Adopted By Matthew Espinosa (Hayes Grier)

Chapter 28

CHARLOTTE POV.

"Charlotte, I have food!" I heard someone whisper to me. I opened my eyes to see that it was Hayes. "I heard food," I said as I sat up straight making Hayes laugh at my comment. "Yes, peanut butter sandwich," He said as he handed it to me. "Thank you," I said with a smile as I grabbed the sandwich out of his hands. "What time is it?" I asked before I took a bite out of my sandwich. "It's only 1:37," He told me as he took a sip of his water.

We sat there for 15 minutes talking and eating. "Char, are you ready to practice?" Shawn asked from behind my seat. "Ah, yeah sure," I said as I stood up fixing up my shirt. "Good luck," Hayes said as I had to 'climb' over him to get into the aisle and touched his hand. "Where am I going?" I asked as I stood in the aisle of the bus. "We have a little 'recording studio' at the back of the bus with a microphone so I will be in there with you when you sing," Shawn said as he sat up. He guided me into the little 'recording studio' where it was so tight and cramped. "Okay, do you know how this works?" Shawn asked as he shut the door behind him.

 "I think so, I just sing into the microphone and you hear me right?" I asked as I put the head phones on. "Yep, you will do great Char!" Shawn said as he took a seat in front of me. "What do I sing first?" I asked as he handed me sheets of different lyrics and songs. "Anything," He replied as he crossed his legs. "Okay, I will do Royals," I said with a smile on face. I started to sing when the beat started. I was new to the whole 'recording' thing and listening to myself through head phones. I only ever sung in the shower or in my bedroom. Never anything this fancy.

I finished singing. "So?" I asked as I put the head phones around my neck. "If you sing like that at the show, you will be signed for sure!" He said standing up. "Thank you so much!" I said as I walked over to him and hugged him tight. "No, thank you," He said as he pulled away. "Okay, let's sing the other song, umm Titanium," He said as he sat back down. I was singing for a bit over an hour. It was so amazing! Shawn was so great helping me, so was Hayes. I just missed dad a lot. "Hey Shawn, have you spoken to dad yet?" I asked as I walked out of the room with him following me. "Not yet, do you want to call him?" He asked. "Yes please," I replied with a smile. Shawn handed me the phone and started to walk away. "Thank you," I told him. "It's okay sweet heart," He said as he took a seat next to Hayes.

I went through Shawn's contacts and found 'Matt' because I didn't know his number off by heart. The phone started to ring and dad answered.

"Hello?" He answered the phone.

"Dad, it's me Charlotte!" I said as I sat at the front of the bus.

"Charlotte! How are you?" He said excitingly.

"Pretty good, I miss you so much!"

"I miss you too hun, has Shawn kept you busy?"

"Yes! It has been so exciting!" I replied.

We talked for almost 30 minutes until he had to go because of a meeting. I missed him so much and I missed Bell too and even Nash!

 I quickly looked at myself in the mirror and took my hair out of the braid that I had put it in earlier this morning and I left the bathroom. I gave Shawn back his phone. "How did it go?" He asked as he got up out of the seat that I was sitting in. "Pretty good, he had to go because of a meeting though," I said as I made my way into my seat. "Oh, well you can call him as much as you want," Shawn said with a smile. "Thanks," I replied with a small smile on my face.

"Shawn said you were pretty amazing," Hayes said as he looked into my eyes. "Yeah, well I try," I said with a smile joking around. "You don't have to you know," He said touching my hand. Why was he being so sweet today? "Thank you," I said with a smile. "So do you want to watch a movie or something?" He asked as he pulled his laptop out. "Sure," I replied as I got comfortable in my seat. "Hmm, what would you like?" He asked. "Anything," I said looking through his movies on his laptop. "Oh! You have Finding Nemo! Can we please watch it?" I asked eagerly. "Sure, you act like you have never seen it," He said as he clicked on the file.

"It's because I haven't," I replied. He looked at me weirdly. "I know I know, I'm weird," I said laughing. "Wow," he said. "Wow what?" I asked. "I love a weirdo," He said making my stomach fly around with butterflies. Hayes just stared at me once he realised what he said.

