*Cassadee's POV*
"Whoever she is, whoever she needs, one thing's for sure, you don't have to worry.." Cameo's soft voice, singing and humming next to me while she drove, pulled me from my dream in Rian's arms, back to reality in the car.
"Is that The Maine?" I asked, looking over at her concentrated face and her lips forming each words of the song from her Pandora station. She nodded when the song faded out at the end and smiled. Hannah was sleeping in the backseat, Baz in her lap comfortably and Levi sitting upright, looking out the window, intrigued. "Why don't you sing with Alex?"
She scoffed and shook her head at me. "Sing what, Remembering Sunday like all the other girls? No I'm okay." She smiled and the song changed. "Plus, I'm not talented enough to sing on stage, I'm more of a, sing in the shower where your own echo and your reflection is your audience."
I nodded, understanding where she was coming from. "I used to be like that before Hey Monday started up."
"How's the guys feel about you taking leave from the band for the pregnancy term?" She asked, changing the subject.
I bobbed my head back and forth, and made an, Eh, sound. "They're happy for me, and for Rian and everything. But that's their career, and so it made them kind of uneasy that they're not making income unless we're laying shows, or people are buying our music on iTunes, or merch is sold.. So they're a little weird about it I guess."
"Will they be there after the baby is born?"
"Of course! They're all going to be Uncles!" I smiled and Cameo laughed at me.
"Yeah, I think if Alex and I had a kid together, every band member we were close with and stayed in touch with forever, they'd all be uncles and it'd be a never ending family." We combined laughter and NeverShoutNever started playing in the car, cutting off our conversation for Cameo to start singing again.
"So how much longer?" I asked, looking out the window at the trees blowing in the wind.
"Exactly six hours and forty- two minutes." Hannah chimed in from the backseat, making us both jump since we thought she as asleep just a few minutes ago.
........//.......//.......
*Hannah's POV*
I woke up in the backseat of the car, taking a minute for me to realize where I was and what i was doing with Cameo and Cassadee. I sat back and rested the side of my face against the door, enjoying the warmth from the car, but loving the cool from the outside that was seeping through the window.
They started talking about Cameo's singing, and of course, I took advantage of the fact that they thought I was asleep, and stayed quiet while they talked. While they were talking about Cameo singing with Alex, I remembered that video I recorded of her singing while she was in the shower that she still didn't know about. I smiled at a new idea and went in my twitter, and uploaded it, not tagging her in it because i knew she'd see if quicker, even if she was driving.
The conversation changed after my sneaky Internet ways, and I sat up, staying quiet until Cassadee asked how much longer. I pipped up and the mood in the car felt tired and cold, like we were all craving for something. Hope? That's what it felt like to me.
"So Hannah, how's it with Gabe?" Cass asked as she rubbed her tummy lovingly, probably thinking of Rian.
My own butterflies unfurled in my stomach and I grinned cheekily. "Good, better than I ever expected actually. He's touring right now or I wish he could've met us so I'm not alone." I sighed.
"Who says you're going to be alone? There's you're BFF, Jack fuck buddy, Barakat." Cameo joked from the drivers seat, eyes locked on the road.
"Fuck buddy?"
I cleared my throat and leaned closer to Cassadee's seat. "She calls him that because anytime they've ever been in town Jack always asks me to pick him up from an aborted mission with a fuck buddy he met."
"Aaah, now that sounds more like a, you and Jack, thing."
------- Six Hours Later! -------
*Cameo's POV*
I pulled off the exit, now only forty minutes away from the destination, or so the GPS says, and I was trying to get a grip on my nerves. "Holy shit we're so close Cameo!" Hannah chimed in, unbuckling her seatbelt and leaning up between Cassadee and I, and clamping her hand down on my shoulder. "Excited yet?"
I gulped and took a shaky breath, but nodded yes because, yeah, it's true, I am excited... Just, nervous. "I feel like we're on Catfish, but we know who we're going to see." Cassadee whispered, a smirk in her face, showing her pretty teeth.
