chapter eight,
the sleepover

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"MELISSA!" Bailey yells from downstairs. I get up out of my bed as Tim sits up.

"I'll be back in a minute." I whisper making him nod. I run downstairs and see Bailey holding the door open. "What's goin' on?"

"We're goin' to Summer's, your Daddy's stayin' there and not Alabama." Bailey says.

"Oh. Ok. Uh, I'm not feelin' well." I say before running back upstairs and laying down next to Tim.

"Hi." He smiles.

"Hi." I smile back. Tim kisses my head and we both fall asleep within minutes.

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TIM and I walk into the house to see my family standing in the kitchen. "How about I take everybody out to dinner tonight? Celebrate, any place y'all want." Daddy says.

"Why're we celebratin'?" I ask.

"I got the lead in the school play!" Chloe smiles.

"Aw! Chloe! That's awesome!" I smile.

"And Bailey's audition went amazing." Dylan smiles.

"I wanna go to tootsies!" Bailey smiles.

"Tootsies?" Dylan asks.

"Oh, what am I thinkin'? I can't go celebratin' this news at the bar Boone sings at every night, dressed like this." Bailey says before running upstairs.

"Hey there, Tim." Tuck says to the boy standing next to me.

"Tuck, stop." I order.

"So, Tim, what're your intentions with my sister?" Brody asks.

"Oh, please, what're you gonna do to stop him? Tap his shoulder?" I ask.

"Hey, I'm strong." Brody defends making me raise my eyebrows at him.

"Its ok, Mel. I'll see you tomorrow." Tim smiles as he kisses my cheek.

"Bye." I smile. I watch Tim leave the house and turn back to my family. "One day, y'all are gonna be mentioned in my serial killer documentary."

"You gonna be the witness or the killer?" Cassidy asks making me smirk and shrug my shoulders.

"That's for you to decide." I state.

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"IT'S comforting to be reminded that this is where you spent nine years of your life preparin' to take care of my children." Daddy says as we sit at Tootsies, eating our dinner.

"Isn't it invigoratin'?" Bailey asks.

"Daddy, how come you're eatin' so much?" Chloe asks.

"Mm, Daddy's just a little frustrated. Summer put us on a little break. You gonna eat the rest of those fries?" Daddy asks as he takes some of Chloe's fries.

"Why did Summer put you on a little break?" Chloe asks.

"Well, we're havin' a, uh, a little issue." Daddy says making me raise my eyebrows and look at Bailey.

"What kind of little issue?" Chloe asks.

"Bailey?" Daddy asks.

"The issue is your Daddy wants to keep goin' on playdates with Summer, but Summer's decided not to share her toys with him anymore." Bailey says making me chuckle.

"Yeah she did." Then, I look up at Daddy who's glaring at me. "I'm so sorry, Daddy."

Cassidy comes running up to us, an excited look on her face. "There's Boone, Bailey. Tell him you're in the top five right before he performs!" Cassidy begs as she jumps up and down.

"With any luck, we won't have to hear him sing!" Dylan smiles.

"I'm going. Somebody record this so I can relive it over and over again." Bailey says.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the Boone Calhoun Band!" The announcer says making me raise my eyebrows.

Boone walks onto the stage with a cute blond making me roll my eyes. I mean, yeah, I'm blond, but at least it looks good.

"Thanks y'all. Ladies and - Bailey? Hey, y'all remember Bailey Hart? It is meant to be that you're here tonight. 'Cause I got some big news to share." Boone says.

"I've got bigger news!" Bailey says as she walks onto the stage.

"If you don't mind, this is important." Boone says.

"Mine is too." Bailey says.

"This is about Paisley." Boone says.

"This is about Bailey." Bailey says.

"I'm sorry, Bailey, but this is a really big deal. This afternoon, Paisley told me she's leaving the band." Boone says.

"Well, I - what?" Bailey asks.

"That's right, y'all. Paisley's gonna be singin' backup for the Maren Morris tour. She leaves for LA tonight." Boone says making people clap.

"I'm very happy for you. Anyway, what I'd like -" Bailey starts.

"I'm very happy for her too. I mean, I'm sad for me, but," Boone looks away, then back to the crowd. "I'm fine. I'm fine, I'm fine. It's just, uh, truth my told, the last few days have just been emotionally draining for me."

"Me too. Highs and lows. Mostly highs." Bailey says.

"Me, mostly lows. I was this close to bein' the opening act for Keith Urban. Not close enough." Boone says. "A few hours ago, I found out that I didn't, uh, I didn't make the Rocky Top competition."

