Luck & Intuition

THE CAR RIDE consisted of Nick changing the radio station every five seconds to find a decent song, and also rolling down the windows and rolling them back up while he was driving. Storm sat in the passengers’ seat with her arm folded over her chest and staring straight at the road ahead of them.

“Do you want to go get something to eat?” Nick asked, flicking the radio station when a Miley song came on then flicked it again as soon as he heard Ke$ha’s voice. Storm remained silent in her seat but readjusted herself so that he back was somewhat turned away from him. She watched the raindrops collide into each other as they raced down the window.

“I guess I’ll take that as a no, then.” Nick sighed. “Storm, what’s wrong?”

“You’re joking, right?”

“Why would I be joking when I don’t have a clue why you aren’t talking to me?”

“You’re such an idiot sometimes.” Storm muttered under her breath and rolled her eyes. “You know exactly why I’m not talking to you. Don’t play stupid with me, Nick.”

“Are you still going on the bullshit idea of me caring more about my music then you?” Storm said nothing. “I told you that wasn’t true, Storm!”

“Uh huh.”

The sound of Nick’s ringtone played throughout the car. He took his attention off the road and looked down at his phone that was lying in the cup holder. It was his publicist, PJ Bianco. Nick held the phone in his hand and pressed ignore, dropping it back into the cup holder.

“Oh shocker! Nick Jonas didn’t answer his publicist’s call! Someone call the press!” Storm snickered.

“Give it a rest, Storm. I didn’t answer because I don’t have my BlueTooth with me.”

“Uh huh.”

“Seriously.”

“Uh huh.”

“Stop it.”

“Uh huh.”

“Storm.”

“Uh huh.”

Nick slammed on the breaks. Storm flew forward and shot back like a boomerang into her seat. Storm pressed the palm of her hand to her forehead, easing the pain or lack of due to the fact that a blood spot was stained to her palm.

“What the fuck, Nick?!” She screamed and glared hard at him, pressing her palm back to her forehead.

“Shit, Storm. I’m so sorry.” Nick unbuckled his seat belt and searched through his glove compartment for extra napkins. He found a few and his hand flew up to her forehead to put pressure on the cut.

“Don’t touch me!” She pushed his hands away from her.

“Storm, I’m trying to help you.” His hands reached back.

“I said, don’t fucking touch me, Nick. Don’t.” Storm’s voice was stern and with force that she would do something drastic if he did end up touching her. Nick’s mouth parted with words wanting to release but nothing came out.

Instead they sat in silence with a few tears brought to Storm’s eyes. Again, Nick’s phone started to blare its personal ringtone for PJ. Storm’s eyes narrowed down at the phone, she wanted to crush it with her bare hand. Nick sighed, picking up the phone but just let the ringtone drown out until the bing of the voicemail had started.

Storm’s eye set on Nick’s whose eyes were scrolling through his text messages. He was really just going to sit there and not even fight back to help. Storm rolled her eyes and picked up her bag, and pushed open the car door. Her feet stamped against the wet pavement with her whole body getting soaked in a matter of seconds from the rain.

“What the hell are you doing?” Nick shouted as she slammed the door shut. Storm ignored Nick’s question and began to walk in the direction of her apartment. Nick groaned and started the engine of his car and drove along side her. He rolled down the window.

“Storm. Storm what are you doing?” Nick called out. His eyes glanced back and forth to the road then to Storm. “Storm get your ass in the car. You’re going to catch a cold.”

“Oh well.”

“Storm, don’t be stupid.”

“I’m not being stupid. I’m walking in the rain, which is quite normal if you ask me.” Her smart remark made Nick clench his teeth together.

“Storm, stop!”

And so she did. Storm placed her hands on her waist and stood in front of the passengers’ side window.

“Get in the car.”

Storm started to laugh. As she laughed it got higher and more obnoxious as she shook her head. Nick was not amused at all by her actions. Nick did up his seatbelt and impetuses the gear shift into drive his foot lingered on the gas pedal.

“Oh, real mature Nick. You’re just going to drive off before your ego gets bruised by a girl. You are so hung up on yourself it’s actually funny.”

Once again, Nick’s phone started to scream that stupid goddam motherfucking ringtone of his for PJ.

“Just answer the phone. Go and be the rockstar phenomenon that you are, Nick. Go make those teenies squirm in their seat and shouting out that one day they are going to marry you. Go and produce another song, go finalize the set for the tour even though it’s been finalized by Kevin last week. Go ahead and care more about you goddam filthy image instead of someone who cares about you.”

Storm stopped and wiped the corner of her eyes. From head to toe she was drenched in rain water but she really didn’t give a fuck that her makeup had been running down her cheeks the entire time. Storm leaned on the ledge of the open window and parted her lips.

“Love is when the other person’s happiness is more important than your own.” She smirked, stepping back from the car and pulling out her cell phone, pressing the speed dial button. “Autumn, I need you to pick me up. I’m on the corner of Durand and Heather Drive. Okay.”

Storm ended the call with the extension of Nick’s head out the window. His stupid brown eyes were begging her to let him stay.

“Bye, Nick.”

Nick sighed, slamming down on the gas causing the tires to spin until the car broke out into its own personal sprint down the road towards downtown Los Angeles. Storm grabbed onto her phone and snapped her eyes shut.

[&&]

“Storm!” The screeching of tires broke Storm out of her dazed as she saw Joe and Autumn pull up in Joe’s Jeep Wrangler. “Get in!”

Storm shoved her phone into her back pocket and pulled opened the door, climbing into the car. Autumn stepped onto the pedal and turned the car around, back in the direction of Joe’s house. Joe turned in the passengers’ seat and looked at Storm.

“What the fuck happened to your forehead? Did Nick hit you?!”

“Why is Autry driving your car?” Storm dismissed Joe’s question and tilted her head to look at Autumn.

“I got to the keys faster than him.” Autumn smiled cheekily.

“Answer the question.”

“Nick got angry and stepped on the brakes hard. My head hit against the dashboard. It’s whatever.” Storm sighed and slumped down in the leather seat. Joe nodded, keeping quiet as he turned back to face the front.

Storm plugged her earphones into her iPhone and turned up the music loud and stared back out the window. Joe and Autumn exchanged lost, and hopeless glances.

Once you’ve played every trick up your sleeve, there seems to be no thought of what could have been. Or in this case, what should have been.