Chapter Two

      "COLTON! Get your Lazy a*s up We're gunna be late" Mason Howards Yells pounding on His best friends door. Colton greenfield opens his eyes and groans. He is laying on his stomach sprawled out on his bed, the covers twisting around him. flickering his gaze to the alarm clock on his bedside table. the glowing red numbers read 8:10AM.  They had to be at the school to get on the bus at 9:00AM, and it took twenty minutes just to get to the school!

 

      "Oh S**T!" He curses and fights with his covers to get up, only succeeding in falling out of bed. His bed room door opens and Mason stands in the doorway shaking his head.

 

       "Dude you really got to learn to use your alarm clock for something other then decoration." Mason muses, running a hand through his bright red hair. Colton just shoots his friend a dirty look and gets off the floor. throwing his comforter back on the bed he crosses the room and snatches random clothes out of the dresser, not paying attention to what he grabs. pushing past Mason he heads for the tiny bathroom across the hall and quickly jumps into the shower. He yelps as the cold water hits his chest. 'The hot water must be shut off again' he thinks to himself as he quickly finshes his shower. Jumping out he grabs the clothes. What he grabbed was a black t-shirt, a black tank top to go underneath and khaki colored cargo shorts. Quickly dressing he walks back to his room to see Mason finishing up with making his bed. That was just the type of friend he was. Always helping out without being told. "You ready to go Colt or what?" He says, throwing one of his many pillows into place. Colton nods and the two leave the room,  grabbing the very large duffel bag that was right outside the bedroom door. 

 

      "you boys behave now alright?" Coltons grandmother Gerri says coming out of the kitchen. Colton crosses the living room and wraps her in a big hug.

 

      "We will Mimi I promise. Love you" He says giving her a kiss on the cheek and heading out the door. "MAS LETS DO THIS S**T!" He yells throwing the duffel bag and jumping into the flat bed of Mason's ford pick up. Mason laughs and guns the engine, making the truck lurch forward, and Colton fall back in the back. Colton stays laying down using the bag as a pillow, and lets the wind whip through his hair scattering across his eyes, staring up at the sky.

 

      The two best friends were about to embark on a trip that neither one of them could have dreamed about. Being from the ghettos of Hollywood this sort of trip didn't happen to them.

 

      Mason Howards was the son of a struggling father and a absent mother who took off when Mason was only a baby. The only thing she left for her son was her bright read hair and green eyes. His father, Jason Howards, struggled with money and the rent of the house. Working three jobs left little time to spend with his son. It was hard to tell if this hurt Mason, seeing how he was always so up beat and making jokes left and right, never in a serious mood, and always the fool, the class clown of Hollywood heights high school. But Colton knew the kinder side of Mason, the gentle one, he could see behind the mask at the raw anger and pain he held for his mother for abandoning him and his father who never had time. But it didn't stop Mason, it made him stronger. Mason never let his wealth, or lack of to stop him from doing what he wanted to do in life. IN fact when Mason was just fifteen he got a job and saved up money to put himself through drivers ed and to get himself the truck the two were now riding in. It took him till he was seventeen to get this truck.

 

      Colton on the other hand was different. He too had a horrible family background. A father who was a violent man killed his mother and then himself when Colton was five  years old. He was sent to live with his Maternal grandmother at the age of seven when his Paternal grandparents didn't want anything to do with him, (Blaming his mother for the death of their son). His grandmother Gerri Greenfield welcomed her grandson with opened arms and the first thing she did was change his last name back to his mothers maiden name (Greenfield). This keep his identity as the son from the grisly homicide suicide that was his family. His grandmother was a retired school teacher and the two barely got by on the meager government check she got for disability and Colton's paychecks. He was grateful for his grandmother and did everything he could to help out. He even took a job at the movie theater when he was seventeen. That was two years ago. Colton was now nineteen and in his senior year of high school. The earlier trauma in his life had set him back in schooling and he didn't start kindergarten until he was seven years old.

