hey rockstar

four ; i'm sorry what?

TENLEY

"He really kissed you then? Like, full on-"

"Yes, Simone. He really kissed me, on the lips,'' I roll my eyes at myself in the mirror. I will admit thatI am a wedding lover, and I love Simone and Jeremy with all of my heart but this dress is so ugly.

I step out of the dressing room, patting the pale blue dress against my body as I spin for the bride to be. Her face twists in disgust.

"Oh god, that...that doesn't look good on you," she sighs as she picks at the dress. Pulling the neckline higher, pulling the fabric closer and farther away from my body. "Is it the colour or..."

"I think it's the colour? I mean you got to remember that I am definitely the tallest of the four bridesmaids." she nods to herself as she wanders around the store, looking at the other shades of blue against the wall.

"I can't believe he actually kissed you. I mean good for you but how are you not dead yet?" I chuckle at her as I step back into the changing room, slipping on my own dress again. The two of us pick at the dresses lined up along the walls, annoyed by the saleswoman that just watches us - offering no help. "Do you think i'll go much further? Wait, do you want it to go farther?"

"Well I mean," she turns back to me, holding up a deep blue dress with a high neckline. I shake my head at t, regaining my train of thought. "I would but is that what he wants? Or is he looking for a fling?"

"I don't know. I mean he chased after you just to get a kiss, that's pretty romantic," she sighs, sitting on the floor with her palm to her head. "Did i make a mistake T?"

"I'm sorry what?" I stop what I'm doing looking closely at the bride. She and Jeremy have been together since they were 17, he proposed over a year ago, I've never met a couple more in love with one another. And she's questioning this whole thing right now?

"Blue is such a hard colour. And It either has to match the rest of the blues or be totally different to look good."

I let out a sigh of relief as the sales associate walked up behind us.

"May I suggest white again? It is quite a trend for bridesmaids right now?" I screw my brows together as I look at her, shaking my head.

"No, the only one wearing what at this wedding will be the bride."

She huffs, and turns around walking away from us. I roll my eyes to myself having had enough of her attitude today and her rather rude comments regarding other dresses and their size. I mean Simone is right blue is a difficult colour, but it fits with her beachy wedding. And I honestly can't see her having a wedding not on a beach.

"Hey Simone..." glancing over her head I see a new rack of dresses, completely out of the blue tone. I pull a silky sand toned dress off the rack, and hold it up to her. She raises an eyebrow, standing up from the floor finally,

"Wait, try that on," she waits as I change and while changing I catch a glimpse of my phone shining brightly in my bag but I ignore it. We spent all day looking for her dress and we are so close to being done in this god forsaken store. When I step out of the dressing room she raises her eyebrows in surprise mirroring my own expression.

"Does this not look great?

"It really does, and the style, I mean it looks like it's comfortable enough in case it gets hot. And it's very danceable. Do you think the others will like it?"

"I sure hope so cause I think I love this dress," I stand carefully as she takes a few photos in the dress, presumably sending them in the groupchat. We fumble with an associate as she pins the dress in different places, waiting for all the excited reactions to the dress. When we can finally place the order for our two dresses and send the rest of the information up north I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders.

"That honestly felt like it took six weeks. How did we survive that?"

"Not a clue," at our separate cars Simone looks over at me, with big eyes. "I need you to be wild this one time. I know you got hurt but that was a long time ago and think of what could come out of this. Okay? Be adventurous."

"I will, I promise."

In my car I feel nervous to check my phone, but all I see is missed calls from Calum and several messages. The very last asking for my address - urgently.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Hey, hi, you beat me?'' When I pull into my drive Calum is sitting on my step patiently. He is all black and is wearing a bucket hat low enough that I almost couldn't see it was him. He gives me a smile as I unlock the door for us. "What's wrong? I didn't get to read all of your messages."

"Uh well we have a problem kinda. I don't know if it's really a big problem or not. I mean it's only a problem if you think it's a problem and I guess I shouldn't really worry about it - actually I could've left it until you said something about it but i thought-"

"Alright, stop, relax," I hold my hands up, looking around the corner to see Butterscotch asleep in her bed, unaware that there's a new person in the house. I point to the couch offering him to sit down and relax before he talks my ear off. "Just hang out for a second, I have no idea what you're talking about right now."

"There are pictures, and videos of us. From the park and pictures from the beach and people are freaking out," his eyes are wide as he sits down, picking at his hands in his lap. I sit beside him and shrug.

"And you don't want anyone to know about this," I motion between us with my hand.

"Well no, it's not that I don't want anyone to know i just don't want you to panic,"

"Ah, because you're so calm-"

"Not funny," I nod my head, seeing a small smile crack on his lips. "I just...it's a lot to handle and I usua;;y don't get caught with people doing literally anything. And you're new, and exciting and I want this. I want this to happen but I don't want this to be ruined because i'm..."

"A rockstar?"

"Yes. Because I'm a rockstar," he finally smiles as words stop flying out of his mouth. I feel a small ache in my heart seeing he goes through this every time he starts a new relationship and what he does to protect his people.

"I, for one, am here - I guess, for the person. Not a title or people or anything else like that. And if I happen to be seen with you I wouldn't mind. It's not a big deal to me, is what I'm saying I guess."

"Are you sure? Because we;ve been seen together twice and there's going to be wild theories from now until the end of time. I mean we're not technically dating so..."

"Relax. You need to relax okay?" He nods, swallowing harshly. "I am not at all worried about people and their theories. Being seen with you - is like being seen with anyone else. You don't have to be serious about anything and you definitely don't have to confirm anything until you want to. Remember that okay?"

"You know, that was surprisingly helpful."

"Gee thanks," I chuckle to myself as I stand from the couch almost expecting the boy to sprint out my front door again.

"You have a nice house," I turned my head, watching him sit on the couch, hands between his thighs and a shy look on his face. I look at the pale walls in my living room and kitchen and shrug.

"You can look around if you want," i can hear him stand as i look for something to eat in the kitchen, starting the kettle on the stove. I listen to his soft footsteps around the house imagining my house in my head.

"Oh wow,'' I followed his voice to the small spare bedroom. He sits on the piano bench, eyes bouncing from picture frame to picture frame.''You did a lot when you were a kid."

"I guess,'' I lean my hip on the piano as he points to a picture. "That is a school play, my sophomore year I think."

"I'm sorry what?"