Jaden’s POV
“Hey babe.” I smiled through the camera. Danielle and I were skyping while she’s back home, and I’m on tour; currently in Kentucky.
“Hey, how are you?” She smiled back.
“I’m great. We’re going to have a sound check in a couple of minutes and I wanted to see you.”
“Awwh. That’s so sweet.” She yawned. “How is everyone?”
“They’re great. Willow has been opening for me in the past few shows. Sometimes I forget exactly how talented she is.”
“Yeah, she’s very,” She paused, yawning again, “very talented. You all are.”
“Thanks. Dani, you look tired… How much sleep did you get last night?”
“I went to sleep around 11 or so… I haven’t really been getting much sleep in the past week.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” She smiled, though it was obviously forced.
“Dani, you know you can talk to me… I’m your boyfriend, and I love you.”
“Yeah, I know. I just- I just miss you, that’s all.”
I sighed, knowing that wasn’t the real reason. “Well, I’ll be home soon. I promise.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to you later, okay Jay?”
“Sure. Get some sleep. I love you.”
“I love you too.” I saw her reach for the mouse, then the video chat ended. I sighed sinking into the couch in my dressing room.
“Was that Dani?” Mateo asked from across the room. I’d forgotten he was here.
“Yeah. She was tired so she said she’d call me later.”
“You seem worried.” He sat beside me.
“She wasn’t her usual self… And I know the fact that she misses me isn’t the reason she hasn’t been sleeping. I mean, it’s only been a week since we last talked.”
“It’s okay. We have two more days on tour, and we’ll be home. Then we’ll all be with the ones we love.” He patted my shoulder, trying to give me some sort of comfort.
~*~
Danielle’s POV
I was on my way to Mr Keller’s class to ask for an extension on my project. After recent events I’m going to have to start all over.
“Hello Ms. Summers. How are you?” Mr. Keller greeted as I entered his room. “Come, sit.”
I shook his hand, and pulled up a chair in front of his desk. “I’m good. How are you?”
“Good, what can I do for you today?”
“Well, I came to ask for an extension on the project you gave Chresanto and I. Due to recent events, I’ll have to start over, and there is no way I’ll be able to finish by the deadline.”
“I see. I heard about your situation with Mr. Moore. I apologize, I shouldn’t have forced you to work with him. It was unfair for me to allow Chresanto to pick his partner, and not allow you to as well.”
“It’s okay. It’s not your fault. So do I have the extension?”
“Yes. Today is the 18th so you have until Halloween.”
“Thank you so much.” I said, standing from my chair and shaking his hand.
“I expect something great from you Ms. Summers. From our worst struggles comes our best work.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
~*~
Jaden’s POV
“THANK YOU!! GOODNIGHT!” I walked right, offstage to be met by my father holding a bottle of water.
“Good job, son.”
“Thanks, dad.” I replied hugging him, and walking to my dressing room.
“Only one more show. You ready to go home?”
“Yeah. I love being on tour and performing for the fans, but I miss my bed. And
I miss Dani.”
“When was the last time you talked to her?”
“Last night, but we only talked for a few minutes. She said she hasn’t been getting much sleep at night. I can tell something is bothering her, but she won’t tell me… What should I do?”
“Let her know you’re there for her. She probably just misses you too. Just wait til you show up at her door, you’ll see.”
I opened the door to my dressing room. “Thanks dad.”
“No problem.”
~*~
Today is the day we go back home. We finally ended the tour with our last show, and I’m ready to see my girl. I’m ready to hold her in my arms, and smell her strawberry scent. It was 12 o’clock and we only had 3 hours left on the plane. Only 3 hours from Dani.
“Jaden, have you told Danielle were coming home?” Moises asked.
“No, I wanted to surprise her. Have you told Madison?”
“Nope. Have you told Sky, Teo?”
“Nope.” He chucked. “Great minds think alike.”
“True.” I agreed. “I don’t think Dani is even expecting us until December.”
“How do you think she’ll react to you coming home almost 2 months early?” Moises asked.
