Please Don't Cross Me, I Asked Nicely

April rolled around and I was a nervous wreck. We received our report cards and I surprisingly passed A.P. Psych with a C getting B’s and A’s in my other classes. Mel’s grades were the same but Nick had A/B honor roll. Lucky bastard.

Ever since the argument, I’ve been avoiding Nick as much as possible. Apparently, he’d been trying to see me, but I’ve become pretty good at avoiding him and anywhere he could catch me.

It was difficult as I came to the realization that I couldn’t avoid him now that we were in Dallas with him and his family. His grandfather hadn’t made it in town yet to visit us, so we decided to spend the next few days rehearsing the song in its entirety. I think one of the good things that made it easier had to be that Nick was smart and didn’t buy Vic a plane ticket.

I could only hope I wasn’t going to see her this time. Unfortunately, though, we have to come back to school the following Friday after we sing for Nick’s grandpa for the final “singing” night.

Basically, Juniors were going to perform songs that they’d wrote sort of as a “breaking out of their shell” thing before Senior year officially starts.

I was surprised to learn that Nick wasn’t going to be participating this time around.

Currently, however, my mind wasn’t on any of these things. It was on the hot weather of Dallas.

It was 85 degrees and the boys and I were sweating like pigs.

“Just one time, guys. Please”, Paul begged us. He’d paid a lot of money to rent a section of the nearby stadium for a few days while we rehearsed and performed for Grandpa Jonas.

Needless to say, we felt like we were dying in the heat. I was in a white tank top, jean shorts, and black flip flops. I knew I had already tanned some since we’d been trying to gather the energy to practice for the past half an hour.

Joe was sweating bullets as was Kevin. Nick was somewhere near the guitars drinking a bottle of water and I was near the end of the stage under a tree where there was shade.

“Boys, Rose”, Paul called, handing each of us a three-liter bottle of semi-frozen water and a full bottle sunblock.

We each took them gratefully before finally giving in.

The first time I messed up at the beginning. The second time, I messed up the chorus. Two more times, I messed up, but they were first near the end, then somewhere in the middle. By the fifth time, Nick had grown frustrated with me even after almost two hours in the hot sun.

“OK, what’s your problem? Didn’t you practice?” he asked as he stopped playing when the music started.

“Dude, what’s your deal? Rose is probably just nervous”, Kevin said, coming to my aid.

“How can she be nervous when she’s played the song perfectly?” Nick asked, glaring at his brother.

“I only played the song perfectly one time”, I said heatedly.

“One time means you can do it repeatedly. Now have you or have you not practiced in the last month like you said you would?” he asked, glaring now at me.

“Chill, Nick. What the fuck is your problem?” Joe asked heatedly. I was so glad Mr. Jonas had left after he gave us the water, otherwise Joe’s words would have been a problem.

“Stay out of this, Joe. If Rose played it perfectly once, she can do it again just as easily unless she hasn’t practiced like she told me she would”, Nick repeated.

“I haven’t had time to practice and you know that”, I retorted.

“And just why is that?” he asked in a smug tone.

“Because of your twisted ass!” I shouted, getting Joe and Kevin’s attention more than the previous time. I didn’t want that. I didn’t want to talk about this in front of them.

I’m sure Joe wasn’t fully surprised, but it was evident that he was slightly. Kevin was surprised and confused.

“OK. Did I miss something?” he asked looking from me to Nick and back again.

“No. You didn’t. Sorry, Kevin. I got the song down. Watch”, I answered, beginning to play. I even sung some of the parts just as I did when I played it around Nick but when I did, I directed them all to him.

When I finished, the tension was obvious in the air, but Joe and Kevin didn’t make it known if they noticed. Instead, they clapped, then hugged and congratulated me.

“Good. At least you finished it”, was Nick’s response.

I groaned angrily, pulling the ring off of my left ring finger, throwing it at him, no longer able to contain my anger towards him.

“FUCK YOU, NICK!” I yelled, storming off the stage, taking the guitar off as I went.

…

Two days passed and it was a few hours before the performance when Grandpa Jonas arrived.

He was a funny old man, but kept staring at me as though I were a beautiful gem. In fact, his exact words were, “I like her, Nick. Your dad was right. She’s definitely a keeper.” Nick and I were civil around one another while we were around him, but behind closed doors, I completely ignored him even when he apologized about his behavior towards me a few days previously.

Mel was with Joe somewhere while I was alone, walking around the stadium as I had my phone glued to my ear.

“I’m gonna kill that son of a-”, Jake began, but I cut across him.

“I know you would if you could, but the reality is that you can’t. You’re in Florida with my dad, aren’t you? How is he, by the way?” I asked, scratching my hair Mel helped me do earlier. It was in soft, ringlet curls so that it shook when I moved my head.

Jake had decided to start off right again with my dad even though he was oblivious as to what really happened between Jake and I a year ago. I was surprised I didn’t hear Vic in the background possibly talking to Nick or one of her friends.

