Who Says Love Has to Be Left up to Fate?

Demi plopped herself on a couch and made herself comfortable. ‘Yeah I’m alright,’ she said into her cell phone, ‘Definitely. My love life maybe going nowhere, but at least Nick’s is taking off,’ she said absent mindedly more to herself than the person on the other line.

‘Hey, don’t sweat it, if -, wait what!’ said Miley.

Her urgent tone brought Demi’s attention back to the conversation, ‘what what?’ she said realizing the slip she had committed.

‘Don’t what what me, you know what.’

‘I do not.’

‘Who is Nick in love with?’ said Miley coming straight to the point.

‘Did I say that? Oh you know Miley, it’s nothing forget about what I said. I thought Nick’s love life was ‘beyond you’ now.’ Demi said triumphantly happy to find a reason to keep Miley’s attention away.

Miley didn’t answer straight away and tried to fight her curiosity. Give it a day or two and she’ll read about it in tabloids. Of course it would be a much trashier version. ‘No matter, tell me, is he dating again? Like dating around or official one girl. Cause you know that Joe and Nick see a lot of girls when they aren’t dating anyone.'

‘That’s because the girls throw themselves at them once they’re on the market again. But no Nick didn’t date around this time, he was still hurting from the Selena aftermath.’

‘So who is the girl?’

‘You wouldn’t know her,’

‘Ha! Don’t be ridiculous, I know everyone.’

‘No, no. You really don’t.’

‘Is she, I hate putting it this way, with Disney? Which show, I’ll guess.’

‘See I knew you wouldn’t know her. She isn’t-‘

‘Outside of Disney okay, like her more already. Movies or singing?’

‘She isn’t famous, well not yet. But with her talent it won’t take long.’

‘Like at all?’

‘Mhmmm. Plus she isn’t American,’

‘What’s her name woman?’

‘Olivia, and she’s great. She’s actually staying with us here at the Jonases.’

‘She’s already moved in. So has Nick known her for a long time? Well obviously he has-‘

‘No, it’s only been about two weeks. I know what your going to say, for once Nick moved really fast. I was surprised to, I thought Joe would make the move.'

‘Even Joe’s balled over by her? Geez, I’ve got to meet her. What is Kevin thinking of divorce.’

‘No! Don’t be silly, she’s more like a sister to him and Frankie. Poor Frankie though, the guys say he took it well but you could see he had this adorable little crush on her.’

‘Enough chatter box, I’ll find out the rest for myself. What I called to know if it true what going on in news. One- Did you guys make a commercial, poster, or something for sector one?’

‘How come everyone knows? Yes, billboard adds, they’re coming out today, I am not allowed to leave the house or else I’ll be hounded down by the paparazzi. I am not allowed out for two days. The guys have gone away and will come back once the thing has blown over. Olive is in one alone, plus she was the photographer,’ bragged Demi who was so proud of her friend.

‘Major jealous here, I love sector one, bet you looked fab and can’t wait to see it. Two- is it true that Joe broke up with Annabelle? She did an interview with People mag and it was seems horrible what he did. Is it all true?’

Demi’s eyes glanced downwards at the magazine that lay open on the couch, with a huge picture of a tearful Annabelle looking very much broken hearted, coming out of Lax airport. Demi had taken Olive’s advice and drawn horrible stuff on her face with a sharpi. She felt much better afterwards.

The headline read, He left me broken hearted when he got a puppy with another girl. Mrs.Jonas and her had read the exclusive interview painfully and both felt so bad for Joe because most of what Annabelle said was so exaggerated it was basically lying. In the article Annabelle was the victim of Joe’s ‘inability to love anyone but himself ‘ In it Annabelle basically describe her stay here and how it lead to her break up, the reason mostly being Oreo.

‘Did Joe really get a puppy or is it just Hollywood ho ha? Because that would really be cruel of him to do that.’

‘I know it seems that way but it was like 200% innocent. Olive and him share Oreo as friends.’
‘Who the heck is Olive?’

‘As in Oliva.’

‘That girl sure has-‘

‘No it wasn’t like that,’ Demi explain desperate to clear the name of her best friends. She retold all the events of their first day with Olive and took particular care to shed some good light on her.

‘My, my, haven’t you been busy. Now I really want to meet her. Can’t believe Nick is dating thought, or about the whole Olivia girl thing. Anyway I hope you’re alright got to dash to sound check.’

