You Can't Fight Fate

I woke up to the smell of blueberry pancakes and bacon. The sun shined on my face gently and I could hear birds chirping. I slowing opened my eyes to unfamiliar surroundings, then realizing where I was. A smile instantly formed on my face as I stretched in the large, comfortable bed. I was at the Jonas’.

I slipped on my black rimmed grandpa glasses and lied back on the headboard, undecided at what I would next.

Seconds later, a shirtless Nick came strolling into my room. He looked like he just came back from working out, or a shower and he had headphones on with those adorable Elvis Costello glasses on.

“Hey, I didn’t wake you?” he asked innocently as he pulled off his headphones.

I shook my head no and smiled. Nick being the first person I see in the morning wasn’t a exactly a bad thing (especially the shirtless part).

He walked over to my bed and hopped next to me, smiling.

“You know what today is?” he asked.

I narrowed my eyes at him, unsure of his intentions.

“Mmm…maybe…” I replied.

“It’s your birthday…you know what that means…” he answered.

“If you listened to our deal, nothing, we agreed my birthday didn’t exist until next week,” I told him sternly.

He chuckled before grabbing my hand and stroked my tattoo once again.

“I might have, but that doesn’t mean my family did,”

I sighed and groaned.

“Nicholas!”

He jumped up before my hand could hit his bare chest. He smiled mischievously before disappearing from my room.
<->

I made my way down the stairs eagerly, I was excited to give Stevvie her present. She reluctantly let my family throw her a little party. You only turn eighteen once after all.
Everyone crowded around Stevvie as she opened the gifts that my family, Danielle’s sisters, my cousins,Maya, Chelsea Staub, Demi, Miley, and Selena had gotten for her. I was surprised and thankful for them; they didn’t even know Stevvie and the girls together acted like they had known each other for a ages. I noticed she especially liked Demi’s gift.
It was a funky black lace headband, with purple tulle and a bow on it. Demi must have some sort of girl connection with Stevvie because she clicked with her the most.

“Alright girls, it’s my turn,” I announced as I made my way towards the seat next to Stevvie.

“Oh lord, Nicholas,” she groaned.

All the girls around us began to “ooh”, causing both Stevvie and I to roll our eyes. We were so alike sometimes.

I handed the large box over to Stevvie and watched her look at it curiously. It was neatly wrapped and had a big deep purple bow on top, her favorite color. She looked at me as she lifted the lid, revealing matching white and purple tissue paper. She quickly removed the tissue paper and a smile instantly formed on her face.

She gently pulled out the present; it was a build-a-bear.

“Awww!” all of the girls, including Stevvie went.

I had pondered over what to get her for a while and thought it was perfect. She loved stuffed animals, and refused to allow me to spend a large amount of money on her, but it was still personal. It was a win-win situation.

I watched as he admired the bear’s clothing. I put him in a plaid shirt, tie and dark jeans. His name was James, (James Bond), and he was an all white, fluffy bear.
Stevvie giggled as she looked at his official birth certificate and hugged him adorably.

“I love it Nick, thank you very much,” she stated sweetly as she hugged me, as she let go, she planted a kiss on my cheek.

I smiled pleased, hoping my cheeks wouldn’t blush, but of course, they did. This in turn, made the entire group of girls giggle mischievously.

Luckily, Stevvie’s mom called her phone, and she had to take the phone call, leaving me with ten women who all were as into my love life as the blogsites were these days.

They all sat staring at me for a moment, until I finally caved.

“Go ahead,” I muttered.

“She is so freaking adorable Nick, seriously. She’s so sweet!” Demi gushed first, “I just want to dip her in chocolate and eat her.”

“I know right! I loved her outfit!” Selena agreed, “she’s a really great girl.”

“Stevvie is so funny and has a beautiful smile,” Chelsea added, “she just a burst of sunshine, and giggly.”

I agreed with everything they had said, some of the things Stevvie did were the cutest things

I had ever seen. No one that had met Stevvie could deny her quirky personality, she was shy at first, but once she opens up, you always have a blast.

The girls continued to gush about her to me, and even began giving me unnecessary advice on how to treat her.

“Nicholas, you have to date her, we all approve,” Katie, my younger sister in law informed me.

I laughed at their agreement at her statement, I kind of didn’t ask for it in the first place.

“that’s really not up to me, convince Stevvie,” I replied, “but, on a serious not, thank you guys for coming out for this, Stevvie was really nervous about this whole thing and I think you made it a little more relaxing for her. If I were you, don’t push the relationship subject, it’s a bit complicated.”

“What did you expect with someone not in the business?”Miley commented absentmindedly.

I could tell she wasn’t the most comfortable, you never really are with your first love’s new interest, even if you’re not in love anymore at no matter what age. She would soon get over it though, she always did. I loved Miley with all my heart, and she truly was my best friend. We had been though everything, and our paths had definitely changed over the years, but we were still friends in the end. I rolled my eyes at her comment, and continued to listen to the girls go on about Stevvie.

