[i]Hey Stephen,
I know looks can be deceiving
but I know I saw a light in you
as we walked we were talking
and I didn't say half the things that I wanted to[/i]
Laughing.
That's all Liz heard. What she felt, however, was just as cold. The tiled floor of the school hallway. People were crowding around her, all laughing. 'Oops, sorry [i]nerd[/i], I didn't see you there.' The guy walked away laughing, surrounded. Liz glared at him from behind. Stupid Brad, only cared about girls with short skirts. [i]Stupid Jocks...[/i]
Her glaring was intercepted with a hand. A hand stretching out to help. Liz looked up, grateful. She caught sight of those beautiful brown eyes and quickly looked down again, her heart fluttering.
Oh.
It was Nick Jonas.
Nick Jonas... The jock.
The one who had never even looked at her before. Of course, that didn't mean [i]she[/i] couldn't look. Well not really look, more like stared.
'Do you need a hand?'
Liz threw a glare up, her voice sharp. 'Shouldn't you be with the rest of the jocks? I'd hate to ruin your precious rep.' She tried to stand up, but almost fell down again. The floor was wet and slippery. Seemed like no one bothered to clean their feet when they came in from the rain. Ugh - the one day it has to rain.
A hand caught her elbow, steadying her and pulling her up at the same time. Nick's eyes looked concerned. 'You okay?'
'Yeah.' Liz rolled her eyes. If she had a dollar for every time she was asked that, she'd be living in a mansion with a huge pool and her personal Butler by now.
'I'm Nick.' Nick stuck out his hand politely.
Duh.
'I'm Elizabeth. Liz for short.' She took his hand and gasped when his skin touched hers. Electricity. Nick had that annoying but sweet concered look in his eyes again. His beautiful eyes...
'Are you sure you're alright?'
'Huh?' Liz blinked, coming out of her daydream.
Nick looked at her oddly, then grinned. 'Well, it's good to meet you, Liz.'
'Nice to meet you too.'
And it was.
Liz turned, ready to scurry away. Again came the hand at the elbow. 'Where do you think you're going?' Nick asked her, still grinning.
'Uhhh...'
Smart one.
Nick sighed. 'Looks like I have to spend the rest of the day with you,'
Liz's heart jumped. Literally.
'to make sure you don't walk into any walls, since you don't seem to be paying enough attention.'
Liz's mouth dropped open.'Hey! I'm not that bad! He pushed me!' She glared at that stupid grin still present on Nick's face. 'Sure, sure.' Nick laughed. Then he pretended to look hurt. 'Don't you want to spend time with me?'
'No, No, that's not what I-'
'No!' Nick looked offended.
'That's not what I meant!'
'Then what do you mean?'
Liz stayed silent and Nick laughed. 'Don't think too hard,' he warned jokingly. 'You might hurt yourself.' Liz's mouth dropped open a second time and she tried to wack him on the shoulder, but he gracefully caught her hand and tucked it though the crook of his elbow securely. Liz stared.
'Better?' Nick smirked.
Liz rolled her eyes. 'You wish.'
[i]of all the girls tossing rocks at your window
ill be the one waiting there even when it's cold
hey stephen, boy you might have me believing I don't always have to be alone.[/i]
[/u]3 years later[/u]
'Hey, Nicky.' Liz greeted as she jumped into his beanbag chair, settling in. Nick glared pointedly at where she had entered. 'Do you really have to use the window?' he asked, pulling it shut and getting control of the billowing curtains. Liz rolled her eyes, exasperated, 'Nicky, don't you think that your parents might be a little worried if I always turned up at the door? Especially with the reputation of your brother?'
'Your my best friend, Liz. They know it's not like that. They might be a little worried about Nicole though.' He grinned.
Liz's heart dropped.
'Who's Nicole?'
'I met her at a party last week. She's amazing, you have to meet her! She'll love you!'
'Okay.' Liz answered lamely, looking down. Honestly, she felt like crying. Nick was by her side in an instant. 'Lizzy what's wrong?'
'Nothing, Nicky.' She tried to smile as she got up, and failed. 'I need to go. See you at school...' She jumped out the window, down to the branch that was just the right height.
Nick shook his head, watching her. There was nobody quite like Liz. He grabbed his jacket, noticing the flecks of rain on the glass.
[i]cause I can't help it if you look like an angel
can't help it if i wanna kiss you in the rain so
come feel this magic ive been feeling since I met you
can't help it if there's no one else
I can't help myself[/i]
'Liz!'
'Nick? What are you doing here?'
'I know there's not nothing wrong. What is it?'
Liz laughed. 'You honestly followed me home in the pouring rain because of your simple curiosity?'
'Hey! Can't I just care?'
'You care?' She yelled sarcastically over the noise of the rain hitting the pavement.
'Fine. I'm curious. But I still care about you.'
Liz's eyes lit up. 'Really?'
'Of course I do.' Nick looked into her eyes, putting his hands on her shoulders and then pulled her into a hug. Bliss. 'What's wrong Lizzy?' He said next to her ear. She smiled up at him, a true smile. 'Nothing now.'
