I'll Be Your Girl

The rest of the afternoon was spent buying shoes, jewellery and corn chips (I had a craving), and now Nick’s driving me home again. He’s just finished telling me about the time Joe accidently kicked him in the ass right before they went onstage, when we hear a dinging noise. “Oh, got a message. Can you check that?” he asks me, sliding his iPhone out of his pocket and handing it to me.

“Dude, your message tone is boring,” I scoff, tapping the screen to open up the text. It’s from Joe. He’s sent a photo of Nick and me from that afternoon, walking through the shops together. The writing that accompanies it reads: ‘holding hands already? obv love moves fast with u 2. at this rate you’ll be married b4 kev & dani. x)’

I read it out to Nick, and he just sighs. “I thought I saw someone taking pictures. It’s just weird; people don’t usually pry as much when we’re in Jersey.”

“What, the Jonas Brothers aren’t exciting enough for their hometown?” I joke.

“I prefer to think that we’re too exciting,” Nick smirks.

“Oh yeah? How d’you figure that?”

“Well, we’re so amazing that the good people of New Jersey want to keep us all to themselves. You guys love us more than you love your own mothers; don’t even try to deny it,” he says, shooting a sly grin at me.

I beam back at him. “Wasn’t going to. I’m you’re girlfriend, am I not?”

“Oh yeah. Lucky me,” he mutters, but I don’t miss the sarcasm in his tone.

“Hey, keep up that attitude and I’ll cheat!”

His jaw drops and he shoots a wounded look at me as he turns the car onto my street. “But I’m the perfect boyfriend!”

“Doesn’t make me the perfect girlfriend,” I tell him mischievously as we reach my house. “Ha, imagine the publicity if the press caught me with another guy.”

Nick narrows his eyes. “You wouldn’t dare,” he says dangerously, unbuckling his seatbelt and whoa, is he getting closer? I try to inch away, but find that he’s already locked my door.

“Um, yes I would?” I half squeal before he lunges, bringing his hands to my sides and tickling me in the spots he knows are the weakest. Tears of laughter are already springing to my eyes as I try to wriggle away, but it’s no use. He’s way too strong. “Stop, please!” I gasp.

“Only if you take it back,” he demands, continuing to wriggle his fingers against my ribs.

“Fine!” I squeal, still writhing. “I take it back. Nick! You’re the only one for me.”

He stops and I’m able to collapse back into my seat, panting. He simply grins and brushes his thumb across my cheek, catching one of my tears. “That’s more like it,” he says, satisfied.

“Jerk,” I mutter.

“What was that?”

Fearful of another tickle attack, I quickly try to patch it up. “Uh, nothing. I was just, uh… wondering if you wanted to stay over?”

For a moment he looks as though he’s about to accept, but then he grimaces and shakes his head. “Can’t, sorry. We’re doing a live webchat tonight,” he tells me, almost regretfully. “Oh but hey, you can come if you want. I’m sure Joe would think it was awesome if you did a guest appearance or something.”

“I think I’ll pass,” I laugh.

“Why? Too much publicity for one day?” Nick teases, and I pull a face.

“You wish, loser. No, unlike you, I have calculus homework,” I groan, reaching into the backseat to grab my school bag and TCA outfit. “But enjoy that chat. How many viewers did you have last time? Three? Four?”

“Try fifty thousand.”

F-fifty thousand? Sweet Jesus. “Yeah? That many, huh? Good for you, champ. Now will you unlock this door?”

Nick obliges, flicking a switch on his side of the car. “Calculus calls, right?”

I scowl. “Thanks for the reminder.” I climb out, hoisting all my luggage with me. I know Nick’s going to offer to help me carry my stuff, but before he can even open his mouth, I shut the door and give him a wave goodbye. Through the tinted windows I see his silhouette shake its head, before the engine revs up again and he’s turning the next corner, disappearing from my sight.

That night as I drag myself through calculus, I decide to check out how the live chat’s going. I click my way into the site and find that they’ve only been going for ten minutes but already they’ve racked up eighty thousand viewers. Some girl’s just called up their SayNow and Joe’s being a charmer (of course) while Kevin pulls faces at the camera. Nick’s sitting back, playing around with his iPhone. I’m just thinking of texting him and telling him how antisocial he’s being, when my own cell screams that I have a new message. (Yeah, literally screams. Some girls at work decided to play around with it one day, and recorded that as my new message tone.)

Leaning back in my chair, I reach for my cell and grab it, blinking down at the screen. It’s a message from Nick.

‘by the way, we’re leaving for ny tomorrow. tca rehearsals are the day before actual tcas. come with? x’

It’s Saturday tomorrow. That means no school. I text him back quickly.

‘if you insist. but get back to your fans, boy. this is no time to be wooing your gf. xo’

Glancing back to the computer screen, I grin as Nick jumps slightly upon hearing his phone go off. Obviously he wasn’t expecting such a quick reply. I watch as he reads it, his face breaking into a smile. Then he must have figured that I’m watching, because he sends the camera a subtle wink. Joe and Kevin shoot him knowing looks as I crack up, flopping back in my chair and reaching for my cell again.

‘and sheesh, get a new message tone. freak.’

It’s all too satisfying when Nick jumps again, really not expecting another message. I catch the way he rolls his eyes at the camera, then fold my laptop closed. This calculus needs to be finished tonight, especially if I’m going to New York tomorrow. How did my life suddenly get so busy? Oh, right.

Nick Jonas.