Grayson Archer

"She never made sense, but neither does love." - Perry Poetry

I've been hiding out at the Fortress for two days.

After the video, Bea sent in aired things got messy and before dad got the chance to come in and yell, hit, or throw things at me or Bea I snuck us out of the house. Now to say my dad is pissed is an understatement. I've even stayed inside just so no pictures of me can be taken and not gone to set so he can't see me there. I did a big thing by leaving and heaven knows when I eventually have to return it won't be pretty.

"Gray, you're spacing out again." Charlie says, waving his hand in front of my face. "Sorry. Were you talking?" I ask, coming back to the fact I'm sitting at the kitchen island in front of Charlie, Shawn, and Zara.

"He was asking, are you sure you want to go to set today?" Zara asks, reminding  me. " I have to. Emerson already told me they need me back." I explain. "I'll drive you." Shawn says. " Can I come?" Charlie asks. "Absolutely not. You wasted Root Beer in my car yesterday and I had to get a  $4oo  clean." Shawn says. " Which I paid for!" Charlie pleads with puppy dog eyes. Those eyes work  on everyone, besides Shawn.

"If you promise not to waste anything, you can come." Zara negotiates, grabbing Shawn's keys smiling. " I never said that." Shawn states, bitterly. "But he doesn't mind." Zara smiles and kisses Shawn's cheek before getting out of her chair with the keys. "And this is why I love her." Charlie says and gets out of his seat, and follows Zara out of the kitchen.  "There is no fighting this there?" Shawn asks me. " Nope." I tell him and get down from my chair as well.

He wasn't going to anyways, that girl has him wrapped around his finger just as much as he has her wrapped around his.

The whole ride to Hayden Productions was full of Charlie and Zara singing Disney princess songs. I've worked on ignoring it and Shawn has groaned this whole time. " Are you ready to see Alexia?" Charlie asks. " Yeah, she's super worried about you." Zara states. " I am but she has nothing to worry about. I'm fine." I say. " Gray the whole country and maybe the world saw that video and you shut yourself in your room till this morning and only let Bea in and us if we had an update on Alexia because you wouldn't ask yourself." Shawn explains. "Okay so I'm not great per se but I'll be okay." I reply.

We pull up at the front building and I get out of the car and bid my goodbyes before walking inside. I walk onto the set and head straight to get ready and talk to Emerson.

"I'm so happy to have you back." She says, coming over and hugging me. "Glad to be back." I answer. " Come on, we have some scenes to shoot." Emerson says, pulling me by my hand. We walk onto set and I immediately see Alexia talking to Aaliyah. We make eye contact for a brief moment before I'm dragged off to change into my costume.

"Lexi, time to shoot!" Emery calls over to them, as we walk back onto set now that I am all changed.  " Okay everyone places!" The director yells. I get to my marker sitting beside Alexia on a bench in the school set. This scene starts with us talking and then Noah's character coming over. But they want to shoot his and Aaliyah's scene first.

"I'm sorry, I haven't talked to you these two days." I whisper over to Alexia. "Are you okay?" She asks. " Not really." I answer. " Do you want to talk about it?" Alexia asks. " Not right now." I answer her. "Gray, Alexia, it's on you." Emerson calls out and we begin our scene.

After the scene is over we shoot more and the only ones left about now are the kissing scenes, opening shots, and ending ones.

We are on break and after this we have some character photos to take. "What if we go camping? Only for a weekend" Emerson suggests. " I've never camped before." Alexia says. "I don't do outside." Aaliyah says. " We will be in cabins the first night and then maybe tents plus we will be there the whole time." Noah says. " Who all will go?" Alexia asks. "The group plus you, Aaliyah, and maybe Nevea." Emerson answers.

I haven't heard her name in a while. Kenan doesn't even bring her up, I find it strange Emerson wants to invite her but as long as she stays away from me. " How long will we be gone?" Aaliyah asks. "Only for the weekend." Emerson answers. "I'm in." Gray says. "I guess I am too." I agree. "As long as I get a comfy sleeping bag." Aaliyah says. "Yay me and Zara will have so much fun planning this." Emerson cheers and Noah smiles at her in awe.

***

I close down my dressing room for the night before going out into the hall to find Alexia leaning on the wall. She's wearing black leggings with flare bottoms, and a matching cropped black shirt that has a white star in the center.

She looks absolutely perfect just like always.

"My mom is good with me and Lia going and brought your clothes by." Alexia tells me. " Do you wanna ride with me? Charlie bought my car earlier." I ask her, hoping she will say yes. " That would be great. I just have to take some medicine really fast. Do you have a drink?" She asks. " Yeah, come inside." I say.

