Chapter Four: Dirty Little Secret
A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, just having a bad couple of weeks. Well here it tis, enjoy!
Disclaimer: Dirty Little Secret: All American Rejects
--
Let me know that I've done
wrong
When I've known this all along
I go around a time or
two
Just to waste my time with you
--
Nick's POV
After dinner, Kevin had cornered me and asked me if he could talk to me, and I agreed. Once we got to my cream colored room, he pulled out the chair that went with the desk next to my bed while I sat against the headboard of my bed. Kevin ran a hand through his now curly hair before he spoke, "I almost kissed her, almost."
I looked up at him, my eyes half wide. I didn't really expect Kevin to just come out with what was bothering him immediately, but then again it was Kevin, "What stopped you?"
Kevin heaved in a huge sigh, "A fan recognized me."
I nodded, not really knowing what to say or what he needed advice on, so I decided to get up and get a glass of water from downstairs, "Be right back." I muttered, mostly to myself. As I opened my door, I noticed that Joe's was open slightly and decided to check in on him and Ness, which I immediately regretted when I saw what was going on. I sped down the stairs, my eyes still wide from what I had discovered and as I was heading back up to my room, water in hand, I nearly bumped into Vanessa. She mumbled a quick sorry and goodbye before running at the same pace as she was before I had run into her. When I had gotten up the stairs, I immediately went towards Joe's room and knocked on the door. I heard a muffled come in and closed the door behind me.
I leaned on the door and looked at him, "You have to tell Kevin."
Joe sighed and sat up straight on his bed, "I think it's better if this is left untold."
"If you don't do it then I will; it's your decision." With that, I walked back into my room to find that Kevin was no longer there.
Third Person POV
The small bright green radio on the cream colored nightstand next to Vanessa's mattress rang out at around nine in the morning; bright and definitely too early for her to be awake on a Saturday morning. A limp hand reached out from underneath the covers and slammed the snooze button before retreating back under the covers and returning to its body. She turned around to lay on her back and heaved a big sigh, yesterday's events replaying in her head; Kevin picking her up from school, buying her a bathing suit, going to the beach, almost kissing in the ocean; and then there was that night. Her and Joe had been having a normal conversation, at least what the brunette would call a normal conversation, until she noticed he had zoned out and before either of them knew it, they had started making out, on his bed. Oh, Papa J was definitely not going to like her once, and if, he hears about last night's events. She groaned and flopped around back onto her stomach and let out a frustrated scream into her pillow. Once she eventually pulled herself out of bed, Vanessa bent down and up three times before pulling her hair into an extremely high ponytail, and made her way downstairs, where she could smell that something was definitely burnt. Her nose wrinkled in distaste as she skid across the tile in her socks, to the fridge and opened it without speaking to her mother, but luckily for her, her mother started a conversation.
"When did you get home last night Vanessa? And how?"
Vanessa rolled her eyes as she poured herself a glass of milk, "I got home at around eleven thirty and I took the bus."
She heard her mother let out a gasp of horror at the fact that she took a public bus, but ignored it and sat down at the island, in front of her mom's burnt pancakes, "Your school called yesterday and told me that someone, a young looking boy, came and picked you up early. Would it have happened to be that kid that you haven't been able to stop texting?"
"First, that kid has a name and it's Kevin, second, I'm almost eighteen so what I do and with whom should not effect your 'fabulous' social life."
"When it involves your cell phone plan and a boy, young lady, it most certainly does involve me."
Vanessa got up from the island, knowing that this conversation was about to lead to yet another argument about what boy's Kevin's age and like him in the music industry want, and headed back up to her room, "I'm going to see if David or Catie wants to pick up breakfast, since you suck at cooking."
"Don't you talk to me like that Vanessa Kelly! And Danielle's flight will land in a couple of hours, so I hope you have yourself organized and that she can talk you out of this Kevin nonsense."
Well, at least she got his name right this time.
