Until Mia (Until Series #1)

Chapter Nineteen

The car ride is filled with Layla drilling Drew about his career.
     Kicking off with what song won him his first grammy and what did he wear to his first award show and end with would you rather questions. Drew answer all her questions and play her games with a smile on his face and never once looks annoyed as I'm sure anyone else would have been if they were harassed with questions for twenty minutes. When we finally arrive at the fair I tell her to give it a rest.
     Blaine is the first to get out of his car. He isn't dressed in his usual monkey suit but in jeans and a polo shirt. He's still big and mighty but this time he at least blends in. I watch him as he scan the crowd, his lips pressed tightly together.
     "Omg! You're Blaine! Can I get a picture?" Layla asks excitedly as she races over to him. I try not to roll my eyes at her eagerness, she's fourteen after all and this is a dream come true.
     Blaine cracks the first smile I've ever seen when he looks at Layla and nods his head. She smiles even bigger and holds her phone up to take the picture.
     "I'm sorry about her." I apologize to Drew the same time he comes around to my side. He easily slips an arm around my waist and pulls me close to his side.
     "It's okay. You did warn me that she's a fan."
     "I did." I smile softly before we start walking to where the fair is going on.
     Loud pop music blares in the air, concession stand after concession stands litters the place along with intimidating rides. Everything is bright and colorful. Kids laughter and screams of delight fill the air.
     We walk farther with Layla right on our tail over to the gates where someone is giving out wristbands to enter. Once we get our wristbands we are let through the gates and given access to all the food, games, and rides we can handle. I notice the more we walk the more people begin staring in our direction, probably trying to figure out if they are really seeing Drew Lyons.
     I don't really have a place in mind so I let Layla take the lead until she stops at the ferris wheel.
     "Come with me?" She looks hopefully at Drew.
     Drew looks back at me for permission. "Be safe." I warn the both of them. Layla squeals before she's dragging Drew up to the line. I laugh at his shocked expression that Layla was able to pull him away then move out the way so Blaine can follow behind them.
     "Mia, is that you?" I turn my head just in time to see Cade coming my way. He was gone at the end of the day before I could say bye.
     "Cade? Hey!" I reach over and pull him into a hug, my arms wrap around his neck while his arms go around my waist.
     "Those are some shorts Mia." Cade tells me in an appraisal tone as his eyes roams my thighs and legs.
     I snap my fingers in his face to get his attention. "Eyes are up here Cade." I grin.
     "Sorry." He smiles sheepishly and I can't help but giggle.
     "Are you here alone?" I ask, scanning the crowd behind him to see if he's with anyone I know.
     "No. I'm uh, actually here with some friends. You remember the gang right?"
     The gang I completely ditched once I got involved with Drew?
     Hard to forget.
     "Yeah!" I smile sheepishly. "How is everyone?"
     "Good. They ask about you a lot though." Cade confesses.
     As if right on cue, we hear Cade's name being called and the two of us turn our heads just in time to see a group of girls and guys all walking towards us. Cade waves them over and they speed up their steps until the gang is all here.
     "There you are! We thought you got kidnapped" Holden says as he comes closer. His eyes landed on me and a slow smirk plays against his lips. "And you'd be one lucky one sonofabitch." He finishes.
     "Hey Holden." I wave. "I didn't mean to steal him."
     "I'm just mad you didn't come steal me." He replies, teasingly.
     "What's up Mia? You went M.I.A on us." Nate says to me, saying what I'm sure everyone was thinking.
     I feel bad. They are the first real people I connected with in a long time and I tossed them aside the minute Drew started showing me attention. They let me into their small circle of friends and I took it for granted.
     "I'm sorry guys. I've just been busy with work and family stuff." It's the truth.
     "We understand that," Kaia jumps in with her small, sweet voice. God, she's even more beautiful than the last time I saw her. "We all miss you. So whenever you have the chance, come hang out."
     "I will. I promise." I'm going to need friends when the summer ends and my relationship with Drew is over.
