[Austin POV]


"She's my ex-girlfriend, the real Samantha Park."

I held my breath as I heard those words from him. I immediately looked at Phoenix. If someone will be affected of this revelation, it would be her.

"What do you mean she is the real one?" Lara asked, confused. She looked at Alan, Me, and Phoenix.

"Why don't you explain it to her, Phoenix? EVERYTHING." Alan challenged her. He was just staring at her the whole time.

I want to punch him right at that very moment. What the hell is he trying to do? Looked like he already knew about it all along. When and how? I don't have any fucking idea.

"Y-you called her...what?" Confusion is now visible all over Lara's pretty face. "Are you making fun of me? I swear Alan, it's not funny!"

Alan didn't even fret. He was just staring at Phoenix. What bothers me was Phoenix being so calm. I'm not sure what she's thinking right now. I couldn't read her expression.

When I saw Lara looking at Phoenix, I moved in front of her. Covering her with my body and protecting her from them. "Call your mother Alan, she will explain everything."

"It's none of your business Austin. Stay away from her." he glared at me.

"No, you're the one who needs to stay away from her." I can't help but raised my voice.

"I'll talk to him." I heard Phoenix spoke. "Let me end this once and for all."

"Nix?" I grabbed her hand and looked at her.

"It's fine Austin." She looked up to me and smiled. As if telling me that everything will be alright.

"Let her go Austin." Alan demanded.

I glared at him. Alan must be losing his sanity right now. What have he done? I don't want to let Phoenix go but I felt she let go of my hand. "Phoenix?"

But she didn't bother to look at me. She went straight out the door. Damn it!

Alan was about to follow her but I stopped him. "Don't ever think of hurting her. I might do something to you that I might regret later." I warned him.

He scoffed. "Back off Austin. This is just between me and her. Don't involve yourself."

I was about to punch him on his face when Phil stopped me. "I was already involved. Everyone was involved. If you wanted revenge, do it to us not her!"

"Like I've said, It's her I want to talk to. Not you."

I tried to struggle to get out from Phil's hands but Tino covered himself between us.

"Stop it you two!" Josh yelled at us.

I stopped struggling then Alan went outside.


[Phoenix POV]

I was so nervous and I suddenly realzed that I was on the park where Asutin saw me earlier. I wanted to turn around back to the bus but I felt Alan behind me.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. This is it! There is no turning back. I turned around and looked at him straight to his eyes.

"When did you find out?"

"About your secret?" one of his eyebrows raised. "I was able to confirm it yesterday. But I was not surprised when I found out."

Then I suddenly had a flashbacks of what happened between us these past few days. That's why he changed all of a sudden. I just thought he was only acting strangely. But last night was the worst. I was so careless. I let him found out about my feelings towards him. When all along he already knew about our secrets.

"Lost your tongue Phoenix?" His lips twisted in half amusement. "Take your time. I'm willing to wait."

"I have nothing to explain to you Alan!" I said coldly.

He scoffed. "Playing safe?"

"I don't need to do that. I won't deny what I've done."

He laughed, to my surprise.

My eyebrows burrowed. "What seems to be funny Ashby?!"

Then he came forward. "Relax Phoenix! I won't bite you." Then he extended his hands to me.

"Come here, come to me."

But I didn't move. I just looked at his hands in front of me.

"Nix?"

I looked up to his face. "Why don't you go straight to the point Alan so we can get this over with."
He stared at me like he wanted to say something.

"What do you want Alan?" I asked him again.

He didn't answer right away. Then he said almost in whisper. "You. I want you Phoenix."

I was not surprised when I heard what he said. "Me? Why me? For revenge?"

He frowned. "Why I would do that?"

"I know what I did is unforgivable. I lied to you. I made you looked like stupid. If this would make you feel better, go on."

He stared at me. "What makes you think that I'm doing this to get back at you? When all I ever wanted is to win you back?"

"I'd rather choose you to be mad at me than treating me like this." My emotion is trying to get over me.


[Alan POV]

Pain was written in her eyes. And I was alarmed. Wait1 This is not what I had planned.

"Phoenix listen, this is not-"

"Stop fooling around!" She immediately cut me off. "Isn't enough that we all fell in your trap?! That you really did surprise us?! That everything is part of your brilliant plan?"

"Nix..." I can hear her voice crack and she was about to cry.

"I know and I understand that you're mad because of all this plan behind your back. But don't play with us Alan."

I don't know what to say. She misunderstood my actions. I thought that this is the easier way to talk and clear things with her. But I was wrong. And maybe, I made a wrong move.

