The Spotlight

I walked downstairs still in my PJ’s and into the kitchen, where Nellie was cooking while Jack and Jenna were sitting down at the table. I made my presence known by coughing, and Jenna stood up to wrap me in a hug. It felt nice and I sat myself down at the table with everyone as a plate of French toast was set in front of me by Nellie. I began eating, after adding some syrup to the delicious breakfast food. Most of my anger from the night before had faded, I mean yes, Nick did deserve some sort of payback, but I wasn’t going to stoop to his level and give it to him. I heard the door bell ring, and Jenna went over to answer the door. I heard some screaming from her which made me walk towards the door.

“GET THE HELL AWAY! We want nothing to do with you and your good for nothing bro-”

“Jenna, it’s okay.” I said, greeting Kevin and Joe with hugs. I wasn’t mad at them, it wasn’t their fault their brother was the biggest jerk on the face of the planet. I motioned for them to come in and Jenna went back into the kitchen while I spoke to the boys. “What are you doing here?”

“We wanted to make sure you’re alright.” Kevin said meaningfully. “I have no idea what in the world that boy was thinking, and we are on your side.”

“Wow, thanks guys.” I said quietly.

“Chloe,” Joe began, putting one hand on my shoulder, “If you need anything you can just ask u-”

He stopped in mid sentence as my sister Nellie walked into the room. Joe and Kevin had never met Nellie, considering most of the time we had hung out she had always been out with her ‘friends’ a.k.a. out drinking. A smirk appeared on my face as I realized Joe had just gotten a major crush on my older sister, and I had to say, it was kind of cute. They would look adorable together, and plus a little bit of love in her life may help her transition into the sober life. I ran over to Nellie, and pulled her over towards the Jonas boys. She looked at me questionably, and I introduced her to them.

“Nellie, these are Nick’s brothers. Joe, and Kevin.” I said motioning to each of them. “But don’t worry they’re good friends, and so not like Nick. Joe, Kevin, this is my older sister Nellie.”

“Hi, Nellie. Weird how we’ve never met before.” Kevin said shaking her hand.

“Well, I’ve been busy lately.” She said and smiled at him.

“Well hello Nellie, have you by any chance ever seen the movie Juno?” Joe asked.

“No, I haven’t.”

“Great, why don’t you two and Jenna come over to watch a movie? And don’t worry Nick isn’t home, he’s hanging out with Garbo and the guys. We uh weren’t invited, due to the fact that we were coming to see you.” Kevin said.

“Kevin! I can’t come between you and you’re brother, even if he’s being a total jerk.” I replied giving him a look.

“Don’t worry, Chloe.” Joe said putting one over my shoulder, “He’ll get over it. It’s you we’re worried about. So what do you say? You guys coming?”

“Yes we’re coming.” Nellie said, giving Joe a flirty look and smile. Ah, they are so cute! Then Jack and Jenna walked into the room and looked at us. Joe and Kevin looked at Jack, and Kevin gave me a look, kind of like who is that scary looking dude in your house, that was with Jenna. I smiled and walked over to my brother putting an arm on his shoulder.

“Kevin, Joe, this is my oldest sibling slash only brother Jack. Jack, these are Nick’s good brothers, Kevin and Joe.” I said introducing them, to which they shook hands. “And they just invited us girls over to watch a movie. And I’m sure they won’t mind if you come to, will you guys?”

“Of course not, we’ll meet you at the house in about an hour?” Kevin said, giving Jenna a look.

“We’ll be there.” Jenna said and smiled. Oh sweet Jesus! Is she oblivious or what? He was so flirting with her! La duh! The two boys walked outside, once they left, Nellie and I gave Jenna a look as to insinuate her craziness and obliviousness for not flirting back. “What?” She asked.

“UGH! He was so flirting with you!” Nellie yelled at her. “You flirt back genius!”

“Girls, Kevin and I are just friends. Quit trying to pry into it, just because you two are Jonas lovers.” I gave Jenna the most ferocious look I could muster up when she said that. “OH HONEY! Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sorry!”

“It’s alright, but no more talking let’s just go and get ready.”

I walked up to my room and just before I shut the door to my room I saw Nellie give Jenna a look to which Jenna smacked herself on the head. I sat down on my bed and just put my head into my hand. After everything was I still in love with a Jonas? That was definitely the question of the day, and I just sat there looking at the room which had pictures of Nick and I from our happy months together. I felt the anger inside me begin to boil once again, and I took my arms and slid them across the counter throwing every single photo onto the floor. I kicked a few of the photos. I finally looked at the ground, and all the glass and broken picture frames all over the floor. My anger was still there and I immediately was over whelmed with sadness as I saw that I had thrown and broken a picture of my mother and I in our backyard, back home in Florida. I picked up the broken frame with the picture of it and clutched it to me and cried and cried and cried.

I didn’t even hear when Jenna walked into the room, but I felt her wrap her arms around me, trying to make me feel better. But nothing would work, I was past my breaking point and I knew it. It was like everything had collided at that very moment, and I realized that my once perfect and happy life was destroyed, like one of the broken pictures on my floor. My mother was gone, Nick had cheated on me, and I missed Florida more than anyone could imagine. I stood up and Jenna still sat on the floor, and she looked up at me. My sanity was probably gone at this point, and I knew it too, but I just needed to be alone. My next action was something I would regret, but there was nothing holding me back anymore.

