I Never Liked You Even When I Tried To

c i a n n a

"Megan!" I squealed, kicking my legs in an attempt to get Nick off my body.

He finally moved and I tackled my sister into a hug.

"Hey seagull." she grinned, using my nickname.

When we a lot younger, I loved chasing the birds at the beach but one day, an incredibly brave creature turned around and bit me sharply on the leg.

Apparently I ran up the beach screaming 'seagull, seagull!' and that's where it came from.

"Where's this bitch that punched you in the face?" Meg asked, leaning to the left to shake Nick's hand.

It still hadn't settled in that I'd been viciously attacked by a pyschotic Jonas obsesser.

"Um I don't know." I shrugged, giving a small smile.

Nick came up behind me and slid his arms around my waist resting his chin on my shoulder.

--

"Cianna!" the girls screamed.

I made my way over to a flurry of hands, and latched onto one, enjoying the connection.

"What's your name?" I asked, raising my voice over the carrying-on.

"None of your fucking business you homewrecker! Stay the fuck away from Nick! He's mine, you slut! He'll never love a motherfucker as ugly as you!"

She had blonde hair and brown eyes and the most horrible grimace I had ever seen.

I went to open my mouth and retaliate with a witty comment, but my teeth slammed together with the force of the punch. My balance disappeared and I felt the ground beneath my backside.

My face was numb but the cold blood trickling down my cheek was enough to wake the sensation back up.

I couldn't feel anything, my heart wasn't beating, Nick? Nick? Megan? Kevin? Joe? Mum? Dad? Nick? Nick!

--

"Babe calm down." Nick cooed, as he grabbed hold of my shaking hands.

"Stay away from him! Stay away!"

"No! No! I can't! I can't be with you! She'll hurt me! No!"

n i c h o l a s

What did I do? Did I squeeze her hands too tightly? Did I smell of B.O?

"Shhh sweetie, calm down." Megan soothed, rubbing Cianna's back.

"No! I can't be with him!"

"What's going on?" I demanded, stomping my foot childishly.

This was ridiculous. Megan was ignoring me! I was her freaking goddamned boyfriend for Pete's sake!

"She's having a panic attack you idiot!" Megan snapped, smacking my arm away as I went to stroke Cianna's hair.

My eyes trailed to Cianna's hands, which were drooped by her sides.

I noticed that her thumbs were tucked in and she seemed to be struggling to return them to their original positions.

"Can't be with him."

They were the only words I could make out between her heaving breaths.

What on Earth had scared her so much that she wouldn't even touch me?

Megan sat with Cianna as she weeped. After a while Ci calmed down and ventured off to the bathroom with her pajamas.

She emerged clad in plaid pants and a white tank top with her hair swept up atop her head in a rough ponytail.

Cianna clambered into her bed with a sigh, blew a goodnight kiss to her sister and snuggled under the covers.

Megan announced she was sleeping in her car and headed out the door.

Ten minutes later, sounds of deep, even inhaling filled my ears; Cianna was asleep.

Without thinking, I slipped in with her and cuddled her from behind. "Goodnight beautiful girl." I whispered, resting my hand on her stomach to feel her gentle breathing.

Honestly, I only intended to stay for a little while, but I soon realised I couldn't get out and settled down.

Skinny jeans are way too comfortable to sleep in so I yanked them off.

Ahhh, boxers.

c i a n n a

My alarm screeched and I groaned, scrambling under my pillow in a desperate attempt to shut the damn thing off.

After successfully culling the incessant noise of Whatcha Say By Jason Derulo, I stretched my legs and came in contact with silk.

Denise must have given me new sheets.

I latched onto the material and pulled it towards me, rubbing it against me.

On the verge of sleep, imagine my surprise when a figure appeared next to me.

I shrieked in fright and almost rolled off the side of the mattress.

Nick groaned and rubbed his eyes before reaching for his cell phone sitting near his thigh.

Bare thigh.

With one more scream, I flung the boxers in the air and jumped down onto the floor with a thud.

Nick was wriggling around under the sheets but her went too far to the left and tumbled to the ground.

Unfortunately for me I decided to look at the point when he still didn't have his pants on.

Tight briefs, ewwww.

We were both jumping around wailing and even when the boxers were on Nick we were still carrying on.

"Calm down Cianna! It was only underwear!" he cried exasperatedly.

"Only underwear?! So you don't mind parading around half naked in front of me?!" I snapped.

