Reflection 2:Better Together

•7•

Shaken, emotionally confused, and exhausted, I drove back to the hotel. I didn't know what to expect, honestly, but the most important thing was ensuring that everyone was safe. And that my phone number was changing as soon as freaking possible. For an extra safety measure, I turned off the phone altogether because there was no way I was dealing with that again.
Once I arrived at our penthouse suite, I anxiously knocked on the door. It swung open revealing a just as exhausted looking Ally, "Oh my god, you're safe!" She yelled rushing into my arms. I hugged her back, looking over her shoulders into the room, "Where is everyone, are they all okay?"
"Yes, Lauren got back late last night; why? Did something happen to you?"
I broke down into tears as I explained to her the experience, starting with being followed and ending with the doll that was still in my damned backseat.
"Oh, honey, this is all our fault.. If we had never told you.."
"No, Alz, if you had never told me you'd have to go through all of this alone. I would never want that for any of you-you guys are my family." I admitted, my fear of getting attached and subsequently heartbroken was what caused the rift between the girls and I originally, but my desire to protect them was what broke that fear.
"So you're not going to leave us again... Right?" She slowly let out the breath she was holding in. I firmly shook my head, "Nope, not anytime soon."
Ally smiled for the first time in days, the sight of her happiness bringing me the joyful release that I needed. We hugged again, and this time she whispered, "We all need you."
"I need you guys, too."
"But right now, Lauren needs you. We haven't managed to coax her out of that room since she got here, can you please try and talk to her?"
"Of course, but you should rest or something, there's a show tonight. Promise you'll try?" She nodded and I kissed her cheek, "See you."
I walked to the room Lauren slept in with Anthony, turning the knob to discover that it was locked, "Lo?" I knocked on it softly, but when there was no answer a bit harder. Finally, the door opened, revealing the girl in a large t-shirt and joggers, "Yes, Paige?"
"Woah, you never call me that. Are you okay?"
She shrugged, flashing me with her pale green eyes. They looked dull as if someone has sucked the life from them, "Are you going to come in or not?" The attitude she was giving me was absolutely pissing me off. There are two things I cannot tolerate from people-shadiness and unnecessary attitude- and her entire vibe was just screaming no.
"Whatever." I shrugged past her, plopping myself on the bed. Instantly she was curled up into my side, trying to get me to be her big spoon. The thought of how easily her tough girl facade broke down with me warmed my heart, so I gave in, turning onto my side and snuggling in.
"I'm not okay, you know that, right?"
"Yes," I whispered, "that's why I'm not mad at you for that little hissy fit."
She giggled, "Sorry, babe."
"S'okay.. What happened, Lauren?"
"That's not my name."
"Says so on your birth certificate."
"You don't call me that," she whined, "you call me Lo and any other nickname that comes to your mind."
"Okay.. Monkey Butt, stop stalling and tell me."
"It wasn't that serious, just... Anthony isn't allowed on tour with me."
"Wait, he's gone?"
She nodded, "My mom took him today.. You know she didn't care. I told her about L.A., and she didn't believe me-said I was being manipulative and lazy."
"I hate her," I spat, "If you want something done, you literally have to do it for yourself. My lawyers are coming tomorrow to sort this crap out, and it will be over soon."
Lauren turned around in my arms so that we were almost nose to nose, and I leaned forward to give her Eskimo kisses, "You're cute... Thank you."
"For?"
"Taking such good care of all of us... Including me." She reached her hand out to stroke my cheek softly with her thumb, then to move a piece of hair out of my face. Her warm touch conveyed so much love and tenderness, and I felt my entire body heat up. I could write whole sonnets and ballads and crap for this girl, and they still wouldn't compare to her beauty, charm, radiance. She was the sun and the moon, the ocean, every perfect flower and every passionate lyric ever written.
"It's because I love you. All of you girls."
She pouted adorably, and I chuckled, "Especially you, cutie pie."
"Why didn't you come home last night?"
"I couldn't... Something came up. Don't worry about it, alright?"
She nodded, "I love you."
"Really?"
"You always used to ask that. That and why I do."
"I just want to know, and make sure it's real."
"I wouldn't lie to you, not anymore. I want to be 100% honest with you now."
"Good," I leaned forward to give her a quick kiss, which quickly built into a full on make out session. Eventually I stopped it before it got too heated. That wasn't my intent at the moment, it was more of being intimate without that. Lauren was so much more than that, even though sometimes she sold herself way too short.
The raven-haired girl rolled over onto her back and I threw my leg over hers, burying my head in her neck, "We has a show, today." I mumbled, using improper grammar and a baby voice.
She laughed, "Have a show. Do you want to tell them today?"
"The fans?"
She nodded, "Mhm, I think it'd be a welcome surprise."
I laughed, "They expected it, duh. From the moment we broke up they'd been telling me that, I just don't think they thought it would take this much time."
"Oh," she laughed as well, tangling our fingers together, "well, I want to tell them. Can we do a Q&A after the show?"
"I don't see why not, my YouTube is kind of inactive since the tour. No more posting covers."
"But I miss your voice."
"You can hear it tonight. Wait, I didn't mean it like that!"
"Oh my god... But what if I want to hear it like that?"
"Shhh, Lauren. It's nap time." I closed my eyes, covering her face with my hands. She laughed and moved them, kissing my fingertips, "Okay, Peanut."
"Okay."