"Hello?" I answered the phone, that woke me up from sleeping.
"Rileigh? You’re home?" A familiar male voice asked.
"Yeah, I just got home last night."
"Oh well, this is perfect! The guys and I just got in and they wanna come over and stuff. You finally get to see them again, after like ages of not seeing them."
It finally clicked who I was talking to. My brother Nick. I haven’t seen him in like two years, because I’ve been in New York since I was 18. He visited me there once or twice.
"Sounds good to me. I’ll tell mom eventually. But you rudely woke me up."
"Sorry, but you didn’t have to answer the phone, you know."
"I wasn’t going to, but no one else did."
"Poor baby. Well, we’re on our way. We’ll be there in like 30 minutes."
"Alright, bye."
"Bye." I hung up the phone and put my head under the covers, trying to go back to sleep.
I was almost asleep when I heard my door open and felt someone jump on my bed.
"Ri, Ri! Get up!" It was Angel. She jumped and sat in the middle of my back.
"Angel, I can’t breathe." I whispered, since she was cutting off my air supply.
"Sorry, but mom told me to get you up at 9:30 if you weren’t up by then."
"I just got in last night, don’t I deserve a little sleep?"
"Well, you’re in charge. Mom and Dad went shopping. BJ is at a friend’s house."
"Oh, so that’s why no one answered the phone."
"Yep, so who was on the phone?"
"No one special. Some stupid survey person."
"Oh ok. Well, get up. I’m bored."
"Yes ma’am." Angel walked out of my room and I sat up, then stood up. I walked into the bathroom and jumped into the shower.
Angel and Aaron both looked up to Nick so much and I know Angel missed Leslie, Aaron and Nick. And she missed me too. Since I haven’t been home in 3 years. She and BJ have had to stick around at home with Mom and Dad or just Dad, because Mom had to go on tour with Aaron and Leslie. But they were on a break now. And speaking of them, where are they?
20 minutes later I got out of the shower, got dressed into my blue jean shorts and a light blue tank top that said ‘Angel’ in silver lettering. I brushed my hair and left my room. I started walking downstairs.
"Hey Angel, where’s Aaron and Leslie?" I called. I was almost at the bottom of the stairs when Nick suddenly appeared. I ran down the rest of the stairs and jumped on him.
"Nicky!" I screamed.
"Rileigh!" He screamed back. He carried me to the den, where I guess everyone was.
"It’s great to see you, dork." I said.
"Ditto, brat."
"Hey Nick, can your sister walk on her own or what?" I heard AJ ask.
"Yeah Nick, you can put me down now."
"You’re the one who jumped on me." He started walking over to the sliding glass doors that go out to the pool. I knew exactly what he was going to do.
"No Nick, don’t! I just took a shower. Please, NO!" I screamed and tried to get out of his grasp, but unfortunately I failed. He threw me into the pool. I came up spitting water.
"Nickolas! I hate you!" I yelled. Everyone was out there laughing.
"Guys, you know my sister Rileigh, right?" Nick said, laughing.
"Hi Rileigh, it’s good to see you after such a long time." Kevin said. I got out of the pool and Angel gave me a towel.
"It’s nice to see you guys too. I missed ya’ll. But if you’ll excuse me for one sec, I have to go and kill my brother." I started running after Nick, around the pool area. Of course everyone helped me out and cornered Nick on the edge of the pool. I lightly pushed him and he fell into the pool.
I walked off and ran upstairs to my room, locking the door behind me. I got into the shower again and 10 minutes later I got out and put my Adidas running pants on and a plain white tank top. I brushed my hair and carefully walked out of my room, making sure Nick wasn’t hiding somewhere. When I found it was safe, I went downstairs and into the den. Everyone, but Nick, was sitting there watching whatever Angel was watching. She was sitting on the floor, so I sat next to her and looked at the guys.
"Sorry about that. You know Nick and I when we’re together." I giggled.
"Yep, we do. Ya’ll are just alike." Kevin said.
"Well, it does have something to do with the fact that we’re twins." I teased, mockingly. The others just laughed.
"You even have the same cocky attitude Nick has."
"Yep, it runs in the family, unfortunately. So, how have ya’ll been doing lately?"
"Pretty good. Did you hear that Kevin got married last year?" AJ asked.
"Yep, I did hear. Nick told me all about it. I always knew Kev’d get married first. He being the oldest and all."
