Turn Right

December 15th

Rachael’s POV

We were in North Carolina, staying at a hotel for a night or two. I had my own room but it was in the middle of the Jonas’ and Anna, and Miley was a little down the hallway. The Jonas’ tried to get me into the same room as them but I told them it would just be too crowded so I said I didn’t mind if I got my own room…which was true, I really didn’t mind…and they caved in after some convincing. But right now we were at a venue and it was seriously cold. It was an inside venue, thank goodness but we already had a huge line of fans waiting outside. We were taking a break from rehearsing, just chilling out. I saw Nick and Miley get super close and share a kiss or two here and there and for some reason…I felt really jealous. I hated the feeling and I hated myself for feeling this way but I couldn’t help it…maybe I still do have feelings for Nick…maybe there’s a part of me that wants to have what we used to have back in New Jersey.

My POV

I have to admit…I was trying to make Rachael jealous. It’s not right and it’s not fair to Miley but I still have feelings for Rachael. I shouldn’t be with one girl when I like her best friend…what kind of guy would I be if I did that? Oh yea. Just like all the others…and I am doing just that. I’m being like all those other guys who go out with a girls best friend just to get close to someone else. I like Miley, I really do and maybe I even love her…but I don’t think I can have the same feelings I have for Miley, like the way I have them for Rachael. But it’s not like she wears the ring I gave her…the necklace…the bracelet…tomorrow’s her birthday…and I really don’t want her to have a bad day. We have a concert though so it’s not like we can just spend the whole day together, like we did for my birthday but it doesn’t mean it cant be put to good use.

---

“Happy Birthday!” we all yelled.

It was me, Joe, Kevin, Frankie, mom, dad and Anna and we all went into Rachael’s room in the hotel we were staying at. She was sleeping, but our loudness {especially Joe and Frankie’s} woke her up and she blinked a few times before sitting up.

“Happy birthday sweet heart,” mom said as she kissed Rea’s head.

“You’re fifteen…wow,” dad added as he hugged her.

“Next year you’ll be driving,” Anna winked at her.

“Don’t rush it,” mom laughed.

“Room service,” a voice called from outside the room.

Mom went to go get it. “You’re finally fifteen,” I cooed and she just smiled shyly and nodded.

“But there is no way Rea Rea is getting her license before me,” Joe said.

"Wanna bet?” she challenged.

“Hey, hey, no arguing on Rachael’s birthday,” Kevin stepped in.

Mom brought a cart full of food on it and so we all sat down and began eating. I had already checked my levels before hand so it was all good.

After a few minutes though, mom, dad and Anna left the room with Frankie and it was just us four with a mess around us and we were all still in our pajamas. I looked at the clock and it was only 10:30.

“Present time,” Joe sang as he got up.

“Presents…?” she started to say.

“Hey you always get us presents and remember our birthdays so it’s your turn to be on the recieving end,” Kevin stopped her before I could and I nodded in agreement.

“What kind of best friends would we be if we didn’t get you presents?” I asked rhetorically.

“You hid them in my closet though?” she questioned as he brought out two small gifts and then started to drag one big one.

“Who would think to look in their own closet for their presents?” Joe asked and she just giggled.

He handed her the first present. She unwrapped it and there was a big shoe box that carried a pair of big worker boots. She raised an eye brow but he urged her to open it. So she did and pulled out a soccer ball and a baseball.

“That’s the baseball you gave me a concussion with and that’s the soccer ball that we used when I kicked it too hard and it hit you in the face,” he said excitedly and she laughed really hard and I couldn’t help myself from laughing at the memory.

“What’s wrong Joseph? Cant kick a ball?” she taunted.

Joe got that determined look on his face and I knew this wasn’t going to end well. Kevin and I were playing defense {he was on Joe’s team, I was on Rachael’s} so Rachael started to charge at Joe but then he kicked as hard as he could and it popped straight up and went forward, smacking Rea right in the face. It was so hard, it made a loud sound and it caused Rea to fly back and fall to the ground. Immediately, I started running forward, scared to see if she was really hurt or not and I noticed Kevin began the same notion. But then I stopped short when I saw her get up slowly, holding the side of her face with one hand and I got close enough to her side, to see her face was all red and she had fire in her eyes…I found it attractive though.

“I’m going to kill you Joe!” she shrieked.

“Crap,” he muttered. But then she flew at him and he began to run but she just kept up and chased after him as Kevin and I were laughing hysterically at the two.

That was the soccer ball incident.

