Please Don't Cross Me, I Asked Nicely

Author's Side Note for Reader(s):
Keep in mind that later on, there will be a song sung by Rose and Nick. To avoid confusion and constant switching, the key will be as follows:
Bold=Rose, Italicized=Nick, Bold and italicized=Both

New Year’s Eve rolled around and everyone was going crazy with anxiety. Vic, Nick, the gang and I had been inseparable ever since Christmas. I talked to Nick about what I talked about with Vic and he of course, forgave her.

Vic had thrown away all of her slutty clothing and bought a whole new wardrobe with more conserved clothing. I think she and Jason have been hitting it off, but there was something wrong with that. Maya had been acting odd ever since Victoria and Jason have been hanging out.

I had been meaning to ask Maya why, but I haven’t had the time. We’d all been out literally everyday since Christmas. I’d been meaning to talk to Mel also, more in depth about Vic, but when I did tell her, she blew up on me and hasn’t spoken to me since. Joe’s been acting the same way.

I don’t know why they can’t see that Vic has actually changed for the better. Well, that doesn’t matter now. Right now, I had to focus on my blue dress and heels I bought for the get-together the Jonas’ were having for all of us. I smiled as I thought about everything. For once, I was at peace even without my mom being alive. If only she could actually experience this.

I thought of the conversation I would have had with her and soon enough found myself in tears at the very thought. This would be the first New Year’s I’d have without her and that was just as bad as getting stabbed in the chest.

A knock sounded at the door and Mel entered without me answering, wrapping an arm around me. I guess she heard me through the door.

“What’s wrong?” she asked in a gentle tone, surprising me.

“It’s just its New Year’s and my mom-“, I got out before breaking down again.

Mel tried shushing me and rocking me back and forth in a hug. I clung to her as though my life depended on it. What made me feel worse even after the tears was the fact that everyone showed up except Vic and Nick.

“Thanks”, I said after a while.

“No problem. That’s what friends are for”, she said.

“Well, I know we’re friends, but we haven’t exactly been acting like friends lately”, I said.

“I’m sorry, Rose. It’s just you know what I said about Victoria and you still decide to trust her!” Mel exclaimed.

“She’s my sister, Mel! I thought you’d be able to understand that!” I retorted.

“But Rose-!” she began, but the door opened, revealing the very person we were arguing about.

“Are you guys OK? Mitchell and the gang told me and Nick what was going on. I’m surprised our twin ‘psychic’ thing didn’t happen”, Vic said in a kind tone in her red dress and heels. Her hair was in an elegant bun like mine and the rest of us girls.

“Yeah, we’re fine”, I said in shock. I was surprised at her red dress and everything. Vic had said we were going to match dresses like old times.

Guess that wasn’t going to happen.

“What happened to the blue dress you said you were going to wear like mine?” I asked, giving Vic a look.

She looked surprised for a moment before responding.

“I couldn’t find one in my size, Rose. I’m sorry”, she said quickly.

I nodded in comprehension, waving a hand at her before plastering a smile on my face.

“It’s OK, Vic, really”, I said after a minute. A few moments after I spoke, Nick came through the door, right after Vic.

He was in a black tux but had on a blue shirt on the inside. I smiled as a blush rose to my cheeks.

“You look so handsome”, I said, smiling all the while. I heard Mel heave a sigh before exiting the room in a huff.

Nick embraced me in a hug, kissing my forehead instead of my lips causing me to blink and frown slightly.

“You look amazing, baby”, he replied as though his breath had been taken away.

“Thanks. Both of you do”, I said, keeping that damn smile on my lips.

“Thanks”, Vic and Nick said in unison, glancing at one another for a second before looking back at me.

I wanted so badly to roll my eyes and ask why he said “amazing” instead of the usual “beautiful” like he always does. I brushed the matter as I took his right arm, Vic taking his left, surprising me yet again.

“You’re escorting both of us?” I asked in slight shock.

