Ever Arnolds; how my life got completely flipped upside down.

9 days

**linsey up above**

The show had immediately been a hit. Rehearsals were fun yet tiring.

But the best part of this trip, had to be hanging out with Jared and Linsey.

Linsey usually took extra rehearsal hours with her coach though, so it was usually just me and Jared.

Like right now.

The show had given us some money to go shopping and so we had gone to a lot of nice stores and bought a lot of nice stuff. I had gone into pink and Jared tried to follow me in but I wouldn't let him in.

Currently we were walking around soho just kind of wandering.

"You know I really like hanging out with you," Jared said.

"Jared, you know I'm still not over Callan."

"No I mean in a totally friendly kind of way, Love." He had been calling me darling all week. It made me hurt even worse every time. Now it was love. A tear fell from my eye.

"Oh my god Ever I'm sorry what did I do?!"

"It's nothing, it's just that that's what Callan would call me and I just really need to get over him." I said. Callan reached down and hugged me tight and I rested my head on his shoulders. I felt something flash but only thought it was the sun.

It wasn't the sun.

The next day at night, me and Linsey were eating in. She was editing a video and I was texting Maura from my computer when I got a FaceTime request.

From Callan.

I clicked open right away.

"Callan," I said, genuinely surprised.

"Ever," he said. I raised my eyebrows at him. I glanced up and saw Linsey pull her earbuds out and gradually move closer.

"Um you called me so if you expect me to start up a conversation then you are going to be very disappointed."

"So who is Jared Sampson?"

"One of the people I am competing against?"

"I mean to you. Are you two dating?"

"Um no?"

"Want to explain these then?" He held up a stack of magazines. Me and Jared hugging graced the cover of all of them.

"That was so stupid I was up-"

"No I gotta read these quotes, Ever."

"Okay then."

"Golden Records competitors Jared Sampson and Ever Arnold have gotten cuddly and cozy this past week as their show became a hit and they got closer to the show. They are often seen strolling the streets of Manhattan, New York. Usually it is just the two of them, although they are occasionally accompanied by fellow singer/songwriter Linsey Gray. The twenty year old country singer and the nineteen year old pop singer seem very close. Perhaps, dating? All we can say as of now is that if they are dating, it'll really hurt if one of them wins and the other doesn't. Whatever it is, these two are definitely a golden couple."

I stared at him in disbelief.

"Do you really believe that?"

"I don't know what to believe."

"The media likes to make a big deal of things. I was upset because of something and so J hugged me. That was all."

"I don't believe you."

"Oh my god why does it even matter if you believe me? We aren't dating, Callan."

"No shit."

"I'm not dating him!"

"Prove it."

"Linsey will you go get Jared?" I asked. She nodded and bolted from the room.

"Why do you even care, Callan."

"Because no matter how hard I try, Ever, I can't stop wanting you."

"I'm not a possession, Callan," my eyes started watering. Jared and Linsey walked in.

"Jared!" I said excitedly. He plopped down on the bed next to me.

"What's up."

"I need to prove a point to my ex, will you confirm that we are in fact not dating."

"Nope. Not dating, man. Sorry bout the douches in the media."

"You believe me now?" I asked.

"Nope," Callan said. I rolled my eyes.

"Well I can't satisfy you, Callan so maybe I should date him."

"Maybe you should."

"Fine!"

"Fine!" I slammed my laptop shut and rolled onto my back as the tears rolled from my eyes.

"I honestly think I have fallen more in love with him since we broke up." I said. Linsey came and gave me a hug.

"Then why don't you two get back together?"

"Because he cheated on me and I cannot trust him."

"Okay," Jared said, "but he did say he had been drunk when he did it. Plus that girl Reagan probably tried seducing him into it just to piss you off. He hadn't been in his right mind, so he can't entirely be blamed."

"Yes but why did he have to drink away his feelings when I told him no?"

"Use your imagination, Ever."

"Enlighten me?"

"He was probably pretty turned on. I mean, you are one of the prettiest people I've met, plus you are super nice. It's hard to believe that he had any other reason than that." I looked down at my hands.

"Ugh I feel terrible."

"Don't. He still cheated. And now he seems pretty mad," Linsey said, "my advice is try not to stress until you go home. I mean, it's not like you'll see him until then."

"You're right."