Tell
me all that you've thrown away
Find out games you don't wanna
play
You are the only one that needs to know
--
David
had ended up wanting to skip out on watching the new Fairly
Oddparents movie with Catie and gladly accepted Vanessa's
invitation to pick up some breakfast, which they had already done,
but not without being stopped for autographs. On the way back to
their house, and partly due to David's addiction and Vanessa
wanting to get home as late as possible, they pulled up to one of the
many Starbucks near them. They walked into the cafe, talking and
laughing when Vanessa pulled her sunglasses off and came face to face
with whom else but Kevin. She looked up at him and plastered a smile
before he and David exchanged one of those 'manly hugs'. He told
her that he was going to get their drinks and she nodded, leaving her
alone with Kevin, who was beaming down at her.
"I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye to you last night…something came up and I had to get home as soon as possible." She sighed, trying not to expose her and Joe, and she could tell by his smile that he definitely didn't know, or maybe he didn't like her and wanted her to hook up with Joe…you never know Ness, she thought to herself and sighed again.
Kevin still had the huge grin plastered on his face, "It's fine, I know how that is, besides at least I get to see you now instead of having to risk my life calling your cell phone."
She laughed and rolled her eyes remembering what her mom had said about her phone, "My mom basically told me this morning that my cell phone plan was off the charts due to your late night text messages."
"You don't have to reply you know." He winked at her, winning their playful banter before stepping up in line to order his and his brothers drinks. When he had paid, they moved towards the baristas counter and waited patiently for their orders, David right in front of them.
Vanessa huffed, "You win this time, Jonas."
He laughed, "Don't I always?"
She rolled her eyes at his display of cockiness; "You know you're beginning to sound more and more like Joe." Because if you we're like Joe, you would have made a move by now, Vanessa thought and frowned at the thought of the 'conversation' she had with him last night.
Kevin just laughed and collected his order swiftly before turning to face Vanessa once again, "So what are you doing today?"
She took her strawberries and crème frappachino from David who had interrupted them for a second to tell her he would meet her in the car, "My mom decided to surprise me and have me pick up my best friend from the airport in about an hour, I kinda wanted to paint my room though, but obviously my lovely mother has already planned my day."
"It doesn't sound too bad, it'll be nice to see her at least. Besides maybe you guys can paint your room together."
"That would be nice, except I was kind of going to ask someone else if they wanted to help paint my room." Vanessa smiled and raised her eyebrows towards him, hoping that he understood what she was saying, and as a response Kevin grinned and looked down at his watch, a different emotion playing out on his tired face.
"Just call me or something when you have a time and day; I have to get home before my dad sends Big Rob after me." He ended with a sheepish smile before turning around and walking briskly towards the exit. Once the bell had again rung, signaling that the door had closed Vanessa let out a breath she didn't known she'd been holding in. She ran a hand though her blonde ponytail and sighed again, hoping that both of the oldest Jonas' faces would exit her mind peacefully, but she knew that thanks to the tangled web she helped weave, they wouldn't be going away anytime soon.
I'll
keep you my dirty little secret
Don't tell anyone or you'll be
just another regret
Just another regret, hope that you can keep
it
My dirty little secret
--
The
ride home, for the most part, had been fairly quiet. Vanessa had seen
her older brother glance at her, his face embedded with a slightly
worried expression, out of the corner of her eye at last six times
since pulling out of the parking lot. She heaved an overdramatic
sigh, which caught David's attention again, for the seventh time.
"Yes David?" She asked in annoyance.
He lifted his hands off the steering wheel for about half a second in surrender, but continued on his assumption anyways, "You don't seem to be bouncing off the walls from seeing Kevin at Starbucks, and I just thought it was weird."
Vanessa rolled her eyes, she knew she couldn't actually come out and say 'Sorry Dave, but during that whole conversation, Joe's lips were etched into my mind.' because then it would fire off a round of 20 question, and she would probably end up grounded.
David knew he wouldn't get anything out of his sister by beading around the bush, so he decided to attack his curiosity straight on, "What happened with the Jonas' last night?"
She shrugged, "Just made a mistake." She looked into the rearview mirror to see David's reaction, raised eyebrows of course.
"A mistake you can't fix?"
"If Kevin finds out then yes, a mistake I can't fix." Vanessa snapped and sunk lower into the passengers seat, biting her nails in frustration. She took a deep breath to attempt to calm herself down, realizing none of this was David's fault and that it is unfair to take it out on him, "I kissed Joe." She whispered.
