Other Fan Fiction ❯ Big Time Temptations ❯ Fan-Based ( Chapter 11 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Linkin Fantasy 
Miscellaneous: Other Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Drama / Romance / Angst | Type: Fanfiction Sequel | Uploaded On: 03.03.2014 | Pages: 6 | Words: 6.6K | Visits: 210 | Status: Completed
Miscellaneous: Other Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Drama / Romance / Angst | Type: Fanfiction Sequel | Uploaded On: 03.03.2014 | Pages: 6 | Words: 6.6K | Visits: 210 | Status: Completed
Kendall smiled at James in a way that no man should smile at anyone who isn't their girlfriend. It was tender and sweet, and definitely meant for no one but the two of them. And on there lap, placed between them, sat a Tablet playing the new Hansel and Gretel movie that's been out on DVD. Its nothing new for any of the four members to watch movies together, whether its solo, in a duet, trio, or all of them together. But Kendall and James are sitting with each other instead of next to. Big difference.
And it was seeing this little scene, when they started their American tour four days after they made a pit-stop at the Palm Woods, that revealed something to Carlos that's been going on probably for months. Kendall and James are dating. And with eyes wide, he watched the two existing together, while being completely oblivious to his having exited the tour buses mini recording studio and have spotted them. Which is when Kendall looked up at James, and kissed him...
It was a terrifying discovery! The scenarios were just playing themselves out before him: James and Kendall's fights, how they always seemed to be over the moment he and Logan entered the room. And then there's the fact that they've never actually really had much ground to fight about, it was always over some odd reason.
How the two, though seemingly on iffy-terms, continually wanted to share hotel rooms to "bond". It made Carlos wonder exactly what this "bonding" consist of? Not to mention when the two laughed on stage that time, what was so funny?
Then there are those trips to the bathroom...
Those pictures from Japan were clearly taken in the daytime, he looked again, and a window was in one of the shots! And he'll bet they snuck off from either the park or during that epicly awesome movie they watched. He thought it was strange that they were approaching them instead of exiting the veiwing room, but he wasn't sure because he was rubbing his eyes from the sunlight coming in through the front doors.
Then he recalled the way James defended that ugly fan, who'd broken into his and Kendall's hotel room- it was James! It must have been!
This means that he also saw the two of them holding hands when they were walking around New York, and just when they all turned to smile at and receive candy canes from Santa Claus, who was riding on a firetruck and chucking them to the padestrians, he saw them release their hands from the corner of his eye. He just assumed that Kendall was about to cross the street, and James was pulling him back.
Carlos would have liked his accidently spying on them to have led to nothing more than his being suspicious of them. But there was no mistaking them kissing. Even if they'd of seen him seeing them, and said that they were picking food from the other's teeth, and since their hands were currently holding onto the Tablet- and snacks- what else could they do?
It was heavy information to hold onto, especially when the American portion of the tour ended and they're all now back at the Palm Woods, carrying on with their break while waiting around for Gustavo to call them in for their 3rd album recording. Its as if Carlos's senses are on overdrive and he's hyper aware of the couples every movement.
Eating, drinking, walking, talking, and- Oh, God! He refered to them as a couple! Not only are they breaking the 'No dating within the band' code- which when you think about the fact that it was made on their assumption they would ever have a female member in the band, was a really weird code to continue to have when they're a band of men. So, that's it then? No real merrit behind a code means that there really isn't a code, so what they're doing is ok? Right?
He really wants to talk to someone about this. Anyone! There's Lucy, she must know something since she continuelly has dates with Kendall- and what's that all about?! Is Kendall seeing both of them? Is that allowed? Hn. Having it both ways, Carlos supposed.
And sitting here in the apartment, alone; Katie and Ms. Knight are out for the evening at the mall- Katie wanted her ears pierced, Carlos is sure he's gonna burst and spill the beans to the first person that comes through the door.
He turns in his seat on the big orange couch, daring someone to walk in, and as if on cue, the apartment door opened.
"Kendall and James have been secretly dating!" He blurts out before slapping his hands over his gabbing mouth.
"WHAT!?" Bark the accussed bandmates.
Snatching Carlos up happened like whiplash, and the three found themselves in the bedroom closet.
"Carlos," Kendall begins, "what you think you know," he then leans in and harshly whispers. "you don't really know. Alright?" Patting Carlos on the back, Kendall offers his friend an award winning grin. "Alright."
"But I-.."
He's cut off by James, who's cracking his knuckles while speaking intensely. "You 'but' nothing."
"James!" Kendall scolds. "Threatening Carlos will only hurt the situation more. Now, Carlos... you're wrong about James and me, because I am dating Lucy."
"No you're not!" Snipped James.
"Not helping!" Snapped Kendall, who then let out a breath to keep his cool. "What makes you think James and me are a couple? We've been hanging out a lot together- sure, but we're not dating or anything."
Carlos, feeling cornered somewhat, slinked into resting against Kendall who wrapped his arm around his shoulders, since James was still offering a bouncer's vibe in his direction. "But you guys have been spending a lot of private time together, and then there were those times with the elephant in the room." He points to James, who then was the assumed creator of the elephants where Kendall tried to stop them. "And then there was the fact that, " He's pointing at Kendall now. "I saw the two of you kissing on the tour bus."
"When?" Asked James through panic.
"On tour!" Carlos nods.
"Which tour?"
"There are options?!" Carlos bugged out from a mind-blow! He actually grabbed his head and showed how the explosion looked when his hands were kaboomed away from it.
"Let's not lose our heads here!" Kendall derails the debris of Carlos's boggled mind. He also derailed the flipped out James, before the two got anymore out of hand.
"But Carlos, is a blabber mouth!" Snipped James. "And wee are supposed to be a secret."
"But why?" Carlos asks looking between the pair. "I think its neat if you two wanna be together."
"Well we don't care what you thi-.." Realizing what Carlos had actually said, James turns his head a bit to offer his ear for a better hear. "Come again?"
"Well yeah!" He pipes up getting excited. "Do I understand it? No." Kendall and James shake their heads along with Carlos. "Do I think certain points of it might be a little creepy, yes."
The pair furrow their brows in a bit of offense to that.
"But am I gonna love, and cheer you two crazy kids on anyway?" He borrows a saying from James. "You bet I am."
"Aaaww." Say the three, bringing it in by wrapping their arms around each other.
"But are we still gonna have to kill you anyway?" Asks James, interrupting the love fest. "I'm afraid so."
Yelping, Carlos leaps into Kendall's arms; Kendall immediately dropped him back onto his feet, so Carlos chose to hide behind the male instead. James wouldn't end a friend with his boyfriend blocking him, would he?
"But I told you that I was ok with it!" Carlos offers as his defense.
"And that's great! But Kendall and me kinda wanna keep it a secret, and" He chuckles then before shouting. "you're a loud mouth!"
"But you can trust me with the big stuff!"
"Oh, like how you spilled the beans to Logan's Mom about what we were doing that summer in the pond?"
Carlos looks at the mini flashback playing off in the dark corner of the closet.
They were 8 years old, down at Hucklebee pond, rolling in water and mud and catching a pick load of bull frogs. They were having a blast, and the best part was that they intended to sell them to other kids and hold frog races then after. It was gonna be a gold mine! They, unfortunately forgot to bring a box or tub to carry the croaking hoppers in, so they stuffed them on their person, anywhere they could find room. Under their shirts in front, back, sides, up their shorts, in their socks- just anywhere!
