It's been a few days since we had our trip to the beach, and I've been trying to avoid the boys at all costs. Which has proven to be really difficult to do. They're everywhere! But ever since I found out they think I'm attractive, things have just been...well...awkward. To me, at least.
I mean, I'm probably being way too dramatic about this, but can you blame me? The two hottest guys I have ever seen think that I, Annabel Cassidy, am hot. Nobody has ever thought I was attractive.
At least I don't think. I've never had a boyfriend, but I think part of that was due to Austin being an over-protective brother. Even though I'm five minutes older than him. But I've just never thought of myself as pretty. I'm just kind of...plain. My blonde hair, blue eyes, and pale skin are nothing special.
My eyes snap open. I can feel the sweat all over me, and my rapid heartbeat. Why do I keep having these stupid nightmares? I've had them at least five times since I moved here. And they're always the same. It's about my family and the accident.
The door to my room swings open, hitting the wall behind it. My head snaps towards the door and I see Ryder standing there, a baseball bat in his hand. His eyes search all over the room, then they land on me.
I look at him, my eyes wide. "What the hell, Ryder?"
"I heard you screaming, and I thought someone broke in or something," he says, setting the baseball bat against the wall by my door. I just noticed he's shirtless and only wearing a pair of Calvin Klein boxers.
I quickly look away and play with the hem of my shirt. "I'm so sorry for waking you. Just a nightmare."
"That was not just a nightmare." He gives me a pointed look and takes a seat next to me on my bed. "What was it about?"
There's no point in lying about it. He still won't know that my family actually died that way. "Me and my family getting in a car accident and...me and Austin were the only ones that um... survived."
"It was just a nightmare, Annie. That won't really happen," he says, trying to sooth me. I hold back the tears that threaten to pour down my face. Suddenly, he hugs me and coos soothing words in my ear. "That must have been one vivid dream," he murmurs.
I let out a humorless laugh. "Yeah, like I was really there."
"Do you want me to stay with you until you fall back to sleep?" he asks, looking at me. Those big brown eyes of his trying to read my emotions.
I shake my head and look away from him. "No, I don't think I'll be able to go back to sleep. But you should."
"Are you sure?" he asks, looking hesitant. I smile and nod. "Alright, see you in a few hours, Annie."
He grabs the baseball bat and walks out of my room, shutting the door behind him. I glance at my alarm clock and see it's only three in the morning. No wonder he said he'd see me in a few hours. With a sigh, I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and stand up.
I'm obviously not going to get any sleep. I grab my phone, and turn on the flashlight, and make my way out of my room. Tyler told me on the first day I was here that the balcony dividing the boy's room had a stairway that led up to the roof.
I walk as silently as I can down the long hallway, until I reach the balcony that wraps around the foyer. I just need to get past Tyler and Ryder's room, and I'll be safe. Silently, I walk past their rooms, and unlock the balcony doors. I push one open and step out into the cool California air.
"And, where do you think you're going?" a voice says behind me.
I spin around on my heel and place a hand to my heart. "Carter! You scared me."
"I realize that." He grins, taking a step closer to me. "What are you doing?"
I shrug and look up at the stars. "Couldn't sleep so I thought I'd sit on the roof for a little while."
"Mind if I join you?" he asks. I look at him, sort of shocked.
"No, not at all." He nods and grabs my hand, then leads me up the stairs towards the roof.
"So, why couldn't you sleep?" he asks as we climb the stairs. I never realized how many there would be. But I guess since it has to go past the third floor. Never even thought of that.
I shrug, trying to sound nonchalant. "Had a bad dream."
"Oh? What was it about? Did the boogie man get you?" he teases.
I laugh and smack his arm. "No, you ass. It was about my family."
"Wanna talk about it?" he asks, glancing back at me.
I shake my head and glance down at our intertwined hands. "Not really." We come to a stop at the top of the stairs and he guides me over to a part of the roof. The roof is completely flat, which makes me feel not as terrified, considering I have a fear of heights.
Smart one, Annie. Climb two stories of stairs to the roof and then remember your number one fear. Good going, genius.
"If you don't want to talk about what woke you, then...tell me about you," he says, taking a seat close to the edge of the roof.
I hesitantly sit next to him and gaze up at the stars. "What do you want to know?"
"Hmm...when's your birthday?" he asks.
"July 27th, when's yours?"
"September 9th," he mumbles.
I laugh at him. "I'm older than you."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," he teases with a grin. "What's Indiana like?"
"It's...unique. Definitely nothing like California. It was kind of rare to see a house this big. I lived in Columbus, though. It was a pretty nice city."