HAYES POV.

"I know I know, I'm weird," Charlotte said laughing to herself. "Wow," I said. "Wow what?" She asked as she looked at me. "I love a weirdo," I said as she looked at me. Did I just tell her that I loved her? "Oh, um, I'm so s-sorry, um I s-shouldn't of s-aid tha..." I started to stutter until I was cut off by her soft lips on mine. She pulled away after shortly starting the kiss. "I love you too," She said as she held my head in her hands.

 I looked in her eyes as she looked into mine, with my hands gently around her neck as hers were still on my face. "Guys that's gross!" Shawn said in the seat behind us making both of us laugh. "I guess you heard all of that?" Charlotte said as she started to giggle. "Um yes," Shawn said making us both blush, especially Charlotte. "You guys are too cute!" He said. "Well thanks," She said as she looked at me making me smile intensely.

"Um, where are we going to sleep?" I asked trying to change the subject. "Not together," Shawn said starting to laugh. "I know, but seriously," I said looking at Shawn with my serious face. "Oh right, well there are bunks over there," He said as he pointed to them. "There are 6 so we get one each," He added. "But I thought there were seven people?" Charlotte asked. "Yeah, the drivers change so when one drives, the other sleeps and so on," He said with a smile. "I am going to go and practice," He said as he got up and went to the 'studio'.

"So," I said trying to break the awkwardness. "We should watch the movie," She said as she looked at me with a smile. "Yeah," I replied as I pressed play.

 We finished watching the movie and Charlotte went and sung again. We didn't really talk about the whole 'I love you' thing that happened earlier. Trust me, I didn't regret saying those words because they were my true feelings, I just think that Charlotte did.

CHARLOTTE POV.

Hayes just told me that he loved me, and I said it to him also... I didn't regret it, I just felt embarrassed. He knew how I felt and no one really knows that. I have always kept my feelings to myself and now he knows how I feel. What if he hurts me? And to top it all off Shawn saw and heard everything! And by 'saw' I mean he saw our intense kiss.

I tried to avoid the awkward talk so I went and sung and then had a shower and went to be immediately even though I wasn't even tired. I was on the top bunk and I just layed there thinking.

Thinking to myself got a bit boring so I decided I would just go and 'talk' to Hayes. So I opened the curtain on my bunk and jumped off with great landing. I walked down and everyone was still awake including Hayes. "Hey," I said as I sat next to him in my seat. "I thought you went to bed?" He asked as he closed his laptop. "I did, I just can't sleep," I replied. "Is this awkward?" I asked. "No, why would it?" He replied. "I don't know," I replied as I started to fiddle with my fingers.

"You know I will never hurt you or anything like that right?" He asked me looking straight into my eyes. "Yeah I know," I said as I grabbed his hands. I smiled which made him smile. I loved his smile. "So what do you want to do?" I asked. "This," He said as he leaned in and started to kiss me on the lips. His lips were so soft. "You know were not the only ones here right?" I said as I pulled away slowly. "I know," He said as he started to kiss me again. I felt so safe in his arms. "Second time today, really?" I heard a voice say from higher up. I looked up to see Shawn. "Hi," I said as I pulled away.

"I am going to bed guys, you should too because we should get to Austin in the morning then we will do rehearsal," He said as he looked at the time on his phone. "Okay, goodnight," I said with a smile. "Good night Shawny!" Hayes said making me laugh. "What did you call him?" I asked. "Shawny, he hates it so I do it," He said making me laugh once again. "Where were we?" He said as he leaned in again. "I should go to bed too," I said as I kissed his nose. "Okay, good night," He said. "Good night," I said as I kissed his forehead.

I walked down the aisle and went to get into my bunk when I opened the curtain to see Shawn there. "Oh sorry," I said as I quickly shut it again. Well I guess that is his bunk now. I went to the one under him which had no one in it, which was a good thing, so I went and layed down in there. I rolled over on my side facing the curtain when it opened. I opened my eyes to see Hayes looking at me. "Good night," He said as he kissed my forehead. "Good night," I said with a smile before he shut the curtain again.

My life was starting to get so great. I had everything that I could possibly need or ever want. Including Hayes...