     Kaia smiles before her eyes suddenly widen and her mouth drops open. There's only one person I know who can get a reaction like that. I feel him before I hear him, his voice close to my ears.
     "I hope I'm not interrupting." Drew says casually as he slips an arm around my waist.
     "Not at all." I tell him then check behind his shoulder to see that Layla is just a step behind him. I turn back to the gang. The guys look completely uninterested while Kaia is practically drooling.        "Guys, this is my little sister Layla and my friend Drew Lyons. Drew, these are Cade's friends: Holden, Myles, Nate, and Nate's girlfriend Kaia." I introduce everyone.
     "Heeey." Layla throws up a peace sign at all of them.
     "What Mia meant to say was boyfriend," Drew corrects me, hugging me tighter to his side. "It's nice to meet everyone."
     "You're right Cade, he is a possessive prick." Holden says out loud and I glare at him before I shoot daggers at Cade.
     I thought Drew would get upset but he's surprisingly unbothered and replies, "Bad mouthing the boss?"
     Cade shrugs. "It's not really bad mouthing if everything I told them is true."
     "Just like it's really not a competition since you got friend-zoned." Drew replies smugly. Cade takes a step forward causing Nate, Holden, and Myles, all taking one along with him.
     The three of them look ready to back Cade up in the fight that was I'm afraid is about to happen. Drew moves me and Layla behind him and takes a step forward as well.
     "Is there a problem sir?" Blaine steps forward, blocking Drew from Cade.
     "No, we are just talking." Drew says casually.
"Cade, walk away." I plead with him.
     "Yeah, let's go guys. I didn't come here to see a fight." Kaia agrees.
     "You heard Kaia," Nate interjects. "Let's go." Nate drapes an arm over her shoulder and turn them around.
     "We good?" Holden asks Cade, he was still staring at Blaine as if he would take him on if he had to for his friend.
     Cade glance at me. "Yeah, we're good." Cade turns around and walks away without another word.
     "Hey Morris?" Drew calls out to Cade who stiffens and stops in his tracks before turning around and facing Drew. "You're fired."
     Cade doesn't show any indication that he was shocked or taken off guard, unlike me.
"Drew." I say loud enough for him to hear me but he acts like he doesn't.
     "Do you need me to take care of them Mr. Lyons?" Blaine asks, still in attack mode.
     "No I'm good Blaine. They won't be a problem anymore." Drew reassures him.
     "I'm gonna go...be anywhere but here. See ya!"    Layla starts to make a getaway but I stop her.
     "Uh, where do you think you're going?"
     "You two need to be alone, so I'll go hang by myself for a while."
     "That's not safe." I argue.
     "I'm fourteen, not four Mia. I'll be fine." She tells me.
     I'm still not sure. It's dark and crazy people tend to be at the fair. I can't risk her getting hurt or worse just because I need to be alone with Drew.
     "Blaine, can you keep an eye on Layla please? Make sure she doesn't get in any trouble." Drew tells him.
     "But what about you sir?" Blaine frowns.
     "I'm a big boy Blaine. I can protect myself. Just worry about Layla."
     "But sir-" Blaine starts to object but Drew interrupts him.
     "That's an order Blaine."
Blaine nods his head obediently before turning to Layla, gesturing for her to lead the way.
     "Thanks." Layla tells him before she walks off with Blaine right on her tail, leaving Drew and I alone.
     I turn to him. "So that was intense."
     "He's making it hard for me to prove that I can protect you and myself."
     "I wasn't talking about that.... I meant with Cade."
     "Oh. I'm not gonna apologize for almost getting into a fight with him or firing him. He wants what I have and I'm done letting him think he stands a chance."
     "I don't want him."
     "You own me, Mia."
     And he owns me. And when Drew pulls me close and captures my lips with his the same time he wraps me in lol his arms, I know he's it for me.
I know I will never want anyone else but Drew.
I know without a doubt that I'm in love with him.