 

      That's how the two friends met. the first day of kindergarten was terrifying to Colton and he had stuck to the back of the room. During recess he clung to the fence. Being older then the others didn't really help any. But Mason, A goof even back then didn't care and he had marched his five year old self over to Colton and proceeded to make funny faces until he had smiled. The two have been best friends ever since, almost like brothers. It took until fifth grade before Colton was comfortable enough to tell Mason about his family past. Mason didn't freak out like Colton was afraid of, He took it all in and gave his friend a hug telling him he didn't care about his past all he cared about was the man he was now. It was that day that their friendship became rock solid. nothing would tear the two apart.

 

      "Yo Colt! We are Here move it!" Mason calls through the small window in the back, He slams on the brakes making Colton slam into the side of the truck. Wincing he gets up and throws the duffel bag out of the bed, and jumps down.

 

       "Mas you really need to get those brakes fixed." Colton says rubbing his shoulder where he had hit the side of the truck. Mason just grins his award winning foolish grin.

 

      "Well if I did that then I wouldn't have the pleasure of knocking you around" He says and unsuccessfully tries to dodge Colton as he pulls Mason into a head lock, giving him a noogy. "MERCY MERCY" Mason says laughing. Colton lets him go with a laugh.

 

       "YO Greenfield get your butt over here and help us move these!" someone shouts. Colton turns toward the persona and sees one of his band mates trying to lift a large black case which probably held the tuba.He runs over and grabs it just as the boy was about to drop it. He gives Colton a grateful smile and goes to lift more black cases off the ground. "Just put it under the bus!" the kid says and heads over to the bus. Mason saunters over and grabs the lightest looking case and follows the boy to the bus.

      Everywhere around the parking lot were kids with bags saying  goodbye to their parents. Colton was in the band at his high school along with Mason. Mason played the trumpet where as Colton played the drums. The cases were the insterments .They were about to go on a trip to a compitition the band is participating in. Once all the insterments were sercured on the bus all the students said their final goodbyes and piled onto the bus, and before the boys knew it. They were on their way to the compition. Within minutes Colton was out cold sleeping, the last thing he heard before he fell asleep was Mason snickering and saying something about how Colton could fall asleep anywhere.

 

      He didnt know how long it took but the next thing he knew he was being jolted awake by Mason. Grumbling a rude remark he files off the bus with the rest of the band. Colton steps off the bus and is bumbarded with sights and smells and so much noise. Crowds of people were rushing to and from looking like scattered ants. the scent of salt and smoke filled his nostrils making him wrinkle his nose. and the dull roar of the people make and irritating buzz in his ears. He never liked crowds and this one was starting to make him twitchy.

 

       "Mas I'm gunna walk around." He says feeling the anxeity attack coming. Mason must have heard the panic in his voice because he whirls around and makes the shooing gesture at him knowing he needs to get away. "I'll be back soon to help with the instruments." Colton takes off and quickly walks away from the bus and all the noise. Where could he go? THERE! Colton spots a beautiful white limo that was in a relitive empty place near the enormous Cruise ship that the band and many other people were about to get on. This was the trip that the two friends never dreamed would happen. A week long cruise to the Bahamas no less. But it wasnt all fun and games. The band had won a spot in the Around the world Music Competition, the final three school bands got to compete on the Cruise, and Hollywood Heigths was one of the final three. Mason and Colton were lucky to even be on this trip. They did enough fundraisers and had enough money in their school accounts that they just barely got by. They wouldnt be able to go overboard on gifts for anyone.

 

      When he was a safe yet close distance to the limo he stops and closes his eyes, trying to uncoil his tense muscles. He hears the sound of the water hitting the ship and concentrates on that, taking deep breaths. Comotion coming from the limo makes him open his eyes and peer at it. A tall girl with dark red hair was scolding a platinum blonde about being rude. He sees the red haired girl walk away from the huffing blonde and sees the blonde spin on her heels and march over to an older blonde haired lady. Colton just shakes his head at the sence. Rich people, always bickering and never happy at what they had. It was pitiful.

 

      Colton watches the red head as she comes to a stop near him, not close enough to make him uncomfortable, but close enough that he would have to walk past her to get back to the bus. He watches as the girl puts on some expensive looking sunglasses and tip her head to the sky. She seemed to be doing the same thing Colton had been doing before he was interupted. 'I don't want to disturb her' he thinks and starts walking around her so she could be left in peace. suddenly he trips over a particularly large crack that was in the pavemen Colton tries to catch his balance and in the process he knocks hard into the girl. She falls to the ground, her sunglasses falling between her and she lands on them with a painful CRUNCH. Colton winces at the sound. that had to be painful.

