so this is my second one shot in the space of two days, which is like, craziness for me, since i usually have no time to do anything. but w/e.
and this one is dedicated to Ashley. 'Cause she's awesome, and amazing, and fantastic, and incredible, and spectacular, and any other nice adjective you can think of. =D she's also the star of this one shot. :)
hope you guys enjoy it..... i kinda threw it together so, sorry if it sucks.
~Belles <3
Kevin rubbed his temples trying to relieve the massive headache that he had had since morning and still wouldn't go away.
“Are you stoked for the show tonight?” Joe asked Kevin excitedly his loud voice penetrating Kevin's head like a hammer.
Kevin tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. “Yeah, totally.”
Joe smiled back unaware of his brother's pain, but Nick noticed, “Hey, you ok man?”
Kevin sighed, “Yeah, I just took some Advil so I should feel a lot better soon.”
“Good, 'cause if....” Nick began.
Kevin held up his hands stopping Nick, “I know, I know. If I said no, I'd still have to play tonight anyways and I'd ruin the whole show.”
Nick smiled, “Actually I was going to say if you said no it'd really suck to tell all our fans that you're feeling to unwell to play tonight. But yours works too.”
Kevin laughed and stood up, “Well, I'm gonna go find an empty room and sneak a quick nap. Maybe it'll help.”
“Ok, but make sure you're back in time for the lock down.” Joe reminded Kevin just before he walked out the door.
Kevin nodded in understanding and began to walk around backstage to find an empty room. He passed a bunch of doors that were locked and a bunch of rooms that were occupied with stuff. He turned down another way and went to open the door, praying to God that this room wouldn't turn out to be a supply closet or a junk room like the last five had been.
He opened the door and was relieved to find it empty from all cleaning supplies and random sound equipment. There was even a couch in the room. Kevin smiled and gave quick thanks to God before turning on the light. Once the light was on, however, he noticed that the room wasn't completely empty. There was someone else in there. A girl. She was wearing dark blue jeans and a baggy sweatshirt, while sleeping peacefully on the couch.
Her dark brown curly hair spilled over the armrest of the couch and all over her face. Kevin had the sudden urge to go over there and gently brush her hair back into place. But instead, he stood frozen at his spot near the door and studied her. Her skin looked smooth and soft and her lips were parted slightly for her to breathe. Kevin was in awe of her beauty and wondered if her eyes were as amazing as the rest of her. He decided they must be.
Suddenly he wondered what he should do. Should he go away? Wake her up? Stand there staring at her like a stalker like he was already doing?
He didn't know what would be the best thing to do. He wanted to wake her up so that he could get to know her, but he didn't want to interrupt her sleep, it seemed like she needed it. Finally Kevin turned off the light and was just about to walk out of the room when he noticed her stirring.
She sat up on the couch, faced him, and asked quite simply, “If you loved someone, would you hit them?”
Kevin was taken aback, he didn't know what to say. “Uh, I would never hit someone I loved. If you love a person, you want the best for them. You want to make them happy. And you'd never want to hurt them. So hitting them would kind of go against all of those things.”
The room was darker without the lights on, but he could still see her face. She gave a slight nod and looked him in the eyes. Her light green eyes shone with unshed tears and her eyes were as beautiful as he knew they'd be. He noticed how she seemed to be reluctantly agreeing with him. As if she knew what he said was true, but she didn't want to believe it.
Kevin turned the light back on and walked over to the couch. He sat down, “I'm Kevin.”
“Ashley.” She replied simply.
He smiled and looked at her again. When she was sleeping, he hadn't seen the right side of her face because she was sleeping on it and when they spoke briefly in the dark, it was too dim to see the color of her face clearly. But now, as he sat down right next to her, staring at her, he couldn't help but notice.
There was a hand print on her right cheek. It was slightly pink since it was probably fading from it's initial bright red. But you could still clearly see it.
Kevin gave her a questioning look, “What-”
Ashley cut him off, looking at the floor instead of him, “I'd rather not talk about it right now.”
He studied her for a moment. “Fair enough,” he finally said. Then added, “What are you doing here?”
She looked at him and shot back, “What are you doing here?”
“Work,” was Kevin's simple reply.
“Oh.” She said.
“Yep. How 'bout you?”
Ashley hesitated, “I needed a place to crash.”
“Why?” Kevin asked.
“I just did,” she replied beginning to get defensive.
Kevin held up his hands as if to ask for peace, “Whoa. I'm sorry. I won't pry anymore. I promise.”
“Thanks.” She whispered.
They sat there in a slightly awkward silence for a while before Kevin said, “You know what I want to do today?”
“What?” Ashley asked curious.
“Something I've never done before.” Kevin answered.
“Well what is that?”
“I don't know what I'm gonna do. I just know it has to be something that I've never done before.” He said.
