�I�m sorry I can�t come to the studio today. I�ve gotta take Jamie to run some errands.� Kaylee was pacing back and forth in her room talking to Joel on the phone.
�It�s fine. But you have to come over some time. The guys are starting to think I�m making you up.�
�Well maybe I am just a figment of your imagination. You have been really stressed lately.�
Joel laughed. �A figment of my imagination wouldn�t talk like that. Nor would it end up being so beautiful.�
She smiled. �Maybe I can come over tomorrow.�
�Hopefully,� he sighed. �I gotta go. I�ll call you as soon as I can.�
�Alright. Bye.�
�Bye.�
Kaylee waited until she heard the click of his phone disconnecting before hanging up her own.
�Why don�t you just go over there?� Jessica was standing in the doorway.
�Benji.�
Jessica sat down on the bed next to her. �He�s gotta find out sooner or later that you�re dating Joel.� She stood and pulled Kaylee off the bed.
�Where are we going?�
�Down to the car.�
�Why?�
�We�re going to the studio to see your boyfriend.�
�I�m coming too,� Jamie took Kaylee�s other arm and the twins pulled their older sister down the stairs.
�Can I at least put some shoes on?� Kaylee asked, giving in.
The twins smiled.
�Where�s Kayla?� Kaylee asked as she looked up from tying her shoe laces.
�She went out with a bunch of friends this morning,� Jessica shrugged.
Kaylee stood and grabbed both her two-way and her phone along with her keys.
�I guess it�s a good thing we�ve got small asses,� Jamie laughed as the three sisters sat in the cap of the truck.
The ride to Barefoot Studios was silent except for the steady hum of the four tires on the sun warmed pavement.
Kaylee sighed as she stopped in front of the studio. �Okay there are a few rules before I take you in there. One � don�t touch anything. Two � don�t got in the recording booth unless someone takes you in there. And three � don�t touch anything.�
�Got it,� the twins laughed in unison.
Kaylee parked the truck next to Joel�s car. �Oh and four-�
�Don�t mention Benji,� Jessica and Jamie finished, again, in unison.
Kaylee rolled her eyes. �Actually I was gonna say �put your phones on silent.� But that too.� She pulled her cell phone out and dialed quickly.
�Hello?� Joel picked up on the second ring.
�Hey I don�t mean to interrupt anything but you should probably go outside.�
�Why?�
�I drove past the studio and a bunch of girls were sitting on your car.�
�Thanks,� Joel hung up.
Kaylee laughed as she put her phone back in her pocket.
The door in front of them opened quickly and Joel rushed out.
�Hi,� Kaylee smiled.
Joel looked shocked then extremely happy. He pulled her off his car and into his arms.
�Surprised?� Kaylee smiled into his neck.
He chuckled into her ear. �You have no idea. I thought you had to run around.�
She sighed and she looked up at him. �The twins decided I needed to come here instead.�
�I agree.� Joel opened the door and let them inside. �Benj and Paul left to get lunch for everybody, but Billy�s here. Do you want me to call them and get you something?�
Kaylee shook her head. �We ate before we left.�
He opened another door and let the three sisters into the studio Good Charlotte was using to record their third album.
Billy looked up from his guitar as the door opened. �Some of Benji�s groupies?�
Joel laughed. �No, this is Kaylee and her sisters Jessica and Jamie.�
Billy cocked an eyebrow. �Girlfriend Kaylee? You mean she�s real?�
Kaylee laughed. �Yes, I�m real.�
Billy stood to shake her hand. �It�s nice to meet you. You look really familiar. Have we met before?�
�Yeah I work for an online magazine called Gravity. I interviewed you guys a couple years ago.�
Billy nodded slowly, thinking. �I guess that�s it. But I don�t know�it seems like I�ve seen your picture recently. Oh well.�
�Is Eric here?� Kaylee asked, knowing where Billy had seen her picture.
�Yeah. Want me to show you were his office is?� Joel offered.
�It�s okay. I remember where it is.� Kaylee stepped towards Joel and kissed him softly. �I�ll be back in a couple minutes. Come on girlies. You said you wanted to meet Eric Valentine.�
Kaylee, Jamie, and Jessica slipped out of the room.
�She�s nice,� Billy stated as he went back to his guitar.