It was just really bad when they got down to the thick of it, because they hadn't really considered the possibility that frogs weren't interested in hiding out on wet and dirty kid bodies causing them to squirm, jump, and slip out from beneath every hiding place they were stuffed into. So by the time they reached the Mitchell household, they were out their entire stock, and now were just dirty and in need to hide out.
"We get in the house from around back, and clean up." Logan assured them that they weren't going to get into trouble if they followed his plan. "As for the dirty clothes, its my turn for laundry duty so my Mom won't question my using the washer, aaand" Looking around their huddle, he asks. "where's Carlos?"
"You did what?! Look at yourself!" Joanna Mitchell called from beyond the opened front door.
The 3 remaining froggers look into the home where they spot a dripping Carlos being steered to the stairs.
"And do you remember what happened because you couldn't keep your mouth shut?" James asks through Carlos's haze.
He remembered alright... the bath which dare never be spoken of again.
Kendall, James, Logan and Carlos as all stuffed into a super bubbly bubble bath, sitting like a choo-choo train facing the wall to fit. And the humiliation stung their very existance as friends-who've-seen-too-much to this day.
"Are you happy now? Tattle-tale!" Young James splashed sudsy water into Carlos's face.
Lamely, he says with a shrug. "At least we're getting clean."
Coming back from his leave of absence, Carlos shakes his head. "But I was young then, and we've gotten over punching each other at the thought of getting naked around each other- remember the onsen?" He grabs a cooling down James by the arm. "I don't just say whatever secrets I know."
Bewildered, Kendall retorts. "What did you just do when we walked through the door?!" Spreading his arms, he waits for a reply then takes the initiative himself. "You told on us!"
Carlos only puckered his lips out in a silent "Ooooh."
"We could have been Mom, or Katie, or Logan..."
"I notice you didn't say Gustavo or Kelly?"
"They already know!" Kendall snaps. "And now with you, and they, Lucy, and weee." He points between himself and James. "That's too many people knowing about something that's supposed to be a secret!"
"Alright! I swear I won't tell anyone else." Carlos assures.
"Good. But if you feel the urge to tell, tell me or James." Kendall nods at the good plan. "That way, you'll get it off your chest without getting in trouble."
"Deal."
And the deal was sealed. And broken.
At the Palm Woods's pool while James was reading the latest Pop Tiger magazine, he got bombarded with the confession of Carlos knowing of his and Kendall's relationship.
Then there was Kendall. When he was at the vending machine in the lobby, Carlos came up behind him for some fruit smackers and he whispered it into Kendall's ear.
Let's not forget at dinner when he spelled -Dating- out with his carrot sticks and rice, then making little arrows at the start and end of the word with schmears of barbecue sauce from his chicken that are pointing to Kendall and James of whom he's sandwiched between.
He wrote it in the mirror fog when he stepped out of the shower, but only because he knew that James was going in to brush directly after him.
It got so bad, that by day four Kendall and James holed up in the bedroom closet and began a discussion.
"We need to shut Carlos up." Kendall informs.
"I know. But how?"
"That's what we need to figure out." Setting down a metronome that he aquired as if from thin air, he gets it swishing back and forth then grabs his chin thoughtfully to think; James mimics him.
...
Camille and Lucy are having tea and cookies in the Roberts' apartment, watching television and laughing at the antics of Kramer from Seinfeld. He's pretending to be a doctor in order to help his friend George out, who needs a picture of his current boss topless. And when the commercial came up, Camille turns to Lucy and smirks impishly.
"So, how are things going with Kendall?" She asks. "You two seem pretty close."
Lucy quietly sipped her tea then gave a very mechanical nod, with a plastered fake smile.
"What? things aren't going good?" Camille asked, reading into the lukewarm response. "Is he still hung up on, Jo? I mean, if he is I'm sure a few more weeks with you and he'll make you his number one." A reassuring smile, and pat on the leg, Camille was sure Lucy would feel better.
Unfortunately there seemed to be a mystery beneath the rocker girl's petrified expression- that- or she's choking down a bad cup of tea.
"Camille, if I tell you something" Lucy set her cup down at her lap. "you promise not to repeat it?"
"Sure!" Now the actress was intruiged.
And she didn't mean to sound like a volture circling about a fresh kill, but anytime someone starts a sentence with 'Can I tell you something, its usually, really really juicey. What could it be? Lucy wants promise rings? Or maybe Kendall brought it up! Or maybe Kendall and James are still fighting over her, and she's secretly dating both guys! Then there's the possibility of Kendall dumping her, so that he doesn't have to fight with one of his best friends but she's still hung up on him, and has now become a stalker. Wow, juicey.
Watching Camille's expression, Lucy's brows furrow and she snips. "It's none of those things!" She doesn't know the specifics, but she can tell the kinds of thoughts that go on in the actress's head.
"So then tell me, don't leave me hanging."
Looking around the apartment, though empty, the walls appear to have ears to the rocker girl. There's really only one thing that she can do. Grabbing Camille by the hand, she stands. "Come with me and I'll tell you."
"Huh?"
And she yelped when being tugged along after the fleeing rocker.
"Hey Logan!" She called when spotting her boyfriend- and she likes using the title between them again- in the hall about to knock on her door.
"I... you... okay, bye Camille." He's confused, but not gonna question it, because girls are weird and complicated. So about-facing, he instead heads off to find Carlos.
"Uuum, I'm all for an explanation but... why are we meeting in the boys' apartment?" Asks Camille looking around her dragged to environment. "And in the closet!" She swats a coat's tickling arm away from her arm.
"Because what I was told, I was asked to have go no farther than this closet. So, its the closet or nothing." Lucy informs.
"But this is insane. We can talk just as privately by the pool, no one's around since its still so cold out." She reaches for the door, yelping when her hand is karate chopped by her kidnapper.
"It has to be the closet." She insist.
"O... kay. But what is it?" She's rubbing her chopped wrist gently. "And make it quick, being in here is kinda creeping..." She inhales a deep whiff. "And grossing me out."
"I know."
Camille nods to agree, then leans in to hear what's going to be whispered.
"I have a crush on Kendall." Lucy blurts.
Camille waits for the rest, but that seemed to be it. "He's your boyfriend, and its sweet to still think of them as a crush even when you're together. So?"
"Sooo... I kinda know something about him that ruins all that."
"Well, Logan has lots of embarrassing qualities- but you have to learn to love them, otherwise you'll just drive each other nuts and break up prematurely."
"...Camille, its about Kendall and James."
"Iii knew it! You're secretely seeing the both of them." She points an accussing finger, though she's smiling.
"Kendall and James are seeing each other."
It took a moment for those words to sink in, then Camille was sure it wasn't coming in right. Because with the way Lucy said it, it sounds as if the two people dating are Kendall and James. Shaking her head, she wonders outloud. "But how is this possible? They both like you." After a thought she adds. "And you and Kendall have been going on all those dates together." She begins shaking her head when seeing that Lucy is doing so.
"Well, James does- or he did- like me, and who knows with Kendall but.." She takes a deep breath, then let's it out. "I'm kinda their beard."
"You're what?!"