“Oh.” She looked thoughtful for a moment before saying, “Have you ever played hand games?”
“What?”
“You know. Hand games. Miss Mary Mack. There's a place on Mars. Chinese Restaurant. Concentration. Slide?”
Kevin just stared at her.
“None of them?”
“Nope. None.”
“Well, can I teach you then?” She asked.
“Sure.” Kevin shrugged unsure of what he was getting himself into.
The next hour was a happy blur of talking, teasing, laughing, getting to know each other, and just having fun. Somewhere in that time they did have a somewhat serious conversation.
Kevin was staring at Ashley laugh like a maniac and he was hypnotized. The way her eyes sparkled, how her curly hair framed her face, the way she brought her hands to her mouth as she laughed as if that would help her calm down faster. It all fascinated him.
“Do you think that there are people on this world that when they meet, they feel as if they've known each other before. Like maybe they met in a former life or they were best friends in Heaven. Do you think it's possible?” Kevin asked seriously, making Ashley's laughter stop.
She thought about it for a moment, c.ocking her head to the side. “I think that's a definite possibility. Why?”
Kevin gave her a sweet, nervous smile, “'Cause that's how I'm feeling about you.” He whispered.
Ashley heard it and blushed. “Ditto.”
Kevin was sure the whole backstage could hear their laughter. It kept on escalating until neither of them could breathe and all they could hear was their own loud laughter ringing in their ears. Kevin tried to catch a breath, but couldn't. He fell over right onto Ashley.
In that moment when Kevin leaned against Ashley for support the world seemed to have stopped. They miraculously stopped laughing and Kevin sat up. They stared at each other in the eyes and Kevin's eyes wandered to the hand print on Ashley's face. He briefly wondered who it was from.
“He's not a bad person.” Ashley spoke.
Kevin didn't say anything, just stared at her waiting for her follow up response.
“He loves me. Really he does. And last night was the first time he's ever hit me. He's never hit me before. Only yelled, but this time it got out of control. He was angry and I shouldn't have bugged him. I knew that, but I did it anyways. It was my fault. I should've done better. I should've been better. It's not his fault. He loves me. He's my father. He has to love me.” She said almost pleading with Kevin to understand, to agree with her.
He still remained silent, not sure what to say.
Ashley's light green eyes began filling up with tears. She didn't want to cry in front of him, but she couldn't help it. The first tear leaked out starting a flood. Tears came pouring down her face. She felt so lost and scared at the thought that maybe, just maybe, her dad didn't love her, that he might actually be a bad guy.
Ashley cried and then started screaming, begging and demanding all at the same time for Kevin's agreement that her dad really loves her. “HE LOVES ME! HE LOVES ME! He just made a mistake. He loves me. He has to.” She sobbed.
Her voice changed to just above a whisper and when she spoke it was broken and fearful, “He has to love me, doesn't he?” She asked turning her tear filled eyes to Kevin.
Kevin stared at her. He wasn't sure what to do. It broke his heart to see her this wrung out, but he didn't want to break her heart to tell her the truth. That if her father screamed at her, went as far as to hit her, and didn't even care where she was right now, he probably didn't love her.
Kevin reached over and pulled Ashley towards him. She buried her head in his chest getting his clothes wet. “I'm sure that, somewhere deep inside he loves you.” He said. “Anybody would be crazy not to love you.”
Ashley continued to cry, but it was letting up a bit and the tears were becoming fewer. He didn't know whether that was because she had no tears left or because she was feeling better. When she pulled away and gave him a tiny smile, he opted for the second guess.
He reached over and gently wiped away her tears with his thumb. His right hand rested on her right cheek. The same cheek with the hand print on it. Kevin moved his hand to the print and brushed it gently as if his touch could make it better. He glanced back at her eyes and in that instant knew that nothing could make it better, but if he was willing to try, she was willing to let him.
They stayed like that for a while. Soaking in each other's presence. Loving the feeling of familiarity and love that surrounded them. The feeling that passed between them is hard to describe. To anyone else, they were just two strangers who had met. To them, they were two people who had just found their other half. Their one and only. They had a strong connection. A Heaven connection.
Ashley leaned closer to Kevin and rested her hand on top of his on her cheek. “Have you ever kissed someone who just cried on you and got your clothes all wet?” She asked.
“No.” He replied definitely.
“Wanna do something you've never done before then?” She asked.
“I've already played hand games.” He replied.
“I was thinking something a little more crazy than that.” Ashley smiled.
“I'm game.” He grinned back.
Ashley looked at him for a brief moment before closing her eyes and leaning in to kiss her angel. For he must've been an angel. To come into this room and sweep her off her feet. To make her feel like she was special and an interesting person to hang with. To help her through her little break down. He must've been an angel, because she could've sworn they knew each other in Heaven and he'd watched over her there too.
