hey rockstar

fifty eight ; back to school

CALUM

Over the week I watch as Tenley begins to take on more and more student calls, from the kitchen table I watch as sh tutors kids through books and essays, urging them that she's not in a rush to have the things done. And the day of the album release she's busy on her computer nearly from the moment she wakes up until about noon, where she takes a break before her kids begin their calls.

She slumps onto the island, yawning as I set a small bowl of left over pasta in front of her. She smiles as she eats her food, watching me with drooping eyes.

"Why not take a nap?"

"I can't do that. I have stuff to do, I'm trying to make sure you'll make it to the listening party! Plus, i'll probably sleep through my meeting with the twins!"

"You're having a meeting with the twins?" she nods her head, filling her cup with coffee. "What about?"

"We are doing Maori and Aboriginals history and they're using it as one of their final projects, so we're going to outline it and make sure they have the idea right."

"You teach that kind of history?" She looks confused, as if everyone should know the things she is teaching.

"Yeah. We do a bigger unit on both of them, over a two month period. And we discuss a lot of traditions, history of the peoples and their land and then a lot on the racism faced over the years and how it's changed - ties in with the activism and intro to law unite over June."

"Is that mandated? I don't tink I ever learned any of that."

"Well no, it's not really outlined that way but it's important. And you also left early so they might've covered it," I shake my head knowing that our school was never the best discussing the histories and mum never really talked about it. "It's big in Canda o talk about the history of our Indigenous peoples and the wrong doings, a lot like the Holocaust is talked about."

"That's kind neat actually. I would've loved to learn about that in school."

"Did your mum never talk about it?" I shake my head.

"Oh, well Lena is half Maori and has always been really helpful with prefecting the traditions and stuff e talk about. Actually the twins are doing their project as a family tree involving the history of their family!"

"Really?" she nods softly, chewing on her lip as she clearly thinks something over.

"You know, I do have all of my notes and information on my computer. You can have a copy if you're interested."

"Could I?" Her smile is bright as she pulls her laptop close to her, she types quickly before I listen to the printer in the office space start up. "Is it all bad stuff?"

"No, no I tried really hard to even it out. I wasn't sure if Australia was a lot like Canada and tried to smooth over h edges, or lie about the history so I did a lot of work to make sure there was all right information and everything."

"You were meant to be a teacher weren't you?"

"Maybe," she kisses me softly, her smile still plastered on her face as she sits in front of me. Her dress is a pretty blue, and makes her look as though she's glowing even just sitting in the kitchen. I watch he as she types on her computer for a few minutes, pulling her glasses from the top of her head.

"So, album release is tonight. Are you excited?"

"I mean yeah, we just kinda agreed to have just the four of us no featuring of you girls. And I really wanted you to be in the live!" she shrugs, as if she didn't care.

"I mean, t's your release not mine. And the fans want to see you more than they want to see me, or Crys or Sierra."

"Lies, all the fans on twitter are begging for content," she laughs, shaking her head at me. "It's true, we have hardly been out of the house together in a month. Even I want them to have content - they make the best little videos!"

"You know, you have he power to upload that stuff right?"

"Yeah, but its so much better when they have the videos and stuff from afar. Like that one of us at the diner," quickly her eyebrow raises. "Have you not seen that? It was on Twitter for a long time. And the airpor and stuff like that."

"I haven't seen any of these, let me see!"

I can't help the smile on my face as I look through my camera roll. Out of habt, and the lack of photos I have with my own girlfriend I saved them when I first saw them. Liking endless videos with music dubbed over it. I just know that there's going to be videos just like it with Best Years in the background.

I show her the videos. How quickly we embraced one another at the airport, another of us walking hand in hand through the parking lot, and finally the one of her leaning across the table in the diner to kiss my nose carefully before I took her face in my hnds and kissed her properly.

"Oh...those are kind cute."

"That's cause you're in them," my smile is wide and stupid as she slap my shoulder, and suddenly her computer is lighting up with a phone call from one of the twins. Much early than when they were supposed to call but I sigh, stepping out of the frame to wander around the house with Butterscotch on my heel.

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

I sit in such a way while watching Ashton's live that I can see Tenley. She's changed how she's sitting about ten times, but she is finally facing me - finishing up a meeting before she woud come inside. I sat still with my white claw, reading over comments and questions coming from fans and the outrageous remarks each of them were making. As of right now the reactions are good but as I get ready to start my half of the live - my nerves kick in.

A thud echos through the house, on the patio T has thrown a pillow at the door and is smiling so big at me. She outlines a heart with her hands and mouths something, before a text from her comes through:

***you've got this, i love you! Be in soon***

I blow a kiss, watching her stuff it in her pocket while my live begins.

TENLEY

I can see Cal starting his half of the release, and I struggle to end my meeting in time to be there for the greeting. But I can hear the playing of Wildflower just as we all bid out goodbyes. I try not to make noise as I step into the house, closing the door softly behind me. Calums warm eyes watch as I set down my laptop and dance obnoxiously across the house. His giggle is hidden well but his sigh is loud, shaking his head.

"Yeah, that was Tenley, I'm surprised you could see her in the window, heat warms my face as he laughs at me. But he shrugs, "maybe she'll come in for a bit during the second one, that alright mate?"

"Yeah go for it," i smile hearing MIke's agreement.

I pull a second white claw from the fridge, moving slowly to Cal as so I can give him the can. He mouths a sogt thank you to me, before patting the floor beside him. Reluctantly I sit.