I shrugged. “Hopefully we can catch up on a few things… If you know what I mean.”
They both laughed. “I think we’re all going to do some catching up. Right Teo?”
“Uhh, well I think Sky is mad… I haven’t talked to her in 3 days. I didn’t want to slip and tell her we were coming home early.”
“Forget catching up, you have some making up to do.” I joked.
“Shutup.” He said crossing his arms. I laughed pulling out my phone, and dialing a number I don’t really call much. “Who you calling?”
“Chresanto. Find out where the girls will be.”
The phone rang three times before someone picked up. “Hello?”
“Hey Chresanto, how’s it going?”
“Great, what’s up?”
“Nothing. We’re all coming home today, and we wanted to surprise the girls. Do you know where they’ll be for the next couple of hours?”
“I know Danielle is going to be at my boy’s studio recording a few stuff for school. If you want I can make sure Sky and Madison are there too.”
“Yeah, thanks man.”
“No problem.”
I took the phone from my ear, then quickly put it back, wanting to ask one more question. “Chres, wait a minute.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you know what’s going on with Dani? She’s not been herself… I’ve been halfway across the country and even I can see that.”
“She hasn’t told you?” He sighed through the phone. “About a week ago, our professor put her with someone to work on her project with, and the guy ended up being a total creep. He nearly raped her… He would have if me and my friends didn’t get there in time.” I became speechless. Why hadn’t she told me? Who was this guy? Why did she think that was something she had to hide? “Jaden? You there?”
“Y-yeah. I-I’m sorry, I-I just…” I stuttered getting my words out. “I should’ve been there.”
“I’m sorry you had to hear it from me.”
“Yeah, thanks man.”
“Anytime. See you later.” I slowly took the phone from my ear and ended the call, still shocked from the information I’d just gotten.”
“Dude what’s wrong?” Mateo asked bringing me out of my trance.
“Dani was nearly raped… Some guy who was supposed to be helping her, sexually assaulted her. And I wasn’t there to save her. She can’t sleep at night because I wasn’t there to help her.” They became speechless, as I was when I first heard the words myself.
We went about 5 minutes without anyone speaking. “It’s not your fault.” Moises was the first to speak. “There was no way you would’ve known. And if you did, you would’ve come home way before now.”
“I know… It’s just the thought of someone trying to hurt her, and I’m not there to protect her. And another man coming to her rescue, when it should’ve been me.”
“It’s alright, bro. We’ll be home soon, and everything will be okay.” Moises said.
“And we’ll make sure this guy learns his lesson.” I heard my father’s voice. I turned to see the rest of my family standing at the entrance of the Main Lounge section of the plain.
“How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough.” My father said, before turning on his heels and going to another part of the plain.
My sister and mother came and sat beside me, and brought me into a warm embrace between the two. “We’ll make this right Jaden.” Willow promised.
“Yeah. Dani is a part of our family now, and no one hurts our family without getting it returned to them tenfold.” My mother agreed.
~*~
Danielle’s POV
“So when are you going to tell Jaden?” Sky asked not looking up from her laptop.
“I don’t know. Maybe when he gets back, or maybe I won’t tell him at all.”
She sighed looking up at me, and putting her laptop to the side. “So you’re just going to sit in your misery. Dani, you’re nearly depressed.”
“I’m not depressed.” I argued.
“Okay. Whatever helps you sleep at night… Wait you’re not even doing that.”
“Sky, let it go. It’s not even that serious.”
“If you’re not going to talk to your friends, and the people who love you most, who are you going to talk to?”
It’s been 8 days since the Tyler accident, and I haven’t brought myself to tell Jaden what happened. It’s not that I don’t want him to know, it’s just that I don’t want him to worry. If he worries then he won’t give his all to his fans, he might even come home early from tour. So when we skype I put a smile on my face, and pray he doesn’t see it’s not real.
I was about to speak again, before a knock was heard at our door. Sky stood and opened it. “Hey girls. Ready to go?” Chresanto said from the other side.
“Girls? I’m going too?” Sky asked excitedly.
