had been meaning to talk to her? What could that possible be about? “Talk then.”

     “Well, why don’t we go to your room to pick up your purse and we’ll talk while we walk?”

     “Ok…” Kirstin still had the frown on. She was lost. She had no idea what that was about.

     “See…” Jacob started when they retreated walking “I’ve had a few arguments with Ashley in the past few months.”

     “Oh, yeah?” Kirstin couldn’t seem to take the frown out of her face.

     “Yeah. And they were mostly because of you.”

     “What?” Kirstin was surprised. Why would Jacob argue with Ashley about her?

     “You see, we in the band can really see that Ashley had been head over heels for you since forever.” Kirstin opened the door to her room and Jacob followed her inside. He then closed the door behind him and continued “We knew there was always this girl in his mind even before we met you. And when he decided to have that first date with you in that coffee shop, I got mad at him for going out with you when he had a girlfriend waiting for him at the hotel.”

     “Aham…” Kirstin nodded “But I didn’t know he had a girlfriend back then.”

     “Oh, no, no, no. I’m not accusing you of anything. I just want you to listen to what I have to say.”

     “Alright…” Kirstin took her purse and headed outside the room, Jacob never leaving her side.

     “So, I got mad at him and all. We argued, but then everything was ok. But then we argued a few more times after that and it was all because I got mad at him for not seeing that you were playing him. You got engaged to that waiter guy and then…”

     “What?” Kirstin cut him off. How could he say that? “I’m sorry, but I was not playing Ashley, Jacob, I was…”

     “Kirstin, I know. Just hear me out, alright?” Kirstin didn’t say anything, just kept walking “So… What I was really trying to do was to open Ashley’s eyes. It was clear to me that he was hurting because of everything you were doing to him. I thought you were not worth his love. Every time we in the band saw Ashley hurt because of you, we’d get mad at you. Me and Erik, mostly. We talked about that a lot, Erik and I. Even not knowing you, we’d get mad at you. Because all we could see was Ashley being hurt and we didn’t wanna see that any more. So we blamed it all on you, not knowing all the facts.”

     “You’re right; you don’t know all the facts.” Kirstin stopped by the elevator.

     “I know, Kirstin. But now, now that he’s with you, I look at Ashley and all I see is laughter and smiles. He is truly happy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ashley happier since I met him. And it’s all because of you.”

     “That’s good…” Kirstin smiled “But… what are you trying to say here, Jacob?” Kirstin frowned again. What was the point of that conversation, after all?

     “What I’ve been meaning to ask you is that… just… don’t hurt Ashley again. That’s all I ask. Ashley is such a great guy and he doesn’t deserve to go through everything he had gone through already with you. He’s my brother and I’m just watching his back. Just looking out for him. I don’t wanna see him hurt like that again. All I wanna see is Ashley happy. And I’m telling you this because you are the only person capable of doing both things: hurting Ashley and making him happy.”

     “Jacob, don’t worry. If you knew me 2 years ago, you’d see I wasn’t as happy as I am today. And that’s all because of Ashley. I wanna be with him and not hurt him. I know I’ve hurt him pretty badly before. And I still feel sorry for everything I did to him. But I really don’t plan on doing that to him anymore. He’s the one I love and that’s gonna be forever.”

     “Oh, it’s so good to hear that.” Jacob let out a relief sigh “I’m sorry if I… like… put you on the spot here. I just really wanted you to understand you guys’ situation from my point of view. And that all I want is Ashley to be happy.”

     “That’s alright, Jacob. I totally understand. But we’re on the same boat here. All I want is Ashley’s happiness to.”

     “So… just stick to him. I’m sure that’s all it takes.”

     “Thank you.” Kirstin hugged Jacob.

     “Hey, no problem.” they pulled back “Now, let’s go before Mike screams at both of us.”

     “Yeah, let’s.” Kirstin smiled and pushed the elevator button.