"Chill out! Miley saw me in my underwear and she didn--"

"DO NOT FINISH THAT SENTENCE!" I screeched, covering my face with a pillow.

"Hey there girlie." I heard Nick say faintly. "Let me see that beautiful smile."

I tried so hard not to let the corners of my mouth pull up, but I was unsuccessful and cracked a gigantic grin.

"Atta chicka." Nick winked, kissing my cheek. I prayed and prayed that I wouldn't have another flashback/hyperventilation moment, and thankfully I didn't.

"Nick?" I whispered.

"Hmmm?"

"Your boxers are on backwards."

--
The day was spent packing our things for the flight back to the US.
The very last concert for the world tour was over in a flash. Nick wanted to perform 'Stop The World' but I was just not ready. There was already speculation that the two of us were dating and I didn't want to make it any worse.

Mrs Jonas sent us on our way to go out and have some fun. The four of us tried to get into a nightclub called 'Deason' but Nick and I got refused entry.

I guess that's what you get for being famous; even bouncers know your age.

"Come on Cianna, we can go to one of the under 18's places down the road." Nick suggested, winking at me.

I shrugged and scurried along beside him after being sent an evil look by the guard blocking the door.

Up ahead a frozen yoghurt parlour sat opposite a large icerink decorated in fairylights.

"Ooh!" I squealed, pointing across the road. "Can we go there please, please, please...please, please?"

Nick laughed and shook his head, "You're lucky you're so cute. Usually I don't tolerate begging and puppy dog pouty faces." I took his hand and raced straight across the quiet street.

There were quite a few people gliding across the smooth hard surface of the frozen water.

We collected a pair of skates each from the shack positioned next to the venue for seven dollars.

Nick refused to let me pay for my own and told me to get used to not needing to produce any money when he was around.

I glided out on the ice and did a few spins. Things from my iceskating lessons as a 8 year old came flooding back.

My speed increased and soon the world was flying by as a made my revolutions.

"Slow down Cianna, you'll make yourself dizzy!" Nick scolded.

I halted abruptly and looked at him as he stumbled about; clutching the railing as if his life depended on it.

"Look whose talking buddy!" I teased, skating over to him. "You know it's usually the girl who needs help."

I threw my head back to indicate a young couple gripping to each other desperately.

Nick pulled his face into a indignant yet determined look and moved away from me quickly.

"I can do this Ci! Just you wait and see!"

And then right on cue, Nick stacked it and slid about 5 metres.

"Ugh, that's gonna bruise." he groaned, rubbing his knees gingerly.

"What did I tell you? You should've waited for me to help!"

His hand shot up for me to take, but I hovered over him with my arms folded across my chest.

"Come on." he complained, wiggling his fingers. "If you don't help me up, my ass will freeze here and then you won't be able to stare it's amazingness all day."

I hated it when he got cocky; it just reminded me of what he was like earlier.

Nick must have seen that I was not impressed as he returned his raised eyebrows to their original position. "Sorry." he whimpered.

I helped him clamber to his feet and we enjoyed each others company for a long while.

"Your nose is red and your lips are blue, are you okay?" he asked, tracing said areas with his thumb.

"I'm fine." I stammered as my teeth chattered.

He leaned over and led us over to the skate hire shack and returned our bladed shoes.

"Oh my God Cianna, you're so pale!" Nick panicked, holding me in his arms.

Sure, it was nice being wrapped up in him, but I was still terrified of my attackers threatening words.

I wanted to be close to him but I hadn't forgotten that phone call I'd overheard a few months ago. It could still be possible that the scheme to break my heart was still in business.

"I-I-I'm f-fine N-Nick." I reassured, squeezing his jacket tighter around my body.

He ignored my request for a frozen yoghurt and bustled me up the sidewalk till we got to the bus.

Then, Nick scooped me up and dumped me on Kevin's bunk.

What was wrong with my bunk?

"Don't even ask." he smiled, as I opened my mouth.

He rushed off to the linen cupboard and found extra blankets.

After tucking them around the mattress, he cuddled me and stroked my back until I was almost dozing.

"If I stay here will you promise not to pants me?" Nick joked.

"Haha." I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

Megan and Joe's tipsy voices floated in from the kitchen. She'd gone out partying with them obviously.

"Nick, what would you do if some guy was threatening me?" I asked, looking up at his eyes as I recalled that text message from the other night.

"God damn it! I told David to stay away from you!" he hissed under his breath.

David?

David?!

David wouldn't do that. He wouldn't threaten me! He was completely over me! He'd moved on!

Hadn't he?