Who Says Love Has to Be Left up to Fate?

Chapter 18 -
Dedicated to cutiedwarf who gave it a try and twilight.JONAS!!!!! who is a loyal commenter.

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Kevin led the large group of people as they made their way to an ice cream and hot dog stand for a late lunch. Most of the time they wouldn’t let their fame stop them eating where they wanted but they had eleven people with them today and they didn’t want to attract attention. It was almost useless trying. As they walked through the mall heads turned around and visitors’ eyes took in a dazzling group of varying ages that all seemed to be too beautiful to be common. The girls were attractive and the boys made both girls and women stare. Even though they had all slipped on their disguises, they still emitted an aura of their fame and confidence. They had a strut about them, a distinctive swagger and everyone who saw them laughing happily couldn’t help wishing to be them along with a persisting feeling of déjà-vu. If only they knew.

Joe watched Olive chatting with Demi and Gina like they were the best of friends. It surprised him how fast Demi had opened up to Olive and Gina, most of the time she took longer to relax and open up as she had bad experiences where people had walked all over her to get a bit of her lime light and in the end he and Nick had to help her pick up the pieces. He really hoped Olive was noting like that. His intuition had told him that she wasn’t and that she wouldn’t hurt a fly, but his intuition had been wrong before, especially when it came to past girlfriends.

Taylor had been a mistake, the timing had been all wrong and he hadn’t handled their problems correctly. It takes two to argue and she couldn’t be blamed for the ending of their relationship. After that there had been a messy string of ladies as he tried hopelessly to find another relationship just as serious. Now there was Annabelle, who was arriving in an hour to meet his parents and family. Soon after they had gotten together she had left to go film a second movie in the Mediterranean that would be premiering this month. So now was the only time she could visit. It was bound to be an interesting family dinner.

Joe forced himself to pull away from thoughts of his past failed relationships. He hated that he felt he only had a girlfriend because he felt pressured to have one; he wasn’t some hopeless teenager anymore. He was turning twenty-one. He followed the others towards the stand. At the food stand they all ordered a huge quantity of food ( avoiding the squinting eyes of the vendor) since it was four and they had completely missed their lunch.

“Problem,” said Nick. “We desperately need to find some place to sit that won’t attract attention. And fast. I might be paranoid but I swear people are looking at us.”

“Nick, people are always looking at us. We’re just attractive like that,” joked Kevin.

“What about over there?” Olive pointed at a Gazebo that available for renting a privet seating place, and encircled by a large amount of plastic plants. “There, instant privacy.”

Nick clapped his hand. “How do you do it Olive, I am in awe.”

“It’s nothing, come on quick, I think I just saw that old man in the Dragon’s and Comic store give you the look over.” Nick turned around and saw a large and very wide figure knock over a bookcase when trying to hide.

“Oh don’t look so disappointed Nick; I am sure you’ll get your chance with a nerd some other time.” teased Joe. Nick threw him a soft punch as Joe ran off towards the Gazebo.

“Olive,” whined little three year old Jordan, “I need a wee wee now. Weally badly.”

“Oh, of course sugar. Do you want me to take you?”

“Yes,” he nodded.

“Me too!” cried Amelia, Jordan and Frankie.

“Olive, why don’t you let Kevin and I take them, we were thinking of going in there ourselves.”

“Oh thanks. I really need to sit down. My ankle is starting to hurt every slightly more than before.”

“Right we’ll be right back,” said Kevin as he led the little rascals off with Dani.

“Imagine,” said Demi. “That could be them in a few years. Surrounded with their own kids. They are such a beautiful couple.”

“True that,” said Joe, his mouth full of food. They ate and chatted lightly feeling comfortable now that they were away from everyone else.

Olive and Demi were having fun with each other in a sort of video blog that Gina was filming with them.

“Today was a day like no other,” said Olive theatrically to the camera. “We became models.”

“Oh yes, there were the female models- and mmh mmh mhh the male models. Yummy!” said Demi sarcastically and acting like a real blond. She and Gina winked at Joe and Gina filmed him giving a really fierce pose mocking male models by tucking- his hand in his jeans and raising his head.

“The clothes were amazing.” continued Olive.

“G-L-A-M-O--R-O-U-S” they sang together. Joe looked on as they rambled on about their day and did other silly imitations.

“Seriously I never knew that Nick had those moves in him!” exclaimed Demi remembering the suave look he had given the camera again and again, each more striking than the next.

“Mmmmhm,” agreed Olive, laughing at Demi’s comment but trying to not let it show how much she agreed. She had been the one receiving Nicks sexy -magnified by ten- stares behind the camera lens. “He was bam! Bam! Bam!” she said clicking her fingers in a Z formation as Demi struck a Nick like pose each time. Nick glanced over with a frown and walked over into the shot. He gave a half serious half playful glance at Demi and than slowly turned to Olive.

