Before the Fame

I sat cross-legged at one of the tables at the bowling alley as of course, songs were playing and people paired up. Miley’s words wouldn’t leave my mind, though.

Joe likes you, so you should go after him.

I stared at Joe for what seemed like the umpteenth time as he danced over at Mandy, Maya, and the rest of the people, a picture of Joe and me dating flashing in my mind. I shook my thoughts away disgusted by them.

I refocused on my surroundings as Nick walked to my table, but hesitated before sitting down.

“Are you alright?” I asked before I could stop myself.

“Yeah,” he mumbled.

I sighed in an annoyed way before speaking again.

“No you’re not,” I said blatantly.

His eyes locked with mine and I could tell he had a lot to say.

“What’s wrong?” I asked in a firm tone.

“Do you like Joe?” he asked suddenly, catching me off guard.

“What?!” I exclaimed incredulously just as I did when Miley even said I should hook up with the guy.

“You’ve been staring at him all night and he was hitting on you earlier,” he pointed out.

I frowned at him before speaking.

“Why does everyone keep thinking that? I don’t like Joe,” I said defensively.

“Why are you getting so heated up about it? I just asked a simple question and pointed out the facts,” he said just as defensive.

A scoff escaped me.

“I wouldn’t get so defensive about it if Miley didn’t say practically the same thing to me earlier,” I replied in an annoyed tone.

“What?” Nick asked in confusion.

“Yeah, she told me I should hook up with Joe and that he liked me, too. I said the same thing to you to her so that’s why I’m upset right now,” I explained.

“Wait. You said Miley said you should hook up with Joe?” he asked incredulously.

“Yeah,” I answered blatantly, folding my arms across my chest.

Nick looked over at Miley whom was laughing with the others about something before returning his attention back to me. His eyes moved feverishly as he thought about something before speaking again after what seemed like hours.

“Do you wanna dance?” he asked suddenly.

“W-what?” I stammered. He walked over to the DJ asking him to play some song before coming back over to me again with a hand outstretched.

“I want to test something,” he said being vague.

I rolled my eyes before taking his hand, tingles erupting from his warm hand. He led me to the dance floor area that was set up for the party as a familiar song erupted throughout the building; When You Look Me in the Eyes.

He placed his hands on waist like before as I placed my hands on his collarbone as we slow danced to the song.

Soon enough, everyone paired up again and the dance floor filled with other coupled people.

“What are you doing?” I asked in a hushed whisper. He shook his head in response and continued dancing, staring at me and only me.

It didn’t take long for me to relax and wrap my arms around his neck, resting my head on his chest as I thought everything over. I was in Nick’s arms again, but at what cost? What was he trying to prove by dancing with me like this?

A quiet sigh escaped me as he laced his hands together inhaling deeply.

“Vanilla,” he said in a low tone.

“Huh?” I asked in confusion.

“Your body spray,” he answered. A small laugh escaped me before I spoke.

“It’s the only one I use,” I replied gently smiling as I blushed as I stared up at him.

“It smells nice,” he said just as gently.

Before I knew what he was doing, he placed a kiss to my forehead as the song came to an end.

“Happy birthday, Sam,” he said in a low tone before embracing me in a long hug like he did for our first concert together before I went on stage.

He pulled away before walking over to the food area leaving me even more confused.

“What the heck was that?” I asked to myself out loud. I took a breath before following in Nick’s footsteps, but was intercepted by Joe as he began dancing with me to the next slow song.

“I saw that,” he sung in my ear.

“If it hurt your feelings, I’m sorry-,” I began, but he laughed.

“Hurt my feelings? You’re my little sis, Sam. Why would Nick’s actions towards you bother me?” he asked causing everything to fall into place.

“Y-you mean Nick only did that to see if you’d react?” I asked feeling used as I pulled away.

“Uh,” Joe he said trailing off as he tried to think of what to say next.

“Don’t tell me there was some hidden meaning to it, Joe. I was used, plain and simple. God, I’m so stupid!” I scolded more to myself than anyone else.

“No, you’re not. Nick is just,” he began, but sighed, “It’s hard to explain without making things complicated.”

“Things are already complicated with Miley trying to hook me up with you and Nick using me for his diabolical plan to make you jealous doesn’t help me! It’s my birthday for crying out loud!” I concluded before pulling out of Joe’s limp grasp, storming outside.

Uncontrollably, tears filled my eyes as I cried with each step I took outside of the bowling alley. I wiped them away, but they kept coming. My mom was right. I had feelings for Nick, but there was nothing to do about it, but suppress my feelings.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approach me, calling my name. It wasn’t long before a hand turned me around to face them. Through the tears, I saw Nick’s curly hair, sniffing before I spoke.

“Nick, stop, OK?! You’re hurting me more than I already was!” I got out.

“How am I hurting you? Was it what I did earlier, dancing with you?” he asked.

I sniffed again, shaking my head feverishly.

“It doesn’t matter, OK?” I got out, staring up at him fully as the tears continued to fall.

He then did something I didn’t expect; he wiped my tears away no matter how many times they fell. Then, when he realized they weren’t stopping, he embraced me in a hug like earlier.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he said when I didn’t hug him back.

He continued apologizing and I eventually gripped his dress shirt, and then released him, hitting his chest over and over again, but they were weak hits. He took every blow I gave before stopping me. He laced his hands with mine, catching my attention as well as shocking me entirely.

“I will never hurt you like that again. I just had to prove something,” he said being vague again.

“Prove what?!” I asked incredulously.

His eyes flickered nervously before he unlaced his hands with mine, cupping my cheeks before speaking.

“Proving I didn’t want to do this,” he said before kissing me fully on the lips.

I don’t know what made me do it, but after a few moments realizing he was kissing me, I kissed him back, our lips moving in sync with one another. I felt lighter than air as we kissed; his soft lips against my own, but what brought me back to reality had to be one person.

Her alter ego and smile she had on her lips earlier flashed in my mind and I immediately felt guilty. I pulled away, shaking my head feverishly before I spoke.

“Damn it!” I exclaimed angrily.

“What?” Nick asked in confusion.

“That-this,” I answered pointing from he and I and back again.

“I know-I-I’m sorry,” he said again, but I was more disgusted with myself than him.

“I can’t believe you! So, do you have feelings for me or not?” I asked incredulously.

Nick bit his bottom lip just before a sigh escaped him.

“It’s complicated,” he said nervously, breaking me entirely.

“W-what?” I asked in shock.

“If I explained to you everything, it’d sound worse than it already is and-,” he began, but I’d heard enough.

“Just leave me alone, Nick and lock those feelings or whatever they are for me away. You’re with Miley and you’re going to stay with her,” I said in a firm tone walking towards the alley.

“What if I don’t?” he asked causing me to stop in my footsteps.

“What if I don’t lock them away? I know you have feelings for me, too no matter how much they are,” he added.

I bit my lip this time, still feeling his lips on them, but they weren’t.

“If you want me to continue being in your life, then you’ll do this one thing,” I said before turning to face him.

“I don’t need any drama and us would cause trouble. You’ve been with Miley for almost two years. You don’t need to throw that away for me,” I said in an honest tone.

He immediately responded to my words.

“You are worth so much more than what Miley and I ever had, but if I have to do this to keep you in my life, then I will. From this point on, I’ll treat you strictly as a friend,” he said in a serious tone.

I took a sharp breath nodding before I proceeded back into the alley, Nick’s words repeating themselves endlessly in my mind.