Please Don't Cross Me, I Asked Nicely

Eventually, we arrived to the Jonas' in about 3 hours' time via plane.

The plane ride was horrible. Vic kept sitting next to or near Joe and Nick and I barely talked. I got a few words out of Mel, but it was no use. Something was seriously bothering her.

I sighed as we were now once again, having another tour of the house seeing as it was Vic's first time there. I'd decided to sit this one out, as did Joe and Mel. Mel disappeared to Joe's room, leaving he and I alone in the living room.

Joe heaved a sigh of relief and even ignored Vic's pouting face as she and Nick headed upstairs to finish the tour.

“Annoyed at her already, huh?” I asked.

“I honestly didn't think Nick was serious when he told us she was coming, too”, Joe said, breathing a sigh of annoyance now.

“Neither did I”, I admitted in a low tone.

Joe looked at me with sympathy.

“What's wrong, Rose?” he asked. Was it that obvious?

“I-I don't know”, I lied. Joe raised a brow in suspicion.

“Really?” he asked skeptically.

“It's just”, I began, but stopped as I got my words together, “can we talk somewhere in private?” I asked.

“Uh, sure”, he answered; taken aback by how vulnerable I must have sounded.

He stood, taking my hand as he led me outside to a table on the patio. Even though the icy wind hit my face, I almost barely felt it. I didn't want to talk about anything, but I knew I had to tell someone other than Mel. Joe pulled back a chair for me to sit in like Nick used to do before sitting down himself. We sat in silence before he spoke.

“So, what's wrong?” he asked again.

“Nick has been acting...weird”, I answered uncertainly.

“Weird how?” Joe asked in confusion. I licked my lips nervously.

“I-I don't know how to say this, but I guess there's no other way to say it. I-I think Nick doesn't love me anymore. I think he's in love with someone else”, I said, choking slightly as I felt the tears trying to form.

“What? Why would you say that?” Joe asked, still confused.

“He and Vic have been hanging out a lot and they've gotten closer as friends. A few months ago, he couldn't stand her and didn't trust her, but ever since my mom died, he's just-been around her. He-he didn't even tell me that she was coming here until it was time for us to go”, I admitted.

“What the hell-I mean heck”, Joe said heatedly.

“Yeah, I didn't want to believe it myself, but it's so obvious”, I said after a minute.

“You have to tell him how you feel before things get any worse”, was Joe's response.

I felt like the wind had gotten knocked out of me. Even Joe noticed it? I knew things were bad now.

“But what am I supposed to say? 'Nick, stop hanging around my sister or I'm leaving you?' That wouldn't be right”, I defended.

“Neither is sitting back and doing nothing! If you think Nick is falling for someone else, you need to confront him about it, not just roll with the punches”, Joe retorted.

I looked away for a few moments, staring at the pool, knowing it had to be icy cold like the wind. I didn't know what to do.

“I'll think about it. OK?” I offered.

“That's all I can ask for, then”, he replied a little more cheerful than before.

“So, what's going on with you and Mel?” I asked, changing the subject.

The cheerfulness was wiped right off Joe's face after I asked the question.

“Mel and I”, he began, sighing a little, “I went on a date with this girl named Samantha a few weeks ago. Mel found out and got upset but she claimed she wasn't upset and said we were both free to date whomever we wanted. I tried explaining to her that it was a lunch date, not an actual date, but she didn't believe me. So, eventually, we agreed to just stop talking to each other completely”, he finished, running a hand through his hair.

I felt bad for Joe again. The sadness in his eyes pained me greatly.

“That sucks”, I replied.

“Yeah, it does. The sad part was I almost had the courage to tell Melanie that I love her but I couldn't do it”, he said in a sad tone.

I sat in silence as I let him speak, getting everything off of his chest.

“I was almost there, Rosalina, but look at us now. She won't even look at me. Hell, she won't even speak to me anymore. I just wish I knew what to do to make things better for us. I want to be with Mel even if that means we'll have to experience a long distance relationship. I know she's worth it. I know she is”, he said before burying his face in his hands.

I stood, patting him gently on the hug before embracing him in a comforting hug. I knew things weren't easy, but it seemed like everything was falling apart with everyone close to me. Were things ever going to get better? Sadly, I didn't think so, not at this point.

…

A few hours later, I mustered up the courage to talk to Mel. I knocked on Joe's door, seeing as Joe was in the den with Nick, Victoria, Kevin, Frankie, and Danielle whom arrived about ten minutes after Joe and I's conversation.

Paul and Denise were still out more than likely shopping for food or something, but I'd wondered why they've been gone since before Joe came to get us.

The door swung open, revealing Mel, a smile plastered on her lips as she realized it was me and not Joe.

“Rosie!” she said happily, hugging me.

A laugh escaped me as I embraced her as well. I closed the door behind me, then walked to Joe's bed, sitting on it as Mel did the same. I paused for a moment before starting.

“Mel, why won't you talk to Joe?” I asked. I had to get to the bottom of this crap once and for all.

She sighed deeply as I watched the happiness get replaced by anger.

“What does it matter? I just don't want to talk to him”, she answered.

