With Every Strike Of Lightning.

I poured myself a shot of neat vodka, not really caring about the rules and regulations of Hollywood Records.

“Is Lauren alright?” Joe had walked over to me, scaring me causing the vodka to spill all over the table.

“How am I supposed to know, go ask her yourself!” I snapped before taking the shot of neat vodka.

“Claire, don’t drink. Why are you two arguing you two are best friends?” Joe said taking the glass from me and putting it down on the table.

“I don’t know, it’s like we aren’t friends anymore. We have been snapping at each other for little stupid things.” I said trying to blink back the tears unsuccessfully.

“I’m sure you will both be back to finishing each other’s sentences by tomorrow. Don’t cry.” Joe soothed rubbing my back while I cried into his shirt.

Joe led me out of the room and down the corridor; I saw Lauren said outside her head in her hands. Joe told me to go wash my face in the bathroom; he started walking over to Lauren. I walked into the bathroom and started cleaning the mascara from my face. I saw the cubicle open and out came Danielle, when she noticed me an evil smirk formed on her face.

“What’s wrong?” She sounded genuinely concerned. I just stared at her for a minute.

“You know Claire, we got off on the foot. I think you’re really cool, perhaps we could start again?” Danielle said handing me her mascara out of her bag.

I took the mascara from her knowing I couldn’t go out on stage without any make up on. I didn’t answer her passing the mascara back and giving her a small smile.

“I know you have a lot of things on your mind. I noticed you hardly ever smile anymore. You know if Jordan is busy planning the wedding and Lauren is to busy trying to sort out her own problems you can always talk to me.” Danielle said pulling me into a quick hug before leaving me alone in the bathroom.

“Just keep me away from her okay girls?” Jordan said glancing in Miley’s direction as we got ready to go on stage.

Lauren and I just giggled a little, Lauren caught my eye. She mouthed the words “I’m sorry” to me as we were surrounded by people trying to give us instructions. “Me too” I mouthed back before we were told to walk onto the stage.

“Who’s excited for next year?” Jordan asked once we had walked onto the stage and took our seats.

There were cheers from the crowd. “Who as new year’s resolutions?” I asked as people began to raise there arms.

“Wow, I never stick to mine. But this year I’m going to try to.” Jordan laughed.

“My new year’s resolution is to try and talk to my family more often, Claire and I have just come back from visiting family back home in the UK and I realized how much I miss them while I’m over here.” Lauren explained.

“Next year I am going to try and grow up, I mean how many nineteen year olds do you know that still get excited over Christmas?” Jordan laughed.

“Not to mention I will be living without these two, I want to be a good housewife and like cook all the meals and do all the housework.” Jordan shrugged.

“Jordan, you would burn your house down if you tried cooking anything other than toast.” Lauren laughed causing the audience to also laugh.

“I am going to learn, Joe and Kevin are going to give me lessons.”

“Oh geez, I don’t know what I am more worried about you cooking or Joe and Kevin teaching you to cook!” I said.

“Hey, we take offense.” Kevin said walking onto the stage causing the crowd to scream.

“Ladies and gentlemen. Our friends the Jonas Brothers!” Jordan introduced them.

“My new year’s resolution is to start telling the people I love, how much they mean to me more often starting from the 1st of January.” Nick smiled wrapping his arms around Jordan to keep her warm seeing has she was only in a dress.

“My new year’s resolution is to learn how to play the drums. I’m not saying I will be playing the drums at any of our concerts, I just want to broaden my abilities. Oh and make sure I take no one for granted, because I want everyone that is in my life to stay in my life.” Kevin said glancing over at Lauren.

“Wow dude you almost sounded your age then!” Joe said teasing him.

“Well Joe what’s yours?” Lauren asked I could see her chin started to shake. It was really cold out here.

“Mine.” Joe said staring out into the crowd.

“Mine is to marry each and every girl in the whole world.” Joe said walking over to the edge of the stage.

I rolled my eyes, Joe was always the attention seeker. “No, I wish I could but that would be illegal. I am going to start portraying myself more as an actor. Music is my passion, and I will always be in the music business, I wouldn’t mind doing a bit of acting on the side though.” Joe gave the crowd his million dollar smile. He then looked at me.

“Wow you a serious actor. I can’t see it.” Nick teased him. The boys always did like to show they were real brothers who aren’t always nice to each other that one thing I like about them.

“Claire, what’s yours?” Jordan asked.

“Well I know I can be quiet when it comes to talking I tend to let Jordan or Lauren take over. I am really shy, as you may have all noticed. So next year I am going to be more up-front. Let our fans see what I’m really like.” I smiled as I heard in my ear piece that it was time for us to sing.

“So we are going to sing you a few songs starting with I’ll stand by you.” Joe said to the crowd.

Once we had sung three songs, a person said through the wire that it was almost time to start the countdown. All of us stood on the stage as Kevin introduced Miley out. Nick’s grip tightened on Jordan as Miley went and stood in-between Kevin and Joe. By now I was shivering. Lauren had successfully ran back to the room un-noticed to get a small black shrug.

“We are going to start the countdown in a few minutes, it is cold out here tonight isn’t it?” I shivered unable to talk properly.

The camera’s then focused on the crowd, who were screaming. Joe took his jacket off and put it around my shoulders just in time not to be noticed by the camera that was feeding off into live TV.

“Thank you.” I smiled up at him before I heard Kevin and Lauren start the countdown.