Put it to Paper©
By: Shannon
Summary: Alex Morris makes a decision to
join her mother on tour with a group and meets someone that will change her
life forever.
Rating: PG
Main Characters: Ashley Angel
Author’s Note: Hey guys. I haven’t posted any new fan fic in a while because
I’ve working on this one. She’s my baby. I hope you guys like it. PLEASE let me
know what you think of it. I’m begging you!
Alex
pulled her golden, brown hair back into a ponytail and bent over to pick up the
box. Sighing, she turned around with the light load and walked out into the
hallway of the arena.
“Alex,
honey, I need those costume pieces right now,” Alex heard her mother yell from
a few yards down the hall.
“I’ll
be right there mom,” she replied casually as she picked up the pace. Her white,
tennis shoes squeaked on the wood floor as she turned the corner swiftly and
set the boxes down. She dusted off her light, blue jeans and then looked up to
search for her mother in the fairly dark dressing room.
“Hello,”
she heard a guy’s voice say from somewhere in the room. Alex darted her hazel
eyes to the corner and smiled warmly at the friendly and familiar face. She
recognized him as one of the five guys from the group, but she hadn’t met him,
personally, yet. He stood in jet, black pants and a black tank top with her
mother kneeling in front as she worked at hemming the cuff of his right, pant
leg. His blonde hair was spiky and gelled. Alex noticed his warm, blue eyes and
smiled back.
“Hey,”
she said to her mom and the guy.
“Oh,
hi Alex. Sorry I yelled at you, but we’re in a hurry,” Beth said to her
daughter after noticing her presence as she paused in her work to re-thread the
needle.
“Oh,
forgive my rudeness. Alex, this is Ashley; Ashley, Alex,” Beth said as she
motioned between the two making introductions.
“Ashley
is the one who ripped his pants for the first set,” Beth said casually and then
laughed when Ashley rolled his eyes and shrugged innocently.
Beth
swatted Ashley’s leg lightly to get him to stop fidgeting.
“Sorry
Beth. I get nervous and antsy before we have a concert,” Ashley said before
turning his attention back to Alex.
Alex
stood in the entryway to the room watching the encounter between her mother and
the playfully, cute boy. She rethought, for the hundredth time that week, the
choices that placed her in the situation and life she was in at that very
moment. Her 18th birthday had passed only four days ago, and when
her mother had received the job as head, costuming director for the new band
“O-Town”, Alex made the decision to finish off her senior year in high school
through credits and leave to go on tour with them. She had thankfully worked
hard enough to earn all the credits she needed to graduate early, so that left
her with a year off before she was due for her freshmen year in college next
fall.
Alex
cleared her thoughts and looked up to find Ashley’s staring at her.
“It’s
really great to meet you, Alex,” he said with a sweet smile.
“Same
here, Ashley. I’m really looking forward to seeing the first concert tonight,”
she said to him.
The
band had their first, true concert of their debut tour that night, and it would
be Alex’s first look at them since arriving on the tour. She was very
interested in what it would be like. At first, management for the group had
been reluctant to agree to allowing Beth to add Alex to the tour, but when Beth
gave the ultimatum of, “Both of us, or neither of us,” The guy’s tour manager
quickly, and happily, made arrangements for one more. Beth Morris was quickly
becoming known as the best in the business, and this first concert tour would
set the tone for the careers of ‘O-Town’. Beth knew she needed to make it a
huge success, and she planned on succeeding with the help of Alex.
“Alex,
I need your help. Come here,” Beth ordered.
Alex
walked over to where her mother was standing and knelt down beside her.
“I
need you to hold the cuff straight while I finish the stitching,” Beth
explained.
“Okay,”
Alex replied before reaching out and taking a hold of the smooth, black
material, which hung loosely at his ankle. Alex could only think of the close
proximity to him. She had been shocked at how beautiful he was in person. She
had seen several pictures and episodes of the show on TV, but his face and body
was as impressive in person as on the screen.