“Yeah, Rose. Sorry we didn’t tell you. That’s what Nick and I were talking about downstairs earlier”, Vic said in a cheerful tone.

I bit my lip before nodding once again like an idiot.

We went down steps one by one, everyone’s eyes falling on us. I kept my gaze on my feet, occasionally stealing glances at the others and the two next to me. Once we made it to the bottom, Denise hugged me first, laughing a little as tears fell from her eyes.

“You look so beautiful, Rose!” she gushed.

I smiled, feeling Nick leave me as he hugged and chatted with the others, Victoria next to him the whole time.

I watched them as jealousy grew in me, the monster threatening to release itself out of me and take control. I took a breath, plastering the smile back on before responding.

“Thank you, Denise. You look breath-taking”, I replied.

“Oh, thank you, dear”, she replied before addressing everyone else.

“Come on, guys! It’s time to load up!” she said, chuckling slightly as Jason and Mitchell rushed close to me.

“No, I’m going to escort Rose!” Mitchell said, shoving Jason lightly.

“No. I’m going to!” Jason exclaimed, getting angry by the looks of it.

“No, I’ll escort Rose”, Joe said, startling everyone except Mel. “If that’s OK with my little bro, of course”, he added, indicating Nick with a nod of the head in his direction.

“Um”, Nick looked from Joe and me to Vic and back again. “Go ahead. I’ll escort Vic, then, if that’s OK with you, Rose?” he asked.

I bit my lip before responding again.

“Y-yeah. It’s cool”, I lied.

My heart sunk lower than I felt that night.

…

The Jonas’ took us to Madison Square Garden to the closest hotel where on the top floor there was some sort of ball or dance that night. It clicked as to why we were all dressed up. I’d been having a horrible time and I’m sure everyone noticed it.

Joe never left my side, though. He’d say soothing words to me, but nothing helped at all.

It was finally two hours later, 11PM exactly and Nick still hadn’t asked to dance with me. In fact, he and Vic disappeared altogether.

The gang, Joe, Mel, and I were currently sitting at two tables; Joe, Mel, Maya, and Jason there while Mitchell and Alyson sat at the other. Kevin and Danielle were dancing right now to a slow song as were Denise and Paul.

Mel groaned loudly, enough for us to hear, anyway before speaking.

“I’m sorry, but this is bullshit!” she exclaimed. Everyone’s eyes fell on her, urging her to continue.

“Doesn’t anyone else find it weird how you’re dating Nick and he’s not here?!” she exclaimed angrily.

“That is bull. And I have half a mind to kick his little-”, Joe began, but the slow music stopped and a voice filled the place.

“Sorry for interrupting the song, but I just wanted to ask for Rosalina Sanchez to come to the front of the stage, please”, Nick’s voice said.

“Rose! He’s talking to you! Go!” Alyson coaxed, smiling all the while. I stood, my heels click-clacking as I walked towards the stage.

I bustled slightly through the crowd as I approached the stage, taking a shaky breath. Nick held out hand to me, helping me onto the stage, handing me a mic before speaking again into his own.

“I’ve been a horrible boyfriend to this beautiful, young lady for the past couple of weeks now and I want to make it up to her..by asking her to sing this song with me”, he said, getting cheers out of the crowd.

“Nick, I don’t like singing in front of other people”, I said in a harsh, low tone, only audible to him.

“I just need to see something. Trust me, OK?” he asked, staring into my brown eyes as I did into his, getting lost in them.

I sighed before nodding, a small smile on my lips.

He placed a kiss on my cheek as the crowd cheered once more, whispering into my ear as they cheered.

“There’s a teleprompter up and to your left if you don’t know the words”, he said, winking once he pulled away.

The music started and I was already in love with it, the colors being red, indicating for a female to sing first. So I did.

If the heart is always searchin’
Can you ever find a home?

Nick took over next.