Hannah nudged her lightly in the ribs and they giggled quietly while I tried to control my thoughts and clear my head. This was YOUR idea Cameo, it's gonna be fine, you two love each other, it's JUST rumors. I took another breath and just needed to start believing in myself and everything.
"A left turn in, point three miles, and then right turn on Amber RD in twelve miles." The GPS, who we've come to call, Maggie, from her actual brand name, monotoned for us at the red light.
Hannah started humming the, Jaws, song everyone knows, and Cassadee joined in, getting louder and louder at every turn we made that Maggie changed her directions. "In, three point two miles, turn right, and you've reached your destination." She spoke again as I drove over a speed bump in a school zone.
"Remember to stop at a gas station for us to change! We'll get there just in time for the doors to open." Hannah pointed over to a gas station on the corner after we'd turned Maggie off when we saw the venue in sight, but no tour bus, just a long line of girls and a few guys standing in a winding line outside.
I pulled in, let the dogs out to do their business, and dropped Cassadee and Hannah off with their change of clothes while I drove the next street up where our hotel was. I unpacked the car, left the dogs at the hotel with a beware of dogs that not only bark but bite, sign on the door, and went with my own clothes BACK to the gas station to dress too.
.......//.....//......
*Hannah's POV*
I was glad il reminded the girls about changing at the gas station because if we'd just gone to the hotel, unpacked, and left to watch the show, Cameo wouldn't have time to relax and get a pep talk while we changed. I could see the nerves radiating off of her and h forehead stayed scrunched up until we were alone and I had a chance to talk to her while Cassadee went out to buy a donut.
"You know it's all going to be fine right?" I asked as I shuffled some dark jean, high waisted shorts on. She nodded quietly, and I groaned. "Don't ignore me! I know it's all fine and when he sees you the show will be amazing and you.l forget about all those stupid issues that Lisex fans are starting and everything will just, fall into place."
"I hope so." She mumbled, putting on her makeup.
Cassadee came back with a Krispy Kreme, gas station donut, and with cream on her face, was smiling like a fat kid getting told they get a whole three layered cake to themselves. "Ready?"
Cameo looked at her with a disbelief face and I smiled. "Cameo still has to get dressed, and brush her nappy hair, and then I need to do my makeup."
"I'll just go look for more food then." She decided, leaving in her cream colored, short v-neck, pjg sleeved,knee length sundress type material, dress, with dressy closed toed heels to match. Of course she looked gorgeous and beaming with her stupid pregnancy glow. I told that to Cameo when I finished getting dressed and she laughed at me.
We switched places and Cameo brushed her hair away from the mirror while I used it for my face, and when that was over we went out to find Cass. I was wearing dark colored, jean, high waisted shorts, with a green, mid sleeve, button down, see through shirt that had white skulls all over it with a white tank top underneath, that was all tucked into the shorts, and some white Converse, and my hair was pulled back into a tight, ballerina bun on the top of my head.
Cameo changed into white with pink, blue, and green floral print on them, leggings, with a grey tank top that , in white letters read, Spread Your Love, Not Your Legs, with a blue heart where the word, Love, should be. She had on some black combat books too and her hair was in short, mermaid waves that hooked under her chin and she tied a white bandana in it.
"Ready?" I asked as she was exhaling from a deep breath. She nodded and we locked eyes, turning it into a hug and rocking back and forth, whispering weird sexual favors to each other to ease the tension, that always worked.
We came out and Cassadee was at the register, with three waters, three Starbucks cold coffees, a pack of flavored gum, a bag of Sour Gummy Worms, and another donut, was all piled on the counter, beings bagged after it was all punched into the register.
"Uh, Cass? Are you feeding the line?" Cameo commented as we walked over to inspect her purchases.
"Pregnant perks, I can buy as much as I damn well please and no one can give me real shit about it."
...........//...........//........
*Cameo's POV*
I pulled into the first empty parking space I could find, which was harder than it just sounded. Basically every space was filled up, that was free, and every other spot in the parking lots that cost five bucks or more were filling too. It was nuts out here, tons of people in line, standing, sitting, some were even singing loudly in groups to see how many others would join... Wow, just, wow.
