"Hey, are you okay?" Sam asked. It sounded like an echo alongside the ringing in my ears. I couldn't focus on anything but them down there; the way she looked at him, held him, kissed him.

What could I have possibly done wrong?

"Mhm.." I finally managed, avoiding his eyes, quickly getting up and making my way out before he could see the tears forming in mine.

"Josh.." He called out as I hastily ran downstairs. I just needed to be alone, but I could hear him behind me. Sometimes it felt like he knew me better than I knew myself.

"Josh. I'm.. I'm sorry." He said, following me into the kitchen. I quickly wiped my eyes, shaking my head.

"It's.. it's fine. It.. it is what it is." I sighed, going into the fridge.

"You have every right be upset." He said softly, sitting down at the counter. "He.. well, it really always has been you two, and.. he knew that."

"Yeah." I managed. He stayed quiet, knowing that.. sometimes silence was just better.

"I just don't understand what happened.. between me and her. One minute.. everything was perfect, and the next.."

"Well, what changed?" He asked. I bit down on my lip, feeling my face get hot, not really wanting to have this conversation with my little brother.

"Well.." I started. "We.. um.. well it was after we-"

"Got it." He laughed. "We don't have to go into it."

"Maybe we just.. rushed things."

"Or maybe.. you just spent so long being friends that.. she can't.. see you the way she sees Jake. I'm not saying that.. she doesn't love you, because.. even still, we all know she does, or else she wouldn't have forced Jake to keep them a secret. But.. maybe her love for you and.. how she feels about Jake.. well, it's just different."

"So then what am I supposed to do?" I asked. Jaime and I had been best friends our whole lives. How was I supposed to just change that now?

"I don't want to come between you two." He muttered, turning away.

"You can't just say that and then not-"

"Maybe just.. make her see you as more than a friend. But.. Josh, if they're happy-"

"How am I supposed to make her see me as more than a friend? W-what more is there?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is, Jake is doing it." My stomach dropped.

"You know.. we do have another show coming up. And.. maybe if she saw you.. in a different light, it might make her.." He stopped, trailing off.

"Might make her.. what?"

"Nothing." He sighed, getting up from his seat. "I.. I don't want to interfere. I can't get in the middle of this. That wouldn't be fair to him either."

"Sam.. you know how important this is to me. She's.. everything. And for all we know, to him.. she's just.. the one right now." He stayed quiet, his face dropping, making me wonder what Jake had actually told him.

"Maybe if you.. made her a little.. jealous." He shrugged. I shook my head.

"Jaime doesn't.. get jealous, she's not like that. Especially not now that she has him."

"But.. maybe if she saw how much the girls liked you.. maybe she would be." He smirked. "You may not see it but.. she still looks at you." My heart jumped as I tried my best to hide my smile.

"She.. she does? How do you-"

"Well, she doesn't exactly hide it." He laughed. "You saw the way she was with you at Danny's."

"That's just because Jake wasn't there yet." I muttered. "As soon as he showed up-"

"Look.. all I'm saying is.. if you want her to notice, then maybe.. give her something to notice."

I couldn't stop thinking about what Sam had said. But what was I supposed to do? How was I supposed to.. make her notice me?

I stared back into the mirror, running my fingers through my hair. Maybe it was time for a change. And maybe.. if I looked different to her, well, that could be a start, right?

"Hey, what are you doing?" Ronnie asked, peeking her head into the bathroom. "You almost done in here?"

"Yeah, um.. hey, you.. you can cut hair, right?" I asked, feeling my cheeks burn. She smirked back at me, now leaning in the doorway.

"Why? What are you thinking?"

"I just.. I don't know.. something different?"

"What kind of something different?"

"Nothing crazy, just.. something for people to notice." Her smile grew.

"Just.. people?" I bit down on my lip, trying to contain my smile.

"Yes. People."