‘I’m
in serious trouble if they’re all this hot,’ she thought to herself. She was
beginning to like her decision to come on tour more and more with every minute
that passed.
“Okay,
we’re done,” Beth, stated.
“Thanks
so much guys. What would we do without you?” Ashley asked sweetly.
“Perform
naked,” Alex whispered without thinking.
Ashley
burst out laughing and looked at Alex.
“Oh
my gosh, I can’t believe I said that out loud,” Alex said to him.
Beth
smiled brightly at the two in front of her and shook her head.
“Well,
I gotta run. We have sound check in like…” Ashley glanced at his watch and made
a face. “Two minutes. Bye, Alex and thanks Beth,” Ashley said before running
out of the room.
“He’s
cute, isn’t he?” Beth asked her daughter after a minute of silence as the two
picked up costume pieces and placed them on hangers.
“You
can read me like a book,” Alex said warmly.
“Of
course I can. You’re my only daughter,” Beth stated.
“And,
I’m your favorite,” Alex said with a playful smile.
Beth
smiled once again and picked up Jacob’s shirt for their fifth song as she
placed it on his rack with his name labeled on it.
“This
is going to be good for us, mom,” Alex said quietly as she worked on Dan’s
rack.
Beth
smiled in response.
“Yeah,
these are five great guys, and I feel pretty confident that you’ll make some
good friends,” Beth explained.
“I
hope so, but not just that. I mean experiencing new things, bunches of new
cities, new sights, places, sounds, people. I’ve never done anything like this
before in my life. Now, it’s time for an exciting, new experience, and we’re
going to go through it together on this tour,” Alex finished with eagerness
while looking at her mother with sparkling eyes.
“You’re
right. This is going to be great. I want you to get a taste of everything that
you can on this tour. Enjoy it Alex, cause you grow up fast…too fast,” Beth
said, truly hoping that her daughter would enjoy the next four months…
Alex watched, transfixed, from the sound-mixing booth on the floor
level of the arena. The guys had managed to successfully sell out their first
concert of the tour, and now they danced and sang with a passion that proved
they would put on a show worth the money their fans had lovingly spent on them.
Since the encounter with Ashley, Alex had been introduced to Erik, Dan, Trevor,
and Jacob. She liked them all instantly, and her perception of them was right
on. Erik seemed playful, Dan seemed smart and shy, and Jacob came off as sexy
and charming, while Trevor’s personality radiated a fun and loving charm. She
was instantly hooked on them as people. Her attention was pulled back to the
stage as Ashley took center stage and began a solo. Blue lights were shone on
him from the stage crew, and Alex smiled to herself when she saw him take his
towel that he would use to dry off and throw it to the crowd of girls in the
first couple of rows.
The
concert continued with a high level of energy as Alex continued to be
captivated by the group. She grew excited at the thought of almost four months
on tour with them. She felt like the luckiest person in the world. Sure, she
missed all of her friends back home in Portland, but the hunger for adventure
growing inside of her needed release. She could only hope that she would find
it on this tour.
About
50 minutes later, Alex walked towards a van waiting to take some crew, and the
guys, back to the hotel that the tour was staying at for the night until they
left in the morning for the next venue.
As
Alex walked, she shielded her bare arms against the cold, Texas breeze. She
heard footsteps behind her on the pavement as she sucked in a breath of cold
air.
“So
what did you think of it,” Ashley asked excitedly as he joined her pace and
strode beside her.
Alex
laughed sweetly at his excitement and eagerness for approval. She turned and
smiled brightly.
“You
guys were absolutely amazing!” She said enthusiastically and watched as
Ashley’s smile grew.
He
reached out and pulled her slender body to him and gave her a tight, but gentle
hug.