"Hannah I don't think it's ever been this crazy anytime we've gone to their shows." My eyes were fixated on the crowd and Hannah, uhuh- ed, next to me in the same daze. "What about you Cass? Anything ever this crazy?"
"Warped sometimes." She got out with us after we all made sure we had our phones, cameras, and Cassadee had her snacks in tow, before we timidly walked over to the line.
The closer we got the more people started to recognize Cassadee and call out to her, hoping for a reply back or a picture. We kept stopping and walking and stopping again, it was like being with Alex when he and I would try and go out for date night.
"I love you Cassadee!" A girl yelled at her with her arm frantically waving bye to her in the air behind us. Cassadee's face was red and she started walking with her head down, and tried to block most of her with Hannah and I's help. We were unsuccessful, to a complete T. This was suppose to be a surprise, but with all this yelling, it could just blow up in our faces.
We walked up to Will Call, and, pretending we had tickets, asked the guy at the booth to go inside and look for a guy named Matt Flyzick, that could help us get in there all sneaky like to surprise our fiancé's, boyfriends, and friends, who was playing tonight. Of course Cassadee asked, because she asked sweetly and was rubbing her belly for his eyes to see while she asked. She, no doubted, manipulated him into asking.
We waited against the wall near the Will Call booth until he finally came back, with Matt right next to him with a grin on his face. He was staring right at me and for the first time in my life around Matt, I felt super uncomfortable, like I should shrivel up in my own skin on the spot.
"Hey ladies! Come on in and I think I've got a great place to hide ya." He came around to the front doors, opening them for us and handing us each a, "With the band" necklace pass as we shuffled through.
"Hey Matt." Hannah sing songed happily, leaning over and giving him a tight squeeze around his middle. I think Hannah and Matt had this weird, brother sister kind of bond.. But not, I don't know.
"Hey to you too. Especially you Cass, wow, look at you." He motioned openly with his hands and looked her over, beaming after they embraced too. "Congrats on having two little ones. Wow, I can't believe it sometimes."
"You? try being the ones carrying them." She smiled back, and laced her fingers together around herself on the middle of her back. I've noticed she does it when she's been standing too long.
"Well you guys can just hangout here downstairs, there's the merchandize stuff upstairs on the side wall, it's a weird setup, but I think you'd get away with it being a surprise if you stay down here, and we can sit you at a tall table so you can watch the show, and your secret is safe with me." He led us over like a Host, to a tall, three seated table off to the side some, and made sure we were all OK before he turned and asked me to come with him for a few minutes.
"Do you two care?" Matt asked Hannah and Cassadee as I was following to wherever. They both shook their heads in unison and so I followed quietly, mostly because I was looking around the venue though.
"Are you excited for the show?" He asked, trying to strike up casual conversation. I nodded and tucked my hands into one another, holding them behind my back as we walked.
"How is he?" I blurted, so nervous that I was pretty sure he could sense it just being around me.
He sighed. "He's gone a little off the deep end. That's what we're calling it anyways, so I'm hopeful now that you're here. He needs you, I think something happened that's made him, less... Involved." Our eyes met and we stopped walking, and stood in front of each other, waiting for I don't know what.
"He and I have been going through something, not too serious I guess, but you know Alex, always the drama queen." I tried a joke, but I guess it came out snarky, because Matt, nor myself, laughed.
"Matt, we need you backstage, like now." Someone, a voice I defiantly didn't recognize, spoke out from Matt's belt loop through his walkie- talkie.
"Look, the show starts soon, during their set, if you could make Alex see you.. That's be great, you know, considering." He shrugged at me and took out his walkie- talkie to respond. We parted and I sat back at the table silently. Hannah had already gotten water for everyone and we made ourselves comfortable, until the doors opened to the public and fans started filing in.
"Brace yourselves." Hannah murmured, tapping Cassadee's hand. "You need to keep or head down low."