Exposed In Lights

“I believe that’s four nil.” Nick smirked just after he potted the black ball while I still had two red balls left on the table. I pouted and he laughed, “Suck it up.”

“You’re a twat.” He fake gasped then placed his cue on the table. I decided if he was going to be an arsehole, I was going to tease him.

I placed all my hair over one shoulder and slipped my shorts down onto the floor. Nick didn’t notice that as he was putting his cue back up against the wall behind me. I grabbed my cue and bent over the pool table then proceeded to pot my left over balls. The white ball was on the opposite side of the table now, I walked over and bent over again. I peeked up through my eye lashes to see Nick biting his lips looking at my breasts. I smirked and potted the other one.

“Oh well.” I sighed and placed the cue on the table and walked out. He followed five metres behind me to his room, I stood at his window and looked out to the golf course that was to the left of the house.

His large hands gripped my hips and pulled me firmly against him, I leaned my head back against his shoulder as he kissed my neck. He groaned onto my neck, “You won’t have sex with me,” He spun me around and picked me up, my back connected roughly with the wall. “But you’ll quite happily push me to my limits.”

I smirked and ground my hips against his; he moaned sending a thrill through me. “Pretty much, you’re doing this to yourself though.”

He pushed his eager lips against mine. I gave him what he wanted which was me to kiss him back. Our lips smashed together forcefully and his hands kept a hold of me under my bum, they moved under my bikini bottoms and onto my skin causing me to shudder. I slipped my tongue into his mouth, taking control of the kiss. He pulled away from the kiss and then slipped his tongue back in before eventually putting his lips back on mine.

“Kids...”

I jumped at Denise’s voice but Nick seemed unfazed, “Mom, we’re just kissing.”

“I know, I’m just checking up.” My cheeks were most likely bright pink. I tried to untangle my self from Nick’s grasp but he was having none of it. Instead his hands slid up my back and undid my bikini top. I tried to keep a smooth face in front of Denise. “We’re going to go and catch that new Zac Efron movie, 17 again. Are you coming?”

“Yeah.” Nick finally let me go with a small smile. I stayed pressed against the wall in hope that it wouldn’t fall away, “Thanks Mom.”

She sent us another smile then disappeared up the corridor. I stepped away from the wall letting my bikini top loosen so my chest was partially visible. “Oh well, better get ready for the pictures.” I walked out the room, leaving Nick baffled.

I tried to remember the twists and turns of the house whilst trying to do up my bikini top. “Lost?”

I smiled at Joe, “Just a bit.”

He then nodded toward my hands that were struggling, “Need some help.”

I grinned and nodded. I turned around letting the annoying strings drop, Joe picked them back up and tied them back up. “Thanks, now, where’s my room?”

Joe chuckled and pointed up the corridor, “Just that last door on the right.”

“Thanks.” I saluted him and skipped down the corridor.

Once in my room I chose an outfit. I decided on an over sized white shirt with a smiley face on tucked into some high waist jeans, a pair of white plimsoles, my jewellery and a pair of white Ray Bans Wayfarers with a black lens. I dried my hair and loosely curled it, then I put some foundation on with a stripe of black liquid eye liner on my top eye lid. I put on some mascara quickly and smoothed a chap stick over my lips.

Once I was finished I shoved my phone and some money into my pockets though I knew they wouldn’t let me pay and grabbed a bag. I managed to find my way to Kevin’s room, I knocked on the door and waited for him to come out.

The door swung open and he grinned at me, “Want a piggy back ride?”

“Yes.” I smiled and he crouched down in front of me. “One, two, three…” I jumped onto his back and he stood up, he jerked me further up his back and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

I memorized my surroundings for later use and jumped off his back once we were at the cars. Paul and Denise were taking their car and we were all going in Kevin’s white hybrid. Nick and I sat in the back together while Kevin drove and Joe rode shot gun.

“I’m excited.” Kevin said as we took off out of the gated community and onto the main roads.

My phone began to ring in my pocket, I pulled it out and answered it. “Hello?”

“You’re in Texas and you didn’t tell me!” Taylor shouted, I chuckled at her. “You’re staying with the at the Jonas’s right?”

I smiled, “Yeah I am, I forgot you lived here. To be honest I didn’t think you’d be home. We should meet up.”

“Well, ask Nick or someone to drive you to the Ihop at Fort Worth.”

“We’re going to the pictures now but I’ll get them to drop me off after, around three?” I checked the watch on my wrist to make sure I’d worked it out right. “That okay?”

“Sure, sure. I’ll see you there!”

She killed the line so I shoved my phone into my pocket. “Who was that?” Nick asked.

“Taylor,” His eyes widened a bit, “Swift.” I added and laughed.

I went on Safari on my iPhone and went on a gossip website, I knew they hated me but I didn’t really care. As I read, one word struck me. Ugly. I’d been told enough I wasn’t ugly, it’s asked my parents when I was little why everyone thought I was strange. I sighed and shoved it back into my pocket.

I suddenly had the urge to write so I grabbed my tattered leather note book from my bag and began scribbling.

People are all the same and we only get judged by what we do. Personality reflects name and if I’m ugly then so are you.

I was aware Nick was reading over my shoulder as I wrote down a rough first verse, my writing was a mess because I hadn’t written in a while but I eventually got into the flow of it.

When I was seven they said I was strange. I noticed that my eyes and hair weren’t the same. I asked my parents if I was okay; they said ‘you’re more beautiful and that’s they way the show that they wish that they had your smile.’ So my confidence was up for a while, I got real comfortable with my own style. I know that they were only jealous ‘cause.

