Just Jenny!

How did I let them talk me into this? Stupidboys with their stupid…stupidness! Okay So the dress is great and it’s not alltheir fault after all it was the stupidDaily Observer that conned me into coming to this damn thing to beginwith! But still, I wouldn’t have been halfas inclined to accept the invite…if I’d had a choice that is, or wear this over sized tank top, if the stupid (I really need to look up synonyms because for a news paper girl I’m starting to sound repetitive…and stupid) Jonas Brothers hadn’t been so excitedabout it. Now I’m walking into this massively acclaimed hotel ready to go to a convention where I not only won’t know any one, but where all the women are not only beautiful but funnytoo…greatif I’m not the wittiest one there what’s left? The clumsiest? Nope I think that one’s already taken by the physicalcomedians in the group…great!

So the first fiveseconds were spent with me trying to find my name on the seating chart and then as if sent from above…or as I later found by a Jonas…came a vision in a cream colored pant suit.

“Hey, thereyou are!” Came the cheery voice as she enveloped me in a polite hug.

“Hey, um…do I…well I know you, but you know me?” I asked the woman who could be none other than Ellen Degeneres.

“Oh, yeah, Jenny right? Kevin told me you’d be coming. So I thought I’d keep an eye out for you…not you know, takeoutmy eye but make sure you got to your seat okay, which reallyhow much can go wrong on your way to your seat…” she rambled.

“Well, you clearly don’t know me very well, because a lot can happen on the way to your seat, especially in thisoutfit…I feel like I forgot the other half but I let the guys…Kev and his brothers that is pick it out.” I chuckled following her to the main dining room.

“Oh yeah I made that mistake once and I ended up in a cocktail napkin and twisty ties, believe me I was embarrassedespecially when I found out it was a casual event and I was completely overdressed!” She joked.

The rest of the night went pretty well…a got a few compliments on my dress, Ellen and Portia were amazingly sweet, and apparently the L.A. crowd finds my “off beat“ sense of humor “refreshing“. Yeah all night people wanted to know just howI come up with these things….um, they happento me and I draw/ write them? Any way by the time I got out of there I was starving (the food was weird), my feet were killing me, my dress was riding up, my cell phone was digging into me from where I stuffed it seeing as I had no pockets, and I got an invite form Ellen to be on her show next time I was in town, though that might just be her being polite.

So seeing as I wasn’t about to walk to my hotel, and I really[i/] needed to get some good food, I did the only logicalthing. Pulling out my cell phone I pressed number five on my speed dial and waited for someone to pick up on the other end.

“Out already?” Came Kevin’s chuckle.

“I’m hungry…and my feet hurt…and I’m sickof this dress!” I pouted into the phone, even though I know he can’t see me.

“Aw, poor babywant me to go get you, and maybe we can hit In n Out on our way to the hotel?” he asked reading my mind.

“I LOVEyou!” I squealed, then immediately pictured him holding the phone at arms length.

“I bet you say that to allthe guys” came the smooth reply with a hint of something else…nervous laughter maybe? No, that’s just static or something…I really have to stop projecting my own feelings on to people, so what if I said I loved him, we’re coollike that it doesn’t mean anything…it doesn’t!

“Nope, just the ones that get me food.” I laughed with out missing a beat.

“Ah, so it’s just me and the pizza guy.” I could hear him smirking as he delivered this line, probably already in his car.

“Yep, well don’t forget the Thai food guy, the sandwichguy, the coffeeguy when he’s there, and the pretzel vendor in the park. I’d say the tacoguy too, but well lets face it his food kind of sucks.” I rambled walking around in a circle in the hotel lobby waiting for him to tell me he’d meet me out front.

“Well that’s a little harsh.” came a soft chuckle in my ear…notthe one holding the phone.

“Wait, how’d you get here so fast?” I asked clicking off my phone and spinning around to face Kevin.

“Well, I was planning on picking you up anyway, so I was on my way when Ellen texted me to let me know you were leaving, then you called about three minuets later.” he smiled handing me a mid sized shoulder bag.

“What’s this?” I asked with a well practiced eyebrow raise, not even caring that Kevin is a conniving stalker…whathe’s cute, funny, and generallyharmless.

