Fly With Me

“Erm, morning, Joe,” I wrinkle my nose lightly with a light smile. Then I awkwardly wait for him to release me, but he doesn’t until Nick clears his throat meaningfully.

Joe stands, grinning at me. “You look like a yummy sunflower, Cily.”

“Um, thanks?” I offer. Then freed, I start rummaging through my bags for my accessories and make-up bags. One for jewelry, one for hair, and one for make-up. I find it quite ridiculous, but Denise insists.

I return to the large bathroom and start pulling various articles out. Within minutes, Nick and Joe come in, sitting on the bathtub’s edge, obviously bored without anything to watch on TV. I turn around after being weirded out as they both stare at me innocently. “Um… can I help you?” I offer.

“Yes!” Joe cries as Nick shrugs. Joe runs over and starts going through my stuff. “Ooo, I have that, and that… ew, that’s weird…” then he gives a small shriek. “Why do you carry a torture device, Cicily!”

“What?” I ask, confused at this odd person, and why he would think I carry something dangerous of any sort.

He holds up the eyelash curler with an odd expression on his face.

I grin. “Ree used that on you once, didn’t she?”

Joe puts it down, scowling. “You’re just as evil as her.”

“We are friends,” I remind her.

“Evil!” Then he mockingly crosses himself and starts humming as he starts fiddling with my flat iron.

I roll my eyes at his ADHD as Nick strolls over, sitting on the counter next to my things. “Hey,” I offer after a moment of fixing my eyelashes with the curler. Then goes the mascara…

“Hey,” he smiles and glances at my stuff. “Don’t use that,” he instructs, seeing me grab my black eyeliner. I raise my eyebrow and he hands me my liquid gold one. “That one looks prettier. You wore it during the concert in Texas, where we sang the duet.”

I give him a slightly weird look. “That sort of weirds me out, in all honestly, Nick… but I think it’s sweet you remember,” I add and give him a peck on the cheek and I apply the gold eyeliner. Then Nick and I somehow start arguing about whether I should eye shadow.

Which I find odd. As does Joe, who snickers and runs out to tell everyone else.

He finally lets me win, just applying a little bit. I grab some flavored chap stick- strawberry again at Nick’s request- after spraying myself with vanilla spray. Then I put on the necklace Nick gave to me, the one when we’d finally made up before tour, and a topaz ring. I figure I’ll let my hair curl a little, putting everything away. But I keep the brush out and so Nick and I walk out of the bathroom as I brush my hair.

Denise has put out a plate of toast, eggs and bacon for me, kept from breakfast. Nick hums to himself and snatches my brush, beginning to brush my hair as I sit down and start eating.

I still find it faintly weird, him wanting to brush my hair. After all, one would think that it’s Joe’s thing, since he’s obsessed with his own hair. But Nick loves my long hair for some reason. Then he has moments where he also seems to be out of it, humming. But since, I’ve learned this is when he’s ‘getting his muse’ and mentally songwriting. Which is still very strange, when you think about it. So I try not to think about it.

“So what are we doing today?” I ask when I’ve finished and snatch my hairbrush back, making Nick look at me in surprise.

“Um…” But he draws a blank.

“Two interviews, and checking out a circus,” Joe grins excitedly. “New York New York Circus!”

“Creative,” Nick says dryly as I put the stuff away and I join then. “How about we take a boat ride to Long Island before?” He offers with a sly smile my way.

“Sounds great!” Frankie grins up at us and Joe nods wildly behind him.

“I’ll get ready!” Denise calls from the other room.

Nick and I look at each other, slightly stumped. It’s quite obvious he meant it as a date, just the two of us. He could have easily declined the two brothers, but his mother was getting ready, and Kevin had already run off to change, too…

Giggling slightly, I shrug. “Guess it’s a family trip?”

Nick rolls his eyes but gives me a small smile all the same. Then we glance around and see as people start collecting their things. I check the time and it still weirds me out, being close to one in the afternoon.