✰ Ashland's POV: ✰
"Wait, Ash.. I don't want you late for soundcheck but I gotta tell you somethin'. Do you mind staying back for just one quick sec?" Jon asked me hastily.
"Umm, sure. I still have fifteen minutes to kill. What is it that you have to tell me? Remember, you can always run to me and tell me absolutely anything and everything, Jon. What's up?" I smiled up at the five foot ten inched figure that stood in front of me. His outfit he had on for the evening was to die for. He looked so handsome.
{{his outfit ^}}
"Thank you for always being there for me when you didn't have to be. You truly are one amazing woman. The next guy you end up with, they will be hella lucky. I say that because in my honest opinion, I don't think you and Hardy are goin' to last if he keeps up with Caleigh. There, now I'm finished talkin' your head off. You can go and head to soundcheck. I love you, Ashy," Jon said to me, his lips crashing onto the top of my head. We've always shared head and cheek kisses. That's just the type of friendship we've always had. And I'm definitely not complaining at all.
I smiled as I stood up on my tippy toes and kissed his forehead after I had pushed his hat off of his head to play around with him. In my honest opinion though, he doesn't need that cap. His hair is absolutely perfect and sculptured so amazingly, why on Earth would be be hiding all that? Hey, that's just my opinion. He sure is a sweetheart though!
"See ya after you get done on stage, handsome," I farewelled and went onto the stage so I could do a little soundchecking before my set starts.
I get a whole forty five minutes for my set. I'm super excited to be back on stage and to perform. It's been a while since I last did a show. I think it was sometime in December or November, quite possibly. It's only the second of January, and I'm already dreading this year, if I'm being quite honest.
I was just about to get to the stage when I accidentally bumped into Jon's tour manager, JD. The embarrassment soon flooded onto my cheeks, "I am so, so sorry! I didn't mean to run into you. I was in such a hurry to get to the stage so I could go to soundcheck early and I wasn't even lookin' where I was going. Sorry, JD," I apologized quickly.
"It's okay, Ashland. Don't sweat it. Hey, have you seen Jon around, by the way? I tried texting him but he didn't text me back and I got worried. Do you know where he is or what he's doing?" His tour manager then turned to face me.
"He's in my dressing room. He decided to check up on me and then we had a little conversation and whatnot. Maybe he's still in there, I assume so, anyways," I truthfully said to JD. He nodded his head and spun around, walking away.
**
"Okay, are you ready, Ashland?" Tori, my fiddle player asked me. I nodded my head and the backdrop then dropped. I quickly put in my in-ear monitors and looked at the crowd. It was a sold out show.
"Grand Rapids! How are we doin' tonight?! I'm opening up for two great guys: Jon Langston and Hardy! My name is Ashland Craft, and I'm goin' to be performing for you perfect souls! This is my song, it's called Your Place Or Mine! I hope y'all love this one as much as I loved writing and singing it," I exclaimed into my custom-made microphone.
The band started the melody to my song and as I was starting to sing, I saw Jon standing side stage and for whatever odd reason, it made me feel like I was walking on air, while I was on stage. It made me feel kind of awkward in a way. Did he really think me and my performance was well enough to watch?
{{also down there where she sings the pre-chorus, there's more to the song, i just skipped through some of the first verse, lol!}}
"Hey, Mister Lonely across the room, I've got an empty seat and I saved it just for you.." I sang along with the song and stared at the side stage where Jon was standing it and I could just feel the butterflies in my stomach.
That is so weird, I haven't felt butterflies in a long, long time. Hell, I don't even think I felt butterflies when I first fell in love with Hardy, which I find a bit weird, but I guess I shouldn't think too much into it. That and I can't fall in love with my best friend, we've both got too much baggage and damage from both of our past relationships..
"I'll save you the trouble, I've got my drinks, we can skip the getting to know me thing. I'm a little tipsy, boy, you're looking pretty, I'm leaving in a minute and you're going with me.." I sang the pre-chorus, my eyes locked onto Jon's.
I finished singing that song and I noticed Jon wasn't on the side stage anymore. I hope I didn't run him off with all the eye contact or anything like that.
"Hold on, y'all! I'll be right back," I informed the crowd, running backstage and I bumped into another guy, yet again. But it wasn't Jon nor his tour manager, it was Hardy. Fuck..
"Ash, hey. It's been a while. Have you been ignoring me?" He asked, his voice was cold.
"Look, Michael, I don't want to talk right now. Do you know where Jon's at? I need to talk to him, and it's important! Please, Michael, can you just.. Pretty please tell me where he is?" I asked urgently.
"Ugh, whatever, dude. He's in his dressing room. Ash, we really need to talk this shit out though," Hardy said to me.
