The Happiest Place On Earth

After the boys' show that night they had decided to go to a late dinner to catch up with Alanis and Jake when the sound of a cell phone going off brought them all out of their current conversations.

The only problem was no one knew who's phone it was.

The teenagers had decided to play a game that required them to place their cell phones in a pile in the middle of the table and were not allowed to touch it. The first person to break the rule would have to pay for everyone at dinner that night. If no one touched their phones then they were allowed to all pay for themselves, but the boys insisted if this were to happen they would split the bill between the five of them leaving Kaylani, Sam, Jake, and Alanis out of it since they were their "guests".

"I would check to see whose phone is going off, but I really don't want to pay for everyone so tough luck. If it's an emergency they'll call more than once then we can call a time out and check it." Samantha shrugged nonchalantly before resuming her conversation with Zayn at one end of the table.

Jake, however, recognized the ringtone immediately and thought back to the deal he had made with his family before he left.

"While you're gone there is one thing we need from you, Jake." Jake looked into the eyes of his mother before nodding his head for her to continue. He knew whatever it was she was about to ask of him would not be dramatic or unreasonable - she was a woman with a kind heart and would never ask him to do anything he didn't feel was right. "If Ryan calls please pick up the phone. No matter what."

Jake could see the look of desperation in his mother's eyes. A look he hadn't seen since Ryan's "funeral". It was a look he hated to see on her flawless face and if this one simple promise would wipe the worry lines from her forehead, he would agree without hesitation.

"Deal."

"Guys, can we call that time out? It's Ryan calling my phone. I promised my mom I would answer him no matter what." Jake let his eyes dart around the table to connect with the eyes of each individual person before settling them back on the pile of cell phones before him. He figured he had about thirty seconds left before it went to voicemail.

"Go ahead Jake. Do what you gotta do." Kaylani knew immediately that Jake needed to answer the call. She knew the type of woman his mother was and if she made Jake promise to answer his phone whenever Ryan called, Kaylani knew that there was a very good reason behind it.

Jake looked at Kaylani thankfully before snatching his phone from the table almost immediately and speed walking outside to answer it. It was the middle of the afternoon in California so he figured whatever reason Ryan had to call, was a good one.

"Hey bro, what's up?" The minute Jake's voice floated through the line Ryan could feel his muscles relax from the tensed position they were just in. If anyone was going to be able to help him right now he knew it would be his brother.

"I can't do this." There was so much desperation and pain laced within Ryan's voice that Jake felt his insides churn. He could feel his brother's pain from thousands of miles away and could picture the tears in his eyes. It wasn't hard to guess what he was talking about, but he wanted to hear the words out of Ryan's mouth just to make sure he wasn't jumping to conclusions.

"You can't do what?" Letting his legs carry him to the edge of the pavement, Jake took a seat on the curb as he looked into the dark blue sky that was dotted with few stars due to the bright lights from the city.

"I can't pretend that I don't want her - that I don't need her. She's killing me and she's thousands of miles away. I want her to be happy. God, I want her to be happy. I just don't want her to be happy with him." Ryan emphasized the word "him" with such distaste laced in his voice Jake couldn't help but flinch. “That should be me, Jake. Part of me wants to jump on a plane and bring her home where she belongs - with us. The other part of me realizes how irrational I'm being and wants me to run away and never come back, but I wouldn't be able to do that to any of you again. I feel like I'm going crazy."

Jake took in a deep breath though his nose before releasing it through his mouth, watching as neon street signs flickered their advertisements unaware of the turmoil that was slowly coming undone. "I don't know what to tell you besides the fact that you need to stay in California. If you come here things will only get worse and she will never forgive you, Ry. She's slowly getting better. Just give her time. You know she wants to keep you in her life, just let her heal completely before you come parading back into it declaring undying love for her."

"I can't just be her friend, Jake. That's the thing. I have to be her all or nothing." Ryan was growing frustrated with his twin as he listened to what he had to say. He didn't want to just be friends with Kaylani; he wanted his girlfriend and the love of his life back.

"Well then you're screwed." Jake listened intently as the sounds of Ryan's breathing were the only indication that he hadn't hung up the phone just yet.

"Have fun on tour, Jake. Tell everyone I said hi." All hints of bitterness, anger, and depression were erased from Ryan's tone as he bid his brother farewell. He couldn't stand to listen to his brother tell him he basically didn't have a chance with the one girl who was the only reason he was still breathing.