"Tell me random facts about you," he says with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"I will if you tell me about you." He chuckles and nods.
"Deal. But you first," he says with a grin.
"I like the color light blue, but you probably already knew that." He laughs, nodding just to prove my point. "I love Italian food. My middle name is Elizabeth. Um...I like to take pictures of flora and fauna, or anything nature for that matter. Anything else you want to know?"
"I think that's good for now," he says with a smile. "What do you want to know about me?"
I chew on my bottom lip and think for a second. "Whatever you feel like telling me."
"Okay. Well, my middle name is James. I like the color red. When I was born, I would sing instead of actually talk. I couldn't actually talk until I was six," he informs me.
Wow. He couldn't talk, but he could sing? I've never heard of that before. "Is that why you like singing so much?" He nods and grins.
"Yeah, it was my first form of communication. I would literally sing everything," he says with a laugh.
I smile and lay back onto the cold roof. "How long have you and your band been together?"
"About three years," he says, laying next to me. We both just gaze up at the stars, settling into a comfortable silence.
I shouldn't have been avoiding them all this time. That was so immature of me. I mean, maybe it wasn't even true in the first place. Maybe I should ask? But, how awkward would that be...
With a sigh, I decide to ask him. "Was what your mom said at the beach true?" He stays silent for a minute.
"What do you mean?" he asks.
I glance at him to see him keeping his eyes on the sky. "That you guys think I'm...hot." He chuckles softly, his gaze landing on me finally.
"No, you're not hot, Annie," he says, and I don't know why, but I feel hurt by this. "You're beautiful."
My eyes snap to his and he gives me an adorable crooked grin. I smile and look back up at the stars. He thinks I'm beautiful.
We fall into a silence, but I can't tell if it's awkward or comfortable. "So, when's your next gig?"
"We have a gig in two weeks," he replies.
I glance at him to see his eyes are closed.
"Hey, Carter?" He glances at me. "How did you know I was coming up here?"
"I was awake too, so I heard the balcony doors opening," he explains.
"Why were you awake?"
"I had heard you scream, but by the time I got to my bedroom door, Ryder was storming down the hall towards your room," he says.
I woke both of them from my dream? "I'm so sorry for waking you."
"Don't be," he says with a small smile. "We all have those types of dreams at some point in our lives."
"Have you ever had a dream like that?" He hesitates, then nods. "Can I know what it was about?"
"If you tell me what yours was about," he offers, glancing at me. I nod, so he continues. "It was a few years ago, when my great grandma passed away. I was really close to her and even though it was expected of her to leave, it came as a huge shock to me. I always had the same dream. When we got that phone call that she had passed away. I can remember it so clearly."
"I'm so sorry," I whisper, feeling the tears well up in my eyes. He frowns and quickly wipes my tears away.
"She's in a good place now," he says with a sad smile. "What was your dream about?"
"My family. We had gotten in a car accident and...th-they all died. Except for um...Austin and me."
"You're just homesick, so you're having bad dreams about your family. Have you talked to them lately?" he asks.
I swallow the lump in my throat and shake my head. "No, I haven't." My bottom lip starts to quiver, so I bite it, to hold back the sob that wants to break through.
"You might feel better if you talk to them," he says softly.
He's just trying to make me feel better, I keep reminding myself. "Yeah, I will."
"Good," he says with a smile. "Well, it's now five in the morning, meaning we talked for an hour and a half."
I glance at him, completely shocked. "It's seriously been that long?" He nods and chuckles.
"Yep. Do you want to go back inside now?" he asks. I think about it for a second, then nod. We both stand up, and he grabs my hand again, leading me towards the stairs.
Crap. I should have thought about this better. It's not that bad walking up steps, it's just going down steps that seriously scares me to no end. I swallow the lump in my throat and cautiously follow Carter down the stairs.
"Are you okay?" he asks, glancing up at me.
I nod quickly, not about to tell him about my fear of heights. "Yeah, just...cold." He stops for a second, takes off the black and white letterman's jacket he is wearing, and wraps it around my shoulders.
"Thank you," I say.
"No problem," he says with a smile, and continues to lead me down the stairs. I smile and momentarily forget about my fear of heights. We finally reach the balcony and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in.
We walk back into the house and Carter locks the balcony doors behind us. I walk with him over to his room and he opens the door.
"Here's your jacket," I say.
He turns and looks at me, then smiles.
"Keep it for now," he says and steps into his room. "See you, Annie."
He shuts the door and I turn and walk towards my room, a smile on my face.