Exposed In Lights

The police, after consent from my parents and a long interview and criminal records check, allowed Amelia to stay with us in the hotel until they got a hold of a family member for her though they had taken up most of the hotel for places for the uninjured to stay. My mum was still very concerned about my state, apparently I was like a zombie. I’d over heard my dad suggest counselling so I tried to sort my self out before it could come to that.

I was currently trying to bath Amelia. She had grown very attached to me in the short time we had spent together and was also attached to Joe who was currently in the bedroom sorting out some pyjamas for Amelia.

I gently massaged some shampoo into her hair as she sat playing with some bath toys Nick had bought from a local Wal-Mart. I shielded the water from going in her eyes as I washed out the soapy bubbles. I hummed a high pitched unknown tune and wiped her body with the flannel one more time. I’d requested a cute little towel robe for her so I quickly dried her then wrapped it around her and pulled up the hood.

Amelia smiled at me, “Am I staying with you tonight?” Her cute voice rang, entrancing me. She yawned, making a cute little noise as she crumpled up her innocent four year old face. She had corrected me when I told the police man she was five, she’d declared her age proudly with a bright smile.

I nodded, “Yeah, you’re tired. Let’s get you to sleep.” I kissed her forehead and picked her up. She sat on my hip as I carried her over to my double bed where a set of cotton pyjamas were spread out.

I groaned as I sat her down on the bed and started to dry her. Nick’s hands wrapped around my wrists, “Come on, let’s go get a coffee or something, please?” He begged.

I looked at Amelia who was holding her white night dress in front of her as she examined the two small rocking horses on the front then back up to Nick. “Joe can you sort Amelia out for bed? I want her asleep when I come back and don’t leave her alone.”

He nodded, “Sure.” He smiled and grabbed onto Amelia then flipped her over his shoulder. She giggled as he ran around the room with her.

Nick laced his fingers in mine, it took me longer to grip onto his hand than usual. He tugged me out the room quickly and across the hall to his. “You haven’t even changed.” He mumbled more to him self than me as he sat me down on the double bed he would be staying in.

I rubbed my head that was pounding whilst Nick rooted through his drawers. I couldn’t be bothered to do anything so Nick undid my jacket, took off my top and leggings and then my heels. He dressed me in a pair of his basketball shorts and his beloved Elvis Costello t-shirt that I drown in. For some reason he had a pair of my white plimsolls so he put them on my feet then took my hand in his as we stood opposite each other.

I felt his forehead against mine and my breath went ragged as I choked out a sob, the pain in his eyes was reflected in mine as the tears rolled down my cheeks. As soon as I saw a tear slip down his left cheek I swiped it away and kissed his lips. My eyes closed when I felt his lips on mine, I craved them so badly, and it was bliss to finally give in.

Once we pulled away Nick spun around to get his wallet from his dresser and then laced my fingers with his. Silently, we walked out of the room and as soon as we hit the lobby he dropped my hand at the sight of press outside the hotel. They shouted questions as we crossed the street to Starbucks. I got a black coffee and Nick just got a fruit drink, we sat down opposite from each other, I had my back to the cameras that were pressed up against the glass.

I sipped on my coffee quietly, “What’s on your mind?” I asked Nick, noticing him as he examined my every move.

“You. I’m worried about you.” I rolled my eyes trying to convince him I was still my normal self, “Stop it, if you’re hurting don’t hide from me.” He whispered carefully.

“Nick, I basically just walked away from an open morgue two hours ago. I’ll be fine tomorrow, I’m just tired and aching.” I rubbed my temples and finished the last of my coffee. “I want to go to bed.” I sighed and leaned forward to rest my head on the table.

The screeching of Nick’s chair against the floor was annoyingly loud, I lifted my head from the table and stood up. We walked silently back to the hotel and quickly rushed to an open lift. Once inside of it Nick pressed our floor button and I leaned against his body. He held me up right with his arm that was securely around my waist.

The hotel room was dark but with beams of ever changing lights coming from the TV that was on so low I couldn’t hear it at the door. When I rounded the corner I saw Joe with his legs tucked up to his chest, the remote beside him on the bed where Amelia was curled up under the covers, safely tucked away. I almost smiled.

Nick stayed until Joe left, probably to make sure he did leave. “I love you, with my whole being.” I reminded him as we stood at the door. He leaned down and gave me a passionate kiss, I watched him disappear into his room for the night then quietly closed the door.

I decided Nick’s clothes would be good enough for bed. I tidied up the room a bit then grabbed the remote to switch off the TV. It was then I realised that the news was on, still talking about the crash. I noticed a woman on the screen, I had helped her out of the carriage. In a rushed state I turned it up slightly.

“…and she must have been struggling so much, I’m not the thinnest person in the world and she was so small too. Wearing heels she still managed to pull me from the floor and lift me up to the other boy, Nick, who pulled me out the cart and then handed me to Joe who passed me to a paramedic. I sat on the ground and watched them do that for about half an hour while the firemen tried to sort the fire and get the bodies out the first train. Umm… they were just incredible. They shifted everyone they could and left people they knew needed a hoist. They’re truly many people’s personal miracles.”

