The Boy Next Door.

“Started as a flicker meant to be a flame, skin has gotten thicker but it burns the same.”

.................................................................Marina

My face was starting to hurt from the grin that had been plastered on my face since the call I had received not more than an hour ago and now my legs, chest and eyes were also aching from the out of character exercise. I was running, yes running... don’t act so surprised, if
Nicholas Jonas can do it then so can I. True it was ridiculously early for this kind of thing, the sun was barely saying ‘Howdy’ over the horizon and yet here I was, running at a fair pace next to one extremely delicious, curly haired boy with reddened cheeks, who teased me
further by wearing a red wife beater and black bike shorts. Thankyou oh brilliant person who invented the spandex bike shorts!

“Um, Nick? How much farther?” I puffed out making my stamina’s end audible to him. He stopped and turned to me, placing his clammy hands onto my shoulders.

“You don’t do much exercise do you?” He looked into my eyes with a cheeky glint. I faked an insulted gasp.

“What on this earth gave you that impression.” I gave him a fierce glare making him practically burst out laughing.

“Come on Marina, we have been jogging for what? Ten minutes and you look like a drunken monkey.” He said the last sentence breaking down with laughter, “You remind me of the time Joe dragged us to the gym. Kevin was absolutely wreaked after two minutes on the treadmill.” He smiled lovingly thinking about his brothers.

I didn’t know whether to be offended or comforted by his gentle and contented expression. I huffed out loud and started to jog off the way we had come, “Well this drunken monkey is heading home. You can enjoy the rest of your exercise in peace.” I endeavoured to stay as cool as possible, show that cocky Jonas where he could shove his cheery mood at 4 am.

However I didn’t see the banana skin lying ahead.

My foot made contact with the rotting skin and down I went like a ton of bricks. One second I was upright then the next I was enjoying the view from the pavement and listening to the ringing sound in my ears from my chest’s impact with the ground. “Ow...” I groaned out as I tried to remember how to breathe.

“MARINA!” Nick yelled out from behind me and the sound of his voice was quickly changed to his sneakers on the pavement. He kneeled down in front of me and attempted to sit me up. Bad idea on his part, as soon as I was upright my head started spinning like I had just gotten off an amusement park ride, “Are you ok?” He whispered as he pulled me into his chest, I tried to reply but I had lost the ability to speak and the common black spots were forming in my vision. I felt my body go limp and a scared; “Marina?” was the last thing I heard before I went under the wave of consciousness.

...............................................................Nick
She was scaring me; I hated it when people fell and having a brother like Joe meant I had a lot of heart attacks. The sound of the impact was still ringing in my ears; I bet she could do a good belly flop. Wait... what was I thinking? “Marina?” Her body went limp in my arms and her eyes fluttered shut while she slumped into my chest. I shook her shoulders a couple of times to try and wake her up but to no avail. I gently laid her down and pulled out my Black Berry and dialled the first number that came to mind.

“Hello.” Came a groggy voice from the other end.

“Thank God you still answer on the first ring.”

“Thanking God? At...” An audible rustling of sheets could be heard as he moved to check the clock, “Ok Nick...its 4:13 am, A) why are you even up, B) where are you and C) why are you calling me without mention of coffee?”

I huffed into the phone and glanced down to Marina’s still unconscious form, “You’re annoying when you first wake up Kev. I went out for a Jog with Marina, something has happened. Can you get down here?”

“Don’t worry Nick, Mufassa to the rescue.” With that he ended the call. I pocketed the phone and leaned over Marina making sure she was ok, even if she wasn’t conscious.



“So Nick, would you care to tell me why your girlfriend is passed out in the back of my car, at 4:30 in the freaking morning?”

“Two words Kevy, Banana. Skin.”

What were these people on about? I raised my hand and massaged my throbbing temple; the crisp leather under me creaked with my movement making the crazy people in the front turn to look at me.