"Do it now, Bailey." Cassidy says evily.

"Been a hell of a week." Boone says.

"Things will get better." Bailey says.

"Well, here's my big news. After twenty years of tryin' to make it, it's time for me to face facts. It's time for ol' Boone Calhoun to give up on his dream." Boone says.

"What?" Bailey asks.

"That's right. Tonight is my last gig here in Nashville. I'm headin' back to Georgia to work for my Daddy's septic tank company." Boone says.

"Good lord, I can't watch this." I say as I stand up and walk to the bathroom.

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AS my whole family arrives home, I walk upstairs to my bedroom and lay down on my bed.

On the ride home, I found out that Bailey and Boone are gonna sing together for the Rocky Top.

Personally, I'm mad about it. But, it's Bailey's life. I can't meddle with it. I get into my pajamas and end up falling asleep within two minutes.

The next day, I get out of bed and go into the kitchen to see Daddy, Dylan, Tuck, Brody and Chloe. "Mornin' y'all."

"Mornin'." Dylan greets. I look around and furrow my brows.

"Where's Cassidy?" I ask.

"Just as I suspected. She fell right back into the fiddlers arms!" Cassidy says as she walks into the house.

"How do you know?" Dylan asks.

"Who feel into who's arms?" I ask as Daddy turns to look at Cassidy making her eyes widen.

"Guessin'." Cassidy says.

"Cassidy, did you get involved when I specifically told you not to?" Daddy asks as he closes the fridge.

"No." Cassidy says.

"That was none of your business Cassidy." Bailey says as she walks into the house.

"Maybe." Cassidy tells Daddy.

"This is my life, Cassidy!" Bailey exclaims.

"I know, and I'm sorry Daddy. You told us not to get involved unless it's family. And Bailey's family. I won't stand by –"

"Cassidy, enough." Daddy orders.

"She kissed him!" Cassidy says.

"You what?" I ask Bailey.

"You didn't sign anything, did ya?" Dylan asks.

"I knew it. It's those darn eyes." Chloe says.

"Exactly. I looked into those darn eyes and I knew he was tellin' me the truth. He was. Well, he was! Not that it matters now, 'cause you told him if he loved me, he'd walk away. And he did!" Bailey tells Cassidy.

"Ha! Who walks away if they really love you?" Cassidy asks.

"Cassidy, you've said enough." Daddy says.

"Daddy, this is a good thing." Cassidy says.

"Well, if it's such a good thing, why do I feel so bad?" Bailey asks as she walks upstairs to her room.

"Jesus, I wake up ten minutes late and this happens?" I ask, earning a glare from Daddy.

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AS I stand outside Bailey's door with my siblings, they begin to sing. "Oh my god, what did I do to deserve this?" I whisper to myself.

"Aren't ya gonna sing?" Daddy asks making me shake my head.

"No. I'm not good." I tell him.

Bailey opens the door and we all smile at her. "What – what are you doin'?" She asks.

"Kelly Clarkson! Don't you remember? The day you first came here, when ya caused me to have a breakdown and run out to the barn in the middle of a tornado? These are the exact words you yelled at me to make me feel stronger. Kelly's words!" Cassidy tells Bailey.

"Oh, I do value Kelly's words." Bailey says as she wipes her eyes.

"That's because Kelly is strong, which is what you are." Cassidy says.

"No, I'm not. I'm not strong like Kelly." Bailey says as she begins to cry again.

"You are for us. Who's there every time we need Bailey?" Cassidy asks before turning to us with an angry expression on her face.

"Oh, Bailey!" We all say.

"And who tells us to always have self-respect and not put up with people who don't respect us?" Cassidy asks.

"Bailey?" Bailey asks with a shaky voice.

"Yes! Bailey!" Cassidy says as she climbs onto Bailey's bed and sits next to her.

"But when did I say that?" Bailey asks.

"That's not important. The point is why can't you follow your own advice?" Cassidy asks.

"Because my heart keeps gettin' in the way of my head." Bailey says.

"That's because it's too big." Cassidy says.

"My head?"

"Your heart. I'm so sorry you're broken tonight, Bailey." Cassidy says.

"She didn't mean to hurt ya. She was tryin' to keep ya from gettin' hurt." Tuck says.

"That's Cassidy. The meaner she is, the more she loves you." I say.

"You must really love me." Bailey says making Cassidy nod.

"I do." Cassidy says as she begins to sob.

-

^sleepover pajamas^

^school & dinner outfit^

^pajamas^

^Bailey and Boone drama^