The screen cut to a man up a height with the wreckage behind him, “And there you have it. Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas and Julia Beckham helping to recover people from this disaster. Many people thank the Lord for their presence, paramedics say some may have died without them.”

I switched off the TV and turned around to see Amelia’s eyes open, she was looking around the room then her eyes settled on me. I offered her a small smile and she gave me one back. “I had a bad dream.” She told me, showing no signs of fear.

I crawled under the covers and hugged her, “What do you want me to do?” I questioned stroking her hair.

“Get Joe.” She smiled, “He was telling stories about you. He says you’re a singer and he said you have the voice of an angel. He sang for me too, he said he was in a band too. That’s why there’s people wanting pictures of you all the time but I told him it’s just because you’re pretty and he said ‘yeah she is’ then he,” she took a deep breath to refuel her lungs, “he sang me another song then talked some more until I fell to sleep.”

I smiled bashfully then reached for the phone. I dialled in his room number and heard his groggy voice on the other end answer a faint ‘hello’.

“Joe, Amelia can’t sleep. Come sing to her.” I demanded, he groaned then put down the phone. “He’s coming.”

I climbed out the bed and switched on the light in the small cubby where the door was, this shed a bit of light in the bedroom so I could see what was happening. Just as I was about to walk back a knock on the door made me turn back around, through the peep hole I saw a shirtless Joe wearing a pair of grey sweats with black boxers poking over the top.

I quickly let him in and smiled, he smiled back then walked into the bedroom. He crawled into what he didn’t know was my spot in the bed. I sat down in a lounge chair as Joe quietly talked to Amelia until she fell asleep. After thirty minutes I couldn’t hear Joe talking anymore.

I stood up, confused as to where the sound had gone, and then saw Joe was asleep in the middle of the bed with Amelia to his right. I sighed as my eyes drooped and gave in, I needed sleep. I crawled into the small space left on the bed next to Joe who stirred in his sleep, I stared at the ceiling while Joe shuffled around to get comfortable.

I let out a small gasp when his arms wrapped around my waist and his head rested on my chest. This was how Joe slept and he thought I was the pillow. Eventually I relaxed, but I couldn’t sleep. I preoccupied my self with running my fingers through his hair and gently stroking his face. His hands felt so odd on my waist, they were so different to Nick’s in their size, texture, heat. Everything seemed off.

His hair, so soft and dark, fell through my fingers easily. His face against my shirt was warm in comparison to the luke warm air around me. Subconsciously his fingers gently moved against the skin of my waist I panicked as his eyes fluttered open, they flashed up to my face and a cute blush rose to his cheeks.

“Sorry, I usually hug a pillow when I sleep.” Joe whispered then yawned and closed his eyes again.

I smiled at him as he opened his eyes again. “What’s up?” I asked noticing his troubled eyes, I continued to stroke his hair gently.

“Can I tell you a secret?” Joe said quietly. His fingers twisted my shirt around and accidentally grazed his other fingers across my stomach.

“Of course.” I promised running my finger tips over the skin above his eyes brows the around and across his cheekbones.

His fingers stopped moving and he took a deep breath. “I slept with Camilla.” My mouth hung open, I had nothing to stay to that. I looked at Joe, his eyes clenched shut tightly and his chest rising and falling faster. “Say something.” He pleaded.

“What do you want me to say? Joe, it doesn’t bother me.” I kissed his forehead to try and calm him down.

“Do you think I should take off my band?” He asked.

I shook my head, “Something tells me that wasn’t the only promise you made on that ring. Tell your parents, they won’t be upset.”

Joe sighed, nodded to himself and drifted back off to sleep. I clambered out of his arms then replaced my self with a pillow which he hugged close to him. I grabbed my key from the bed side table and tip toed out the room and across to Nick’s; the key was a precaution in case he didn’t answer.

I knocked on the door with my knuckles quietly at first then gradually got louder until finally he opened the door. I’d obviously woken him. He was rubbing his eyes and swaying slightly. “Joe came round to get Amelia back to sleep and fell asleep in my bed. Can I sleep with you? I can ask my mum if needs be-” I stumbled over my words.

“No, come on. You’re dead on your feet.” He moved away to let me in. I waited for him to crawl into bed first then I knocked the light off and joined him in the large bed. My head sunk into the pillow and as soon as I felt Nick cuddle up to my back I was out like a light.

When I woke up Nick was still asleep with me, but my movement of waking up woke him up too as I had forgotten I came into his room last night. I turned to face him and smiled at his dishevelled appearance. His brought his hand to my face and used his thumbs to wipe away the black make up from under and around my eyes then he wiped it on the white sheets.

He kept a firm grasp on my face and proceeded to rub his nose against mine. I smiled gleefully and grazed my lips over his cheek. “We have to talk to the police today.” I groaned.

Nick shook his head, “We don’t, parents are sorting it. I think we should spend the day in bed.” He smirked.

I shook my head. “Nope.” I grinned.