"And anytime they wanna go out with each other, they've been calling me and I go sit around while they're out on the date."
"Wow. I did not see this one coming."
"I know, and what's worse is that I kind of liked Kendall before" She's speaking with her hands rocking them back and forth to the incidences. "then we've been going on all of these dates, and because you guys came through I took a kiss meant for James and that sort of made me fall harder." Her head drops down in a bow, her dual colored hair hides her laughing expression. "And its really so sad that its funny."
"Oohhh, you poor thing." She wraps her arms around her. "Dating in Hollywood is not easy." Camille pets Lucy atop her head. "And... Kendall and James are dating?!" It just hit her.
Katie and Ms. Knight look over their shoulder at the dulled uproar going on from the boys bedroom, but shrugged when no other sound followed it and they then go back to watching The Price is Right, completely missing it when the two girls sneak back out of the apartment.
Down in the lobby, Logan locates Carlos talking to a new girl. He debated leaving him to his conversation but it seemed over at that moment, since the girl waved him a goodbye before walking away.
"Carlos, I wanna talk to you."
"Okay. What's up?"
They move over to the chairs around a planter box and take a seat.
"I.." He lowers a folder with papers in it, onto the coffee table infront of their seats. "have compiled a folder of evidence to coincide with my suspcions that you, and I, and everyone we know, have been lied to about Lucy and Kendall's relationship."
Panicked, Carlos awkwardly attemtps to fold his arms over his chest to seem nonchalant. "Really? How do you mean?"
"I think that Kendall is trying to get James back for all the arguements he's started with him since the 'curse interview', and he's using Lucy to help him do it."
"No way!" Carlos waves it off. "Kendall isn't like that, and he'd never use one of his friends to hurt another." With a shrug he adds. "They probably really love each other- I mean, in a friendly way- nooot like boyfriends."
Logan only raised his brows in question, and a little shock to Carlos's choice of words. "Nooo, I'm pretty sure he's just using Lucy. And I have proof."
"Really?!"
Opening the folder it reveals that every paper inside is actually blank. "I will, once I have a little help getting it. And since Camille's off being crazy, I've decided to enlist you as my spy buddy."
"And by "spy buddy" I'm doing what exactly?"
"I'm glad you asked." He slips a buddy-buddy arm around his friend's shoulders.
8 8 8
"He wants what?"
Replying to Kendall's question, Carlos grabs him by the shirt. "He wants to get proof that you're using Lucy to get back at James for fighting with you over the tour."
"I am not." Kendall defends.
"Well, that's what I said. But Logan's not convinced." Gathering his senses, he calmly says. "Why not just come clean? I mean, Logan's our friend. And he should know too... why can't we tell him?"
"I don't know, but we gotta do damage control." Kendall thinks for a moment. "I'll tell Lucy, we'll go on a couple of dates" He air quotes the word 'date'. "James is spotted being ok with it, and Logan will be satisfied."
"I guess so." But he doesn't sound so sure. "But tell me again why Logan can't know?"
"Because if this gets out, then it could ruin Big Time Rush and our fans and everyone incharge of making the band will be angry and then bye bye, L.A. ...it'll be just like what happened to that group from the 90s."
"Okay. You're right." He nods. "But Logan asked for me to help him dig up some info, so don't let your guard down around me either- you know I can't keep a secret."
"We know." James shrugs his hand.
"Alright, you all remember what you're supposed to do?" Kendall looks between them, smiling when they nod. "Good. Now let's get out of here, because this closet is creeping me out. Smells like perfume in here."
"I know, right." Agrees Carlos.
8 8 8
"Kelly," Gustavo steps from around his desk with some papers in his hand, and he's waving them proudly through the air. "I just came up with an amazing way to make more money for papa bear."
"I'm listening." She says, though she seems more interested in whatever she's doing on her Tablet.
Now that the world tour is over, its time the boy's start promoting for the next album. She has to set up television appearances, couch time with something called Cambio, and a bunch of photoshoots for the cover and lay-out, last thing she wants to do is listen to Gustavo's insane planning when he should continue working on song lyrics and melodies.
Looking up from her work, she spots the sheets of paper in her bosses hand. "What are those?"
"This," And he hands them over to her. "is the new idea for making the big bucks in this business. We give the fans what they want."
Looking the papers over, she's physically shocked by what she's reading. Looking at Gustavo, she then gapes. "You're out of your mind."
"You bet I am, and it doesn't matter" He takes the papers back. "because this plan is golden. Get the Pop Tiger people on the phone, Kelly. I smell a victory."
Inwardly groaning, the assistant grabs her phone with doubt. But she dials the magazine's editor anyway. If this is a plan, its one that sounds better as its failing rather than having it talked down on.
4 days later.
Carlos wasn't kidding when he said Logan was fishing for the truth about something. But it was all very exhausting. And since he had to spend time with Lucy for nearly a week, he's really starting to miss the new woo'ing James. They had actually sat together in Lucy's apartment planning out dates between a make-out session. It was fun, and exciting, and its now all ruined because Logan won't back off.
Tilting, he falls sideways onto the couch with a light groan from his mouth. And on top off that trauma, once Logan stopped hunting for his and Lucy's relationship status he then began to hunt for the truth! That's all thanks to Katie having talked to him while he went over evidence with Carlos at the dinner table.
The secret holding male finally called it quits on Logan's manhunt, but surprisingly, he didn't rat them out. He instead just said it was crazy, and that he doesn't like spying on his friends. So he quit. But Katie put herself in the mix now, and his little sister is terrifying to others! So Kendall can only imagine how bad she'll be towards someone she actually knows personally.
He again groans into the couch.
"Aaw, you tired from giving your sister and Logan the slip?"
"Uh-huh." Kendall sighs. "And Carlos, I think even Camille is in on it?" He sees her nod, then begins to pop his head repeatedly into the seat cushion.
Rolling her head along with her eyes, she pats Kendall between the shoulderblades. "Honey, why not just tell them that you're together?" And she made it sound so simple.
"Because we- wait," He elevates his head so he can look at her. "How do you know about James and me?" He was surprised when she'd known about everyone following him around like a bunch of private-eye privacy assassins, but she knows about the BIG secret?
"I'm your mother, I know everything."
He offered her an expression that said he believed her reply was fair enough. But it didn't exactly make him feel any better.
"Maybe we should but, I would rather it be James and I who tell them, rather than everyone finding out on their own. I just would rather it be a sure thing between the both of us first, ya know?"
"Is it what you want?" She sets her book down, to concentrate on Real Talk with her son.
"We don't know!" He sits himself up now. "James and I have done a lot together, but none of it leans on being a couple." He shrugs. "It'd be easier if we find out between ourselves rather than having everyone watching us, and pushing for one way over the other while pushing their feelings onto us... Its a lot of pressure."
"What feelings?" His mother questions. "Your friends will support you, no matter what."
"That's just it. They could tell us its a good idea, or believe its bad. We could hurt the band if the break up is on bad terms- not to mention our friendship." Sighing, he says softly "If we're together..." then trails off. "Let's just say that the outcome seems to always be the same as the reason we can't be together."
"So why try?"
"Because... because its worth it. The start may have been bad, the end will be a nightmare... but the before then.."