I sighed and shook my head, "What in the hell am I supposed to say? You're sitting here talkin' to some other bitch and I'm sitting here obviously supposed to be okay with that?! I don't want to talk.. Just leave me be."
Tears soaked in my eyes and cheeks, I ran straight to the door that had Jon's name on it and he jumped up when he saw me rush into there.
Jon gasped and laughed softly, "Holy shit! You scared the piss out of me. You only played one song. You have a forty five minute set. What happened to that?" He asked, his eyebrow raised at me.
"Jon, I'm so sorry if that was awkward. Ya know with the whole me singing Your Place Or Mine and lookin' at you the whole entire time.. I couldn't help but look at you all the while I was doing so. It's true though, you are pretty," I said with a giggle at my last thing I had said.
"Aww, Ashland, don't be sorry.. And are you cryin'? Baby girl, don't be cryin', you know I don't like seeing you sad, cry or anything like that. And me, pretty? Nah, that's all you, girl. I was watching you while singin'. You're killin' it. Go back on stage before you get into any trouble. I'll continue watching if that helps," Jon grinned as he got up off the chair he was sitting in and he gave me one of his big bear hugs that makes you feel so warm and loved.
✰ Jon's POV: ✰
"Aww, Ashland, don't be sorry.. And are you cryin'? Baby girl, don't be cryin', you know I don't like seeing you sad, cry or anything like that. And me, pretty? Nah, that's all you, girl. I was watching you while singin'. You're killin' it. Go back on stage before you get into any trouble. I'll continue watching if that helps," I said to Ashland, a smile across my face as I went and gave her a big hug.
"I'll try my best to make you and the crowd proud. Also, I bumped into Michael earlier.." She trailed off. That worried me. I hope he didn't say or do anything bad, I swear if he did, it isn't going to end pretty, that's for damn sure.
"Uh-huh. What did y'all say to one another? Or was it just a small talk thing? I need to know details, Ash! You know this already, I am super damn nosy," I laughed, nudging her shoulder lightly with my elbow.
"Well.. He basically said that me and him need to talk but I don't know what I'm supposed to even say with him doing his stuff. If anyone's goin' to be talking, it should be him, right? I feel like a complete failure. Like do I not do a good enough job at being a girlfriend to him so he has to seek attention from someone else or what? Like I need closure or some kind of clarity on why he's doin' this to me." Right when I heard those words come from her mouth, I shook my head, I hated that Hardy is doing her wrong, but he's literally got her fucked up. I don't know what I'd do with myself if something bad happened to Ash and it be his fault.
"Ash, riddle me this, he's only fucking you over because you're letting him. You need to step up, be the twenty four almost twenty five year old that you are and step up. Give him some hell for the shit he's doin'. If anything, I'll be there to help you out with anything and everything you want me to, of course. Now for real this time, start heading back to the stage. You still have a few more songs to be performing. One of which is Beer Never Broke My Heart, and I've been dying to hear you sing this one for a while! Let's go, best girl," I finished giving her a piece of my mind while my hand went to the small of her back and I soon led her back to the stage, and the crowd was absolutely ecstatic! That made me instantly proud of her, though I've always been so damn proud of her. Always have been and always will be until the very end.
She sang a couple more songs and ended out her set with her song, Good Ol' Girls, which is one of my favorites I've ever heard of hers. My best friend really is so talented!
"That's the end of my set, y'all! Be sure to be extra loud for my best friend, Jon Langston! He's coming up here on stage in about twenty five to thirty minutes! Have an amazing rest of your night, Grand Rapids," She happily stated into the microphone and she soon enough walked off the stage and greeted me where I was. I was on the side stage the whole entire time.
"Holy shit, Ash. That was.. Fucking incredible! You just performed to a sold out show! Now that's amazing. You think you'll be down for a little after party? You meet me at my bus. Whatcha think of that idea? Don't worry, ain't nothin' bad goin' to happen. But I best start getting ready to head on stage. You game for the bus after party?" I asked, holding my hand out so we could shake on it.
At first, Ashland seemed a bit hesitant at first, but then she lightened up and came to her senses, and shook my hand. "Hell yeah!" I thought to myself.
"Sounds good to me, best friend. See ya then. Just so you know, I'll be sure to be standing side stage watching you sing and perform for the sold out crowd. Now I know you do it at every show, but I need and so desperately want to watch you sing Forever Girl. That damn song is absolutely perfect! Like literally, how in the hell do you not have girls breaking down your doors?" Ash asked me, a small blush appearing upon her cheeks and I just chuckled.