The four of us were just hanging out at the baseball field for some down time. Between writing songs, music, doing business and school work, we’ve all been working so hard so we were enjoying the time with friends. Maya was there, along with John, Alex and Luke…Kayla, Brittany and Melissa were there too but they were just watching…Melissa was more enthusiastic than the other two but that’s just who they are. Brit and Kayla never liked sports and Mel was okay with them but she rather stay out of them. Maya and Rachael were the ones who always played.

“You ready Joe?” Rea taunted as she stood at the mound and Joe was at the plate.

They always loved to joke and tease and taunt each other but it resulted badly most of the time. “Yep! You know it!”

“Oh I don’t think you are,” she smirked.

“I so am, throw it right to me Rea Rea and try to actually get it to me,” he teased and her smirk became more determined and sly.

She wound up and pitched the ball. It flew in the air so fast, you couldn’t blink or else you would miss the play…but nonetheless, Joe hit it. It soared into the air as Joe began running and Rea started running to catch the ball. She didn’t care that she was the pitcher, she wanted to get him out. She ran and the ball bounced once before she caught it and Joe was rounding second. She took three big steps and threw the ball toward me as he was coming toward third. I was ready to catch the ball but right before it hit my mitt, Joe came flying in and got in the way so it hit him in the back of the had and he fell to the ground.

We got him to the hospital right away, where mom and dad met us. He was fine, just a mild concussion…but now, whenever we think about it, we laugh.

“Why are you giving me these Joe? Just for the memory of our injuries?” she laughed.

“They aren’t just memories, look what’s written on them,” he said and she gave him a weird look before she lifted them both up and her jaw dropped.

“Oh my gosh, no way! You got Mia Hamm and Derek Jeter to sign them?!” she exclaimed and he nodded proudly.

“My turn,” Kevin sang as he handed her the next gift.

She unwrapped it and her smile was beaming with excitement. “Kevin, you got me a phone,” she squealed. “You got me a black berry” she added with a giggle. “Thank you” she finished with sincerity.

I had no idea what they were getting her because for some reason, they wouldn’t tell me so I didn’t tell them what I got her…and I really hoped that she would like it.

“Nick’s turn,” Kevin said and we all looked at the big wrapped present.

“What did you get her? A hippo?” Joe joked and I just made a face at him. She stood up and walked cautiously over to it.

“Open it,” I encouraged.

So she began to open it and when she did, it was a big black box. “Gee Nick, it’s a box, you really are the classy type,” Joe commented.

“It’s what’s in the box stupid,” I shot at him.

So she opened the lid and this time, her eyes bugged and her jaw dropped and I swore, I think she stopped breathing. “Whoa,” both Joe and Kevin said as the three looked into the box and I stood a few feet back.

Then, I watched as she, ever so gently, picked up the blue Gibson Les Paul guitar. “Nick…you bought me a new guitar,” she stated in awe.

“Well you were saying how you’re electric one at home was getting pretty old and you didn’t like the fact that you had nothing on stage to make you feel more at home than you already do…so I thought I’d buy you a new guitar to help,” I babbled a little, but I couldn’t help it.

I didn’t know if she liked it or not, I don’t know why but I always have a hard time reading Rachael, she can be just so unpredictable and unreadable.

“Do mom and dad know about this?” Kevin asked, still in shock.

“Of course they do, how do you think I got to the guitar shop?” I questioned. “I even added a little touch…I got this idea from Maya and Miley” I added and took the guitar from her.

Then I flipped it to show them the back of the guitar and it read…

To the top left corner:
When you need a friend to call, even though it is a real bore
You can call me crazy, she is so amazing
I'll be right there beside you, to shelter you and guide you
I'll miss you candle light

When your tear drops start to fall, I will be there to dry them
Before you can cry them, on the darkest night
I will be the light
~~~~~
To the bottom left corner, underneath:
That's what I go to school for, even though it is a real bore
Girlfriends I've had plenty, but she's the one that I need
That's what I go to school for
~~~~~~
To the bottom right corner:
Time for me to fly, time for me to soar
Time for me to open up my heart and knock on heavens door
Time for me to live It's time for me to sing Time for me to lay
down all my worries and I'll spread my wings Time for me to fly
~~~~~~~
To the top right corner, above:
But I'll be there forever
You will see that it's better
All our hopes and our dreams will come true
I will not disappoint you
I'll be right there for you 'til the end
The end of time
Please be mine
~~~~~~~~
In the middle of it all:
[shadow=red,left,300]
Best Friends[/shadow]

“It’s kind of cheesy, but Maya and Miley suggested the idea once I told them I was getting you a guitar and now that I think of it, I guess…” I started to ramble.

“Nick!” she stopped me. “I…I love it,” she said as she took it back from me.

“Really?”

“Of course I do…I really love it, it’s…amazing,” she said as she looked at the guitar in awe.