‘Remember don’t tell a soul , this conversation is between us.’

‘Why do you always remind me? I won’t say a word.’

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Nick looked through his binoculars and scoped his territory. From high up on the zip pole he could see almost all of the Rox. It was 9pm and getting dark, the Rox version of capture to Flag would be finishing soon. He was the keeper and in charge of defending their hidden flag, but also watching over the prisoners. At the moment Joe was in the prison.

Olive had captured him with the help of Frankie not long ago by pretending to have badly broken her leg when she fell from a tree. Joe how had been trying to shoot her dropped everything and ran to her side immediately, breathless with worry that Frankie was right and she really was hurt. When he reach her she suddenly started laughing and before Joe knew what happened Frankie aimed and hit him making him a prisoner.

Olive thought Joe had taken it pretty well. He even declared that he was glad that he at least checked if she was alright. ‘If you had been hurt and I hadn’t listened I don’t know how’d forgive myself.’ His intense look left no room for joking and Olive was glad to hear it.

Joe had been behaving strangely since yesterday acting distant towards her and not laughing in the same way. Every time she went up to hug him or jump on his back he’d awkwardly push her of and run away with one of his mates. Everyone said that they didn’t notice anything, and she was imagining things, but she knew she didn’t imagine the look of hurt that darkened his eyes when he woke Nick and her up that morning. She had only caught a brief glimpse because he refused to look at her directly.

Nick had not seen this because he had lazily stretched getting up from his awkward position he had fallen asleep in. Nick had fallen asleep after watching Olive sleep for sometime trying to conjure up lyrics for his songs. She was beautiful to watch sleep; expressions molded on her face much more easily than when she was away.

They had gotten up once Joe left, and Olive giggled as she took his hand and led him to the dining hall for breakfast. ‘What we haven’t kissed but we’ve slept together?’

Nick was taken aback and fumbled to find the words, ‘That’s right, I had forgotten since I feel so close to you already. Do you want to do it now or…?’

‘No, not now,’ she kissed him on the cheek and skipped off into the hall. Before entering she turned around and with a wink she mouthed ‘later’. Nick when brighter red and stayed outside a while longer trying to keep his cool around a girl who may not have had a boyfriend before, but sure know how to make him feel more nervous than any of his past girlfriends had.

So all day Nick and Olive spent time together doing the numerous activities of the Rox as a couple. He picked her up constantly and loved to spin her around making her laugh wildly. Joe watched all this from a far and it did little to improve his mood. He tried to convince himself he never really liked Olive but every time he managed to make her laugh or even simply smile his heart soared and wished again and again that he had admitted his feeling when he had the chance.

He knew Olive would have said no, but at least she’d know he was here for her in case something happened. Yet he felt conflicted, his own brother was over the moon and so he felt guilty that he was praying their relationship wouldn’t hold out. He tried to distance himself from Olive but it was hard keeping up appearances.

At lunch time she had casually come up to him and asked if he really was alright with her dating his brother.

‘I just want to know what you think of it, I’ve asked Kevin and Frankie, they were cool, but what about you?’

‘Why do you care,’ it came out a lot harsher than he intended. He stared at his plate instead, unable to look at her because if he did he’d want to kiss her and he couldn’t let that happen.

‘Er, because you're my friend and I value your opinion. Was there anything you wanted to tell me? Anything at all?’ There was his perfect opportunity but Joe mouth clamped shut at the word friends.

‘No nothing, I mean it’s not like I or any of the guys were seriously into you, they just all thought you were smoking hot. So don’t worry, no one’s stopping you. I’ve got to go talk to my team, later.’ Inwardly Joe groaned and smacked himself every time he thought back to that conversation. He had dared to look up at her when she was leaving and she looked really hurt.

Now back in the Rox prison under Nick’s watchful eyes Joe had too much time to think of all this mess. Especially since Nick chose this moment to talk.

‘I’ve got such a good feeling about this one Joe. It’s like; it actually feels right to be with Olive. Not like I am doing it because the girl pestered me, or because the fans expect it, but because I want to. I don’t know how it could go wrong now. She’s too good to hurt anyone and there is nothing shady about her past, no ex-boyfriend to worry about.’