"Hardee har har. That's real funny and cute," I rolled my eyes. "But to answer your question, I don't honestly know. Probably because I was with Anna that whole time, no girl would want to be labeled a homewrecker, so maybe that's why? Other than that, ladies sure have been quiet lately. That and I want one that will accept you. I guess that was sort of the problem with Anna, she didn't like me having a female friend because she got 'jealous' and 'insecure' about me cheating on her when in fact, she was the one who fucking cheated on me, so hypocrisy at its finest on that one."
"Jon, don't feel pressured into thinking you have to find the right girl who will accept me. Because at the end of the day, I know I was, am, and always will be here first, and I know you'd choose me over anyone else because you've said so in the past on plenty of occasions. I was there to see your pretty and amazing moments and I was there to see your horrendous and bad moments. You're my best friend and no girl, and I mean absolutely no damn girl will break my best friend's heart. You deserve the best and one day, I want you to find that someone who will do just that for you; give you the best like you deserve," Ashland whispered to me, her head on my chest. "I love you, Jon Langston, I really do. I'm so deeply sorry that Anna was a whore and wanted to cheat on someone like you. I definitely now understand what you went through as I am now goin' through it. It's rough, it's heartbreaking and trust breaking too. Also, J, can you promise me something?"
I took everything that Ashland had said to heart and I nodded my head, my hand carefully running through her pretty blonde hair. She is right, I don't necessarily have to find the right girl who will accept my best friend, but at the same time, I can't just have some bitch run over my best friend. Ashland and I may seem like a private relationship, but we definitely aren't. She's with Hardy. I'm just single and hoping for the best in life. All I want is for her to be happy, I just hate that he's breaking and shattering her heart and trust. No human should ever do that to another. That's so fucking heartless, in my opinion anyway.
I pecked the top of her head over and over again as I nodded my head, "Damn right. I'll kick any bitch's ass that has something to say about me having a female friend. You are my number one priority and everything else in my life, so with that said, I am definitely not losing you to some girl that probably won't even last too long, ya get what I'm sayin'? And I can promise you just about anything, what's up, Ashy cash?"
She pulled her head off of me and she grabbed ahold of both of my warm hands and she gazed deep into my eyes, her smile as genuine as could be, she then started to speak, "You've been my number one supporter through anything and everything I do in my life and I don't know how I could ever, ever, ever repay you. You've supported me through all kinds of things in my life and it actually and really does mean the whole damn world to me, Langa. Can you promise me that.. That if anything happens between me and Michael, you'll be there for me? I know you say and mean that you'll be there for me every step of the way, but I guess I want to hear you promise me that. You're my best friend, and you're a guy, therefore if all hell ends up breaking loose with Hardy, I'll have you because I know you can knock out someone. You have the most strength I've ever seen in a man. It's pretty hot, not gonna lie," She giggled at the end of her sentence.
"Umm, duh! I promise to God and all things holy from above that I will so totally be there for you if anything happens between you and Hardy. I swear though, if he tries to lay a damn finger on you, me and him will be takin' it outside because it is not okay, under any circumstance, to hit a lady, at all. That and I'm not goin' to let my best friend go through something traumatizing like that. I love you so damn much, Craft. I will see ya at my tour bus after the show. I've gotta get goin' to the stage before I'm late. You stay out of trouble, pretty girl," I winked and Ashland just shook her head and smiled at me as I started to walk onto the stage.
Once I had gotten to the stage, I readjusted the mic stand to my height level, set my microphone on it and put in my in-ear monitors that had my initials on it. A little cliché but hey, these were the first ones I picked up, honestly.
Soon enough, it came time for my performance, and I knew I had a lot to do if I was going to rock the crowd's socks off like Ash did. To say she did amazing and incredible is a definite understatement. I cannot wait for the rest of this tour. Especially if I get to be the one who gets to watch her kill it on a stage. She literally was made for singing and performing!
~ hahaha y'all, i am so sorry that this chapter ended so oddly, it is currently almost 5am as i type this author's note and i wanted to hurry up and get this chapter up asap, so here it is. i hope y'all like it because i just pulled an all-nighter writing this bad boy. 😅🤦🏼♀️
~ this book series, even though it's my own, it's getting pretty damn good, and it's only the third chapter. i wonder what's going to happen in the next chapter.. 👀 i'm already getting a lot of ideas so be prepared to see chapter four out relatively soon!!
~ Jon and Ashland supremacy, hello!! 😍 the cutest best friend duo, in my god honest opinion. well that and the way Hardy treats Ash, it's kind of hard to really like them two together, but this is how the series is, oops, sorry not sorry. 😜
~ if you guys enjoyed this chapter, lemme know, vote, comment and add this story to your library. thank you in advance!! 🤍💕
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