“I know I can’t, but I’m still going to whether you like it or not”, he joked, laughing a little but I didn’t laugh.

I didn’t find anything funny anymore since Nick did what he did. I walked to a nearby bench in the parking lot, feeling exhausted having had walked around for almost an hour.

“At least laugh at my jokes, Rosie”, he said, bringing me back to reality.

“I’m sorry. I’m just thinking about that stupid argument. Have you heard anything from Vic?” I asked.

“Actually, Rose, I was going to tell you that-”, he began, but another voice cut across him; one close to me.

“Hey, Rosie!” Vic called, from the entrance door some feet away from me.

What the hell?

“Um, what is Vic doing here?!” I whispered harshly to Jake.

“I don’t know! She said she was going to visit a friend and caught a plane earlier today”, he rambled.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked angrily.

“I was going to but how did you honestly expect me to tell you? I didn’t know if she was going there to Texas or to one of her actual friend’s houses”, he retorted just as angrily.

Vic started approaching me and was within ten feet of me.

“Ugh. I’ll call you back. She’s gotten closer”, I said quickly.

“OK. I’m sorry”, he replied, but I hung up on him after he apologized.

Vic was in a pair of short short jeans, brown, ankle, country-style boots, and a red and white plaid shirt. She even wore a huge country hat as her long hair was in curls like mine.

I rolled my eyes once she reached me.

“What? Not happy to see me?” she asked, raising a brow.

“What are you doing here?” I asked with an attitude, not wanting to deal with her.

“I’m here to hang out with you guys. Is that a crime?” she asked, folding her arms across her chest.

“Why can’t you just leave me alone?!” I exclaimed angrily.

“W-what are you talking about? I’m here to-”, she began, but I interrupted her.

“Stop! Just stop, OK?! I’m sick of being around you, so, please just leave me alone”, I said, practically begging her.

I stormed off, not bothering to wait to hear her response as I went to get ready for the performance.

…

“You reeaaadddy?!” Joe asked, practically bouncing off of the walls. He, Mel, Kevin, Danielle, and I were currently in one of the dressing rooms. He had a case of Red Bull earlier and I was getting more worried about him by the minute.

We watched him as he took Frankie’s game and started pressing the buttons frantically after the kid entered the room.

“Hey!” he exclaimed, chasing Joe around the room.

I sighed quietly as I straightened my black jacket and tank top. Mel picked out my outfit which consisted of the black jacket, tank top, jeans, and ankle boots. She was wearing black pants and a black vest along with a white tank top and black heels. Her hair was in its usual down style, parted to the left and she wore a black and white headband in her hair this time.

Joe was in this purple-grey suit jacket and wore these big nerd glasses, making me laugh at him earlier.

Kevin was in some outfit that he put together and I hadn’t seen Nick at all.

I closed my eyes as I felt my stomach tie itself in knots at the thought of him. The last thing I wanted was for us to break up even if he was going to fall for someone else.

The door opened for a second time, revealing the very person I was thinking of. He was in a black jacket, a white t-shirt, and black pants and shoes. All eyes fell on him and even Joe stopped playing, handing the game console back to Frankie.

“Is it alright if I talked to Rose-alone?” he asked politely to everyone in the room.

“Yeah, sure, Nick. Come on, guys”, Kevin said, heading to the door first.

Mel gave me a sympathetic look while Joe gave Nick a hard one. Everyone filed out of the room and Nick waited until the door shut behind them as silence reigned over us. I stared at him as I watched his body language which wasn’t a lot. He walked to the black couch Mel and Joe were sitting on, running his fingers across it nervously.

“We-uh, we need to talk”, he said trying to read me. I felt like running a hand through my hair but I knew I would mess it up, so I responded instead.

“I don’t think I need to sit in order for me to hear what you’re about to say, so just say it”, I replied in a calm manner.

I felt my lip quiver slightly as I tried preparing myself for the worst.

“You know how we’ve been arguing and everything over the past few months. I’ve said things, you’ve said things which led to where we are now. Over the past few months during my.. ‘thinking time’ I came to a decision”, he began.

I didn’t know what to say or think at the moment so I let him continue.

“When we started our relationship, I thought everything was great, fantastic even. But things changed. We changed. I-I changed. You know I love you, Rosalina, but I feel like we aren’t connecting anymore”, he said.

“So, what are you saying, Nick? You don’t want to be with me anymore?” I asked incredulously.

He looked pained at the sound of my voice, biting his lip before responding.

“I’m sorry. I-I’ve fallen for someone else”, he said, breaking my heart altogether.

I didn’t want to hear this. I wished more than anything that this was all a dream, but the aching in my heart started up again, but I ignored it, breathing normally instead of doing my routine. I embraced the pain.

“Who?” I asked, fearing the worst even though I knew the answer.

“Victoria”, he answered. I choked on my own breath a few times, slightly hyperventilating before I burst out laughing, but nothing was funny.