I’ve been lookin’ for that someone,
I’ll never make it on my own.
Dreams can’t take the place in lovin’ you
There’s gotta be a million reasons why it’s true,

When you look me in the eyes,
And tell me that you love me,
Everything’s alright,
When you’re right here by my side.
When you look me in the eyes,
I catch a glimpse of heaven,
I’ll find my paradise when you look me in the eyes

My heart was soaring as everyone started dancing peacefully to the song making more confident than before.

How long will I be waiting to be with you again?
Gonna tell you that I love you,
In the best way that I can
I can’t take a day without you here!
You’re the light that makes my darkness disappear!

When you look me in the eyes!
And tell me that you love me,
Everything’s alright,
When you’re right here by my side
When you look me in the eyes,
I catch a glimpse of heaven,
I’ll find my paradise when you look me in the eyes

Nick turned towards me and began singing with all his heart, causing me to get frozen a little from shock.

More and more I start to realize!

I can reach my tomorrow,
I can hold my head up high!

And it’s all because you’re by my side!
When you look me in the eyes
And tell me that you love me
Everything’s alright
When you’re right here by my side

Nick approached me, wrapping an arm around me lovingly as we finished the song, me feeling better than before.

When I hold you in my arms,
I know that it’s forever,
I just gotta let you know,
I never wanna let you go.
Cause when you look me in the eyes,
And tell me that you love me,
Everything’s alright,
When you’re right here by my side

I catch a glimpse of heaven!
When you look me in the eyes

The crowd cheered loudly at the end, causing both Nick and I to smile brightly. I didn’t worry about Nick’s odd behavior anymore after we got off the stage, both of us getting hugs and chatter from the gang, Joe, and Mel. Denise, Paul, Kevin, and Danielle all joined us as well, telling us we sounded fantastic together.

Then, suddenly, Nick, Joe, and Kevin all stood away from the group, smiles on all of their faces.

“We’d like to ask you, Rose, if you’d like to perform a song with us”, Kevin said, glancing at his brothers nervously, but smiled all the while.

“You don’t have to sing this time, right, Nick?” Joe teased. Nick rolled his eyes before shaking his head.

“No, you don’t. You just have to play the electric guitar for us and our new song”, he answered coolly.

“What new song?” I asked and I realized the gang and Mel asked as well.

“It’s not quite finished yet, but we’re performing it in April”, Joe answered.

“But that’s the last month of school for us!” Mel exclaimed.

“Almost four months away, yep!” Kevin said, smiling.

“More than enough time for Rose to learn how to play the song”, Joe chipped in.

“So, Rose, did you want to do it? For us?” Nick asked, causing all of the attention to be on me again.

“You know I have a bad case of stage fright”, I tried, but Mel cut across me.

“Rose, you know you want to help”, she said in a knowing tone.

I heaved a sigh before crossing my arms on my chest.

“I could always refuse, Mel”, I teased.

The boys ran to me, embracing me a in a huge group hug.

“Thanks, beautiful”, Nick mumbled in my ear causing me to blush.

“Well, come on! There’s not much time before New Year’s! Let’s get outside before it gets too crowded”, Paul coaxed, grabbing he and Denise’s jackets.

All of us nodded before going to get our coats, realizing one person was still missing.

“Uh, anyone seen Vic?” I asked, as we headed toward the roof.

“She was in the crowd when you guys were singing”, Maya answered.

I rolled my eyes, thinking of Vic, knowing she must have wandered off.

“I’m sure she’ll find her way to us. Come on, let’s go!” Nick said cheerfully, grabbing my hand as we took the last few steps to the top.

He opened the door, a breath-taking sight greeting all of us.

Nobody except a few people were out here. We had a clear view of where the fireworks would appear in the sky and there was a few tables for all of us to sit.

I smiled as I shivered from the wind that blew towards us, but felt warm as Nick wrapped both of his arms around me. I indicated that I wanted to walk a little, to ask him something and he nodded.

“We’ll be walking around, OK?” he asked.

“Alright. You have about 20 minutes, so, don’t be late”, Mitchell said excitedly.

We nodded in comprehension before starting our walk. I had a lot of questions for Nick. I could only hope that everything ends well.