JOE
"She's asleep on your COUCH?" Yelling? Why was there yelling?
"Yeah, Joe. She's asleep on my couch. Why is that such a big deal?" That was definitely Nick speaking. "She's not going to do anything. She came here a mess, crying all afternoon. She's just as torn up about this as you."
"She doesn't give a shit, Nick. She wouldn't have left if she did." Cue a door slamming, and me jolting out of my sleep.
"I'm guessing that wasn't Kevin and Ashley?" I spoke quietly. Nick just shook his head, running his hands through his mess of curls.
"He's so hard-headed. And so full of himself. Of course this whole thing is going to be turned into something about him. He'll probably claim the whole reason you started singing was just to make his life hell." He plopped down next to me again, sighing loudly. Suddenly, he turned his body towards me and smiled.
"Eerie?"
"No, I just want to know what you've been doing these past couple years." His smile broadened.
"No you don't," I laughed, "this whole thing was a distraction. I will gladly crash on your couch with you, but please, no small talk. You are not a man known for his small talk."
"This is true." Suddenly, his phone went off, playing "Piece of Me", by Britney Spears. His face turned bright red. "Girlfriend's ring tone, sorry," he explained quickly, grabbing the phone and pressing send. "Hey babe, I'm kind of busy." Beat. "Yeah, I know, whatever." Beat. "Alright fine." Click.
"What was that?" I was genuinely concerned.
"Nothing, she's broken up with me like, four times today. It's just another round of 'Messing with Nate'. She'll call back in an hour." He shrugged. Man, how could I have lived this long without him? He was still his shy, timid self. But now, Nick was relaxed, carefree, and extremely sweet. I could see us forming a strangely close bond already.
"Nicholas Jerry Jonas, I can't even put into words how much I've missed you." I leaned in, surprising him with a small peck on the lips. He seemed to understand though.
"I've missed you too." He threw his arm around my shoulders again, pulling me close as he reclined into the couch, leaving me to lie on his extremely well worked abdomen. I smiled, drifting back into a peaceful sleep.
STORMY WEATHER
A bright bolt of lightning illuminated the whole apartment, and the crashing sound of thunder startled me awake. I looked around the apartment, noticing all the power had been knocked out from the storm. Nick still lay under me, peacefully snoozing. I just smiled, standing up and making my way through the pitch black to what I assumed was his bedroom.
Another lightning bolt lit the room, confirming for even a quick moment that I was, indeed, in his bedroom. I walked over to the bed, falling into it and making myself comfortable quickly.
"Delilah, why are you up?" Nick's voice was raspy and full of sleep. I giggled lightly, scooting over to let him in. "It's four in the morning." He collapsed into the bed, his head hitting the pillow. I could see the outline of his smile and the bright whites of his eyes in the dark.
"I'm afraid of thunder." I replied meekly, sneaking under the sheets. Nick joined me, wrapping an arm around my waist. I could feel his smirk as he pressed his forehead into my shoulder.
"You're so still sixteen years old." He laughed. I listened for a while, waiting for his breathing to turn into the deep rhythmic pattern. I smiled, knowing he was out, and let myself feel safe in his warm embrace.
Thank God for Nick Jonas.
HELLO TO YOU TOO
"You're back in my life for one day, and you're fucking my brother?" The disgusted tone came from the doorway, where a very angry Joe stood, clad in only flannel pajama bottoms. God, he was delicious looking.
"What are you talking about?" I replied, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
"Jesus, Delilah, I knew you were a bitch, but I never assumed I was in love with a slut." Alright, that was final. I threw the sheets from my legs and stamped towards him, steam practically flowing from my ears.
"Joe, shut the fuck up. I didn't sleep with your brother. For your information, I was so distraught, crying over your lame ass all night, and Nick helped me. If you thought of anyone but yourself, maybe you would realize that it's not always about me hurting you." Suddenly, I went ashen, realizing what I had just said. A smirk formed on Joe's lips.
"I can't say I haven't missed you. That would be a lie. God, how I've missed you." And with that, he turned, sauntering gracefully out of the apartment, leaving me staring at his trail. I heard Nick laugh from behind me.
I turned to see the boy, sitting up in bed, eyes squinting but somewhat open. His hands ran through his curls, his sexy smirk apparent on his lips.
"Joe sure knows how to leave an impression."
"You're telling me." I replied, climbing back on the bed and wrapping my arms around Nick's torso. "What a dick." Nick just laughed again, running his callused fingers along my arm.
"That he is." He placed a light kiss on my forehead and stood, walking towards the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. I followed in suit.
Nick poured me a cup and I grabbed it immediately, downing the whole thing.
"This is going to be pure stress, the whole tour." I spoke quietly, staring down at my now empty cup.
"If it's any sort of consolation, those are probably the only words you'll get out of him until we're on the tour bus. Then he'll have to talk, he'll be stuck."
Nick was right. I didn't talk to Joe once in our remaining month in L.A. It was obvious my presence irked him, especially since I was basically living in Nick's apartment, but the fact that he'd spent two years trying to avoid me was not going to be forgotten so quickly. Joe had perfected the brick wall he'd been building, and there was no way it was going to crumble any time soon.