I Never Should Have Let You Go

"Hurry up Joe." I hissed, beckoning him to jump into my Aston Martin. We had just finished recording Stop The World, and my record was done. All those weeks of hard work were finally about to pay off when the album dropped.

Joe kept looking at my phone, reading the sick messages that Michael had been sending. "Are you sure you really want to give into his demands Ci? This is a lot of money to keep just seven photos out of the spotlight."

My foot came down on the brake as we approached a red stop sign. "Are you kidding me Joe?! If these photos get out, my reputation will be even further in the dust. Those pictures of my birthday got me in a heap of crap, and I want to be a person that others can look up to."

Joe nodded, pursing his lips. "I understand that, it's just, maybe you could cut down the amount of money you give Michael. 20,000 dollars for seven images. That works out at about almost three thousand for each. Is it really worth it?"

I was sick of his questions. "Look Joe. I understand that you're trying to protect me, but I know what I'm doing." I sighed, slipping my sunglasses over my eyes as I pulled up behind a short line of parked cars.

Joe had been given clear and very simple instructions that he had quickly wrapped his mind around. He was to wear a hat, sunnies, and hold my hand. We were to appear as a normal couple sitting on a park bench until Michael came along and I could hand him the package. It all felt like a drug deal to me.

My legs were shaking as I got out of the car. Joe laced our fingers together, and held me near. To others, we were just two young adults in love. It was awkward for the most part, but once this 'swap' was done, it could all go back to a close friendship.

I rested back in Joe's arms, and he played with the open button holes on my cardigan. The yellow envelope was tucked into my jeans pocket, a thick wad of bank notes trapped inside.

"So what song off your album do you hope is the biggest hit?" Joe asked, braiding my long hair. I'd dyed it brown again since I'd missed my natural hair colour.

"I don't know." I giggled, squirming when he accidently tickled me. He realised this and continued to dig his nails into my skin. I shot off his lap, tripped on my Converse laces, and completely covered my shoe in dog turd.

As I was panicking trying to get it off, Joe stood clutching his stomach, unable to control his immature giggles.

"This is all your fault Joe!" I squealed, lunging after him to jump on his back.

Who knew a Jonas brother could be so good at removing dog crap with his clothes?

n i c h o l a s

Sarah darted after the frisbee, jumping up to catch the orange plastic disc. She missed it, and it came soaring down into a thorny bush. There was no way in hell I was going in there. Girls are not attracted to men who are scratched. I'm pretty darn sure that my women like me when my skin is perfectly flawless.

"Oh! Nick!" Sarah complained, pouting at me sadly. She struggled to run through the long grass in towering yellow heels. I'd repeatedly told her that were going out for an adventure, but she didn't listen to me. Nobody ever listens to me.

"Sarah, wait!" I called after her. She was already up to her arms in shrubbery.

"It's just a little bit further." she told me, looking up over the plantation. Tell me how exactly she was supposed to get the frisbee if she wasn't even looking at it?

I followed her gaze and spotted a disgustingly cute couple mucking around. The guy had his girlfriend latched onto his back, and they were spinning, giggling and laughing. It made me sick to the stomach at how affectionate pairs could be. Did they not understand that their PDAs were affecting everyone around them?

The frisbee was a finger-length away and I almost had it, when Sarah exclaimed, "That's Cianna and Joe!"

My head shot up, I lost my focus, and caused a gash all the way up my forearm. "Ah, shit!" I gasped, watching the blood trickle.

"Joe, put me down!" Cianna screamed, gripping onto my older brothers shoulders. I growled, standing up quickly. Forget the stupid frisbee, it can go stuff itself.

"Get the hell off of him!" I snapped. My legs had already carried me over to them and I was standing crossly with my hands up my hips.

Cianna looked at me from above, her smile ceasing. Her mouth was fluttering open and closed. She reminded me of a fish, though she was very attractive for an aquamarine animal.

"Oh hey Nick!" Joe smiled. It really ticked me off when he acting like nothing was wrong. I had my suspicions that he had taken the engagement ring and hidden it just to annoy me. Well it worked.

"Shut up. What the hell are you doing here? Did I not tell you last night that I was coming here with Sarah?" I shot my left arm out and dragged my girlfriend in so she was by my side.

"Well I don't remember, and even you did, this is still a public park. So take that stick out of your butt, because the sun does not shine on your ass." he snapped. Cianna sniggered softly.

"Oh so now you have a nasty personality." I mused unhappily, turning on my ex. Ouch. It was difficult to call her that even a month after the breakup.

"Why are you being like this?" she asked, climbing down from her viewing platform on my brother's spine.

"Why am I being like what Cianna? The real question is why are you hanging out with that douchepony? You're my ex-girlfriend, and that's the way it stays! He's not your new lover, and never will he be!" I growled, stepping up so my face was just inches away from Cianna's.