“Marina!” The one on the left yelled out, turning as much as he could in the seat. I held up a hand to silence this noisy beast, threatening to burst my skull open. “Shut up Nick, before I kill you with your own curls.” I moaned as I squeezed my eyes shut and rolled into the seat.

The driver chuckled and quietly told Nick, that was worth getting up for.

I woke up again in a very comfortable bed, in a familiar but dark room. I wondered for a moment if I had just dreamt this morning’s antics but my assumptions were quickly eradicated when I shifted in the bed. I sucked in a deep breath to counter the pain in my chest and instantly recognised the smell of Nicholas Jonas, “Hello?” I croaked out cautiously into the dark room.

“Oh you’re awake!” He said very quietly from my side. I furrowed my brow which kind of hurt.

“Why are you speaking so softly Nick?”

“Oh um, you said before that if I didn’t shut up, you would kill me with my own curls.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “So how are you feeling?”

“Like all of your brothers decided to have a game on trampoline on my chest.” I smiled at him, “It doesn’t hurt that much actually, considering the sonic boom I made when my chest met the ground.”

“Hahahaha....you have that right, I think you woke the whole neighbourhood up with that one. I’m going to tell my mum you’re awake and she can work the old Jonas charm and make you feel better.” He slipped himself out of the bed, I instantly felt worse knowing he wasn’t there anymore. But within seconds he raced back in and placed a kiss on my temple, “I have to go entertain my fans soon Mazz, I will stay as long as I can.”

“Hello Marina dear.” Denise smiled as she walked in the room holding bandages and assorted lotions. “Nick, be a dear and open the curtains.” Nick obediently scurried over and flung open the material making the light flood in. “Righto, let’s get you fixed up.” She placed all of the bottles down on the bedside table. It was mainly disinfectant but there was a lot of stuff I had never seen before. Denise noticed my quizzical glare to the bottles, “One word Marina. Boys. Namely boys that go by the names of Joseph and Franklin.” I nodded in understanding. “Ok, so would you mind taking your shirt off dear?”

A suppressed gasp came from the corner of the room I suspected Nick to be hiding in, “Nicholas Jerry Jonas, would you please vacate the room. You have an interview to get to.” I watched as he slid sheepishly out of the room.

Denise’s eyes twinkled as she watched her son leave the room, “Ok let’s look at your injuries.” Her soft hands gently felt around my ribs and every other reddened area, “Looks like you are lucky sweetie. Your chest will probably give you strife for a few days but seems you have painted a few bruises into your life at the most.”She concluded after a good ten minutes of healing.

She smiled and gathered up the few bottles and other things that were left and got up to leave. But she lost her grip on some of the items, making them fall to the ground with a clatter. I quickly sprang from my position in Nick’s bed to help collect the fallen objects, “Here let me carry some of this.” She smiled in response and led the way to the rather large first aid kit.

“Let me guess...Boys?”

Denise gave a hearty laugh, “Yep, you have it my dear.” She put the bits and pieces back in their spots and then turned to me. “So what are you doing for the rest of the day Marina?”

We started to walk back up the hallway and down the stairs, “Well I guess I should be headed home.”

Denise gave me a very worried look and stopped walking “Oh I haven’t made you feel as if you’re not welcomed here...” I put a hand up to silence her.

“No not at all, it’s only that well I would very much like to change clothes and get something to eat and I hate to say it, but I have work at 9.” I shuddered at the reminder that I had to endure work.

“Oh Nicholas didn’t tell us you worked.” Denise said interested as she took at seat in the fantastic kitchen.

I took a seat and smiled at her, “I’m not surprised. I doubt he knows, I mean the topic hasn’t exactly come up.”

“Understandable to say the least, I suppose my sons over look such tedious subject when they prefer to avoid it themselves.” I smiled at Denise and watched as she got up and rustled around in the fridge pulling out a carton of eggs and milk. Then taking out what looked like a bag of flour, a bowl and a mixing spoon from various cupboards. “So where do you work Mazz?” I felt a gush of pride when she used my nickname.

