I'd Like To Order A New Heart Please

For the sleeping arrangements, my parents insisted that our guests stay with us tonight seeing how this would be the last time they would sleep in a real bed for about 6 months. Lucky for me, I would only be on board for 3 months of that tour.

After hours of insisting, everyone caved and we split up the rooms. Well not really, Mr. And Mrs. Jonas were given the guest room and everyone else was to fend for themselves.

That's how ended up sleeping on the floor of my own room smushed between Joe and Trace.

Because of my lack of sleep and air from laughing to much, I somehow let myself be talked into sleeping on the floor with Jace, Kevin, Joe, Nick, Trace, and Miley. The only one who was sleeping on my bed was Frankie.

Now if you did the math with me, and took Trace's 6'3 figure and how much air needs to circulate through his body, you would realize he snores. Loudly.

December 26, 2008.

"Bye mom, bye dad, love you guys!" I mumbled, half asleep as I said goodbye to my parents on my front porch.

I received hugs and kisses before I was literally swept off my feet and carried onto the Jonas tour bus and plopped on my bunk by Trace, who felt sorry for keeping me up all last night.

"And we're off!" Steve, the bus driving hollered through the bus. I heard a grumpy grumble coming from an equally tired Jace, who was on the other side of Trace.

As I felt myself slipping into a welcomed slumber, it felt like seconds before Joe was shaking me awake, "Hey beautiful, we're at the airport, do you wanna come with us?"

"Do the bags under my eyes look like I want to come in?" I grumbled, half awake.

I heard his chuckle and felt the light kiss he placed on my temple before I heard his footsteps heading to get Mandy.

Mandy.

Even though things were semi good between Mandy and I, I honestly admitted to myself that I would never be able to forgive her for her stunt last thanksgiving. I've tried to let the past go, but whenever Joe get's a text, or a phone call, or even mentions Mandy my spine goes rigid and I can feel the burn of anger itching on my skin.

Drifting between consciousness and darkness, I was almost asleep when I heard the footsteps of people coming onto the bus. Their light conversation was intended to keep the volume down for the "sleeping" Jace and I, but a shrill laughter broke the quiet film.

A couple "Shh's" were heard before the door to the bunk room was closed in an effort to help Jace and I continue with our slumber.

But that didn't necessarily work both ways, "What the hell was that!?!?!?" Jace shouted, "Does this bus have an alarm system on it!?!" she questioned, the genuine curiosity evident in her voice.

A sad attempt of a muffled chuckle came from the other side of the door before Nick poked his into the room, "Everything's ok Jace, that was just Mandy….."

A silence followed after Nick's response before I felt myself explode in laughter, Jace following only milliseconds later.

Our laughter only seemed to drag on, meaning that it was most definitely obvious that I couldn't go back to sleep.

After our giggling fit, Jace and I managed to drag ourselves out of our bunks.

"Remember, no l-laughing when we see her? Okay?" Jace tried to remind me through the last bit of her laughter.

I smiled and draped my arm over my best friend, feeling content with the big smile on my face, hoping it would cover my unease with Mandy.

Jace and I stepped out of the bunk room, and once my eyes landed on Mandy I felt my smile instantly drop.

It was like I was staring into a mirror.

Her long blonde hair was now chopped a little bit past her shoulders and was the same shade of brown as my hair. The model clothes that she once wore were now traded for a pair of jeans, sneakers, and a shirt the was the same design as the one I was wearing except a different color. She even had the same frame of glasses that I wore whenever I remembered where I put them.

Jace felt my body tense up, and she tried to remind me to be "friendly" by giving me a slight nudge, silently telling me that I'm making it obvious that I want to rip out every single one of Mandy's newly dyed hairs.

Lucky for me, the only ones who noticed our entrance was Kevin and Nick, Mandy and Joe were engrossed in a conversation that I felt the need to interrupt.

"Good morning everyone!" I announced, more directly towards Joe and Mandy.

Mandy's head snapped in my direction, her eyes fierce behind her glasses before the softened to a less menacing look.

"Nicole, I'm liking the wardrobe!" Mandy attempted to joke, but it really came out as an attempt to dampen my mood.

I already knew that my outfit was the same top as hers and a pair of fleece pajama bottoms so I didn't hesitate to reply, "Same to you, you're taking on a new look I see."

Her eyes became hard again before she turned the corners of her mouth up in an attempted smile, and turned her body towards Joe again.

I forced a smile on my face while turning to Nick, "where's Miley?"

"She's on Metro's bus, you can talk to her before we leave the airport if you want."

I nodded happily, and while I asked Steve to hold on a sec before I jumped onto Metro Station's bus (dragging Jace along with me) it was a storm going through my head of all the possibilities as to why model Mandy would want to look like me.

As I knocked on Metro Station's bus, a lanky boy with spiky brown hair and some peach fuzz on his chin answered the door.

"Hi, I'm Nicole and this is Jace, do you mind if you crash on your bus?" I asked politely.

"Um……it depends. Are you two some creepy stalkers of Metro Station?" he questioned.

"Not that we know of…."

He breathed a sigh of relief, "Ok then, good. Those ones are always the creepiest." He stepped aside to let us in, "I'm Blake, and you are the girl that was getting 'the best gift of your life' right?"

I laughed and assured him that was me before he introduced me to the rest of the band that I haven't met.

Lounging on the couch was a boy with long brown hair who had a hard look of concentration on his face as he texted I was told was Mason, and an Asian boy with a lip piercing that was inhaling a hamburger was called Ant (his real name Anthony).

With his legs on top of her lap, Miley sat on the couch next to Mason also looking at her phone texting.

"Miley, girl talk in the bunk room, now." I commanded, grabbing her elbow and pulling her with myself and Jace.

"What's up?" she asked once the door was closed and we kicked Trace out.

"Have you seen Mandy's new 'style'?" I asked, putting air quotes around the word "style".

"No, I was asleep when she landed, why?"

"Well to put it simply, she looks exactly like Nicole." Jace explained.

Miley's face scrunched up in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, she cut her hair and dyed it brown, got a pair of glasses exactly like mine, and even is wearing the same clothes as I am. For Christ's sakes she even has the same shirt as me!" I hollered.

Miley put her hands up, "Woow! Slow down, Cow girl. Are you sure you're just not loopy from Trace snoring in your ear all last night?"

I threw my hands through my already messy hair, "Miley! I swear I'm not crazy! Mandy looks exa-"

"Ok, how about we do this? You and Jace take a nice nap in one of the bunks here, and I'll wake you up when we get to the first stop. I'm sure you're just really tired." Miley assured me before patting me on the head and leaving the bunk room.

My eyes stayed glued to the spot where she once stood and I let everything she said to me soak in.

The denial in her voice.
The condescending head pat.
The hard edge to her eyes.
It all fit.

Our thoughts always seeming on the same track, Jace turned to me with sad eyes, "Nicole, you realize what's going on here right?"

I slowly nodded my head, "Mandy is trying to replace me in Joe's life, and Miley's in on it."