It's A Roller Coaster Ride We're On

By the end of March we had made it to Texas. The medic had been right about Joe’s nose that day about two weeks back. The swelling went down in less than 24 hours and his face was back to normal in time for their show that next night.

Today however, things were against Joe… again. He was stuck in his hotel room, sick. Denise was constantly checking on him, keeping the rest of us away in case Joe was contagious. Kevin and Lauren decided to go on their first official date since the night at the fair. That left Nick and I alone and bored.

“So,” Nick said, sitting on the couch in mine and Lauren’s room. “What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. “What do you want to do?”

“Oh, let’s not start this.” He said laughing as he reclined back on the couch. He clasped his hands together behind his head and stared at the ceiling. He seemed deep in thought and it made me smile.

“Um, how about we watch a movie?” I suggested.

“Yeah, a movie sounds good. I’m kind of in the mood for something with a good battle scene.”

“Well, I’m in the mood for a chick flick.” I said, sticking my tongue out at him.

“A chick flick with a battle scene? How many of those are there?”

“Hm,” I said, thinking. Then it hit me. “Oh! I know! Pearl Harbor!”

“Yeah… yeah! That’s perfect.” He said, beaming at me. “I’m sure we have it. Let me go see if Mom and Dad have it in their room.”

“Alright, I’ll start making popcorn.” I said, walking over to the kitchenette. A few minutes later Nick walked back in smiling triumphantly.

“Score,” he said, walking over to the DVD player.

“Hey was your Mom in there?”

“Yeah… Why?”

“Did she say how Joe is doing?”

“Oh, um she said he still feels achy and he’s refusing to eat anything. Says he’s not hungry.” He said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Poor Joe,” I said, sitting on the couch. “I wish we knew what was wrong with him. This sucks.”

“Yeah, but he’ll be fine. Joe doesn’t usually stay sick long. I’m sure he’ll be fine by tomorrow.”

“I hope so.” I said, as he started the movie.

****

“I love that movie.” I said as the credits rolled up the screen.

About halfway through the movie, Nick ended up putting his arm around me and not long after, I ended up leaning into him. My head and right hand were resting on his chest and my left hand lay resting on his leg. The fingers of his right hand were stroking up and down my arm. It all just felt so right, I felt warm here, in his embrace.

“Yeah, me too.” He agreed. “Hey, that part, where Rafe busts his nose with the cork of the champagne bottle and Evelyn cleans him up, reminded me of you helping Joe the other week.”

“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.” I said laughing. Nick’s left hand seemed to have traveled across his lap and he was tracing circles on the palm of my left hand. It caused this odd, tingling sensation to crawl up and down my arm but… it made me feel even warmer.

“So, what do you want to do now?” he asked, letting his hand rest on top of mine now.

“Hm… can you teach me guitar?” I asked, eagerly, looking up at him.

“Sure, if you really want to,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Of course I want to.” I said, sitting up, his hand still on top of mine.

“Alright then, just let me go get my guitar.” He said, standing up. As soon as he left, I didn’t feel warm anymore. So… Nick? I don’t know what I’m feeling anymore.

“Alright, so you have to sit up.” He said, walking back in the room with one of his acoustic guitars. I sat up on the couch and he handed me the guitar. I placed it on my lap and lightly strummed. “Did you have a song in mind you wanted to learn?”

“Well, the easiest one I guess.” I said, shrugging my shoulders.

“Um, that would be ’Hello Beautiful’.” He said. “Now, put your fingers here, and strum.”

“Like this?” I asked.

“Yeah, now, do this.” he said, showing me a different chord. Slowly but surely I was getting it. About an hour later, I was playing all of Hello Beautiful with no mistakes and with Nick singing along.

“That was fun.” I said, smiling as I handed the guitar to him.

“Yeah it was. You catch on real quick.” He said, smiling at me. “I’m impressed.’

“Thanks. You’re a great teacher. Thank you.” I said, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. He blushed and looked down at his guitar, smiling.

“Hey Mel… do you mind if I ask you something?” he asked.

“Go ahead.” I said, shrugging my shoulders.

“Do you have any other family?”

“Oh… um, yeah. I have my parents.” I said, looking away.

“Hey, did I upset you?” he asked.