David's eyes went slightly wide next to her as he took the turn to get onto their street, "You kissed him or you kissed him?"
"What's the difference David either way a kiss is a damn kiss!" She snapped again, "the only thing I can say in my defense is that I didn't start it."
"You didn't stop it either." He said, shifting the car into park and getting out of it with breakfast in hand.
Vanessa let him go, not bothering to say anything else, and stared blankly ahead, fully aware the car had been parked and that she was home, because David was right, she didn't try to stop Joe.
Who
has to know
When we live such fragile lives
It's the best way
we survive
I go around a time or two
Just to waste my time with
you
--
Two
hours later, freshly showered and fed, Vanessa jumped down the stairs
all the way to the basement where David and Selena we're playing
Halo 3, which caused her to roll her eyes.
"Don't you two have something better to do like oh I don't know work?" She asked sarcastically, plopping on the couch next to Catie and the family dog, who we're both watching the game and screaming match between the two costars intently.
"We could say the same for you Miss. Lazy Pants." Selena retorted with a smile of satisfaction before turning her attention back to the game.
"Touché." Vanessa muttered before glancing at the vintage Coca-Cola clock on the wall for the time;1:34 PM, and Danielle's flight landed at around 3:00 PM. She then turned back and asked, "Is their a reason you're here Selena? Besides kicking David's ass at Halo?"
"Shut up!" He yelled jokingly before turning back to the game, taking advantage of the fact that Selena wasn't paying attention to answer Vanessa's question.
"Yeah we need to go shopping today, obviously!"
Vanessa's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "For what?"
"The channel's having a soiree this weekend to announce the fall lineup and movies and such this weekend, and you need a dress."
"I can wear one of the ones in my closet."
Selena snorted really loud before going into a fit of laughing, causing David to win the game, just this once. Vanessa gave her a look asking what was so funny, and when she calmed down she finally replied, "Oh Ness, those dresses will definitely not fit you now, plus you need to dress to impress a certain Jonas?" She wiggled her eyebrows playfully, while all the Henrie's cringed, for different reasons.
"Selena?" Catie piped up.
"Yes?"
"Don't ever do that again." David finished for younger sister older sister, receiving a menacing glare from Selena.
Tell
me all that you've thrown away
Find out games you don't wanna
play
You are the only one that needs to know
--
The short ride to the airport had been quiet, as well as the walk to Danielle's gate, and that's when Selena finally couldn't take it anymore, and let out a groan of frustration, which caught Vanessa's attention.
"This is the first time in forever that you haven't said one word voluntarily, what is up with you?"
Vanessa shrugged and was about to reply when she saw Danielle, the friend that Selena and her had come to pick up, and called out her name, a huge grin forming on her face, "Dani!" Vanessa waved at her when she turned around to see where the person who had called her name was, and mirrored Vanessa's grin. Dani had semi wavy reddish brown hair along with thick bangs that fell over her right eye, and had bright green eyes today, that went along with her vibrant shirt and sweater combo; she quickly made her way towards the duo, squealed, and wrapped them both in tight hugs that called for an oxygen masked once they we're released. Once they had settled down, they made their way to baggage claim, picked up Dani's bags and we're, within twenty minutes, on the way back to Vanessa's house.
"So how's Massachusetts Dani?" Vanessa asked from the drivers seat, she could almost feel Dani roll her eyes from the back seat.
"Boring now that you're gone, except for Scott, when you think he can't get any creepier, bam, he's like the Twilight moms I swear. He wont stop asking about you and stuff, it gives me the creeps."
Vanessa kept her eyes on the road, but couldn't help but shudder at the thought of Scott; he had been her boyfriend all throughout High School, until his family life and sports/academic pressures started taking a toll on him and he eventually started to take them out on Vanessa, physically. She broke it off right before she moved, wanting a clean break and seeing this as her only chance of not having him even more abusive if she had attempted to break it off before. She shook her head, trying to keep her eyes on the road when she looked into her mirror and saw Selena quickly slap Dani, which caused Vanessa to roll her eyes, smiling slightly.