"Hey, you do know I’m still in the room?!" Kevin asked defensively.
"Awe, Kev we’re just teasing. You know I love ya!!" I got up and walked over to him and gave him a hug.
"I know, I just had to make ya feel bad." He laughed. I just playfully hit him in the arm.
"Dork!"
"We all are." Howie said.
"Yep, that’s for sure. Anyway, the rest of ya’ll, got girlfriends or anything?"
"AJ has a girlfriend, Nicky does too. But I’m sure you knew that already. Brian doesn’t, neither does Howie." Kevin said.
"Awe, we’ll just have to find girlfriends for you both, now won’t we?"
"Rileigh, shut up!" Brian teased, smiling cheekily at me.
"What? It’s the truth. We don’t want ya’ll to be alone and stuff. To feel left out or anything."
"Believe me, we don’t feel left out. I just got out of a relationship 2months ago, so I’m not really looking." Brian said.
"Oh, ok."
"What about you, Miss Rileigh? Any boyfriends?"
"Hmm...lemme think..Nope, no boyfriend. I just got back from New York, the guys up there suck!"
"Oh, so what made you come back home?" Kevin asked.
"Oh, New York wasn’t all I expected it to be. So, I came home to start fresh and do something else."
"That’s cool. What do you plan on doing? Or have you decided yet?" Howie asked.
"She wants to perform!" Angel exclaimed, answering before I got a chance. I glared at her teasingly.
"Really? Just like Nick, Leslie, and Aaron? That’s cool." Brian stated.
"I guess. But see there are so many Carter’s out there, they’d probably despise another one."
"Please Rileigh, no one despises the Carter’s. Well very few and those that do are just jealous. You should go to Nick’s house and record a demo and send it out to labels. If you really want to be a performer." Howie told me.
"Yeah, I might do that. We’ll see."
Just then Nick walked into the room. I got behind Angel so he wouldn’t go after me.
"Don’t worry, I’m not gonna go after you. Besides do you really think Angel will protect you?"
"Yes, I do. Meanie! You go over there and pinch him, Angie. For saying that!" Angel got up, walked over to him and punched him in the side, making him wince a little.
"Ha! You go girl!" I high-fived her when she came back over to me.
"I’m gonna get ya later!"
"Right, whatever. So, Angel you never answered my question. Where’s Leslie and Aaron?"
"Oh, they’re with Mom and Dad, shopping."
"Oh, ok. Just curious."
"Hey guys, can I talk to you for a sec in private?" Nick asked.
"Yeah sure. Excuse us ladies." Kevin said, as they all got up and left the room. I looked at Angel and rolled my eyes towards Nick. He was my odd ball brother. Angel had a mischievous grin on her face.
"What is that grin for?"
"You, I have a secret."
"Oh you do, do you? Well, what’s this secret?"
"Can’t tell you. It wouldn’t be a secret if I told you."
"Angel, please. I won’t tell anyone!"
"Nope, sorry. No can do."
"You suck."
She just giggled. I wanted to know what her secret was. It was gonna kill me if she didn’t tell me. I started fidgeting and she noticed.
"Fine, if it’ll get you to stay still. But you didn’t hear it from me, k?"
"Deal." I looked at her, waiting for her to tell me.
"Ok, well you know the first time you met Brian?"
"Yeah, when they started out. So?"
"So, Nick told me this, but told me not to tell you. But you’re my sister and I can’t keep this secret in much longer. But you can’t tell anyone or let anyone know, ok?
"Ok, I won’t. I promise."
"Ok, well Nick told me that ever since Brian met you, he’s had a crush on you. And that he really likes you."
"Dude, I was 13 when he met me. Why?"
"You’re you, Rileigh! He likes you, not your age. But you can’t tell anyone, you promised, remember?"
"Yeah, I remember. I won’t. I just don’t understand."
"You’ll figure it out eventually."
"Ok."
I just shook my head at her as the guys came back in. I looked at Brian and he had a smile on his face. Has he really liked me that long? Why didn’t anyone ever tell me? To be honest, I’ve had a crush on him since I met him too. Though no one knows it, not even my best friend.
"Hey Rileigh, we discussed it and were wondering if you wanted to audition for our record label, KBNHA?" Kevin asked.
"Ya’ll really want me to audition?"
