Disclaimer- I do not own JONAS or anything else in this story...except Nikki and her family and background because guess what??? She's based off me! haha! (Also in the chapter, I do not own Taylor Swift's You Belong With Me. Love the song though!)
Chapter Eight: Party Time!
The day, Nikki and her parents arrived at the firehouse for her party. She was dressed in a white cotton skirt, yellow tank top, denim crop jacket, and yellow flats. She had a yellow Gerber daisy in her hair that was down and had soft curls. She walked up the front door with her parents behind her before taking a deep breath and ringing the doorbell. They stood there for several moments before Tom Lucas, the boys' father and manager, opened the door.
"Nikki! It's great to see you. Come on in!"
"Thanks Mr. Lucas," Nikki said, as she stepped inside.
"Hello Nikki!" Sandy Lucas said, coming over and hugging her. "Happy birthday!"
"Thank you, Mrs. Lucas." She turned to her parents as Tom came up behind them. "Mr. and Mrs. Lucas? These are my parents, Kim and Ed Rivera. Mom? Dad? This is Tom and Sandy Lucas, the boys' parents."
The adults greeted each other warmly before Kim said, "Thank you so much for throwing a party for Nikki. She's been so excited about it."
"Well it wasn't our idea. You'd have to talk to the boys, Macy, and Stella about that," Sandy said.
"Speaking of them, where are they?" Nikki asked looking around.
"They're upstairs. Us adults are just going to stay down here, and your actual party is upstairs," Tom said.
Nikki nodded with a smile as she bid her parents and the Lucas parents good bye before heading up the stairs. She arrived at the top of the stairs to see Kevin, Joe, Nick, Macy, and Stella standing there with smiles on their faces. "Happy birthday!" they all yelled at the same time, coming over to each give Nikki a hug.
"Awww! My favorite colors!" Nikki said, taking in the streamers and decorations. They were turquoise, pink, and brown.
"That would be Stella's doing," Joe said, pointing to his girlfriend.
Stella waved a hand. "Oh it was nothing," she said. Nikki grinned and shook her head, hugging her to say her thanks.
"Oh wow!" Nikki said breathlessly, as she slowly approached the cake. It was a small, three tier cake, each tier a different color to consist of her three favorite colors.
"You like it?" Kevin asked.
"It's beautiful," she said softly.
"That would be his doing," Nick said, pointing to Kevin.
Nikki looked up at him. "Really?"
Kevin's ears turned red as he grinned. "I hope you like white cake?" he asked embarrassedly.
Nikki grinned before she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him close. He instantly returned the hug, his arms wrapping around her waist. "Thank you. It's perfect," she whispered.
"You're welcome," he said, as they pulled apart.
"So! What do you want to do first?"
"What do you mean?" Nikki asked.
"We've got a few party games," Macy said.
"Like what?"
"Well we've got Pictionary" she said sheepishly.
"Then I pick Pictionary first," Nikki said laughing, eyeing the large easel.
"Then let's go!" Joe said.
They played several rounds of Pictionary before the adults came upstairs. "We thought we'd join you for cake and presents."
"Presents? I thought I told you guys no presents!" Nikki said, as Stella led her over to the cake.
"Please. Like I'm going to give up an excuse to go shopping," she said.
Nikki shook her head, knowing she wasn't going to win this argument as Tom lit the candles on her cake. They sang to her, and when it came time to blow out her candles, her eyes met with Kevin's briefly before she smiled and blew them all out in one breath. Everybody clapped and dug into the cake.
"Alright! Time for presents!" Stella said, leading Nikki to a large plush chair.
Nikki sat in the chair, as everybody gathered around her, everybody, save the adults, holding a present for her. "Here! Open mine first!" Macy said.
Nikki tore through the paper to find two tickets to a Yankees game, right behind home plate. "Whoa! These are awesome! Thanks Macy!"
"Mine next!" Stella said, handing her the next gift.
Nikki opened it to find a pair of red boots, with the neck of the boots having different plaid patterns. "These are so cute! Did you make these?"
"Well not the boots themselves, but the designs all mine," she said.
"Thanks Stella. I'm so wearing these Monday. They go perfectly with the uniforms."
"Exactly!" she said with a smile.
