[A/N]: Ahaha, if you guys loved the previous chapter then you're probably going to hate me for this one.
Anyway, I updated earlier so I might not update until next week. i don't know, it sort of depends on my mood. Lol.
So yeah.
Enjoy!
- kelly_1231
Chapter Thirty-One
Friday, May 4th.
VINCENT'S POV:
For some reason, the month of April seemed to have gone by in a flash. One minute everybody in school was calm and mellow and the next thing I knew, everybody was freaking over the fact that we would be graduating next month. Even Carson seemed a little stressed out, her face immediately softened whenever i came by to sit with her at lunch with her friends.
On second thought, maybe I did know why April went by so quickly.
It was because her.
Carson.
Unlike two months ago, where Carson and I couldn't even stand to be in the same room with each other, I just found myself wanting to be with her every chance I got. And because we were a "couple", Carson couldn't exactly protest. Whenever i kissed her in the hallways, it wasn't because it was for people to take pictures of us, it was because I actually really wanted to kiss her. When I held her hands, it was because I was just dying to. And as the days flew by, I actually forgot that Carson and I weren't even a "real" couple. I was writing non-stop about her and within weeks, I had already written enough songs for an album. However, no matter how happy I was, the thought of Carson and I not being a "real" couple would always pop back into my thoughts and that's when I would get upset.
I would have been more happier if Carson felt the same way but I just couldn't tell.
Through out the entire month, Carson and I have been hanging out every day after school. When she wasn't helping me with my homework, we would be tacking each other like old times. We go grab some burgers at the Harley's Diner, go watch a drive-in movie, go write songs together, and play video games. On Sundays, we would go practice the Cotillion Dance for Carson's debut and afterwards, the two of us and Carson's entourage would go to the Harley's Diner for Cabaret night. Carson even allowed me to sing a duet with her and apparently some fan videotaped it, posted it onto YouTube, and now the video now has millions of hits. But through out this entire time, Carson never cared to admit anything.
And I was truly staring to believe that there was absolutely nothing for her to admit.
Maybe she just wanted to be friends with me...
I stared at a picture on my phone that took of Carson when we went to Marble Slab to get some ice cream . She was holding a small cup with no more ice-cream in it and her spoon was hanging from her nose as she stared at me with crazy eyes.
"God, if she friend-zones me then I might as well get start writing our fourth album," I muttered to myself as I closed my phone and put it back into my pocket.
Matt stuffed his face with his chips as he rolled his eyes. He tried telling me something but I couldn't understand a word he was saying considering the fact that his mouth was full of chips.
"What the fuck are you trying to say?" I asked, confused as I sat on the couch.
Matt swallowed his food. "Why don't you tell Carson that you like her then," he stated, rolling his eyes again. "You're waiting around for her to admit her feelings first when clearly you know she's a stubborn as hell--"
I sighed. "What's the point? She probably just thinks of me as a friend--"
Erik came into the kitchen and grabbed a can of pop. He then leaned against it and grinned at me. "Dude, if the girl's willing to spend all her time with you after school without chopping your head off then I think she's into you bro," he said, raising his eyebrow at me. "She's just waiting for you to admit it."
Jeremy strummed the guitar from where he was seated across from me and said, "Agreed."
I looked at all my friends and rolled my eyes. This is what you get for hanging around with the same people with two years; they're always up in your love life.
"Anyway," I said, getting up. "We should be getting to school. And Matt--"
Matt looked at me with wide eyes a chip fell from his mouth. "Yeah?" He said.
I snorted. "Brush your teeth or else your breathe will smell like sour cream and onions."
~~~~~~
After Keri Richardson released her segment about Carson being the one wrote who Ever After's first single and her not being a gold-digger, everybody's obsession with who exactly my girlfriend was shot through the sky. However, no body was able to find anything new that they didn't already know; the whole world already knew that Carson was once an aspiring musician and had practised piano for years-- they even managed to find a video of her when she was younger playing at a piano recital. I expected as more people began digging for details about Carson's life, the more she would get annoyed. But she wasn't.
"I don't have anything to hide," Carson stated once.
And she didn't.
When I pulled up into the school parking lot, I could already see Carson talking to her group of friends. She was laughing and I couldn't help but note how pretty she looked when she did.
"Aww," Erik cooed. "Vincent Gray's in love."
I blinked. "Shut up, Erik--"
"Haven't seen you this way since Jane," he stated.
Matt yawned. "Yep."
Erik wiggled his eyebrows at me from the rear-view mirror. "So did you and Carson did it yet--"
"Whoa!" I said, holding my hands up in the air. "God, no. I-I don't like her like that. Wait, I mean like her but not in a sexual way--"
Erik snorted. "Really?" He challenged.