"Yeah, we do. It’d be cool. And if you want, you can audition now. Nick wouldn’t have any say so, coz he’s your brother. But we’ll base everything off talent." Howie said.
I thought about it for a minute. This was my break, my chance. And they were offering it to me. I totally wanted this, so what else would I do, but audition now.
"Ok, sounds good. I’ll audition now."
"Ok, great." AJ said.
"I’ll be right back."
I ran upstairs and got the notes/lyrics for one of the songs that I wrote. I ran back downstairs and into the living room.
"Ya’ll have to come in here." I called and they all filed into the living room and sat on the couch or floor.
"Ok, I’m gonna do a song that I wrote last year, called ‘Foolish Games’"
The nodded, indicating that I could start. I sat at the piano and got ready to do the song. I started it and began singing the first verse.
‘You took your coat off and stood in the rain,
You were always crazy like that
I watched from my window,
always felt I was outside looking in on you
You were always the mysterious one
with dark eyes and careless hair,
You were fashionably sensitive, but too cool to care
Then you stood in my doorway, with nothing to say
besides some comment on the weather
Well in case you failed to notice,
In case you failed to see,
This is my heart bleeding before you,
This is me down on my knees
These foolish games are tearing me apart
You thoughtless words are breaking my heart
You're breaking my heart
You were always brilliant in the morning
Smoking your cigarettes, talking over coffee
You philosophies on art, Baroque moved you,
You loved Mozart and you'd speak of your loved ones
As I clumsily strummed my guitar
Well excuse me, think I've mistaken you for somebody else
Somebody who gave a damn,
Somebody more like myself
These foolish games are tearing me apart
You thoughtless words are breaking my heart
You're breaking my heart
You took off your coat and stood in the rain
you were always like that’ ~ ’Foolish Games’ By: Jewel
I finished the song and stopped playing. I looked at the guy, but couldn’t read their expressions. I was kinda scared, because I hadn’t done that song in ages, so I knew I had to of sucked. It was a nice dream though.
I was afraid to say something, so the room continued to stay quiet.
"Well, what did you guys think of my sister?" Angel asked, finally breaking the silence. I smiled at her.
"I think she’s amazing. Damn, are you sure you’re related to Blondie over there?" AJ commented, pointing to Nick.
"Yep, pretty positive." I laughed.
"Well, I think we found our first member of our record label." Kevin said.
"Are you serious?!" I yelled.
"Yes, we’re very serious. What do you say?" Howie replied.
"Are you positive you’re not just signing me because my brother is in your group? I mean, it’s cool if that’s you’re reason."
"Rileigh, you have an amazing and original voice. You are gonna take people’s breath away. And believe me, Nick being your brother has nothing to do with our decision. Your voice deserves to be heard." Kevin explained.
I sat there for a while, trying to let all of this sink in. It was my opportunity and I’d be crazy not to take it. But I still felt like I only got the audition because of Nick, Aaron, and Leslie. Other people out there had to work hard to get where they are. Even Nick had to work hard.
"Ri, would you say yes?! You want this more than anything! Do it for crying out loud!" Angel yelled at me. I looked at her, surprised. She never yelled.
"Ok, I’ll do it! You guys rock!" I ran up to them and hugged everyone of them. Then I went over to Angel and gave her a huge, long hug.
"You especially rock! Thanks for pushing me. I love you, Angie."
"I love you too, Ri. You deserve this."
"Hey Angel, when we go on tour and stuff, you wanna join us? You’ve been staying home for a while. You should join us." Nick suggested.
"Hmm...I’ll think about it." She smiled.
"Ok."
"Alright Rileigh, you can come by the office tomorrow and we’ll have the contract all ready and we’ll go over every detail, so you know what you’re getting into, and al that. And from there we’ll get started." Kevin stated.
"All sounds good to me. Thanks so much guys. I love ya all!" I hugged them again.
"You’re welcome, Ri. We’re glad we made your day." AJ said.
"Welp, the guys and I gotta go. Well, I gotta go. Kristin wants me home by 4:30. SO, I’ll see ya’ll tomorrow. Bye."
"Bye Kev." I called as he left.
"Ditto on that. Well I mean, I gotta go and get ready for my date with Ashley. Bye." AJ left.
The Howie, and Brian left. Nick, Angel, and I went into the den and plopped down on the couch and watched TV...
