My Girl

In Nick’s car, we pulled up into the driveway of the Jonas household around five. Nick walked over to the passengers side and opened the door for me, a chivalrous move that still flattered me, and helped me grab my golf equipment from the back seat of his car. Mandy had walked out of the door almost as soon as the car was turned off, along with a younger kid looking similar to Nick following behind her.

“Elise, this is my little brother, Frankie.” Nick walked past Mandy, giving her a small smile, and gave Frankie a high five.

“Hey Frankie.” I smiled and followed Nick inside of the house, Frankie and Mandy following behind us. “Hey Mandy.”

A group consisting of Joe, their parents, and who I was assuming to be Kevin, were sitting in the family room, all leaning over Kevin’s guitar. He was strumming a few chords and looking off a sheet of paper resting on the coffee table in front of him, that none of them realized anyone had just joined them in the room.

“Uhm…guys?” Nick laughed shortly, getting the attention of everyone. Mandy and Frankie had sat next to Joe on the couch across from everyone else and they all seemed to be having their own conversation. Nick’s parents stood up and walked over to us, as Mrs. Jonas greeted me warmly. Kevin sat with his guitar still in hand, smiling brightly. “This is Elise.”

“Hey Elise.” Kevin set the guitar down next to the chair he was sitting in and stood up.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you!” Mrs. Jonas smiled enthusiastically. “Your staying for dinner, aren’t you?”

I smiled and looked over to Nick. “Mom, we have golf tonight, remember?”

“Yeah, but you can eat first. I will get started.” With that, she was in the kitchen. Mr. Jonas had greeted me quickly and followed his wife. Joe, Mandy, and Frankie all seemed to be doing their own thing now.

“So, there is a reason Elise came over here.” Nick plopped down on the couch his parents had just been sitting on and offered me the seat next to him. I laughed and shook my head.

“You guys don’t have to if you don’t want to.” I suddenly felt embarrassed asking them to sing for me. Kevin seemed to already know what Nick was talking about, because he rested his guitar back on his lap.

“No, it’s no big deal.” Kevin glanced at Joe. “Joe, what do you want to sing?”

Joe still seemed a little distant, like he always had seemed when I was around, but at the mentioning of his choice, he perked up.

“I don’t know, it’s so hard to choose. Let’s do with Fly With Me.”

“Of course you choose the song I don’t know well.” Kevin mumbled, but a smile formed across his lips. He retuned his guitar and Nick sat up from where he had been sitting. Joe moved over next to Kevin. Frankie and Mandy were suddenly silent.

The first voice I heard join in along with Kevin’s guitar was surprisingly quiet for Joe singing. He stared down at his hands the entire time he sang the words, only looking up slightly when Nick joined in next to me. I listened intently, feeling chills run down my spine as my skin tingled. Something about the way their voices harmonized perfectly with the guitar made the entire song so rare…yet beautiful.

I made eye contact with Mandy, who had been looking at Nick the entire time, and we smiled, but she instantly looked away.

“Kevin, can you set the table?” Mrs. Jonas reappeared from the kitchen and Kevin stopped playing, Nicks and Joes voices were cut off.

A moment that was so peaceful one second was now sudden movement. Frankie jumped off of the couch and ran up the stairs to the second floor of their house, to get ready for dinner like Mrs. Jonas asked. Mandy was helping Kevin set the table, so they exited the room. Joe was ordered to pack up his and Nick’s golf bags before dinner, since we would have to leave soon after we ate. Nick stayed right next to me as everyone filed out of the room.

“So your really amazing.” I said over the random talking from everyone. Nick smiled and waited until everyone had left. The only noise you could hear now was the clinking of plates being taken out of their cupboards and the small talk going on between the four people in the kitchen.

“Just me?” Nick teased, sitting back in the couch. I laughed and turned toward him slightly.

“No. All of you.” I glanced around me and came closer to his face. “Secretly, I liked you the most though. Just don’t tell the others.” I joked.

Nick smiled slightly and pretending to lock his lips. “Your secret is safe with me.”

“Nick? Elise?” Mrs. Jonas came out again, smiling down at the two of us. “Dinner is ready.”