Why Wait?

34

     ~~~Austin's dressing room~~~

Austin agreed to go back on tour now that I can walk - but he now decided to take me along with him. He hasn't talked to me for a couple of days now. Which usually means no.

I was texting Sidney when Luke and Ty walk in the bedroom. "You're on the news again," heading towards the tv.

Luke helps me up and we walk to the television. I was indeed on the news.

"...sources say Kelli Ross is now a Victoria's Secret model. In case most of you have forgotten who Kelli Ross may be, she is an acquaintance with Alex Flemmings - lead singer of the band Strike - and sister of---"

"Hey! We were about to find out who's sister you were," Luke says, leaning into my shoulder.

"She's my sister," Austin growls behind me. "And I would to talk to her." 

The guys give me a sympathetic look before leaving the room. Austin walks around the couch where I'm sitting so that he's standing right in front of me. His arms are crossed and his mouth is set into a permanent scowl.

"Look. I didn't know it would be on---"

"Don't speak," he snaps. "What you did was underhanded and sneaky. And the fact that you've been lying to me for almost six months does not make things any better."

I purse my lips. "I thought you set appointment yourself to start on your first album? Without consulting our parents. You showed it to them after the whole album was finished."

He sighs. "That's different, Kelli. I knew I was doing the right thing because we can't count on mom or dad for anything. But you know you can talk to me."

I stand up, a little slow seeing as though I'm hurt. "So you would've let me do it if I had come to you?" I demand. "Because if I knew I could then I would have come to you and told you that this is something I've been interested in for a long time. And, because I can talk to you, you would've told me that I can try it out because you know how much I really want to do this. But you wouldn't have done that. Do you want to know how I know? Because this isn't the first time we've had this  conversation and I knew you wouldn't hear me out. And I thought that if I showed you that I'm actually good, you would reconsider the very harsh decision you made two years ago when I asked you the same thing."

He looks at me with that look - the same look he would give dad whenever they were arguing about something important. "You will not step foot in that modeling agency again," he roars. "I don't care if it's something you've always wanted to do. I will not let you. And if you ever get yourself or Sidney involved again I will make sure you don't get in."

It feels as of my whole world crashed down on me at once. The tears start falling down my cheek without meaning to. Is this why he brought me on tour? So he could yell at me? "I hate you," I say in a low voice, catching him - and me - by surprise. "I really do."

I push past him and grab my phone and stuff before leaving the room.

I call our driver, letting him know I need him before sitting down on the curb where he will come pick me up. I'm feeling so many emotions right now - fear, hatred, anger, sadness, depression... the list could go on and on. I bury my head into my hands and cry. Like I've never cried before.

I've heard yell at mom and dad like that so many times, I guess I just never thought he'd use it on me. I should've known he was going to do that eventually. When someone gets on his nerves as much as I did, he tends to get mad at the world. This is exactly why I don't say anything to him. And things would've been so much better of he weren't so temperamental about everything.

Well, I hope he knows he's lost me forever.

     AUSTIN

I promises myself many years ago that I wouldn't yell at her like that. A few years back when mom and dad were getting on my nerves I used it on them. Kelli was in the room and she had looked at me like I'm the most frightening person she's ever seen. I had taken her out of the room and pulled her into a hug.

That very same look that she gave me a few minutes ago before she left. I noticed her hands were shaking, her lips pressed into a thin line. She's a lot like mom. When she's upset she doesn't tell anyone until it becomes a problem.

I just can't let her model. She doesn't realize that because she's so stubborn. I've met plenty of celebrities who are models - they are rude, they think they're better than everyone, but they're also sick. They either don't eat or they throw it up afterwards. They're so obsessed with becoming perfect that they don't realize they are hurting themselves. And Kelli is already very sensitive about things. Becoming a model would only make things worse.

Why can't she see I am trying to help her? She makes things so difficult all the time. Every time I say or do anything, I have to worry how she's going to react to it.

I let out a groan and take a seat on the couch. I'm such a horrible brother.

"Hey," Luke says from the door.

I run a hand through my hair before looking up at him. "Did you need something?"

I can tell it's about Kelli. He probably cares about her as much as I do. "Let's not talk about Kelli," I snap. "Anything but her."

He bites his lip to keep from saying anything.

My mind is whirling. I know I should probably go after her but she won't listen to me if I did. I don't know what it is she'll do, I just hope it's not something too drastic. "Sorry," I mutter.

He nods, taking a seat across from me. I look up to see him holding out a controller. "You wanna play?"

It seems wrong to just play with everything that's going on. But it will keep me from thinking about Kelli.

And as bad as it sounds, I don't really want to think about her right now.

Hey, guys!!!! I posted on time!!

I have decided there will be a sequel. It will take place four years after the tour. I won't give away any details until the book is over. But it will be called Patience Is Key - ironic? I won't post it as soon as I'm finished with this book because I have others that I really need to work on.

Thank you guys for reading!!!