“Oh no where fancy. I just work part-time as a secretary at the local newspaper. I’m on holidays from uni at the moment so it’s really just a way to pass the time. Making money is just a bonus.”

Denise was focused on whipping up her project but briefly looked up to show that she was listening, “What are you taking at University?”

I glanced into the bowl watching the creamy paste thicken, “Oh, um. Journalism and writing. I want to be an editor one day. You know Vouge is like the ultimate for me but I suppose it’s a little bit unrealistic to dream so big.”

“Don’t you believe that for a minute.” She waved a battery wooden spoon at me, “My sons dared to dream big and they got there. I have no doubt that you could too.” She poured the batter into a hot pan and my stomach rumbled at the smell it let off.

“Thank you. I guess you’re right.” I sniffed the air once more, “Dear god that smells so good.”

Denise chuckled as she flipped the batter I could now define as pancakes, “Good to hear. It won’t be long now, and then you can tuck in.”

“What? Oh no, you didn’t have to make me breakfast!” I felt my cheeks redden; I can’t believe I let my boyfriend’s mother go to that trouble.

“Don’t be silly, I’m perfectly used to whipping up things for the boys. A batch of pancakes is nothing. And besides you have work at 9?” I nodded still feeling bad, “Well its 8:30 now, so by the time you head off, you wouldn’t get the time to eat.” She laid down a plate of steaming pancakes, maple syrup and jam in front of me.

I didn’t need to think about it, I just lifted a fork and attacked the soft, fluffy insides. I grinned sheepishly at Denise, “Well who am I to refuse the best dam pancakes I have ever tasted.”

“So we have moved onto sucking up have we?”

“JOSEPH!”

“I’m kidding mum.” A sleepy looking Joe came into view and sat down next to me. His hair a mess of curls and tangles.

“Just woke up danger?” I smiled as I stuffed my face with some more syrup soaked batter.
He scoffed, “Well yes, but no thanks to your early morning scuffle.”

“You have your own room at the moment don’t you Jonas? So how could that affect you?”

“That I do, and I am most thankful for that. But that still didn’t help the coffee junkie’s moans from waking me from my beauty sleep.” Joe pouted fiercely and laid his head onto the bench.

“My sincere apologies but it sounds like you should take it up with the banana skin.” I wiped up some access syrup. Joe’s face wrinkled in confusion at my statement.

“It’s too early for coded gibberish Mazz.” He groaned. I was about to comment further, and tell him it was hardly early but Denise set down a serving of pancakes in front of him and his expression instantly flickered to a massive grin. I let a laugh escape my lips and I set on finishing my own breakfast.

“Dude... did you seriously just get up?” Nick pranced into the room and plopped next to me.

“Eating... can’t talk.” I raised an eyebrow and laughed again.

“Would you like some pancakes Nick?”

“I’m still full mum, thanks.”

I glanced up to the clock on the wall and noticed it was creeping closer to my starting time. I sighed and slid off the stool, handing Denise my empty plate, “I gotta move or I’m going to be late. Thank you so much.” I walked back around to Nick. “Talk to you later Nicky.” I kissed him on the cheek and he put his arms around me, “Can you tell Kevin I will get him coffee tomorrow.” Nick chuckled and let me go. I walked out of the Jonas household with a massive grin plastered on my face. Noting that my chest hurt a little.

____________________________________________________________________

Work drew on for what seemed forever, it was fairly slow with the most interesting calls being the submission of births, garage sales and 5 parrots for sale.

My desk was packed with the clutter of papers, my own laptop, pens, and the phone with a cluster of buttons connecting to the various sections of the newspaper and the company computer which was about as fast as a snail on sedatives. I was just writing up the last obituary of a dearly departed mouse named harry to send it through to the editor when the phone lit up with an incoming call.

“Redcliffe herald, Marina speaking.” I answered inwardly sighing as I waited for the other line to rattle off their desire.

