CHAPTER TWELVE ~ House Tour

   "Rach, come on over and hang out with us tonight," Jacob said on the ride back to the house that the band hopefuls were living in.  "We can all go swimming or something," he added.
    "I don't know.  I've got some stuff I've got to get done for Lou again tonight," Rachel said hesitantly.
    "Come on, Rach.  I want to get to know you better, if I'm gonna live with you," Nicole said.
    "What?  What do you mean you're going to be living with her?" Ashley asked.
    "Well, she told you I could only stay with you until Sunday, but she had a way for me to stay here to be close to you...that's it," Nicole answered.
    "You're gonna be moving to Orlando to be with me??" Ashley asked still shocked by the news.  He was sure that Rachel was going to make him put his sister on a plane back to California on Sunday.
    "Yeah, I am, Ash.  Unless you don't want me to," Nicole said, unsure of what her brother's reaction was exactly to the news.
    "That's great.  I didn't like the idea of being seperated from you for that long," Ashley said, hugging his sister.
    "Great.  I'm glad I'll get a chance to know you better," Jacob said softly so only Nicole could hear him.
    "I'm glad too, Jacob," Nicole whispered back to him.  "Come on, Rach, please."
    "Ohhh...alright.  I'm gonna stop at home and pick up my swimsuit first then," Rachel said, finally relenting.
    "Yay!  We can have better chicken fights tonight, with two girls," Jacob said.
    "Yeah, this time I'm being partnered with my sister," Ashley said, laughing.
    "And Rachel is my partner," Erik quickly added.
    "Well, Nicole, this will give you a chance to see my house now, before you move in with me on Sunday," Rachel said.  "Guys, I know how tied up the phone is at your place.  If any of you want to use my phone, feel free," she added as she pulled into the driveway.
    "Wow!" was all that either Jacob or Nicole could say the first time they saw Rachel's house.  "You make enough to live here while your doing a co-op?" Nicole finally said as they walked in the door.
    "Actually, nope.  I invested all the money I've made since I started working at the age of 16, and well, I got a pretty good inheritance after my grandparents passed away three years ago.  I was able to use that to move down here and buy this house and pay my tuition for school," Rachel answered before offering to give all of them the grand tour of her home.  "I know I never really showed you guys around here the last time you came over," Rachel said, "so how about the tour of the place?"
    "Sure...I'd really like to see where my sister is going to be living until the O-town five are announced," Ashley said.
    "Yeah, I'd love to see your house," Erik said, thinking maybe he would be asked to move in after the whole process was finished.
    "Well, who am I to argue with the tour when the other two want to see it?" Jacob asked laughing as Rachel took them all to the kitchen to start the tour.  As she showed them around the place, she pointed out the rooms that Nicole could choose from for her bedroom, as well as showing them all pictures of her family.  Erik was truly impressed at how much Rachel cared for her family.
    "And, finally, this is my room," Rachel said, as she stopped at a closed door.  "Sorry, but no one goes in here except for me," she added.
    "Except for you boyfriend," Jacob added, not realizing that Rachel didn't really have a boyfriend until Erik had asked her out earlier that day.
    "Actually, Jake my man," Ashley said.  "Rachel is a free agent, until Erik takes her off the market at least."
    "Well, it doesn't look like she's gonna let me take her off the market for a while," Erik said, trying to keep up the pretense that Rachel was insisting on for their relationship.
    "Come on, Erik.  You and her are gonna be getting down and dirty in the not to distant future," Jacob replied trying to cheer up his friend.
    "I don't think so, Jacob," Erik answered while they made their way downstairs to wait for Rachel to finish getting her swimming suit.  "I talked to her about it today, and she was quite adamant about not getting involved with anyone who was under the management of Trans-Con," Erik said, hoping that he could keep the truth to himself until either Rachel was no longer working for Trans-Con, or until the whole process of selecting the five-member band was completed.
    "Alright, I'm ready," Rachel said, having changed into a pair of khaki shorts and a green tank top which looked great with her tan.  "Are y'all sure you don't want to borrow my phone before we leave.  I know how hard it is to get near the one at your place," she asked again before locking the door when everyone said they didn't need to borrow the phone. 
    Once back at the boys' house, they all scrambled to change into their suits, and Jacob moved some of his things into the room he would be staying in for the rest of the week.  He and Ashley finished changing into their trunks in the room, and waited for Nicole to finish changing in the bathroom.  When she came out, Jacob was shocked by something he saw before she was able to put a t-shirt on overtop of her two piece suit.  "Ashley, hold up.  I think we need to talk," Jacob said not wanting to upset Nicole.
    "I'll be right there, Nic.  Go ahead and wait out by the pool for us," Ashley said when Nicole went to wait by the door.
    "Ashley...what happened to your sister?" Jacob asked.
    "What do you mean?" Ashley asked.
    "I mean the marks on her back.  How did she get them?"
    "Marks on her back?" Ashley asked, surprised that he hadn't noticed them.
    "Well, yeah.  I noticed them when she came out of the bathroom," Jacob answered.
    "I don't know what you mean," Ashley said, trying to cover up the abuse they suffered at the hands of their step-father.
    "Ashley, does your dad abuse you and Nic?  Is that why you wanted her to stay here so bad?" Jacob finally came out and asked.
    "This doesn't go any further than this room, Jake," Ashley said softly.  "Yeah...he would occassionally get abusive with me or Nicole.  We usually only got slaps...I guess that's why I didn't know what you were talking about when you asked about the marks.  What did they look like?" Ashley asked.
    "It looked kinda like a belt or something hit her on the back," Jacob said.  "I understand your not wanting this to get out...I won't say a word to anyone, I promise," Jacob added when he saw the uncertaintity in Ashley's eyes about telling this family secret to a relative stranger.  "Ash, man, I honestly feel a major attraction for your sister.  I don't want anything hurting her," Jacob said, finally admitting what he had been afraid to admit to anyone, including himself, for fear that Nicole wouldn't return the feelings.
    "Thanks, Jacob.  I guess that I'm kinda relieved and I don't have to be so careful about what I say around you about my dad now," Ashley said.
    "Well, if you need to talk, I'll be here to lend you my ear," Jacob said.  "Now let's get out and have some fun."  When they got to the pool, they found Rachel and Erik sitting in the hot tub talking.  "Gee, should we go find out what the 'non-couple' is talking about?"
    "Naaaa...just leave them be.  If Rachel doesn't want everyone knowing that she's dating Erik she must have her reasons," Ashley said, wishing that his girlfriend had come out with Nicole for this visit.

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