"News? What news?" Josh asked, his face dropping. He turned to me, giving me questioning eyes. Could it be what I thought it was? Jake had to have listened to the voicemail by now. Did they actually get it?

"Just come back home. Bring Jaime too." Sam said, hanging up. Josh sighed, sitting back up, tossing his phone to the side.

"Do you.. want to go?" I asked. He shrugged.

"I mean, how important could it be? They say this kind of stuff all the time and it's never anything." I could feel my heart beating faster knowing that, if this was what I thought it was, it definitely was something.

A life changing something.

"I think.. maybe.. you should just go and see." I said, moving into his lap. He bit down on his lip, trying to contain his smile as he looked up at me.

"You don't want me to come with you, do you?" I sighed. He shook his head, pulling me into a gentle kiss.

"You know I always want you with me, I just-"

"I understand. How about.. you go, and.. I'll go check up on my mom. They haven't called, but.. I should still go and see her." I could tell he wasn't happy with that answer either.

"I don't want you to have to go alone." He sighed. "I.. okay, how about this, we can go, and then.. I'll come with you to the hospital." He took my hand, bringing it up to his lips. I couldn't help but smile, feeling my cheeks burn.

"We should get dressed then." I laughed. He nodded, his smile growing.

"Yeah, and then maybe.. stop by the store on the way back." He muttered. My heart jumped.

Before walking back into their house, he took my hand, squeezing it tightly. I followed him closely as he lead us into the kitchen where everyone was already gathered, glasses of champagne in hand.

They got it.

My eyes instantly shot over to Jake who was already looking at me, his eyes wide, flashing me a wide grin. He nodded.

"So, what's the big news?" Josh asked, scanning the room. "What are we celebrating?"

"Our record deal!" Sam exclaimed, handing him a glass.

"R-record deal? What do you mean?"

"Apparently, Jake invited someone out to watch us at the show the other night, and it turns out he works for a label, and.. he loved us. He wants to sign us. We go in to sign the contract today if we're interested, which.. we absolutely are." He laughed, playfully shoving Danny. He then handed me a glass, winking at me. I felt my face get hot, wondering what else he knew.

"A.. a record deal?" Josh said again. "But.. but how-"

"We were great." Sam laughed. "Just accept it. You really are a front man now." I could see Josh's face drop, despite trying his best to maintain as much enthusiasm as possible. He peeked back at me, giving me concerned eyes despite his wide grin. I'm sure we'd have plenty to talk about later when everyone else wasn't around. But this was so exciting, and I really hoped he could at least understand what an amazing opportunity this was.

"And.. we have to give them an answer.. today?" He asked. Sam laughed, taking a big sip of his drink.

"Well, we already have the answer, obviously. We just have to sign the paperwork today. We were all gonna head down there after we told you."

"W-what does this mean though?"

"It means we've gotta start working on an album." Jake finally chimed in. I felt Josh squeeze my hand tighter at the sound of Jake's voice. I could tell just by how everyone was acting that no one else knew what happened besides the three of us, and I wanted to keep it that way.

I pulled Josh to the side, whispering close.

"You go with them, I'll go to the hospital. It's okay. This is.. huge." He bit down on his lip, nodding.

"Yeah but, I don't know if-"

"You know you can't not do it." He was quiet, holding his stare on me. I knew that if everything hadn't happened with Jake last night, he would probably be just as excited as the rest of the guys, but now everything was different. But things would only get worse if Josh backed out.

"Josh, this is.. everything to him." I muttered. "You know that. And he needs you." I peeked over at Jake who was still nervously looking back at me. I quickly looked away, feeling my cheeks burn.

"But.. what about-"

"We can still work on your stuff, just.. while this opportunity is here, I think that.. you should take it. This doesn't just happen for everyone, and this could be life changing. And who knows, it could even help you with what you want to do." He nodded, taking my hand, now looking down at them.

"And.. you're okay with going to the hospital alone? Cause I could always-"

"I'll be fine, I promise. You deserve this. So, please go and enjoy it." He hesitated again before finally pulling me into a quick kiss.

"Okay, just.. let me know what's going on with her, okay?" I nodded, giving him a gentle smile.

"Just long as you tell me what's going on with you guys."

"Deal."

He sighed, reluctantly turning back to them.

"Okay, let's go." I saw Jake's smile grow.

"Thank you." He mouthed to me. I gave him a gentle nod, feeling my heart start to beat faster as flashes of last night now played through my head.

"Alright, um.. I'll let you guys go. And I'll meet up with you later."

"Okay." He leaned in close, whispering into my ear. "I love you." My heart jumped, my face getting hot.

"I love you." I whispered. He flashed me a toothy grin, holding his stare on me for a moment before finally letting go of my hands and going over to them.