"Well if the inbetween is worth it, then you've got your answer." She rubs his hand. "And when the fallout comes... just forget about the relationship and focus on the fact that you're friends first. Being together was something that you wanted to try, don't let it be who you are in the end. That's what starts fights in break-ups."
Scrunching his nose, he asks. "Really?"
"Sure. Being awkward can kill anything." She lifts her book in order to continue reading. "Just remember that you love each other, and you're friends."
Kendall let that sink in. "Mom... you're right! That's what's keeping me and James from just going for it! We're afraid we won't remember that we're friends if something happens and we break up." He scoffs his surprise. "Who knew moms were good at 'Love Science'?"
Ms. Knight just groaned and shook her head.
"I am gonna go tell James, and we're gonna share our love with the world." Fist in the air, he heads for the door.
"Good luck, honey!" Jennifer calls after him.
...
"I'm glad that you're all here." Says Logan to his friends, who've gathered around the Palm Woods pool in the sitting area. "Because what I have to say is about to blow all of your minds right out of the stratosphere!" He waves his hand about his head and a little ways behind him as if the small gathering could literally see that far out.
"Logan, what's this about? I've got an audition to get to in ten minutes." Camille waves her hands in a little circle, showing off the universal sign for: Let's wrap whatever this is up.
"Yeah, and in about three minutes I'm scheduled to not be around crazy- again." And she's referring to the run-around she'd had with Logan a couple months back when he thought Camille and Kendall broke some dating code.
"Will everyone just cool it!" He snaps. "I mean, I've got a cork-board." He slaps a pointer stick at an empty board beside him. "And a pointer."
A collective sigh went up when Logan slapped two photos onto the board, tacking them in place. The photos contain pictures of Kendall and Jo together, happily holding hands or eating together in some sort of romantic looking way.
"Love." Logan began. "We've all experienced it, and have seen it in others." The pointer thwacks into the photo of the couple lovingly looking into each other's eyes. "But let's take a look at these..."
Blocking the board, he tacks three photos in empty places around the other two photos. The six lean in with a near squint when Logan moves out of the way, then remains silent as if he expects them to understand and start blurting out comments about it. They honestly don't have a clue. There are 3 pictures taken: Lucy and Kendall in a nice restaurant having dinner, Kendall and Lucy holding hands in the park, and Kendall and Lucy sharing a smooch.
"Why were you spying on us?" Lucy asks, although she's somewhat aware of why.
"Because Lucy, Kendall has been keeping a secret from you- aaalll of us!" Logan declares with enough bravado to have been pounding his chest along with the accussation. "And he's wrong for that, and should just let his friends know, instead of lying about it." His brows raise in Kendall's direction.
Looking around the curious expressions of his friends, Kendall shrugs and says. "I don't have any secrets. ...And if I did, I would prefer a better time to tell you on my own time then have it yanked out of me."
"Yeah, Logan" And this is Camille, who is in the process of standing to leave for her audition. "You can't force confessions from someone. Whatever's going on with Kendall, he'll tell us when he's ready."
"Thank you, Camille." And Kendall was both pleasently surprised by her coming to his defense, and a bit suspicious. It sounded as if she knew something as well... Nah. Fishing into his pocket, he sees that his phone has been ringing.
"I'm leaving too," Says Lucy. Standing, she walks over to Kendall tapping him on the shoulder. "I'll see you later?"
"Its a date." He replies without looking at her, so he completely missed her disheartened expression. "Guys, Gustavo wants us at the studio.. he says he's got something to tell us, and he ended it with a bunch of dollar signs." He shows them his phone by holding the face of it out to them.
"Oh sweet! A raise." Cheered Carlos.
James took the offered high-five from Carlos, and got up from the table to follow him and Kendall.
"But," Logan, stupified, watches them all depart. "but.. but you didn't hear my explanation of one-sided love, and how Lucy is being used... and will somebody tell me what's going on?!"
Big Time Rush gathered at Rocque Records in Gustavo's office before his desk. Their boss is looking quite pleased with himself too.
"Boys. I've found a new way to sell Big Time Rush, while keeping your images intact."
"But!" Kendall cuts in. "Before we get into any of that..." He expells a heavy sigh. "James and I have something we wanna get off our chests."
"We do?" Asks James.
"Yes... Logan." Everyone in the room looks at the addressed. "The reason my interest in Lucy seems one-sided is because... it is- well, not really because Lucy already knows but- the reason we look like a fake couple is because its the truth. She was only faking it because she was helping me hide the fact that James and I are dating." He takes his lover's hand and raises it into the air. "James and I are a couple!" He announced with pride.
The room let up a collective groan, before mutters of "We know" came out.
Kendall flat-lined with his jaw to the floor. James, on-the-other-hand, looked three kinds of guilty. Stepping over to stand beside Logan he says innocently. "I felt bad that he was all worked up and was the only one who didn't know outside of the group. So, before we got here, I told him."
James and Logan look over at their shared flashback.
"Its cool, Logan... there's no codes broken or lies being told. Kendall and me are dating."
"Oh. Neat."
And that was that.
Scoffing, Kendall snaps out of his momentary shock. "Oh, then I'm better." Chuckling over how relieved he feels, he wraps an arm around Logan's shoulders. "Sorry for not telling you sooner."
"Its alright. Besides, we kind of gave you no choice but to keep it from us." He shrugs. "I was gonna get back together with Camille and not say anything, so I understand."
"Awesome. And let it be known that our friendships comes first.. and we should all be together no matter what." Kendall smiles. "But this conversation goes no further than anyone in this room."
"Actually," Carlos interrupts. "Camille knows." He shrugs in defense when James and Kendall look snow balled by the confession. "But it wasn't me, I kept the secret... Lucy told her, and she asked me if I knew, and then I told her its a secret."
"Okay... okay, no one beyond Lucy, Camille, and Mom know."
"How does Ms. Knight know?" Kelly asks.
"Moms know everything." Kendall shrugs.
"Plus... I think Katie found out somehow." James adds. "But she knows its a secret!" He explains. "I was kinda texting Kendall and she was looking over my shoulder, when I pushed 'send' I turned and she was there."
"You let my little sister know through that!?" Kendall snapped.
"It was just the last line." James offers as a defensive move.
It wasn't enough to stop Kendall from dying of humiliation inside. He remembers every word of that 'S-ext'. "Is there anybody else?!" He groans. "The Jennifers maybe? Jett? Mr. Bitters?"
"Try everybody all over the world," Gustavo finally cuts in on their parade of confessions. "Because I'm having BTR Seeing Stars make the cover of Pop Tiger magazines next issue, and all your fans are gonna read about your relationship first-hand."
"But what about it ruining the bands image?" James wondered through controlled terror.
"That was before I found this." He hands over the pile of papers.
The band gathered to look over the couple's shoulders. Reading it out loud, Carlos says. "Big Time Confessions?"
They read the description simultaniously. "A story about Kendall Knight confessing his feelings for James during an interview."
"I don't get it," Kendall retorts. "Who wrote this," He thumbs through the six sheets. "Frighteningly graphic story?"
Snatching it back, Gustavo says. "Don't care, but there are more just like it. Looks like your 'curse interview' has sprouted into a love fest between you two and thousands of fans are dying to read them. And we're gonna reveal that its true."
Frozen, Kendall and James tip back and faint.
"Now, let's drop the mush and get into the studio and record some duet songs for the album. Because we need to profit off this mistake while we still can. UUUUUP!"