Alex
giggled at his hug and closed her eyes as the smell of his freshly shampooed
hair hit her senses. The show had ended about 20 minutes ago, and Alex
concluded that he had showered in the dressing rooms. His cologne overwhelmed
her, and she felt her body relax at his touch.
“Geez,
it’s freezing out here. Let’s get to the vans quicker,” Ashley said after a
minute and tagged her arm.
“I’ll
race yah!” Alex shouted playfully before she took off running for the vans.
Erik and Jacob came up on her left side while Ashley stayed in stride with her
on the right. The group reached the vans at practically the same time, but Alex
proclaimed herself the winner.
“Ha!
I beat all of you,” she announced proudly.
“We
let you win,” Jacob stated.
“Didn’t
we, Erik?” Jacob asked with a wink.
“Oh
yeah! We had you beat, but we didn’t want to injure your womanly pride, so we
basically jogged here,” Erik said happily.
Ashley
and Dan laughed at them, and then they all boarded the vans.
Alex
waved to her mom through the tinted glass to let her know that she was getting
a ride back to the hotel in the guys’ van.
The
group shared jokes and talked about the concert and upcoming fun until they
stopped in front of their hotel. Some fans stood waiting at the entrance to the
grand hotel. As they exited the car, the guys smiled warmly at the girls and
sighed as many autographs as security would allow them to. Alex walked directly
into the hotel, and waited for them to make it all in.
“I
had so much fun tonight. Thanks a lot for everything,” she said to them as they
walked to the elevators.
“Thanks
for coming with us,” Dan said happily.
Alex
reached her floor first, and as she went to leave the elevator, she waved at
the guys and smiled as Ashley gave her a wink.
“I’ll
see you in the morning,” he said before the doors shut.
Alex
walked down the hallway and pulled the electronic, key card out of her purse to
unlock the door.
“Hi
honey,” her mother greeted her as she walked into the dark room. The only
lighting came from the TV.
“Hi
mom. How are you?” Alex replied warmly.
“I’m
good. I’m just really tired,” Beth answered from one of the two beds in the
room.
“Yeah,
me too,” Alex replied as she gathered her pajamas, toothbrush, and belongings
out of her suitcase.
“I’m
going to take a shower. I’ll see you in the morning mom. Love you,” Alex
whispered as she made her way to the bathroom.
“Night
sweetie. I hope you had fun tonight,” Beth said.
“Yeah,
I did. Night,” Alex repeated before shutting the bathroom door. She walked into
the great expanse of the bathroom and pulled her shirt over her head. She
removed the rest of her clothes and sighed loudly as the hot water ran down her
head and neck. It eased her tired muscles and calmed her. Ashley consumed her
thoughts. It was a familiar feeling to Alex.
“A
crush,” she whispered as she massaged the shampoo through her hair.
“I’ve
been here one day, and I have a crush,” she sighed dramatically before rinsing
out her hair and using conditioner.
“This
is going to be interesting,” she stated.
Over
the next couple weeks, Alex found herself spending an extra amount of time with
the guys. She spent even more time with Ashley. On days when they weren’t
booked up with a concert that night, the two would go shopping, see movies, go
to lunch, and basically grow in their friendship. Nothing romantic showed, but
Alex was incredibly attracted to him, and she was fairly certain he was
attracted to her too.
Alex
knew that he didn’t have a girlfriend, or at least, not a serious relationship.
He was constantly flirting with her, but it was only playful and nothing ever
materialized.
“Earth
to Alex,” Ashley said as they sat in a restaurant for lunch.
“Sorry,
Ash,” Alex answered when he grabbed her attention.
“It’s
okay. You were kind of spacing out there. Are you okay?” Ashley asked her after
a minute as he dipped one of his French fries in ketchup and ate it.
“Oh,
yeah, I’m fine. I was just thinking,” she answered.
“Hey
Alex, can I ask you a personal question?” Ashley asked seriously as he studied
her quiet exterior. He knew that she was contemplating something, and his
interest was sparked.
