Who Says Love Has to Be Left up to Fate?

Thanks to
C'est Moi C:
singdancesmile96
wickedchessie

Chapter 26: Fireworks and shooting stars.

Joe and I went up to the roof terrace and joined Nick who had been wondering where I had gone off to. I quickly made up some ridiculous excuse. We chatted away while watching the super long and extravagant firework show, about everything under the sun except girlfriends. I lay in-between the boys and we talked about our Sector One future and the novel I was trying to get published. I promised, though now I regreted it, to let the boys read it. At least they said they liked the idea of the plot and that it was a series. What I appreciated was that they didn’t say that ‘getting published is nearly impossible and you should give up’. Instead they said, ‘you want it go and get it’. Yes well that’s easy for them to say, they’ve got it already.

In exchange I learned about some of their childhood memories, and places we had both been to in New Jersey. By the time the show finished Joe had relaxed and the painful look of hurt seemed to have left his eyes. Being in between both Nick and Joe was heavenly. Whenever Nick would tease me and threaten permanently turn off the light I would turn away and hide my face in Joe’s chest while he mockingly told off Nick for being mean. We messed around and threw popcorn missiles at unsuspecting people of the roof (one of Joe’s brilliant pranks I got acquainted with). They were like the big brothers I never had, but sometimes, they said things and did things that a big brother wouldn’t do. Joe would twirl my hair, while Nick would sing me bits and pieces of their love songs.

It was confusion of a high degree, because they did all this but never out rightly said, ‘Yeah we are so into you Olive.’ Okay I hope when they do say it is more romantic, but right now it doesn’t matter I want to know!

When the show finished and the smoke cleared the three of us stayed silent and listened to the people below talking madly and every so often we’d hear Demi’s extremely loud laugh that would make us all start even if we didn’t know what it was about.

“What’s on your mind, Olive?” asked Nick so tenderly it made me shiver, or maybe that was just Joe blowing on my skin trying to see if I could get Goosebumps when it was more than 80 degrees.

“Just thinking, how nice you two are,”

“You sorta sound surprised. What did you expect?”

“That we’d be cocky and big headed or something?” said Joe really taking on the role of someone accused by placing his hand over his heart. I giggled and took his hand away quickly denying it.

“You see, think about it. I knew both of you, or well, of you, before you knew me.”

Nick’s face grew sour “No! Please let’s not think about when we didn’t know each other.”

“Yes, spare us of the memories of our meaningless lives before Olivia Bonchevalle walked into and gave it meaning.” implore Joe.

“Guys come on I mean it. I am just one girl in 7.7 and a bit billion, aren’t I?” There, I did it. I revealed my one of my greatest worries to them. Being important to them is amazingly important to me, and I afraid that it’s because I am starting to get a case of the cosmic horn* which is loving and crushing on everyone at once. It’s impossible to not be swept off my feet by their doting attention. I mean they seem more interested in staying on a roof top with me while there friends and best friends they’ve known for years are downstairs.

“What!” That’s Joe sounding shocked.

“Well I mean I haven’t met two guys that come close to touching your amazingness. But you have met a lot of gorgeous, smart, funny, pretty, successful girls. I pale in comparison. You will soon be bored of me.” I told them the same theory I had told to Gina, “You have two of everything, close friends and friends you make cause you meet so many people. Not to mention girls. We’ll have our laughs but then, you’ll meet some other girl to have fun with, and I’ll become just someone you once knew and hang out with. And it’d be all like, ‘hello stranger’.” I rambled.

“What have you been smoking, Olive” said Nick sitting up and placing me on his laps. “We will never forget you. The friends we’ve had and lost was because they weren’t worth staying in touch with or they used us or you know the whole Hollywood thing made it hard. I know you’ll never do that. And you’re forth staying up an extra thirty minutes after an exhausting concert to call.”

