A/N: Your Dreamer here with the next chapter! Enjoy! This is Macy's POV, just a reminder. :-)
Chapter Soundtrack: Nice Guys Finish Last
P.S. This song doesn't really fit the chapter all that well if you listen closely to the lyrics, but the beat and rhythm matches pretty well. And, Kevin isa little bit of a bad-boy in this story ;-)
I was out before we hit the ground.
I woke up in the passenger's seat of Kevin's car once again. I watched Kevin driving for a moment, and decided against chewing him out. Maybe later I could throw out the guilt card and make him tell me what was going on. If there was anything Kevin hated in the world, it would have to be feeling guilty. I'd pieced this together not only with the help of gossip magazines, but while becoming friends with him.
"What happened?" I groaned hoarsely, rubbing my forehead. I could feel the beginning of a headache.
"Did you throw me in the bushes?" I asked when he didn't answer. I could see tiny cuts on my hands and legs and little green pieces of foliage hanging on my bath robe.
"It was... a defense mechanism. You were passed out, and I didn't want to drag you, so I threw- ahem, gently tossed- you into the bushes and hid next to you." Kevin answered, his hands on the steering wheel tensing. He could feel the frustration coming off my body.
"And then you dragged me?" I said, looking at the bottom of my robe where there were black marks from the street.
"No, you started wiggling and fell out of my arms, so I kind of pulled you along the last few feet to the car." I nodded sarcastically, but he didn't see me.
"A few feet? And you did drag me!" I spat, shaking my head. A few feet could have been hundreds.
"Well, yeah. Maybe, like ten, eleven, twelve feet. Twenty. Fifty. I don't know." he squeaked, laughing nervously. I could feel tears prick the back of my eyes. It was time for the guilt card.
I didn't have to fake it.
I started to cry miserably, scared that I would never see my house again. I'd never go back to Horace Mantis. I would never see Stella, Joe, or Nick. I would never see my parents or my family again. I could never go back.
"Kevin, I'm going crazy here and you haven't told me anything. I mean, why haven't you just killed me off? What are you dragging me around for? If you want money, take it! Is that what this is about? Are you holding me from my family for some kind of ransom? My parents don't make that much money running the shop. How could you-"
"Macy, stop it!" Kevin snapped. I sucked a deep breath in, realizing that I was beginning to sound hysterical. Heck, I probably was hysterical.
"I'm not holding you for ransom money or to kill you or anything. You, of all people, should know I have enough money. I did it because I care about you, and I don't want you to be killed because of me!" he said angrily, his knuckles turning white on the steering wheel.
"I know you don't understand right now, and I know it must be scary to be thrown in this big mess with me. But there's no turning back now, and yes, of course I regret it, but we can't take any of it back. Not anymore. Someone has probably already seen your face and is issuing a warning accross the nation. I'm a rogue. A freaking rogue agent who won't be able to keep his secret, and I did it because of you. I did it for you. I could have let those assassins get you and gotten away myself, and then I'd be forgiven by the agency. You would be killed. But that would ruin the whole purpose of this mission. You're the reason I'm willing to die, for the first time in my life. I'm not afraid when the guns come out and people are after us, because I know you'll be okay by my side." Kevin spoke quickly, and after realizing what he'd said, he'd shut up and a deep blush colored his cheeks.
I was more confused than ever. Rogue agent? Yeah, right.
Assassins? Really?
And then, the cherry on top.
He was willing to die for me. As if. If he thought we were really in any big danger, he would have done what he was talking about. I'd probably be sitting in a prison cell right this moment, waiting to be killed off. That is, if I believed his little 'secret agent' bullcrap. I didn't voice my opinion, though.
"Where are they? The," I coughed, trying to hide my annoyance, "assassins? They were chasing us everywhere in the hotel."
"I took some back roads and shook them off."
We sat in complete silence for what had to have been an hour, but when I checked the digital clock in the car, it had been minutes.
"Macy, I'm sorry I snapped at you. You're just worried, and you have every right to be." Kevin said in a quiet voice, not daring to meet my eyes.
"Tell me what's going on." I pleaded in a whisper.
"I can't. Not right now, not until we get to L.A."
"L.A.? Why?"
"It's my safe house. We'll be there in about an hour." he smiled, the friendly adventurous glint returning to his eyes.
"Oh." I sighed.
"Don't worry about anything, Mace. I'm going to protect you. I took all this time to take you away and keep you safe so far. I'm not going to take any of that back and I'm not changing my attitude any time soon."
"Well, can I ask you a question?" Kevin nodded.
"Is my mom freaking out about me right now? I mean, did you really just leave with me and not send her any kind of warning or anything to let her know I was okay?"
"Well... I did leave a note. I told her you... ran away." he winced as this reached my ears. I froze up for a moment, but took a deep breath to calm myself.
"Wouldn't she know it wasn't my handwriting? And you took me in such a rush, it didn't look like I was prepared. I would've been ready and it would have been planned out. My mom would know. And, I had no reason to leave."
"Well, first of all, you have to know I've learned how to mimic handwriting. And, all those letters you sent us on the road were a lot of help. I got everything, right down to your signature. And I made it look like you packed and made your bed. You were sedated for most of that."
