It all changed once dessert came, though. Everything came crumbling down over a shared piece of 'Death By Chocolate'. One of the tables near theirs had a group of six women, obviously having an expensive 'Girl's Night Out'. When dessert was delivered, the whole table looked over to see what delicious concoction had been ordered. Not only did they see the delicious dessert, but they also saw the delicious lead singer of Miles of Pleasure.
A couple of the girls shrieked when they recognized Ashton, and immediately left their table to ask for autographs and flirt with him, completely ignoring Kaylee. Ashton being Ashton, he didn't tell the girls to leave him alone, or that he was out on a date with his girlfriend. Even worse, he went beyond being polite to the girls, and started flirting himself.
Kaylee couldn't believe how rude the girls were, and she couldn't believe how Ashton had fallen for every bit of it. He was acting just like his old self, enjoying the flirting and not even noticing that the women were after only one thing. She was appalled that these women would simply look as though they were ready to jump him the moment they met him, simply because he happened to be famous.
Kaylee sat at the other side of the table, completely forgotten and fuming. Sure the girls were beautiful, but she didn't think that Ashton would forget all about her, just because a couple of pretty girls flaunted themselves at him.
Or would he? She pushed the cake aside and looked at him over the table. He didn't once glance over at her.
After a few minutes, Kaylee had had enough. Watching one of the girls whisper into her boyfriend's ear was finally more than she could handle. He looked a little uncomfortable at that point, but he had gotten himself into the mess, so he could get out of it.
She grabbed her clutch purse and walked away from the table and out the door, not even pausing when she heard Ashton call her name. At that point, she was surprised he even remembered what it was.
Fortunately, when she got outside, there was a cab dropping another couple off. She quickly slid in and gave the driver her address. The driver asked no questions. As he drove away, the tears began to flow down her cheeks.
"What a fool, to actually think he can give up all the other girls and be faithful to one person. Especially not me," Kaylee thought. "I won't even give him something that he has probably never gone without!"
Minutes later, the cab pulled up in front of her house. She threw some bills up front and ran into the house. She really hoped that no one was there, because she just wanted to be alone and she definitely didn't want to talk about what had gotten her so upset.
Luck was with her, because she was able to make it into her room without anyone seeing her. She slammed the door and fell onto her bed crying.
Lately it felt like all she did was cry. She felt so much emotion, both good and bad. It was overwhelming. She used to be such a strong person.
Not wanting to stay in the same dress for a minute longer, Kaylee got up and put her pajamas on and went to the bathroom to wash the makeup from her face. She looked in the mirror and found herself trying to figure out how she measured up to the other girls...was she just as pretty? The mere thought made her cry again. She washed her face with water cold enough to make her gasp.
Just as she lay back in her bed, someone pounded on her door.
"Kaylee! Let me in!" Ashton yelled through the door. He sounded out of breath.
"Go to hell, Ashton! I'm done with you!" she yelled back at him.
There was a loud cracking noise, and her door flew open. "Well, I'm not done with you!" he growled after kicking her door open. "Why the hell did you leave like that?"
She sat straight up in bed. "I'm surprised you noticed I was gone. Looked to me like you had plenty to keep you occupied. The tears were gone, replaced with anger.
"They were fans, Kaylee! It's not like I can be rude to them. For God's sake, we're having enough trouble with the band without pissing off any more fans!" he yelled.
"You don't have to be rude, and you don't have to enjoy it so much either!" she shot back. "I felt like I was a voyeur, getting ready to watch you have sex with one of them or something! They were all over you, and you let it happen! We were supposed to be on a date!"
Ashton threw his hands up into the air.
"You know what, maybe I was enjoying the attention. That's a part of being in a band, and it's something that you're going to have to get used to. I'm sorry that it happened while we were on a date, but you need to get over your insecurities and realize how in love with you I am!" he shouted at her.
Kaylee's jaw dropped to the floor. She couldn't believe what he had just said.