I rolled my eyes. "I don't like her for her body," I snapped. "I mean, yeah, she has a great body and all but--"
"So are you trying to so you wouldn't do her if you had a chance?" Erik joked.
Jeremy groaned. "This is so creepy how we're talking about Carson like this," He stated. He then smacked Erik across the head. "You do realize for the three of us she's suppose to be like a sister, right?'
Erik nodded. "Oh, i know," he replied. "I just like teasing Vivi over here. So answer the question, Vincent."
I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel. "No," I said. "And it's only because I want to be a gentleman."
Silence.
Matt and Erik then burst into laughter. "Vincent Gray... a gentleman?" Erik cried. "Oh lord! How many girls did you sleep with when you were with Jane though?"
"That's was only because she slept with other guys--"
Erik snorted as he patted me on the shoulder. "Carson must be working some real charm on you if you're actually willing to zip up your pants for her," he stated.
I rolled my eyes just as we all exited the vehicle. We all went our separate ways and I found myself quietly walking up behind Carson and putting my arms around her waist. "Hey," I whispered into her ears as I kissed her on the cheek.
Her group of girl friends all went, "Aww!"
I smiled as I pulled away and took Carson's hand. "Do you ladies mind if I steal Carson?" i asked.
"Not at all!" They all chirped in sync just as I opened the door for Carson to enter the school building.
Once we were inside, I took Carson's hand again and kissed her on the cheek once more.
Carson smiled bashfully. "You need to stop doing that," she whispered as we walked down the hallway.
"Stop what?" I asked, dumbly.
Carson and I began walking up the stairs to the second floor but she didn't say anything until we reached out lockers. "Stop... making this seem like it's real," she said quietly.
I smirked. "Does it feel real to you?" i asked.
"Yes. And it's freaky."
I winked. "That's the whole point of the plan, remember?"
Carson just looked at me and laughed. "Right..."
Just then the bell rang loudly through out the hallways and just as I was about take Carson's hand, my phone started to vibrate in my pants. Carson noticed and she just patted my head. "Take the call," she said. "I'll just walk myself to homeroom."
"But--"
"Just go."
Before I could even retort, Carson just walked around me and disappeared in the large crowd. Sighing, I leaned against my locker and pulled out my phone.
Maggie was calling.
"Hello?" I said, answering the phone.
"Sunday morning, Ever After will take a week off of high school to begin promoting their world tour that will start on June 7th," Maggie announced, getting straight to the point. "So here's the plan, V: Ever After will begin their world tour in Toronto at the ACC on June 7th and I know, i know-- what about school? You guys don't graduate till June twenty-something, right? Well, you four will stay in the province to do more promotions and whatnot for the tour but once all of you graduate, the day after, all of you will be one a one plane ticket to Los Angeles..." Maggie then started listing all the places we would be touring around the world and a huge grin was plastered onto my face as she did. "... then at the end of the year, Ever After will finish their world tour at...Madison Square Garden... again!"
I laughed. "So wait, wait," I said. "What's the point of Ever After taking a week off this Sunday again?"
"It's suppose to get your fans hyped up!" Maggie exclaimed.
"Interviews?" I asked.
"Tons."
"Autograph signings?"
"Prepare your Sharpies."
I threw my fist in the air. "Yes!" I hissed.
This is what I wanted from the second I got to Toronto: to just get through high school and just get started Ever After's damn world tour already. Now that it was close, I felt like letting out a loud victory cry.
Maggie laughed. "And by the way," she added. "You dating that Anna girl has helped a lot with your public image. Keep it up, okay? The press just can't get enough of the old Vincent before all the fame and money."
I nodded as a laugh escaped my lips. "Will do."
After hanging up on the phone, I couldn't help but do a little happy dance.
~~~~~
After school, I told the guys about the world tour and they were all amped-- except for Jeremy who looked sick.
"Aren't you forgetting something about June 7th, Vincent?" He asked slowly.
I snorted."No."
But instead of celebrating, I dropped them off at the condo and went straight back to Carson's apartment complex. There, I sort of stole her away from her homework and forced her into the car.
"This should be considering kidnapping," Carson said, crossing her arms while she sat in the passenger seat.
I laughed but didn't say anything as I continued driving down the narrow road where the trees blocked the sunset. We had already been driving for nearly two hours and I could tell that Carson was just about ready to smack me across the head. But hey, at least it was a Friday night.
"Where the hell are we even going?" Carson asked, looking out the window.
"You'll see."
"And what's so important to tell me that you have to bring me out in the middle of nowhere--"
"You ask to many questions," I said as I pulled up onto the driveway of my small cottage looking out at the lake.
Carson's eyes widened. "You own a cottage?" She asked, looking in my direction.
I laughed. "It's cheaper then a condo, actually.'
"Damn. Let's go inside then."