"Why do you even care Nicholas? It's up to me who I hang out with, and Joe is a great and friendly guy. Why don't you take after him?" she said. Her voice was calm and did not waver, though I expected it to. Whenever Cianna was under sudden pressure she would stutter and her sentences would be jumbled.

"I don't want to take after him. I want to be my own person." Our conversation was pretty damn pointless, but it felt good to have the conversation turn to be about me. Maybe Cianna would notice the fact that I was starting to leave a little stubble on my chin each morning.

Joe bent his neck and whispered something in Cianna's ear, before thrusting his thumb behind them to point at something.

"U-uh, we gotta go, so, um, I'll see you two around." Cianna muttered, spinning on her heel.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I snapped, grabbing her arm. "I'm not finished talking to you! Don't you walk away!"

Joe shook his head at me, warning flashing through his eyes. "We. Have. To. Go. Nick."

Why. must. he. talk. in. such. an. annoying. way?

"Well I have to talk with Cianna. We need to work this out, so we can be friends again." I pleaded. Nick Jonas does not plead! What the hell am I doing?!

Cianna sighed, and took my cheeks between her palms. "Joe and I have to do something first, but then I'll be right back and we can talk alright?"

She gave my forehead a gentle kiss and then sprinted off with my brother. I was left stunned. Sarah didn't seem too happy either.

She was standing with a pout on her lips. Agreeably, I wouldn't be too darn impressed if my girlfriend's ex boyfriend showed affection. I'd probably kick him so hard in his non-existant balls that he'd have a weekly period.

"That was nothing." I defended, darting back to the bush before my frisbee got stolen. It may of only cost 2 bucks, but money was precious. Personally, I believe toilet paper should be free.

"Oh, it wasn't anything Nick! She freaking kissed you, and there you are batting your damned eyelashes at her! The last time I checked, you are only supposed to do that to me!" she whined.

"Shut up. Stop being an annoying bitch. I didn't bat my eyelashes at Cianna, and we are not having this argument!" I retaliated, pulling the frisbee from the bushes after a heroic effort.

Sarah gritted her teeth. She always loved to start crap. It was World War III when I was with her (oh yes, I just quoted my own song, that is the epicness that is me). This was a significant problem with Sarah. It seemed liked everytime she saw me, there was something wrong, like, my shirt had a miniscule stain, or there was a curl out of place on my head. Sarah was a perfectionist, that was the way to describe it. If Cianna and Sarah were in a competition for most annoying, you know who would come in first place.

"Don't call me a bitch Nick, because everytime you do, I've got a million more words to shoot back."

"Yeah, well, that's nice to know but I'm sure you'll never use them, because there's things about you that I could spread like wildfire."

There actually weren't any rumours I could start. Well, I could say that she liked cheese on pancakes, but that just doesn't really do it.

"Like what Nick? I haven't got anything to hide! Unlike you. I found out about the text messages that you plan to send to her, and the fact that your wallpaper is a picture of Cianna sprawled out on the floor of Walmart!"

Sarah's voice was high-pitched and rising. It was giving me a headache. Cianna would never give me a headache. Her voice was always soothing.

"It was Gelsons Markets." I corrected. "And what gave you the right to go through my phone?"

That was what got me riled up. When someone asks you to have a look at your phone it doesn't mean to look at messages. Maya did that once. Oh yes! Speaking of Maya!

We had a lovely little chat and she tried to persuade me to give Cianna the engagement ring as a 'token of my love', or some crap like that. I would do that but that damn piece of jewellery has gone missing, and I have no hope in heck of finding it.

"I'm your girlfriend Nick! I should be able to have faith that my boyfriend's not cheating on me!" Sarah spat.

My fingers clenched tightly around the frisbee until my knuckles were white.

"Why can't you trust me, huh? This is exactly why our relationship ended last year! Why? Why?"

Sarah bit her lip, her eyes focusing on a spot on the ground. "It's just that--Cianna, she's just so- just so amazing, and she still has feelings for you and I-I just don't want to lose out to her."

And here come the waterworks. Tears flooded in the bottom lids of her eyes, and she gulped.

"I-I'm sorry for being like this, b-but, I love, love you, a-and..." Sarah blubbered, hicupping uncontrollably.

In obligation of being a nice guy, I let her tighten her arms around me, and sob. And sob. And sob.

Sure, I didn't like to see people crying, but it was pretty hilarious to hear her sniffle and snort. I took the time to glance over at Cianna and Joe.

There seemed to be something wrong with her. She was throwing her arms all over the place and screaming at my brother.

Honestly, I prayed for her that no paparazzi popped up. She couldn't quite see her face, but I had a rough idea tears were falling down her beautiful face.

I shoved Sarah shaking form away from me, and bolted over to be with one of the most important women in my life.

Joe was cradling Cianna, stroking her hair. I grabbed her shoulders, and pulled her into me instead. What I didn't expect her to do was kick me in the shin.

"How could you Nick?! How could you?!" she spat, a dangerous fire burning in her eyes.

I definitely regretted my previous actions, though I didn't quite know what I'd done wrong.