I'll Run to You // Awsten Knight

Chapter 43 - Nicole's Help

January 20th, 2018

A few weeks had gone by since Hope last saw Awsten in person, and all she felt was a longing to be with him again. She went through New Year's and even his birthday without feeling his touch, without sleeping in the same bed as him. The dread Hope felt about him living in Texas and her in New York was the most unbearable thing of all.

Sure, a quick Facetime and they went to bed was alright, but none of it was the same.

Hope sent Awsten all of the gifts she thought was necessary for his birthday, and she might have went a little overboard, but she would only do it for him.

On her way back home, the entire plane ride was full of Hope blasting Entertainment in her ears. She didn't know much about who the lyrics were about besides what Awsten had told her on the late nights when they couldn't sleep. She got to see the whole behind-the-scenes and Hope couldn't feel anything but sympathy for how rough it all was. She encouraged him through it all, but not a lot of it was taken into consideration from how clouded Awsten's mind was.

It was set to release in a little under a week, and of course she wanted to be there with him for it, but time isn't always on everyone's sides, everything for Hope's tour was booked just days before she even met the band (let alone her not knowing she'd grow so close to the boys through that time). The band also was supposed to play a couple shows in Australia by the 30th, Hope leaves the next day as well to start her own tour that she hasn't packed for.

A few quick and sharp knocks on Hope's apartment door startled her out of her thoughts. Hope hadn't noticed she was laying on her couch for the last thirty minutes until she checked the time. The icon 'are you still watching?' appeared on her tv screen and she clicked, 'yes', before she tiredly got up to greet whoever it was at her door.

Nicole was at her door with a bright smile, which rubbed off on Hope. Nicole lifted her hands up to where Hope could see what she was holding, six copies of Born to rule all deluxe edition CDs were lined behind each other. 

Hope was nothing but baffled when she saw them, "You know, I could've just got you some free ones if you wanted six of them."

"No need. I was going to get more but these were the only ones left on the shelves, I even went to another Target, but they were all sold out." A hint of disappointment was in her words, but the bright expression on Nicole's face said otherwise. She just wanted to show her support to her friend, and was already doing perfect nonetheless with how much she let Hope talk about all the things upcoming.

Naturally, Nicole walked into Hope's apartment, "Oh you did not go to multiple places."

She set the six CDs on the kitchen counter as if they were worth a million dollars, which Hope found to be a little silly. "I did go to multiple places, and you'll appreciate it."

"I-I do appreciate it, but what are you going to do with six of these?"

"Give them to friends? Keep and display them? I haven't thought that far ahead yet." Nicole walked over and sat on a couch, Hope following. "Did Awsten buy as many as me? Or did I beat him at being a better boyfriend?"

"He only bought a few because he wanted to get some for Gracie and their parents," Hope said with little emotion. She hadn't talked to him much today, just the usual morning texts for a little and they were off to do their own things for the day. There wasn't even much to do besides actually get clothes together, but Maliki does most of the last-minute planning if it was ever needed.

"That's actually really sweet," Nicole commented genuinely. "But I'm still a better boyfriend than him. Is he coming up here for the album release or are you going to go see him?"

Hope hadn't thought about it, which seems a little off with all of the things running around her. "I'm not sure, I should probably see him once at least, before we both leave, the different time zones are gonna kill me."

Hope enjoyed the rest of her afternoon with Nicole, it was going to be the last time they could for at least two months until she comes back home from her tour, and just after that she has to plan everything for the European tour later in the year.

When she got home, Hope called Awsten immediately to plan her flying out to see him for the album release, she would stay for two days so they both would have their own time to get sleep and be ready for their own things.

A/N I know it's been a LONG time and this is a pretty old chapter I just finished up in a couple days, but I promise I will get two more chapters in before I leave for vacation. Might even be cool and leave you guys with a cliffhanger bc this is the perfect time for things to get... interesting, to say the least. I have even been waiting to write this part for a while but never had the perfect ideas until earlier this week and that was what got me motivated for all of this. Pretty short chapter today but all of me zoning out at random times thinking about what to write is making the upcoming chapters PERFECT, and I do mean perfect literally. Thanks for the support! <3

                                                                                    -Zee