Jonas Goes to London

Just as they entered the kitchen, Joe, Stella, and Kevin stopped talking.

“Is everything OK?” Stella asked, shooting Kevin and Joe a knowing look.

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” Sam answered while Nick nodded in agreement.

“Alriiight,” Kevin sung before they resumed eating.

…

After they finished, Sam helped clean up while Kevin, Nick, and Stella walked onto the back patio to enjoy the scenery.

Joe stayed behind to help, carrying a couple of plates in one hand while he held a glass in the other.

Sam carried four glasses stacked on top of each other in one hand and held the rest of the plates in the other hand. They both reached the sink at the same time, Joe taking the plates while Sam tackled the glasses. After a while, Joe spoke.

“So, what did you and Nick talk about?” he asked out of curiosity.

Sam admired it, but decided to answer him.

“Nothing really. I just apologized for leaving five years ago,” she partially admitted.

“Oh. Is that why you guys were gone for so long?” he asked.

She nodded in response. Joe decided to speak again.

“Do you think he remembers how you guys were back then?” he asked, catching Sam off guard.

She began drying the dishes they’d just finished washing as she replied to him.

“To be honest, I don’t think he wants to remember. I’m sure he’s dated plenty of girls whom he’s grown more fond of than little, old me,” she said with honesty.

“I don’t think so, Sam. You guys were best friends and possibly would have dated had you not have moved away. Sorry,” he added quickly as he saw her expression change from blank to sad.

“It’s OK. I’m going to go for a walk if that’s OK,” she said quickly as she finished putting away the last plate before practically running out of the door.

Joe sighed heavily before speaking.

“I didn’t mean to say that. Ugh!” he exclaimed to no one before walking back to his room.

…

About an hour later, everyone began to worry about Sam. It wasn’t like her to walk off, but memories of how she used to be came into their mind and soon enough, Nick knew just where to find her. He went to a local park and found Sam sitting there in the shade underneath a tree alone.

“You know, it’s not safe for a young woman like you to be here in London in a park all alone like that,” he said, startling her.

She flinched at his voice, but sighed quietly before speaking.

“Sorry. I just had to get away. I had some things to think about,” she said glancing at Nick before returning her attention to the passers-by.

Joe’s words went through her mind for the umpteenth time before Nick’s voice interrupted her thoughts again.

“Things like what? Important things?” he asked, taking a seat down next to her as he, too began to take in the scenery.

“I’d expect them to be important in order for me to worry about them,” she retorted, shoving lightly into him.

He laughed lightly at her words and gesture before speaking.

“I guess so,” he said with a laugh. Glancing out of the corner of his eyes, Nick saw Sam smile a little, revealing her pearly whites.

He liked seeing her smile. Silence fell between them, but was soon replaced by Nick’s phone ringing. Joe’s name flashed on the caller ID before he answered.

“Hello?” he asked.

“Nick, did you find Sam?” Joe asked.

“Yeah, I found her,” Nick answered.

“Good. Come back with her and get ready ‘cause we’re having a party like we did in L.A.,” Joe said with a smile.

“Do we have to, Joe? That will make me think of Ma-,her,” Nick corrected himself stealing a glance at Sam whom was staring back at him.

She flashed him a smile causing him to get nervous.

“Well, whether you like it or not, the party is already in motion. Just come here, OK? And how many times do we need to tell you Sam is not Macy?” Joe asked with an attitude.

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore, OK, Joe? We’ll be there soon. Bye,” Nick replied in the same tone as his elder brother before hanging up entirely.

He stared at Sam whom was eyeing him the entire time.

“So, we have to head back?” she asked as though nothing happened.

He nodded in response to her question, standing afterwards with a hand outstretched. She gladly took it without hesitation and they returned to the house.

…

Once they arrived, Stella grabbed Sam while Joe grabbed Nick taking them into separate rooms.

-In the girl’s room-

Stella grabbed Sam by the arm and began working her magic of fashion on her. She grabbed three dresses, holding each next to her best friend trying to decide which would look best on her.

“S-Stella-,” Sam began, but Stella wasn’t paying attention.

“Do you have a pair of yellow heels?” she asked, tilting her head to the right.

“Uh, yeah, but-,” Sam began, but was cut off by Stella.

