I'll Be Your Girl

“So, how’s school?” Nick asks me as we lean against the island in the kitchen of the Jonases’ New Jersey home. Now that the greetings and exclamations of ‘my Remy, you’ve grown!’ are over, everyone’s kind of settled down. Frankie’s in bed and the rest of the family are winding down, watching a movie in the lounge room. Kevin went back to Danielle’s place, so now it’s just me and Nick hanging out, catching up. But I can see how tired he is; I’ll make him go to bed soon.

“Don’t even talk to me about that place, Mr I’ve-Already-Graduated-Because-I’m-A-Homeschooled-Freak,” I groan, rolling my eyes and pushing him in the ribs.

He chuckles, raising his arms in defence. “Hey, you have my mother to blame for that.”

“Nu-uh!” I retort. “You’re the one who works too hard. Why can’t you just be a slacker like every other normal teenager?” He sends me a look, and I sigh. We both know he’s the furthest thing from a normal teenager, and there’s really no denying it. “Alright, alright. I’ll stop being a jealous loser,” I grumble, taking it back.

“You’re not a loser,” he says with soft amusement, and I’m about to argue that point… but then he yawns. Christ, he looks beat.

“We’ll continue this later,” I say determinedly. “But for now, sleep. Come on.” We leave the kitchen and walk past the lounge room, saying good night to everyone in there, who also look close to passing out.

“Wait, where are you two sleeping?” Kevin Snr asks quickly, appearing in the hallway just as we begin to head upstairs.

Nick shoots him a quizzical look, like why is he even asking? “My room,” he says slowly. Kevin just stands there, looking between the two of us, and then my mind clicks. Oh god, seriously? Nick and I have been sleeping in the same bed since we were like, two. We’re best friends, and he really thinks that we’d… do that? Ew.

“Don’t worry about anything, Papa J,” I laugh, rolling my eyes. “You can trust us. I mean, Nick’s got his purity ring, I’ve got my standards.”

“Hey!” Nick exclaims, trying to look offended but failing because he’s just so tired.

Kevin’s still got that suspicious look in his eye, but he gives in soon enough. “Alright,” he says reluctantly. “Sleep well.”

I click my tongue. “Stress on the sleep. Got it.”

When we’re lying in bed, all wrapped up in our PJs and Nick’s crotchet-note blankets (totally not kidding), I hear him clear his throat, somewhat awkwardly. “What?” I say, knowing he’s having some huge inner battle as to whether he should ask me something. “Out with it, Nicky J.”

“Well,” he says slowly, “just… when you said you had standards…”

I wait for him to finish his sentence, but obviously he needs a little pushing. “…Yeah?” I say expectantly.

“Um, does that mean you’ve… done it?”

I snigger as I hear him actually gulp, and it takes all my willpower to not wind him up about it. “Oh dude,” I sigh. “I only said that to freak your dad out. You know I haven’t. I mean, I’m not hella religious or anything, but I grew up with you, of all people. Talk about crazily positive influence.”

And even though it’s dark, I can still tell he’s smiling. “Okay, good to know.”

I turn my head on the pillow, and I can just make out his profile, lying there peacefully. “Now don’t go telling me you’ve done the dirty, because that would totally screw up my whole moral outlook,” I warn him, and I see his shoulders shake as he laughs quietly.

“You’re safe,” he replies, placing his left hand in mine so I can feel the ring on his fourth finger. His promise to God, to his family, to himself.

“Good to know,” I say through a yawn, and it’s not long before we fall asleep, fingers still intertwined. Me and my best friend. Forever.