Chapter 16 - Chapter 16

After Paul told Nathan and Roxie the news about Lexie; Nathan instructed Paul to end the water war and have everyone come back inside the house. Roxie then decided to go to her room and go change out of her wet clothes. In the meantime; Nathan, Paul, Landon, Calvin, Tom and Annie were sitting in the living room trying to come up with a plan to get Roxie out of the house safely without getting caught by Lexie.

"I don't get why you boys can't have Roxie stay here at the house while Lexie is checking up on everything. Roxie hasn't done anything wrong or has broken any rules while Scott's been away on his business trip." Tom said.

"That's the whole point Tom; we're not supposed to have anyone stay in the house while Scott was away. It was one of the new rules he had set up after Nathan's last little pub incident a few weeks ago." Paul remarked.

"Well it still doesn't make any sense why Roxie has to stay at the pub from now on. Isn't she supposed to be your new personal assistant?" Annie asked.

"Yes, but that still won't get through Lexie. She's really strict on us when it comes to Scott's rules. The only way Lexie will let Roxie stay is if Roxie provides some proof of her at least attempting to be a personal assistant." Landon told her.

"Aren't the songs that Roxie has helped you lads with for your next album enough proof as it is? What else do you want the poor girl to do; have you boys record the songs?" Annie argued. Throughout the group's intense discussion, Nathan was staring out into the backyard; contemplating on what has been said by everybody. Having Roxie staying at the house was bad, but sending Roxie away to stay with his aunt and was worse after Nathan just promised Roxie that he was going to allow Roxie to help him with the two songs he had been working on for the next album. In turn, Roxie was now being less strict on his growing relationship with Roxie. Nathan knew that whichever choice he had chosen, it was going to either hurt him or Roxie. Nathan just didn't want the decision to end up as a regret that he will remember for the rest of his life.

"I don't think Roxie should leave with my cousins." Nathan announced.

"I beg your pardon?" Paul asked him.

"I said I don't think Roxie should be leaving with my cousins. Yes; it was a bad idea to have Roxie stay here without mentioning it either Lexie or Scott. I'll take the blame on that part, but Roxie has done a whole lot more tasks than our previous personal assistants. Calvin; when Roxie stayed here on her first day she not only helped you with your two songs, but she also gave you the confidence to at least have an opinion on which songs should go on the album. Paul, Landon; Roxie gave the two of you amazing creative input in your songwriting that I've never seen before that I don't think none of our previous personal assistants have done in the past two years. I mean look at what she did this morning. Roxie probably came up with this whole water war idea on her own just so she could help me with the two songs I've been working on for the next album. If it were one of our old personal assistants; they would have left me be and would have had Lexie forcibly get the songs from me. Not to mention Roxie also let the four of us work together as a team which hasn't happened to us in a long time. The point that I'm trying to make is that we need Roxie; more than she needs us." Nathan explained.

"Then in that case; I'll stay." Roxie replied. The others were stunned that Roxie had heard the whole conversation. Even Nathan was surprised.

"How much did you hear?" Paul asked her.

"Pretty much everything and I appreciate the fact that all of you are concerned and where I should stay from now on, but that is my decision to make; not yours. As for being your guys' new personal assistant; I'm still interested in the job as long as you boys will have me." Roxie replied.

"We wouldn't have it any other way." Calvin admitted. Roxie smiled and went over to give each of the boys a hug.

"Alright, so back to the whole Lexie drama. Since I'm the person that caused all of the mess, I will personally deal with that situation. In the meantime the four of you are going to take turns on taking showers while the rest of us are cleaning up the mess down here and outside. Now for the water balloons, we need to collect all of them and try to get rid of as many as we can. Calvin; since you are all sweaty from your little run and the water war; you can head into the shower first. Paul and Landon; you boys deal with the backyard. Make sure you pick up any signs of broken water balloons. Nathan; you are going to help Tom with loading up some of the stuff into your cousins' car and also put back the furniture both in the backyard and the living room. As for me and Annie; we'll deal with cleaning up the kitchen and maybe picking up after you boys. As soon as you are done, start getting rid of the rest of the water balloons." Roxie instructed them. The group then divided up to do their jobs. Roxie then started to walk back to her bedroom, but before she left; Nathan grabbed her arm and let her face him.

"I'm sorry that everything had to end up this way." Nathan told her.

"It's fine that's how life is anyway. We can't change it no matter how badly we want to try to change it." Roxie replied.

"I just wish you could find a way to stay here longer. I really wanted to get to know you a bit better." Nathan sighed.

"Same here; anyway, I better get back to helping out Annie in the kitchen." Roxie said. Roxie then continued on walking towards her bedroom, while Nathan stared back at her before he went outside to help Tom.

