I'll Be Your Girl

When I planned on meeting Nick early the next morning, I certainly didn’t mean this early.

“Explain,” the boy demands, standing over my bed and dropping a few sheets of paper on my blanket. I blink tiredly at him, screwing up my face before burying it back into the pillow. “Remy!” he says, wrenching the covers away from my body.

“Cold,” I groan, still in my half-asleep state.

“Shut up. Would you just look at this?” He shoves the papers in my face, and as I let my eyes come into focus, I see that it’s an article he’s printed off. The title reads: Trouble in Paradise? More like Chaos. I frown and sit up, glaring at the first sheet of paper. Underneath the heading is a picture of Nick and I from the TCAs, and it seems someone managed to capture the moment he kissed me on the red carpet. It’d be a nice picture, if not for the fact that it’s photoshopped to look like it’s been torn down the middle. The text below gives the whole story.

It’s been no secret that Nick Jonas has found a new love in his life: Remy, a small town girl of New Jersey, who apparently spent a lot of time around the Jonas Brothers growing up. They’ve been glimpsed together plenty of times since Nick and his family’s return to the garden state - shopping, getting coffee, and even greeting fans. “We can tell Nick really likes her,” says one fan, but other evidence makes much different claims.
Last night Nick was seen at a local event without his girlfriend, and while it’s great to see some freedom in his relationship, we’re thinking he’s taking it just a little too far…

My eyes flick downwards to another photo, and a lump rises in my throat as I see a picture of Nick with none other than Elise Summers. She’s draped all over him, their faces so close, as if leaning in for a kiss. I shoot a wounded look at Nick. “And I’m the one who needs to do the explaining?” His expression is guilty, yet defiant.

“They haven’t even started on you yet.”

Me? What did I do? I return my gaze to the article.

Yet while Nick was off with his mystery minx, Remy wasn’t one to stay home like a good girl. An insider tells us this young lady didn’t waste time in going for the next oldest Jonas. She was seen entering the Jonas household only a short while after Nick left, and didn’t exit until hours later, coincidentally just before Nick arrived back home. Now we could give Joe and Remy the benefit of the doubt and assume that they didn’t get up any mischief, so to speak, but we think there’s something suspicious going on judging by the fact that Nick clearly had no idea.
And if that’s not enough, we have plenty more dirt on the “SO SWEET” Remy. For the night is still young for this little party girl. After messing with the Jonas Brothers, she then proceeded to a raging party, where she had a rendezvous with her on-off boyfriend, also local to the area. The first picture shows them a few months ago, and it seems their relationship hasn’t changed at all since then.

I stare in horror at the pictures the article displays. The first is from Jess Carrie’s going away party and wow, I had no idea someone actually managed to get a shot of me kissing Chad. That’s… that’s creepy. The ones that follow are much worse, though. My hands flies to cover my mouth as I see myself - blue streaks and all - straddling Chad and making out with him in an obscene manner I’m not even sure I’m capable of. Except that’s definitely not me. The pictures are really dodgy, and in not one of them can you see my face; it’s either blocked by Chad’s head, my hair, or some random kid’s hand. In fact, I know exactly who that is.

“Elise,” I mutter, glaring at the photos. I’ve been around her long enough to tell her apart from others, especially from myself. Yet I’d never really noticed how similar her hair is to mine. Long, dark… and she must have straightened it as well as putting in some fake blue streaks. I guess this is the reason she used Chad last night; it was nothing but a petty attack at me. I shoot a glance up at Nick. “You can’t seriously be buying this shit!”

He scowls back at me. “I saw you with this guy last night. In the park.”

A sort of choking noise escapes my throat. Is he serious? “That was after he left the party. Can’t you see? This is Elise.” I brandish the photos in his face, but he pushes them back towards me.

“That’s not,” he shoots, pointing at the one including me.

“That was ages ago!”

“Yet you never bothered to mention you had a boyfriend?”

“Chad was never my boyfriend.”

Nick just sighs and shakes his head, sitting down near my feet. “Whatever. You still haven’t reached the worst bit.”

I almost gag, and look back at the article once again.

This girl has issues that extend far beyond males, however. A reliable source who’s very intimate with the business of Remy’s family has found evidence of self-harm and depression. “I found a towel covered with blood in their bathroom,” says our insider, “and there was smashed glass in her bedroom, also with traces of blood. Her mother has no idea that her daughter puts herself through such acts, as Remy goes to great efforts to cover her injured skin. I’m worried about her health both physically and mentally, and I’ll do anything to see that she gets the right help. The death of her father was apparently very traumatic for her, but it seems she’s refused to let go of her grief, preferring to turn it into something much more sinister.”
Another student from Remy’s school also expresses worry for her peer. “I’ve known Remy for years, and she’s always been very unstable growing up. She’s always chosen to remain separate from the rest of us, and while this was entirely her choice, I believe it’s had an awful impact on her self esteem.”