"Here ya go, Nikki," Joe said.
Nikki opened it to find a photo of the six of them at school, all huddled together in a faux barbed wire frame. "Aww Joe! It's perfect! You even got the picture frame perfect."
"Yes I'm very proud of myself," he said with a smug grin.
"Excuse me? Who's the one that helped you pick out the frame and gave you the idea to give her a picture in the first place?" Stella said from his side.
"Can't even let me have this, can you?" he muttered.
Stella smacked him as Nick stepped forward and handed her his gift. "This one I did all by myself. That I can promise," he said.
Nikki laughed lightly as she opened it. Inside was an array of guitar picks with her name engraved into them. "Wow Nick! These are awesome! How'd you know I needed new guitar picks?"
"When we were painting your room, I saw the ones you had, and they looked rather worn, and I can relate to worn out guitar picks."
"Thanks Nick, I love them."
Nikki looked up at Kevin, and he gulped before he stepped forward and handed her his gift. "Happy birthday, Nikki," he said. Everybody but Nikki gave them a knowing look and grin as Nikki opened her gift. When she lifted the lid off the box, she gasped. There inside lay a pure turquoise stone in the shape of a cross on a white gold chain. She looked up at him with wide, watery eyes.
"Oh Kevin. It…it's beautiful," she said breathlessly.
"So you like it?" he asked, his ears burning.
"Like it? I love it!" she said, removing the necklace from it's box.
"Here," he said, coming up to the chair and taking the necklace from her hands as she fumbled with the clasp. Nikki moved her hair to one side as he placed the necklace around her neck. She let her hair fall back when she felt Kevin move away and looked down at the stone around her neck.
"That SO goes with your outfit!" Stella said.
"Hey Nik," Kim said, earning two heads to turn towards her. Kim smiled. "Sorry. I mean Nikki," she said. Nick grinned. "I'm sorry to cut your party short, but your dad needs to get back home because he's got to cover the night shift for somebody tonight."
"We could take her home," Macy said.
"You wouldn't mind?" Kim asked.
"No! Not at all!" she said.
"Alright then. Just be home by midnight," she said.
Nikki bid her parents good bye, and after Sandy had picked up all the present trash, she and Tom went back downstairs. "So now what?" Nikki asked.
"Well since you play guitar, you could play a song for us," Joe said.
Nikki shook her head. "I didn't bring it," she said.
"Pft! Come with me," Kevin said, taking her hand and leading her to his guitar rack. "Pick one. What kind?"
Nikki laughed lightly. "Acoustic," she said.
He turned the rack and four acoustic guitars appeared before her. She eyed them carefully before she said, "That one," pointing to the third one.
"Wow. Great taste," Nick said.
"I know my acoustics," she said as Kevin took the guitar down handing it to her.
"Well come on then! Play something for us!" Stella said, as Nikki returned to her chair.
She strummed the strings lightly before she said, "Do I have to sing too?"
"Is it one of your own songs?" Nick asked.
Nikki nodded. "Yes."
"Then yes you do."
Nikki sighed. "Fine. But don't judge me."
"Hey! You can't be worse than me," Macy said lightly.
Nick kissed the side of her head as Nikki laughed lightly, remembering the story they told her about Macy's singing. "Alright. Here we go. It's called You Belong With Me."
Everybody sat on the floor in front of her as her fingers started strumming across the strings.
You're on the phone with your girlfriend,
She's upset
She's going off about something that you said
'Cause she doesn't get your humor like I do.
I'm in the room, it's a typical Tuesday night
I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like
And she'll never know your story like I do
But she wears short skirts
I wear t-shirts
She's cheer captain
And I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find
That what you're looking for
Has been here the whole time
If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along,
So why can't you see?
You belong with me
You belong with me
Walking the streets with you and your warn out jeans
I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be
Laughing on a park bench
Thinking to myself
Hey, isn't this easy?
And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town
I haven't seen it in a while
Since she brought you down
You say you're fine
I know you better than that
Hey, what ya doing with a girl like that?
She wears high heels
I wear sneakers
She's cheer captain
And I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming about the day
When you wake up and find
That what you're looking for
Has been here the whole time
If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along,
So why can't you see?