“You’re going to look amazing in this dress,” Stella said in a happy tone.

“Why is Joe throwing this party again?” Sam asked.

“Just to have it,” she answered in a questionable tone.

Sam raised a brow at her in skepticism.

“Really?” she asked her friend.

“Mm-hmm,” Stella answered, avoiding Sam’s eyes.

Sam rolled her eyes before giving in entirely to the outfit Stella chose for her.

…

About an hour later, the boys stood welcoming guests, accepting congrats from them as well. None of them had spotted Stella or Sam yet.

“Jeez, Joe. Your girlfriend takes forever!” Kevin complained for the third time since the party started, but said it with a smile as though he were having a good time to others.

“I’m sorry, guys. Stella is Stella after all,” Joe said sympathetically.

Nick shook his head at his brother before turning his head in time to see Sam and Stella enter from their room. His mouth slightly dropped open in surprise at Sam’s appearance. Her hair was in an elegant bun while the sleeveless dress stopped just above her knees. Her short legs looked long and very lady-like in the heels that graced her pretty feet.

She and Stella approached the boys, Sam hugging Kevin first before looking at her feet, then finally Nick. Nick stared at her hair trying to look at her face, but she continued to stare sheepishly at her feet.

Stella nudged her causing Sam’s attention to be diverted to her. She signaled to her to look at Nick and not at her feet and she obliged. Her slightly red face and high cheekbones caught Nick’s attention before his eyes landed on her eyes. He could see the shyness in them.

A small smile crept to his lips as did a very light laugh. Someone called Kevin causing him to walk away from them while Stella and Joe went to greet more people leaving Nick and Sam alone.

“I-I’m going to get some air,” Sam stammered nervously before walking outside to the balcony.

“Sam-,” Nick began, but stopped seeing her gone in seconds through the crowd of people.

…

About a couple of hours later, Nick found Sam standing outside alone on the back patio upstairs staring out at the view of the city. Her right arm was up, holding her face up just as a sigh escaped her lips.

He quietly approached her seeing the other people on the far end of the balcony went inside more than likely getting ready to leave.

“Beautiful night isn’t it?” he asked with a smile, staring at her a few times before staring at the city as he stood next to her, their arms almost touching.

“Yeah. I’m sure you’re used to this, though, aren’t you?” Sam asked, catching him off guard.

“I am, but I’ve never been here with someone like I am with you,” he answered honestly.

She smiled a small smile as she blushed before responding.

“I’m glad you’re spending it with me,” she said in a shy tone, biting her lip as she smiled a little brighter.

“So am I. Where were you during the party? You kind of disappeared,” he asked out of curiosity.

“I was…around,” she said in a questionable tone.

“Are you sure? I barely saw you. Were you avoiding me?” he asked.

“No. I just didn’t feel as though I belonged getting dressed up and everything. I-I’m not pretty enough to dress up-,” she began, but Nick cut across her and did something that her off guard.

He placed his hands on her bare arms and turned to face her entirely before speaking.

“Sam, don’t think that way. You’re perfect just the way you are,” he said, swallowing silently afterwards.

They stared at one another before Sam turned her face away from him to hide her blush, but recomposed herself moments later.

“Thank you, Nick. You’re too kind,” she said in a shy tone.

She began to walk away just as Nick loosened his grasp when his hand instinctively grabbed her own. He let it go quickly before speaking.

“I just wanted to say goodnight,” he said clearing this throat afterwards.

“Oh, goodnight,” she said without turning around.

Nick watched Sam walk away knowing he wanted to say more than that, but he couldn’t. There were a few things Sam didn’t know about Nick and he didn’t want his past to come back to haunt him.

…

Sam changed into her pajamas minutes later from she and Nick’s “encounter”, placing a hand to her chest feeling her heart pound ever so loudly. The last time it pounded like that was earlier that same day when she was left alone with Nick.

She wanted Nick to ask her to stay on that balcony, but knew that’d be too much. There were a few things that Nick didn’t know about Sam and she didn’t want her past to come back to haunt her before then.

She had to straighten things out, make things right before anything could interfere with their friendship.

She climbed into bed thinking, hoping she’d have the time to figure everything out before anything bad would happen.