“I figured you’d want to get out of those clothes, so just some jeans, shoes, normal socks” he said eying my nylons, “ and a t-shirt.” he shrugged as I hugged him, oh thank goodness for thoughtful stalkerybest friends!

“I’ll be right back!” I assured him making my hasty retreat. Once in the bathroom I couldn’t help but chuckle at the collection of clothing I’d been brought. Looking at the assorted items it was obvious all of this had at one point belonged to one of the Jonas boys, the jeans torn and lose I’m assuming were Kevin’s (as he was the biggest back in the day) back before the skinny jean craze. The beat up shoes were probably a thirteen year old Nick’s (if I know Kevin the socksare Nick’s too) and a child’s Superman shirt which could only belong to Frankie.

Fastening my hair in a high ponytail, I tossed my old outfit in the bag, and headed out to meet Kevin, fully aware of the fact that I probably looked sixteen.

“Better?” he asked looking me up and down with a smirk as he took my bag and started walking out.

“Much, thank you…or should I thank your brothers?” I asked lifting up my sneaker clad foot.

“Your welcome, and theysaw me packing the jeans then decidedto contribute, so Frankie gave me his shirt, Nick found some shoes for you, and Joe…well Joe was kindenough to steal Nick’s socks for you.” he chuckled tossing the bag in the back of his car and opening my door.

“Well, thank you, and thank your brothers for me as well.” I laughed picturing the look on Nick’s face once he realized his socked were missing, I swearhe has those things counted.

“You’re welcome, but now on to more important things…FOOD!”

After ordering four burgers and fries, Kevin and I headed to a far corner of the small fast food joint, yeah we should probably be more cautious but at this point everyone already knows we’re not dating.

“So, come on tell me everything how was tonight?” he asked leaning in to talk to me over the table, giving me the perfect view of his hazel eyes, even withhis glasses. I know I’ve said time and again that we’re just friends, but sitting this close to him it’s hard not to notice how good-looking he is, and how normalI must look in his little brother’s hand-me-ups…that's what it's called when you're older than the handerright?

“It was, surprisingly fun, although apparently I have you to thank for that as well.” to his raised eyebrow I continued, “Ellen told me you asked her to look out for me...well not in so many words...actually in a lot morewords now that I think about it, but you get the picture.”

“It was nothing, I told you it would work out.” he shrugged it off steeling one of my fries.

“Hey! You have your own!” I swatted him holding my fries protectively, then stuffing a few of them in my burger so he couldn't get to them.

“Whiner!” he mocked steeling another fry.

“Whatever, I'm awesome! So how was your night?” I asked before it could turn into a long stupid (there's that word again) bickering match.

“Sureyou are...it was pretty uneventful, Frankie officially deemed me unworthy of a webkinz, Joe stole my jacket...again, and Nick is just way to insightful for his age. Other than that, I just spent the day texting Ellen back and forth and packing your bag.” he shrugged taking a bite of his burger...was he blushing?!?

“Oh, well I'm sorry to hear that, we all know how much you loved that little pink dragon, chipper or not. You could always steal some of Joe's jeans and stretch them out, or maybe that pink shirt he should neverwear again! And um, thank you again, for the clothes, and Ellen, and the food!” I rambled, oh crap, now I'm blushing...and I don't even know why! All I know is he had better get that adorable look off his face...like three seconds ago!

“Yeah, well he threatened to call WPSon me if I didn't relinquish my account...but I got to keep the real toy, so I'm happy.” he grinned.

“Not, the Webkinz Protective Services!” I gasped (okay I think I'm the only person who would evercatch that reference...must be on the same brain wave...actually considering my last thought lets hope not, I don't need him knowing that!), to his somber nod I continued, “I didn't know Frankie could be so cruel!”

“Yeah, well there is a reason we call him Tank, it's just so horrible that you had to find out this way.” he comforted me taking my hand in his, stupid chills.

“Are, you cold? We can go if you like and hang out in the hotel room, or here take my jacket, I should have brought you something.” he said hastily removing his cream colored hoodie and somehow draping it over me as I sat across from him...I attribute it all to the height discrepancy.