you guys have exceeded my expectations for the last chapter, so here's a new chapter!!!
now, let's try 15 votes+comments for the next chapter.
just a head's up though. the next chapter will be the LAST chapter. i think i'll stop this story at chapter fifty, but don't worry, because there will be an epilogue!!
I gripped onto the mic as I stared out at the audience, our audience. Cass was standing next to me, breathless, like I was. We had just finished our last number, for our last show. I could feel the sweat forming from my tight grip on the mic.
“Thank you, Toronto!” Cass screamed when she realized I wasn’t ready to speak. “It’s been quite a ride, huh? I mean, we would have never expected for our first tour to turn out like this.” She paused, letting the crowd shout back answers and just yelling. She glanced at me, and I shook my head. She sighed and turned back to the crowd, continuing without my input. “When we first heard about touring some states in the US, we were so excited. Who knew that since then, we traveled to Australia, made some stops in England and Asia, and even a few in South America and Brazil? Then, we were requested to do some more shows in the US. And now, we’re finishing our tour in Canada!”
All of our fans screamed and I could briefly make out what some of them were saying.
“We love you!”
“Collision’s bae!”
"Encore!"
I tightened my grip on my mic as I stepped forward, next to Cass. She looked at me, noticing my presence beside her. She gave a look of assurance, grabbing my hand in hers and nodded at me.
“Along this journey, we have met so many amazing fans, like yourselves, and we can’t thank you guys enough. Because without you guys supporting us, we won’t be where we are. We wouldn’t be here with you guys.” I paused, feeling myself getting worked up. “We have also made some very good friends, best friends actually.”
I looked at Sammy, Nate, and Michael, whom I invited to come on the last stops of the tour with us, in case I needed him for some help, which I did. I motioned for them to come up on stage again.
“They have been there for me through thick and thin. I know that sounds cheesy,” I laughed, and everyone else laughed along with me. “But, it’s true. Without them, I wouldn’t have the courage to do what I’m about to do. Someone should get this on camera and put it on Youtube. I assure you that it’ll be worth it and worth sharing.”
In an instant, thousands of cameras and phones were pointed right at me. I smiled at them gratefully. “Anyways, these people here,” I said, motioning to the people on the stage with me. “Have helped me see who are true and who are my fake friends. That’s what makes them my real friends. They like me for me and wouldn’t do anything to betray my trust. Even if they do, I know they regret and would do anything for me to give them a second chance. I would too, because I couldn’t picture a life without them leading me on or a shoulder to cry on.”
I looked towards Annie, watching me intently. This was what I was supposed to say. This was all for press, for her. An opportunity for me to gain respect after the Jack incident and gain some media buzz while I’m at it. For me though, these words I’m saying actually means it. So, when she wanted me to say a heartfelt speech, I didn’t really mind.
She looked pleased that I was sticking to the script. Too bad, I have to ruin it, because even though I didn’t mind giving thanks to my friends and stuff, I mind that she asked me not to speak about Jack. This was the perfect chance to try to rekindle what we had, and I wasn’t going to let her stop me.
“They helped me realize where my heart is, and my heart is with Jack.”
Just as I suspected, Annie’s expression flashed with emotion. First confusion, then shock, the complete anger. I didn't care what she thought. This was my time to do what's right for me. Not what's right for Collision or what she thinks is right, but what is right for me.
“Jack if you’re watching this, I love you. I was stupid for running from you in LA. I wasn’t thinking straight. I was scared. I couldn’t bare another heartbreak, so I thought that leaving you was the best thing for me to do.”
“But I soon realized that it wasn’t,” I said, stealing a glance at Michael and Cass. Both of them sending me a small smile, once they caught my eye. “It’s better to have lost than have lost, because loving you ignites a fire in me. Something so rare that no one could make me feel the same way, but you. You’re the only one that can make me feel like I’m actually living. When I picture myself to have never found love with you, I see myself as an alive person that’s actually dead.”
“Before I loved you and before we shared our love with each other, that was what I was. I wasn’t living. I had no reason to, but you are now the reason. You’re the reason I want to try chocolate ice cream, just to please you. You’re the reason I want to spend all of my time watching sunsets at the beach. You’re the reason I want to get out and explore the world. You’re the reason I take chances. You’re the reason why I believed in love again.”
Sammy began playing the piano and I knew that it was now or never.
(SONG ON THE SIDE)
“You ran your finger down my back. And you spelled out your name. While we lay on the soft warm ground for a week and 13 days,” I sang. “And I know that it sounds so wrong and you all heard this before. I didn’t come back and I wasn’t there. I won’t trouble you no more.”