Carlos and Logan scoop their fainted friends from the floor, helping their recovering stagger into the studio.
AND THEIR MUSICAL JOURNEY CONTINUES...
...
Author's Note: Forgive me that its tackey, my writers block made me do it. I told you I'm no good with endings. Thank you all for reading, and reveiwing along the way, they were so funny sometimes I loved it. Until the next one, which I'll write out the ending first so this doesn't happen again, SEE YAS!
And it was seeing this little scene, when they started their American tour four days after they made a pit-stop at the Palm Woods, that revealed something to Carlos that's been going on probably for months. Kendall and James are dating. And with eyes wide, he watched the two existing together, while being completely oblivious to his having exited the tour buses mini recording studio and have spotted them. Which is when Kendall looked up at James, and kissed him...
It was a terrifying discovery! The scenarios were just playing themselves out before him: James and Kendall's fights, how they always seemed to be over the moment he and Logan entered the room. And then there's the fact that they've never actually really had much ground to fight about, it was always over some odd reason.
How the two, though seemingly on iffy-terms, continually wanted to share hotel rooms to "bond". It made Carlos wonder exactly what this "bonding" consist of? Not to mention when the two laughed on stage that time, what was so funny?
Then there are those trips to the bathroom...
Those pictures from Japan were clearly taken in the daytime, he looked again, and a window was in one of the shots! And he'll bet they snuck off from either the park or during that epicly awesome movie they watched. He thought it was strange that they were approaching them instead of exiting the veiwing room, but he wasn't sure because he was rubbing his eyes from the sunlight coming in through the front doors.
Then he recalled the way James defended that ugly fan, who'd broken into his and Kendall's hotel room- it was James! It must have been!
This means that he also saw the two of them holding hands when they were walking around New York, and just when they all turned to smile at and receive candy canes from Santa Claus, who was riding on a firetruck and chucking them to the padestrians, he saw them release their hands from the corner of his eye. He just assumed that Kendall was about to cross the street, and James was pulling him back.
Carlos would have liked his accidently spying on them to have led to nothing more than his being suspicious of them. But there was no mistaking them kissing. Even if they'd of seen him seeing them, and said that they were picking food from the other's teeth, and since their hands were currently holding onto the Tablet- and snacks- what else could they do?
It was heavy information to hold onto, especially when the American portion of the tour ended and they're all now back at the Palm Woods, carrying on with their break while waiting around for Gustavo to call them in for their 3rd album recording. Its as if Carlos's senses are on overdrive and he's hyper aware of the couples every movement.
Eating, drinking, walking, talking, and- Oh, God! He refered to them as a couple! Not only are they breaking the 'No dating within the band' code- which when you think about the fact that it was made on their assumption they would ever have a female member in the band, was a really weird code to continue to have when they're a band of men. So, that's it then? No real merrit behind a code means that there really isn't a code, so what they're doing is ok? Right?
He really wants to talk to someone about this. Anyone! There's Lucy, she must know something since she continuelly has dates with Kendall- and what's that all about?! Is Kendall seeing both of them? Is that allowed? Hn. Having it both ways, Carlos supposed.
And sitting here in the apartment, alone; Katie and Ms. Knight are out for the evening at the mall- Katie wanted her ears pierced, Carlos is sure he's gonna burst and spill the beans to the first person that comes through the door.
He turns in his seat on the big orange couch, daring someone to walk in, and as if on cue, the apartment door opened.
"Kendall and James have been secretly dating!" He blurts out before slapping his hands over his gabbing mouth.
"WHAT!?" Bark the accussed bandmates.
Snatching Carlos up happened like whiplash, and the three found themselves in the bedroom closet.
"Carlos," Kendall begins, "what you think you know," he then leans in and harshly whispers. "you don't really know. Alright?" Patting Carlos on the back, Kendall offers his friend an award winning grin. "Alright."
"But I-.."
He's cut off by James, who's cracking his knuckles while speaking intensely. "You 'but' nothing."
"James!" Kendall scolds. "Threatening Carlos will only hurt the situation more. Now, Carlos... you're wrong about James and me, because I am dating Lucy."
"No you're not!" Snipped James.
"Not helping!" Snapped Kendall, who then let out a breath to keep his cool. "What makes you think James and me are a couple? We've been hanging out a lot together- sure, but we're not dating or anything."
Carlos, feeling cornered somewhat, slinked into resting against Kendall who wrapped his arm around his shoulders, since James was still offering a bouncer's vibe in his direction. "But you guys have been spending a lot of private time together, and then there were those times with the elephant in the room." He points to James, who then was the assumed creator of the elephants where Kendall tried to stop them. "And then there was the fact that, " He's pointing at Kendall now. "I saw the two of you kissing on the tour bus."
"When?" Asked James through panic.
"On tour!" Carlos nods.
"Which tour?"
"There are options?!" Carlos bugged out from a mind-blow! He actually grabbed his head and showed how the explosion looked when his hands were kaboomed away from it.
"Let's not lose our heads here!" Kendall derails the debris of Carlos's boggled mind. He also derailed the flipped out James, before the two got anymore out of hand.
"But Carlos, is a blabber mouth!" Snipped James. "And wee are supposed to be a secret."
"But why?" Carlos asks looking between the pair. "I think its neat if you two wanna be together."
"Well we don't care what you thi-.." Realizing what Carlos had actually said, James turns his head a bit to offer his ear for a better hear. "Come again?"
"Well yeah!" He pipes up getting excited. "Do I understand it? No." Kendall and James shake their heads along with Carlos. "Do I think certain points of it might be a little creepy, yes."
The pair furrow their brows in a bit of offense to that.
"But am I gonna love, and cheer you two crazy kids on anyway?" He borrows a saying from James. "You bet I am."
"Aaaww." Say the three, bringing it in by wrapping their arms around each other.
"But are we still gonna have to kill you anyway?" Asks James, interrupting the love fest. "I'm afraid so."
Yelping, Carlos leaps into Kendall's arms; Kendall immediately dropped him back onto his feet, so Carlos chose to hide behind the male instead. James wouldn't end a friend with his boyfriend blocking him, would he?
"But I told you that I was ok with it!" Carlos offers as his defense.
"And that's great! But Kendall and me kinda wanna keep it a secret, and" He chuckles then before shouting. "you're a loud mouth!"
"But you can trust me with the big stuff!"
"Oh, like how you spilled the beans to Logan's Mom about what we were doing that summer in the pond?"
Carlos looks at the mini flashback playing off in the dark corner of the closet.
They were 8 years old, down at Hucklebee pond, rolling in water and mud and catching a pick load of bull frogs. They were having a blast, and the best part was that they intended to sell them to other kids and hold frog races then after. It was gonna be a gold mine! They, unfortunately forgot to bring a box or tub to carry the croaking hoppers in, so they stuffed them on their person, anywhere they could find room. Under their shirts in front, back, sides, up their shorts, in their socks- just anywhere!
It was just really bad when they got down to the thick of it, because they hadn't really considered the possibility that frogs weren't interested in hiding out on wet and dirty kid bodies causing them to squirm, jump, and slip out from beneath every hiding place they were stuffed into. So by the time they reached the Mitchell household, they were out their entire stock, and now were just dirty and in need to hide out.