“Uh, why not? It was just a lunch date. It's no big deal”, I retorted just as heatedly.

“Ugh! Rose! You talked to him?!” she exclaimed angrily.

“I thought I was doing something good seeing as you're completely ignoring and avoiding him!” I said, my voice rising.

“Rose, you're supposed to stay out of this! I stayed out of you and Nick's arguments”, she retorted.

“Yeah, but not recently. Come on! I thought I'd help the both of you out by talking to each other! Stop making things worse than they already are!” I countered.

“Why don't you just mind your own business and just fix things between you and Nick?” she yelled.

Silence reigned over the both of us as her words sunk in. I scoffed, standing suddenly as Mel did the same, this time not as angry but moreso with sadness and sympathy.

“Rose, I-I didn't mean that-”, she began, but I cut across her.

“Whatever. I tried being a good friend and even though my relationship with Nick may be falling apart, I'd rather help other people I care about than to let my hardships hold me down. But I see that's not necessary. I'll just worry about myself then, since that's what you want”, I said, exiting the room before she could stop me.

I didn't care. I was angry and hurt beyond anything and when I entered the basement, another sight tore at my heart.

Nick and Victoria were playing Guitar Hero, but Nick was helping her. Both of them were smiling and slightly laughing, but it looked worse if you saw it. I bit my lip as their eyes landed on me. Victoria got out of his arms and straightened her composure, wiping the smile off of her lips as Nick did the same. I'd soon wondered where Joe was, but that thought was soon diminished as I saw him exit the bathroom. His expression was a look of sympathy mixed with anger.

“Nick. Talk. Now”, he said in a harsh tone which took me aback. I didn't expect Joe to be this upset.

Nick didn't speak, but looked at Joe with a blank expression, walking to the basement door. They soon passed by me, not saying a word. I allowed the door to shut behind them before biting my lower lip in anger, glaring at my sister.

Her eyes were no longer hazel, but the green that they usually are when she's interested in something, but her expression was a sad one.

She ran a hand through the right side of her hair, pulling it back while the left covered that part of her face, taking a deep breath.

“What do you want me to say, Rose?” she asked in cold tone.

“I want you to tell me the truth. I want to know that I did not just see my sister and boyfriend so close to each other and laughing. I want to know if what I saw was an illusion or real”, I answered with honesty.

I felt so vulnerable and I hated it. I knew Victoria was enjoying my vulnerability, how I was pleading her to tell me the truth, but she never showed it if she did.

“Rose, we were just playing Guitar-”, she began, but I cut across her.

“DON'T GIVE ME THAT BULL, VICTORIA!” I yelled, silencing her completely. “You KNOW what the heck I'm talking about!” I added.

She remained silent, not saying anything else.

“So, that's it, huh? I sit back, allow you to come back into my life socially and you stab me in the back by FALLING FOR MY BOYFRIEND?!” I yelled in anger.

“Rose, it's not like that”, was her response, but I didn't believe her.

“The hell it isn't!” I exclaimed.

The door behind me opened with Nick following suit after Joe. They stopped, Joe staring at me with a shocked expression while Nick stared at me coldly.

“Rose, back off!” Nick said suddenly, catching me off guard.

“I'm talking to my sister, Nick. Stay out of this”, I said in a cold tone.

“No, I won't stay out of this. You and I will talk. You're not going to sit here and bash on Victoria”, he said in a stern, cold tone.

“And just who's side are you on, anyway, Nick? Huh? It's like ever since you two have been hanging out with each other, you've been coming to her rescue, being her knight in freakin' armor!” I exclaimed angrily, rounding on him, not caring that I was finally expressing how I truly felt.

“I'm on nobody's side, Rose, but just listen to me-”, he began, but I cut across him.

“Listen to you?!” I asked incredulously, “You honestly think that I should listen to you and talk to you when it's so obvious that you've fallen for my sister?! You could have told me or broken my heart by breaking up with me, but you chose to go behind my back and do it that way!”

“ROSE, WE'RE JUST FRIENDS!” he yelled, silencing me. I'd never heard Nick yell before.

“You're so ugh!!!!! This is what I was talking about! One little thing happens and you go overboard with it. I was helping her with Guitar Hero! Is that so wrong?” he asked.

I knew he wanted this argument to be over, for us to just “make up”, but I was far from that.

“If you're 'helping her with Guitar Hero', then why did you since Vic knows how to play the guitar?” I asked in a calm tone, shocking everyone in the room.

I saw the surprise on Nick's face as he composed himself and wore a blank expression. He must have forgotten the matter considering he was just at my house two months previously.

“She's never played before, Rose. And besides, playing the acoustic guitar is different from playing electric”, he tried.

I laughed without humor.

“Of course it is”, I said with sarcasm, brushing against him as I walked out of the basement, but I heard footsteps following me.

Once I'd reached the steps, I realized it was Joe. He grabbed my wrist, turned me around to face him and embraced me in a hug. I didn't react at first, but eventually I did, feeling the tears fall from my eyes onto Joe's black t-shirt. He cradled me on the steps and allowed me to cry as I felt my heart ache, but I ignored it, a cry coming from my lips indicating I was broken-broken beyond repair.