The Girl Inside (Raura)

Chapter 3: Starting From the End

Laura's POV

It may have been one of the most tragic and beautiful stories of all time...

Ross and I have been best friends ever since we learned how to walk. Our parents had set us up for a playdate one day, and after that it was heaven on Earth. Being next-door neighbors encouraged the growth of our friendship. As best friends we regularly went to water parks together, went on family vacations together, and even made a secret handshake. By age five, we insisted on doing everything together. 

And I don't believe we ever quite grew out of that habit. Ten years had gone by, meaning Ross and I were both fifteen. Our friendship was still air tight. Over the years we had some fights here and there, but nothing we couldn't overcome.

But the tragedy of this recollection began on an innocent, autumn day. I was out shopping with my friends on the Sunday of the week of Thanksgiving. Our yellow Forever 21 shopping bags dangled from our wrists as we walked into Starbucks. The way all four of us walked in uniform made us seem like the most popular girls in school, and we pretty much were. 

My sip from the cappuccino didn't linger in my mouth long - the ringing of my phone interrupted. The girls sniggered at my flip phone and I rolled my eyes.

The voice on that phone call embroiled me with the information that my parents had been fatally injured in a car accident. They were rushed to the hospital within minutes, but it was too late to repair the permanent damage.

The news like a bombshell made me collapse to the floor. When I awoke in dubious terror, my friends comforted me and resolved they would drive me home. We had arrived in front of my house, they asked if I wanted to go inside, but I knew the familiarity would prompt my permanent damage.

When the world was midnight, Ross left from his house on a skateboard with earbuds and iPhone in hand, skating toward me. The smooth rolling of the wheels obligated my heart beat to increase. He would see me crying, see how weak I am. Ross waved at us at first glance, but then saw the emotional state I was in and skidded to a stop.

"What the hell happened?!" his voice was more passionate than ever.

I couldn't speak. I was trapped. I let the girls answer for me. I remember the transformation on his face. From worry, to shock, to terror, to every heartrending feeling, and finally... lust. 

There was no time to process what I had read before Ross said, "I'll take it from here," and carried me bridal style into his home.

I was still having trouble seeing and breathing when I was laid down on a couch. I decided I didn't care anymore and let myself torment. My dry mouth didn't compare slightly to the everlasting pain.

There was suddenly a warm presence at my side. Ross fragilely handed me a glass of water I shakily accepted. 

He pulled me onto his lap and let my sobs dampen his shirt. His head rested on top of mine while he stroked my back, letting out reassuring words at my every trembling breath. 

"It'll get better. There's no easy way to handle this. They would want you to stay strong."

I closed my eyes and felt my head spinning. I opened my eyes and the room was spinning. I held onto Ross tighter to regain balance. He pressed my body closer to his more than ever before, it was an alien feeling.

"You can move in with me. You have to. We're like your second family. And imagine, us hanging out every day. Don't deny how much you want it."

I looked into his eyes for answers, but I still couldn't see. A brave smile appeared on his lips, it was the one thing I could make out through the tears. 

What happened after that forever left me dumbfounded.

He kissed me. There was something happening in the pit of my stomach. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Every muscle forced me to kiss back and surrender my guard. The longer our lips moved as one, the more I forgot.

We finally parted in desperation for oxygen and I stared with substantially clear vision at Ross. He simply looked at me the way he does after he tells a Laura joke.

I'm positively sure of this: it was my first kiss, it was Ross' first kiss, and it was our first kiss. 

I know exactly why I kissed back, I know exactly why I fell for Ross in the first place, what I'll never know is why he did it.

Or why I almost forgot he was my best friend.

Courtney's POV

He was the perfect pawn for my master plan, everything fit into place when I had heard of him.

Ross Lynch, the world famous lead singer of a band hitting it big. It was exactly the pawn I needed to make my move.

I was fortunate enough to meet him through our managers for a small photoshoot. It wasn't a significant job, the pictures were going to be seen in countries other than the US. Throughout the shoot, I had developed my plan. I made sure to laugh at everything he said so we were close friends by the end of the shoot. The entire project lasted about a week, and at the end of every day I invited him to coffee with me. It was my unofficial way of dating.

I despised his personality, his laugh, his appearance, everything about him. Every day I had to force a smile and throw up a little inside my mouth. I could never picture someone I've hated more.

There's no denying how famous and influential he is to his millions of fans, though. It's precisely the reason I had to become his girlfriend. Dozens of acting and modeling gigs would land in my lap if my Wikipedia information read 'in a relationship with singer and dancer Ross Lynch.'

I wanted that title. It wouldn't mean anything to me, I only needed it to mean something to Ross. I had to trick him into becoming my boyfriend. I knew Ross was an idiot, as speculated during our coffee "dates." When he attempted to say something funny, he was just speaking the obvious. And when I spoke about politics, simple physics, or any subject of the sort, his face stared blankly at me. The dumb bastard only cares about music.

Like I elucidated previously, Ross was my quickest bet to fame. His IQ was a clear as day indication of the difficulty I would be faced with. All I had to do was flirt a little, bat my eyelashes, compliment him, and boom, instant boyfriend.

I never meant to hurt Ross, only to use him and break up with him gently around a year later. It has been over a year, but I'm not satisfied with my notoriety.

I came to the Lynch's to gain attention. Not respect.

***

Oh hi didn't see ya there

Lol did everyone like the little bit of Raura I put in there

Fyi the next chapter will have some more Raura in it so stay tuned

Idk why I am so slow at updating. It's really bad either way

Oh Chapters & Choices is playing on my TV and I wanna watch it so yeah bye

Steph (yesifeelgoodr5)