A New Playing Field

Nick's POV

"Nick, come here!" Joe yelled from his room. I left my room and walked to his. Joe was at his desk looking at his laptop, probably googling himself. "You might want to see this." Joe was on Perez Hilton, reading his latest post about...me and Selena?!

Not only did he write we are a couple, but there is a picture of me kissing Selena on the cheek. My heart sank when I saw that picture. My mouth went dry. I couldn't swallow.

"Where is that picture from?!"

"That was from that Disney launch party last year, remember?"

"This is bad, isn't it?"

"It looks bad. You have to explain it to Megan. You better tell her yourself before she sees it," Joe said.

"You're right. I should do that now," I said walking towards the door.

"Good luck bro," Joe said as I crossed the hall into my room. I sat on my bed, took a deep breath, and dialed Megan's number.

Megan’s POV

I woke up the next morning around 10 am. The sun was shining bright and it was yet another beautiful California day. The Jonas Brothers and I had to be at Jay Leno’s studio by 4 pm, but it’s not far at all. I was excited to be interviewed with them. Jay’s humor plus Joe’s humor equals a definite good time!

I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth. After I turned the water off, I heard Kristen call my name. I opened the door in the bathroom that led to her room. She was sitting on her bed with her laptop.

“Good morning Kris,” I said.

“Good morning. How was your reunion last night?”

“Fantastic,” I said with a smile.

“Aww, you’re blushing!” I was sitting on the end of Kristen’s bed thinking while she typed away on her computer. All of a sudden, she gasped. Her mouth was open and she was staring at the computer.

“What are you looking at?”

“Perez Hilton.”

“What does it say?” She turned the computer so it was facing me. That’s when I saw the headline, “YOUNGEST JONAS FINDS HIMSELF A GIRL!” There is no way they found out about Nick and me! My heart began to race, but then I saw the picture with the post.

It wasn’t a picture of me and Nick. It was Nick and…Selena Gomez. At first, I had no doubt in my mind that it was just a rumor. But then I saw the picture. Nick was kissing Selena on the cheek. My heart wanted this to be a rumor, but my brain was telling me that the picture right in front of me is proof. I'm a professional soccer player, yet I had never felt so played in my life.

That was the last thought I had before my phone started ringing. “Talk about timing,” I said to Kristen.

“Hello?”

“Megan, if you have any idea what I'm talking about, I promise to God it's not true."

"I just finished reading it," I said unenthusiastically.

“I don't even remember when that picture was taken. Joe had to remind me. It's from a Disney launch party last year. Yeah, I had a crush on her at the time it was taken, but it was taken before I even met you, before I even heard of you." I could hear sincerety and worry in Nick's voice. Maybe he is telling the truth. Or maybe I'm just falling more into his trap.

“Nick,” I said, trying to interrupt him, but I failed, and he continued.

“I would never cheat on anyone, especially someone like you. You have to believe me. When Joe told me about the article, I freaked out. I don’t want you to be mad or—”

“NICK,” I screamed.

“What?”

“Can I say something?”

“Of course. I’m sorry.”

"I believe you."

"You do?" Nick questioned.

"Now you're making it sound like I shouldn't."

"Come on, I didn't mean it like that. Do you want to talk to Joe? He'll tell you I'm not with her." When Nick said this, I thought this could be a sign of the truth or that Joe could easily lie to save his brother. There was a silence. I let out a deep sigh.

"I trust you, Nick. If you say it's a rumor, it's a rumor."

“So everything is okay?”

“I guess.”

“You guess? Megan, if anything is bothering you, please tell me.”

“It’s kind of annoying, but it’s no big deal.”

“It is a big deal. I don’t want you to be annoyed. What’s up?”

“It’s frustrating having the entire country thinking your boyfriend is with another girl.”

“Do you want to go public?” I was caught off guard when he asked this.

“Do you?”

“I asked you first.”

“I mean, I will, but if you aren’t ready, that's fine."

“This isn't only about me."

"I'm not going to make you do something you don't want to do."

"I want people to know that I am not with Selena and that I am with extremely happy with someone else. But you do know that the press is going to be trying to dig up anything and everything about you because people don't really know that much. You haven't been in the public eye like we have. The press is vicious.”

"I'm aware. I don't think they'll find anything worth printing."

“Alright. Public it is then. I have an idea. It’s two words.”

“Umm…I don’t know. Enlighten me please.”

“Jay Leno.”

“You want to announce us on Jay Leno?”

“Why not? I’ll deny the Selena rumors, but then say that I actually do have a girlfriend, and that she’s sitting right next to me.”

“You definitely want to do this?” I asked one more time.

“I am positively sure."

"Okay then."

"Do you want to come over?"

"Sure. Now?"

"Yup."

"Okay, see you in a bit." I hung up the phone. Kristen was staring at me. I looked back at her computer screen.

"Do you think believing him about this was the right thing to do?"

"With the press, you never know what is true and what is false. But, I've talked to Kevin and Joe, and Nick really likes you. So I think you did the right thing." I nodded and stood up. I walked back to my room. I got ready and left to go to Nick's house.