Chresanto nodded his head. “And Madison is in the car waiting so hurry.”
“Oh, good! Come on Dani, we’re going to the studio!” Sky grabbed her jacket, and pulled me out the door.
“You’re too excited for us just to be going to the studio.”
“Shut up, I’ve never been to one. Other than the one at the Smith’s.”
I laughed as we entered the car. “Hey Madison.” Sky and I both greeted her. It took about 20 minutes to get to the studio.
“Hey guys.” Chresanto said as we entered the room where we were going to be recording today.
“What’s up.” Ray and Jacob said, both giving Chres a guys hug. Sky Madison and I sat on the couches on the far side of the room after greeting everyone.
“Dani, do you mind if I record my solo first? Just to get it over with.”
“No not at all. Go for it.”
“Thanks.” He smiled entering the booth. Chresanto was very good singing. He chose ‘Girls Love Beyonce’ by Drake, and he complimented the song very well. I hope I can do that type of justice to whatever song I decide to choose.
He finished his song, and I was about to go into the booth to start my song when my phone rang. “It’s Jaden.” I informed Sky and Madison.
Seconds later, Sky’s phone rang as well. “It’s Mateo…”
Before we could answer our phones, Madison’s rang as well. “Moises?” Sky and I asked in unison. She nodded her head, as we all answered our phones.
“Hello?”
“Hey, babe.” I heard Jaden’s sweet voice on the other end.
“”Hey, what’s up.”
“Nothing. Are you at the studio with Chresanto and the girls?”
“Yeah, why?” I looked around at Sky and Madison and they had the same suspicious, confused face I probably had.
“Go outside.”
“Oustide? Why, what’s outside?”
“A surprise. Just do it.” He hung up the phone.
Madison looked at me, hanging up her phone as well, then Sky. “Outside?” Madison asked.
“Yup.” Sky and I said, nodding our heads.
“I wonder what those three have planned.” Sky said as we began walking out of the building.
“I don’t know but I know it’s going to be something ridiculous.” Sky replied. We finally exited the doors of the building, and a few feet from the sidewalk was a parked black SUV that looked exactly like Jaden’s. “Is that the Smith’s truck?”
“It looks like it.” As I finished my sentence, three boys came walking around the car with bouquets of flowers in hand.
“Jaden?” I said softly, no way anyone else heard. He took off his shades, and indeed it was Jaden. “Jaden!”
I ran into his arms, him picking me up and twirling me around as soon as we made contact. “Mhmmm, I missed you.” He whispered putting me down on my feet. He crashed his lips to mine, and I kissed back fiercely. His hands moved to my face, bringing us into a deeper kiss. His lips tasted like one of my favorite flavor of gum, Extra Dessert Delights Strawberry Shortcake. Finally he pulled away for air, but he didn’t get much before I pulled him back in for a few more pecks.
“Babe, that’s enough.” He said, trying to get me to stop kissing him.
“I’m sorry.” I took a couple steps back, fighting the urge to jump on him and smother him with kisses again. He handed me the red flowers.
“He’s saying that now, but wait til tonight, he won’t get enough.” Mateo joked, standing beside Sky. I totally forgot they were there.
“Hey Teo.” I hugged him and Moises while Sky and Madison hugged Jaden.
“What are you guys doing here? The tour isn’t suppose to end until December.” I asked, remembering they were supposed to be on the tour.
“Tour is done. The last show was last night. We just told you girls December so we could surprise you.”
“Awwh. That’s sweet… But you shouldn’t have lied.” Sky said, softly slapping Mateo across the chest. We all laughed.
“As happy as we are to see you guys again,” I began, “We have to go back to the studio. I have to finish my project. See you later.” I turned around, and started to walk back inside.
Before I got back to the sidewalk, I heard Jaden yell from behind me. “Grab ‘em boys!” Jaden picked me up and threw me over his shoulder, putting me in the car. “Step on it.” He told the driver, and the car sped off.
“Jaden, what are you doing?”
“I hope you don’t mind, but you’re all being kidnapped.”
I smiled kissing him. “No, I don’t mind at all.”