Never Let Go

Chapter 2- Lately

~*Ashley's Point Of View*~

"Hey Jake, how much longer is it gonna be until we get to LA?"

"An hour or so."

"Ok." With that in mind I went back to the lounge area to write.

I'd done a lot of writing since Manda and I had broken up. Lots of inspiration. They were all sad, depressing songs though, but that's ok.

Earlier today Jake told me that he talked to Stephanie. I didn't see what that had to do with the price of rice in china, until he told me that she told him that Manda had a secret. What it is I don't know, but apparently she's got some huge secret. He said it probably had something to do with me. Oh well, I guess we'll find out when we get there.

~*Jacob's Point Of View*~

Whoever said that curiosity killed the cat knew exactly what they were talking about. I called Stephanie earlier today to make sure everything was still good to go. Well, while we were talking she let me in on a little something; Manda's secret maybe, probably, has something to do with Angel cake. That's it though. She said that she couldn't say anything else and that I would just have to wait like the rest of the guys. The rest of the guys don't even know that she has a secret, well except for angel cake, but that's only because I told him. I mean, hey if Amanda has a secret that has something to do with him then he has the right to know. This is so damn frustrating. I WANNA KNOW WHAT IT IS! ARGH! I need something to take my mind off of this until we get to LA.

Hmm, I think I hear Ashley playing, which probably means that he'd writing. That'll keep my mind off of it. I think I'm gonna go join him.

~*Erik's Point Of View*~

"Hello?"

"Amanda? Hey hun, its Erik."

"Oh hey Erik, how are you? Wow. I haven't talked to you in a long time."

" We've been busy. I tried to call though."

"I know. I'm sorry about never calling you; it's just that I've been so busy with work and with school. It's just been a lot to handle. I'm so sorry that I didn't call." she said, her voice cracking on the last word.

"Manda? Shh, don't worry about it. Its nothing to cry over."

"God, I'm sorry. I've just been so emotional lately."

"PMS?"

"Something like that."

"Well, we're about forty-five minutes away so I'll see you then."

"Ok, see you soon. Love you."

"Love you too Manda. No more crying ok?"

"I'll try. Bye."

"Bye." I heard the click of her phone being hung up and hung mine up as well.

That was odd. In all the time that I've known Amanda, which is almost a year now, she's never started crying for practically no reason at all. Maybe she's just really stressed out. Then again maybe not, guess I'll find out when we get there.

~*Stephanie's Point Of View*~

I sighed. This was going to be a long day. I still think that Manda should have told atleast one of the guys before they got here. I mean her and Jake have been best friends for five years and her and Erik were like brother and sister now. She was close with all of the guys really. Closer to Erik, Jacob, and Ashley (well sort of) yes, but she was still really close to Dan and Trevor. She should have told one of them. I almost slipped and told Jakeass earlier, but I restrained myself. This would all be over in half an hour anyways so it was probably pointless to stress out over it.

I wonder what Ashley's gonna say when he finds out? I wonder how he’ll react. I hope he doesn't freak or something. That just, that would NOT be good, not good at all.

I glanced down at my watch and saw that it was quarter till two. The guys would be here in about fifteen minutes. I sighed. I needed to get over to Amanda's. I wonder how she's doing anyways.

~*Ashley's Point Of View*~

We just got home. Mike and Mike were going to take all of our luggage in the house for us. The five of us on the other hand were going straight over to Amanda's house.

We each got into our respective cars and followed Jake over there, seeing as he was the first to pull out of the driveway. It was about a ten minute drive over there.

Now I'm thinking that I should have rode with someone else. I was so nervous about seeing her. This would be the first time in four months that I would see her, the first time since the break up. I wasn't even going to go, but somehow Jake had convinced me that Manders wanted to see me and that I had to go. I swear to god if he lied to me...let's just say that it wouldn't be pretty.

I took a deep breath as I pulled into the parking lot of her complex. I parked the car and just sat there for a minute, trying in vain to calm my nerves. Trying being the operative word here. This was it.

I don't think that I can do this.

~*Amanda's Point Of View*~

I only had five minutes to get myself together before the guys got here. I wasn't even going to attempt to hide the fact that I was pregnant. I was house, it would be complete waste of time to try to hide it.

Stupid Ashley. Why couldn't I have been enough for him? If I had been then my heart wouldn't be broken and I wouldn't dread telling him that he was going to be a daddy.

Stupid bitch, you just couldn't keep your hands off of him could you? No, you just had to have my boyfriend didn't you? Have I mentioned that I hate Shelli?