“Hi Marina, I think I have a story for you guys!” The girl sounded no older than 12, it was
probably a total waste of time but it was better than sitting here doing nothing.

“Oh? Then shoot away!” I poised a pencil over the note pad.

“Well do you know the Jonas Brothers?” I felt my body stiffen. Don’t let anything away Mazz...

“Well I certainly know of them.”

“I swear to you, on my life I saw Joe Jonas yesterday and this morning I saw Nick and this girl jogging.” My jaw dropped and I quickly cleared my throat, trying to keep the sound as silent as I could. Time to draw off those acting skills I got with embarking on amateur theatre with Anne.

“O.M.J! Nick Jonas with a girl! No way. So where about do you claim these sightings to be at?”

She huffed at my unconvinced statement, “I definitely saw them, Lucy Street and Landing Avenue. And Joe was at Blue water square.”

“Well ok then, I will pass it onto the big guys and get them to look into it! Hey don’t get me wrong I will be out of this world thrilled if your tip is true. I mean who wouldn’t want a major hottie like Nick J strolling around Reddy!”

“I know right but I love Joe more, so I will keep an eye out for the big news!”

“You better! Nice talking.” With that the conversation was over and I felt as if I had managed to nip this problem in the bud. I quickly raced onto my laptop and connected it with the mainframe in the building; I searched for any previous record of the Jonas Brothers and smiled when I found no mention of their moving here. That would have been a tough situation, delete the files and potentially lose any chance of dream career OR jeopardise the happiness of my boyfriend and his entire family. I smiled at my still blank note pad, sure it was bad journalism not to let people know about the American superstars living on their doorstep but I didn’t want to plant that on them just yet.

I glanced at the clock and grinned when I saw that it was 3:50. I only had ten minutes left before it was time for me to head off home. I turned my attention back to the few announcements to be sorted and once I had finished writing them up I took out my USB stick and packed up my laptop into its pink laptop skin and placed it into my bag. Once I had tidied the desk and packed up all of my things I headed up the stairs to the editors office.

I knocked twice on the glass panel door with ‘editor’ written on it, which was answered with a loud, “Come in Marina.” She always knew who was at the door, I had a sneaking suspicion she was a vampire or at least physic.

I opened the door, hinges creaking as I did, walked inside and over to her desk, “Hey hey Mrs Cullon, here is the announcements that came through today.” No I’m not kidding you, she really was Mrs Cullon and she had pale skin and blond hair and light brown eyes that were almost amber. See I told you vampire.

“You’re a god sent Marina, what would I do with you.” She exclaimed as she plugged in the USB to her own laptop.

“Oh crash and burn.” I joked back at her while waiting for her to download the documents to her computer.

“That I would, well at least the Announcements would. By the way I just got a call from the big guns in the city.” She looked quite excited then again, she also got this worked up when they had announced that the dog show was part of the annual events in Redcliffe.

“Oh?”

“Yep, apparently there have been a few sightings of an American Pop group in Brisbane. It’s rumoured that they are coming to live here so they want us to keep our eyes peeled for any news. I was thinking that if you were interested you could take on tracking these people down and perhaps you might get that starting article you have always wanted.” My mouth dropped to the floor.

Why was karma having a ‘let’s pick on Marina day’? “Oh um, sure I would love to.”

“Oh excellent! Well if I uncover anything to help you along the way I will pass it on to you.”

She handed me back the USB and bid me farewell.

So now I had to pretend to look for the Jonas Brothers AND protect their existence in
Redcliffe from screaming fan girls. Why does my life seem so much harder when I’m in love?

Wait... hold up. Holy mackerel I’m in love!

I walked back to my apartment with that thought in my head.

I live with my mother in a beach front apartment a couple of blocks from Anne, but my mother is rarely ever home because of her job as a councillor. So when I got home to the find the house empty a 5pm it was hardly out of character. I flopped down on the couch and turned on the T.V. to the Disney channel. What? I’m aloud to watch the Disney channel when I’m 18 and dating Nicholas Jonas.