The flashing of "call ended" on Jake's iPhone was the only indication that the conversation he had just had was, in fact, real. He couldn't believe how his brother had acted and he knew this would not be the last he heard from him. Things were just getting started, and he had no idea what to do.

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"Dinner was great guys. Thanks." Kaylani smiled adoringly at her best friends as they all clambered into her hotel room. They had all decided to hang out for a little bit longer and seeing as Kaylani's room was the cleanest, figured hers would be the best room to commute to.

"You’re welcome my lovely dearest!” Louis yelled out over his shoulder at his female best friend before throwing himself over the armrest of the couch and lying across it comfortably so that his body took up the entire length of it.

“Kay, can I talk to you for a minute?” Jake had been slightly off since his phone call and Kaylani picked up on it but decided to talk to him later. Now that he was asking her to talk privately she figured he would either tell her what was going on, or she could ask.

Once the duo was out of the main room of the suite and locked away in Kaylani’s hotel bedroom, Jake turned to look at his best friend with sorrow and regret swirling in his irises. Kaylani could instantly tell whatever happened on the phone with Ryan had not been good and she was slightly apprehensive about still wanting to know what was bothering Jake. Lately it seemed like any problem with Ryan involved her and she had left California to get away from that – only it seemed to be following her everywhere she went.

“What’s wrong?”

Jake knew the minute he locked eyes with his long time best friend she would be able to read him like an open book. He didn’t know how to tell her what was going on, but he knew that if he didn’t tell her it would be a lot worse than if he did.

“Something’s up with Ryan. I would normally leave you out of this, but it’s about you. He called me and immediately started getting really possessive over you and basically saying he didn’t want you to be with anyone else – especially Harry – besides him. He’s never been like this before, Kay. I don’t know what’s going on with him.” Jake knew his emotions would be able to read since he was practically writing them on his forehead. The look in Kaylani’s eyes only confirmed his suspicions after she looked at him wide-eyed.

“Do you think he’s going to come out here?” Kaylani couldn’t hide the way her voice cracked or the way her eyes shone with unshed tears. There was always going to be a part of her that loved Ryan, but at the same time there would always be a more dominant part that couldn’t forget all of the pain he had caused her. The idea of him coming out to where they were and causing problems or possibly trying to start something with Harry made her sick to her stomach.

“No.” Jake didn’t have to hesitate with his answer. “Immediately after he called me I called my parents and told them everything. He only has his debit card so they put a one hundred dollar spending limit on it for every two weeks. They also refuse to pay for his ticket here and made sure everyone he talks to is aware of that as well. He’s not getting anywhere near here.”

Kaylani felt a sigh leave her lips and her body immediately relaxed. She didn’t know how she would react if Ryan was able to get out here. She still needed time away from him to deal with everything. She wanted to keep him in her life as a friend, but if he was going to try and ruin her relationship with Harry she wouldn’t think twice about cutting all ties with him.

Jake scooped Kaylani’s small frame into his larger one like a brother would do a sister before planting a light kiss on her hairline. “I’ve got your back babygirl. He’s my brother so he and I will always find a way back to each other. You only come once in a lifetime and I’m not gonna let his dumbass decisions take you away from me.”

“Jake? Kaylani? Are you guys okay in there?” Alanis had decided to go knocking on the door her two best friends had disappeared into after they had been missing for half an hour.

To Jake and Kaylani it seemed like only five minutes had gone by, but for most of that time they were staring off into space trying to think of what to say or they were wrapped in each other’s embrace.

Walking to the door with Kaylani still wrapped firmly in his arms, Jake unlocked the door and swung it open to reveal Alanis standing a few feet away from the door with a smile on her face. Looking to the other six figures in the room, Jake noticed all of his friends were looking at the duo the same way – a look of adoration adorned on their faces for the pair of best friends who would literally go through hell and back for each other.

Harry let out a short but deep laugh from his spot causing everyone to turn in his direction with a look of confusion on their faces since no one had said a word after Alanis questioned Kay and Jake through the door. “If I didn’t know better I’d think you were trying to steal my girlfriend.”

A smirk found its way onto Jake’s face as he already knew exactly what to say to Harry’s statement. “Honey please. If I’m stealing anyone, it’s you.”

Notes

I would update tomorrow but I will be going to Disneyland with my family since my aunt and 4 year old cousin are visiting from Guam so I'll probably update on Sunday. :)

Thank you to all of my subscribers who continue to read this story even though I don't update daily and even though sometimes I'll go MIA and not update for weeks.

I love you all. :) xx