MMMMMMMkay! This is chapter 21, it is more of the "sweet chapter", I've had sweet chapters, transition chapters, and epic chapters. This one would be classified as transition...but it has too much foreshadowing that happens...some of it is unexpected :) :) Hahaha just keep in mind everything that happens so you can connect it and predict! YAYAY for being nerds like that YAYAYAYA! hahah ANYWAYS! Here is chapter 21, sorry for those who think this is kind of pointless, but keep what happens in these chapter in mind, the hints sent off about certain characters that may be unexpected. ALSO sorry about the many different POV, I tried to make it as easy to understand as I could, THANKS GUYS
Nat - the whole Joe and Gabby thing means nothing just to let you know, I didn't want you to feel like I was giving Joe to Gabby - that would be wrong, I know EXACTLY where you go, and trust me...it will be quite epic :) HOLD ON TIGHT!
Readers Note: mmmKay, so at the end of this, Gabby makes a joke...its like "I see.....said the blind man" I don't know if any of you have heard that REALLY old joke before but its a really big inside joke between me and the real gabby, and I just had to put it in. its like someone says "I see," and you are like "said the blind man" and it like makes no sense but it is quite funny :) at least to me and gabby
Missa - I have still to make ur character's entrace it should be pretty soon, I want to make you a really good character but I don't know if it will be too major....sorry bout that
Marni - if ur still reading, I know where I'm putting you and u'll appear about the same time as nat :) YAY
:)
Faye - sorry ur not in this chapter, I need to get more of you and kevin in this :) :) HOLD ON TIGHT PLEASE!
Kay guys, r u ready for this????
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<3 Madeline
Chapter 21
“WHY DIDN’T YOU LISTEN? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING ABOUT THAT WAS SO MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN THIS?” Gabby’s shaking voice shattered through the hall blasting Kati’s eyes with fear and anger making it unbearable to watch. Gabby’s head whipped around to stare at me. Her apple green eyes sliced through my frozen face and Joe and Kevin slowly turned to look at me worriedly. My jaw was slightly dropped and my throat zipped dry as I stared at Kati’s tear streaked flushed face that slightly glanced at me as she bit her lip holding back from breaking down. My entire body, limbs, blood, brain and all froze as their eyes pierced through mine. The pain behind Kati’s eyes was killing me. All I wanted to do was to regain my ability to move, my ability to talk, and cradle Kati into my arms and tell her that everything was going to be okay. Gabby snapped her feet around to stomp down the hall in tears as Kati locked her stare on me. Joe and Kevin followed Gabby with their eyes but kept their shoes glued through the floor.
This is all my fault
If I hadn’t have been so stupid to try to call Kati during her class, if I had just been smart for both of our sakes and not gone for Kati, not asked her out, everything would be better. Kati would have never come to the concert because she would have known that she had the biggest audition of her life tonight and Gabby would still be by her side and they would both be in that room right now securing the coming true of their ultimate dreams….but I did none of that…making Kati not know about the audition, Gabby screaming at Kati, ripping her heart and their friendship apart, and neither one of them were in the room and their dreams were gone. And it was all because of my idiocy. Kati eyes suddenly bulleted tears down her red cheeks as she heard Gabby stomp away setting her off to swiftly sprint down the hall past my brothers and I and out the clear doors in which we entered. My eyes stayed locked on the cream wall where Kati was standing. Nothing phased me…I just was lost in how I could ruin the entire futures of 2 girls – one of which I was crazy about– in less than 3 days. Hearing the clear doors click shut and Gabby disappearing around the corner of the other end of the hallway, Joe’s voice startled me making me jump and relocated my eyes to stare into his.
“Nick…is this your fault?” Joe asked as my throat grew dryer and dryer paralyzing my vocal cords not to mention the rest of my body. From my perspective, it was all my fault…I shouldn’t even be here
“Of course it is not his fault, there was just a misunderstanding, Gabby is just angry…right Nick,” Kevin gently said walking toward me.
