I have to admit, despite the initial shock of seeing Ashton up there on stage, The concert was amazing. You can tell they try to put their all into their shows. But now that it's over I have entered a zone of anger towards a certain drummer. Why didn't he just tell me? Why did he lie to me about his career path? I wouldn't have looked at him any different.
"I can't believe your mystery man is Ashton." Crystal states in disbelief, linking her arm with mine. As we reach a set of doors that lead backstage, Crys and I flash the security guard our passes. "And you really had no idea who he was?"
"No. I mean I have heard a song or two of theirs but I don't follow the group. Plus Ashton told me he was in Entertainment Sales. He never said anything about being in a band. And now I am realizing just how naive I really am."
"You are not naive Lanna. Ashton should have been upfront and honest with you about his career. You had only known him for a short time. There was no way for you to know that he wasn't telling you the truth." Crystal stops in front of a door that I could only assume is the guys' dressing room. "Now go in there, be yourself and don't let the whole Ashton thing bother you."
I inhale a deep breath, as Crys moves to open the door. Walking into the room, Crystal heads right for Michael, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek as to not interrupt his intense round of Mario Kart against a lanky blonde boy. Crystal motions for me to join her on the couch which I do, making myself comfortable. Glancing around the room I notice the lack of Ashton's presence, along with the band's bassist. I am pulled from my thoughts by a loud cheer. I turn to see Micahel standing with his arms above his head victoriously.
"Ha! I win again Luke!" Michael points his finger in Luke's face laughing. He carelessly throws his controller onto the couch just barely missing Crystal. Michael then begins happy dancing around the dressing room chanting 'winner, winner'.
""Don't mind Michael. He never learned good sportsmanship. I'm Luke." Luke smiles extending his hand out to shake.
"I-"
"Shut up Lucas! You're just mad you lost!"
"I'm Alanna." I laugh, shaking Luke's hand.
"That idiot over there is Michael."
"Hi Lanna. I hope it's okay that I call you that." Michael takes a seat next to me throwing his arm over the back of the couch. "It is nice to finally meet you. That one never shuts up about you." Michael nudges my shoulder laughing, before tilting his head in Crystal's direction.
"Where are Cal and Ash?" Crystal dismisses Michael's comment with an eye roll.
"Calum went out for a smoke and I think Ashton went out because he needed to talk to him about some girl." Crystal shoots me a look causing a blush to cover my face. Luke pays no mind as he grabs each of us a beer out of the fridge in the corner.
Luke and Michael started another round of Mario Kart, despite the fact that they just had a small argument over the results of the last round. Crystal and I made conversation amongst ourselves to pass the time. It was long before I finished my beer. I excused myself from the conversation and made my way across the room. I grabbed a new bottle from the fridge, cracking it open. I sigh content, as the cold liquid slid down my throat.
As time passes, I can feel my skin grow warmer and warmer, thanks to the alcohol taking its affect on my body. I throw my old bottle in a nearby trash can before turning to head back to my spot next to Crystal. But instead my body collides with another, spilling my beer everywhere.
"I am so... Alanna? Wh-What are you doing here?" My body freezes at the sound of his voice. It feels as if the whole room has gone completely silent. Looking up, my eyes meet that beautiful shade of hazel that I have come to miss over the past week.
At first my brain goes into complete panic mode. Thousands of thoughts race through my mind. My heart beating so fast that I swear everyone else in the room can see it. My eyes scan the room in hopes of finding the best possible escape route, but just my luck, the only way out is blocked by the exact person I am trying to escape from. Remembering what Crystal said, I take a deep breath to calm myself.
"Hi Ashton. Strange running into you here. I am sure you have met my friend Crystal. She invited me here tonight." By now anger starts to take over. I cross my arms over my chest, eyeing him angrily.
"Listen, can we go somewhere and talk alone please?" Ashton leans in closer, lowering his voice to a whisper.
"Alanna Tyler? Is that really you?" My head tilts in order to see around Ashton's tall frame. I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion, looking at the tanned guy who weirdly knows my name. I rack my brain in an effort to find some recollection of him in my memories but end up with nothing. "Calum Hood. We lived next door to each other all through primary school."
I don't know how I didn't recognize him. He looks almost exactly the same, just more manly. I can't stop my feet from moving past Ashton and over to where Calum is standing. I throw my arms around his body, smiling wide. "Shit Cal. Last time I saw you, you pushed my off the jungle gym and nearly broke my ankle." I pull away to see a deep blush take over Calum's features.
"Yeah sorry about that." He laughs, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "But how have you been? You look great." Calum and I immediately launching into conversation. Completely ignoring everyone else in the room. We must have stood in that exact spot just talking for nearly an hour before Ashton interrupted. Of course I had noticed his lingering stare while I talked with Calum but I chose not to care.
"Alanna can we talk now please?" Ashton mumbles nervously. He shifts his gaze from his fiddling fingers, up to my face and then back to his fingers.
Knowing I can't avoid it much longer, I smile apologetically at Calum to which he nods in understanding. I hand him my phone so that we can exchange numbers and meet up sometime, before turning my attention back to Ashton.
"Actually Ash. It's getting late. And we have a flight to Japan to catch" Luke butts in hesitantly. "Dave is waiting outside."
"You guys go ahead. Tell Dave to give me 5 minutes." Luke's lips part, as if to object, but quickly decides against it. Crystal tells me she will wait for me out back with the boys on her way out the door, leaving Ashton and I alone. "I know you're mad. I know I didn't exactly tell you the truth." I roll my eyes. "And I wish I had more time to apologize and explain."
"Save it please. If you were embarrassed of what your friends would think of me. You could have just said so. If you didn't want me to be a part of this aspect of your life. You could have just said so. I feel so stupid." I cast my gaze to the ground shaking my head.
"You are not stupid. I am not embarrassed and it's not that I don't want you to be involved with this part of my life. I promise when I have more time we can talk more in depth."
"How long will you be gone?"
"Um.. Until the end of November.." Ashton looks away, scratching the back of his neck.
"That's almost four months." A sigh escapes my lips as I cross my arms over my chest.
"I know I.."
"We better get going." I interrupt, bringing an abrupt halt to the conversation. Ashton sighs out of frustration but doesn't argue. Instead he simply turns on his heels and exits the room leaving me to trail behind him.