“And plus we’ll continue hanging out after this summer. I don’t know what it is Olive, but something about you and the Jonases click. Like mac and cheese. Do you even think Frankie and Demi would let us forget about you? They talk about you non-stop. Frankie tried to shoot me down with a watergun when I said that you had flown back home,” he comforted me while playing with my long honey hair, a habit he is picking up. “You’re our new…” he looked at Nick who shrugged.

“Kindred spirit, and more really,” said Nick after a while. If it’s possible to smile even bigger than I was now then Nick and Joe did it. “Feeling reassured now, Olive? You realize that you’re going to have to stick around with us for a long time, no going away until you really, really have to?”

“Yes. I’ll even stalk you if you want.” I joked relaxing. “I’ve been thinking? Who goes up here?”

“Just me and Nick mostly. Mom won’t let Frankie.”

“Wicked. Then we should make this our secret spot!”I said standing up quickly and determined.

“Wicked!” mocked Joe and Nick. I scowled at them before taking their hands in mine and raising them up high.

“I hear by declare this place as the special haven for Joe, Nick and Olive!”

“I think we should get a bottle of champagne out,” said Joe

“Joe I seriously worry about what’s you’ll want to do when you’re actually legally allowed to drink.”

“I’ll drink responsibly thank you very much. Unlike you French with wine this and wine that. Plus, I meant those kiddy champagne drinks that taste better than the actually thing,” me and Joe bickered like two playful kittens before Nick suddenly exclaimed that there was a shooting start. I of course, totally freaked out like a headless chicken.

"Suprise!" said Joe. "This is why showing you the stars tonight was important. I planned to make you happy. A shower should start soon. Make a wish!"

“AH! Okay, think of something, think of a good wish! Um. That my book get’s published, no that’s selfish. That I marry a billionaire, or become a billionaire. Too selfish you think? Should I do world peace or world hunger? The pressure, the pressure!” I muttered getting jittery.

“I wish,” started Nick, then he looked at Joe and they continued together, “We wish to stay with Olive forever!” the shouted over the rooftops and causing neighboring dogs to bark.

“Aw you two are so sweet. We’ll I’ve decided I wish to have a happily ever after.” Yes I know, very, very selfish, but come on, if wishing for world peace ever worked it would have happened during the 70s.

“Olive you can’t wish for that,” said Nick appalled, “You have to say that you wish to stay with us forever too,”

“Or really? I’ll only be happy ever after if I’m with you Jonases, see how that works. Well I’ve got something better than wishing on a star. I want us to pinky swear that nothing will come between our rapidly growing friendship, because I love you both and your whole family, I’d be so sad if you started hating me, cause I did something stupid.”

The two browned boys quickly took gentle hold of my pinky and said ‘Nothing will ever separate me and Olive.’ At the exact same time a meteor shower started and funny tingle went through my body as the boys said their wish. I’ve become an honest believer now of wishing on a shooting star. However think about it, their wish is impossible, they were suppose to say “nothing will come between us and Olive” not “me and Olive.” How can I be with both of them forever, I am either going to have to choose one, or none at all. That is IF THEY EVEN LIKE ME! Which I technically don’t know yet. Come on boys, tell me.

And doing that wish just made it dawn on me that I’ve sunken even further in shame because I can’t figure out who I like more than Nick or Joe. It’s impossible to tell because they like me equally I think. I won’t know until one makes a move and shows me that 1.) They are actually interested in me and would consider putting their lips on mine, i.e. kissing, meaning that’s it’s not one sided (which I fear). 2.)That they like me more than the other. That’s when I’ll be able to know for sure were my heart lies. I mean I had come with a whole plan of wooing the JoBros of their feet, but it’s me that’s feeling windswept.