“Don’t pay any attention to her, I looked nothing like that.”

“Ohhhhhh,” said Gina from behind the camera, “Why don’t you show us how it’s done then.” Raising an eyebrow and zooming in on his uneasy expression.

“No way, once was enough. I think we have the image of me being a poser engraved in our minds,” he said trying to back away. The shoot had been a fun experience but he didn’t really want to do a repeat of it, especially in front of a camera in the middle of a shopping mall. Singing and performing were cool and his things, but modeling? Come ‘on’!

“Pretty please Nick!” said Demi, “Show me how it’s done.”

“No.”

“Guys, drop it,” said Olive firmly to Nick’s surprise. He turned around and saw her looking disapprovingly at Gina and Demi. Apparently, thought Nick, she isn’t so keen on my modeling. “It’s obvious he doesn’t want to do it again- which is cool.”

Nick started to leave and didn’t catch Olive’s wink to Gina and Demi who were confused about her bi-polar attitude. “We’ll just get Joe to model for us, right girls?” Nick heard this and stopped short. He should have known he wouldn’t have been let off that easily. He couldn’t let his brother make him look bad by agreeing to let him do it in his place, because Joe instantly would. It would look especially bad after he moaned about not wanting to do it.

“Wait! No… I’ll do it.” He agreed reluctantly.

“Wow, wow, wow, wait!” said Joe coming into the picture as well. “I wanted to do it,” He had been watching the whole scene from aside and was finding Nick’s awkwardness hilarious. It’s not often he got a chance to crack Nick’s serious exterior and he was going to milk it for all it’s worth.

“Dude, it’s cool. I’ll do it. It seems that these ladies couldn’t get enough of my wooing Juliet poses.”

“You’re what?”

“Wooing Juliet as in; I am the dashing and romantic hero Romeo and I try and seduce her? That was me getting into character.”

“Much of a hero you are, you’re the one that gets her killed,” pointed out Joe.

“Whatever you’re the stupid, stupid guy that puts his shirt upside down.”

“Excuse me, don’t insult the shirt. I bought it and I plan to wear it. I’ll just wear it the other way round.”

“Either way it’ll still be upside down,” snickered Nick as Joe and the girl’s took a moment to work it out and then let out a soft ‘Oh yeah!’ The group laughed hopelessly at each others lack of reasoning, before Demi straightened up and took in a deep breath to calm herself down. She smiled at the camera that was still filming. Gina had managed to keep her composure and kept it rolling; she knew who much these clips would mean to Olive later on. Her sister had taught her to not take any moments for granted and to photograph or film them each time.

“Alright this is what I propose we do. We hold a Nick versus Joe show down. And-” Demi was interrupted by the arrival Dani, Kevin, and the four children back from the bathroom trip.

“We want in on whatever is making you laugh so hard,” said Frankie.

“Yeah!” said Antoine copying his newest best friend and folding his arms and making a crossed expression with a slight raise of the chin.

“This is perfect. Demi and I will be the hostesses and you six, the judges. Cool?” she asked. They all quickly agreed though the Jonas gave each other a ‘is-this-really-happening ? look. Gina noticing this laughed. They would soon come to know that Olive could make anything seem fun. Even for the most immature contests she managed to get who ever she wanted just as excited as she is….or nearly no one could match Olive’s excitement.

Just as Nick and Joe were about to get into their first poses a high piercing shout came from somewhere in the mall.

“OMG. Julie, you are right! THEY ARE THE JONAS BROTHERS AND DEMI! OH MY GOD!” the yell was a high pitched squeal and came from one level up. Tilting their head upwards towards the second floor they saw a girl looking over the banister and directly at them from up above. She had a clear view of their hiding place and ruined it big time by screaming out again, “What do you mean where? IN THAT GAZEBO WITH TONS OF PLANTS AROUND IT! SOME ONE, HOLD THEM UP. I HAVE TO TELL KEVIN I LOVE HIM!”

Gina’s mouth fell to the floor and she looked around at the rest of the large group to see if she had heard right. A girl had just announced the location of the Jonas Brothers in a teenager filled mall. In the middle of Dallas. During the summer season. And she was right at the epicenter of it.

"Great!" moaned Demi. Now I won't get to have my Double Tall Vanilla Non Fat Latte. And the cue had been so long."

"Oh the drama," teased Gina.

Without another moment to waste Olive got up and packed away the Oreo in her bag and ever thing else. She got Amelia and in the strollers but handed Jordan to Nick. “Right, so obviously hiding in the center of the mall was a bit to obvious, and I am soooo sorry. So here’s what we do, Olive idea number two.”

“Do we really want to hear this?” groaned Gina.

