"Love is Like A Glass Door..."

Penn Sutherland's Pov

Outside the lobby windows in the hotel, the sky was brightening up and everything was cast in a bluish glow. It was just a little after 7 and, you know, those hotel people really like waking us up early for breakfast- and I do not plan to miss it. Plus, waking up so early felt... magical. Everything's just so fresh and new and serene.

Connor had woken me up around six thirty and told me to get dressed. He had his shirt off, exposing his well-toned abs and burly chest. Usually it didn't bother me, but now... Well, now, it was like, if Nick just had happened to walk into the room, it would look like I was cheating on him with this repulsively older dude. I mean, Connor's hot and all, but I have morals I choose to stand by, which include not cheating on anyone, especially if you have been going out with them for less than a day. And, anyway, I plan to use this sudden connection to the Jonas brothers to my advantage. Did you honestly think that I was going soft? I still have a mission, and that was to expose their imperfections to the rest of the world.

Well, back to Connor. I guess I should explain...

You see, Connor is, without doubt, my best and most treasured friend I've ever had. We know each other from the drama club at school. He's into poetry and expression and dramatic stuff, and I'm into, well, being someone else, if you hadn't noticed yet. Right now I'm in the eighth grade, and Connor's in the twelfth (we go to a secondary private school). He's 20 years old. He told me he had missed most of the first grade because he was at the hospital with serious asthma issues. And then he had to repeat the seventh grade because his mom didn't think he was ready to be promoted to the eighth. So here we are.

Connor has dark, straight brown hair that's layered and covers his eyes a little bit, giving him a deep and mysterious look. He wears a pair of rimless glasses, and behind them are a pair of gorgeous hazel eyes. He wears a skullcap when he's out of the house (I don't know why- self consciousness?) and he's kinda skinny.

And before you ask, yes, Connor McPhearson is gay, and he wants everyone to accept that.

If you ever meet him, first thing he does is shake your hand and say, "Hey, I'm Connor, and I'm gay." You gotta admit, dude's got guts. He's not really all sunshine and rainbows-ha ha- it's just that... he isn't interested in girls like everybody else. Other than that, he's just an ordinary Joe. A really hot ordinary Joe.

After getting dressed and brushing our teeth, Connor and I joined everyone downstairs in the dinning area that was next to the outdoor pool. The tables were for two people each, so we reserved our spot and then went to the serving bar.

Everything there looked pretty good. I chose the basic stuff like toast and cereal and some yogurt and orange juice. Connor had pretty much all toast and fruit- he's a bread freak like me.

We sat down and plopped down our plates. After a few moments of eating, Connor looked up from an orange slice he was working on and I could see the curiosity in his eyes as he looked at me.

"You know, it's rude to stare," I said.

"I was just wondering... Why were you so late coming in last night?"

I leaned forward with that 'I-got-a-secret-to-tell-you' look on my face. "Well... I had plans with a certain person I would like to call Nick Jonas."

Connor looked straight-up shocked. His hazel eyes blazed, like an ember, with excitement. "You didn't!" -Okay, that sounded just a little gay.

I grinned and nodded. "I sure as hell did."

"The whole interview and everything? Dang."

If you're wondering how he knows, my invisible friends, there's this thing called e-mail. And a bet. I'm pretty sure you can guess what happened based off of that.

"So....?" Connor said expectantly.

I scraped the bottom of my yogurt container. "So what?"

"Do you have it taped like you said you would?"

"Yup. The hand-held is in the room," I said, referring to the camera I had used during the interview.

"Let me see it!"

"Hold on. Later." I took a croissant from his plate and tore off a large hunk. Connor continued to stare.

"What?" I asked coolly.

"Why do I feel," he said slowly, "that you aren't telling me everything?"

I felt that grin build up on my face.

"Because..."

"Penny," he said impatiently. A little side note- Connor is the only person I ever let call me Penny on a daily basis. Understood?

"Because," I repeated, "I'm coming over to where they're staying Sunday." Connor opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off and said firmly,"And you're coming with me."

Connor closed him mouth and it formed into a grin similar to my own. "Sounds like a plan," he said. Hidden behind his layered bangs and his glasses, his eyes glinted with almost a sinister glow.

Alright y'all, I have to tell you something- and don't laugh, but- Connor sorta has a... thing for Kevin. Don't laugh!

I shook my head. "Don't try anything, Connor." But as I said it, I had trouble keeping a serious face; so obviously, I wanted him to try something.

We grinned at each other like two madmen with a plan.

-Actually, scratch that. Two madwomen, with something up our sleeves.

---

After breakfast, Connor and I went back to the room to hang out.

"So." I said after a few minutes. Real conversation starter.

"So...." Connor replied lazily.

"What's going on at home?" We lived in California.

"Nothing much- Except Nikki's acting like a slutty bitch, as usual."

"No surprise there." Nikki Perez is... ugh, repulsive. Annoying. Preppy. Don't get me started on her.

"Oh, and she dyed her hair brown." Nikki's hair had been an ugly, artificial-looking greenish-blond. About time she changed it.

"Anything else?"

"Nope."

"So what are we gonna do while we're here? Fall break ends on the 23rd."

"I don't know, sightseeing?" I slouched back into the armchair. This is ridiculous. Being bored, in France?!.

Connor must have been reading my mind, because then he said, "Eh, we should, probably. So we can get back home and brag about it to everyone." I smiled.

"And," he added, "we can tell everyone how we met the oh-so loved JoBros."

I threw my pillow at him and giggled. "Don't ever say that god-forsaken name in my presence! I mean, seriously, what idiot came up with 'JoBros'?!" I snorted. "If I were one of them, I'd start suing people."

Connor laughed. "Would you, now?"

"Yes, I would! For every single person who has said that name shall pay up. Starting with you. Connor McPhearson, you now owe me 2,000 dollars, cash."

He snorted. "Psh, please," he said with a wave of his hand. "You can take that 2,000 and stick it where Nick can't see it."

I giggled again and threw another pillow at him. He ducked his head and chuckled. It was then that I remembered something. I covered my mouth and got that OMG look on my face.

"What?"

"Oh my god! I forgot to tell you."

"What?"

"Nick and I," I said carefully.

"-Are going out!" Connor finished. Check it out, y'all. We finish each other's sentences, too.

I nodded my head quickly and hugged tight yet another pillow.

"Penny Adelia Sutherland!"

"What?"

"You know very well what! The dude's flippin' 18!"

"So....?" I shrugged away the fact.

He paused. "Does he know?" he asked quietly. He was talking about my age.

"Uh, uh... Not quite..."

"I'm gonna love watching this," he said as a smile broke out on his face. "This One Tree Hill mess you've got going on." Connor, Connor, Connor. Tsk, tsk. The poor guy can't keep his hands off of some crazy drama.

"Why?" he asked suddenly.

"Why what?"

"Why did you say yes?"

"Because. I get to be that famous dude's girlfriend. World wide, babe."

"Oh, so you did it just for publicity?" he asked with a sarcastic tone.

"Not just that... I guess..." I replied thoughtfully. "He's... sweet. And funny and retarded and so. Freaking. Hot." I swung my feet and downcast my eyes shyly as I admitted this. I could feel myself blushing. "And.." I added sadly, "...Naive..." I suddenly felt guilty.

"Oh my god."

I looked up quickly. "What?"

"Oh my god." He repeated, as if he couldn't believe whatever the hell he was talking about. Then he poked me in the ribs and said:

"You've gone soft! For Nick Jonas! OH. MY. GOD!" he finished and burst out in laughter.

Whoa. He's right. I have gone soft for him...

CRAP.