We now went back to our cozy blanket and I lay down back in my favorite place between the both of them. I bet they have no idea that my heart races when they compliment, touch and look at me. It might appear that we are lovey dovey, and flirty with all the hugging (; Joe has a natural habit of flirting and seducing so how can I tell if he is being sincere or not, and Nick… Nick says the most romantic things without meaning to. So again how do I know when he seriously means it?) I’ll have to speak to Demi and Dani and see what they think. Maybe they know what the boys are feeling, I mean Joe has just come out of break up, but it was a long time coming.

“That one… no, that one. Yes, that’s the Sagitta constellation. Only see it in the summer. Did Nick find it?”

I pull and thug and turned my body away from Joe and his enchanting eyes and rolled to my other side to Nick. He was lying sound asleep all curled up against my side despite the warm air his arm still wrapped around my waist. “Uh, he’s asleep.” I felt it was necessary to whisper. “I am surprise you’re not the one that fell asleep first. You’ve been yawning all day.”

“Yeah I woke up early and had a rough night so…” he yawned again and stretched himself out like a cat. It was so cute. I could just imagine him purring.

“If you were tired you didn’t have to do the star gazing. I know you promised me we would do it after the forest incident but-“

“If I am good at anything Olive, is keeping my word. I never break promises. Anything I promise you, especially you, I’ll do.”

“Yeah, but-“

“I plan to do a lot more things with you this summer Olive, so don’t tell me you don’t want to.” He pouted his lips and his puppy brown eyes shimmered. I quickly promised him that we’d hang out all the time “Good. So have you found Draco yet? It a long line of stars with a square at the end.”

“I don’t know how I am suppose to find anything, there is too many stars!” I moaned. “Give me five minutes and I’ll find it.” I heard him mutter a mmhm, before yawning again. And guess what? Before I knew it he had also fallen asleep.

“Joe, Joe!” I softly tried to stir him.

“Too nice, let me sleep. Having good dream.” No point trying after that mumble of words he was as good as dead. I would have gotten up, but the night was so nice and being up high was exciting. Maybe I wouldn’t wake them up and we’d sleep out here tonight. It wouldn’t rain and I can tell I would sleep like a baby. I lay there for a good quarter of an hour more deliberating if I should or shouldn’t when the trap door opened and a bewildered Mrs. Jonas popped out.

“My goodness. Olivia? Are those my boys?”

“Yes Mrs. Jo- sorry, sorry. Denise. We were up here to see the show, but they fell asleep.”

“But that was ages ago!” I did my best to shrug from my position.

“Is everything alright honey?” called Mr. Jonas? “Did you find her? I am afraid one of the boys’ friends took her away or something. Those hormone ridden boys, especially that Jake and his friend Stephen, couldn’t keep their eyes off her. If they so much as laid a-“

“Paul!” cried Mrs. Jonas as my cheeks flamed red at Mr. Jonas assumption. “She’s just right here. With Joe and Nick. I told you she was more sensible than that.” Mr. Jonas came up shortly after and looked startled to see me there laying on his roof, in-between his two sleeping sons with their strong arms wrapped around my waist tightly.

“It’s not what it looks like!” I said panicking. He and Mrs. Jonas looked at each other before merrily laughing at my frightened expression. Nothing naughty people. Just like a laying down hug. Yeah I know, I wish it wasn’t so innocent too.

“Yes we can tell Olive, that it’s not that kind of situation.” He said quickly

“It’s just that Paul seemed to think I had gone off with a boy and now you find me like this.” I rambled digging my grave. “I just wanted to clarify that-“

“It’s clear Olive,” cut in Mrs. Jonas briskly. “Quite crystal clear. Now I believe Gina’s father when he said you were unpredictable. To find you on the roof of our house. Ha! Was it true that once you managed to lock yourself up in the Janitor’s closet for the whole weekend and whatever non school day that followed?”

“Yes but I rather not talk about,” I hoped they realized that I am not a stupid person. Hello I skip two grades, and I am not without common sense. It’s just that I get into crazy, not always so bad, situations.