 

       "Oh S**T! I'm so sorry! Here let me help you up!" he says rushing to her aid. she lifts her head and squints up at him lifting her hand up for help. He clasps her hand, noticing how smooth it was and in one fluid movment he easily pulls her to her feet. the look on her face showed that his strength was slightly surprising. "Are you ok? is anything broken?" He asks 'great I've already screwed up and the trip hasnt even started, MiMi isnt going to like this' he thinks as he watches her whipe dirt off her blue jeans. Her lpurple tank top looked like it was made out of silk or some other expensive rich people material. She bends down to grab her sunglasses and her hair falls around her in soft waves. 'I would love to run my fingers through that' his waywad thought surprised him and he bites his lip to stop that train of thought from getting him in trouble.

 

      "Nothing broken but these" She says in a light voice, almost as if she was trying to conivnce him she was fine. She looks up at him and gasps, mirroring his own reaction. He could tell that she was looking him over, but frankly he didnt mind, he was doing the same thing. She was the prettest girl he had ever seen. Her face had a strong bold look to it with High cheek bones, and a strong nose that some how worked for her, Her body was slim and not as curvy as most girls at his school. Her hair fell around her face framing it like a deep auburn curtain, But it was her eyes that held his gaze, they were a deep brown and with the sun shining on them he could see the flecks of almost gold in them. She had to be around Mason's age, and she was Beautiful. He bites his lip again to keep himself from saying anything stupid .A gust of chilly wind blew across them and his shaggy black hair fell into his eyes, breaking his connection to her. He swipes his hiar out of his eyes and notices the look of awe on her her face. He shifts and clears his throat.

 

      "Ehem, are you sure you're OK?" Colton asks, feeling suddenly self consious. The girl opens her mouth to say something but before she could speak a high pitched squeal comes from behind her.

 

      "EW get away from her you Freak!" the blonde he had seen earlyer with the girl screeches rushing toward them, A growling dog under her left arm. But that wasnt what concerned Colton, what concerned him was the bottle of pepper spray she held that was pointed right at him. He quickly backs up, with his hands in the air, trying to show that he was harmless. Panic once again shooting through him. 'S**t S**t S**t I'm in so much trouble!' he thinks, trying  to come up with something to say. Mason saves him just in the nick of time.

 

      "HEY COLTON are you gunna help me with this thing or not?" He yells and runs over to them. The blonde screeches in near hysterics and raises the pepper spray higher, aiming it at Mason this time. Mason stops in his tracks, all traces ofl humer fading from his face, a first. "Hey WHOA cool it, what the hell is going on here?" He says looking between the two girls before finally looking at Colton. Before he could say anything, once again the blonde speaks up first.

      "Your Friend here just Mawled my Best friend and knocked her to the ground That's whats going on here!" She snaps, making her puny looking dog growl louder.This seems to snap the red haired girl out of her shock because she suddenly leaps into action.

 

       "No He didnt! Knock that off and put that thing away you could hurt someone with it!" She snaps snatching the bottle of her friends hands. She looks back at Colton. "He just bumped into me and I lost my balance, Right? NO foul play here." She asks. Colton smiles at her, She understood what happened!

        

       "Yeah I didnt mean to knock her down. Sorry" he says directing it to the blonde but never looking away from the girl. His heart thuds loudly in his chest as she gives him a dazzling smile.

 

       "See told you. Thanks for helping me up." She says and turns to her friend "Come one lets go, I think I see Papa over there" She says and drags her friend away.

      Mason hits his chest and Colton snaps out of the trance the girl seemed to put on him.

 

      "Yo You gunna stare at the prissy parade all day or are you going to help us with the luggage and stuff." Mason says humer returning. Colton shakes his head to get his thoughts back into order.

 

      "Yeah Yeah I'm coming you psycho" He says receiving a snicker from his friend. The two boys turn and head back to the bus, Not realizing the red haired girl had turned around to say something to them.

 

      It wasnt until the luggage was all checked in and the band along with their chaperones where about to board the ship did Colton realize that the girl never gave him her name.        

 

 

        

Author's Note

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