"We get in the house from around back, and clean up." Logan assured them that they weren't going to get into trouble if they followed his plan. "As for the dirty clothes, its my turn for laundry duty so my Mom won't question my using the washer, aaand" Looking around their huddle, he asks. "where's Carlos?"
"You did what?! Look at yourself!" Joanna Mitchell called from beyond the opened front door.
The 3 remaining froggers look into the home where they spot a dripping Carlos being steered to the stairs.
"And do you remember what happened because you couldn't keep your mouth shut?" James asks through Carlos's haze.
He remembered alright... the bath which dare never be spoken of again.
Kendall, James, Logan and Carlos as all stuffed into a super bubbly bubble bath, sitting like a choo-choo train facing the wall to fit. And the humiliation stung their very existance as friends-who've-seen-too-much to this day.
"Are you happy now? Tattle-tale!" Young James splashed sudsy water into Carlos's face.
Lamely, he says with a shrug. "At least we're getting clean."
Coming back from his leave of absence, Carlos shakes his head. "But I was young then, and we've gotten over punching each other at the thought of getting naked around each other- remember the onsen?" He grabs a cooling down James by the arm. "I don't just say whatever secrets I know."
Bewildered, Kendall retorts. "What did you just do when we walked through the door?!" Spreading his arms, he waits for a reply then takes the initiative himself. "You told on us!"
Carlos only puckered his lips out in a silent "Ooooh."
"We could have been Mom, or Katie, or Logan..."
"I notice you didn't say Gustavo or Kelly?"
"They already know!" Kendall snaps. "And now with you, and they, Lucy, and weee." He points between himself and James. "That's too many people knowing about something that's supposed to be a secret!"
"Alright! I swear I won't tell anyone else." Carlos assures.
"Good. But if you feel the urge to tell, tell me or James." Kendall nods at the good plan. "That way, you'll get it off your chest without getting in trouble."
"Deal."
And the deal was sealed. And broken.
At the Palm Woods's pool while James was reading the latest Pop Tiger magazine, he got bombarded with the confession of Carlos knowing of his and Kendall's relationship.
Then there was Kendall. When he was at the vending machine in the lobby, Carlos came up behind him for some fruit smackers and he whispered it into Kendall's ear.
Let's not forget at dinner when he spelled -Dating- out with his carrot sticks and rice, then making little arrows at the start and end of the word with schmears of barbecue sauce from his chicken that are pointing to Kendall and James of whom he's sandwiched between.
He wrote it in the mirror fog when he stepped out of the shower, but only because he knew that James was going in to brush directly after him.
It got so bad, that by day four Kendall and James holed up in the bedroom closet and began a discussion.
"We need to shut Carlos up." Kendall informs.
"I know. But how?"
"That's what we need to figure out." Setting down a metronome that he aquired as if from thin air, he gets it swishing back and forth then grabs his chin thoughtfully to think; James mimics him.
...
Camille and Lucy are having tea and cookies in the Roberts' apartment, watching television and laughing at the antics of Kramer from Seinfeld. He's pretending to be a doctor in order to help his friend George out, who needs a picture of his current boss topless. And when the commercial came up, Camille turns to Lucy and smirks impishly.
"So, how are things going with Kendall?" She asks. "You two seem pretty close."
Lucy quietly sipped her tea then gave a very mechanical nod, with a plastered fake smile.
"What? things aren't going good?" Camille asked, reading into the lukewarm response. "Is he still hung up on, Jo? I mean, if he is I'm sure a few more weeks with you and he'll make you his number one." A reassuring smile, and pat on the leg, Camille was sure Lucy would feel better.
Unfortunately there seemed to be a mystery beneath the rocker girl's petrified expression- that- or she's choking down a bad cup of tea.
"Camille, if I tell you something" Lucy set her cup down at her lap. "you promise not to repeat it?"
"Sure!" Now the actress was intruiged.
And she didn't mean to sound like a volture circling about a fresh kill, but anytime someone starts a sentence with 'Can I tell you something, its usually, really really juicey. What could it be? Lucy wants promise rings? Or maybe Kendall brought it up! Or maybe Kendall and James are still fighting over her, and she's secretly dating both guys! Then there's the possibility of Kendall dumping her, so that he doesn't have to fight with one of his best friends but she's still hung up on him, and has now become a stalker. Wow, juicey.
Watching Camille's expression, Lucy's brows furrow and she snips. "It's none of those things!" She doesn't know the specifics, but she can tell the kinds of thoughts that go on in the actress's head.
"So then tell me, don't leave me hanging."
Looking around the apartment, though empty, the walls appear to have ears to the rocker girl. There's really only one thing that she can do. Grabbing Camille by the hand, she stands. "Come with me and I'll tell you."
"Huh?"
And she yelped when being tugged along after the fleeing rocker.
"Hey Logan!" She called when spotting her boyfriend- and she likes using the title between them again- in the hall about to knock on her door.
"I... you... okay, bye Camille." He's confused, but not gonna question it, because girls are weird and complicated. So about-facing, he instead heads off to find Carlos.
"Uuum, I'm all for an explanation but... why are we meeting in the boys' apartment?" Asks Camille looking around her dragged to environment. "And in the closet!" She swats a coat's tickling arm away from her arm.
"Because what I was told, I was asked to have go no farther than this closet. So, its the closet or nothing." Lucy informs.
"But this is insane. We can talk just as privately by the pool, no one's around since its still so cold out." She reaches for the door, yelping when her hand is karate chopped by her kidnapper.
"It has to be the closet." She insist.
"O... kay. But what is it?" She's rubbing her chopped wrist gently. "And make it quick, being in here is kinda creeping..." She inhales a deep whiff. "And grossing me out."
"I know."
Camille nods to agree, then leans in to hear what's going to be whispered.
"I have a crush on Kendall." Lucy blurts.
Camille waits for the rest, but that seemed to be it. "He's your boyfriend, and its sweet to still think of them as a crush even when you're together. So?"
"Sooo... I kinda know something about him that ruins all that."
"Well, Logan has lots of embarrassing qualities- but you have to learn to love them, otherwise you'll just drive each other nuts and break up prematurely."
"...Camille, its about Kendall and James."
"Iii knew it! You're secretely seeing the both of them." She points an accussing finger, though she's smiling.
"Kendall and James are seeing each other."
It took a moment for those words to sink in, then Camille was sure it wasn't coming in right. Because with the way Lucy said it, it sounds as if the two people dating are Kendall and James. Shaking her head, she wonders outloud. "But how is this possible? They both like you." After a thought she adds. "And you and Kendall have been going on all those dates together." She begins shaking her head when seeing that Lucy is doing so.
"Well, James does- or he did- like me, and who knows with Kendall but.." She takes a deep breath, then let's it out. "I'm kinda their beard."
"You're what?!"
"And anytime they wanna go out with each other, they've been calling me and I go sit around while they're out on the date."
"Wow. I did not see this one coming."
"I know, and what's worse is that I kind of liked Kendall before" She's speaking with her hands rocking them back and forth to the incidences. "then we've been going on all of these dates, and because you guys came through I took a kiss meant for James and that sort of made me fall harder." Her head drops down in a bow, her dual colored hair hides her laughing expression. "And its really so sad that its funny."
