Remember Me

Rayna's POV:
I was on a beach. It stretched on for miles, as far as I could see. There were no hotels, no buildings, no tourists, no nothing. Just the beach, all alone. I turned around only to find my legs collapse underneath me. Only then did I realize how weak and disgusting I was from floating around in the ocean. I must have been floating for days. I got up to my hands and knees and looked up and found myself face-to-face with a man. He looked Mexican, with slightly darker skin, dark, slanted eyes, and a head full of black hair.

He held out his hand to me and I looked quizzically up at him, wondering if I could trust him or if he would just rape me or sell me for drugs. I had heard so many stories about the drug wars in Mexico, and I wasn't ready to become a prostitute again. I had already walked down that road, and it had been pure hell. I had been given a second chance, and I wanted to give it the best shot I could.

He shoved his hand further into my face and I sighed, looking into his eyes to see if I could read his thoughts. His dark irises showed no emotion, but I didn't feel any negative or hostile energy coming from him. I would just have to take that chance. I took his hand and he pulled me up, smiling and wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

"Hola! Me llamo Antonio. Como te llamas?"

I struggled to come up with meanings for the simple Spanish question he had asked me, and thought hard as we walked up the beach and to what I was hoping was a road. Suddenly realization hit me as I remembered my eighth grade Spanish class and my face brightened.

"Hola, Antonio. Me llama Rayna." I smiled, proud of myself, and he looked at me with a mischievous smile.

"That's a beautiful name." He said in perfect English.

My jaw dropped. "You can speak English and you let me struggle for almost five minutes? Not cool, dude."

"It was a test." He said simply. He continued on before I could object. "To see if you would even try to respond without resorting to the rude silence you Americans call confusion. Your confusion is really just refusing to use your brain to process information given to you. I wanted to see if you were worth saving."

"I actually understand where you're coming from." I smiled at him and he smiled back. "Now where are we going?"

He laughed. "To the town." He stated simply.

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By the time we got the town Tony (my nickname for him) was carrying me bridal style. I had absolutely no muscle strength. Turned out the day was December 15th, and I had been floating for ten days. I had no idea how I had survived, but God had definitely been a huge part of it. I don't see how someone as great as Him would take an interest in someone like me, but stranger things have happened in this world. I would just have to take the chance he had given me and make the best out of it. At least I knew now that God was on my side.

We walked into the small town and I looked carefully around me. It was nothing like the simple but elegant high priced penthouses and hotels I was used to from living with Nick. The houses were mere shacks, and the ground was dirt. It wasn't that the village was totally uncivilized, because there were cars, radios, television sets, phones, etc., it was just that the whole place was so small compared to what I was used to.

I looked away from all of the buildings and machinery and found that Tony and I were being watched by what seemed to be the whole town. People were lined up outside of the houses, and all of their faces were stone cold.

"Why are they looking at me like that?" I whispered to Antonio.

"We don't get strangers much." He shrugged and his grip on me tightened, making sure I didn't fall. "Especially people like you."

"People like me?" I asked, curious.

"Palagi's."

"Huh?"

"White people."

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The townspeople watched us all the way to Antonio's house. Antonio told me that most of them were full Native American, and that they didn't like foreigners much. I felt like an actress in an old Western movie when he said that. All of the 'Indians' chasing the 'cowboys' and trying to kill them to get their land back.

It turns out Antonio was actually a scientist working on global warming in the Gulf of Mexico, trying to see if there was some plant or energy that could help the world. He had been born here, but had been sent away to school by his grandparents when his parents died. Interestingly enough, and a small miracle on fate's part, he was the only one in the town who could speak fluent English. Everyone else, he told me, spoke very haltingly, and some knew a few words to nothing at all.

After a small meal that Antonio allowed me to eat (he didn't want my body to go into shock after so long without food), he allowed me to talk. He had insisted that I eat and drink first, and then tell him my story. When I told him he was astounded, and he actually knew who the Jonas Brothers were. I was so proud for Nick when I heard that. His name had spread all the way to a little village in coastal Mexico.

"So, you're saying Nick Jonas was your boyfriend?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes…" I nodded. "Technically he still IS, but he doesn't know I'm alive." I hung my head. "He's probably heartbroken right now. I miss him so much." A sob came out, and Antonio rushed to my side. I threw my arms around him and burst into worried and grateful tears. The shock had finally hit full force. "Thank you so much for helping me. I probably would be dead on that beach without you." I looked up at him with a smile, and he smiled back, disentangling my arms from his shoulders. He was actually quite a tall man, four inches taller than me at around 5'11.

"It was my pleasure." He sat down in his chair and put his feet up on the small, round table in the middle of my room. "Now tell me how you plan to get back to LA."

"I hadn't thought of that yet…" I trailed off. Then I started to panic as realization of my true predicament hit me. "I don't have a passport! How am I supposed to get back?! Everyone thinks I'm dead so no one will believe me! Antonio, what do I do?"

He laughed at my panic. "Calm down. I have an idea."

