Don't Worry, It Gets Worse

**Picnic in New York** is seventy-fourth chapter of Push to the Limit and the four hundred and forty-ninth chapter of the series overall. It is 10,423 words long and and told entirely in third person.

Julie faces the aftermath of her indecision as Kayli faces her feelings for Sam. Cleo goes on a date with Rory and Alex sees an old face.

## Plot

Alex is leaving the airport in a foreign city where nobody immediately recognizes him. He sees a man playing a guitar for some money but people are ignoring him. Alex joins him, recognizing the song as one of Jake P.'s and the man tells him that they love Jake P. in France, if only he could sing and get some more attention. Alex tells him he's an excellent guitar player and lends his voice, singing I'm A Mess with him. During the song, more people give the man tips and after finishing Alex gives him a stack of money, too.

Cleo tells Luke about her date with Rory, wanting to explain how she was basically dragged into it, but Luke tells her that he's ok with them seeing other people before they catch feelings but if feelings are caught, it will have to change. Cleo is surprised by how cool Luke is about it and tells him she's one step closer to catching said feelings thanks to that.

Julie returns after going out to the European Music Awards. Kitty immediately asks her if Crystal Army showed up and Julie tells her they didn't, but lists the awards each of their friends received. She reveals that Alex is gone and has been since last week when she spoke to him but she doesn't want to think about that. Kitty brings up Caleb, asking her if she's going to get back with him, but Julie says she doesn't know and plans on calling him soon to figure it out.

The next day Julie attempts to make good of her troubles with Alex and Caleb by focusing on writing an angry or sad heartbreak song but she can't seem to think of anything negative to say about anyone but herself. She tells herself to focus on bashing Alex and tries again.

Kayli is working on her songs at The Lima Bean when Sam shows up and tells her that he has been hit with sudden inspiration after a long writer's block and started a song for Rhythmix. Kayli does not want to write with him at first due to her growing crush on him, but puts the needs of her group above her own and lets him help again.

Kitty interrupts Julie's writing and is told that the song is almost finished. Julie plays Hard Work for her, the song she has written about Alex, and is disappointed by how much of a love song it is. Clearly, she's not as done with Alex as she wanted to be. She tries to call him but he does not answer her, making her wonder what it will take to repair their relationship and if that's even possible. Kitty convinces her to go out and eat inside the house with her. As they take their food into the living room, she watches on TV as Starstruck reports her date with Alex, showing leaked pictures of her at the picnic with Alex barely visible. They discuss whether there's a reason for Alex not being at the CMAs given that he wrote the song she won an award for with her and play back Julie's acceptance speech, in which she thanks Alex and wonders where he is. Julie shuts off the television, reminded again of the pain she has experienced.

Alex gets a call from Julie and considers answering it but ultimately ignores it. He promised himself he was done caring. He does however take a call from Amity, who says she's been hearing a lot about his absence and was wondering if he was ok, especially after recent reports about him and Julie being in New York together. He tells her that he is fine and is just taking a break from all the craziness of Lima, Ohio. Amity reminds him that she's always there to talk and tells him that if he wants a little taste of home, he should tune into her VEVO channel because she is releasing a new song on there with a rapper she has just collaborated with and will be streaming a live performance Friday night. Alex promises he will watch. As he sits in a garden, returning from his phone to his book, "Don't Worry, It Gets Worse" by Alida Nugent. He is interrupted by Tracy, who is surprised to find him there in Luxembourg Garden of Paris, France. Alex tells her that he came searching for someone but hasn't found them and Tracy says she is doing the same. She joins him and says that her label won't green light any new music and she is now between albums but antsy to move forward. Alex tells her that he was hoping to find inspiration there in Paris and perhaps she's just arrived.

As Kayli and Sam write, Sarah shows up to buy coffee and sees them. She asks Charlie what the deal is with those two and Charlie says that they seem to be working together. Though Charlie is not jealous at first, Sarah tells him about seeing them clubbing together the previous week and Charlie starts to wonder if Kayli is dating Sam. While Kayli goes on a bathroom break, Charlie confronts her about Sam. He tells her that she is too young for him and doesn't know what she's getting into which angers Kayli enough to have her go back to Sam intent on flirting with him, wanting to get a rise out of Charlie.

Alex is in a cottage reading "Don't Worry, It Gets Worse" and is much further than he was the day before. As Tracy steps out of the shower, it becomes clear that they have spent the night together. He tells her that he is ready to get started if she is and she kisses him on the lips, telling him that she wants to know what he's running away from first. After he assures her that he hasn't done anything illegal and just wants to get away from the noise back home, Tracy agrees to start working with him.

Caleb shows up at Julie's house and she promises she was going to call him soon but didn't know what to say. Caleb says he has seen the pictures of her and Alex and wonders what has happened between them but Julie tells him nothing has. Though they both would like to make it work, Julie is unable to say that she does not have feelings for Alex. They decide to part ways and break up, with Caleb leaving back to New York. After Caleb leaves, Julie discovers via Twitter that Alex has now been seen with Tracy in Paris and they seem like they are dating again. This breaks her heart.

Alex and Tracy are still writing. Tracy stops Alex and asks who his song is about and if the pain is recent because he has been singing with a lot of conviction. Alex says that it doesn't matter anymore and all he cares about is getting this song out. Tracy tells him that she would love to turn it into a duet. Alex is surprised and says that they could make it a little bit more pop to attract the masses. When Tracy asks if his band mates or label won't get mad at him for releasing a song as a soloist, Alex tells her that it doesn't matter to him, since he isn't contractually forbidden to do it.