Joel smiled as he sat down in a chair next to him.
�She�s got a twin sister, right?�
�Identical. But Kayla�s more�spoiled? Maybe it�s easier to say Kaylee�s less demanding and more laid back. And since Lee works at Gravity she knows how much touring can fuck up a relationship.�
�And that�s a good thing to know while dating a guy who always seems to be on tour. Do you plan on staying with her after we leave California?�
�She�ll be leaving before we do. She lives in Texas, they�re just here for the summer.�
Billy stopped playing and looked up at Joel. �You don�t want her to go back to Texas, do you.� It wasn�t a question.
Joel sighed. �We�ll be on tour anyway.�
�Food is here.� Paul pushed the door open, holding white plastic bags.
�Joel�s girlfriend is here.� Billy held out his hand, palm up, towards Paul.
�No way. She�s real? Man.� Paul pulled ten dollars out of his pocket and slapped it down into Billy�s waiting palm.
�You had a bet about whether or not my brother�s girlfriend was real?� Benji looked disappointed. �Why didn�t anybody tell me? I wanted in!� He laughed. �So where is she?�
�Talking to Eric,� Joel answered.
�Correction. Was talking to Eric� Kaylee said opening the door. �And yes, I�m real.�
Joel chuckled as he pulled Kaylee down into his lap and whispering something in her ear; causing her to laugh.
�Since Joel�s not saying much to the rest of us. This is his girlfriend, Kaylee, and her sisters Jessica and Jamie,� Billy introduced.
Benji choked on his drink and started coughing.
Joel quickly rushed to his aid, gently patting his brother on the back. �Are you alright?�
Benji nodded, gasping for breath.
�Maybe we should leave, your guys probably wanna get back to work.� Kaylee and her sisters started heading towards the door.
�You can stay.� Joel caught Kaylee�s arm.
�Yeah, it�s really not a problem,� Paul added.
Kaylee dared to glance at Benji to see if it was okay with him. He refused to look at her. �Why do I care what he thinks?� she thought to herself.
Benji starred at the wall behind Kaylee�s head. �It�s fine if you stay. I don�t care.�
Kaylee tried to smile as she sat down on the couch next to Joel.
June 9 11:47 pm
Can you say �awkward�? well that one word describes a vast majority of my day. I don�t know what to do.
It feels weird to see him and not�*sighs* I wish we�d never met. It would have all been so much easier if we�d just stayed the way we were. I miss him�but I can�t bare to look at him.
But on the brighter side I�m dating a wonderful man. He makes up for all the suck ass boyfriends I�ve had in the past. *smiles* Well at least something is going to right way.
Kaylee
TattooedFreak: we need to talk
Kay_Lee: �
Kaylee we need to tell Joel he�s my best friend I cant keep it from him
Please don�t
Why? U�ll b gone n 3 months n-e-way
From Cali � yes But Joel and I have talked about my leaving�
And?
He doesn�t need to know
Yes he does
No. I need to go
Kaylee quickly hit the ignore button.
~*~*~*~*~
Benji closed the text box as Joel sat down next to him.
�What�s going on with you and that girl? You�ve been really quite since you went over to meet her�that was a little over a week ago.� Joel sounded really concerned.
Benji shrugged, nonchalant. �She�s got a boyfriend.�
�Well we can kick his ass,� Joel offered.
�As much as I would love to kick her boyfriend�s ass�I can�t. I wouldn�t be able to live with myself.�
Joel was slightly confused.
�Don�t worry about it. I�ll just have to get over her.� Benji stood and left the room.
Joel sighed and leaned back into the couch. After a few minutes he sat forward and turned the laptop. Joel quickly logged onto the internet.
Bona_Drag: I�m worried about Benj
Kay_Lee: Why?
He was talking to this girl. He was really into her�he�d never admit it but I think he loved her
What happened to her?�
She�s got a boyfriend and he�s heart broken
How do you mean heartbroken?
He acts different. It�s not the same Benj
How?
He�s quiet�more reserved. He won�t talk to me about her and before he couldn�t shut up about her
I�m sorry
That�s sweet but you don�t have to feel bad
I gotta go�I�ll talk to you tomorrow
Sweet dreams
Good night
Kaylee logged off the internet and sighed.