The Good Life

Kayden’s P.O.V.

I walked into my closet and picked out a navy blue V-neck dress that had a collar and three-quarter length cuffed sleeves that fell a couple inches above my knee. Think of a button up oxford shirt except longer and fitted. I put on my silver flip flops and bangles and silver bangles, sprayed some perfume and then heard the doorbell.

I grabbed my yellow hobo bag and headed for the door, checking my appearance one last time in the mirror next to the door and opened it. There he was, looking amazingly gorgeous, just as I expected he would look. I gave him a warm smile in which he immediately returned. “Shall we?” he said while reaching for my hand that I gladly gave to him. “Oh wait my phone.” I said as I turned around. Bad move. I tripped on the threshold and went crashing to the floor, hitting my cheek bone on the floor.

“Oh shit.” I said as I sat up and grabbed my face. “Owww.” I felt tears welling up in my eyes but I didn’t want to let the, out in front of Joe.

“Kayden.” He said as he got done on my level and cupped my face in his hands and turned it to the side. “It’s really red but it looks like its starting to bruise.”

‘Oh God it hurts so bad. I just want to cry. I’m not going to cry in front of him. Don’t cry Kayden.’

Just then Joe ran his hand over my cheek and pushed down a bit. I yelped in pain forcing a few tears to fall down my face.

He looked me in the eyes, “K, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.” His voice was low and he began to wipe my tears with his thumbs.

“So what do you say you go change out of that dress and we stay here, watch movies and order take out?” he suggested.

“What you don’t want to be seen out with a girl with a huge bruise on her face and everyone think your beating up on me?” I said with a sly smile.

“Yeah that’s it, how could I ever take out someone as hideous as you, that’d just be put of the question.” He said while laughing and pulled me to my feet, “You go change and I’ll pick the movies.”

I walked into my room and pulled my dress off and walked to my drawer I put on a pair of Vitoria’s Secret teal capri sweatpants with pink down the side in yellow and pulled on a plain white V-neck t-shirt that didn’t quite meet the top of my pants showing off a bit of my tan, toned midriff. I looked in the full length mirror on my closet door and nodded satisfied with my appearance. I headed back to the living room to find Joe sitting on the floor in front of my TV looking at the movies stacked in the space under the TV in the entertainment center.

“Can’t pick one?”

“Nope, I have my ideas, I’m just not sure yet.” He said as I walked over to the closet and pulled out my old comforter and drug it to the couch and plopped down and sunk into the cushions.

He looked at me over his shoulder, and pouted, “You’re not going to help me?”

“No way, I’m injured, you pick by yourself.”

“Fine, this or this one?” He said while holding up Without a Paddle and The Goonies.

“Aww man, umm, The Goonies.” He smiled, “Yes, that’s what I hoped you’d say.” He put the movie in and came and settled next to me on the couch.

We watched about half of the movie and then we started talking about random things. Some how our conversation turned into twenty questions.

“No you go first, it was your idea, Joe.”

“Yeah but I asked you first.”

“Fine, what’s your favorite color?”

“Blue, What’s your favorite movie, ever?”

“Forrest Gump, favorite vacation spot?”

“Mountains, hometown?

“Denver, Colorado, favorite Disney character?”

“Umm, Chip and Dale, favorite thing to do?”

“Go to the zoo, favorite thing?”

“The zoo? That’s real cute K.” He laughed, “and sunglasses, favorite animal?”

“Zebras, umm I don’t know I don’t want to play anymore.”

“Alright, now what?”

I shrugged my shoulders and looked at him, then he stood up. “What are you doing?” I asked confused, I thought he was going to leave.

“It’s really hot in here.” He answered me as he began to unbutton his shirt and pulled it off leaving his royal blue t-shirt on revealing his perfectly toned arms. I couldn’t help but stare at him. He looked down and sat back down, a little closer than before which caused me to smile.

He looked at my and softly touched my face, “How does it feel?”

“It’s starting to get really sore but I think I’ll be good.”

“Good, need anything?” he said as he drug his finger along my jaw line causing goose bumps to arise on my arms and a chill to go down my spine.

“No, I’m good, thanks though, I’m really sorry we weren’t able to go on our date, I feel really bad.”

“Don’t even start, I didn’t care what we did I just wanted to be around you.” He said as he blushed and looked down.

I smiled. This guy was really into me. I could say the exact same thing about him, I don’t know what it was but I’ve known the kid for two whole days and when he wasn’t around I thought about him and when he is around I’m happy, genuinely happy, happier than I’ve been in a long time, and I liked it, I liked the feeling of butterflies in my stomach when he was around. I was falling for this guy, and fast. I found myself wanting to know more about him every time he opened his mouth.

A silence fell between us as I watched as he played with the edge of the comforter sitting on his lap still blushing from the comment he made about me earlier, it wasn’t an awkward silence more of a comfortable silence, I decided to break it, “So, tell me your life story, Jonas.”

He looked up at me and smiled and began to tell me of his first memories, funny stories about he and his brothers, where he grew up, what he did as a kid, when he first knew that he wanted to sing, how he developed his mad dance skills, the story of how nick got discovered, then how they became a band, their transition from Columbia Records to Hollywood Records, the past tours they’ve been on, the new songs their writing, his inspirations, things he loves, things he hates, things that make him laugh, things that make him cry. He poured his heart out to me and I loved every second of it. The facial expressions he made and the passion in his eyes as he talked about his life and his feelings, it was amazing.

By this time the menu for The Goonies had been playing over and over but neither of us noticed or even cared, he finished his story and looked at me, “So what about you KB, let’s hear the story of your life.”