"So Ness what's this I hear about a boy?"
She turned around quickly, her eyes narrowed, "You talked to my mother."
Dani swayed her head side to side, her reddish brown hair swaying along, "More or less. She called my mom and thought it would be good if I visited and tried to 'get rid of'--" she used air quotes around the last three words, "this male distraction; Your mom's a psycho V."
Vanessa rolled her eyes again while Selena laughed lightly at Dani's comment about Mrs. Henrie, "The boy, or male distraction, is Kevin Jonas."
As Vanessa took the turn to get off the highway, she chanced a look back at Dani's face, only to be blinded by her pearly white grin, "Aw well Ness he seems sweet, at least from what I've read. Will I get to meet him?"
She knew it was true, but the words sweet and Kevin in the same sentence automatically sent a wave of guilt throughout her body, how she could have done what she had with Joe, his own brother, the night before automatically shifted her mood to crappy. Vanessa faked a smile, one that didn't reach her light brown eyes, and nodded while pulling into Jazz's driveway so they could get this shopping trip, one that Selena was way to excited for, over with already.
--
I'll keep you my dirty
little secret
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another
regret
Just another regret, hope that you can keep it
My dirty
little secret
--
All four of the girls, each
ranging in size and shape, walked into the mall slowly, trying to
figure out where to start. Selena immediately darted into one of the
'Vanessa stores', as the group liked to call Pac Sun, and was
quickly dragged out by Vanessa towards Forever 21. When the girls had
found Jazz and Dani, Selena laid out the party details.
"Basically it's just a like casual dress kind of thing, but the girls do need dresses and the boys do need to wear ties. You know how these things go, you get there, bump into some exes or people you don't like, a couple of awkward situations, try to laugh at whoever is talking at the podium when they're really not funny at all, and then the announcements and performances. And if my sources are correct, Ness, you boy and his equally as cute brothers, are performing; along with Demi, and Miles, sorry girlie."
Vanessa groaned, she couldn't decide whom she disliked more, Selena's other best friend Demi or Bucktooth—Miley Cyrus; she was pretty sure that Demi was winning just because of her amazing set of pipes. Plus, Kevin wasn't her boy, if anything Joe was leading, by a fraction. She decided to shrug it off by racking though various dresses, draping each one she found that she liked across her arm while everyone but Jazz did so as well. They all made their way to the dressing rooms and closed the curtains.
"So you never answered my question earlier." Selena started.
"Which was?" Vanessa asked before stepping out of the dressing room wearing a yellow polka dotted dress that went down to her about her knees with a big brown stripe below her chest.
"What the heck is up with you today?" Selena and Dani came out at the same time; Dani wearing a dark green dress while Selena has the same one on in red. Once they noticed this, she immediately ran back in to change into another dress. Dani tried to hold back her round of laughter at the dress Vanessa was currently modeling, who scowled in response before going back to her dressing stall.
"Well after hanging out with Kevin all day yesterday, he took me back to his house and we had dinner with his family, and I got to catch up with the boys, including Frankie." Vanessa started, stepping out of the dressing room again wearing spaghetti strap pink floral dress, "Well before going to eat, Joe had told me he wanted to catch up and such, and well it didn't exactly as planned. We kinda sorta, made out on his bed." She winced when she heard Jazz's chair push back and both curtains on Selena and Dani's dressing rooms wiz open.
"You kissed Joe!" It wasn't as much as a question more than a statement from Dani, to which Vanessa could only nod.
"Actually Dan, I believe the term she used was made out." Selena piped up, her eyes narrowed at one of her best friends.
Vanessa groaned and shoved her way back into her dressing room, trying on yet another dress, a red strapless one that stopped just above her knees.
"Look V, it's not that we're mad, it's just that…well…"
"How could you do that to poor Kevin!" Jazz stated.
"Do what? I didn't do anything, we're not going out, we're just friends."
Jazz laughed, "Oh girl please you know that's not true, I've seen the way he looks at you. Besides, you know how that song ends."
Vanessa rolled her eyes, the last one out of her dressing room, wearing the red dress. Everyone's eyes got big as they examined the dress on her, her dirty blonde curls seemed to lie perfectly down her back while her side swept bangs seemed to remain immobile on her face.
