Just Talk to Him! (IM5)

Chapter 24

August 2nd, 2013 - 11:00 a.m.

Of course Kate follows Dalton to Dallas. She just has to, doesn’t she?

We’re at another meet-and-greet. The boys are all out there at the table, signing random objects happily. Kate and Dalton pose for pictures with some of the fans. Even from behind the backdrop, I can see Kate smiling when the fans ask her for pictures. From my experience with her plethora of fake smiles, I can tell these are genuine. She compliments the fans, causing them to giggle. Next to her, Dalton swings their entwined hands between them, looking at her with adoration.

I'd love to hate Kate; I really would. But it's near impossible to dislike someone who looks genuinely happy. Though I can't stand the fact that she pulls Dalton away from the rest of us and Dalton is perfectly okay with it, it still warms up inside that at least he's happy. Because Kate makes Dalton happy, and because for once she actually has feelings, there's no way I can hate her.

I read on my phone until the meet and greet wraps up. For once, I don't get dragged out to have to meet with the fans myself. When we go back to the hotel, Cole notes, "Hey, today's your last day, isn’t it?”

I blink. So it is. “Oh.” Chatter erupts among us. “When will Mom and Dad come to pick me up?”

He shrugs. “At like five or so. You should get ready to leave as soon as we get in our room, though.”

I sigh. There’s not much to pack, considering I’ve been moving around this whole time. Most of everything stays inside the luggages.

In the hotel, I run up to Dana and exclaim, “Teen Wolf! We need to have a marathon now. Otherwise, you might never finish it." I grab his hand and drag him to our rooms.

As I race down the hall, Dana catches up and twirls me around like a ballerina in a music box. "Hey, it's the spinning soccer player," he laughs.

"Oh, wow," I answer sarcastically, but I still laugh.

 

August 2nd, 2013 - 3:30 p.m.

After lounging around for hours, I get up and shoo Dana out of the room. Cole, who snuck in an hour ago, has his nose buried in an action novel. I mean to take one last shower under the luxurious hotel showerhead. I know Cole won’t leave the room unless it’s of his own accord, so I don’t bother trying to make him leave.

Afterward, my hair still sopping wet and my t-shirt sticking to my skin unpleasantly, I hear voices coming from the other side of the bathroom door. I growl and try to rub my hair dry one more time. Is it time for me to leave? If so, there’s no time for me to tediously blow-dry my hair.

I step out into the hotel room, fully dressed and hair dripping. All the boys are here, staring at me.

“Um?” I ask.

“They’re here to say goodbye,” Cole drawls as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “It’s four-thirty and you leave in half an hour.”

I yelp. “Wait, what?”

“Are you going to make your last moments count, or what?” Dana questions.

“You make it sound as if I’m going to die.”

“You are,” Will says. “Or at least, that’s what Alex thinks. He sent me ten texts instructing me what to do at your funeral and what to write on your gravestone. I tried telling him that you’re actually still alive, but he just kept repeating that the good die young.” He shrugs. “No clue.”

That makes me laugh. “So I’m good now?” I walk to my luggages and double check them before zipping them up. Looking to Cole, I say, “I guess we should go down to the lobby to wait now?”

He agrees and heads for the door. I start to follow him.

“Wait!” Dana exclaims. He picks me up in a tight hug, making my wet hair press against my back. I wiggle my feet, trying to touch the ground again. “I’ll miss you,” he whispers. That’s it. No sappy poem or inside jokes. He lets me go.

Then, feeling lonely all of a sudden, I go to hug Will and Gabe. Dalton is ignored. I grab my luggages again and finally exit the room. From the corner of my eye, I see Gabe rush toward Dana. Will closes the door.

As I walk down the hall, there is a thud. And another one. Gabe’s voice resounds, “Dana! Don’t make us have to pay for damages!”

My feet speed up.

 

August 2nd, 2013 - 5:00 p.m.

Cole and I sit there waiting in the lobby of the Dallas Hilton, right where I started this summer adventure.

I don't cry thinking about the fact that I’m leaving. A lump in my throat informs me that I'll miss Dalton and I'd give the world to hang out with him twenty-four/seven again, no matter how frustrating he was in the last two weeks. I consider Gabe and Will, how I never got particularly close with either of them but how they were unnecessarily nice to me the whole time. They always stuck up for me when I needed it. I will even miss Alex and his playful hugs and gestures, despite only knowing him for a few days.

Then I remember Dana, how I'd been prepared for this moment the whole of our relationship, nonexistent as it was, how I knew that this was a summer fling and nothing more. It could not possibly last longer. But Dana is my second best friend, the closest thing to a soulmate besides Anna, and then I realize I might never see him again, at least not for a year. I think of where he is, somewhere upstairs, so close but I won’t get the chance to see his conceited face again for who knows how long. When I realize that, how much I'll miss my best friend, my eyes well up and I try to blink them back.

Next to me, Cole sits with a blank stare on his face, seemingly with his head in the clouds. Before this summer, I hadn't seen Cole in over a year. The same may be true again, that I won't see his obnoxious, endearing scowl for over a year, and I realize that I actually do love my older brother a lot and I've never really thought about it or appreciated it before, and now it's our last day together for who knows how long.

That is the last straw. I can’t stop the tears from streaming down my face in uncomfortable paths. I sniffle and the noise catches the attention of Cole. His poker face drops and he hesitates. Then he puts an arm over my shoulder. Then another arm’s around me, as if he’s attempting a hug. I take it as a green light and throw my arms around his neck, embracing him for the first time in twelve years. I bury my chin into his shoulder, my tears rolling down in little awkward streaks. He squeezes me back, letting me know that it’s okay I am crying. It’s okay that my body is trembling and tears are streaming down my skin like rivulets and I’m finally showing my signs of weakness.

We stay like this for a while, the first act of familial love that either of us can remember. Then Cole pulls away, wipes at his eyes, and points at our parents’ car, which is rolling into the hotel drive through. He goes back to the way he was before, blank-faced and emotionless.

I hastily try to dry my face. I grab my luggage, stand up shakily, and get in the car.

This summer, I’d had more ups than downs. There were moments I wanted to forget and moments I wanted to keep reliving forever. But every summer comes to an end. This is the end of mine.

A/N: What did you think? This is the last chapter of Part 1 of Kylie's story. I will add Part 2 on here soon, but for now, this is the ending.

I'm also writing a companion story, called "Just Dance with Him!" that you can find on my profile. It takes place in this same au, but from a girl named Jezzy's point of view. IM5 will be in it and eventually Kylie will too. Check it out if you like this story. You'll like that one, too :)

xx Delaine