Summer Dream

Chapter 16

At freetime that day, Michael went to the beach with the boys again. He was too confused about the situation to hang out with Audrey, and he didn't fully trust Aspen yet. "Nice of you to remember who your friends are." Calum rolled his eyes as Michael sat down.

"I'm sorry, okay? Things are just really confusing for me now." Michael sighed. "I was talking to Aspen this morning," Calum cut him off.

"Wow, what a big step. You're talking to girl you ignored for no reason."

"Will you listen to me, please?" Michael asked him. "I get that I've been a shit friend lately, but you guys haven't exactly been great friends either."

"Yeah, we listen to both sides of the story, though." Luke sighed.

"I want to know Aspen's side. I tried asking her this morning, but she wouldn't tell me. She hates me now.."

"With good reason." Ashton looked at him. "Your new girlfriend gave her a fractured ankle."

"Audrey isn't my girlfriend." Michael sighed. "And, I didn't know Audrey was like that. I had no idea she would do something like that. Aspen told me about things Audrey did when Aspen was touring with Keith Urban, too. It's all just really confusing. I want to know Aspen's side of the story. Will you guys tell me what happened between them?"

"How do we know you'll actually listen?" Ashton asked, still looking at him.

"I promise, I will." Michael sighed. "I need to learn the truth.."

"Alright, well, the real story is kind of a long one." Calum sighed. "What has Audrey told you?"

"She said they wanted to form a band but no one wanted a group, so Aspen went behind her back and got signed, while stealing Audrey's songs." Michael said.

"Okay, well, that's a lie." Ashton said. "They did want to form a band, but Aspen didn't go behind Audrey's back or steal songs. The producer wanted a country artist and signed Aspen because she's country, Audrey isn't. Aspen licensed the songs she wrote. She didn't steal anything from Audrey. Audrey has someone write all of her songs for her now, how do you explain that with Audrey's lie?"

"I-I don't know." Michael sighed. "What else happened?"

"Aspen's producer sent demos to other labels for Audrey, because he did think she was talented. One of them signed her, but she was dropped because she couldn't write songs." Luke said.

"Audrey was bitter about everything and decided to start the rivalry. Aspen did nothing wrong, and she's paying for it. She lost you, because of Audrey's lies. She's currently on crutches, because of Audrey's bitterness." Calum said. "Aspen loved you, Mike. She really did. Now, she feels betrayed."

"She loved me?" Michael looked at him. "How do you know?"

"Are you blind, mate? The way she looks at you, the way she acts with you." Ashton sighed.

"But, she doesn't believe in love." Michael said, looking at the sand.

"She may not believe in it, but she loved you. She probably still does. You need to talk to her." Luke sighed.

"She doesn't want to talk to me." Michael sighed. "She doesn't love me, she hates me."

"Do another one of your little picnic things." Ashton said. "Make her listen."

"I feel so stupid.." Michael rubbed his face. "I should have listened to you guys. I should've listened to her story. It makes so much more sense than Audrey's."

"It's not your fault." Ashton sighed.

"Audrey also told me that Aspen lied about her life. And that she lied about her family." Michael looked at them. "How do I know who's right about that?"