“GET. OUT. I never want to see your face again! You’re the one who drove mom away!” I screamed at her. “GET OUT!” I screeched. Jack walked in right after I said that and pulled Jenna out of the mess of glass, and out of my room. Nellie walked in once they had left and she wrapped me in a hug and pulled me off of the floor and onto my bed. I buried my head into her chest, and began falling asleep with her hugging me. While I was half-asleep I heard a set of heavy footsteps come into my room, and Nellie sat up slowly to talk to the person who had just walked into my room.

“You guys go to the Jonas’s, make Jenna think about something else for a while. I’ll take care of Chloe.” She said, stroking my head gently.

“Okay, I think I might take her out to the diner afterwards. To keep her out of the house, you know? I think they both need to just be de-stressed.” I heard Jack’s voice respond and I heard his foot-steps leave my room and a few seconds later the door to the house shut. I felt Nellie lay back down with me, and that was all I heard before I finally fell asleep in a deep sleep. I woke up a few hours later, it was around noon, and I got dressed in a sweat-outfit, and put my hair into a low side ponytail. I began cleaning up the mess I had left behind throwing the glass into the garbage, along with the broken picture frames. I picked up the pictures and brought them downstairs, where on the counter there was a shoe box. I put the pictures into the box, but just as I was going to go upstairs to put more stuff in it the doorbell rang. I walked over to the door, and put the box on my hip as I opened it. There stood the person that I never wanted to see again. Nicholas Jerry Jonas. Just as I went to slam the door shut again, his foot shot out stopping it from closing.

“Chloe. Please I just want to talk to you.” He pleaded.

“No! Go away! You’ve hurt me enough!” I screamed after throwing down the box, and pushing against the door to close it.

“Chloe! Stop! Please I want to start over! I was stupid and I want you to forgive me!” He shouted and that stopped me stone cold. That sounded like the Nick Jonas that I had fallen in love with, and it scared me. I opened the door enough to see he was wearing my favorite outfit of his, I had told him so on our first date. My eyes began to well up with tears, and I put my hand over my mouth shaking my head no. “Chloe please. I love you, and I want us to be together even if we have to start off as friends. I want to earn your trust back. Please.” He said looking truly sorry.

“No.” I whispered hoarsely. “You can’t hurt me again.”

“Fine.” He said sounding like the guy who had cheated on me again. “Who’s going to tell the press then.”

“You can, I don’t care. I just want you to leave, and not come back.”

He looked at me once more, and then walked out the door, down the pathway, and back into the car which had brought him here. Photographers clicked the whole time, and I slammed the door shut, causing a worried Nellie to run to the top of the steps and look at me. She saw the tears in my eyes and ran down the steps and towards me at top speed. She wrapped me in a hug and whispered comforting words to me, but I knew no comforting words were going to help me, that boy knew exactly how to rip my heart apart.

“That’s it. I’m done hurting.” I said, pulling away from Nellie and storming upstairs. I threw everything I had that was Nick’s or even reminded me into the high-heel box with such a hatred I was surprised most of the stuff hadn’t broken. I picked up the box and taped it shut and walked downstairs to where Nellie was just beginning to walk up my stairs. I shoved the box into her arms, and her eyes opened wide. “Bring that to Nicky darling, I want him to know things are most definitely over. Go. Now.” I said with finality, unlike ever before.

“Okay, I’ll be back in a minute.” She said cautiously and walked out the door after taking her keys. I slipped into a black bikini and walked into the backyard. I put on the stereo, which was playing my iPod playlist, and lowered my big sunglasses to cover my eyes. I sat myself down onto one of the lay down beach chairs and began to tan. Gypsy Woman by Hilary Duff began playing just as five sets of footsteps ran into the backyard and I heard Nellie talking frantically to them.

“I swear she’s gone insane guys.” Nellie whispered to them. “Where is she? CHLOE!”

“Who’s gone insane?” I asked, putting my sunglasses on top of my head and smiled at them.

“Oh thank goodness, I thought you ran away or something.” Nellie said after sighing.

“Hah, why would I run away?” I said after lying back down and lowering my sunglasses back onto my face. “I’m fine and perfectly happy sunbathing. Sorry I missed the movie, but I just needed some me time.”

“No problem Chloe, you can come next time.” Joe said slowly.

“Alright.” I said simply. “So are you guys coming to sunbathe with me or something?”

“Uh actually, we were just coming in to pick up some bread for my mom. But we’re going to go now, see you guys later.” Kevin said and they left. Once Kevin and Joe had left, I listened to Jenna, Nellie, and Jack whisper. I acted as if I didn’t hear them, but I did, loud and clear.

“I swear she just went ballistic before! She was so scary, and she was crying, and I didn’t know what to do! But now she’s…..fine.” Nellie said confusedly.

“Hun, we believe you. I think someone needs to talk to her.” Jenna said calmly.

“Good idea.” Jack said, “Shotnot.”

“Mature Jack!” Nellie said and then walked over to me. “Chloe, honey, are you okay? You practically went insane before, do you need someone to talk to?” I rolled my eyes and replied.

“Nellie, darling.” I said pulling my sunglasses once again on top of my head. “I’m fine, I think I’m already over Nick. And I’m not insane, insanity can only reach the weak minded and I am most certainly not weak minded.”

I laughed after that comment, pulled my sunglasses back over my eyes, and began sunbathing again. I was fine, and independent. I didn’t need anyone, I was going to be sure that everyone knew it.