You belong with me
Standing by and waiting at your back door
All this time how could you not know
Baby, you belong with me
You belong with me
Oh, I remember you driving to my house
In the middle of the night
I'm the one who makes you laugh
When you know you're 'bout to cry
I know your favorite songs
And you tell me 'bout your dreams
Think I know where you belong
Think I know it's with me
Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you?
Been here all along
So why can't you see?
You belong with me
Standing by and waiting at your back door
All this time, how could you not know?
Baby, you belong with me
You belong with me
You belong with me
Have you ever thought just maybe
You belong with me?
You belong with me
Nikki finished playing and looked up at the group in front of her when she heard applause.
"That was great, Nikki!" Stella said.
"Beautiful! I loved it!" Macy said.
"Awesome," Joe said.
"You wrote that song yourself?" Nick asked.
Nikki nodded. "Yeah I did."
"That was incredible, Nikki. You're extremely talented," Kevin said, as they all rose up off the floor.
Just then, the Lucas adults came up the stairs. "Who was that singing?" Tom asked.
"It was Nikki," Joe said, pointing at said girl.
"Really? That was you?" Sandy asked, as she and Tom stepped slowly towards them with awe struck faces.
Nikki's face reddened as she nodded. "Yes."
"Wow. That sounded incredible," Tom said before he glanced at his boys. "What are you doing tomorrow?"
Nikki shook her head. "Nothing as of right now. Why?"
Tom grinned. "Why don't you come over tomorrow after lunch. I'd like to hear more if you have any," he said, turning his gaze to his boys who had knowing smiles on their faces.
Nikki's face lit up as she rose from the chair, setting the guitar gently on it. "Really?"
Tom nodded. "With a voice like that, I don't see why we can't get a demo going."
Nikki quickly crossed the room and engulfed the older man in a hug. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you! This is like the best birthday ever!"
Tom chuckled as he hugged her back before she stepped away from him. "No thank you. Now, we'll leave you guys alone. But I'm serious, Nikki. Tomorrow. One o'clock," he said, as they descended the stairs.
"I'll be here," she said with a smile. After they had disappeared, Nikki turned to the others with a squeal. "Did that just happen?"
Kevin nodded. "Yeah. You're not dreaming."
"I'm so happy I could cry," she said, her voice cracking.
"Oh Nikki," Kevin said softly, wrapping his arms around her.
Nikki loosely hugged him back with a sigh. "This is seriously the best birthday ever," she mumbled against his chest.
Kevin looked outside to see the sun was about to set and he smiled. "Come with me," he said, releasing her, and grabbing her hand.
"Where're we going?" she asked.
"You'll see," he said, as he led her to a ladder on the side of the room. She looked back at the other to see them shrug with grins on their faces.
She followed Kevin up the ladder and when she reached the top, her mouth fell open. She was standing on the roof of the firehouse, and it overlooked the town. She turned to West and saw the sun starting to set and she let out a contented sigh.
"Oh Kevin. This is beautiful," she whispered, staring at the soft setting sun.
He looked over at her and smiled. "Yeah. It really is."
Nikki turned to him with a smile and a small blush. "I don't think you could have made my birthday any better," she said.
Kevin's ears turned red as he gulped. "Can I try?"
"What could you possibly do to make it any better?" she asked in an amused tone.
Kevin stepped up to her, reaching to hold her hands gently in his. They stared intently at each other, and Nikki's breath caught in her chest as he leaned down towards her. Her eyes fluttered closed when she felt his breath across her face, and stopped breathing altogether when his lips pressed gently to hers. The kiss only lasted a few moments before Kevin pulled away to look at her.
"Wow," Nikki whispered, her eyes opening slowly to look back at him.
"Now how's your birthday?" he asked teasingly.
"Now there's no way you can top that," she said with a grin before he wrapped his arms around her to hug her tightly.
A/N-- So? What'd ya think? Reviews would be awesome. And you know what? Since I'm posting everything today except the last chapter, if you don't want to review each chapter, I won't make you. But reviewing at the last chapter you read would be VERY nice indeed. Thanks bunches!!!
-NikNak5
P.S.- Just so you know, I really can sing and play guitar. I've like won stuff because I can. How awesome is that? haha