It's Always Been You

Preparation Part 2

Zach calls me bright and early again the next morning. "Blake I talked to my manager."

"And?" I sit up in bed.

"He said you can go but you have to pay for the flight. We're staying at his house you, me ,and the other guys."

"I think that'll work. I just need to talk to my parents."

"Yeah maybe leave out the part about us all staying together. Don't want them to-"

"Yeah I gotcha. I'll talk to them and let you know how it goes. Talk to you later."

"Alright later." I hang up and stretch. God does he have to wake me up early every morning? I get dressed and head downstairs. I pop a couple of waffles into the toaster and wait for my parents to wake up. I'm eating my waffles at the table when my mom walks in and starts the coffee.

"Morning sweetie."

I nod back with a mouth full of waffle. I wait for my dad to get up too and when they've both had a couple of cups I clear my throat. "Zach talked to his manager." I state setting my plate in the sink.

"Oh and what did he say?" My parents share another worried look after my mom asks.

"He said I could go, but I had to pay for my flight."

"That's it?" My dad asks and my mom elbows him in the side. "I mean what's the catch?"

I laugh, "no catch, that I know of."

"Where are you staying?" My mom asks.

I bite my lip which only makes her raise her eyebrows more. "I'm staying at the managers house with Zach." I leave out the other guys.

My parents look at each other then back at me. I wait for one of them to speak. My mom sighs first, "I think you should go. But your father-" she trails off for him to finish.

"What's the problem dad?" I ask him.

He rubs the back of his neck, "I mean I get that you and Zach have been friends for a long time it's just you're older now and-"

"Dad I'm going to stop you right there. That is absolutely disgusting." I say no more because my mom bursts out laughing.

"She's right hun." She looks at my dad.

"I guess we can scrape the money together for your flight." My dad gives in.

"Yes! You guys are the best! Thank you so so much!" I hug them both and they kiss me.

"When are you leaving then?" My mom asks.

"I've got a month, I'll set up my online classes and everything don't you worry about it."

I immediately call Zach and tell him the news. He's super excited and so am I. I'm going to LA! I spend the next month packing. I try to bring all of my best outfits because I have no idea how long I'll be gone. Zach and I are in my room and he's helping me pack. I hold up two of my tank tops. "The blue one, you won't get so hot in it." I nod and throw it on my bed next to him. "why so many clothes? I have like five shirts coming with me."

"You're going to regret that. I mean what are you going to do when you're famous? Wear the same five shirts every week?" I tease and hold up two pairs of shorts.

"The ones with pineapples, and no I'll buy more shirts as will you."

I sigh, "honestly I'm mostly going to support you. I'm not all that worried about doing this for me or my currently non-existent music career."

"But it will be existent, we gotta get your music out there!" Zach has always been so supportive but I really just want to see him succeed.

"Okay sure." I roll my eyes because this argument always ends in the same way. We go through a couple more clothes and I pull my suitcase out of my closet. We still have a week but I want to be ready no last minute preparations.

"I didn't leave summer camp early because I missed you." Zach says absentmindedly.

"Then what was it then?" I sit next to him on my bed.

"There was this girl, Rose."

"Oh that one girl with the freckles and the dimples. Didn't you describe her as, 'the prettiest girl you've ever seen.'?" I mock him.

He pushes my shoulder, "well I mean she was but she got with this guy at camp and I couldn't stand to see her with him so I left." He admits.

"Wow, you were so smitten, wasn't even about me I see." I cross my arms and push out my bottom lip.

"Oh come here." He tackles me into a hug. "Of course I missed you too."

I poke his side, "knew it."

"Oh don't start with me!" He pokes me back and we start an all out tickle war. We haven't done this since we were ten.

I push him away gasping for breath. "Okay, okay I yield."

The rest of the week went too slowly. The worst was probably Friday. The school day dragged on, full of goodbyes to our friends. When the final bell rang I practically ran out the front doors.

The next day Zach's parents drove us to the airport. I said goodbye to my parents with promises to be safe. Once at the airport Zach and I didn't have to wait long for our flight. We said bye to his parents and siblings as well and got on the plane.

I took the window seat and he sat next to me, "you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." The plane began to take off so I gripped the sides of my seat until my knuckles were white.

Zach grabbed my hand and held it instead I gave it a good squeeze too. "It's almost over." He whispered to me as the rumbling came to a stop and became a steady hum in the background.