Chapter 14

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Caroline

Michelle and I just stepped off the plane and out of Nashville International Airport. The bright sun shining, a cool breeze blowing. There's something about these southern states and the perfect weather they always seem to have that I can't get over.

I decided to join Michelle on this crazy spring break trip she was taking to meet the guy she met online. They have been talking for a couple months now, this trip being the first time they'd be meeting in person. He's a baseball player and senior at Vanderbilt University. He's also gotta be pretty loaded or just very eager to meet Michelle cause he paid for our plane tickets and hotel out here.

It didn't take much for me to agree to come along. My spring breaks in the past were basically me staying in pajamas all day, binge watching old 90's tv shows and eating every carb I could get my hands on. James' family always goes to Vail for their spring breaks and this year was no different. He's invited me along every year but I've always said no. It never seemed to bother him but this time he came off a little mad that I had chosen to spend the week with Michelle in Nashville.

Things have been a little off with James lately, ever since that night he mentioned Luke. We're not fighting or avoiding eachother or anything like that it's just something feels different, it's hard to explain. So many times I've started to tell him what happened with Luke thinking somehow it'll put his mind at ease knowing the full truth. I stop myself every time. Would telling him that I slept with Luke just hurt him? James has never asked me if I am a virgin. I think he just sort of assumes I am because he knows I've never had a boyfriend. Now that I think about it I'm not sure if he is or not.

"Hey, there's our car." Michelle says bringing my thoughts back to where we are. I look over to where she's pointing and see a black SUV and a guy in a suit standing next to the passenger door with a sign that says "Stanley". Michelle and I look at eachother, huge smiles spreading across our faces. This is gonna be an interesting week.

About 15 minutes later we pull up to the Hermitage Hotel. It's a tall building with big columns and huge windows. The lobby inside has high painted ceilings and is filled with old Victorian furniture. We're in the elevator riding up to the top floor where our room is, the elevator opens up right into the living room of the suite. There are two rooms, one off to the left, the other to the right. This place is amazing.

Michelle gets a call, her face lighting up as she looks down at her phone. She walks away answering the call. A little while later she comes walking into the living room. "Jackson invited us over to his place for dinner. The car will be here in 30 minutes. Can you believe any of this, Carol?"

The driver takes us to a beautiful condo in a really nice neighborhood. A tall muscular guy with brown hair and green eyes walks to the door as soon as stop. The pictures I've seen do not do this man justice! He takes Michelle's hand helping her out of the backseat. They hug and immediately start kissing, not even a 'Hey' or anything just full on making out. I climb out of the car making my way over to them.

A group of people come walking down the front steps of the condo. A pretty redhead who introduces herself as Sarah shakes my hand and introduces me to the rest of the group, a tall leggy brunette named Christy, Levi a short and stalky blonde guy and Max another blonde that looks like he just stepped out of an Abercrombie & Fitch ad. Geez! What is in the water in Tennessee? These people are gorgeous!

"Hey you two gonna come up for air at some point?" Max says towards Michelle and Jackson who are still over there pawing all over each other.

Jackson pulls back, "Yeah sorry. Don't know what came over me." He says with a wink not looking away from Michelle. "Let's go eat y'all."

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Luke

I got smoke in my hair
My clothes thrown everywhere
Woke up in my rocking chair
Holding a beer in my hand
Sporting a neon tan

The guys and me are up on stage at Sigma Chi's spring break kickoff. No matter how many gigs we play, every time I grab my guitar and get that mic in my hand it's like the first time.

I was a rock star, party hard,
Getting over you comeback kid
Yay I must have did
What all my friends say

I lift my hand up to the crowd all of them shouting back.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

We play a few more songs, everyone having a good time. "Alright y'all! You country boys better be out there lovin' on them sorority girls with this one!" I say giving the girls at the foot of the stage a wink.

You got your sundress on for game day
Just to drink beer on an old tailgate
You were born and raised to be a southern belle
But in a place like this you like to raise a little hell

"Thank ya! We appreciate the love. Y'all are awesome! Don't drink too much out there on spring break!" I say laughing.

I put my guitar down, grabbing Carter into a hug. "This shit never gets old, boy!" He says smiling.

"No it doesn't. Can't wait for next week. Music city, we coming for ya!" I say giving his shoulders a hard pat. "I'll see you later, man. Gonna go find Katie."

I walk out into the crowd, everyone high-fiving and slapping my back. They are what make this singing thing what I wanna do for the rest of my life. I get fired up when we got a crowd of 50 or so jamming out, dancing. I can't even imagine the feeling of having thousands out there singing our songs.

I finally make my way to Katie sitting at the bar. She turns away from me as I walk up. I go to touch her arm and she gets up walking towards the door. I chase after her. "Hey. Kate, stop." Catching up to her I ask, "What's wrong? You can't still be pissed. Come on now."

She's got her arms crossed walking fast. I'm trying to keep up, those last few shots I had on stage starting to hit me. "Of course I can still be mad, Luke. How am I supposed to feel? This is our first spring break as a couple and you're choosing to spend it with Carter!"

"We're gonna be out in Nashville, Katie. Do you even understand how big it is that he was able to pull off getting us some gigs up there? Who knows who'll be out there listening? This could be huge for me and the guys."

"You and the guys, yeah. What about me and my spring break? Do you know how embarrassing it is that all my girls have their boyfriends coming with them and I don't?"

She can not be serious. Giving her a frustrated look I say, "It's one week. One week that I have the chance to be out in Nashville playing our songs on some of the most iconic stages in country music. Stages that some the greatest country singers got their start on. I'm sorry if I feel like that's a little more important than getting drunk on the beach with you and your friends."

I turn and walk away. I can't believe her! She knows how I feel about pursuing my music dream. She's always known. How can this be a shock to her that'd I wanna have this opportunity in Nashville over anything else? She's been acting so weird lately. Something changed, something feels different. I've been racking my brain for a week trying to figure it out. Man! I don't have the energy for this drama right now. I'm gonna be out in Nashville tomorrow night with the guys, my best buddy Carter by my side, hopefully making our dreams come true.

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