A Missed Concert

An Afterparty And A Dark Past

Miranda's pov

We get in Jason's truck and he starts to drive to the place. "Hey have you girls ever been to somethin' like this?" He asks, looking at them in the rearview mirror. "Just concerts for us." He smiles and puts on shades. At night? "Well that changes today." He says. I roll my eyes. "Are you trying to pull off an Eric Church thing?" He laughs and flicks them off quickly for dramatic effect. "No, the name's Aldean, Jason Aldean." All four of us bust out laughing. James Bond. Gosh my stomach hurts from laughing so hard. "Good one cowboy." Rachel says. "Thank you, thank ya very much." Now he's pretending to be Elvis. "Wow, you're funny!" I gasp, trying to stop laughing. "I'm just crazy stoked from winning entertainer." He smiles and turns off the truck. "But entertainer ain't all I won baby." He says then kisses me. I hear the girls ooh and ahh in the backseat. We go into the afterparty with Jason holding my hand.

Jason's pov

Luke jogs over. "And the man of the hour is here!" He shouts, clapping my shoulder. I laugh and nod.

*a few hours later*

Me and Luke were chilling outside. "Why didn't you tell me about the secret lover?" Oh jeez. "Oh man, you're crazy. She's not my lover. We just hooked up like two days ago." "What's her name?" I tell him and his eyes go wide. "I knew she looked familiar." Huh? "What do ya mean man?" "She's my old ex girlfriend from high school!" "You're joking!?" I cry, shocked. "She doesn't act like it!" "Well of course she won't. After we broke up, about a month after, she almost killed herself or at least that's what her boyfriend at the time said. Anyway, they found her barely breathing with a noose around her neck." My eyes go wide and I nearly choked on my beer. I look at him. "You don't believe it do you, Luke?" "Nope. I believe it was the boyfriend who knocked her out and hung her." I shudder just thinking about it. No wonder she's so reluctant around me!

Miranda's pov

Jason walks back inside after hanging out with Luke. I smile when he walks over. "What's up?" "Can we go somewhere quieter? I need to talk to you." "Okay." I wave to Sierra and Rachel and we go outside. The cool air giving me goosebumps. I rub my arms. "What's up?" I ask again. He looks conflicted. Huh? "Jason are you okay?" "Yeah, I uh.... Luke told me you guys used to date." My eyes go wide. "Yeah high school but I don't talk about that much." "Ok we don't have to, I just if it makes you uncomfortable to be around Luke-" "It doesn't. He's a cool guy. We don't hate each other. He saved my life!" "He did?!" Oh jeez! Now I'll probably have to tell him. "How?" "I... It was not too long after we broke up." I mumble.

Jason's pov

I don't think she wants to talk about it. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." I say, gently putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. It's just.... When I was a kid, the only time life made sense and didn't hurt was when me and Luke were together." "Baby did some boyfriend try to kill you?" Her eyes go wide. "Who told you that?!" She backs up. "No, it was my fault. I shouldn't have argued with him." My hands tense up. It's true. He really did try to kill my girl. Tears threaten my eyes but I fight them and hug her. "What he did was not your fault." "Yes it was. I was arguing-" "No he was psychotic. I can't believe he tried to kill you." She was crying by now. "It's alright honey. Just know that'll never happen with me." "I know. But now you don't want to be with me." "That's farthest from the truth baby. You are one brave strong girl to be able to come back from that."

Miranda's pov

He kisses me on the lips. I suck in a breath I'm surprise and my eyes flutter closed. My hands land on his shoulders and slowly wrap around his neck, my hands shaking. "Jason, I-" "I'm not ever gonna leave you." He whispers, kissing me again. I'm left breathless and so is he by the time we stop. I hug him tight, trying not to cry and failing. "There there baby. I've got you and I'll never let you go." It's weird to feel like this with a man again. I haven't felt this way since.... Luke. "I love you." I whisper. "I love you too." I don't know why but my heart soars hearing him say that. Because he really meant it.