Road To Nationals // Hunter Clarington

{Chapter 27} 5 : 16

Rose's POV

"87... 88... 89..." My eyelids flutter open and I notice Hunter's not in the bed with me. Instead, he is on the ground doing push-ups. "Babe, what are you doing?" I ask groggily. "I have to keep myself in shape."I tells me. I chuckle lightly. "100. There, I'm done, and now I'm all yours." Hunter stands up, walks over to me and kisses me. "Mm. Since when are you up before me?" I wonder and pull away. "Since you have been working yourself to the bone and you need some rest. I already checked, our first class was cancelled, so we have some time to ourselves." Hunter kisses my cheek.

I sit up and close my eyes, taking a deep breath. "Come on. We have the house to ourselves, so we can actually eat the food we make." Hunter grabs my hands, pulling me out of bed. "Alright, alright." I smile and follow after him. We make food quickly and eat them, before packing for Saturday. We would be leaving for Ellen in a few days. I can't believe this is happening to me.

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"She's so pretty. I have to find out who does her hair." Rachel comments while looking at a magazine. "Yeah." I agree after looking at the girl. " 'Celebrity Beauty Tips and Tricks'." Rachel reads. "Rachel, Rose?" Mercedes gets our attention. "Can I ask you something, um... It's a little personal." Mercedes asks. "Yeah, of course." I look at her. "What's up?" Rachel inquires. "What was your first time like?"

"Oh, are you and... and Sam are thinking of..." Rachel raises her eyebrows. "I mean, was... was it like a... a big deal? Was there, like, a hotel and flowers? 'Cause I just... I feel like I'm a little too old for that. You know, it's not gonna be romantic as if I were back in high school, and I don't need, like, a big moment or anything, but... as silly as it sounds, I do want it to be... special. No, I know I want at least that." Mercedes tells us.

"Well, my first time, uh, it was just at his house. And, um, it was special because, you know, it was with him, and I loved him, and he loved me." Rachel looks at me to speak. "And mine, as cheesy as it sounds, was after the reception at Mr. Shue's failed wedding." I laugh, with the both of them joining me. "And I knew it was special, he didn't have to do anything like get a hotel room, or give me flowers. We just did it because, at that point in time, we loved each other maybe a bit too much, and we had to show some of it." I look down remembering that day clearly.

"I just... I don't know if I'm ready for this." Mercedes shares. "Look, I don't think anyone can ever know, like, how or if they're every gonna be ready. I just think that in the moment, when you're with that person, you just want to feel like you want to remember being with them forever, and then, everything will just fall into place." Rachel states. "Kind of wish it was both of our first times, 'cause I don't know if I'm gonna be any good at it." Mercedes laughs sadly."No, don't think like that. Sam is a really good guy. Okay, and if you feel like it's right, then, he will make you feel like you're the only one." I smile at Mercedes. "Okay." She nods.

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We just got to Ellen, and Mercedes, Sam, Rachel, Blaine, Artie, Kurt, and Hunter are all with me. I'm sitting in the dressing room with them when Shawn Mendes walks in. "Shawn, what's up?" I smile and hug him. I wrote this song with him, and it was really great. "Nothing, you?" He smiles back. "Not much. Oh, guys, this is Shawn. Shawn this is, Kurt, Blaine, Rachel, Mercedes, Sam, Artie, and Hunter." I introduce them. "Nice to meet you all." Shawn looks over at them. Shawn shakes hands with all of them. "Shawn Mendes and Rose Knight, please come backstage for you performance." A person says over a loud-speaker. "Well, that's my cue. I'll see you guys later." I hug and kiss Hunter quickly before walking after Shawn. Before we know it, we're called to perform. "Our next guests got their starts in different places, but have come together for one of the biggest songs of the year. Here to perform 'I Know What You Did Last Summer', please welcome Shawn Mendes and Rose Knight." Ellen finishes speaking and Shawn and I prepare to sing.

[Rose and Shawn]

Ah-ah, he-ey
Ah-ah, ah-ah
Ah-ah, he-ey
Ah-ah, ah-ah

[Rose]

He knows
Dirty secrets that I keep
Does he know it's killing me?
He knows, he knows
D-d-does he know
Another's hands have touched my skin?
I won't tell him where I've been
He knows, he knows, he knows

[Rose and Shawn]

It's tearing me apart
She's slipping away 
(Rose: I'mm slipping away)
Am I just hanging on to all the words she used to say?
The pictures on her phone
She's not coming home
(Rose:
I'm not coming home
Coming home, coming home)

I know what you did last summer (Ah-ah)
Just lied to me, "There's no other" (He-ey)
I know what you did last summer
Tell me where you've been
I know what you did last summer (Ah-ah)
Look me in the eyes, my lover (He-ey)
I know what you did last summer
Tell me where you've been
(Rose: I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know) 
(Shawn: I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know)
(Rose: I didn't mean it, no, I didn't mean it, mean it, no)

[Shawn]

Can't seem to let you go, can't seem to hold you close
I know
When she looks me in the eyes
They don't seem as bright
No more, no more
I know
That she loved me at one time
Would I promise her that night
Cross my heart and hope to die

[Shawn (Rose)]

It's tearing me apart (It's tearing me apart)
She's slipping away (I'm slipping away)
Am I just hanging on to all the words she used to say?
The pictures on her phone (The pictures on my phone)
She's not coming home (I'm not coming home)
Oh, na, na, na, yeah

[Shawn and Rose]

I know what you did last summer 
Just lied to me, "There's no other" 
I know what you did last summer
Tell me where you've been
I know what you did last summer 
Look me in the eyes, my lover 
I know what you did last summer
Tell me where you've been

[Shawn (Rose)]

I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know
(With Rose: I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know (No, no, no)
Can't seem to let you go, can't seem to keep you close
(Hold me close)
Can't seem to let you go, can't seem to keep you close
(You know I didn't mean it, though)
Tell me where you've been lately
Tell me where you've been lately
(Just hold me close)
Tell me where you've been lately
Tell me where you've been lately
(Don't, don't, don't, don't let me go)
Can't seem to keep you close, can't seem to let you go
(I didn't mean it, though)
I know you didn't mean it, though
I know you didn't mean it, though
(I don't wanna let you go)
Tell me you didn't mean it, though
Tell me you didn't mean it, though (No, no, no)
(Can't seem to let you go, seem to let you go)
I know you didn't mean it, though. I wanna know you mean it though
(Hold me close)
I know you didn't mean it though
I know you didn't mean it though
(Just hold me close)
I can't seem to let you go, can't seem to hold you close

[Shawn and Rose]

I know what you did last summer
Just lied to me, "There's no other" 
I know what you did last summer
Tell me where you've been
I know what you did last summer 
Look me in the eyes, my lover 
I know what you did last summer
Tell me where you've been
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know 
I know, I know, I know, I know
I know, I know, I know 
I know

We finish singing, do a short interview, then make our way backstage. Hunter hugs me as soon as I walk in the door. "That was so good, Rose!" Rachel exclaims. "Yeah, that was great." Blaine agrees. "Thanks, guys." I respond gratefully.

I don't know what I would do without them