“Umm…sure,”
she answered as she took a sip of her vanilla flavored coke.
“Well,
I was wondering where your dad is. Are your parents divorced, separated, you
know? You talk about your mom constantly, and well I guess I’m just being
nosy,” he trailed off when she looked directly at him.
“That’s
alright. I don’t mind you asking. My dad died when I was six years old,” she
said quietly.
Ashley
gave her a sad nod and sighed.
“I
see. I’m sorry Alex,” he whispered.
“Yeah,
thanks,” she replied.
She
looked up into his eyes and saw the unasked question there. He wanted to know
how her dad had died, but Alex refused to go any further. It wasn’t that she
didn’t trust him or that it was a huge secret, but she didn’t want to associate
Ashley with that pain. To her, it would all be better if it were left inside of
her. She didn’t share that pain with anyone, and although Ashley was an
amazing friend, he wasn’t an exception.
The
two finished up their lunch and then visited an outdoor carnival for the rest
of the afternoon. They didn’t speak of their conversation in the diner for the
remainder of the day, and Alex put in behind her.
“Alex,”
he whispered into her ear causing her to jump in her seat.
“Ashley!
You scared me,” she stated.
“Don’t
sneak up on me like that!” She berated.
Ashley
stood behind her on their tour bus. Alex was seated at the desk writing in a
colorful, blue notebook. Ashley had entered the bus hoping to find her. He knew
she hung out there when she had nothing to do. He liked the fact that she found
solace in his tour bus. Sometimes he would find her asleep on the couch or in
one of their bunks, and he would be overwhelmed with his feelings of intimacy
for her. It scared him that he felt such strong feelings for someone that he
was only beginning to know.
“What
were you writing?” Ashley asked her casually when he noticed her shut the
folder and stick it back in her backpack.
“Umm…it’s
a journal,” she answered truthfully hoping that Ashley would stop there.
“Ohh!
Can I see?” He asked playfully.
Alex
smiled at him and clutched the backpack to her defensively.
“I’m
sorry Ash. I don’t let anyone read it,” she answered.
Ashley
smiled and nodded at her.
“I’m
just kidding Alex. I didn’t really expect you to let me see it,” he answered.
“What
do you write about?” Ashley asked with a shyness and interest that both
intrigued and excited Alex.
“Well,
actually, I just write about things that are bothering me or things that are
important to me. I write about people in my life, love, hurt,” she answered before
realizing how much she had revealed to him.
“Do
you like it?” He asked her seriously after a minute of silence.
“Writing?”
She asked in confusion.
“Yes,”
he said.
“I
love it, Ashley. It clears up my thoughts. Sometimes, when I’m writing, I realize
I feel a certain way about things as I write it that I never knew before. It’s
as if writing makes me realize my own feelings,” she spoke with such a passion
and clarity that Ashley felt an overwhelming desire to touch her. He stood and
walked closer to her until there were only a few inches separating their
bodies.
“You
should try it sometime,” Alex whispered to him as she looked into his eyes.
“You
might like it,” she said.
“Yeah,”
Ashley whispered before he pressed his lips to hers lightly. The kiss lingered
a minute before he pulled back and smiled at her.
“I
can almost guarantee that it will help you,” she whispered referring to keeping
a journal.
Ashley’s
crystal, blue eyes looked right into her soul, and she swore she could see his heart
for a minute.
“Maybe
I’ll try it,” he replied casually before he moved away from her.
“Who
knows,” he said after a minute of silence.
Alex’s
lips still burned from the kiss, and she looked at him curiously after that
last comment.
‘What
did he mean by that?’ she thought.
Alex
gave him a sad smile, but then lightened the awkward mood by suggesting that
they go get some lunch.
Over the next several days on tour, Alex and Ashley were
inseparable. Nothing had resulted or changed from their kiss, but Alex accepted
it.