"Oh...okay." I said, puzzled by why he memorized my handwriting before he knew me. I didn't press it on him that I wouldn't leave out of hatred and my mom and dad would know that, but the thought haunted me all the same.
"I think I should tell you something, Macy." Kevin said nervously.
"Go ahead." I said, eager that he'd say something that actually made sense for once.
"I'm not..." he started.
"Yeah?" I said, getting more excited.
"I'm not 18 years old like I told everyone." he sighed, his shoulders drooping.
"O-okay." I stuttered, dissapointed.
"I'm almost 21. I will be next month."
"Whoa, whoa whoa. Twenty-one? What?" I exclaimed.
"I had to pretend I was eighteen so I could protect my brothers in school! You have no idea how much danger they'd be in without me. I tried to go younger so I could stay in school so both of them would graduate while I was still in school, but I couldn't go any lower because it wouldn't have been believable. I thought eighteen was barely believable." he said, shaking his head.
"Uhm..." I breathed, my mind racing. But, he was cute! And I liked him! Ugh, at least, I did before I found out he was a pedophile.
"I'm sorry. I know you're seventeen and this is kind of creepy, but I hope this doesn't change your opinion of me. I'm still your friend, and everyone tells me I'm just a big kid at heart."
"Kevin, slow down. It's fine. I'm fine." I urged, trying to convince myself more than him. It seemed to work on him, anyway.
"Oh, good. I don't want you to hate me or anything." he said, relieved.
"Kevin," I breathed, nervous about my question, "please tell me the truth."
"About what?" he asked, confused.
"Are you really an 'agent', or is there something else going on?" I asked nervously.
"Well, I guess I slipped up a little bit earlier. I told you I was, didn't I?"
"Yeah."
"Do you trust me?" he said, turning to me. Did I trust him? I shouldn't have. I should have run away when I had the chance. I shouldn't have been trusting him, because I didn't know what he was capable of.
"Of course." I answered without hesitation.
"Does that answer your question?" I nodded stiffly. He was a secret agent. I almost laughed out loud.
"Why?" I asked, smirking. This was something that would happen in one of my dreams. Kevin of JONAS, a secret agent.
"The agency found me." I nodded, urging him to continue.
"Well, they contacted me privately when JONAS got big. They said they needed a new agent, someone who was popular enough to need self-defense and who could leave on short notice without it being taken as much of a surprise. Celebrities dissapear and come back all the time, you know?" he explained, making a turn down a dark road. I nodded hesitantly.
"I thought the people were crazy. I don't know why, but I just accepted and started training. Joe and Nick didn't find out what I'd become until the agency told me I could. I finally had an explanation for all of my dissapearing during tours and whatnot. The biggest thing I was in charge of was completing missions on tour. Our tours go everywhere across the US, and sometimes around the world. It was a perfect setup to complete missions, not only in New Jersey. I'm in charge of protecting my family and myself second, and victims for the missions first. Mom and Dad and Frankie didn't find out until later." I thought about what he'd said for a moment. It was a perfect setup, a perfect story. Something I could actually understand and believe for the first time today.
"Wow." I said, smiling.
"What?"
"You're a secret agent!" I squealed, flailing my arms around happily.
"Yeah. But we're still in danger, Macy." he warned me.
"So, wait. Why did you kidnap me, ag-" I stopped mid-sentence when we pulled up in front of a beautiful house. I could see the ocean in the distance, lit by the bright full moon.
"Oh, Kevin. This is so beautiful. How does no one find you?" I breathed, taking in the big maroon house through the car window.
"This house is a really big secret. I'm not sure if you noticed, but there's a gate that closed behind us. It's diguised in fake foliage, and enhanced with the latest technology to keep it locked if anyone rather than my family or I try to get through." I shrugged, even though I was giddy inside. This was like a vacation!
"Before we go inside..." Kevin said sheepishly. He looked down at his hands, which were fiddling with the keys. I wanted to get out of the car and run into the house, but the way Kevin looked was worrying me.
"What, Kevin?" I said gently, placing my hand on his arm. He looked up at me.
"I didn't just kidnap you to save you. In fact, you'd probably be safer if you were still at home and I left by myself."
"What are you saying, Kevin?" I asked in horror. Was he going to kill me? What was he going to do to me?
"I took you with me because I love-" Kevin never finished the sentence.
It wasn't because he stopped or because he decided to let it go.
It was because I took one look out of his window and screamed.
You got style, you got grace
But, kid, you try so hard she just laughs in your face
You're a nice guy with the wrong attitude
She wants a bad boy
(bad boys bad boys all we want is bad boys)
I treat her great, she loves me good
(so good)
And I just hate to have to tell you
'Cause you're a nice guy but that just won't do
She wants a bad boy
(bad boys bad boys all we want is bad boys)
Listen kid, you hear them sirens coming for me
But, when I get downtown she will already be
Posting bail in her favorite dress
Smiling at me because I'm no good
A/N: So, how'd you like it? Leave a review and tell me how you liked the story, and if there's another song that would match this chapter better! :-) And, between Kevin and Macy, who do you think is going to confess their feelings first?
-Mo