[i]hey Stephen, I've been holding back this feeling
so I've got some things to say to you
I've seen it all so I thought but I never seen nobody shine the way you do
the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you say my name
it's beautiful, wonderful, don't you ever change
hey Stephen, why are people always leaving
I think you and I should stay the same[/i]
Liz jumped into the familiar window and took her usual spot. 'Sup, Nicky.' She said, fumbling with her iPod. When he didn't answer, she looked up and saw him lying face down on his bed, face engulfed by his pillow. She walked over quietly and crouched next to his bed. 'Nick?' She asked nervously. He heard her that time and unwillingly lifted his head. 'Oh, hi, Liz.' he muttered, sitting up and running his hand through his hair. It was so obvious that he had been crying.
'Nick, what's wrong?'
Nick pushed his face back down in his pillow and muttered his answer. Liz didn't hear him so she leaned closer. 'I'm sorry?'
He lifted his head again.
'Nicole broke up with me.'
[i]Thump.[/i]
'Oh Nicky,' She played with his curls. She did this often, so it wasn't a big thing. It was horrible to see Nick like this. 'What happened?' He sniffled and sat up again. 'She was cheating on me the whole time. People told me she went around, but I was so stupid, I didn't believe them.'
'Then she's not worth crying over, is she?'
Nick deliberated for a second, sighed, then said 'No, I guess not.'
He looked her in the eyes. 'Thanks, Liz.' She shrugged modestly. 'I'm here from 9 till 5.' She joked.
'It's 8:30...'
'Shuddup.' She laughed with him. Suddenly she squealed as he tackled her with a hug. She snuggled subconciously into him as he leaned back against the wall. 'What's this in aid of?' She asked curiously. Nick gave her the biggest puppy dog eyes she had ever seen. 'I need a hug.' He pouted. She laughed loudly. He noticed her ipod and put one earphone in. He scrunched up his nose. 'What is this?'
'It's the Jonas Brothers!' Liz said defensively.
'The [b]Jonas[/b] Brothers, huh?' Nick cocked an eyebrow. 'Think I could join?'
Liz snorted. 'Jonas isn't that uncommon a name.'
'Sure, sure.'
Some things never changed.
They stayed in that position for hours, just talking, eventually dropping off to sleep.
[i]cause I can't help it if you look like an angel
can't help it if i wanna kiss you in the rain so
come feel this magic ive been feeling since I met you
can't help it if there's no one else
I can't help myself
They're dimming the street lights
you're perfect for me why aren't you here tonight?
i'm waiting alone now so come on and come out and pull me near
shine, shine, shine[/i]
'Hey! Where are you! Food's getting cold!' Is how Liz greeted Nick on the phone.
'Sorry, I can't come tonight, Liz.'
'Why not?'
'Oh, just coz...'
'Just coz what?' Liz was suspicious.
'Just coz i'm a freaking JONAS BROTHER!' Nick shouted. Liz almost dropped the phone as she screamed. 'You got it, you got it, ohmygosh Nicky! That's so excellent! I am so proud of you!'
Nick laughed. 'You sound like my mother.'
'I am though!'
'I know.' Nick sounded like he was smiling. Grinning his famous grin... The grin he used just for her...
There was some background noise on Nick's end. 'What's up Nick?' Liz asked, referring to the noise. He didn't answer for half a minute, it sounded like he was talking to someone else. 'Oh, hey, Liz? I have to go. The manager wants to talk to me. I'll talk to you later.'
'Okay, by-'
He had already hung up.
[i]hey Stephen I could give you fifty reason why I should be the one you choose
all those other girls, well they're beautiful but would they write a song for you?[/i]
They sat in his bedroom, thinking silently, with Liz absent mindedly strumming Nick's new guitar. It was his baby, no one else besides Liz was allowed to touch it.
'Hey Nick?'
'Yeah?'
'Since you ahhh... Became a musician, I wanted to write something for you.'
'Write what?' Nick was suspicious.
'A song.' Duh.
'You wrote a song?'
Liz scowled. 'Don't sound so surprised. I have talents, you know...' Nick laughed. 'Like the fact that you are fluent in six languages? When the Jonas Brothers go bug, I am so taking you on tour with us. You can be the translator.' He said as if it was a huge honor, which it really was. He laughed when her eyes brightened up. 'Okay then Miss Liz, what's this song called?'
'Hey Stephen.'
'Stephen? Is there something you're not telling me?'
'Well I figured if I get famous with this and you're famous too then people are quickly gonna figure it out if the songs called Hey Nick.'
'Too true. Okay, proceed.'
Liz muttered something about formalities then did as she was told. Her voice got stronger as the song went on, by the time she came to the end she was singing her heart out.
"I can't help it if you look like an angel
can't help it if i wanna kiss you in the rain so
come feel this magic ive been feeling since I met you
can't help it if there's no one else
I can't help myself
"if you look like an angel
can't help it if i wanna kiss you in the rain so
come feel this magic ive been feeling since I met you
can't help it if there's no one else
I can't help myself
myself, can't help myself
I can't help myself."
She finished and stumbled into the silence. She had finally expressed her feelings, and she was nervous. 'So, I'm not very good, but-' She was broken off as she received a passionate kiss from her one and only true love. When they needed air he broke off and hugged her tightly against his chest, saying something that he had believed in wholeheartedly for years.
'You're amazing.'
THE END.