“So, that’s it? You’ve grown close to her in the past five months and you’ve fallen for her instead of staying faithful with me? Nice”, I said with sarcasm. I was so angry that it wasn’t funny.

“This is what pushed me away from you, Rose! Your jealousy, Rose. I can’t deal with that. Victoria isn’t a bad person. She-”, he began, but I cut across him.

“The hell she isn’t! She did this! This was part of her plan all along! She wanted the both of us to break up and for you and her to get closer so you could fall for her and lose interest in me. Don’t you see it, Nick?” I asked, putting the pieces together in my mind as my heart broke more into smaller bits as well as aching more than before.

Nick shook his head feverishly before he burst with anger.

“Stop it, Rose! Just stop it! Please! I’m sorry, I-”, he began, but I cut across him, an alarm sounding from my phone as well as Nick’s indicating we had less than a minute before we had to be on stage.

“Don’t you utter those words, Nicholas! We have a show to do in thirty seconds. J-Just go”, I said, feeling myself getting ready to break down entirely.

“I’ll always love-”, he began, but I cut across him for a final time.

“Don’t”, I warned, flashing my eyes at him in anger and sadness. I turned my back on him and waited for him to leave before I heaved a few large breaths, but they didn’t soothe the pain in my chest.

I waited a few moments before I decided to completely ignore my pain and suffering and fulfill my promise to the guys.

…

Once I reached the stage, I grabbed an electric guitar from the back as I heard the music start up. I sucked up my tears, taking a breath before I plastered a smile on my lips, deciding to focus solely on the song and nothing else.

I quickly spotted Mel, Paul, Denise, Frankie, Danielle, the gang, and some of their other relatives including Grandpa Jonas as well as some other people I’d never seen before. In fact, it was a little group out there, probably other people who were invited.

I focused back as Kevin, Nick, and I started playing the song at the same time and the music filled my ears as well as Joe, Kevin, and Nick’s voices.

Yeah, yeah, eah, eah, eah, oh, oh!
Yeah, yeah, eah, eah, eah, oh, oh!

Joe started singing first, surprising me at how calm he was now compared to earlier.

Try to fall asleep tonight,
lay awake and dream of night,
Where we thought that we could make it,
We wasted all our time,
And I wouldn't change a single thing, I know!

The chorus part came and I rocked out with Nick, Joe, and Kevin singing in unison, my pains still persistent.

We get closer and closer again,
But we're falling apart.
I'm losing, you're losing a friend,
It's always over before we start.
You're asking for love,
And I wish that it could be the way that it was,
But it's over,
There's no one to blame,
It'll never be the same!

That definitely described what Nick and I were going through right now. Things wouldn’t be the same, not after this. I followed Nick’s gaze towards the crowd, seeing him smiling at Victoria, making my stomach churn but I continued playing. Joe’s voice filled my ears once more.

Two wrongs don't make it right,
Two hearts are on the line.
Maybe we could have made it,
Have waited,
Done this right.
In the end, I'm a friend,
But that's all I am to you, oh!

That was exactly how I was feeling. Nick could have waited and things could have worked out, except he didn’t want them to. He didn’t even try. I was only slapped in the face with reality when Vic waved at him and he smiled back at her. I wanted to stop playing and break down right then and there, but I suppressed my tears as the chorus started again.

We get closer and closer again,
But we're falling apart,
I'm losing, you're losing a friend,
It's always over before we start.
You're asking for love,
And I wish that it could be the way that it was,
But it's over,
There's no one to blame,
No, it'll never be the same.
No, it'll never be the same,
(No, no, no, no)

The music decreased, but only as Joe sung once more.

We get closer and closer again,
But we're falling apart,
I'm losing, you're losing a friend

Nick and Kevin joined in this time.

It's always over before we start!

And Joe took over once again.

You're asking for love,
And I wish I believed you,
But it's easy to see that it's over,
There's no one to blame,
It'll never be the same!

Suddenly, my heart pains increased, but I kept playing. Nick starting followed by Joe, then they alternated, repeating the same few lines over and over.

Nick: No, it'll never be the same!
Joe: No, it'll never be the same.

Nick: ‘Cause it's over, there’s no one to blame.
Joe: It'll never be the same!

I couldn’t feel my fingers, then my vision started blurring, but I kept playing, ignoring everything. I bit my lip hard until I could taste blood. I didn’t want to give up. I didn’t want to hinder anyone and I was done with Nick. I just wanted all of this to be over. I wanted to finish the song. That was the least I wanted.

Nick: ‘Cause it's over, there’s no one to blame.
Joe: It’ll never be the same.

Nick: ‘Cause it’s over, there’s no one to blame.
Joe: It’ll never be the same.

I felt light-headed, then lost control as my world blacked out around me, faintly hearing gasps as well as Nick and Joe repeating the last part of the song before I was out cold.

Nick: ‘Cause it’s over, there’s no one to blame.
Joe: It’ll never be the same.