"Well, that certainly came out at the wrong time," he sighed. He looked over at her shocked face and smirked. "It's true though, and wasn't nearly as hard to say as I thought it'd be." He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Don't lie to me just to get me to forgive you," she pleaded, feeling the tears resurface.
"I'm not lying, Kaylee," he said, and moved to where she sat on the bed. "Kaylee Miles, I never thought it could happen, but I am so in love with you," he told her as he knelt before her and grabbed her hands in his. "Those girls meant nothing to me, and for the first time, I saw everything so clearly. I love you and only you. You're the one that I want to be with."
"You're wrong, you don't love me. Stop messing with me because I really can't handle you playing with my feelings right now," Kaylee demanded.
"I'm not wrong. I love you! I can't believe that is so easy to say when you really mean it." He grinned at her. "You better get used to hearing it. I've never said it before, and now that I have, I don't plan on stopping."
"You really love me?" she asked softly, a small smile appearing through the tears.
Ashton nodded. "More than I ever thought possible."
Kaylee launched herself at Ashton and tackled him to the floor, assaulting his face with kisses. Both of them laughed as they rolled around on the floor, kissing and tickling. The girls at the restaurant were forgotten. At that moment, everything was right in the world again.
Chapter 18
Kaylee felt like she had been floating since Ashton had made his declaration. She hadn't expected it, and it still didn't feel quite real. like In some ways, she felt it was too soon, but then she realized they had had feelings for each other long before they ever got together.
"Don't worry. I meant what I said, and I'll never take it back," he told her, pulling her in for a steamy kiss.
"Oh yuck! Can't you two find somewhere else to do that?" Jayden asked as he walked into the living room.
"We could, but this is so much more fun," Ashton replied with a smile, taunting him by nibbling on Kaylee's neck a little more.
Kaylee giggled and smacked his arm. "What's up?"
"Just seeing if you guys wanted to hit a couple of clubs tonight. Colton and I were thinking about getting everyone together, maybe try to smooth things over," he told them, plopping down on the couch and kicking his feet up on the coffee table.
"I'm in," Kaylee said, anxious to try to get back on her brother's good side.
"I guess that means I am too," Ashton replied. "See you about 10:00 here then?"
"You got it." Jayden said goodbye to them as they went out the door, in search of some good pasta.
At ten o'clock sharp, Jayden, Colton, Kaylee, and Ashton sat in the living room waiting for Noah and Brittany to finish getting ready. Finally, after fifteen minutes, Noah and Brittany made their appearance in the living room, where everyone was not so patient.
She sneered when she walked into the room, and blatantly asked Noah, "Tell me again why we have to go out with them?"
"Brittany, they're extending a peace offering. The least you could do is accept it," Noah groaned, his impatience with her evident.
"Whatever. I forgot something. I'll be right back," she said dismissively and went back to her bedroom. Everyone in the living room looked at each other, but nobody said a word. Minutes later, she reappeared with a smile plastered to
her face. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get this night of fun underway!"
Noah smiled, relieved at Brittany's change in attitude. He just wanted everyone to get along. It finally looked like Brittany was going to make the same attempt that the rest of the group was making.
Kaylee was having a great night at the club in the VIP section. She stayed a respectable distance from Brittany without making it look like she was avoiding her. No matter how much she said she was going to try to be civil, she just couldn't stand to be around that woman.
Instead, Kaylee made sure she was busy on the dance floor. No one was safe from being dragged out there at one point or another. Colton was one of her favorite dance partners, so she spent a lot of time with him at the beginning of the night, until Ashton decided that he was getting tired of watching all the other guys grind against his girlfriend. From that point on, Kaylee had only one dance partner.
Just as one of her favorite songs was ending, Kaylee felt a tap on her shoulder. "Kaylee, can you do me a favor?" Noah yelled over the music. "Brittany's been in the restroom for a while. Can you go check on her?"