I kept my eyes locked on Joe’s then smoothly moved them to the spot where Gabby disappeared around the corner.
“What did you do? What could have you done?” Joe said staring at the clear doors behind me.
“He couldn’t have done anything; he just…Kati just forgot…he couldn’t have done anything on purpose…could he?” Kevin fixed his gaze on Joe who blankly stared back at Kevin. Biting my lip, I whipped around and sprinted toward the clear door where Kati had ran out in tears that sent a rush of guilt through my body.
I have to do something about this
“Nick!” Kevin yelled after me as I felt the rush of the March breeze collide with my distraught face as I swung the clear doors open sprinting out from the hallway. The stars twinkled above as I frantically searched the darkness for any sign of Kati. Sniffling came from a bench that sat in a mini plaza right of the doors. The bench’s back faced me while a small fountain and tall trees decorated the plaza. Running my fingers through my hair I froze knowing it was Kati. Hesitating, I slowly stepped over to her trying not to make a sound. A figure was slightly visible on the bench because of the light shining through the clear doors from the hallway lined with classrooms. Placing my hand on the back of the rough bench I let the rush of butterflies engulf me as I watched Kati’s hair blow over her piercing blue eyes and the moonlight slightly light her tear streaked flushed cheeks. Biting my lip I sat down on the opposite edge of the bench locking my eyes on the fountain as I listened to her sniffle lightly.
Nick…no matter how much it hurts…you have to look at her…
Turning my head to fix my gaze on Kati, my heart fell when I saw tears jetting down her cheeks non-stop while strands of hair stuck to her cheeks as she stared at her fidgeting thumbs. The bright smile that had released butterflies into my stomach and chills down my spine was completely gone, and the sparkle in her ocean blue eyes had disappeared against the darkness. Bringing air through my nose and out my mouth, I made my presence slightly noticeable as I inched closer to Kati.
“Look Kati…I…uh….I…well, this…this is all my fault, and…uh...well…I’m never going to stop looking for a way to make it up to you…and …” I studdered but was suddenly cut off by the collapsing of Kati’s head onto my chest while she burst out into tears making a rush of prickles spread through my body as I quickly wrapped my arms around her waist pulling her closer to me and placing my chin on her head as the tears flooded my shirt. Tightening my grip around her waist I kissed her head gently creating dizziness to zoom through my head. Kati’s tears streamed from her eyes as she sniffled and crunched her eyes shut as she rested her head on my chest as I cradled her. I couldn’t believe that I had just crushed the future of the one girl I had cared about like this, the one girl that could melt my heart in just a soft, shy smile …I ruined everything…and frankly I didn’t know how I was going to live myself, how I was going to remember the pain in her eyes without beating my head against the walls for hours. I needed to let her know I cared, and that I was going to do anything I could to make it up for her…anything
“Shhh…It will be okay, I promise,” I whispered into her ear as I felt her settle her tears taking in a rush of air. Taking one of my arms away from her waist I placed my hand on her cheek and lifted her chin up slightly. Tenderly stroking her cheek to wipe the tears away a rush as heat rushed through my hand as Kati’s blue eyes opened slightly to lock gazes with me and smile very softly – it was barley even noticeable but it was beyond beautiful and the one thing I was looking for. Replacing my hand on her waist, she repositioned her head nestled in my chest as I rocked her gently closing my eyes and embracing the cool early night breeze that encased the courtyard and calmed the night.
I’ll make it up to you…somehow…
The ringing of the phone echoed through my ear as I swapped the tears off the edges of my eyes. There was one thing I couldn’t do any more of…and that was cry, but of course…I didn’t listen to that and the tears came streaming out faster than the door to the classroom slammed in my face. My cheeks were hot and red as the anger that was bubbling inside of me settled to unmask my eyes so I could look see the damage I had done, and what I saw…I didn’t like.
Where did I go in all of this? Why didn’t I just use common sense?
