Rockstar 101 (One Direction)

Chapter 4

"We need to go shopping." Riley announces on our way home.

We left the hotel the next morning at ten. We have been driving for a hour now. I never got to say goodbye to Louis, though. I was hoping to see him in the hotel lobby, but he wasn't there. Hopefully when boot camp starts up on Monday, I'll see him there.

"Why?" I look in the backseat where Riley is on his phone texting.

He glances up at me. "One, you're going to boot camp. Two, you will be on national tv. Three, you need new clothes away. And last but not least, you'll be seeing Louis there and you can't tell me you don't like him." He counts on his fingers.

"Who's Louis?" My mom looks at me when we come to a stop a light. That's right. I never got to fill her in last night.

"A guy." I stare out the window smiling.

"He made it on the X Factor." Riley leans forward on the middle console. "He likes Carter."

"No, he doesn't. We just met yesterday." I shake my head propping my feet on the dashboard.

My mom drives the car down the road to our house. "Feet down." She demands. "What's he look like?"

"Um. He has brown hair past his ears. Amazing blue green eyes. About five eight. Really cute." I start babbling. "His voice is crazy good. I love the way he smil-" Riley leans forward and slaps my head. "Ow! What the heck!?" I hold the back of my head.

"You were rambling about Louis. Mom asked what he looked like, not what you liked about him." Riley says.

I need to learn how to stop babbling. I always end up saying things I don't want to say out loud. It's going to get me in trouble one day.

We finally pull up to our driveway. "Did you get his number?" Mom shuts off the car and climbs out.

"No." I sigh climbing out of the car. "I was being yelled at to come inside." I playfully glare at her walking to the trunk. "Besides, I could never ask for a guy's number. Too shy." I grab my duffel bag out of the trunk.

"Guys should always make the first move." Riley grabs his black duffel bag.

"How does that work in a gay relationship?" I ask Riley as we walk up the pathway to the front door.

Mom walks around us with the keys in her hand while pulling her red suitcase behind her. She pushes the door open after unlocking it for us.

I step in to the familiar aroma of our house. We're not rich, but we're not poor. We're average. My mom owns a bakery in the downtown area. I work there every summer for her. The bakery was original my grandma's, but when she passed away it was in my Mom's name. So, she took over.

"Normally, I let the guy talk to me first, but Daniel was an exception." Riley grins. Awh!

I walk upstairs to my bedroom. "I have three days until boot camp. That means I only have three days left to hang out with you." I drop my bag on my bed and kick off my converse.

"We need to go shopping as soon as possible. You are in desperate need." Riley states.

"Rude!" I slap his arm. "My clothes are perfectly fine."

"When was the last time you went shopping?" Riley raises an eyebrow at me.

When was the last time I went shopping? That's a good question. With Riley making me make a video of me singing to actually going on the X Factor. It's been awhile.

"I see your point." I say. "Can we go tomorrow?"

"No! I'm calling Daniel and we're leaving in ten minutes!" Riley walks out of my room to go to his across the hall.

Riley has lived with us for two years. When his parents found out he was gay, they kicked him out. So, my mom immediately took him in. Riley still talks to his mom from time to time. His dad doesn't accept Riley for who he is though. Neither of us has had a proper father figure in our lives.

•

Too much clothes. Riley, Daniel, and I have been shopping since eleven this morning. We just home at eight. I'm exhausted. I toss my bags on the living room floor next to Mom's feet. No point in dragging all of them upstairs. I know Mom will want to see all of my new clothes.

"Have fun?" Mom looks away from the tv to my bags on the floor.

"I did for the first three hours then I got tired and hungry." I plop on the couch next to her.

"Where is Riley?" Mom puts the tv on mute.

I straighten up and look towards the front door where Riley and Daniel are kissing. I sit back down quickly. "Saying goodbye." I wiggle my eyebrows. "Enough snogging!" I yell. "Bye Daniel!"

The door closes shut and Riley sits on the couch glaring at me. "I'm not allowed to embarrass you, but you can embarrass me?"

I nod my head grinning. "Pretty much. Daniel is used to me by now. So, it's okay." I laugh.

"What am I supposed to do with you gone?" Mom laughs grabbing a bag.

"You'll have Riley." I point to my best friend.

"That's not the same. Riley is way more calmer than you." Mom starts pulling my new clothes out.

Riley fake gasps. "Thanks mom." He says sarcastically.

"She loves me more!" I brag. "You'll be fine, Mom. Boot camp is only five days then I'll be home."

"No you won't." Riley argues. "After boot camp, the people selected go to the judge's houses."

I prop my feet up on Riley's lap. "You're right, but I won't be selected."

"Yes, you will."

"No, I won't."

"Yes."

"No. I just got lucky."

"You're an amazing singer. You're going through."

"No."

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Knock it off!" Mom yells. "You're acting like four year olds. Carter, you are a great singer. Riley, we don't know for sure if she will be going through. We'll just have to wait and see."

I stick my tongue out at Riley when my Mom isn't looking. I'm not going to go to the judge's houses. That is for the really talented singers. I'm not talented.

••••

AUTHOR'S Note:

Okay, none of the boys are in this chapter, but Louis and Niall will definitely be in the next chapter.