As soon as Nathan got to Tom, he couldn't help but second guess about his decision about Roxie staying with him and the boys. Sure she has proven herself worthy enough to handle being the band's new personal assistant, but was that proof going to be enough to convince Lexie to let Roxie stay at the house? Nathan didn't know what to believe in anymore. It was as if he was at a crossroads in his life and Nathan had no idea which path was going to be the right choice.

"Why does this have to be so bloody difficult?" Nathan groaned.

"Did you say something?" Tom asked him.

"Oh; sorry Tom, I was just contemplating about letting Roxie stay with me and the lads. It's been bugging me lately and I don't know if I made the right decision." Nathan said.

"Honestly Nate; I think you should be having this discussion with your band mates. I get that we're family and what not, but this conversation needs to be handled by the four of you. You boys are trying to convince Lexie to let Roxie stay with you lads in the first place." Tom told him.

"Yeah; I guess you're right. Anyway, come on; we got all of this stuff to load up before Lexie gets here." Nathan said. The two boys then continued on loading up all of the supplies from the water war into the car. As soon as they were done, Nathan went into the backyard to help out Landon and Paul move back some of the outside furniture.

"Hey man; did you and Tom finish loading up all of the stuff in Annie's car?" Paul asked him.

"Yeah, can I talk to you guys about something?" Nathan said.

"Dude; we're your band mates. You can tell us anything." Landon told him.

"It's about Roxie." Nathan told him.

"Oh; what did you want to talk about? Is it about Roxie? Are you starting to have feelings for her?" Paul asked.

"What; no-why would you think I would have feelings for Roxie?" Nathan remarked.

"Ok, never mind; What's on your mind?"

"Hold on; let's head upstairs really quick. This conversation involves all four of us." Nathan stated.

"Wait, you ask us for help on something with Roxie and then you want the three of us to head upstairs to involve Calvin into this conversation. Are you feeling alright?" Landon asked him as the three boys were walking towards the house.

"Yeah, I'm fine I just need all three of your guys opinion on something." Nathan told him. As soon as the boys entered the house both Roxie and Annie were busy cleaning up the kitchen and the living room.

"Hey; you three got done really fast." Roxie told them.

"Oh, we're not done yet." Landon said.

"Boys, Lexie is going to be here in almost 10-15 minutes. We need to get this place spotless by then before she gets here." Roxie stated.

"Roxie, relax; the boys and I are going to have a quick little band meeting and as soon as we're done we promise to head back to our chores, right guys?" Nathan said.

"Yep." both Landon and Paul said together.

"Oh, well ok then; just make sure you boys make everything look nice." Roxie said. Then all three boys went upstairs to go talk to Calvin.

"I honestly have no idea how you could have handled living with them for one week and get those four to listen to your instructions. That's just bloody brilliant." Annie laughed.

"Honestly; I'm just doing the best that I could do because I have no freaking idea what I'm doing when it comes to giving them instructions. For some reason it keeps working with all four of them-well except for Nathan, but at least he's finally decided to cooperate." Roxie admitted.

"Well, that's how Nathan is to some people if he doesn't know them too well. He wasn't always like that while we were growing up. That was when he and his mum were living with me, Tom, my mum and dad." Annie explained.

"Nathan and his mom used to live with your family?" Roxie asked.

"Oh, yeah; pretty much his whole life. Nathan's dad left him since he was born. That separation really got to Nathan. My dad had to literally be the father figure while Nathan was growing up. Nathan and my dad used to be super close but once Nathan's music career started; everything changed."

"What do you mean?" Roxie asked.

"He started drinking, partying, he was just being wild and crazy all the time. It got to a point where my dad couldn't take it anymore that he told Nathan that it was best for him and his band mates to live on their own." Annie sighed.

"Wow; that must have been tough. Is that why things are so rough between Nathan and your dad?"

"Yep, but I'm pretty sure my dad and Nathan will see eye to eye again. Anyway; I need to hear how you got Nathan to finally give you the songs that he's been working on for the band's next album." Annie giggled.

"It was nothing big really. I just asked him upfront to trust me and in return I am going to not be so strict on our growing relationship." Roxie stated.

"Oh, wow; Nathan was telling me about that. You really made an impression on him." Annie stated.

"Really; because Nathan has been pretty distant from me since I started staying here." Roxie told her.

"Oh, silly me; I thought you guys were pretty close after with what I saw the other night when you and the boys went to my family's pub for dinner." Annie said.

"Ok, sure."

The girls then finished up in the kitchen and started to head outside. As they were about to head outside, Tom came rushing into the house towards the two girls.

"Tom; what's wrong?" Annie asked him. All of a sudden; Nathan, Paul, Landon and Calvin came downstairs.

"Hey; what's going on?" Nathan asked Roxie.

"Honestly, I don't know. Annie and I were about to head over to the backyard the Tom came running in here over to us." Roxie replied.

"Alright Tom; what's biting your tongue?" Paul asked him.

"It's Lexie. Her car is at the front gate." Tom said.