By now, everyone had heard about Jake and Jaime, which meant everyone kept a close eye on me to make sure I was okay, but yet, no one had actually said a thing about it. It was pretty much the unspoken rule to never mention it around me, though I'd never ask them to do that. And even still.. it seemed like they were still keeping it just between the two of them.

I wondered if that was still her call.

Ronnie pulled out the clippers from the bottom drawer.

"So.. what are we doing?" She asked eagerly. I took a deep breath, staring back at her through the mirror.

"Well, what do you think would look good? I.. nothing too crazy just.. something-"

"To get her attention." She smirked. I shot her a look, smiling back at her.

"To get her attention." I agreed, rolling my eyes.

"And you think this will do it?"

"I have no idea but.. I have to try something, right?"

"Maybe something a little less.. drastic?" She asked. I shook my head.

"Worst come to worst.. it'll grow back, right?" She nodded, smiling back at me.

"If you say so." She said before I heard the buzzer up against my ear.

I couldn't believe how many more people began coming out to their shows ever since word got out about their record deal. It was starting to feel more and more real now, knowing that soon enough, there would be people lining up like this not just in our town, but in cities across the country, and eventually the world. Though, I knew Jake would fight me on it if I said that out loud, I still believed it, even if he didn't.

"Why do you seem nervous tonight?" I asked, squeezing Jake's hand tighter as he lead us through the parking lot towards the back door of the venue. He shrugged, intertwining our fingers.

"I guess.. just more people." He muttered. I playfully shoved him.

"More to love you." I said. He peeked back down at me, giving me a gentle smile.

"Oh, I like you." He sighed, gently touching my cheek. My smile grew as I wrapped my arms around him.

"Last I checked you more than like me." I giggled, pulling him into a gentle kiss. I felt him reach up, gently holding my face in his hands, kissing me back.

"You couldn't be more right." He sighed, kissing me again. "Hey, um.. how about.. after the show tonight, we go back to your place and-"

"There you are!" Sam yelled, peeking his head out the back door. "We've been looking for you." He stopped, flashing me a smile as he looked over at me.

"Hi Jaime." He smirked. My cheeks burned as I gave him a gentle wave.

"Hi Sam." I laughed.

"Are you guys coming in or what? The show is gonna start soon." Jake sighed, playfully rolling his eyes as he wrapped his arm around me, leading us in.

We followed Sam down the hallway, gently moving away from each other just before going into the dressing room. I knew we had said we weren't going to hide us anymore, but that didn't mean we had to make a big deal about us in front of everyone either.

As we turned the corner, I had to do a double take when I saw Josh, sitting on the couch across the room. He looked up at me, flashing me a timid grin. He was in a red velvet jumpsuit, nothing like I had ever seen him in before, as Ronnie placed tiny rhinestones along his cheeks. But as I got closer I saw that he had also cut his hair.

He looked.. good.

"Look at you." I said happily. "This is.. new." I looked him up and down, admiring just how.. put together he looked. He always looked good but tonight he just seemed.. different.

"You like it?" He asked, his eyes lighting up as he turned to me as much as he could.

"Yeah.." I said, lightly running my fingers across the fabric. Jake made his way over, almost forcing himself between us.

"New look?" He asked. Josh shrugged, turning back to Ronnie.

"I figured if we're gonna do this, we should do it right.. right?" He said plainly. "And after all, I am the front man." I couldn't help but smile, loving his new sense of confidence.

"Well you look great." I said, feeling my face get hot. I reached up, gently running my fingers through his hair. "What inspired this?" He shrugged, smirking back at me.

"Just wanted.. a change." He said. "Hoping maybe people will see me.. differently." I bit down on my lip, my eyes now drawn to the glistening of the rhinestones under his eyes. He noticed, staring back at me with that same dazed look. I felt Jake move his hand onto my leg, snapping me out of it.

"Don't you think it's a little.. much?" Jake asked. Josh shook his head, looking forward again.

"Maybe.. you need to do a little more."