Chasing our Fate

The California sun beamed down on my head, causing my hair to absorb the sweat emitting from under my straw fedora. I turned up the sound of my IPod a little more and to drown out the shouts of the paparazzi following me and pushed up my aviators. I laughed at how slow they were moving in their cars to try to snap pictures of me. Every time one of them stopped, the other ones would honk to force them to move. They were a train wreck, but I actually didn’t mind them as much. I let the momentum I had already built up from pedaling on my bike carry me through Toluca Lake and away from them. After a week of flying from California to New York and back for Press week, making television appearances, doing interviews, and signing autographs, a nice bike ride in the fresh air was what I needed. George Lopez waved to me as I passed his house and Rick Astley’s smooth voice serenaded me while a peachy breeze cooled me down. I couldn’t have been happier.

Once I made it to Yogurtree, I hooked my bike to the bike rack and gave the Paps a last waved and a smile. For now, my only source of travel is the bike I bought to ride around on when I wasn’t working, if I was working I used my dad’s LA driver or bummed a ride off a friend. I didn’t think it was necessary to buy a car here for now. The paparazzi made it a habit to follow me on my familiar routes so I was pretty sure it was my most famous types of paparazzi pictures, I couldn’t help it. I loved riding my bike everywhere.

“Stevvie! One question!” they continued to shout, until I made it into the café. I sighed in relief when I spotted my friends.

“So, guys...how about a little vacation to the Hamptons” I began.

Jackie rolled her eyes and sighed, making me feel guilty once again.

“Come on…you’ll get to see Bonnie Eric,” I persuaded them.

His face lit up in interest. “A free trip to see the love of my life? Count me in!”

I laughed, knowing he would always agree when it came to my crazy grandmother. “Did I also mention that my Grandfather just recently bought a new model helicopter that he’s been dying to show you Storm?”

Storm looked at his reluctant girlfriend and back at me pleadingly. I crossed my arms and sighed.

“All right Jackie…I guess you don’t want to go with me to the premiere of Robert Downy Jr’s new movie on Tuesday either…”

I watched as my friends debated over if Jackie should forgive me yet or not, I knew that bribing them wasn’t going to cut it, but it didn’t hurt to treat them to something nice, they put up with a lot being my best friends. Finally, Jackie stood, eyed me uncertainly, and sighed.

“Don’t think just because you have money, I’m just going to forget you forgot the most important day of the year,” she muttered, “but, since you’ve been so busy…I might consider it.”

I smiled in relief. “Jackie I’m so sorry I forgot about our anniversary, it totally slipped my mind but I promise it’ll never happen again…unless we like die in an atomic explosion…or Rick Astley has a surprise concert that day…and maybe if Shel Silverstein comes back from the grave…but that’s it, I promise!”

“You’d leave me for Rick Astley?” she asked, “really Stevvie?”

I shrugged, “It’s Rick Astley, he like the most badass ginger kid ever…I would leave Nicholas to see him…don’t tell him I said that.”

Jackie burst into laughter at my corniness, and I instantly knew everything was good again.

“I could never stay mad at you…you’re my best friend…” she replied as we embraced each other, “…and I might have accidently forgotten our friendiversary too.”

I gasped over dramatically. “Oooh, I can’t believe you! I see how it is…now I don’t feel so guilty.”

We all finally sat down to catch up, and get involved in each others lives again. It was crazy how different our lives were now, yet we all had one thing in common: we all were archiving our dreams and loving our lives, two things we promised we’d do.

No relationship is perfect, and that includes friendships too. They just take a little work, but in the end, you will find it was all worth it.
<->

I watched Stevvie’s long, slender fingers effortless glide over the strings of one of her grandfather’s old acoustic guitars, mesmerized as she played “Last time around” so easily. Every time Stevvie laid her hands on a guitar, without even thinking, she automatically played it, it was her favorite Administration song. After a few seconds, her silky voice filled my ears as she sang “Fireflies” and then on to a bunch of random other songs she knew. The gang and I all sat around a fireplace, roasting marshmallows, hotdogs and whatever else Storm found to set on fire on the porch of Stevvie’s grandparents’ mansion. We all were quiet, enjoying Stevvie’s music.

She leaned back on the lawn chair she was in, playing “Olive and an Arrow” with her eyes closed. I had to admit it, Stevvie was fantastic at the guitar and way better than I was. I had been playing a little over decade now, but she had many more years on me. Her dad was the “Guitar God” after all, so it was no surprise that Stevvie could create more complicated compositions than I could. She had a passion for music like no other person.

“I can’t help but play this song as crazy as it sounds, it’s amazing…” she commented.

“Play me something you wrote,” I begged her once again.

She laughed it off, and began strumming again “Ummm, I haven’t written anything though…for me at least.”

“Well, let’s write something then,” I suggested, “together, as a couple.”

She hesitated before replying. “Okay…yeah, I’d like that.”

<->

“There you all are!” Stevvie’s Grandfather exclaimed as he walked out on the porch, “I deeply apologize for our late arrival, the bloody flight we booked got delayed five hours.”

I instantly noticed two striking things about him: he had an English accent, and he looked exactly like Todd, but with silver hair. He had the same high cheekbones, blue eyes, long slender nose, and wavy, curly hair as Todd. The only difference was that he was old.