“Alex,
do you want to go to dinner with me tonight?” Ashley asked her sweetly as they
walked into the dark, movie theatre with Jacob and Dan trailing behind
them. Trevor and Erik had decided to go
to the mall instead of joining them.
“Sure.
I would love to,” she answered.
“Great.
Do you mind if we try something new? There’s this really nice, Italian place
that just opened down the street, and this couple recommended it,” he spoke
shyly.
Alex
smiled at his nervousness.
“That
sounds great,” she whispered as the movie started.
Alex
could not stop thinking about the night ahead of them. She was so excited at
the prospect of going out with him on a formal date. Her thoughts were cut off
when she felt Ashley’s hand and arm rest lightly on her leg as the movie played
on the screen. Alex looked down as his hand and then chanced a glance at his
face.
He
had his eyes glued intently to the screen and the look on his face gave nothing
away. Alex returned her attention to the movie and relaxed as it continued.
Ashley seemed to unconsciously rub his thumb and fingers against her jean, clad
leg. Alex’s head swam with joy at his closeness.
Part 5
Later
that night, Alex had finished getting ready for dinner with Ashley, and now she
sat waiting for him to show up for their 7:00 date. Fifteen minutes passed, and
he still hadn’t shown up so Alex checked her make-up in the bathroom mirror,
fixed her royal blue dress, and then walked out the door after grabbing her
key.
She
approached the room that he was staying in with Jacob quickly. She took a
breath and shook off her nervousness.
‘This
is just Ash,’ she whispered to herself before knocking.
Alex
looked questioningly at the giggling girl that swooped the door open and stared
at her expectantly. She laughed and then looked at Alex with her eyebrows
raised in a demeaning fashion.
“Who
are you? And, what do you want?” The woman asked Alex.
“Umm…I’m
so sorry. I must have the wrong room. I’m looking for Ashley,” Alex replied
politely.
The
woman smirked and opened the door to allow Alex a view into the room. Alex
sucked in a silent breath when she saw Ashley standing in the middle of the
room.
“Who’s
at the door, Kelly?” Ashley asked from where he stood unhappily.
“Ashley?”
Alex called from where she stood at the door.
“Oh
my god, Alex!” Ashley said before jogging to the door and moving past Kelly.
“You
look so amazing,” Ashley rasped out when he saw her. He felt his heart stop
when he realized that he had completely stood her up when Kelly had arrived
without notice.
At
that moment Kelly wrapped her arms around Ashley from behind, and Ashley felt
his heart ache at the pain and betrayal he saw in Alex’s innocent eyes.
“I
can see that you’re busy so I’ll just catch you later,” Alex whispered as she
tried desperately not to lose control and cry.
“No,
Alex please wait,” Ashley, whispered as he removed Kelly’s arms from his waist and
moved out into the hallway on shaky legs.
Alex
practically ran down the hall feeling the undeniable urge to run as far away
from her source of pain as she could.
“Alex,
stop!” Ashley yelled more forcefully as she approached the elevators.
Alex
stopped where she was but her legs refused to turn her around. She feared that
Ashley would mock her tears that now fell freely down her face in hot trails of
anguish. In her heart, she begged to believe that the emotions running through
her were greater and more meaningful than anything she had ever felt before.
“Alex,
please look at me,” Ashley asked from where he stood a foot from her staring at
her back.
Alex
turned ever so slowly and Ashley reflexively reached out to her when he saw the
tears fall from her emerald, green eyes.
“I’m
so sorry, Alex. I should have told you all about her. She just kind of showed
up. Our date just slipped my mind. I know it’s no excuse, but I will make it up
to you. I swear,’ Ashley whispered as he looked into her eyes. He saw them
soften momentarily before they closed off to him.
“No,
Ashley. You don’t owe me anything. You certainly don’t need to explain anything
to me. I don’t have any claim to you,” Alex stated with bitterness to her voice
that made Ashley cringe.
“Alex,
don’t say that,” he whispered to her pleadingly.