I knew she understood why I chose those song lyrics. I chose ‘I’ll Be the Light’ because it was pretty much the first song I wrote for her and it was one of her favorites from when I was younger. I chose ‘What I Go To School For’ because we wrote it together when we were in the hospital after we found out about my diabetes. I chose ‘Time For Me to Fly’ because it was very first song the four of us ever wrote together. Then I chose ‘Please Be Mine’ because…well because it’s a song I wrote for her when we were together and it’s one of her favorites. Then Maya and Miley agreed when they said I should add the ‘Best Friends’ part in the middle.

“Thanks you guys, I love my presents,” she cooed as she kissed Joe’s cheek and hugged him and did the same to Kevin and then me.

“We’ll be right back, we’re gonna go change,” Joe said and they both ran out and shut the door, leaving me and Rea alone.

“Nick…you have no idea how much I love your present,” she said and gave me another hug…and I admit that I lingered.

I was about to comply but something on her bed, caught my eye. “Is that what I think it is?” I questioned, with a smirk playing at my lips as I walked toward the lump that was under her blanket which had a furry leg, hanging out.

Before I could pull up the blanket, Rea jumped onto the bed to keep the blanket down. But I just smirked some more and pulled the blanket out from underneath her and there it was.

“Is that Jerry?” I asked, holding back laughs as I picked up the old teddy bear.

“So what if it is,” she snapped as she took it back from me and even though she showed some attitude toward me, I still found her cute and incredibly amazing.

“You kept him…all these years?”

“It’s only been like four years Nick,” she reminded me gently.

“I know but…still…you kept him,” I stated.

“Yea…I did…”

“Did you keep anything else?” I asked timidly and she avoided my eyes.

“Yes…the Yankees hat…the burned cd you gave me…the bracelet, the necklace…” she admitted and I was actually disappointed.

“Oh,” I said.

“I even kept the fake rose you gave me,” she added and I looked at her with a confused look.

“Really?” I asked and she nodded.

Then she sighed and took out her heart necklace that was hiding beneath her shirt and beneath that necklace was a small silver chain that had a ring on it…she kept the ring! She kept both the locket and the ring!

“I never take them off, but I hide them so questions aren’t asked and rumors aren’t made,” she said and it made sense.

“I also wear the bracelet sometimes, that goes off and on but the locket and the ring never come off,” she added.

“I’m glad you kept it all” I said shyly but on the inside I was beaming and over-joyed.

“Umm I kept the jacket you gave me for our first Valentine’s day…and I kept the golden cross you gave me,” I said.

She never really left anything at my house that was keepable and she found it so difficult to buy me something for the holidays so usually on my birthday, she would take me out and buy me a few things and we’d have lunch, paid by her…no matter how much I refused.

“We never actually talked about what happened,” I mentioned.

“We know what happened,” she said, hiding the coldness in her voice that she wanted to unleash on me.

“But we don’t know where we stand now…do you still have feelings for me?” I came out and said it and I could tell she was taken back by the question.

“Nick, we were young…we still are…”

“I’m not asking you if you love me, I know we were young and I know we still are…you’re right…I just asked if you still had feelings for me”

“Nick I really cant do this right now…please…everything is good right now, you’re with Miley…I’m with Eric…and it’s my birthday…”

“Okay…fine…we don’t have to talk about it…for now…but we will have to talk about it sometime,” I said and we just stood there in silence.

We had to talk about this sooner or later but I didn’t want Rea to be mad at me so I guess it’ll have to be later…plus it’s her birthday and I don’t want her to be stressed.

“I’m sorry, I brought it up,” I finally said, bringing the courage up to look at her.

“It’s okay,” she smiled and tilted her head to the side slightly.

“Knock knock,” a voice said from the other side.

“Come in,” Rea sang.

“Happy birthday!” Miley cheered as she came running in and hugged Rachael as I laughed lightly and stepped back.

“I just talked to dad, Mr. Jonas and Anna and they said we didn’t have to be at the venue until 3:00 so we all can go hang out for your birthday,” she said excitedly and Rea’s face lit up.

“Great, let me just take a shower and get ready,” she said and rushed into her bathroom, throwing me a quick glance before shutting the door.

Then Miley turned toward me. “Hey,” she said and kissed me quickly. “Is everything okay? What were you two talking about?” she asked and I froze.

“Oh umm nothing really, just about her presents”

“Did she love yours?” she said with a big smile.

“Yes she did,” I laughed.

“See? I told you she would” she said. “I’ll see you in a few minutes,” she added and kissed me again and then walked out. I collapsed onto the bed and sighed deeply.

What am I going to do? was the only thought floating through my head.