"You do?" I asked hopefully.

"I do."

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Nick's POV:
I was ready to do this. More ready than I had been in over a week. I was going out of the house.

Demi had persuaded me to go out. She not only pulled the guilt card when she said everyone was missing me, but she pulled the responsibility card when she mentioned that Elvis not only needed a walk, but he needed food from the store.

I was freaking out.

I didn't want to go out. Our townhouse had become my safe haven, my hideout from the paparazzi, the celebrities, and my family. I didn't want anyone to see me, broken and dead. The only one I had allowed in this whole time was Demi, and that was once. She had persuaded me over text to go to dinner with the family (excluding my mother) and some close friends, and she and Joe were now waiting at my door while I 'got ready.' In reality I was sitting at my bar counter having a panic attack. I didn't want to go out for anyone, but I had to. The fact was the only person I really wanted to go out for, was Rayna, but she was gone. I had yet to accept that fact.

"C'mon, Nick, get a move on it!" Joe yelled through my door. He pounded on my locked door and I jumped. "At least unlock the door so I can pee! My bladder is killing me. We've been out here for thirty minutes and I drank three cups of coffee over an hour ago."

I heard Demi laugh. "Told you the third one would kill you."

"Shut up." Joe told her adoringly. I could hear the love dripping from his voice. It was killing me.

I grabbed my jacket and keys and walked swiftly to the door, wanting to get it over with. I opened the door only to find Demi and Joe kissing. I winced, and my heart broke a little more. They had something I would never have again. I would never love after Rayna.

"Hey guys." I said meekly.

They broke apart quickly at the sound of my voice. They looked at my face, then at each other, and then back at me; it was awkward.

"Hey, Nick." Joe spoke up, trying to break the silence. "I see you made it out alive."

"I guess I did."

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The car ride was the most uninteresting, quiet, awkward one I had ever experienced. I sat in the passenger seat up front while Joe drove, and Demi sat in the back. The whole time they were making lovey-dovey eyes at each other, and it was killing me. When we finally got to the restaurant where the rest of my family would be waiting, I was so happy to get out of that car. The love radiating from them was toxic.

We got the car valet parked, and Joe and Demi stepped out first. They were holding hands. I was going to blow if I had to be by them much longer.

I stepped out, and immediately the flashing lights of paparazzi cameras blinded me. I hadn't had my picture taken in over a week, let alone been in any other light than my electric ones, and my eyes were unaccustomed to the brightness. I stumbled through the horde of reporters as they shouted questions at me, but I answered none of them. When I got inside of the restaurant I collapsed against the wall and took deep breaths.

"You okay, Nick?" I heard a girl ask.

I looked up to see Miley. "Yeah. I'm just nervous and-" I stopped, not wanting to burst into tears when I thought of Rayna.

"You miss Rayna so much it hurts?" Miley stated, finishing my sentence.

"Yes."

"Me too." She looked away from my face and her face glazed over for a second. "She was a breath of fresh air for us all, and an amazing song writer. I'll miss her forever."

"Me too." I sighed and stood up to my full height, straightening my tie and flattening my hair. "Do I look like a mess?" I asked worriedly.

Miley laughed. "Don't worry. You look handsome as always." She grabbed my hand. "Now, c'mon. Everyone's waiting for you. You're the star of the hour."

I smiled. It was nice to be around Miley. She made me relax. Her and Rayna had been good friends as well. Come to think of it, the only stars Rayna had never really gotten along with were Selena and Taylor. Selena and Rayna had real…issues, and Taylor was best friends with Selena so she took Selena's side on everything. Together they were the most irritating duo in Hollywood.

I followed Miley into the restaurant and smiled when I saw the curly heads of my brothers and dad. Only then did I realize how much I had really missed them in my self seclusion. I looked over at Miley and she was watching my face thoughtfully, smiling slightly. I dropped her hand and held my arm out.

"Ladies first."

"Thank you." She smiled, picking up the skirt of her dress and doing a half curtsy.

She walked across the restaurant to the table, with me right behind her the whole time. When we got to the table I hung back for a second, not really wanting to see everyone, but at the same time wanting to with all my heart. Miley saw my hesitation and smiled sadly.

"Rayna would have wanted you to enjoy your life." Her lip trembled and she bit it, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "She truly loved you, but she wanted what was best for you and thought that doing what she did would be giving you that."

A single tear ran down my face. It wasn't what was best for me. What was best for me was Rayna, but she was gone and I had to stay here with my family until I could see her again.

"Okay." I wiped away my tear and put a stony face on. "Let's alert them of our presence."

Miley laughed softly. "I love your use of words." Then she turned to the table and took the last steps that would bring us into their sight. "Hey guys. Nick's here."

Everyone turned around at me and smiled, but I saw a face that I had not expected to be here. I turned to Joe who was sitting by Demi.

"What is she doing here?" I asked coldly.

He shrugged, and in his eyes I could see that he had told her not to come, but she hadn't listened. I turned to her.

"Why are you here, mom?"