I heard a knock at the door. Oh god, I'm not ready for this, not ready at all. I need more time. Ok, just breathe. In and out, soothing, deep breaths.

I looked through the peephole and let out a huge sigh.

"Thank god it's just you." I said as I opened the door.

"Thanks, cause that just made me feel so loved."

"I'm sorry, it's just that I'm so worried about how Ashley's going to react. I mean what if he runs away screaming? I don't think that I could handle that. I need him to be here. I need his help with all of this."

"Are you thinking of getting back together with him?"

"Yes. No. I don't know. Do you think I should?" I asked beginning to pace back and forth in my living room.

"That's entirely up to you Amanda. I can't make that decision for you"

"Well, what would you do if you were me."

"I don't know."

"Thanks, for the help." I replied, rolling my eyes, continuing to pace.

"Sit down, you're making me nauseous. Not to mention that you're going to wear a whole through the floor with all of that pacing." I took Stephanie's advice and sat down on the armchair, which was adjacent to the couch.

"Take a deep breath and calm down. If I were you I don't know what I would do. I mean on one hand you and Ashley have known eachother for twenty-one years and you've been through everything together. On the other hand he did get super drunk and cheat on you with his ex-girlfriend. I think what you really need to think about is whether or not you can forgive him for that. I mean if you can forgive him, then why not be with him again? If you can't forgive him, then I don't really see how you could be with him, you know?"

"Yeah. I've more or less forgiven him, but haven't totally yet. I mean, I've forgiven him enough to be friends with him and everything, I just don't know if I could trust him or not you know. This would be so much easier if he hadn't slept with that penny whore."

"I know, but he did. So now you've got to deal with it. I also think that you owe it to yourself to give him a second chance. I mean, its not like he's ever done anything like this to you before, nor has he ever betrayed your trust before."

"Do you really think that I should give him a second chance?"

"I think that you owe it to yourself to find out if it-" Our conversation was cut short by a knock at the door.

"Oh god, that's them. I can't do this. I can't do this Steph. Tell them, tell them that a Russian spy kidnapped me, tell them that I died, or that I flew to outer space. I don't care, just please don't tell them that I'm here." I said running up the stairs towards my room

"C'mon Amanda. I know that you can do this, you have to at least try." She said, as she walked through my bedroom door.

"No, I can't. I'm sorry, but I just can't." I said breaking down into tears.

" Yes you can. What-" She was cut off yet again by a knock at the door.

"Just a second!" She yelled.

" I have to go let them in Amanda. You're going to do this I know that you can. Why don't you go splash some cold water on your face and then I'll come and get you once the guys are settled in the living room all right?" I nodded my head, and wiped my tears away.

~*Jacob's Point Of View*~

" I wonder what's taking her so long to answer the door?"

"I don't know. Maybe she just didn't hear it when you knocked the first time. Why don't you try knocking again." Trevor suggested.

"Just a second!" Someone yelled.

"That sounds like Stephanie. I didn't know that she was going to be there."

"I guess she is."

"Hey guys, come on in." Stephanie said when she opened the door.

"Sorry about that. Manda's having some, um, some...she’ll be down in a minute. Why don't you guys sit down and make your selves comfortable and I'll go get her ok. Oh, and if you guys want anything to eat or drink then just help yourselves, you know where everything is."

"Wait a second."

"What?" She asked turning around.

"Didn't you say that Amanda had some sort of secret or something?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, what is it."

"You'll find out when she comes down all right? The sooner you let me go and get her the sooner you guys will find out." Stephanie turned on her heel and ran up the stairs.

"I wonder what Manda's big secret is."

"Who knows, just be patient, we'll find out when she gets down here, so just chill ok?"

~*Amanda's Point Of View*~

Stephanie walked through my bedroom door again a few minutes later.

"Well, they're all downstairs waiting for you."

"All of them?"

"All five of them. C'mon let's go." I shook my head. I really didn't want to do this.

"The sooner you go down there, the sooner everyone will know. C'mon, you can do this. Do you want me to hold your hand."

"This is going to make me sound about five years old, but will you, please?" She smiled, and chuckled lightly.

"If it'll get you to come downstairs then I'd be happy to." I shook my head 'yes' so she took my hand and started to walk out of my room.

We slowly walked down the stairs and over to the living room. The guys were engrossed in conversation and hadn't noticed that we'd come into the living room yet. Stephanie dropped my, clearing her throat at the same time, to announce our presence in the room.

It all seemed in slow motion to me. All of the guys looked in our direction at the same time, each of them showing similar looks on their faces when they saw me.

"Y-you're p-pr-pregnant." Jacob stuttered in astonishment.

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