I knew that I had just ripped Kati apart and I had no idea if there was any turning back, I mean, we had fights before and we always forgave each other in less than an hour, 2 hours tops, but this was serious. Not only had I practically ruined our dreams, but I had blamed Kati for it, and that was most definitely not going to go over well. Adjusting nervously on the bench in the lobby of the center, I bit my lip praying that Patrick would take a minute or two away from living his dream to give me a wave of hope to rush through my veins…so I could maybe survive this night.
Pick up, Pick up, Pick up
Oh, and not to mention the worst part of all this. I had probably convinced Kati that the boy she was crazy about, the one I had practically set her up with, was the root of all this, was the one who deserved the blame on top of her…and that made me look like even more of a jerk. Right now, all I wanted to do was hear Patrick’s calm and collected voice sooth over me and tell me what to do, tell me that there was hope, and it was okay.
“Hey this is Gabby on Patrick’s phone, Patrick can’t come to talk to you right now so I think you know what to do in all, but let’s go through the steps shall we? Ready? Step 1: wait fo…” I slammed the phone shut tossing it to the side of me.
Gabby, how could you be so stupid? He is probably wrapped up in some guitar thing…he’ll never pick up…even for me
Leaning my head back banging my head against the back of the plastic bench wishing someone was there to hold me up and to cushion the blow. I clenched my eyes closed let the tears fall down my cheeks and I had no intention of stopping them. I was going to cry for everything that I had wanted, and everything that was gone. Picking my head up again, I whacked it against the back of the bench absorbing the surge and letting the shake rush through my body. It was the only thing that would relieve my stress …even if it didn’t help anything. Picking my head up I slammed my head down to the back of the bench once for but only to get stopped by a gently hand that caught the back of my head and lightly pushed it back up.
“You know, that is not exactly good for that noodle of yours,” Joe’s voice bounced off the walls of the empty lobby as he jumped over the bench back to sit next to me. My eyes grew wide quickly at the sight of him. He startled me, not only because he snuck up behind me, but because he actually cared.
Nick sprinted down the hallway and out the door leaving Kevin and I behind. Everything had happened so fast…I just seemed to follow but not truly pay attention. It was like watching a movie on fast forwards…you could catch every other detail…but nothing could stop to make any sense. All I had caught was the fact the Kati and Gabby were heart broken because someone had messed things up…and according to the hallway once full of tear streaked faces and echoing scolds, everything pointed to Nick.
“Nick!” Kevin yelled down the hall slightly chasing after him at half speed stopping in the middle of the hallway then looking back at me. My eyes kept focused on the glossy clear doors at the end of the hall. Pivoting slightly I fixed my gaze on where Gabby had disappeared. Even though I had known Gabby for only 3 days, I knew that whoever had yelled at Kati practically tearing her apart…wasn’t Gabby at all…it was her broken heart…it was the shutting of that door to the classroom where the casting directors sat with a steering wheel that controlled each of those girls’ future. I knew that Nick was going straight toward Kati, but who was going straight toward Gabby…and that is what sent me sprinting to the other end of the hall.
“Joe!” Kevin called out as the air swooshed past me keeping my eyes fixed on the corner of the hallway. Slowing my pace I peeked around the corner watching a tear roll down Gabby’s fire red cheeks as she took a deep breath releasing it rigidly. Pressing her phone against her ear Gabby leaned forward onto her knees biting her lip harshly letting more tears run down her face. Suddenly Gabby slammed the phone shut and hurled it across the bench. This wasn’t Gabby. Gabby was always positive and had a sense of confidence about her…who ever that was had no confidence, no comfort, and definitely no positive thoughts. Banging her head against the back ledge of the bench she clenched her eyes shut as I crept slightly toward her. Before she could strike her head a third time I stuck my hand under her head and gently placed it back above her shoulders causing her to jump in shock.