Sam and Kayli are once again working on their new song, this time in his apartment since the twins are with Julie. As they do, Kayli tells Sam about how she feels like she has to work extra hard in the group because she's younger than everyone and that her own band mates don't seem to take her seriously. Sam says that often he is seen as less serious than his band mates, too, even though he's the oldest because he likes to goof off but that his songwriting has been what has gotten him through it. He encourages her to keep working, telling her she has one of the greatest voices he has ever heard and a surprising talent for songwriting, too. Smitten, she begins to sing No More Sad Songs as a duet with him. After the song, she leans in and kisses him. She can feel him kiss her back for just a second but then he pulls away and tells her that she shouldn't have done that. Embarrassed, Kayli leaves.

Tracy kisses Alex on her way out of the cottage. She tells him that she had fun revisiting the past with him but once again it is time for them to move on. Alex agrees and promises to send her his recordings as soon as he can get in the studio. Tracy departs. After Alex goes back in the cottage, there is a knock on the door and he assumes that it is Tracy again. However, it is someone else who leaves him shocked. He tells the mystery person that it's been a long time.

Cleo goes on her date with Rory and he goes all out, cooking a special dinner for her and telling her that he's always found her very pretty but was surprised that she was into him. She feels bad for him and decides to play along, finding him to be kind of sweet and cute. Rory and Cleo's date is going very well and he has taken a big interest in her modeling career, which not a lot of guys tend to do. He tells her that he should probably head out as it's getting late but she decides to pay him back for the nice afternoon, inviting him to stay the night. He is surprised and says he would prefer to take things slow and she tells him that if there's one thing he should know about her it's that she hates going slow. She takes him to her bedroom.

John goes to see Julie and tells him that there's something she should know. Julie tells him that if he's about to talk about Alex, she does not want to hear it, but John says it has nothing to do with him and in fact, he has not heard from Alex nor wants to right now after what's happened with them. He tells her that what he has to say is actually about Caleb. Lyric was talking to Haley and it turns out that she and Caleb are seeing each other now, so she should not get back together with him. Julie pretends she hasn't even talked to him but is hurt that Caleb didn't mention any of this when he came to break up with her. As John leaves, she and Kitty discuss whether Caleb was already seeing Haley when he came by to break up or not and Julie believes he was. She feels like a fool for trusting in either Caleb or Alex and for feeling guilty about hurting them.

After Amity's song is released, she appears on a live streamed show to perform Bad Things with Machine Gun Kelly. During her performance, Alex watches and books a flight to Amsterdam with a new book to read, and Cleo enjoys her time with Rory. Julie sits alone at home.

## Songs

### Billboard 200

* "Black Roses" - Juliet Vasquez
	+ Number 11
	+ Last Week: 11
	+ Peak Position: 1
	+ Weeks on Chart: 34
* "Who I've Been" - Crystal Army
	+ Number 15
	+ Last Week: 13
	+ Peak Position: 1
	+ Weeks on Chart: 45
* "Don't Look Back" - Travis Hilton
	+ Number 20
	+ Last Week: 14
	+ Peak Position: 1
	+ Weeks on Chart: 19
* "No Pressure" - Jake P.
	+ Number 44
	+ Last Week: 35
	+ Peak Position: 6
	+ Weeks on Chart: 9
* "Generation Love" - Sarah Linley
	+ Number 79
	+ Last Week: 68
	+ Peak Position: 25
	+ Weeks on Chart: 4
* "Stand Down" - Rhythmix
	+ Number 80
	+ Last Week: 105
	+ Peak Position: 4
	+ Weeks on Chart: 32
* "Amity Hills" - Amity Hills
	+ Number 190
	+ Last Week: 184
	+ Peak Position: 3
	+ Weeks on Chart: 35

### Billboard Hot 100

* "Airplanes" - Travis Hilton featuring Juliet Vasquez
	+ Number 3
	+ Last Week: 3
	+ Peak Position: 2
	+ Weeks on Chart: 8
* "Chains" - Nick Jonas
	+ Number 14
	+ Last Week: 11
	+ Peak Position: 8
	+ Weeks on Chart: 12
* "Ride" - Travis Hilton
	+ Number 20
	+ Last Week: 17
	+ Peak Position: 5
	+ Weeks on Chart: 33
* "Jet Black Heart" - Crystal Army
	+ Number 22
	+ Last Week: 13
	+ Peak Position: 5
	+ Weeks on Chart: 13
* "Hair" - Rhythmix featuring Sean Paul
	+ Number 25
	+ Last Week: 29
	+ Peak Position: 25
	+ Weeks on Chart: 6
* "Leavin'" - Jake P.
	+ Number 30
	+ Last Week: 36
	+ Peak Position: 30 (NEW)
	+ Weeks on Chart: 3
* "Me and My Broken Heart" - Jake P.
	+ Number 31
	+ Last Week: 28
	+ Peak Position: 14
	+ Weeks on Chart: 15
* "Here" - Amity Hills
	+ Number 33
	+ Last Week: 26
	+ Peak Position: 5
	+ Weeks on Chart: 31
* "Heartbeat Song" - Santana Lopez
	+ Number 37
	+ Last Week: 46
	+ Peak Position: 37
	+ Weeks on Chart: 7
* "I Got The Boy" - Sarah Linley
	+ Number 71
	+ Last Week: 71
	+ Peak Position: 70
	+ Weeks on Chart: 10