“She’s
been my girlfriend for years. We go way back. So far back that I don’t know
what it was like to not have her,” he said hoping to share with Alex what he
was feeling.
Alex
looked at him sadly.
“You
could have at least shared such a major part of your life with me. I told you
about everything you wanted to know,” she rasped before turning around and
leaving him standing there in shock.
Part of him was
confused at how deeply affected he was by her words. He felt the urge to make
everything right again immediately.
“Alex! Please believe
me when I say that I never meant to hurt you,” he yelled after her. She looked
at him once more before the elevator doors shut and blocked her view. The reflection
of her image shone back at her from the cold, steel of the doors. She allowed
the sobs to came and leaned back against the doors.
‘How could I have
been so stupid?’ She asked herself as she felt her heart harden a bit more.
Alex’s shaking hand unlocked
the door to her room and her legs carried her into the room on autopilot. She
sat on the bed and closed her eyes as she concentrated on the hurt she felt.
She knew that she had no right to him, but it didn’t ease the pain. She had
started to believe that a serious relationship was developing between them, but
obviously it was child’s play to him because he hadn’t bothered to tell her of
his serious girlfriend.
Alex stood and swiped
the tears angrily off her face. She walked into the bathroom and took a hot
shower. As the water ran down her body, and as she washed her hair, she felt
her body calm and she silently prayed that he heart would soon do the same.
Ashley pretended to listen as Kelly told him about their mutual
friends back at home.
“So
then we talked the saleslady into selling us the dress for like…$20 under the
sale’s price,” Kelly drawled out as she applied her make-up.
“Ash…Are
you listening to me?” She asked in an irritated tone after a minute of silence
from where he sat on the edge of the bathtub watching her.
Ashley
snapped himself out of the trance and mumbled a response back to her. He could
not get the image of Alex’s face when he appeared at the doorway with Kelly out
his mind. Her beauty had overwhelmed Ashley, as she stood in front of him in a
blue dress that hugged her body perfectly. Her tan, legs were exposed by the
mid-thigh length of the dress and her shoes were perfect. Her hair was curled
into exquisite ringlets, and the make-up she wore was just enough to accent her
eyes and lips.
He
had considered taking her in his arms and kissing her right there, but his body
had refused to move. Now, he knew he had to make her see that he felt so
strongly for her. Both he and Kelly knew that their relationship as lovers had
ended months ago, but she continued to claim him as her own when she felt like
it. Ashley blamed himself for allowing it. He fell into her trap because of his
loneliness, but now he knew that he wouldn’t be lonely without Kelly. He
would have Alex to truly love him, if only he could prove to her that he
wouldn’t hurt her. He needed to show her that she could trust him.
“Kelly?”
He stated quietly.
“What,
baby?” She answered as she turned to him with a smile.
“Why
are you here?” He asked her plainly.
Kelly
giggled at him and sat down on his lap.
“I
missed you, and I thought I would surprise you,” she answered before kissing
him.
Ashley
felt nothing during the kiss. His head screamed at him to stop. It was nothing compared
to the tiny kiss that he and Alex had shared. It only served to prove that he
needed her.
“Kelly,
stop,” he whispered against her lips.
“Ashley,
what is going on?” Kelly asked as she rolled her eyes dramatically.
“I
can’t do this with you anymore,” he stated before resting his head on her
shoulder and dropping a kiss to her neck.
“I’ll
always love you Kelly, but I’m not in love with you anymore,” he said before
standing with her gently and moving past her.
“Whatever
Ashley. You’ll come crawling back to me when she gets sick of you,” Kelly
called bitterly to him before hanging her head in defeat.
Ashley
closed his eyes at her comment but continued on his way out the door. He had an
idea, and it was his last hope. If it didn’t work, he would have lost the best
thing that ever happened to him.