I drew an arrow from there above the first section I had written then snapped the book shut and shoved it into my bag again. “Having an insecure moment there?”

“Just a tad.” I smiled at Nick who gave me a soft kiss.

It was weird when we pulled up outside the venue and there were no cameras or people, except for the worker letting us in through the back. “Nick, come get some popcorn with me.”

Kevin and Joe disappeared into the screening as Nick and I walked into the main lobby. The queue was pretty low with it being a school day so we got served quickly, “Buttered popcorn? That’s disgusting.” I cringed.

“What do you want then?” He asked pulling out his wallet.

I rolled my eyes at his generosity. “For you to let me pay my way in life.” I looked up at him hopefully but as always he shook his head, “A bag of skittles.”

“A large coke, some buttered popcorn and a share sized bag of skittles please.”

I chuckled as I remembered a funny saying to do with skittles, “You think you’re all that and a bag of crisps but I’m all that and a bag of skittles so taste my rainbow.” I laughed childishly.

“You worry me sometimes.” Nick said shaking his head. He handed some money to the cashier and I grabbed my skittles and the coke, “Thanks.” He flashed her a smile as he retrieved his change then we headed back into the theatre.

It was very posh compared to the ones in the UK, larger seats and just generally better and more modern. It was half filled with some adults and teenagers who had obviously ditched school or were off for another reason. They were talking on their phones in hushed but excited tones as Nick and I walked up the steps to the back row where Joe and Kevin were sat.

“Stalker girls?” I asked Joe who was secretly eying them. I ripped open my pack of skittles and squeezed the packet into my cup holder.

“Probably fan girls.” He switched his phone onto silent and shoved it in his pocket.

The lights dimmed and trailers began rolling. We were all pretty engrossed in the film when it came on but those three girls were annoying the hell out of me, they were trying to be conspicuous by taking pictures with their phones in the dark; epic failure on that front.

“I’m going to the bathroom.” I told Nick quietly, who let go of my hand and nodded.

I walked down the dark steps, focusing intently on not falling over. When I stepped out into the large, long corridor of theatre doors the lights blinded me. I headed across the lobby and into the women’s toilets. I quickly emptied my bladder then went to wash my hands.

I heard some giggles. I turned around to see the three girls from the theatre, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and opened the text message from Nick;

Stalker girls just left, probably going to you.

I quickly half dried my hands and rushed out. I wiped the rest of the water onto my shorts and hurried back inside with them following me. I ran up the steps and sat down in my seat breathing heavily, Nick shot me a panicked look so I just kissed his cheek and tried to catch up on what I had missed.

Time Lapse

Taylor was already sat in a booth with a coke in front of her. She stood up when she saw me, I placed my sun glasses on top of my head and rushed to give her a hug. “This is so over due.” I said to her.

I pulled up my shorts up and sat down opposite her. “I know, tell me about everything.”

“I got hit by Jake but then the boys and Justin beat him up and then I worked too much on tour and collapsed. Oh and I argued with Nick.” I sighed and grabbed her coke, she didn’t even notice.

Taylor tucked her blonde hair behind her ear, “Have you been argueing a lot?”

I nodded sadly, “Yeah, just… I don’t know. It’s not petty things either. I have a secrets box and I let him read them all and he told his brothers.”

“No!” She gasped, “What an idiot.”

“I know, so we didn’t talk for like two days then when I went to talk to him I collapsed. We still haven’t talked about it much, but it doesn’t matter, I’m over it.” I shrugged and fluffled my hair with my hand. “I’m hungry, what do they make here?”

“Pancakes.” Taylor laughed and handed me a menu.

Time Lapse

My time with Taylor was nice, I wanted to be able to have a good gossip and she gave me that chance. Right now I sat in some green girl boxer shorts and one of Nick’s white v-neck shirts on the bathroom counter with my right leg propped up on the edge of the sink, smeared in white women’s shaving cream. I took the razor and dragged it up my leg then sloshed it around in the warm water that sat in the sink.

“Knock, knock.” Joe’s voice bellowed from outside the door, “Are you decent.”

“Yeah.” I called back then carried on shaving.

Joe walked in calmly and sat on the floor against the wall opposite me, “How was your meeting with my ex?” Joe smirked taking off his purple hat. I noticed he was wearing glasses which made him look adorable and more childlike.

“Entertaining, did you hear the pregnant man went into labour?” I asked, changing the subject.

Joe shuddered, “That’s so wrong.”

“How so?” I asked rinsing my leg then jumping down from the counter, I wiped the water off my leg and went to sit down next to him.

“It’s not a man, it’s sick.” He stated simply shrugging his shoulders, “ If God—”

“Leave God out of this. Think about him as a person. I think it’s an incredible thing to do, to go public and receive all the abuse they do is so brave. I couldn’t do it.” It felt weird to talk about such a touchy subject, usually Joe’s the joker so it was nice to see a different side of him.

“It’s their own fault.”

“Their own fault for what? Wanting to have a family with the person they love? They don’t love each other because they’re male or female but because of who they are. And that’s such a powerful love, I bet you couldn’t do it.” I smirked, he grinned at me with his straight teeth.

“Do what?” He challenged, narrowing his eyes at me.

“Love someone despite whatever circumstances, male or female, old or young-”

He cut me off, “Single or taken?”

“Sure, I guess that could count.” I smiled at him, I didn’t even think of that one.

He stood up and looked down at me, I held out my hands for him and he pulled me up effortlessly. “You know, you’re one of the most non-judgemental people I’ve never met. It suits you.” He tapped my nose and threw his arm around my shoulder, “Let’s get some pants on you and go and watch The Aristocats.”