“Alright, I’m just going to warn you now, it’s not all cupcakes and fairytales.”

“I don’t care K, I just want to know about you, tell me the story, what made you what you are today?”

I smiled and began to tell him everything. I told him about dancing when I was little, and daytrips I took with my grandparents, I told him about growing up, schools I went to, everything I loved, things that made me mad, things that made me sad, movies that made me cry, friends I made in my life, friends I lost and the greatest loss off all, I told him about my mom, I let it all out, I told him how much I loved her and how much I missed her and how I just wanted her to be there for me, I told him how it’s been just me and my dad ever since she died and how I just wanted her back, and before I knew it his arms were wrapped around me and I was crying into his shirt as he stroked my hair cooing comforting words into my ear.

This is when I realized it, he really cared, I was a mess and he just wanted to comfort me, and make it alright. He was perfect.

I pulled away from him and wiped my eyes and started to apologize, “I’m sorry Joe I just--” He put his finger to my lips and shook his head, “No K, you’re amazing, the fact that you stayed strong for so long and pulled yourself through that with just your dad there, it’s amazing.”

I smiled at him and lightly punched his shoulder, “Thanks Joe, it really means a lot to me that you actually care, you’re a really good guy.”

He smiled at me and pulled me under his arm, “Aww K, no problem, this has been the most fun I’ve had in a really long time, and it’s all because of you.” He said while flicking my nose.

I laughed and just leaned into him, he was so warm and—ooh something’s vibrating. He shifted as he pulled his phone out his pocket, “What up bro?” I could hear who I thought was Kevin on the other line, “Dude, where are you? Mom’s worried.” I looked at the clock and saw that it read 12:47. Holy shit he’s been here for 6 hours. I watched as his eyes made their way to the clock on the cable box and go wide. “Oh dude, I’m with Kayden, time got away from me, I’ll be there in a few minutes.” He paused, “Ok tell her I’ll be there, ok bye.”

I lifted myself from under his arm and looked at him and pursed my lips and said “Well Mr. Jonas, it’s late and I suggest you get home before your mom decides she hates me.”

“Oh believe me, she won’t hate you, your most definitely not hateable.” He said with a smile, “but unfortunately I do have to go, and we both have to be at work in the morning so I suggest you get to bed my dear.”

He got up and I walked him to the door and he turned and wrapped his arms around me in a warm hug as I wrapped my arms around his waist and whispered into his shoulder, “Drive safe, and text message me when you get home.” I always asked people to do this because of what happened to my mother, Joe nodded his head and released me from his grasp and turned to the door, “See you tomorrow KB.”

Over the next month Joe and I became inseparable, we tried to hang out every day when he wasn’t busy doing an interview or photo shoot with his brothers.

My face got better, but it seemed to take to long, Nick and Kevin would not leave me alone about it and the two officially now called me Trip which was confusing because of my uncle, but whatever i took it. It was kind of funny i have to admit. Joe refused to call me Trip, he knew better and he tried to defend me when Nick and Kevin made fun of me which caused them to make fun of him, which made me laugh. He was so cute; and I made sure to tell him i thought so every day.

Kevin, Nick and the rest of the Jonas family became my family away from home since my uncle wasn’t married and was rarely at his house. I usually went to their house and ate dinner and hung out. Nick and Kevin constantly nagged at Joe and I asking when we were just going to admit that we were madly inlove with each other and finally get together but we just ignored them and enjoyed the time we had together. Although, it was pretty clear how Joe and I felt about each other, neither of us had made a move on the other. The time just wasn't right, and we both felt it.

One day after work Joe and I decided to go grab dinner, we left the studio and went to eat at the café down the street. We ate and talked, it was nice, just enjoying each other's company. When we finished Joe drove me back to my car and we exchanged goodbyes and I climbed into my car and made my way to my house.

I pulled in the driveway and walked to the front door and saw that it was already cracked open, I racked by brain trying to remember if I locked the door this morning but distinctly remembered doing it. I didn’t know what to do so I called Joe…

It rang twice before he picked up, “KB what’s up?”

“…Joe.” I said in a shaky voice, on the verge of tears.

He must of realized it because he became more alert, “Kayden? What’s wrong? Where are you?”

“I’m at my house, I just got home and my front door’s open, I didn’t know who to call—”

“I’ll be there in five minutes, get back in your car and lock the door.”

“Okay, bye.” I got in my car and locked the doors like Joe told me to do.

In less than five minutes he was in my driveway and making his way to my car.

“Stay here, I’m going in.”

“Joe, don’t you think we should call someone?”

“K, I got this, don’t worry.”

I watched as he walked into the house, I waited and waited and it seemed like he’d been gone for hours. I couldn’t do this. I got out of the car and walked towards the door and slipped inside, I walked around through the foyer/living room into the kitchen, down the hall and back into the living room, right in front of the stairs, everything seemed to be in order downstairs and I couldn’t find Joe or hear him, which worried me.

I started to climb the stairs and called his name, no answer; I went straight ahead into the extra bedroom and checked the room and connecting bathroom, nothing. I walked out and made my way to my bedroom door and called his name once again as I walked down the hall, still no answer, I reached the door and felt my heart start to pound in my chest. I turned the doorknob and squeezed my eyes shut, scared of what I would find, I pushed the door forward as soon as the door was fully open I slowly opened my eyes preparing for the worst.

I took in the scene around me and my hand flew to my mouth, I felt the tears welling up in my eyes…

“…Joe?”