“You know, that is not exactly good for that noodle of yours,” I said slightly laughing as I leaped over the back of the bench to sit next too Gabby. Her green glassy eyes were distant, and all the expression in her face was drawn away.
“Who were you trying to call,” I asked softly trying to get her mind off what happened in the hallway before she could say anything about it.
“Patrick,” she half whispered looking down at her shoes and wiping her tear streaked cheek with her jacket, “He won’t pick up,” The expression on her face sank even more, it was like she wasn’t even there. Her eyes pleaded for someone to know her side of the story and know what she was thinking.
“Gabby, you don’t need to be upset about anything that happened back there, Kati will forgive you for yelling at her, my brothers and I will somehow make this up to you girls, and it will all be okay, it will all just be okay.” I said locking my eyes on the wall at the back of the lobby hoping that my deepest thought of the day might brighten her eyes a bit. Gabby snapped her head to look back at me as I slowly smiled at her forcing her eyes to fill up with light and a wide “gabby is back” grin to whip on her face.
Score one for the great Joe-a-nator, mission accomplished
“Thanks,” she whispered in her tear stricken voice she said standing up slowly as I followed her lead. The smile on her face gleamed signaling me that everything was going to be okay; she just needed someone to care.
“No problem, we should probably get going, my parents are probably going crazy, they probably think that Kevin popped another tire or something,” I laughed walking side by side with Gabby around the corner and down the hall way.
“Hey, do you know where Patrick is?” Gabby asked turning up the volume of her voice a bit…I hoped that meant she was returning to her normal self, but I could feel a hint of sadness in her voice.
“Last I heard, he was out with the band, why do you ask?” I said hoping to keep Gabby to stay Gabby, seeing her break down like she had sent a sweep of misery through my body.
“I don’t know he just…always picks up the phone when I call,” Gabby said softly her smile fading.
“Oh…I see,” I said staring at the passing tiles on the floor, obviously, my plan bring Gabby back from breaking down had failed…even though my plans hardly ever failed…honestly, I was a bit shocked that I couldn’t keep her out of depression for 5 minutes.
“Said the blind man,” Gabby giggled sending a stream of giggles through the hallway and shooting a smile on her face as I snapped my head back up to see the Gabby I had met was still there.
Corny joke, super smile, Gabby is back – good work Joe
I knew my plans never failed.
Taking a deep breath of the March breeze and the strong smell of Nick’s cologne, I clasped my eyes tighter trying to erase the thoughts that irritatingly ran through my head.
“And remember class...” What did she say after that, why can’t I remember, why was I so caught up in my thoughts, why did Gabby blame this all on me, why did Nick have to be so wonderful that I would forget one of the most important nights of my life, what is going to happen, I’ll never get where I want to be, Gabby probably hates me…
Nudging my head tighter into Nick’s chest I bit my lip taking in every moment of the night. All in one day, one dream came true and another was crushed leaving me absolutely helpless and pathetic. Nick tenderly grasped my hips sending non stop chills down my spin as his head rested on mine. I had sat there silently as Nick rocked me back in forth gently. I didn’t want Nick to ever let go of me, I wanted to stay like this forever and just hide…but I knew that I had to pry my stupid, forgetful, tear filled head up to go to acting the next day and suck it up…with Nick not there to protect me, and that’s what was scaring me the most right now. Nick gently rubbed his thumb on my side calming my thoughts as I took in another stream of air. As uncontrollable tears transferred into slight sniffles, Nick’s voice softly emerged from the silence warming my entire body and relaxing me more.
They come and go but they don't know
That you are my beautiful
I try to come closer with you
But they all say we won't make it through
But I'll be there forever
You will see that it's better
All our hopes and our dreams will come true
I will not disappoint you
I'll be right there for you 'til the end
The end of time
Please be mine
Nick’s mellow voice echoed through my ears fading deeper and deeper. For the first time that night, everything was calm, and I wanted it to stay that way. Fading more and more, I fell gently to sleep.
‘I only wished a Jonas would sing me to sleep’