“Your Aunt is on the phone Olive and she says it urgent bad news. Was she expecting you home by now? It’s already past midnight.” Mrs. Jonas is such a sweet lady, full of warmth and goodness. Like my mother but less eccentric.

“No,” I stood up gently, letting Joe and Nick sleep. “She said to let myself back in quietly.”

“Well you better go call her back, she seemed quite shaken, and on the verge of tears. We’ll handle putting these two to bed.” He and Mrs. Jonas chuckled as they remembered their sons when they were younger and smaller. I smiled and rushed to answer the first phone I came to in the house and dialed the number.

“Aunt? What’s wrong? Did I do something wrong?”

“No, no, Olivia.” She had the sniffles, that wasn’t good. “You never do anything wrong my dear. We got a phone call a couple of hours ago and since then we’ve been packing.”

“What? Why?”

“We are leaving Olivia. George’s mother is sick, critically. We have to be by her side. We don’t know who long we have left with her, and the children want to see their grandma for at least one last time.” There was a loud sobbing sound coming out of the phone so loud I held it way from my ear. I was in shock. I didn’t know Uncle George’s family at all but I knew they lived in Germany.

“What can I do to help?”

“That not your concern. The problem is you can’t stay in our house anymore, and I doubt you’ll want to come with us. We’ll be gone for the rest of the summer.” Realization hit me. My dream summer was coming to an end. I didn’t mention it and instead I tried to comfort my aunt a bit more and then my uncle, and told them not to worry about me for now.

When I got off the phone I plopped down onto the couch and almost screamed when I noticed Mrs. Jonas and Demi standing in the room too.

“We kind of got the gist of the conversation Olive.” Said Demi coming over and hugging me. “I don’t want you to leave sooner than you have to.”

“Well I have to. The problem is that they are leaving early tomorrow but Gina won’t be back from her grandparents in San Antonio for another three days, so I can’t stay at her place. They say I can stay alone in the house though for a day.”

“No, it’s a real shame. I pray that his mother will be alright. But why don’t you stay with us Olive until it’s time for you to fly to New York. We could call your folks and tell them you’re with us for now and if they permit it-“

“Oh my gosh, that would be uber supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, Mrs. Jonas. It’d be like wow! And Bam! And incredibly cool, and make the summer so much fun, I could see Demi and Dani everyday and…and…oh.”I meekly sat back down calmly when I say their amused faces. “I mean to say, no I couldn’t stay with you. I’m still pretty much a stranger, barely an acquaintance; I wouldn’t want to bother you with me 24/7.”

“Nonsense, you are no stranger. We know you and love you as much as Demi and Dani, you’re practically like family by now Olive. Wait a few years and Frankie would marry you.” We all laughed at that one. “You can room with Demi since Annabelle, is keen on staying in Joe’s room, then it’s free.”

“Oh Annabelle will be leaving tomorrow.” I said subtly implying that she and Joe broke up.

“Oh really now,” Mrs. Jonas had trouble hiding the relief she felt. “You know I’d rather it was you sleeping next to Joe than her any day. You’re so more sensible and trustworthy. ” Oh no she wouldn’t! I bet if I was in a bed with Joe, and expected to sleep, I’d go mad like Annabelle. “Do you think Joe will be okay, he is the hardest of my boys to read, you know. He always calmly hides his hurt and anguish and I never know is he is truly happy or joking to pretend to be.”

This surprised me. It did seem that it was the girls that took the break ups hard in Joe’s situations, but what Mrs. Jonas said was possible, especially in this situation. For the nth time this night his laid back nature impressed me. I have to give him kudos, I worry about a non-existing future boyfriend cheating on me, what would I do if he did?

Demi was over the moon and she told me to come straight back here tomorrow as soon as my aunt and uncle had left. I gave Mr. Jonas my parent’s number and they promised to get in touch with them soon. So that night I went to bed feeling more content and satisfied than ever. Who needs world peace and an end to world hunger? I’ve got the Jonases and Demi. Ooer!