“Do any of you have any better ideas, because we need to get out of here like now?” When they all shook their heads she continued, putting on the voice of a general. “Okay mission impossible double O one. Escape death trap. Dani and Kevin take the stroller and pretend Amelia’s your child. Nick you and Gina will hold Jordan. Demi if you could take Antoine, and I’ll take Frankie. Joe you take this newspaper. Now go go go troops, head for Build-a-Bear, they definitively won’t look there.”

Gina hid a knowing glance from Olive, she was so liking this. Olive, as Gina very well knew, lived for moments like this.

“Seriously Olive? A newspaper?” said Joe looking at Olive in disbelief, “That never works.”

“Yes it does. Like you wouldn’t believe. I have used that trick tons of times before. I can laugh about it now, but at the time it was crazy!”

“We don’t have the time to argue, Joe” said Demi, slipping on her shades and taking Antoine’s hand and looking past the wall and plants and seeing a large group of people starting to encircle them. Without further discussion they each left the gazebo two at a time trying to mix in with the crowd before anyone realized they had left and then when no one was looking dashed into Build-a-Bear which was one of the closest shops to them. The shop Demi realized was momentarily empty which she thanks her lucky stars for. She took this time find the manager of the store. She hoped she’d be able to convince them to shut it down for them.

Demi came back successfully from the back of the store with having gained the permission for the store to close, only then noticing that Kevin, Nick, Joe and Danielle were looking at something outside the shop in horror. And that’s when she noticed the screams. The outside of the shop was filled with vastly growing group of screaming girls, interested passer bys, and the other people that wanted to see what all the hype was about.

“We’ve been found out,” Kevin. “We. Are. Completely screwed . How are we going to get out of this?”

“I have no clue man,” sighed Joe running his hand through his messy hair. This was such a mess, normally things like this never happened, and they always had some form of security with them to get the crowd to disperse. “Where is Olive with her bright ideas?”

“I am back here with the kids and little man,” she called from the stuffing section. “Oops, sorry Antoine. The kids and the little men.”

Gina and Olive had decided to make the best of the situations, since the toddlers had been begging for ages to come in here to make a bear she thought she’d use this opportunity to do just that. The twins, Antoine and Frankie had quickly picked out an animal and gotten a heart and were now in the process of stuffing it. Joe walked over dubiously and leaned back against a bright yellow pillar and said, “Are you seriously expecting us to make some as well?” Gina and Olive gave a meek shrug, and Gina wondered if their idea of fun was slightly out dated or uncommon. Sure Build-a-Bear was aimed at younger kids, which they had. It would be a shame to not use this opportunity to reconnect with they own childhood.

“Oh, shut up Joe,” said Demi picking a little lion cub. “Don’t act so high strung, you’ve been here before when you were past the normal age, right? Just think of it as getting in touch with your younger side. You still got a few weeks before you turn into a full fledge twenty-one year old adult. Plus we are stuck in here for a while until those mall cops get the crowd under control.”

“Oooh, I like the idea of this. Kev? Would you like to make a bear with me. It can be our baby,” said Danielle with a giggle.

“Sound’s good to me,” he answered with a quick peck.

“Well fine, I guess,” said Joe joining Nick in picking their animal. He sort of felt bad that he had turned down the idea so quickly. Olive was right to try and get them to loosen up. With her idea it was easier to ignore the oppressing crowd in the background. Deciding that he should thank her he pickedup a puppy that oddly resemble Oreo. Hiding it from her he secretly decided that he would give it to her when they got back as a surprise, he had a lot to thank her for. He let everyone in on it but her and they all voiced their approval.

“Awww. That dog is so sweet Joe. You know I bet Olive would love to take it home as a minor replacement of Oreo,” said Gina. She could hardly believe Joe had thought of doing that for Olive. He really had changed in those two years since she had seen him, or maybe, something told her deep inside, that it was Olive that was having this influence on him. If Olive only knew!

Once they finished off, their group were joined by ten more in the form of adorable stuffed animals. Kevin and Dani had created a little baby polar bear. Joe the hidden Oreo Junior carefully, while Olive had made herself a wizard Elephant named Puddles. Nick had found a quirky black bear and Frankie had his Giraffe. Gina and Demi had both opted for bunny rabbits. They were all enjoying their new cuddly friends… well not so much the boys really, when the manager of the store nervously came up to them.

“I am sorry, but you the cop just signed that things are getting out of control outside, there are a bout five hundred teen girls out there, plus even more mixed people. Unless things clear up soon we’ll have to resort to a bigger form of security, but before we’d need to contact your bodyguards for confirmation and the OK.”

Kevin groaned and threw a quick glance at the expectant crowd that was watching their every move. “We didn’t want to have to do that, isn’t there another way out of here?”

“Yes, there is the back entrance for workers that lead out to the end of the parking lot, the opposite direction where you would have most probably parked.”

“We’ll just do that then,”

“Um, except the people will guess that you’ve left that way once they see you’ve gone, and you’ll just be cornered outside.”