Kaylee looked to Ashton quickly, and gave him an all-knowing look before heading to the restroom. When she walked in, there were a couple of girls at the mirror, but she didn't see Brittany anywhere. She walked further into the restroom, toward the stalls, and called out Brittany's name.
When she got no answer, she called her name again. In response, she heard a faint moan at the furthest stall. Kaylee ran and knocked on the door to the stall.
"Leave me alone," Brittany slurred, weakly.
"Brittany, are you okay?" she yelled through the door.
"I said leave me alone!" she slurred again, a little louder.
Kaylee went into the empty stall next to Brittany's, and put her foot on the toilet to try to get a boost up so she could look over the partition. Just as she was pulling herself up, her stiletto heel slipped and landed right in the toilet bowl.
"Great!" she cried out, taking her foot and shoe out of the water, and shaking it. She looked down and breathed a sigh of relief. At least the person who had used it before she got there had had the decency to flush. The other girls were gone from the bathroom, so she had privacy after her blunder.
"Brittany, dammit!"
"Go away!"
"Fine! This isn't even worth it!"
She started to walk out of the bathroom, but thought back to her brother and wanting to mend fences. In the end, despite her inner struggle, Kaylee walked back to the open stall and hoisted herself up onto the toilet bowl again. She tightened her grip on the partition and slowly peered into the next stall.
Brittany sat sideways on the toilet, leaning her back against the partition opposite Kaylee, her head rolled to the side. Kaylee saw a rubber tie loosely hanging around her arm, along with a needle, spoon, and lighter sitting in her lap.
"Brittany! Are you okay?" she yelled and got no response. "Brittany!" she yelled louder. Brittany didn't flinch.
"Ah, damn!" She climbed from the toilet and an out into the hall, moving as fast as her stilettos would go on the marble floors.
"Someone call 911! There's been an overdose," she yelled out the door, then went back to be with Brittany.
Kaylee ran back to the stall and got on her knees. She tried reaching under the door to get to Brittany, but she was just out of her gasp. She knew what she had to do, but wasn't looking forward to it. She slid down on her back and wiggled her way under the door to the stall that Brittany was in. When she was far enough in, she sat up and unlatched the lock, swinging the door open.
Three women had just entered the restroom. They sized up the situation with one look. "Oh God...can we help?"
Kaylee didn't answer them. She stood in front of Brittany and slapped her face a couple of times, calling her name, and trying to get her to wake up. There wasn't a single movement on Brittany's part.
"This is bad," one of the women said.
Thankfully, the paramedics stormed into the restroom at that point. Kaylee turned to one of the women. "A man named Noah, in the VIP lounge...he needs to get here. Can you get him for me?"
The women were gone faster than Kaylee could blink. She heard Noah's name being called out. She watched the paramedics as if from a distance, as though she were completely detached from it all. She could barely believe this was happening.
"What the hell is going on?" Noah yelled, running through the doors. Kaylee knew he had to see this for himself.
"Your druggie girlfriend had an overdose," Kaylee explained. She pointed to where the paramedics were strapping Brittany to a gurney.
"She doesn't do drugs," Noah said. "There has to be some mistake."
"Does that look like a mistake to you?" Kaylee asked, pointing to the drug paraphernalia that the EMT's were packing up for the police. "She was shooting up in here, Noah. She's a drug addict."
Noah had confusion written all over his face. Nothing could mask the hurt, the anger, or the questions that were there. Instead of saying anything, he followed the paramedics when they took Brittany out.
Kaylee stayed behind, answering all the questions that the cops asked her. She said that she knew nothing of the drugs prior to this accident (mainly to keep the police from invading their house to search for a stash hidden somewhere by Brittany), and that she had just come to look for Brittany because her brother was worried. The police thanked her for her cooperation and left soon after.
After walking away from the cops, she collapsed into the waiting arms of Ashton. "Take me home?" she pleaded.
"Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital to be there for Noah?" he asked.