Miley Cyrus was ranting on about something and I rolled my eyes. Hannah Montana used to be good but she was just getting too old for this kind of thing now. I flicked it over to E! where the Jonas Brother’s faces were plastered all over the screen. I sat back to listen to the reporter dish the goss on the three.

“They are said to have moved to somewhere on the east coast of Queensland Australia. No exact residence has been uncovered yet, nor has this been completely confirmed.”One blond piece reporter with too much makeup rattled off.

“Well that has to have fans in a bit of a scuffle.” The rather attractive man laughed.
“It sure does, but not to worry Steve. The boys will be back in LA for the release of Disney’s Camp Rock 2. The topic on everyone’s lips is of course who Nick, Joe and Kevin will be strolling down the red carpet with.”

I squealed then stopped myself; can I still be excited about Camp Rock when I’m dating one of them? My head was starting to hurt from all of this thinking so I turned the station back to something that I was sure would not be contaminated with Jonas. South Park... that should be safe.

I settled in for the crude antics of the South Park characters and three new neighbours. You
have got to be kidding me; the Jonas Brothers are on South Park now? I groaned and pressed the off button, not wanting to try my chances with even the discovery channel or the cooking channel. Who knows what else these boys have meddled in?

My phone suddenly started to vibrate in my pocket making me jump 6 feet in the air, I answered it without looking at the caller id. “Hey hey.”

“Hey Mazzy its Nick.” I groaned, good god couldn’t I go 10 minutes without mention of them, “Bad time? I can call back later?”

“No no, sorry Nick, it’s just I’ve been up to my eyeballs with Jonas Brothers since before I got off work.”

Nick chuckled on his line and then cut himself off, “So I guess you really don’t want to go out with me tonight then?” He sounded kind of sad.

“What no! What are you crazy? It’s not like you’re going to jibber on about work to me are you. I would love to go out with you... tonight.” I giggled at the last bit.

“I most certainly do not want to talk about my work...Wait did you just quote my song?”

“And if I did?” I stuck my tongue out at him, even though he couldn’t see it.

“Then I won’t tell you where we are going. Pick you up at 8. ” Before I could argue with his sudden decision he hung up leaving me stuttering into a dead line.

I ended my own call and looked at the time that my BlackBerry was showing. 6:45. It was hardly that long to get ready for a freaking date. I would need some kind of help to get ready,

Anne was just the ticket. I dialled her number and pressed the ringing phone to my ear.

“Yee Mazzy?”

“How did you know it was me Anne?” I furrowed my brow.

“Called id. Mazz, now what’s sup? or did you just call for a chat?”

“Um yeah, I need your help to get ready Julz, Nick just gave me mega short notice for a date.”

I heard her sit up, “OOH! A date where to?”

“It’s apparently a secret.” I huffed, quite annoyed at that part.

“Huh,” That was a short comeback for Anne...

“What?”

“Those Jonas sure like those surprise dates, Joe pulled one on me last night.”

“Oh cool, come around and tell me all about it while I get ready!”

“Yeah ok Mazz, be there in a few.”

Anne rushed over in lightening speed dressed in blue sweats and a baggy T-shirt and helped me pick out an [url= http://www.polyvore.com/bnd-m/set?id=7492268] outfit [/url] we gossiped about her date last night and my morning and the antics of work that afternoon.

I twirled in front of my mirror, loving the look she had assembled for me. “I should be heading off Mazzy; Nick will be here to pick you up soon.” Anne said kissing each of my cheeks and giving me a hug. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” She said as she left the room.

“But there isn’t anything you wouldn’t do.” I

“There are a few things.” She called out to me making me smile.
“Like what?” I yelled out, actually interested in her bold claim.

“Nick.” Came a strained reply from downstairs.

“Nick? You wouldn’t do Nick? Come on, he totally delicious.” I called back as loud as I could so that she would hear me as I fixed my pony-tailed hair one last time.