Part 7
Alex
pulled on some running pants and a white sweater before she walked out into the
hallway to get some ice. She noticed a package lying next to the door of her
hotel room and stared curiously at it. She bent over and picked it up. It was
light and there was a note with her name scribbled on it. She felt her body
tense when she recognized the writing to be his. She opened the paper and read
it slowly.
Dear Alex,
Please except this
from me as a gift of sorts. You once told me that keeping a journal will clear
your thoughts, and I brushed you off because you see…I’ve kept a journal for
years, and my thoughts are very clear here. I want you to know me, trust me,
and Alex, I want you to love me too because once you read this you’ll see that
I love you. Please just read it. I understand that you’re mad and you do have
every right to be, but know that I’ll be here when you’re ready to talk. I
can’t lose your friendship Alex. If that’s all that I can earn back, I’ll be
happy. It truly does help to put it all down on paper. So here…read it.
Love,
AA
Alex
sighed and read the note once more. She sighed and opened the brown paper to
reveal a yellow journal with bent corners and scribbles all over the over. She
opened the front cover and smiled when she saw the first entry dated almost
three years ago. Alex wiped more tears that fell freely from her eyes and
walked back into the hotel room with her treasure. She sat down on the bed, her
hunger forgotten, and opened the journal back to the first page.
She
felt a sense of guilt at the prospect of reading his most personal thoughts,
but obviously Ashley didn’t have anything to hide from her, and he had made the
decision to ask her to read it.
Alex
read every word and with every page that her shaky fingers reached out and
turned, she grew with him. She read and felt as though she was watching a nervous,
teenage boy as he grew into a mature, loving, and very talented man with such a
passion for singing and music that it overwhelmed Alex. He held so many dreams
and hopes for his future and Alex loved each one.
She
read of the relationship between him and Kelly and learned everything that
there was to know about them. Her heart stopped when at last she neared the end
of the journal. She came across a page dated on the first day of the tour. She
saw her name spread out through the entry. Her name appeared several times, and
she found herself enthralled at Ashley’s detailed description of meeting her.
“She’s
amazing. That’s all I can say about her as of right now. There’s just something
about her. Magnetism or something like that…it pulls me towards her, and I find
myself needing her attention and presence…”
She read the words again and smiled. She felt like the past two
hours had flown by and she had seen a movie of his life. The words in his
journal brought her a sense of security. She learned that Ashley considered his
relationship with Kelly to have been over long ago, and he had even gone so far
as to say, in an entry made two weeks ago, that…
“I’m
falling for Alex so fast. And, instead of wanting to fight it like I usually
do, I find myself loving it and wanting it to continue and grow. Today, I
kissed her, and it was the most amazing thing that I’ve ever felt in my life.
My entire body came alive at the contact. I felt a fire I’ve never felt before
and I wasn’t scared…”
“Oh my god,” Alex whispered as she closed the journal and smiled.
She
glanced at the clock. It read 10:59 pm. She stood from the bed and pulled on
her shoes and grabbed her two prized possessions. She brushed her now dry hair
back into a ponytail and ran out of her room toward Ashley’s.
“Yeah?”
Kelly answered glumly as she opened the door to his hotel room.
Alex
took a deep breath and looked at her.
“Hi,
can I please speak with Ashley?” Alex asked quietly growing anxious to see him.
“No,”
Kelly responded bitterly with a crooked smile appearing on her face.
“Look,
Kelly, I need to see him. Please,” Alex whispered.
“Is
he here?” Alex asked after a minute of silence between the two women who shared
a love for the same man.
“No,”
Kelly whispered slowly.
Alex
looked at her and nodded.
“Okay,
well do you know where he is?” Alex asked.
Kelly
stared at Alex and sighed.
“He’s
probably out in the courtyard if they have one here. It’s where he always goes
to think,” Kelly whispered before closing her eyes.
Alex
stared at her and nodded.
“Thank
you Kelly,” Alex said before turning around to make her way down to the lobby.
