You Belong With Me

Kristen's POV:

Joe and I rushed to his house, knowing Nat would be there with Kevin. Tears streamed down my face, but I didn't care. All that mattered was that Nat would be happy again. Without me as her friend. That is, unless she changed her mind.

A spark of hope lifted my heart a little higher in my chest.

Joe drove us to the house, and he unlocked the door quickly. I stayed behind him as he made his way to Kevin's room, which was the room he assumed they were in.

He was right.

He knocked on the door, and barged in. I waited outside, listening to the conversation taking place.

"Hey, guys," Joe said slowly.

"Hi," Kevin replied, not sounding like he was paying much attention. Nat didn't answer.

"Nat, are you okay?" Joe continued.

"No," she said quickly.

"I heard what happened between you and Kristen."

She just snorted.

"Listen, Nat...uhh...can I tell you something?"

"I guess."

Joe paused. "Alone?"

"Ohhh, sure," Kevin said. I heard the smile in his voice. Kevin walked out of the room, and I saw him wink at Joe. Then he turned around to find me pressing a finger to my lips, telling him to be quiet. Before squealing in fright, he covered his mouth, sighed, and nodded. I almost laughed, but it wasn't possible for me right then.

Kevin shut the door behind him, and came next to me. "What are you doing here?" he whispered.

"Shhh," I shushed him. "You'll see."

We listened closely to the next conversation.

"So, Nat," Joe started, not knowing how to word this next request. "How are you?"

I rolled my eyes. What a dork.

"Not well," Nat answered.

"Listen, Kristen is really sorry --"

"I don't care about her."

"...Oh. Well, I wanna ask you something...or well...tell you..."

"Yeah, Joe?"

He sighed. "I've kinda liked you...for a long time. I was only using Lily to make you jealous. I broke up with her today...thanks to Kristen. And she told me you liked me, too, so I was wondering...do you wanna grab dinner sometime, or something? Gah, that was kinda corny. Well, how about we just get some lunch, or a smoothie..? Grr that sounded lame. Uhh..."

"Yes."

Joe paused. "Huh?"

"Yes. You're asking me out. I said yes."

I could hear the joy in her voice. It brought tears to my eyes.

Kevin squeezed my hand, knowing I had done the right thing.

"R-really?" Joe stammered.

She giggled. "Yeah."

A smile formed on my face.

"Great," Joe said joyfully. A few long seconds passed, and Joe came out the door, and winked at me. Then he made his way down the stairs.

Kevin squeezed my shoulder, and followed him down the stairs.

I knew what I had to do. Confront Nat.

I took a deep breath, and turned into the room. I spotted Nat staring at the ceiling, her cheeks bright red, and a huge smile on her face. A half smile formed on mine.

She saw me, and stared into my eyes a few seconds. Then before I knew it, her arms were around me, and she was...crying?

She sobbed into my shoulder. "Kristen, I can't thank you enough, if it wasn't for you, Joe and I wouldn't be together! You're the best friend ever!"

I laughed a little, and rubbed her back. "He was so dorky," I laughed slightly.

She laughed, too, and pulled away, wiping her cheek. "Yeah, but now he's my dork. And guess what?!"

"What?"

"He kissed me!"

I felt my mouth shape into an "O."

"Really?"

"Yeah, on the cheek!" She pointed to her left cheek enthusiastically. I giggled with her, and she gave me one last hug. "And I'm sorry for everything I said back at school."

"Me too. I'm so so sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"Me either. I didn't mean it when I said Nick didn't like you. He obviously does."

"Nah. You were right. He loves Lola," I sighed sadly.

Nat pulled away. "No he doesn't! I've seen the way he looks at you! It's nothing like how he looks at Lola."

"Exactly..."

"No, Kristen, listen! He was talking to me about you before! When Kevin and I were here alone! He was telling me how he liked you, and you were so wonderful to him, and how he felt so bad that you thought he was dating Lola. You know she was just making that up - they weren't really dating! He was just too nice of a guy to tell her to go away! Honest! Kristen, you have to believe me!"