"Okay, buy that dress, because if Kevin ever finds out about this whole you and Joe thing, that dress will totally make him forgive you." Selena said.
"It's cute and keeps you covered up, just the way those boys like it."
Vanessa snorted at Dani's analogy before walking back into the dressing room and changing back into her sweats and t-shirt, more than ready to go home.
Who
has to know the way she feels inside
Those thoughts I can't deny
These
sleeping thoughts won't lie
--
Once
Dani had fallen asleep, finally, Vanessa snuck quickly out of her
room and into David's room; he was over at a friend's house,
probably Zac Efron's. She sat on David's bed, making sure not to
leave any signs of being in here, and pressed the send button on her
phone.
"Ello?" The voice on the other end asked groggily.
"Joe, it's Vanessa."
Immediately, the voice on the other end perked up, "Ness! I'm really sorry about the other night, I swear I didn't mean—I didn't know what got into me I'm so sorry I know how you feel about Kevin and I love Reilly and for me to do that to you was extremely unfair to both of them, seriously I'll understand if you never want to speak to me again."
"Joseph, it's okay, everything is cool, apology accepted, now take a breath. And what are you talking about, me and Kevin?"
He laughed, "Funny." She could almost feel his glare though the phone, "Do you think everyone's that stupid. I mean Kevin's one thing, but that's because he doesn't want to believe that he could have something great, but we're not all as blind as him. Everyone knows that you're in love with my brother."
Vanessa scowled, "Shut up."
"But you know what Ness? He loves you too, you wouldn't believe how miserable he was being away from you, knowing that there are so many guys that would do anything to even catch your attention, when yours was all only on him. You wouldn't believe how many unsent text massages, how many times he didn't press the send button, how many times he held his tongue just so we wouldn't have to hear another thing he found absolutely amazing about you; you wouldn't believe it."
She sighed, she couldn't take the feeling of guilt that overwhelmed her at the moment, "Joe…"
Joe continued like he hadn't even heard her, "And you know why you keep denying it? I've finally figured it out; it's because you're scared. You're scared that he's going to rip you apart and use you, just like your mother is trying to convince you he is and just like Scott did, but deep down, you know he wont, hell even the devil knows that. Your afraid that he'll leave you, just like your father did the first time your parents got married, and I'm not saying these aren't irrational reasons to be scared, but you just need the trust Kevin and let love in. I know your first instinct is to fight against it, hell I know how that feels Ness."
Vanessa tried to stay composed on the other end, but when she heard the painful sigh that Joe took in, a tear spilled over and made its way down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and took in a couple of soothing breaths before he continued in a whisper.
"I remember how it was when Mandy and I broke up, I was a fucking mess and you know who was there for me, Kevin. He talked me out of believing that I screwed it up somehow and that no matter what he was always there for me, and that the right girl is out there for me somewhere. When AJ cheated on me with that Sheckler kid; that must have been the worst. I refused to eat, drink, or do anything for days, until Kevin knocked on my door and gave me even more advice. This time he said that I should never feel like I deserve to be cheated on, because there's someone out there who wants exactly what I can offer and that I have exactly what someone wants, and that she will be waiting for me no matter what. Do you see where I'm going with this Ness? You're that girl to Kevin, the girl I've been waiting for. Screw the age difference because I can bet your life that he sure as hell doesn't give a damn about it and I know that you don't care, otherwise you wouldn't be sitting where you are, trying to not break down."
Vanessa giggled at Joe's shot at humor, and couldn't help but smile.
"Just…please give him a chance Vanessa…don't forget about the boy." And with those final words, Joe hung up on her, leaving Vanessa to sort out her thoughts and ponder the speech she had just received from the cute, funny brother.
And
all I've tried to hide
It's eating me apart
Trace this life
out
--
A/N: Jesus sorry if that whole shpeel Joe is on seems really dragged out, but I really, really like it; love this side of Joe, cause I know the bb has it! haha the next chapter will be the party scene, read and review pleaseee ♥. The reviews from the last chapter made me sad since they're were only three; I think cause of the kiss. Hopefully the end of this chapter tells you wassup :P.