"Yes, this is all my plan." I admit. "I asked Lara to came here. And I told Sam to get back to the bus. My plan is to let the two of them see each other. Then asked Mom all about it. But I was not expecting you and Austin to be there."

"I have no intentions of getting back at you." I didn't give her the chance to cut me off. "Never did I think of doing that to you and Austin. It was not my plan to play with you. Why would I do that? I love my friends most especially Austin. He's like a brother to me. And not to mention you!"

"I was really shocked from what I discovered. But I'm not mad. Honestly, I didn't feel any hatred here." Then I pointed at my chest. "I don't fucking care why you guys did it. What's important to me now is you."

"I really wanted to talk to you last night. You never knew how much I was excited to tell you about it. But Samantha caught us and we never had a chance to talk. Then suddenly this morning,Josh called and told me that you filed for resignation and walked away without any explanation. I was so worried and scared. And I can't afford to lose you again."

"Why Alan? Why are you suddenly acting like this?" she managed to ask me.

"Isn't it obvious?" Damn! I wanted to touch her face. "I'm doing this because I love you Phoenix."

She stared at me. And for the longest moment of my life, she was silent.

"You loved me?" She smiled halfheartedly and shook her head. "No, you don't. You never loved me. You just thought you love me because I WAS Samantha. But it doesn't mean that you loved ME."

"Believe me. I loved you even before that you were still invisible to my eyes ."

She was crying. "That's bullshit! How can you love someone you don't even know exist?"

"Maybe I was blind. But my heart could tell who I have loved. And that is you."

She shook her head. Pain is very visible in her eyes. "I knew how much you loved her, Alan. I was there. You almost lost your mind and I felt like you wanted to die. You couldn't live without her in your life. So, how can you expect me to believe that I'm the one you love?"

I looked up in frustration. "What should I do to make you believe that it's YOU whom I loved all this time?"

I looked at her. What I saw next crushed my heart. I saw a tear fell from her eyes while looking at my eyes

'Damn it!' I immediately hugged her.

"I'm sorry." I never meant to make her cry. I wanted to kill myself for what I did to her. She was right. How could she believed me all of a sudden.

"Let me go!" She tried to struggle from me but I didn't let her. I don't want to let her go.

"I don't want to hurt you Phoenix."

"Then let me go."

She had a point. I let her go.

I blew a long sigh. "I'll let you go. But it doesn't mean that I'm giving up." I said while looking straight in her eyes. She looked away. Then I went to my car not far from where the bus is parked.

I'll do anything to win you back. And that's a promise!


[Austin POV]

"Would you stop it Aus?!"

I glared at Lara.

"Just kidding." She grin and raised her hand on a peace sign. She already knew about the pretending thing. She called Lori and explained to her everything. At first, she couldn't believe it. But in the end she realized that what we did was for Alan's welfare. That's why she was so confused when Alan called her and asked so many things about Sam.

What surprised me was Phil knew about it all along. He said Lorie told him the story back at the hospital after Alan's surgery. We explained it to Aaron, Josh and Tino and they said that they already have an idea even before the album release but shrugged about it.

On the other couch, Samantha was just sitting quietly. Maybe she was still in shocked. But the hell I care. After all, she was the reason why we are all here.

I took a deep breath. I thought of Phoenix. I was so worried about her. I really felt uneasy. I really need to do something.

"Austin, where are you going?" Phil asked me when I went to the door.

"I need to follow them."

"I know you're worried. But don't you trust Alan? He's still your bestfriend. He won't do something that might hurt her."

"Phil's right Aus." It was Aaron. "Let's just trust Alan. Maybe he just need to clear thongs with her."

I could see their point. But I am really fucking nervous about this.

"Nix!" I heard Tino screamed.

I went to her. "Are you okay?"

She nodded.

"Where is Alan?" Sam asked her.

"Are you two okay?" It was Lara.

"What happened?" I asked her.

She tried to smile. "It's over."

All of us looked intently at her.

"What do you mean its over?"

But she didn't answer. "I'm tired Austin. I want to sleep." She went past me and went to the bunk area.

"Phoenix wait!" I stopped her. Something is wrong with her.

"Austin please... I'm really tired. Let's just talk tomorrow."

I have no choice but to let her go. Maybe she needs to be alone for awhile. "I'm just here. Don't ever forget that."

She smiled at me. "I know." Then she closed the door.

Notes

I hate confrontations. It makes me feel vulnerable.