I peeked my head into my mom's room to see her sitting up in her bed, looking out the window.

"Visitor!" I called out. She quickly turned to face me, her eyes instantly lighting up.

"Oh! What a great surprise!" She reached her arms out, flashing me a wide grin. I quickly made my way over, doing my best to avoid the machines she was still hooked up to, pulling her into a tight hug. Thankfully she seemed to be doing okay today.

"No one called me, I was starting to get worried." I sighed, sitting down in the chair next to her.

"I told them not to bother you. I figured-"

"Mom, I told you to tell me what was going on." She nodded.

"I know, I just wanted you to have a few days of normalcy. I'm fine. There was no need to worry you." I couldn't help but smile, appreciating what time she did give me.

"Well, knowing you were okay would have made it a little easier." I muttered. "It's been.. far from normal." She pushed herself up further in her bed.

"What do you mean? What happened?" I felt my heart start to beat faster, unsure if I really wanted to tell anyone else about what happened but.. out of anyone.. maybe she could make me feel somewhat better.

"Well.. the other night.." I started, nervously picking at my nails.

"What? Was it Josh?" I shook my head, feeling my face get hot.

"Then.. what is it?" She asked, now more concerned.

"Jake kissed me." I finally blurted out. She was quiet, staring back at me wide-eyed until her lips slowly curled into a subtle smile.

"What?" I asked. She shrugged, giggling to herself.

"W-what's so funny?"

"I mean.. you've always liked him, Jaime." My heart jumped.

"W-what do you mean? I-"

"I'm your mother, Jaime. You really think I didn't notice how you used to get around him?" A smile escaped my lips, my face feeling like it was on fire.

"W-what.. what are you talking about?" She shook her head, her smile growing.

"Well.. how did it make you feel?" I still wasn't entirely sure. I really didn't have time to register it, something I had thought about for almost my entire life. Cause.. she wasn't wrong. But it was embarrassing to know that even she could tell.

"I.. well, I mean.." I stuttered, avoiding her eyes again.

"Jaime.. you can be honest with me. It's okay." She said softly. I hesitated for a moment, holding my stare on her.

"I.. well, I.. I liked it." I finally managed. She nodded, smirking back at me. I rolled my eyes, giggling to myself.

"Okay, fine, I really like it. Happy?"

"Are you?" I shrugged, still conflicted about the whole thing.

"I am, I mean.. I was, about that but.. I could only be for a minute.. because Josh-"

"Did you tell him?"

"Well, he heard everything."

"Oh, what did he hear?"

"He heard Jake.. telling me how he feels about me." I muttered.

"And.. how does he feel about you?"

"Mom.." I groaned, unable to contain my smile.

"Hey, you gotta give me something, I'm locked up here all day.."

"Alright, alright.."

Her and I talked for what felt like hours, about Jake, about Josh, about everything. But it was nice to have someone on the outside of all of this to talk to, someone who wouldn't judge me, because I wasn't dumb. I know how it all sounded. But.. it wasn't black and white.

"You know, honey, it seems like you forget just how close you and Jake really were when you were little." She smirked. "You two were together all the time. Almost inseparable." My stomach dropped. How could I forget that? Unless.. after Jake started bringing other girls home, all I wanted to do was forget.

"We.. we were?"

"Mhm.." She nodded. "And if you go down into the basement, you can flip through some of our old photo albums. I'm sure that'll jog your memory."

"Why are you telling me all of this now? I thought you loved Josh?" She sighed, reaching out for me, gently running her fingers through my hair.

"Jaime, they're both great boys. And you know I love their family. And.. I will support whoever makes you happy. It's just a matter of you deciding who that is. I do love Josh, he takes such good care of you, something that has always made me feel better, but.." Then she stopped, as if catching herself.

"W-what?"

"I.. I don't want anything I say to swing you in any direction. I want you to make decisions based on your own happiness."

"What is it?" I asked, now feeling like maybe I shouldn't know.

"You.. have always been happy with Josh, but.. I have never seen the kind of happiness that you used to have.. when you were with Jake. You just.. couldn't not smile seeing you two together. It was.. adorable, the way he was with you. Their mom and I loved watching you two. You were both.. so sweet. And.. every time I'd break out the camera, he was the first one to pull you in, and then he'd go home that night and ask their mom for a copy of the picture. You wouldn't believe how many copies I had to make for him, but I didn't mind."

I thought about the photo he had in his drawer, folded in half to only show him and I. I wondered how many more he had lying around.

I knew I shouldn't have asked.

"But.. Josh told me he loved me." I admitted. She was quiet again. I could see her thinking.

"Oh.." She finally whispered. "Well, that's.. that's bad timing." My stomach dropped.

"On who's part?"

"I guess that's up to you."