I'll Run to You // Awsten Knight

Chapter 35-Interviewed

December 10th, 2017

Hope couldn't stand waiting to release this song, but she knew she had to wait until the perfect time to show it the world. She figured that time would be when she got to see Awsten again. He didn't want to wait much longer and made that pretty clear, so Hope gave in and agreed to play it for him when they're together in person again. That wouldn't take long either, she's going to see him in just a little over a week in Houston.

For now, the both of them just have to wait.

It didn't take much for Hope to be easily distracted from a lot of things and responsibilities. She was in the middle of doing her makeup and suddenly got caught up dancing in her bathroom to Powerless. That was something she had to tell Awsten. 

There was always that one thing about the song that just couldn't keep her from stopping everything to either sing along or dance to it, even if she wasn't a very good dancer. That being the reason she doesn't have choreography during concerts like most female singers do during concerts. She wouldn't even have dancers behind her, she was the main focus on stage.

It was 8 o'clock at night and Hope had to be at the set for an interview with Jimmy Fallon.

It's been about a year since she's last been on the show, and a lot of the crew has said they enjoy having her around, which is a good reminder for Hope to tell herself. So, when they heard she was coming back, they were all glad to hear the news.

Once she finally got back on track and finished her makeup, she grabbed her car keys and walked out of her apartment. That's when she got a call from Awsten.

After just two rings, Hope picked it up.

"Hi Awsten," Hope said with the most stupid grin.

"Hey lovely, are you on your way?" Awsten asked, matching the smile his girlfriend was showing. He truly couldn't get enough of how gorgeous she always was.

"I'm getting in my car right now," she said as she closed the door.

"Okay, cause my parents wanted to watch you on the show with me."

What Awsten said really made Hope's heart ache to see him again, "Oh my god Awsten that's so cute."

"Hey, don't make me soft, I'm supposed to be your tough, macho boyfriend. I can't really do that if you make my heart all mushy." 

"You can still be," Hope laughed. "Also, don't call yourself macho, I don't think I could be with you if you call yourself that again."

"I'm a free man, I can call myself whatever I want. I can also say I'm as tall as I want. I'll have you know, I'm actually seven feet tall," Awsten declared like he was giving a speech in front of the president.

"Really? Have you grown two feet in two months or are you lying to me?"

Awsten sighed with a triumphant smile on his face, "Come on, you know I wouldn't lie to you."

"So when I see you in a couple of weeks you're going to be as tall as you say? Confess now or forever hold your peace." 

The rest of Hope's drive was mainly Awsten being the stupidly adorable person everyone knows him as and Hope going along with his jokes. Awsten hasn't been that happy in days, and he finally got to feel that again talking to Hope.

*time skip with cool scene change music*

The commercial break was almost over and Hope felt the nerves starting. Sure, she's been on television like this before, but she never got used to it. There were more people at once watching her than any performance she's done, and knowing that she will probably get asked about Awsten made it worse.

It was clear that she was going to get asked about him, when you're famous, everyone wants to know about your personal life and who you're dating. It's just another excuse to have your relationships secret because everybody takes it too far when they find out.

They were signaled that the cameras were rolling, and Jimmy started talking. "Welcome back to the show everybody. Tonight I am once again joined with Hope. Hope, how are you doing tonight? It's good to see you again." His tone was cheery and he seemed genuinely happy.

"Yeah, it's good to be back," Hope said as she looked around the room, her anxiety calming and letting the familiar feeling settling in. "You know, I'm doing as good as I can be. Still a little sad that touring is over. But, there's going to be a headliner soon, everything is already being planned actually."

"Oh, so that means there's going to be an upcoming album?" It was refreshing to hear someone who isn't in the music industry so interested in new music.

"Well, yeah. There's so much that I've been working on and I know I've already released this album, but I already have new music that I can't wait to show everyone. It's just getting better and better and there's so much progress showing."

"Speaking of this album, can you share what or who this was about?"

"I'll share as much as I can. As a lot of people know, I was in a relationship with someone, but it didn't really end so well. I don't think I want to disclose that right now, but the songs on the album were about her, but they've lost that same meaning for me. Right now, they're just...songs," Hope explained, mostly looking at her hands or to the camera.

"Do you still wish they kept that meaning for you?"

"Not at all. It's been better for me now. I can sing these songs without them having a strong effect, or I can dedicate them to other people. One of my friends has been in the same situation, it's just been harder for him to think of those songs differently. Everyone has different ways of healing, his just takes more time. But, I know it's going to get better for him, it did for me." Throughout the whole time Hope talked about it, it was just the thought of Awsten going through her head. No matter what she talked about, something from the topic would spiral back to about him.

"Speaking of..now, I'm not the one to gossip," he said through a small laugh. "But there's been so many people wondering what your relationship is with this guy named Awsten."

There it was. The question Hope dreaded but knew would come up sooner or later. Her and Awsten have talked about it plenty of times to know that they would deny the relationship until both of them are ready. 

"Yeah, I've seen a lot of people ask him about what is happening between us, but, we're just friends. I know this might let a lot of people down, but we aren't dating." It felt like a pit in her stomach had formed as she said that. No matter how badly Hope wanted to say that she's with Awsten, neither of them are ready for it. They weren't ready for all the strings that were attached to announcing a relationship to the public. There would be death threats, arguments between fans, and division. 

It would be better to keep everything on the down-low for now.

After the next thirty minutes of laughs, jokes, and serious talks, everything was over.

The most important thing asked to Hope was about a new song. She expressed that she wanted to release it as soon as she could, but needed to give it time. After all, she did just put out an entire album just a couple months ago, but it isn't rare for artists to put out new songs a few weeks after a new album.

It didn't take her long to get back to her apartment and make a decision to release the song in December, preferably the night before she goes to visit Awsten and his family for Christmas.