When Summer Ends

Get it Your Way

3-4-2022: Smut included at the end of the chapter:)

The long drive back to Charlotte seems to fly by thankfully. Rylie wouldn't give me any hints as to what the surprise was, despite my best efforts to get information from her.

"Will you play Get it Your Way, please?" Rylie asks after my latest attempt to find out where we were going.

"By The Band CAMINO?"

"That's the one." Rylie grins.

"Are you saying I'll get my way and you're going to tell me where we're going?"

"Nope, I just wanted to listen to this song." Rylie laughs, and I groan. As we near Charlotte, Rylie pulls a cloth from the glove box and hands it to me.

"Can you put this on?"

"It's going to make me car sick if I can't see, Ry..."

"I know, that's why I waited until the last possible moment. Please? We're almost there." She pleads.

"Fine..." I grumble before tying the blindfold over my eyes. When I finish, I lace my fingers with Rylie's so she knows I'm not actually upset. Less than a minute later, I feel the car come to a stop. She gets out of the car and opens my door moments later.

Her hand slips back into mine, and she takes hold of my arm with her other hand as we begin walking.

"Tickets, please." A deep, gruff voice says.

Tickets, huh?

"Here you go." Rylie says before pulling me forward again. The farther we walk, the more sounds I begin to hear. Music plays all around us, but I don't recognize any specific song, although the notes sound familiar. It mostly sounds like... sound checks?

"Rylie..."

"Hold on, almost there..." A moment later, she pulls the blindfold from my eyes. I squint as my eyes struggle to adjust to the sudden brightness. We're at some sort of outdoor theater, and a stage is set up in front of us. It's a small area, and people mill about talking and laughing. Green grass blankets the ground, and the far left side of the area is filled with tables, chairs and a bar. Waiters hurry between tables taking orders, filling drinks and dropping off food. Most of the people seem to be our age or a few years older.

A curtain covers the stage so we can't see who is doing the sound checks, but some of the chords are beginning to sound more familiar. Lights are strung above the entire expanse, each strand turning on as the sun sets.

"Okay. Context clues tell me that we're here for a concert, which I'm obviously excited for. But, whose concert is this, Ry?"

"Did you read the sign?"

"What si..." Rylie takes my arms and gently turns me back towards the stage before pointing at a very large banner hanging from the metal rafters above the stage. My jaw drops as I read the sign.

The Band CAMINO

"How did you get tickets?" My voice is nearly a whisper. The show had been sold out almost the moment tickets went on sale since it was such a small venue.

"I have my ways." Rylie says with a grin. I turn towards her again and pull her towards me, kissing me over and over.

"I can't believe this! Thank you, Ry."

"You're welcome." She smiles. "Seeing how happy you are makes it worth the $500."

"Rylie!" I gasp. "Are you serious?"

"I'm kidding!" She laughs, pulling me to her. "The tickets were a good price, don't worry."

Suddenly, the crowd begins cheering as music flows through the speakers. We turn and move towards the stage, cheering with the crowd as the curtain drops. The band starts playing What I Want and the grin doesn't leave my face. When they play Get it Your Way, I laugh and take Rylie's hand. She'd even given me a hint and I still hadn't been able to guess where we were going.