"No, I think he needs some time alone to process what's going on," Kaylee told him. "Besides, maybe he needs to realize how much he's isolated himself lately because of her."
"If you're sure..." Ashton said, leading her out to his car. "Colton and Jayden had left already, and said they'd stop at the house in the morning."
Kaylee sat in Ashton's car on the way home, staring out the window. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing by not going to the hospital for Noah?" she finally asked.
"I'm not really one to say what you should or shouldn't do, but I do know that you should always trust your instincts," Ashton pointed out. "Your instincts are always right, you know?"
At the stoplight, he grabbed her hand as a means of comfort, but also to get her attention. Her head finally turned towards him, and their eyes met. Even in the dark of the night, he could see the emotion pooled in her intense gaze.
"You told me to trust my instincts...I love you," she said, and for the first time since the Brittany episode, Kaylee smiled. The smile didn't last long as Ashton jerked the car over to the curb, taking Kaylee by surprise. "What the hell?"
Ashton slammed the car in park and got out, running over to Kaylee's side, yanking the door open and pulling her out. "Would you mind repeating that?" he asked breathlessly.
"Trust my instincts?" she teased, and backed up so that she was leaning against the car. He moved closer to her and surrounded her with his arms. She looked up at him and voiced the words that made his stomach and hers do all sorts of weird things. "I love you, too."
Ashton put his lips on Kaylee's before anything else could be said.
Noah sat alone in the waiting room at the hospital ER. So many thoughts were running rampant through his head, but the dominant one was, "How long has she been doing this, and why haven't I seen the signs?" He just didn't have the answers.
The doctor finally appeared, and told Noah that Brittany was awake and ready to see him. He made his way to her temporary room, not quite sure what to say once he got there.
"If you're here to lecture me, save your breath," she told him as soon as he walked through the curtain. Brittany didn't even make a move to look at him. "I made one little mistake and shot a little too much. It was all your fault anyway."
Noah looked blankly at her. "My fault?"
"Yeah
, your fault. If you hadn't forced me to hang out with your bitch sister and your loser friends, this never would have happened. I just needed a little more to get through the night, but I guess I had too much," she tried to reason.
Noah stared at her. This was crazier than anything he had ever dreamed. "Are you that damned stupid? I wasn't the one who put the needle in your arm. I'm not to blame here whatsoever!" he spat at her. "Forgive me for wanting my friends and family to get along with my girlfriend. None of them needed drugs to put up with you, but now, I wouldn't blame them if they did. You need to get some help, some serious help. I thought I could bring back the girl I fell in love with, but was I ever wrong."
"Shut up. I told you I didn't want a lecture," she snapped at him.
"Well, I don't want a controlling, bitch druggie for a girlfriend either. I'll pack your shit and have it sent to you here. Find someone else to sponge off of, and don't ever call me again," Noah growled.
He turned and walked out of the room. His heart was breaking, but he was too furious to let the pain hit him just yet. He couldn't believe how stupid and blind he had been in regards to Brittany. He definitely owed a huge apology to the band, and to his sister.
Chapter 19
The drive home seemed to take forever, when in reality, it only took ten minutes. Those ten minutes slowly ticked off the clock, the anticipation growing with each second that passed. When their destination was finally reached, there was a mad scramble to get in the house.
As soon as the door to Kaylee's bedroom was shut and locked, her lips met Ashton's in a passionate embrace. Those three little words concocted an aphrodisiac like no other, igniting the fire inside both of them.
Clothes were flying through the air as Ashton guided Kaylee backward, towards the bed. The time that their lips parted from each other to remove their clothing took too long, and each felt the urgency to be connected again.
As Ashton trailed his lips down Kaylee's naked body, it fed fuel to the fire inside Kaylee, until his lips met the juncture between her legs. Never before had she been so accepting of this act; it had always made her shy and uncomfortable. Now she was opening up for the world to see...her world, Ashton.
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