“Nice that you think so.” Said a too deep voice from my doorframe. I cringed and turned to face a wide Cheshire grinned Nick leaning on the door.

“Oh dear, you heard that.” Nick just nodded attempting not to laugh.

“Well that the heavens I didn’t say the other stuff that came into my head.” I walked over to him and placed a hand on his chest before turning out the light and exiting the room. There was a definite hint of blush on his cheeks. “I would lead the way Jonas but you kind of didn’t tell me where we were going.”

“And I’m still not going to.” He said from behind me, making me jump. He steered me out of the house and let me lock the door. Then he walked me out to the curb where the car that Anne had described sat silently in wait.

I got in and admired the soft leather, “Whose car is this Nick?”

“It’s Kevin’s; he decided he wanted a faster car. You were in it this morning but I don’t think you paid much attention.”

I laughed, “Nope, I was pretty wrapped up in threatening your life with your own curls.”

“Now that was memorable.”

“That is was. Sorry I had to leave in a hurry this morning.”

“It’s cool; Mum told me you had work. How was it?”

“I thought we agreed not to talk about work?”

“No that was just me, you have a different job to me I do believe.”

“Captain obvious strikes again!” I rolled my eyes at Nick, noticing we were getting onto the motorway. Nick noticed my new attention.

“So work. How was your day? What did you do?”

“I did what I usually do, take calls, write out the announcements and the height of today was the obituary for Harry, our dearly departed rodent.”

“Someone wanted an obituary for a rodent named Harry?” Nick raised his eyebrows and shook his head.
“Yep, I bet it’s the talking point of the street. Then it was pretty flat until I...”
“You what?”
“No never mind it crosses over to the no JB thing.”
“It was about us?”
“I don’t know what you classify by us but yeah... this girl rang up claiming to have spotted Joe at Blue Water Square and the two of us this morning.”

“Wow, so maybe we won’t stay in the dark for quite as long as we hoped.” His face fell and he concentrated harder on the road ahead.

“Yeah, but if only a 10 year old girl was the most of your worries. I mean I can shrug them off. You know, forget to take note of their call. But the main papers are on your tail as well.”

“So you didn’t tell anyone about that call?”
“Nope.” I said popping the P.

“Wow thanks. But what do you mean main papers? We know the international press is onto us being in Queensland but that is it.”

I shifted in my seat, “Well my editor gave me to proposal today. She is going to let me track you guys down with the help of her sources in the city and then I can write a revealing article or even better an interview and get my big break. But there is no way I’m going to let them onto hide or hair of where you guys are.”

Nick sat in silence, “So you’re telling me that you’re going to jeopardise your future career to keep our where abouts a secret.”

“Yep” I popped the P again. Liking how it filled up the silent tension.

“But Mazz, it’s not going to stay secret for long. We knew that.”
“But until I find out that they know more than just a rumour I am going to do just what I said.”

“Then what are you going to do?” His words kind of stung, but I already knew the answer.
“I’m going to have a very personal, one on one interview with Nick Jonas.”
“And if Nick Jonas doesn’t want to be interviewed?”
“Well then, I would just have to blackmail Joe Jonas.”
“What on this earth with? There is nothing we don’t all know. The boy is much more innocent than the press thinks”
I let out one short laugh, “Oh I think there is one thing that would raise a few eyebrows. Yours included.”

“What?”
I raised my eyebrow at Nick, “You think I’m going to tell you? How on earth am I going to black mail him when you know?”
“You aren’t?”
I laughed again noting that Nick was pulling into a Putt Putt course.

He pulled the car up into a parking spot and opened my door, “Putt Putt? Are you serious Nick?”

He grinned at me and swung an arm around me, “You’re just worried that you’re going to lose.”

I laced my own arm around his waist and laughed, “No my dear, you should be worried about losing. I’m practically a pro at the sport.”

“Well good. I won’t have any need to hold back then.”

“You better not Jonas, or the press will be all over your brother’s hide.” Nick mock gulped and lead us into the entrance.