All You Ever Wanted

Chapter 8- Flashbacks

    I slowly walked back to my car in shock of everything that was happening. As I drove back to Ana's apartment which used to be ours, I began mulling over every possibility. Before I knew it, I was parking under the building and walking up to the front door. I knocked and soon I heard shuffling inside just before the door opened and Ana said,
    "Ashlyn! Why didn't you tell me you were back in Nashville?"

   "Because up until a couple days ago, I didn't know I would be back. I finally took a leap of faith and called Dann. I just came from the studio where I played and sang two songs I wrote a few days ago."
   "That's great, Ash! What did he say? And will you play them for me?"
   "He said they were great. And," I paused as I walked into the apartment with her, and then continued, "Ana, he said they're looking for a pre-opener for the tour."

   "You mean, he asked you to open for both Hunter and Shay? I can see how that could be very awkward. That is what you first thought when he brought it up, right?"
   "Exactly. I don't know what to do, I mean, I want to. But, it'd be very awkward especially if I choose one of them over the other."
   "I say, do it. You'll never know how much you could love it if you don't try."

   I finally agreed with her and told her I would continue to think it over. And with that, walked out on her balcony, collapsing down on her hanging multi-colored hammock swing. I started to think back on the history I have with both of the guys in my life, Hunter and Shay. Of course, I already know all about my history with Hunter, but a smile crept across my face as I thought back on how I'd met Shay and everything that happened between us that ended in an engagement being broken. As memories flooded through my mind, I listened as my Ipod played, of course, Dan+Shay's 'Nothin' Like You'.

Flashback:
 

  I ran out of the studio, fighting back tears as I drove back to the apartment that my sister and I shared. How could he not have told me sooner that he had a girlfriend now? And that he was headed back to Nashville tomorrow? I thought he was my best friend. But best friends tell each other everything. As soon as I pulled into our parking garage, I ran up to my room and began packing up my things. I knew I couldn't stay here. Everything in this little town would continue to remind me of him. Once I had all my things packed up in bags and suitcases, Ana walked into my room.
   "Ashlyn? What's going on? Why all the bags?"

   "Ana, I have to leave. I can't stay."
   "Why? Why can't you?"
   "I don't know, I mean, it's Hunter. Ana, I just came from the studio. I basically found out he's leaving and going back to Nashville tomorrow. And apparently he never told me before that he has a girlfriend."

   "What?"
   "Yeah, I just can't believe he didn't tell me. Ana, I can't stay here in this town without him. I have to leave."
   "Where are you going to go, though?"
   "I don't know. I'll figure that out. I just know I can't stay here."

   "I have an idea. Remember when our family vacationed in Arkansas? And that family we met that lives there and we began friends with?"
   "Yeah, what about them?"
   "Well, I kept in touch with their oldest daughter, Gabby. They're always saying that we have an open invitation to come visit anytime. I'm going to call and see if that offer still stands. And see if they'd be opposed to helping out until you get on your feet down there."

   She did call. And I did end up moving down to this family's house. When I got there, I met Gabby again for the first time since that vacation a couple years ago. I also met her parents and her sister, Erica. I knew she also had a brother who was about a couple years younger than her, but so far haven't met him yet.

   As I continued to remember everything that had happened after that fateful day that I stormed out of the studio, I stared at the tattoo of a cross that I now have on the inside of my right wrist and remembered the day I'd gotten my first tattoo. I was living in Arkansas with Gabby and her family at this point. That first one ended up being the first song title of what would soon be two on my upper back. It was the title of my best friend's song, 'Invisible'. And then when I finally met Shay, that led to the second song title I would later get tattooed under 'Invisible'. I absentmindedly ran my fingers over my cross tattoo as I remembered the day I met Shay.

   "I can't wait for you to meet my brother, James," Gabby started telling me while we walked around the state fair.
   "We're meeting him here, right?"
   "Yeah, in fact, you probably don't remember, but, back when we met your family he had a crush on you."
   "Seriously? How come I don't really remember him then?"
   "Well, he never actually said anything to you at the time. Because all you seemed to talk about then was having a crush of your own on some best friend from back in Louisiana."
   "Oh, so, he never told me since he thought I could never like him because of that crush? I wish I'd known, you should have told me."
   "I wanted to, but he made me promise not to. I probably shouldn't be telling you now, but I can't hold it in anymore. Oh, look, there he is. Let's go say 'Hi' and I'll introduce you."

   I had heard of Dan + Shay at that point, but I didn't realize that Shay was Gabby's brother, James. Up till now, I'd only   heard their first single, '19 You and Me' on the radio. But I hadn't actually seen them either on tv or in person, so, since I'd been introduced to him as 'James', I had no idea that his middle name was 'Shay'. It wasn't until Gabby surprised me and took me to a local Arkansas radio station where the new country duo was singing live, that I realized who he was.

   As I continued to remember, next I thought back to one particular day when I was happiest. It was a hot, sunny day in mid July. Gabby and I had gone down to the southern coast of Arkansas for a girl's weekend. However, the morning after we pulled into the condo we were renting, she said she had something to do that would take most of the day, but that I should spend it on the beach.

I slid my flip-flops on, locked the condo door and strolled my way slowly across to the beach where I planned to walk along the water's edge. I hadn't walked along with the waves hitting my ankles long, when I felt a hand gently touch my back. I stopped and turned as I realized who it was.

"Shay! I didn't know you were here. Why are you here? I thought you were in Nashville."

"I was. But Gabby told me the two of you were down here, and I thought I'd come surprise you," He fell in step beside me as we continued walking and talking along the water's edge, until he finally said, "Ashlyn, I know my sister told you that I had a crush on you back when I first met you. That crush hasn't gone away. I thought it had, but when you came back I realized I'm still in love with you. Ashlyn Victoria Gonzalez, will you marry me?"

A/N: What do you think? Will she say yes to Shay? Will an engagement last?