“Alex!”
Kelly called out to her.
“Yes?”
“Take
care of him,” Kelly whispered before closing the hotel room door.
Alex
stared in shock at the closed door before she smiled sadly.
“I
will,” she whispered to the empty hall before making her way out to the
courtyard.
Alex
stood at the entrance to the outdoor courtyard and sure enough, Ashley was
seated at one of the stone benches watching a waterfall. She observed him
silently for a minute. The courtyard was decorated with white, Christmas lights
that gave a soft glow to the entire garden. She watched as Ashley leaned
forward and rested his elbows on his knees.
“Ashley,”
she called to him softly from where she stood a few feet behind him.
He
heard her soft voice and his body trembled. He was scared to face her. He
wasn’t sure if his idea would be enough to convince her of his feelings.
“Ashley,”
she said again. This time he stood and turned around to face her.
She
stared at him and said nothing. She simply smiled at him brightly and nodded
her head. His face broke out into a bright smile and he moved around the bench
to approach her.
“Alex,”
he whispered before he swept her slender body to his. His hands ran down her
back and sides. Alex ran her fingers through the soft hairs at the back of his
neck as her hands cupped his head lovingly.
“I
should have told you,” he whispered to her but Alex silenced him with their
second kiss.
Ashley
moaned at the contact and closed his eyes to savor the feelings. Her tongue ran
against his bottom lip, and he sighed against her mouth as he opened her mouth
to hers and responded to the kiss by pulling her tighter to his body.
“Ash…I
want to show you something,” Alex whispered pulling back from the kiss.
Ashley
watched as she handed him his journal, which she had placed, on one of the
tables on the courtyard when she had walked out. He took it from her and
smiled. Then, he noticed another object in her hands. It was blue, and he
realized what it was. He watched silently as she flipped through the pages and
stopped near the middle.
“Here,”
she said quietly as she walked back to him and placed her perfectly, manicured
finger near a line of writing. Ashley dropped a kiss on her forehead before
looking to the paper. It was dated about a week ago.
“I’ve
fallen completely in love with Ashley Angel…” The words were written
plainly but held so much meaning that the couple standing in the courtyards
were oblivious to anything but each other.
Ashley
read the words several times before taking the journal out of her hands and
placing it back on the table. He moved back to her and pulled her into a tight
embrace.
“I
love you Alex,” he whispered before pressing his lips to hers.
Alex’s
heart melted at his words, and she responded to his kisses with all the passion
that she possessed in her body. Thoughts raced through her mind so quickly, but
she pushed them aside and focused on the feelings of love and contentment that
Ashley was creating inside of her. She wasn’t sure how things would work out
between them. Eventually, she would have to leave them to return to school,
there were the fans and the public, and there were so many things to face, but
as long as they stayed true to each other, it would be okay. And, it always
helps to put it to paper.
Kelly
stood with her suitcases and luggage at the balcony of Ashley’s hotel room. She
stared at the moon, and smiled, as she remembered all the times that she and
Ashley had shared together. She was amazed at how clear the sky was and found
her attention focused on the bright light of the shining stars. She looked down
onto the courtyard, which her balcony overlooked, and felt her heart weaken at
the site before her. She saw Ashley pick up Alex, and as Alex wrapped her legs
around his waist, they both broke out into fits of laughter that Kelly could
hear from where she stood. Alex threw her head back in joy and Ashley wasted no
time pressing his mouth to her exposed neck. Alex stopped laughing and ran her
hands though his hair as their lips met once again.
Kelly
closed her eyes and silently prayed that she would one day find the love that they
shared. She turned from the balcony silently and motioned to the bellhop that
arrived a minute ago.
“My
cab is waiting downstairs,” she said to him.
“All
right miss. Do you have everything here that you need?” He asked her, referring
to her luggage.
Kelly
looked out the window one more time before answering.
“Yes,”
she whispered, finally letting go of him.
THE END
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