I go back into my dressing room and cut the light on while heading over to the mini fridge and I pull out a Coke for her. I hand her the soda and she takes out a pill bottle. I watch her take one out and close the bottle and put it up. "Are you okay?" I ask. "Yeah, they are just pills." She replies. I don't push it, I just nod and we head out of the building to find Emerson and Noah outside. " You guys ready? Everyone is waiting at my house." Emerson says. " As ready as we can be." I say back.

We all get in our respective cars, with me, Alexia, and Aaliyah in one and Emerson and Noah in the other.

After everyone is at Emerson's,  she does a head count of course, and talks about the plan and then we go to Wal-Mart and buy some food, supplies, and tents and stuff before packing our cars and heading up to a private campsite Emerson's dad owns. I never thought we would be buying all new things for this trip. I feel bad for their bank accounts, even if it doesn't make a dent in them.

On the land, there is a luxury cabin we are staying in for the night but tomorrow night we will stay in the tents since it will be warmer tomorrow. Settling into our rooms, everyone unpacks and we fix our rooms. I'm sleeping in a master-size room with two full-size beds. I have one by the window and Alexia has one by the bookshelf. After I'm done I lay down on the bed and stare at the ceiling.

Before too long Alexia lays down beside me. " Do you wanna talk?" She asks me. " I don't know what to do now." I sigh. " Go home, pack, and leave." She answers. "He's my manager and dad." I tell her. " So what, you have a different band manager, give him all the rights to your work or your mom or hire a new one." Alexia says. " I don't want to make Bea come or rip her away from anything. This will ruin my life." I state. "Then let it. Anything is better than what you are going through." She tells me while reaching over and holding my hand. I let her hold my hand, intertwining my hand with hers. " I will be with you no matter what you choose." Alexia says. I flip over to face her. " How do you know it will be okay?" I ask her. " I have faith. You got away this time, you can do it again." Alexia says. Alexia turns over to face me. "You think so?" I ask. " Yes, and you guys can stay with your mom or at the fortress." Alexia says. "I'm scared." I admit. Alexia moves closer to me and puts her arms around me, holding me. Without saying words I know she's trying to say, everything will be okay.  I let her and place my arms around her as well, while we just lay there.

"Wake the fuck up, love birds!" Someone shouts while the bed shakes. "Whoever the fuck is jumping on the damn bed, get off." I demand the person. "Then get the hell up!" The person yells. I groan and open my eyes to find Raven jumping on the bed like an idiot. "Why are you waking me up?" I ask them. "You two fell asleep and it's time for trivia, hide- and go- seek and then the S'mores fire pit." Raven said. "Fine, just get out and I'll be up soon." I tell them, waving her off.

"What is going on?" Alexia moves around in my arms waking up. "We have to get up." I whisper to her. "We'll leave you two, by the way, I have the cutest picture of you two." Raven says, before getting off the bed. "I'm going to kick your ass, once I'm up!" I yell to her. I hear the door close and I go to remove myself from Alexia. " Come on, we have to get up." I tell her. " I don't wanna." She groans, pulling me back into her. I would love to spend my night with her wrapped up with me but I have a feeling if I do Raven will only come back. "If we don't get up, Raven will come back and probably pour water on us next." I tell her and Alexia groans but gets up.

"Fine, let's go."

"Finally you join us." Charlie says. I just shot him a middle finger. First, we play trivia and the theme is bands. Alexia wins somehow knowing more about our band and the history of bands in general  than we do.

Next, Scarlett explains the rules for the hide-and-seek  game just saying two people are it and everyone else hides and once everyone is found we will go to the fire pit and have S'mores before going inside and watching horror movies. Nevea and Kenan are going to be the chasers for the game.

Since we are off in teams, me and Alexia run off down the trail we parked the cars on and it leads to the  forest fountain. We hide behind a fountain that is out in the woods near the cars. The bottom is slightly full of water but the bowls are close enough to hide us as the water pours around us.

"So we are hiding in the dark, at night. In water. What could possibly go wrong." Alexia says. " It's fun." I tell her. This is fun, although I wouldn't be mad if the water was a bit warmer.

"No, it's creepy and cold." She responds. " You've never played games in the dark before?" I ask. " No, I don't really get invited to things like this back home," She answers.  " Have you guys done this before?" Alexia asks, a few seconds later. " Yes and if you keep talking they will find us." I tell her. " I've never done anything like this. I'm a good kid. I don't go camping in the woods, especially if I school or work the next day.  I don't play games in the dark. I don't sit in water in the middle of the night, or play hide and seek in the dark with a boy, and definitely don't get involved with alcohol." Alexia rambles.

I forgot all about Raven bringing Vodka because she said horror movies are more fun when you are drunk. I plan not to drink. "What if something happens, what if an animal comes and attacks, what if someone gets hurt-" Alexia continues to ramble while looking between me and in front of her. I have no idea what to do at this moment, fear strikes over me and the only possible thing I can think of to do to shut her up, I do it.

I kiss her.