My heart started to flutter. "Are you serious?" I said, a smile slowly forming on my tear-dried face.

She nodded. "He told me everything! Come on, we'll go talk to him!"

"No!" I said quickly. "Not after how I treated him today! He'll think I'm bi-polar or something!"

"No he won't, just come!"

"Nos!"

"Yesss!"

She pulled me down the stairs, my feet dragging along the floor, resisting with all my strength. Man, that girl was strong. She got me down the stairs pretty quick.

"Nick!" she called. "Nicholas, get over here!"

"Nooo!" I squealed, but it was too late.

Nick turned around the corner quickly, almost crashing into us, particularly me. I awkwardly stepped back, muttering "sorry."

He chuckled, and pulled me into a warm hug. I hugged him back, confused. Then he let go, a worried expression taking the place of the warm smile I missed so much.

"Kristen...Kristen..." he said, shaking his head. It was so hard to read this boy. What was going on in his mind? "Kristen...what's going on?"

"A lot," I replied softly. "But --"

"I really did mean it. What I said before. That I...you know...liked you."

My eyes must have sparkled like crazy because that boy had just made my entire day. A smile formed on my face as bright as the sun. "I like you, too," I smiled, breathing the words softly.

It was then that I noticed Nat had left us alone.

He smiled back, and took my hands in his. His warm hands fit together in mine perfectly. It felt so right like this.

Suddenly, the worst thing that could happen proved the impossible. Lola barged in the Jonas' door.

"Nicholas Jerry Jonas!" she shrieked. "What on earth are you doing?!"

His expression turned confused and bewildered. I could almost read his mind by the way his eyebrows furrowed. "What is she doing in my house?!" his face said.

But his voice said something different. "What does it look like?" he chuckled.

"It looks like you were about to kiss that...bitch!"

Nick's hands squeezed mine tight, and he chuckled lightly. Then he rolled his eyes. "Listen, Lola. We're not dating. We never were dating. And we never will date. So who are you to control who I can be with or not?"

'Be with...' The words rang in my head like a church bell. My heart fluttered.

Her jaw dropped, and after standing in the doorway for a few minutes, she stormed off.

She must have gotten anger skills from Lily.

***

School came the next day. At lunch, Nat and I joined the Jonas group once again. Except this time, we were permanent members. Nick's arm rested around my waist, and Joe's around Nat. He occasionally flirted with Nat, which made her giggle and blush. I wondered if that's what I looked like when Nick spoke to me.

The bell rang, and we walked out of the cafeteria. Nick kissed me on the cheek goodbye, as I made my way to my next class, red in the face.

Suddenly, I was stopped in the hallway by an old enemy.

"Hello, Kristen," Lola sneered.

"Oh," I smiled sinisterly, remember our last incident. "Hey, Lola."

"Listen," she snorted. "Nick falls in, and out of love easily and quickly. Don't think you're the first one to have your heart broken by his techniques."

"I don't think Nick would hurt me," I retaliated.

"Whatever," she snapped. "Anyways, the talent show thing is still next week. And Nick likes talented girls. So basically whoever wins is going to be catching his eye."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Right..."

"Anyway, I had better win that show."

"Whatever," I said, about to walk away. Her arm stopped me before I could move.

"If I don't win, well, let's just say your new boyfriend will get a little...sick."

My eyes narrowed at her. She gestured to her pocket, where I saw the glimmer of a small bottle with some kind of liquid in it. My heart started to beat faster.

"No..." I breathed. "Lola, don't do this."

She smirked at me, and shrugged. "I won't. But only if I win."

She started to walk away, but then turned back to me. "Oh, and Kristen, if anyone finds out about this little idea, I'll find another way to get him," she sneered, turning away again.

I stood in the hallway, alone, left in shock, horror, and worry.