“Anyway, we’re here, we’re safe and that’s what matters.” He decided.

“I agree!” Stevvie decided, giving him a big hug, “I’m so happy to see you guys again! I’ve missed you.”

Her grandmother, a small, short, dark hair woman with a louder than life voice and a very strong New York accent, entered into the greeting session. While Stevvie and the rest of the gang all said hello, I stayed behind. I didn’t feel uncomfortable though, actually, her grandmother, (who you could just tell was from new York) cracked me up.

“Oh my goodness! Well, whom do we have here hiding in the corner as if he’s at a prom and doesn’t have a date? Boy, with that face, you don’t have to worry about that, I’d bet! Look at you, oh my…”

I stepped in the spotlight and smiled genuinely, Stevvie gave me a mischievous smile as she made her way towards me. Her hand slipped into mine, bringing me great comfort to counter the cold feelings I was receiving from her grandfather.

“Nana, Papa…this is my boyfriend Nick Jonas. Nicholas, these are my grandparents,” Stevvie stated.

I shook hands with her grandfather first. Instead of the cold feeling I was receiving previously, he gave me a warm smile and told him to call him Alan.

“It’s a pleasure to me you son, my son has definitely filled me in on who exactly you and your brothers. I’m not exactly in the “now” when it comes to music. But, I did catch a couple of your performances on awards shows and such. I’m very impressed,” he explained, “Anyway, this is my wife, Paige.”

“Thank you sir,” I replied, as I shook her grandmother’s hand, “It’s a pleasure to meet both of you.”

“Oh darling it’s our pleasure! Now let’s see you!” Paige excited answered me. Her small hand wrapped themselves around my arms as she pulled me to the front. I gave Stevvie a confused look, not understanding what exactly she was going to do. All she did was wink and stand back. I watched, as Paige looked me up and down, and even making me turn all the way around. She was examining me as if she were a doctor, I didn’t get it. While I was getting manhandled, Stevvie and the rest of the gang entered a very lively conversation with Alan.

“Well Stephanie! I’m impressed!” Paige declared, “Not only have you found a man with a good head on his shoulders, but he’s got a nice butt, not to mention these arms!”

“Nana!” Stevvie exclaimed. Jackie, Eric, and Storm instantly burst into laughter as both my and Stevvie’s faces grew red. I couldn’t help but laugh at the entire situation.

“What? It’s a very important feature in a man!” Paige defended, “Trust me, with those defined cheekbones, and don’t get me started on the hair of yours Nicholas. I can just imagine when you two have kids! Did Stevvie tell you she was a fur ball when she was born? Yeah, just put you two together and oh my.”

“Um, thanks?” I replied through snickers. I was begin to see why Eric was so obsessed with her.

“Nana! Seriously! You promised you’d keep you mouth shut!” Stevvie begged, “Grandpa, can you please save me from embarrassment?”

The gang just kept laughing at this situation, making me laugh even harder. Alan just shrugged and laughed along with us.

“Oh goodness Stephanie, I’m not talking about anything remotely embarrassing. You were the one that was going on about how nice of a butt he had in the first place. Remember that? Oh wait, that was what your mother told me when she overheard you on the phone. Oops. Anyway, but you did tell me that he had a rather large head, and I have to agree.”
I turned to Stevvie, amused at the information I was receiving. “Baby, is this true?” I smirked.

“Kill me now,” Stevvie muttered as she sunk into a chair. “And…I like your big head, Nana please!”

“Oh don’t mind her,” Paige replied with a smile, she pulled me into a hug. “She’s just a little pris. Trust me, once she’s pregnant, she won’t like your big head very much, if you know what I mean. She’s not exactly proportional in the head area either.”

“Hey! I have a regular sized head okay, and that is quite enough Nana! How about we all go inside and get ready for dinner, “Stevvie decided. “I’m sure you both are exhausted form your long day of traveling and we’d love to see what you guys have been up to because I’m more than sure it’s a lot more interesting than out non existent children and that size of their head, which by the record, will be regular sized thank you.”

“I bet you five buc-“ Storm leaned over to Eric. Before he could even finish, Stevie stopped him.

“No, you are not betting anything Storm, let’s move long now.”

“Now, about you and my granddaughter…I’m assuming you guys are planning to get married correct? Well, I don’t photograph well in the summer so I wouldn't recommend a summer wedding…” Paige began in the low voice as she hooked her arm with mine. I couldn’t help but smile at her aberrant and lively personality, and the fact that she was talking about a topic that I had become very familiar with.

“Well, I guess we’ll have to see, but I’ll keep that in mind. We have to get Stevvie to say yes first though,” I replied, leading her into the house.

“Trust me, once I’m finished talking to her, she’ll want to get married faster than two bunnies wanting to mate.”

“Ah, my darling, you promised you wouldn’t bombard the boy with questions,” Todd mused, overhearing our conversation. “I’m sure marriage is the last thing on his mind at his age. They will move at their own pace. Be patient.”

Paige waved him off quickly and returned to giving me marriage advice. Nana Paige was quickly becoming my favorite Jameson, she and I were definitely on the same page. Now, if I could get the rest of her family too…