“No, it wasn’t you. It’s just, my parents and I don’t have the best relationship.” I explained.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“I guess. In all truth… my parents are loaded. When I was sixteen, I got fed up with the life they were trying to put me through. Cotillions and debutante balls and fancy parties… It wasn’t me. They didn’t give a crap about my photography and how much it meant to me. So, I left and went to live with Melissa and her aunt and uncle.”

“Geez, that sucks.” He said, wrapping his arm around me again. “I’m sorry.” I laughed.

“It’s not your fault.” I said, snuggling into his warmth, just like we were before he went to get his guitar. Just then the door opened.

“Honey, I’m home!” Lauren exclaimed, opening her arms wide as she and Kevin walked in. Nick and I immediately sat up straight and on opposite ends of the couch. Just a reflex… “Oh. Hey Nick.”

“Hey guys. How was the date?”

“So fun! First he took me bowling, then to lunch at this really cool fifties diner, and then… we went horseback riding.” She said, smiling.

“Horseback riding? You went horseback riding?” I asked, staring at her with my mouth open.

“Yeah. She was actually pretty good too.” Kevin said, wrapping his arm around her.

“I can’t believe it. My best friend, the most frightened by quadrupeds’ person I know… went horseback riding? It just blows my mind.” I said, throwing my hands in the air.

“Thanks for the love Mel.” Lauren said, rolling her eyes.

“Mm, anytime.” I said.

“So what did you two do today?” Kevin asked, sitting on Lauren’s bed.

“Oh, just hung out really.” I said, looking at Nick who nodded his head.

“Yeah, we watched Pearl Harbor… I taught her how to play Hello Beautiful on guitar… and we just talked.” Nick said.

“Sounds fun,” Lauren said as someone knocked on the door. “Come in!”

“Oh, you’re back.” Denise said smiling.

“How’s Joe?” I asked, sitting up.

“He’s doing better. His headache went away and he’s awake. He’s been sleeping all day. Still hasn’t eaten a thing. He says he’s not hungry.” She said, sitting down in between me and Nick.

“Mom, he’ll be fine. You know Joe he doesn’t stay sick for long.” Nick said.

“I know but this is different. I just don’t know what’s wrong with him.”

“Do you mind if I go visit him?” I asked, standing up.

“Oh Melissa honey, I don’t want you to get sick too.” She said, reaching for my hand.

“I’ll be fine. I promise. And if I’m sick tomorrow, you have full permission to say “I told you so.”” I said.

“Alright,” she said, sighing. I turned to walk out of the room and Nick’s eyes looked sad. I frowned and walked out of the room to Joe’s. I knocked on his door lightly.

“Come in,” he called softly. I opened the door slowly and smiled at him. “Hey Lyss.” He said, smiling weakly.

“Hey Joe, how are you feeling?” I asked, gently sitting on the bed next to him.

“A bit better I guess.” He said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Are you hungry?” I asked, placing my hand on his forehead and smoothing his hair back. “Joe, you’re all clammy.”

“I don’t feel hungry.” He said, pressing his cheek against my hand.

“You should eat something.” I said, getting up and going to the kitchenette. I found a can of soup and opened it up, grabbing a pot and putting it on the stove.

“Fine, if I puke, well, you were wrong.” He said, turning the TV off.

“Alright,” I said laughing.

“So what did you do today?”

“Well, Kevin and Lauren went on a date so Nick and I just hung out.”

“You and Nick hung out? Just the two of you?” he asked, sounding disappointed.

“Yeah it was no big deal. We had a lot of fun. He taught me how to play Hello Beautiful.”

“Humph. What else did you do?”

“Watched Pearl Harbor and talked.” I said. “Really, it was no big deal.”

“Sounds like a date to me.”

“Joseph, it wasn’t a date.” I said sternly. “It was just two friends hanging out. Okay?”

“Alright, fine,” he said. “Will you hang out in here with me tomorrow?”

“Sure, I don’t see why not.” I said, bringing his soup to him. “As long as I don’t get sick as well that is.”

“Awesome,” he said, smiling at me. He took the soup and took a small sip. “Mm...”

“Good?”

“Actually, yeah.”

“Ha, I was right.” I said smugly.

“For now... I just have to keep it down.”

“Yeah whatever.” I said, sticking my tongue out at him.