‘So you’re only dating here because it’s practical?’ grumbled Joe.

‘No, no way. What’s your problem?’

‘It just seems like you’ve asked her out for the wrong reasons. Plus how come you’re rushed this one, normally you take ages to actually ask the girl out.’

‘I know but this time it was too good to pass up. Aren’t you happy for me?’

‘I am, but for the first time I actually care about your girlfriend. Olive’s my friend and I don’t want you to hurt her.’

‘I won’t. Don’t worry man, I wouldn’t dare.’

---Olive's Point of View---

Me and Frankie where driving around in the quad bike trying to locate the other team’s flag, so far no. luck. It unimaginably fun speeding through the terrain and dogging paintball bullets.

‘Stop!’ cried Frankie that was seated behind me. ‘I need to go to the cabin; I need to use the bathroom.’

‘Again?’ I moaned coming to a halt. ‘Well, its right over there don’t take ten minutes this time.’

I watched him dash of in the direction of the loo cabin and started thinking of Nick again. It’s a real shame that in this game we couldn’t be together, but everyone had to spread out to cover the huge amount of acres that made up the Rox.

Movement from a berry bush caught my attention and few seconds later Jake jumped out eyes all crazed and in a panic. He was panting heavily and looking around desperately. When he noticed me a sigh of relief came out. On my guard I had taken out my paint gun and was getting ready to aim it at him.

‘Wait!’ he held his hands up and dropped his gun, ‘I need your help.’

‘Really? Me? You sure you got the right helper?’

He looked at me confused then nodded his head, ‘You are the first person I could find. Stephen got hurt badly; I need someone’s help to move him.’

‘Wait, I am not qualified at all for this, First Aid training doesn’t give me the muscles to life such a muscle heavy guy like him.’

‘You did First Aid, that's awesome, you're perfect now come!’ he turned around and started running back in his original direction.’

‘No. What are you thinking? Why can’t you contact your teammates with your walkie talkie?’

‘They aren’t answering and Joe’s been caught, plus they are probably far away and you are ther one closest to where Stephen is. So move, woman!’

I gave in to his pleading face and rose my hand up in defeat. ‘Fine,’ I said ‘I’ll help him, but don’t try to take a shot at me when I am trying to help him. It’s a good trick I know but it’s my trick. We, well I, have to hurry back because Frankie will be back soon and since I am in charge of looking after him, I have to be there.” I trekked behind Jake while he took long easy steps up the steep and rocky hill. He didn’t comment at all to anything I said and I put it down to nerves. Even creepy amateur boxer dudes must get worried about their best friends.

‘You know, I should have given you more credit from the start. You aren’t a totally heartless pervert. I would have thought you would have been so hung up on trying to get back at Joe, Nick and Kevin that you’d keep playing even if Stephen got hurt, just to be able to beat them at something. But I was wrong.’ He suddenly stopped and turned around and looked at me in the strangest way, it was unsettling to say the least. An awkward moment was spent like that until he started hiking again a pleased expression on his face, it didn’t seem all too innocent. Was I wrong about something?

Eager to break the silence I continued talking. “How did you even find this cave, it’s like impossible to reach,’ I panted looking up at the small cave that was barely noticeable at the top of a shrubby foresty hill. ‘How did Stephen get up there with a broken ankle anyway, you could break your ankle coming up here.’

Jake just shrugged and continued on full speed ahead a wild look of determination engulfed his eyes. With every step his muscles became more defined, the dude was practically a junior body builder. It wasn’t painful to look at though, sort of nice. He had ditched his top a long time ago like all the other boys and every line was noticeable. I wasn’t the least attracted by it though. I was quite please with Nick’s muscular shape, actually. Okay in truth I had to so contain myself when he took it off, the guy’s a piece of art, but best of all now; he is my piece of art.

‘What are humming for? Cut it, it’s beyond annoying.’ Jake barked far ahead of me and standing at the mouth of the camouflaged cage. ‘Come on, he’s not looking so good.’ I hurried up the last stretch and entered the creepy cage slowly. It was quite dark in there and who knows what was lurking in the darkness.

‘Jake? Can you bring him towards the light? Jake?’ I dared creeping in further only to come to the conclusion Jake was the only other person in the cave. ‘What’s going on?’

His low voice came from the darkest crevice and held and sinister tone. ‘It’s payback time,’