“Oh my God,” I mutter, unable to even think straight as I read this, and I throw down the article. I don’t want to hear about any more of this bull. Nick’s got a pained look on his face, and he’s sitting with his back hunched over, his elbows resting on his knees.

“Please tell me it’s just gossip, Remy,” he says quietly, unable to bring his gaze to meet mine.

I fold my hands in my lap. “It’s just gossip.”

“Because you with that Chad guy? I can deal with that,” he says, his voice strained. “Who you date - that’s your choice. Why would I show an interest anyway?” His words cut right into me, and I think of the confession I made to Joe last night. So much for loving Nick, when it’s clearly not mutual. I feel like such a fool. “But this whole… self harm thing,” he continues hesitantly, as if the words alone cause him pain. “I just- how can I be so inspiring to complete strangers and not even impact on the happiness of my best friend?” Wait, so now he’s blaming himself?

“Nick, it’s not like that,” I cut in, hearing my voice crack with anguish as I do so. “You can’t be at fault. I mean, I was upset. I didn’t know what I was doing…”

His eyes widen. “So you have--”

“No! God, no,” I protest, realising that my choice of words went completely wrong. “It was an accident. I just lost control of myself for a minute. I was stupid.” I point down at the papers in my lap. “You know what tabloids can be like. It’s not as they say.” I glance at the writing, and suddenly a name catches my eye. C Trenton. “No way,” I mutter as rage starts to creep into my body, and all focus of my argument with Nick completely dissipates. “No freaking way!” Suddenly the article’s back in my fist and I’m stomping along the hallway to my mother’s room, forgetting Nick is even there at all. It seems that our ‘insider’ was the sneaky gossiper himself.

“What’s the matter, honey?” she asks, appearing in the doorway to the living room. “I’m getting worried. Nick came in such a rush, and I just- what’s happened?”

“Carl’s a journalist mum, and a dirty cheating one at that,” I blurt out, and her eyes widen in hurt and shock. Oh, good one Remy. I couldn’t have just sat her down and told her nicely. No, I had to scream it out and cause her the most pain possible. I backtrack and lower my tone from delirious to merely upset. “I’m sorry. Um, here.”

I hand her the article, which she skims quickly. She gasps upon seeing the name at the bottom of the last page. “Oh God.” Slumping against the doorframe, her eyes fill with tears and then her whole body’s racking with sobs.

“I’m so sorry, mum,” I whisper, stroking my hand across her hair. “But you know not to believe any of that stuff, right?”

“You think I’m going to believe some pathetic drama-hungry moron over my own daughter?” she whimpers, then pulls me into a tight hug. “I’m the one who should be sorry, darling, for bringing that asshole into this house in the first place.” Whoa, it’s not often that I hear my mother swear, but the fact that she just did is kind of comforting.

I feel another presence enter the hallway and then there’s Nick, standing off to the side and looking awkward. “It’s all my fault,” he mutters, so full of shame for himself. Normally I’d argue, but I just can’t seem to get that picture of him and Elise out of my head. And to think I was ready to forgive him for that. “You were never meant to get caught up in this stuff. I’m sorry.” I can’t bring myself to do anything but stare at him, and after a while he gives up, leaving the house without another word.

Screw this. They can try to take away my pride, my sanity and my best friend, but I will not put up with them hurting my mother. I press a kiss to her forehead then slip back into my bedroom to grab my cell. In the next few moments I’m sending a text off to Joe. It’s simple, but final.

‘Bet’s over. You won.’

This has to end.

~

“I won.”

Joe grimaces at the message on his iPhone. As much as he’s anticipated this moment, he had no idea it would be on these terms.

“Congratulations,” Kevin intones from where he’s curled up on the couch with Danielle. They were the ones who’d read the article first; Danielle’s fangirl friend had told her about it. Then the couple had hurried straight over to show the rest of the Jonas family. They didn’t even have a chance to see Nick freaking out before he was running for his car, undoubtedly going to see Remy about it. They hadn’t heard for him for the past half hour or so.

“It’s all my fault,” Joe sighs, just as the front door opens again.

“No it’s not,” Nick grumbles, appearing back in the lounge room. They all stare at him, each depicting his expression perfectly. The weakness in his features, the slight squinting of his eyes - he’s been crying. Or at least, he’s about to start. Usually Joe would take this as a sign to watch what he says, but he’s got other things on his mind right now.

“Where’s Remy? You’re supposed be with her.”

Nick’s lips purse and his eyes shoot to the floor. “It didn’t work out that way, Joe,” he says, his voice heavy with regret. He knows they all hoped he’d talk this through with he best friend, somehow work it out. But the way she’d looked at him… he doesn’t want to even think about it, yet the image refuses to leave his mind.

There’s a long, tense silence amongst the people in the room. Eventually, Danielle’s timid voice breaks it. “So… what are you going to do?” Nick lifts his gaze to see his family watching him expectantly, and swallows the lump that’s risen in his throat. He ignores the negative voice in his head that says there’s nothing he can do. It’s wrong. It has to be.

“Dad?” His eyes find his father, whose expression turns questioning. “I’m going to need some help.”