“I want to enjoy our little cuddle sessions again. The times where we laid in bed for hours on end, just simply talking about life, food, movies, and argue about which movie series is better, Twilight or Harry Potter. The days where I woke up next to you, feeling so safe, and not wanting to wake up, because I didn’t want it to end.”
The notes of the piano started again and I started singing. “Everytime I try to fight it. Everything just turns out wrong. Maybe if I got my timing right, I wouldn’t end up all alone.”
"I tried to fight what we had. I tried to tell myself that the tingling feeling I got when you touch me. The millions of explosions that went on when kissed, the comfort I got when you rubbed circles on my arms, the happiness I felt when we laughed to gether. I tried to ignore that and tell myself it was nothing. I was wrong though. It was something."
“I tried living life without you and it was horrible. I was lost. I was alone. I didn’t know what to do. I had no one to turn to and compare people’s hands. I didn’t have anyone to win me anymore unicorn stuffed animals. I had no one there to comfort me when I was nervous or scared, because the only one who could calm me down was you.”
I began to get choked up. I glanced back at Sammy as he was ready to start playing again, for me to finish. I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to hold out though.
He stared at me as he started playing the next notes, but once he saw that I wasn’t singing, he stopped. He looked at me and smiled at me reassuringly.
“You can do it,” he mouthed, and I nodded.
I breathed deeply and continued, “I fell in love with a beautiful boy, and he still takes my breath away. When you left, it was the end of my world, ‘cause I never got to say.”
"Before I could stop it, I fell in love with you. I fell in love with the way your face is sculped with your perfect jawline that makes me swoon and that little stupid smirk. I fell in love with the way your hand fits in mine, even when your hands are abnormally huge. I fell in love with watching the stars and sunsets with you. I fell in love with the ways your muscles flex when you wear your tank tops. I fell in love with the way you sing and how passionate you look while performing. I fell in love with that and so many other things, because I fell in love with everything about you, everything that relates to you."
“I once told myself, ‘How the hell was I going to stand going on tour with you,’ but now, I keep telling myself, ‘How can I stand not having you with me.’”
I laughed nervously. “Okay, enough about me now," I said, wiping a few tears that had slipped from my eye earlier.
I looked over at Cass, smiling mischievously. She gave me a look like ‘what the hell are you up to?’ I smirked at her, giving her the ‘you’ll see’ look. Her eyebrows only scrunched up.
“Hey Johnson! Get your butt up here!”
Emerging from the middle crowd, a guy in a plain black sweatshirt. He had his hood over his head, so no one noticed who he was. But now, since I called him out, girls threw themselves at him, screaming in his ear. He managed to shove through them and come up on stage.
He took his hood of his head, and grabbed onto Cass’s hand. He stared at her lovingly, the bent down on one knee. She gasped, putting her other hand over her mouth, tears already forming around her eyes.
“I know we’re young and haven’t even been together for over a year, but I know that it’s you. I know that you’re the one for me. You’re the one I want with me when I start a family. You’re the one I want to grow old with.”
“You make me feel the like the luckiest man on Earth to have found a girl like you. You make laugh when I’m stressed. You make me smile doing the lamest things. You try so hard to look pretty for me, but let me tell you, I find you prettiest when you're in my shirt, no make-up and your hair in a bun.”
He pulled out a simple ring, with only one diamond in the middle. “This promise ring represents a symbol for commitment and a symbol that says we’re going to get married in the future, not now. It’s more like pre-engagement kind of thing.”
I don’t think my sister has looked so happy in a while. I think this is the much she cried to, besides the time they broke up, but these are happy tears, so I don’t feel the urge to go punch him. “So, Casey Rose, will you-”
She cut him off, taking the ring in her hand and putting it on her ring finger. “Of course! Yes! A million times yes!”
He chuckled at her response, just like the rest of us. He then picked her up and spun her around, with her giggling uncontrollably.
I couldn’t help but feel jealous. I was happy for them. I mean it was my sister after all, and she deserves this so much. She deserved happiness, because she once thought she could never find a boy who would love her for who she is.
Most guys loved her because she was he popular one and contained what they thought were qualities in their dream girl. But really they loved the idea of having the perfect girl, every other guy wanted, for the same reason. She was pretty and popular and talented and could get them known.
I knew all of that, and I knew she deserved someone who truly loves her for who she is and for everything she has to offer. But I couldn't help feeling jealous. I wanted the love they had, the unconditonal love. Instead, I let my love escape, and I wasn’t sure if I could get him back. I hope, I wish, I pray that I could experience I love like theirs again.
johnson gave casey a promise ring. woah. who saw that one coming? so do you guys like this chapter?? little cheesy, huh.