~~~~~
Once Carson was finished admiring the small little cottage from inside (which wasn't anything really special), we finally made our way outside to the end of the boardwalk and just sat down with her feet touching water of the lake. We were silent for a little bit but i guess it was only because we both were too busy looking at the sunset. However, when I snapped out of it, I found myself putting my hand on top hers.
Carson's head snapped in my direction. "So, um, what did you wanted to tell me?" She asked, lifting her hand away from my mine.
I smiled. "We're starting our world tour next month," I stated, cheerfully.
Carson frowned. "That... fast?" She sounded disappointed.
i laughed as I moved closer to her. "We're starting our world tour in Toronto," i explained. "But Ever After will still go to school until we graduate. Till then, the band will have to do some crazy promotion stuff in the city to advertise the world tour but once the four of us get our diplomas, we're going straight to Los Angeles." I grinned at Carson. "Isn't that great news?"
Carson shot me the faintest smile. "It is," she said.
"And oh, I have to miss this week's practise for the Cotillion Dance because the band has to take a week of from school to start promoting the world tour," I explained. "It will only be week but it's just suppose to get the fans hyped up, you know?" I looked at Carson. "I hope you don't mind if i miss this week's practise--"
"It's okay," Carson said, smiling. "You've been coming to all the practises so far so missing one won't kill me. But Vincent.... um, I really need to tell you something..."
"God, I just can't wait for June 7th," I said, not hearing Carson's last sentence.
Carson looked up to me, her face brightened by the genuine smile that was now on her face. "R-Really?" She asked. "But--"
"June 7th will be the night I finally get back up on stage," I said. "It's going to be freaking awesome."
Silence.
Then...
"You're such an asshole!" Carson nearly shouted as she pushed me into the lake.
Shocked, I poked my head up from the water and shouted back at her. "What the hell is your problem?!"
"It's you!" Carson screamed. "It's always been you!"
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"
"June 7th?" Carson said walking closer to the edge of the boardwalk. "June 7th? Do you even know what's happening that night, Vincent?"
I stared at her like she was nuts. Was she not listening? "Ever After will performing at the ACC," i responded just as tears started to well up Carson's eyes. "Wait... what's wrong?"
"You jerk!" Carson said, as she wiped a tear drop from her eye. "That's my birthday! That's the night of my Debut!"
My eyes widened in shock at that realization and my heart sank.
No.
No.
No.
However, just as I was about to respond, Carson began walking away.
"Carson!" I shouted after her as I got back up on the boardwalk and began running after her. "Wait! Carson!" I grabbed her wrist but she quickly shook my grasp off her as she turned around.
"What?" She hissed.
A few seconds ago her eyes were filled with sadness but now they were replaced with one thing: anger.
Crap.
"Look, wait, I'm sure we can figure something out--"
"You know what?" Carson said, taking a step in front of me. "It doesn't even matter anymore. You know why? Because before you even start your world tour, you and i will be done with each other."
"Wait, what?" I asked, confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Two months, Vincent," Carson responded, holding up two fingers. "Two months I would pretend to be your girlfriend to help with your stupid public image in exchange for money that i would use for University. That two months will be over on May 14th and that's when I get to break it to some fucking magazine that I broke up with you."
"Wait, no--"
"I don't have to deal with you after that day and you don't have to deal with me," she snapped. "So forget about being my escort for my debut! Forget whatever happened between us during these two months-- just forget everything! 'Cause the minute you leave Toronto, is the minute I become irrelevant in your life... AGAIN!"
"Is that what you're worry about?" I whispered. "That I'll do the exact same thing to you that i did two years ago?"
Carson looked me in the eye but didn't respond.
"You like me," I whispered. "That's why you don't want to admit it... you think I'm going to hurt you again..."
Carson rolled her eyes. "Idiot," she hissed.
"That's exactly the reason!"
Carson looked at me. "I don't like you..."
"Yes, you do!"
"I don't like you!" Carson insisted. "I'm in love with you! There's a fucking difference!"
My eyes widened in shock.
She's the first girl to ever admit her feelings to me first.
"I'm sure Ever After can perform at the ACC on some other day," I whispered. "J-Just be my girlfriend."
Carson let out a biter laugh. "I'm not all about long-distance relationships," she snapped. "And you won't either when you go across the world meeting all these cute girls from France, Britain, Italy, Spain, or even fucking Texas! You'd forget you even had a girlfriend back in Toronto--"
I cut Carson off by cupping her face into my hands and crushing my lips onto her. Almost immediately, she pushed me off of her and i could have sworn she was ready to slap me. "Just drop me off at my place," she stated, turning around. "I'm tired.
"Anna..."
"Carson," she corrected me.
And with that, she walked back inside the cottage and slammed the door in my face.
Fuck.
What have i just done?
_______________________________________
[A/N]: You'll hear Carson's thoughts about what just happened in the next chapter. Don't worry.