“Jeez Louise, this is getting ridiculous,” said Gina . “Maybe we should just call back up,”

“No we told Alistair that we’d handle ourselves,” said Demi. “He’d never let us out alone by ourselves again.”

“Maybe with good reason,” countered the Manager.

“Hey one second Mister-“said Nick his voice rising like his brothers. Soon they were all in an argument as to how to get out of this situation.

“Guys!” shouted Olive. “I got it!”

“What’s this another brilliant idea from the Olive mastermind?” said Gina.

“Yes! Look what I found,” she held up a group of saggy man sized animal costumes that the workers used to dress up in. “These are perfect, there is seven for the more famous ones here,” she looked pointly at the Jonases and Demi. “You just slip this on and go out the backdoor, and sneak away before they realize what hit them.”

“You want me to get in that, in the middle of July!” Demi’s slow voice emphasized each world.

“Well, yes. Unless of course you guys have a better-“

“Yes, yes. We understand Olive; none of us have a better idea. Whatever let’s just put these on and quickly changes in the back were they can’t see us. But you’re still mad” said Kevin.

She giggled, “Yes but let me tell you as Alice in Wonderland says, most of the best people are.”

As the celebrities slipped on their costumes Gina walked over to Olive and gave her a big hug. “What was that for?”

“To beg you to never very loose you crazy ways.”

“Crazy? It’s not. It’s a perfectly brilliant idea. It’ll work.”

“I know, I know. But it’s still really crazy.”

Olive paused for a moment and considered. It was silly and she guessed she wasn’t doing a great job of showing Nick and Joe the calmer more appealing Olive she wanted them to think of her as, but she was the one that got them in the mess at the Gazebo and going to Build –a-Bear was her idea. She wanted to make it work this time round. She was afraid of what would happen if she didn't.

She, Gina and the kids rejoined the rest of the group in the back room. “Right time for mission impossible two. Olive hit us with you funky stuff,” said Joe his excitement growing. They were all in their costumes He was dressed as a lion and was feeling madly excited. Nick was a sweet panda bear, Demi a bunny rabbit and Frankie a little bear cub. Funny enough Dani and Kevin had found a couple’s bear costume that matched each other. Olive slipped on a pair of cat earring she found lying around and said, “All right troops. Let’s move move move! The enemies are already wondering were we are hiding. “

“Olive who is the enemy?” asked Antoine. He was very much confused about what was going on.

“We must make sure to get away from all the yelling girls that want to get Joe, Nick and Kevin.”

“But why?”

“Cause,” said Frankie, “They all want to kiss them and give them cooties.”

“What are cooties?”

“Germs!” said Frankie dramatically and even adding wiggling hands as emphasis.

“Ah!” screamed the twins and Antoine, “Move, move. Germs bad! Germs bad!” Everyone laugh at their reactions and Olive pushed the back door opened and they all ran out on to the parking lot. They were halfway across the parking lot and to their parked cars with no fans and mad crowds in sight, so they started to slow down and start peeling of their costumes, that was making them stifling hot and sweaty. However just they had all removed the heads of their costumes, and had taken a quick breather their heads whipped back around when they heard.

“THERE THEY ARE. WAIT! WE LOVE YOU DON’T GO!” Olive could have sworn it was the same person as earlier. Before their disbelieving eyes a large group of people surged out the back entrance of the shop spilling out madly on the parking lot and running to try and get them.

“Oh, oh!” said Amelia, in a high pitched babble. “Cooties,coming Olive. Cooties coming!”

“Run!” shouted Joe. And this time they completely removed their costumes and legged it towards their car. They’ll send Build-a-Bear a check later. They had to run a couple hundred meters before they could reach their car; they were currently smack dab in-between the fans and their escape vehicles.

Nick glanced over his shoulders and saw the stumbling Olive. She was loosing speed and fast. Her limp was more obvious now and stressed by the pained look that crossed her face from time to time. She was now just at the front of the throng of the running girls and almost blending in with them. One girl in the mist of hundreds of other, but not to Nick. He didn’t know how or why but he was able to easily pick her out of the mass of girls. The girls’ right behind her were both beautiful and hot. Nick subconsciously saw a particular brunette that had short curly hair and pretty blue eyes with a figure to die for. He saw all this, but yet he only noticed Olive.

Olive who should be in pain, Olive who should be scared to be trampled is she tripped over, Olive who should be mad at them for getting her in such a surreal position. Olive who was laughing brightly like the sun, and treating this like a game of tag. She was loosing them and though Nick knew she’d be okay and it was him that needed to worry about getting away, he couldn’t bare the thought of leaving her behind. It was his duty, he convinced himself. She was invited along by them today and they would be responsible if anything happened. Mom would be mad. That’s why.

That’s why he stopped and turned around reaching his handout to help her.