It's complicated

Chapter 18

-Grace's POV-

"What do you mean I can't perform!?" Ashton yells at the doctor, struggling to get up.

"I'm sorry, but if you try to play, you could tear the muscle and tissue in your shoulder completely. Then you would be out of luck for awhile. When does the tour start?"

"It's starts the first week of October." Luke says.

"Okay, well you should be able to perform again in November. So, you will have to find different arrangements until then. You can still tour with them and do almost everything they do, but no performing." The doctor leaves and all of us sit there in silence.

Ashton finally breaks the silence with, "I cant f****** believe this. Who are we going to find that can learn my parts on such short notice?"

"Wait, Grace, don't you play the drums?" Gabby asks, turning to me. My eyes go wide and I shake my head.

"That was in high school, it wasn't anything serious. Plus, I can't live up to Ashton's standards. He's a thousand times better than I could ever dream to be."

"Wait, no that might work." Luke says and gets his "thinking" look.

"No, Luke, it won't! I can't do that. Your songs are too hard; they have really complicated rhythms. And, Ashton sings. I have never been able to sing and drum at the same time."

"Wait, I've taught you some songs before. You picked up on it really fast. I can mentor you and get you ready. You have to do this. And, I can sing, I just can't drum. They will set me up a chair or something and I'll sing my parts, you just have to drum."

I shake my head, "No guys, I can't. I'll mess it up. People don't want to see me on stage, they want Ashton."

"They'd want you compared to anyone else." Michael points out.

"Yeah, but-"

"Wait, you're saying that you can't do it because the fans won't want to see you on stage?" Calum laughs, "Grace, you told me the other day you were already talking to the managers about performing and being our opening act."

"What?" Luke, Ashton, Michael, and a Gabby yell all at the same time.

"Calum! That was supposed to be a secret, I was gonna surprise you guys. I didn't even plan on telling you, but I figured I should since I thought I was leaving."

"Don't you think we have a right to know about who our opening act is?" Michael asks.

"Anyone else, yes. But, you guys, nah!"

"Whatever, you're taking over Ashton's parts. Once he gets out tomorrow we will drive you to the studio and he can help you with the rhythms and stuff." Calum states, signaling that the argument was over.

"Fine, I'll try, but I'm not promising anything."

We hang out at the hospital for a little bit and the boys and I leave around 5, but Gabby stays. Weird.

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Luke gets a call from the hospital at 10 A.M. telling us that Ashton needed to be picked up within the hour. Calum and I go alone and pick up Ashton. Calum drives me and Ash over to the studio so we can put some time in. He drops us off and leaves after he helps us get some things set up.

"Okay, so do you remember when I taught you She Looks So Perfect?"

"Yeah, a little. I don't know how great it will be."

"Well just try and do what you can remember." I nod and sit down at Ashton's set and prepare myself. I start out in the beginning of She Looks So Perfect, singing it in my mind. I get through it all just fine, then I get to the very last verse and fumble.

"S***" I mumble in frustration. I look up at Ashton for the first time since I started playing. His eyes are wide and his jaw is dropped. "What?"

"Have you practiced that since I last taught you?"

"No.... Why?"

"Because that was really f****** amazing."

"But I messed up the ending."

"Nobody gives a s***! You haven't practiced in 3 months and you played that at a level ready to go on stage. This is going to be a lot easier than I thought. Start at the second chorus and see if you can get the last part right. If you don't get it this time I'll walk you through it."

I nod my head and start playing, this time I get it. We end up practicing for about 3 hours and I learn 5 of their songs. I have about a month and a half to get ready. I'm not Ashton and I know people will be disappointed he's not on his drums but let's just hope I don't let the fans down.