"Oohhh, you poor thing." She wraps her arms around her. "Dating in Hollywood is not easy." Camille pets Lucy atop her head. "And... Kendall and James are dating?!" It just hit her.
Katie and Ms. Knight look over their shoulder at the dulled uproar going on from the boys bedroom, but shrugged when no other sound followed it and they then go back to watching The Price is Right, completely missing it when the two girls sneak back out of the apartment.
Down in the lobby, Logan locates Carlos talking to a new girl. He debated leaving him to his conversation but it seemed over at that moment, since the girl waved him a goodbye before walking away.
"Carlos, I wanna talk to you."
"Okay. What's up?"
They move over to the chairs around a planter box and take a seat.
"I.." He lowers a folder with papers in it, onto the coffee table infront of their seats. "have compiled a folder of evidence to coincide with my suspcions that you, and I, and everyone we know, have been lied to about Lucy and Kendall's relationship."
Panicked, Carlos awkwardly attemtps to fold his arms over his chest to seem nonchalant. "Really? How do you mean?"
"I think that Kendall is trying to get James back for all the arguements he's started with him since the 'curse interview', and he's using Lucy to help him do it."
"No way!" Carlos waves it off. "Kendall isn't like that, and he'd never use one of his friends to hurt another." With a shrug he adds. "They probably really love each other- I mean, in a friendly way- nooot like boyfriends."
Logan only raised his brows in question, and a little shock to Carlos's choice of words. "Nooo, I'm pretty sure he's just using Lucy. And I have proof."
"Really?!"
Opening the folder it reveals that every paper inside is actually blank. "I will, once I have a little help getting it. And since Camille's off being crazy, I've decided to enlist you as my spy buddy."
"And by "spy buddy" I'm doing what exactly?"
"I'm glad you asked." He slips a buddy-buddy arm around his friend's shoulders.
8 8 8
"He wants what?"
Replying to Kendall's question, Carlos grabs him by the shirt. "He wants to get proof that you're using Lucy to get back at James for fighting with you over the tour."
"I am not." Kendall defends.
"Well, that's what I said. But Logan's not convinced." Gathering his senses, he calmly says. "Why not just come clean? I mean, Logan's our friend. And he should know too... why can't we tell him?"
"I don't know, but we gotta do damage control." Kendall thinks for a moment. "I'll tell Lucy, we'll go on a couple of dates" He air quotes the word 'date'. "James is spotted being ok with it, and Logan will be satisfied."
"I guess so." But he doesn't sound so sure. "But tell me again why Logan can't know?"
"Because if this gets out, then it could ruin Big Time Rush and our fans and everyone incharge of making the band will be angry and then bye bye, L.A. ...it'll be just like what happened to that group from the 90s."
"Okay. You're right." He nods. "But Logan asked for me to help him dig up some info, so don't let your guard down around me either- you know I can't keep a secret."
"We know." James shrugs his hand.
"Alright, you all remember what you're supposed to do?" Kendall looks between them, smiling when they nod. "Good. Now let's get out of here, because this closet is creeping me out. Smells like perfume in here."
"I know, right." Agrees Carlos.
8 8 8
"Kelly," Gustavo steps from around his desk with some papers in his hand, and he's waving them proudly through the air. "I just came up with an amazing way to make more money for papa bear."
"I'm listening." She says, though she seems more interested in whatever she's doing on her Tablet.
Now that the world tour is over, its time the boy's start promoting for the next album. She has to set up television appearances, couch time with something called Cambio, and a bunch of photoshoots for the cover and lay-out, last thing she wants to do is listen to Gustavo's insane planning when he should continue working on song lyrics and melodies.
Looking up from her work, she spots the sheets of paper in her bosses hand. "What are those?"
"This," And he hands them over to her. "is the new idea for making the big bucks in this business. We give the fans what they want."
Looking the papers over, she's physically shocked by what she's reading. Looking at Gustavo, she then gapes. "You're out of your mind."
"You bet I am, and it doesn't matter" He takes the papers back. "because this plan is golden. Get the Pop Tiger people on the phone, Kelly. I smell a victory."
Inwardly groaning, the assistant grabs her phone with doubt. But she dials the magazine's editor anyway. If this is a plan, its one that sounds better as its failing rather than having it talked down on.
4 days later.
Carlos wasn't kidding when he said Logan was fishing for the truth about something. But it was all very exhausting. And since he had to spend time with Lucy for nearly a week, he's really starting to miss the new woo'ing James. They had actually sat together in Lucy's apartment planning out dates between a make-out session. It was fun, and exciting, and its now all ruined because Logan won't back off.
Tilting, he falls sideways onto the couch with a light groan from his mouth. And on top off that trauma, once Logan stopped hunting for his and Lucy's relationship status he then began to hunt for the truth! That's all thanks to Katie having talked to him while he went over evidence with Carlos at the dinner table.
The secret holding male finally called it quits on Logan's manhunt, but surprisingly, he didn't rat them out. He instead just said it was crazy, and that he doesn't like spying on his friends. So he quit. But Katie put herself in the mix now, and his little sister is terrifying to others! So Kendall can only imagine how bad she'll be towards someone she actually knows personally.
He again groans into the couch.
"Aaw, you tired from giving your sister and Logan the slip?"
"Uh-huh." Kendall sighs. "And Carlos, I think even Camille is in on it?" He sees her nod, then begins to pop his head repeatedly into the seat cushion.
Rolling her head along with her eyes, she pats Kendall between the shoulderblades. "Honey, why not just tell them that you're together?" And she made it sound so simple.
"Because we- wait," He elevates his head so he can look at her. "How do you know about James and me?" He was surprised when she'd known about everyone following him around like a bunch of private-eye privacy assassins, but she knows about the BIG secret?
"I'm your mother, I know everything."
He offered her an expression that said he believed her reply was fair enough. But it didn't exactly make him feel any better.
"Maybe we should but, I would rather it be James and I who tell them, rather than everyone finding out on their own. I just would rather it be a sure thing between the both of us first, ya know?"
"Is it what you want?" She sets her book down, to concentrate on Real Talk with her son.
"We don't know!" He sits himself up now. "James and I have done a lot together, but none of it leans on being a couple." He shrugs. "It'd be easier if we find out between ourselves rather than having everyone watching us, and pushing for one way over the other while pushing their feelings onto us... Its a lot of pressure."
"What feelings?" His mother questions. "Your friends will support you, no matter what."
"That's just it. They could tell us its a good idea, or believe its bad. We could hurt the band if the break up is on bad terms- not to mention our friendship." Sighing, he says softly "If we're together..." then trails off. "Let's just say that the outcome seems to always be the same as the reason we can't be together."
"So why try?"
"Because... because its worth it. The start may have been bad, the end will be a nightmare... but the before then.."
"Well if the inbetween is worth it, then you've got your answer." She rubs his hand. "And when the fallout comes... just forget about the relationship and focus on the fact that you're friends first. Being together was something that you wanted to try, don't let it be who you are in the end. That's what starts fights in break-ups."
Scrunching his nose, he asks. "Really?"
"Sure. Being awkward can kill anything." She lifts her book in order to continue reading. "Just remember that you love each other, and you're friends."
Kendall let that sink in. "Mom... you're right! That's what's keeping me and James from just going for it! We're afraid we won't remember that we're friends if something happens and we break up." He scoffs his surprise. "Who knew moms were good at 'Love Science'?"
