Ross Gets Dumped (An R5 Fanfiction)

Chapter 7

For the first time since the tour started, we have an entire day off in the city that we’re playing tomorrow night. This morning, I did press stuff at a couple radio stations and a local news station. The whole time all I could think about was Sophia and how I kissed her. Was that a stupid thing for me to do? Should I apologize?

I don’t want to apologize, because I don’t feel bad for kissing her. I’m happy that I did it. It’s about time I kissed someone just because I wanted to. In hindsight I see that my relationship with Hannah wasn’t nearly as perfect as I seemed to think it was. I want this time to be different. I want to be in a real, strong, healthy relationship. And I want it to be with Sophia.

Nashville is begging to be explored, and while I’m sure my family would be great company, I would rather go off with just Sophia. I thought it was going to be hard for me to convince my family to let me spend time with Sophia, but once Rydel and Ellington announced they were going to explore by themselves, it was actually really easy.

Nervously I knock on Sophia’s hotel room door. We haven’t spoken since the kiss this morning and while I’ve sort of decided how I feel about it, I’m not sure about her. What if she doesn’t even want to see me, let alone explore Nashville with me?

Sophia answers the door wearing a pink sundress, her hair pulled back in a high ponytail, and cowboy boots. She smiles when she sees me and points her outfit. “What do you think?” she asks with a laugh. “I figured, when in Rome, right?”

“You look great,” I say. “Speaking of Rome, I was wondering if you’d like to spend the day with me seeing the sights in Nashville.”

“I’d love to! I have these guidebooks and I researched every city we were stopping in on this tour, even though I knew I wouldn’t get to see most of the things, but since we have the whole day here I actually get to cross some stuff off my list!”

I laugh at her excitement. “Perfect. Grab your list and let’s go!”

Sophia bites her lip. “I can’t.”

“What?”

“I mean, I can. I want to. But I can’t go without my band mates. They’d be furious.”

I feel a brief surge of jealousy that she wants to spend time with the guys in her band, but it passes quickly. Reluctantly, I say, “Invite them along.”

“Really? Are you sure that’s okay? Because if it’s not okay, then you can just go with your band and I’ll go with mine. But I bet they don’t even want to walk around the city. Still, I should ask them. Let’s go ask them and if they say no then they say no and we’ll go. Maybe I shouldn’t tell them that I’m going with you though. They don’t exactly like you that much, after that incident where you were a jerk.”

“Sophia!” I say, snapping her out of her ramblings. She bites her lip again. “Call Rory and see if he and the others want to go sightseeing with you and R5. If he says no, we’ll go by ourselves. If he says yes, we’ll just tell him that the rest of my family made other plans so it’s just us.”

“Wow, you’re good at this,” she says, walking to the phone. She calls Rory and of course he says that he has better things to do than spend the day in some hick city and the guys agree. They’re going to write a song while she’s out gallivanting with R5. She hangs up and looks a little sad. “I don’t get why he things we would be such a great couple if he doesn’t even like spending time with me.”

The jealousy is back but I swallow it down. I know Sophia isn’t interested in Rory, she told me so. Still, her sadness hurts me because even if she isn’t interested in him, she still wonders why he’s interested in her. She can’t see how amazing she is. I don’t think Rory does either, though.

“More time for us then,” I say with a grin. She smiles halfheartedly, and I bump shoulders with her playfully. “Come on, Sophia. It’ll be fun.”

She looks at me, studying my face, then finally says, “Okay.”

***

We’re both musicians, so naturally Sophia and I are attracted to the Music City part of Nashville. I’m sure the Parthenon is cool to see, but it’s not on our must visit list of things. Our first stop, of course, is a tour of music row. We see Studio B and all of the legendary music spots located in this area. I think this is the most incredible experience of my life. I’ve been here before, but only in a car with my family, usually distracted by conversations or sleep. Standing where the most influential names in music have stood is humbling to say the least. I would be happy to stay here forever.

That’s not an option though, because we have more to get to. Next we go to the Opry. We think about going in and taking a daytime tour, but instead we just take some pictures from the outside.

“I’m going to play here one day,” Sophia says, staring at the beauty in front of us. “I don’t care if there’s no one in the audience. But I’ll take this stage and I’ll sing one of my own songs.”

I put my arm around her shoulders. “I believe you.” And I do. Because no one talks about a dream that way unless they’re going to achieve it.

“Come on,” she says, turning away. “Let’s go to the Country Music Hall of Fame. I know country isn’t really your style, but I love it.”

“Who said I don’t like country music?”

“No one, I guess. I just never would peg you as the country type I guess.”

I laugh. “Fair enough. For the record though, I do like country music.”

We don’t plan to stay at the Country Music Hall of Fame for long, but we end up there until it closes at 5pm. As we’re walking out, fully aware of the greatness we just beheld, a song I recognize is playing over the speakers. “I love this song,” I say.

Sophia smiles. “Me too. Actually, can I tell you a secret?”

“Of course!” I say.

She stops and holds my shoulder as she lifts her foot out of her boot and removes her sock. Underneath the white fabric is a tattoo that says “keep on dreaming even if it breaks your heart,” a line from the song playing above us.

“It was a present,” she says. “For my sixteenth birthday, my parents took me to get a tattoo. They’re not a lot of things, but they’re definitely open minded. I’ve loved that song since the day I heard it on the radio, so I knew that line would be my first tattoo.”

“Wow,” I say, surprised. “But why is it a secret if your parents know?”

She bites her lip, a habit that is starting to drive me crazy because she looks so cute when she does it. “My parents know, but the band doesn’t.”

“What?”

“It’s never come up, really. I don’t hide it from them on purpose I guess, I just don’t think they’d approve. Especially Rory. He is completely against tattoos.”

“Your secret is safe with me,” I laugh. “I won’t tell a soul.”

“Thanks,” she says. “I appreciate it.”

I look at my watch, it’s only just after five. “Hey, the Bluebird has a no-cover show at 6. Want to go?”

Her face lights up. “A show at the Bluebird? That’s only a dream come true!”

I smile and take her hand in mine, the first real PDA contact we’ve had since yesterday.

After the show we have to head back. Tomorrow is going to be an early day for both of us, and after all the walking we did we’re going to need extra rest. Outside her hotel room, I try to be a southern gentleman since we are in Nashville. I kiss her cheek and tell her goodnight.

I’m feeling nothing but happiness, until I reach my room one floor up and see a familiar figure sitting outside my door.

“There you are,” she says with a huge grin. “I’ve been waiting for you for an hour!”

Hannah throws her arms around me and buries her head in my neck. “I’ve missed you,” she says. “I’m so sorry for breaking up with you. Forgive me?”