Chapter 2

We got off the plane and walked into the Nashville Internation Airport. We got our luggage and our rental car. I had no idea where we would be staying, my mom had kept it a secret from me. My mom interrupted my thoughts, "Sara, we're going to be staying at the same hotel as a lot of your favorite bands this week. Even though a lot of them live in Franklin it's easier for them to stay in Nashville this week." "Really mom?!?" "Yes Sara. You are going to have a lot of fun this week, I promise. I also have a few surprises up my sleeve for you this week." "Oh my gosh, thanks mom," I felt excited and extremely happy for the first time since the accident.

My mom pulled into the hotel parking lot, I looked at the sign and exclaimed, "mom, does that say Gaylord Opryland Hotel?!" "Yes honey, it does, we're staying here for the week and a half." "Oh my gosh mom, this is huge for me. Thank you, I think this is exactally what I need." "You're welcome Sara. I'm so happy to see you so happy." "I'm happy to actually feel happy again mom." "I've missed that smile Sara." We got out of the car, got our luggage from the trunk and walked into the hotel. As my mom checked us in, I checked out the amazing lobby. I saw the guys from Leeland, Revieve, Third Day, Newsboys, and Stellar Kart and that was just in the lobby. My mom and I each got a key and we went to our room. I wasn't hungry so while my mom was eating I went into the lobby to sit and read "SHE" by Rebecca St. James and Lynda Hunter Bjorklund. I sat on the closest couch and started to read it.

This guy came over and sat down next to me. I looked up to see that he was really cute, had amazing brown eyes that reminded me too much of Karly's, short, brown, curly hair, and the most handsome smile I had ever seen. I was so lost in his face that it surprised me when I heard his voice. "Hi, I'm Joel. What's your name?," he asked in Australian accent. "Sara, it's nice to meet you Joel." "Yeah, same here Sara. So what are you here for?" "GMA week, vacation with my mom." "Oh cool, me too. So what are you reading?" I put the bookmark that had my favorite Cullen, Emmett, on it in its place and showed him the book. I said "SHE by Rebecca St. James and Lynda Hunter Bjorklund." "Oh cool, I've reaqd all of Rebecca's books, she's my sister."

I realized that is wher I had seen him before. He had sung backup for her since 1999. He asked me, "do you have any siblings?" I froze, I felt I didn't know him enough to tell him about Karly, so I lied, "no, I'm an only child. I know you have four brothers and two sisters, thanks to his book...and the others I've read." He chuckled and replied, "yeah, I remember to reprint of the first devotional had wacky pictures of us in it." "Yeah but it was still pretty cool to have them in there." "So, what showcases are you going to this week?" "I really don't know, my mom only told me we were going to the Doves, and staying here." "Oh well my brother Luke and I are playing one. I can get you into that one if you want." I said, "sure, that sounds like fun," with a smile on my face. I looked at my cell for the time and knew my mom would start to get worried about me. I said "I should really get back to my room, my mom will start to freak out if I'm gone too long." "Oh well how about we trade numbers so we can meet up through out the week?" "Sure" I said as I gave him my cell and he gave me his, so we could put our numbers in each others' phones.

Joel then offered to walk me to my room and I said sure. For one of the first times since the accident I felt truly happy. We walked to my room in silence, I didn't really know what to say to him. I noticed that on the way he was checking me out a couple times. He shook my hand we we made it to the room, I didn't want a handshake though, I wanted a hug, but I didn't want to scare him off so I took what I could get. I walked into the room all happy. My mom noticed and asked "what happened to make you this happy?" I just replied, "nothing," and went to bed, to sleep and dreamt of him.