Suddenly his arms were a cage around me, I tried to worm out but failed. “Bed day,” He murmured into my ear and rolled over so he was on top of me. I chuckled and pushed him off me, giving him a slap to the chest. I switched on the news to find it was still talking about the crash so I switched it off and put on a music channel while Nick rang down for room service breakfast.

“We’re so lazy.” I chuckled throwing the duvet off us to the foot of the bed. Nick let out a cry when the air hit him then pulled it back over him. I rolled my eyes and propped my self up against the back board with pillows comforting my back. Nick sat up next to me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders.

I heard someone shove a key card into the door and open it, only the parents had key cards. I didn’t bother moving, this wouldn’t be an odd sight to them. Denise and my mum rounded the corner and smiled, “You kids ate yet?” Mum asked sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Room service should be here any second.” Nick answered smoothly.

I rested my head on his chest and he kissed my cheek gently. “Okay, that’s good. Joe and Kevin have taken Amelia to the park. The police will be here in an hour or two, they’ve found her aunt who is going to take care of her.” Denise smiled.

I forced a smile. I’d liked to have kept Amelia with us, she was the cutest. But I’d definitely visit her. A knock on the door got Nick almost climbing out of bed, “Don’t worry we’ll let them in.” Mum smiled and went to walk out with Denise. “I swear those two are going to get married some day.” I heard her whisper to Denise who giggled.

“I have no doubt.” She said.

I looked up to Nick, who was smiling down at me. I stretched my neck to kiss his lips then I rolled out of bed and over to the trolley that had been left in the cubby near the door. “Toast, eggs, cereal… there’s a buffet here.” I shouted as I pushed it to the foot of the bed.

Nick crawled down to the bottom of the bed and sat cross legged as he checked his blood sugar. I sat next to him in the same position and began to butter my self some toast, the spread some lemon curd over it and ate as we watched the TV play amazingly bad songs.

In an annoyed fashion I turned over the TV to Phineas and Ferb and just in time. “Doofenshmirtz evil incorporated!” I sung along with the TV and bit into my toast again. “This is an odd looking gnome… a platypus...” I said, trying my best to imitate his accent and voice, “Perry the platypus!”

Nick looked at me, a crease in his forehead as he gave me a bewildered look. “You worry me.” Nick stated and ate some more eggs.

“But you love me.” I chuckled tossing the crusts of my toast onto the plate. “I think we should all go down to Cabo, get a yacht and chill out for a day in the sun.” I announced.

Nick watched me as I crawled away from the food and back under the covers at the top of the bed. “Sun sounds so nice.” Nick agreed and climbed under the covers at the bottom of the bed.

He crawled under them like a burrowing mole until his head poked out the top beside me. I chuckled at him then kissed his nose. “But I have to do some vocals for a You Me At Six song called ‘Always Attract’. It’s lush.” I boasted and cuddled into Nick some more.

Time Lapse

Amelia’s Aunt, Liz, was very nice and had told us we could visit Amelia whenever we liked. I recorded the duet with Josh around seven in the morning then had a meeting about my US summer tour at ten then I had rushed home, grabbed a bag and drove with the family to a helicopter which took us to a marina in Cabo where my beloved awaited with his family, Danielle, Coach K and Maya.

We had gone half and half on renting a yacht for the day. It was large with three different floors that slanted so the bottom two floors got sun at the end of them. I wore a little blue sleeveless dress with a bright pink bikini under it. A pair of circular glasses rested on the bridge of my nose with a green rim that always distracted me.

I could see the yacht from where I was and I could also see lots of people on it, I couldn’t pin point where Nick was, though I could easily spot Joe leaning against the rails in a pair of green swim shorts and a bare torso with a signature pair of white Ray Bans Wayfarers.

My family and I walked across the steel path that was connected to the side of the boat and climbed onto the back and then walked into the shaded area of the bottom level. Everyone was varnished and every bit of furniture was white. I climbed the silver spiral stair case quickly and ignored the fact my beach bag was clanging off of it.

Once in the sun again I smiled. The adults were at the bar, sitting and drinking whilst chatting between themselves. But because it was a yacht, it wasn’t stools oh no, it was large leather seats on poles. Mega stools. The younger people; the boys and Maya laid on a large bed that wrapped around the Jacuzzi for people to sun bathe on at the front of the top deck.

I pulled my Blackberry from my bag and kicked off my sandals. “Hey!” I grinned and waved to the adults before skipping over to my friends and joined them.

I crawled between Nick’s legs and leaned against his sticky chest. “Hello there.” Nick smiled. I leaned my head back to smile back at him. He pressed his lips to mine in an upside down kiss making me smile even more.

I put my head back normal and screamed as I suddenly had the weight of Maya on top of me. After getting over the shock I hugged her back, giggling to my self at my idiocy. When she sat back in her original position I leaned forward off Nick’s body and pulled off my dress leaving me in my bikini. I reached into my bag and pulled out a black cotton head band, I pulled it over my head and around my neck then lifted it back up swiping my hair from my face. Then I tied my hair back in a messy bun and resumed my position with Nick.

I closed my eyes and relaxed in the sun as the boat started up and headed for the sea, comforted by the arms of my love.