Ms. Knight just groaned and shook her head.
"I am gonna go tell James, and we're gonna share our love with the world." Fist in the air, he heads for the door.
"Good luck, honey!" Jennifer calls after him.
...
"I'm glad that you're all here." Says Logan to his friends, who've gathered around the Palm Woods pool in the sitting area. "Because what I have to say is about to blow all of your minds right out of the stratosphere!" He waves his hand about his head and a little ways behind him as if the small gathering could literally see that far out.
"Logan, what's this about? I've got an audition to get to in ten minutes." Camille waves her hands in a little circle, showing off the universal sign for: Let's wrap whatever this is up.
"Yeah, and in about three minutes I'm scheduled to not be around crazy- again." And she's referring to the run-around she'd had with Logan a couple months back when he thought Camille and Kendall broke some dating code.
"Will everyone just cool it!" He snaps. "I mean, I've got a cork-board." He slaps a pointer stick at an empty board beside him. "And a pointer."
A collective sigh went up when Logan slapped two photos onto the board, tacking them in place. The photos contain pictures of Kendall and Jo together, happily holding hands or eating together in some sort of romantic looking way.
"Love." Logan began. "We've all experienced it, and have seen it in others." The pointer thwacks into the photo of the couple lovingly looking into each other's eyes. "But let's take a look at these..."
Blocking the board, he tacks three photos in empty places around the other two photos. The six lean in with a near squint when Logan moves out of the way, then remains silent as if he expects them to understand and start blurting out comments about it. They honestly don't have a clue. There are 3 pictures taken: Lucy and Kendall in a nice restaurant having dinner, Kendall and Lucy holding hands in the park, and Kendall and Lucy sharing a smooch.
"Why were you spying on us?" Lucy asks, although she's somewhat aware of why.
"Because Lucy, Kendall has been keeping a secret from you- aaalll of us!" Logan declares with enough bravado to have been pounding his chest along with the accussation. "And he's wrong for that, and should just let his friends know, instead of lying about it." His brows raise in Kendall's direction.
Looking around the curious expressions of his friends, Kendall shrugs and says. "I don't have any secrets. ...And if I did, I would prefer a better time to tell you on my own time then have it yanked out of me."
"Yeah, Logan" And this is Camille, who is in the process of standing to leave for her audition. "You can't force confessions from someone. Whatever's going on with Kendall, he'll tell us when he's ready."
"Thank you, Camille." And Kendall was both pleasently surprised by her coming to his defense, and a bit suspicious. It sounded as if she knew something as well... Nah. Fishing into his pocket, he sees that his phone has been ringing.
"I'm leaving too," Says Lucy. Standing, she walks over to Kendall tapping him on the shoulder. "I'll see you later?"
"Its a date." He replies without looking at her, so he completely missed her disheartened expression. "Guys, Gustavo wants us at the studio.. he says he's got something to tell us, and he ended it with a bunch of dollar signs." He shows them his phone by holding the face of it out to them.
"Oh sweet! A raise." Cheered Carlos.
James took the offered high-five from Carlos, and got up from the table to follow him and Kendall.
"But," Logan, stupified, watches them all depart. "but.. but you didn't hear my explanation of one-sided love, and how Lucy is being used... and will somebody tell me what's going on?!"
Big Time Rush gathered at Rocque Records in Gustavo's office before his desk. Their boss is looking quite pleased with himself too.
"Boys. I've found a new way to sell Big Time Rush, while keeping your images intact."
"But!" Kendall cuts in. "Before we get into any of that..." He expells a heavy sigh. "James and I have something we wanna get off our chests."
"We do?" Asks James.
"Yes... Logan." Everyone in the room looks at the addressed. "The reason my interest in Lucy seems one-sided is because... it is- well, not really because Lucy already knows but- the reason we look like a fake couple is because its the truth. She was only faking it because she was helping me hide the fact that James and I are dating." He takes his lover's hand and raises it into the air. "James and I are a couple!" He announced with pride.
The room let up a collective groan, before mutters of "We know" came out.
Kendall flat-lined with his jaw to the floor. James, on-the-other-hand, looked three kinds of guilty. Stepping over to stand beside Logan he says innocently. "I felt bad that he was all worked up and was the only one who didn't know outside of the group. So, before we got here, I told him."
James and Logan look over at their shared flashback.
"Its cool, Logan... there's no codes broken or lies being told. Kendall and me are dating."
"Oh. Neat."
And that was that.
Scoffing, Kendall snaps out of his momentary shock. "Oh, then I'm better." Chuckling over how relieved he feels, he wraps an arm around Logan's shoulders. "Sorry for not telling you sooner."
"Its alright. Besides, we kind of gave you no choice but to keep it from us." He shrugs. "I was gonna get back together with Camille and not say anything, so I understand."
"Awesome. And let it be known that our friendships comes first.. and we should all be together no matter what." Kendall smiles. "But this conversation goes no further than anyone in this room."
"Actually," Carlos interrupts. "Camille knows." He shrugs in defense when James and Kendall look snow balled by the confession. "But it wasn't me, I kept the secret... Lucy told her, and she asked me if I knew, and then I told her its a secret."
"Okay... okay, no one beyond Lucy, Camille, and Mom know."
"How does Ms. Knight know?" Kelly asks.
"Moms know everything." Kendall shrugs.
"Plus... I think Katie found out somehow." James adds. "But she knows its a secret!" He explains. "I was kinda texting Kendall and she was looking over my shoulder, when I pushed 'send' I turned and she was there."
"You let my little sister know through that!?" Kendall snapped.
"It was just the last line." James offers as a defensive move.
It wasn't enough to stop Kendall from dying of humiliation inside. He remembers every word of that 'S-ext'. "Is there anybody else?!" He groans. "The Jennifers maybe? Jett? Mr. Bitters?"
"Try everybody all over the world," Gustavo finally cuts in on their parade of confessions. "Because I'm having BTR Seeing Stars make the cover of Pop Tiger magazines next issue, and all your fans are gonna read about your relationship first-hand."
"But what about it ruining the bands image?" James wondered through controlled terror.
"That was before I found this." He hands over the pile of papers.
The band gathered to look over the couple's shoulders. Reading it out loud, Carlos says. "Big Time Confessions?"
They read the description simultaniously. "A story about Kendall Knight confessing his feelings for James during an interview."
"I don't get it," Kendall retorts. "Who wrote this," He thumbs through the six sheets. "Frighteningly graphic story?"
Snatching it back, Gustavo says. "Don't care, but there are more just like it. Looks like your 'curse interview' has sprouted into a love fest between you two and thousands of fans are dying to read them. And we're gonna reveal that its true."
Frozen, Kendall and James tip back and faint.
"Now, let's drop the mush and get into the studio and record some duet songs for the album. Because we need to profit off this mistake while we still can. UUUUUP!"
Carlos and Logan scoop their fainted friends from the floor, helping their recovering stagger into the studio.
AND THEIR MUSICAL JOURNEY CONTINUES...
...
Author's Note: Forgive me that its tackey, my writers block made me do it. I told you I'm no good with endings. Thank you all for reading, and reveiwing along the way, they were so funny sometimes I loved it. Until the next one, which I'll write out the ending first so this doesn't happen again, SEE YAS!