“Have you kissed her?” Dani asked as she rubbed her pregnant belly.

“We haven’t even gone on a date,” I reminded them.

“So, you kissed me on the first date,” Selena pointed out.

“You kissed me before we were dating too,” Miley added.

I groaned and rubbed my face at them, this was getting ridiculous.

“I’m going to check on Stevvie, don’t get too carried away with me and Stevvie, please.”
<->

Stevvie paced around the foyer, half-listening to her dad’s apology as to why he couldn’t be there for her eighteenth birthday. Her mother had convinced her to talk to him for the sake his well being, the guilt would “kill him” if she didn’t. It wasn’t the fact that she couldn’t spend her birthday with her father, it was the fact that he broke another promise.

“Okay, daddy. I know…I love you, too. Bye,” she replied to him as she hung up.
Nick slowly revealed himself to her as she pushed her thick wavy hair back with her hands. He noticed the cute little wrinkles on her forehead, and instantly knew she was frustrated or upset.

Without saying a word, he pulled her close to him, caressing her arms. Stevvie shyly looked up and gasped faintly. Nick’s gorgeous brown eyes caught the sun that shined through the window and his flawless skin glowed as he looked down at her. How could one guy blow her away with his looks, no matter what every time he looked at her.

“Hey, cheer up kid,” he stated as he kissed her on the forehead. She loved it when he did that.

<->

“…I’m excited to be an uncle…Kevin’s even more excited to be a dad,” Nick stated.

“Dani is the most beautiful and laid back pregnant women I’ve ever met, she practically glowed the whole time yesterday,” I replied.

All I could hear was Nick’s steady breathing and the low rumble of the thunderstorm going on outside. It was dark in the room as Nick and I laid head to foot on his king sized bed as if we were at my apartment back in Chicago. Every so often, lightning would light up the room, showing off our silhouettes in twisted forms against the wall, and you could hear the rain beating against the house in sheets. We had been like this for over an hour, and I wasn’t complaining. I loved our conversations when we had a chance just to talk, nothing was off limits and nothing was there to hold us back from saying what ever we wanted. Times like these had me quickly falling in love with him.

“I’ve always wanted to be a dad, of course, I want to settle down and definitely get married soon hopefully,” Nick revealed, “people say don’t get married young, but why not? I mean I guess so you can experience the world first, but I was fortunate enough to do that many times, so I guess seeing the world to people like that is like my aspiration to get married is, you know what I mean?”

“Yeah…” I replied to him, “Nick, you’re going to make an amazing dad one day, and the girl you will marry has to have the biggest heart to match yours.”

Nick laughed lightly and sighed, sending us into a comfortable silence.

Moments later we heard a crack on the door, and a pitter patter of little feet coming in. The next thing I knew, a little girl spring up on to Nick’s side of the bed and squealed loudly.

"Wake up cousin!” she yelled.

Nick gave me a quick wink and pretended to be sleep.

“Nicholas!” she squealed as she poked his stomach and face.

“Rawr!” Nick exclaimed.

He came to life and picked up the girl that had to be no older the four and though in the air, causing her to giggle.

After they calmed down, the little girl turned to me. Nick introduced her as Sophie, his Uncle Josh and Aunt Angie’s kid. She had bright blue eyes to match mine, and blond straight hair.

“What’s your name? You’re really pretty. Are you Nicholas’s girlfriend? Nick, do you love her?” she asked rather quickly, “Are you a princess? You are dressed like a princess, like in the daytime though, like Giselle. Are you guys going to get married?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down Sophia,” Nick stopped her, “this is my friend Stevvie, she’s not a princess, but she does love dresses like you…and we’re not going to get married.”

I giggled at the little girl’s curiosity. I was much like her as a child, and just as curious.

I shook hands with Sophia and quickly engaged in a lively conversation about princesses.

For some reason, I could always get along with little kids and I loved it. I volunteered at a youth center after class and helped with the babies at church on Wednesdays or Sundays. Sometimes Nick even helped when he didn’t go to service. Being able to go to a church on a regular basis again was one of the things Nick enjoyed the most.

I watched Nick interact with his cousin in amazement. That maternal/mating instinct blared away as I witnessed his gentle touch and overall compassion he expressed toward her, there was no doubt he would be an amazing father.

“Where’s my Sophie?” I heard Joe ask loudly as he entered the room.

Sophie giggled and hopped on to Joe’s back for a ride.

“Hey Stevvie!” he called, “Nick, we have an emergency meeting with Dad and John fields about the new album, in half in hour.”

Nick sat up in disbelief. “You mean the album we haven’t even begun to work on yet? I can’t go to a meeting, I’m off work and I have Stevvie. John can reschedule.”

Joe shook his head. “Nope, he’s going to Japan for two weeks and Dad said this is important, so Stevvie might just have to come with us.”

“But, she can’t. It’s against our contract.” Nick reminded him, “confidentiality.”
Joe shrugged his shoulders, “Well, Mom is going to be here all day…she wouldn’t mind hanging out with her for awhile….”