A New Playing Field

Megan's POV

I woke up in Nick’s arms around 9. I am so thankful for what he did for me last night. Not everyone would get out of bed at 3 in the morning and drive in pouring rain to comfort their terrified girlfriend. I wish I wasn’t so afraid. I wish I wasn’t watching out the window that day. But I can’t change what I saw and I can't change the result of it.

I picked up my phone and had a new voicemail and a new text. The voicemail was Coach canceling official practice. Because of the weather, she decided to give us the day off. I looked at the text.

1 Received Text Message: Joe Jonas
8:00 am- Dude girl, what happened in the wee hours of this morning?
1 Sent Text Message: Joe Jonas
9:02 am- My practice got canceled today. When Nick gets up, we’ll come over for breakfast. I’ll explain then.

I tried to move as little as possible, but I guess I moved more than I thought. Nick let out a big sigh and his eyes slowly fluttered open.

“Good morning, Megan," Nick said, in an "I just woke up" kind of way. It was absolutely adorable.

“Hey hunny, did I wake you? I’m sorry.” Nick pulled me closer.

“Don’t worry about it.” He kissed me. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, thanks to you. I got a text from Joe. He said they’re a little confused at your house. I told him when you woke up we would go to your house for breakfast and explain.”

“We better go now then,” Nick said standing up. “Our first of three call-in interviews is at 11. When is Nate coming over?”

“1 o’clock.” I threw on some decent clothes and freshened up.

I drove myself to Nick’s house. We entered the house from the garage, hands intertwined. The whole family was in the kitchen. While eating homemade waffles, I explained to the Jonas’ the whole deal from my phobia to my savior, Nick. Denise and Paul were proud of Nick for what he did. I would have thought they would have been angry he technically snuck out of the house at 3 am.

After breakfast, I left the boys to their interview preparations. I cleaned up the house a little bit because I know Nate, and I knew he was going to want a house tour. I changed into tan shorts and a navy blue and white striped tank top. I watched TV while I waited for Nate.

The doorbell went off at 1 o’clock on the dot. I opened the door and there stood the boy who I hadn’t talked to since he broke my heart nine months ago. I looked into the ocean blue eyes I haven’t looked into in nine months. Nate’s sandy blonde hair was just as it used to be, straight and medium length.

“I see you still have your promptness,” I said.

“Hey Megan. You, you look great.”

I could tell Nate wanted a hug. I held out my hand. He looked at my hand, looked at my face, and shook my hand. He stepped inside and I shut the door. He looked around in all directions.

“Your house in New Jersey was nice, but this house, this is awesome. Can I have a tour?”

“I knew you’d ask.” I ended the tour in the backyard and we sat at the patio table.

“So yeah, this is my house.”

“It seems like you have a really great life out here.”

“I wouldn’t change a thing.”

“Except that you can’t go out in public anymore?”

“Maybe I would change that. It comes with the territory I guess.” There was an awkward silence.

“Not a day went by that I didn’t miss you, Megan. There were so many times that I wanted to just pick up the phone and call, but I couldn’t.”

“Why’d you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Oh come on, Nate. You threw away two years after a month. Why’d you do it?”

“I don’t know. I am so sorry. It’s the biggest regret of my life, believe me. I know I was stupid. I would do anything for your forgiveness.”

“I forgive you because I moved on. I look at our relationship as a learning experience now.”

There was another awkward silence.

"So how’d you do during the thunder storm last night?”

“Eh, no one was home. They’re visiting Mike this weekend. I freaked out, as always. I called my boyfriend at 3 in the morning and he was here in twenty minutes, so I was fine after that.”

“Oh, the rock star. I saw you guys on Jay Leno. How’s that going?”

“His name is Nick and things are incredible. He and his brothers are coming over later, maybe you’ll meet them.”

“That’d be cool. Do they have any tours coming up?”

“They leave next week for about three months.”

“Long distance, huh? I thought you said you learned from our relationship.” I looked Nate straight in the eyes and glared at him.

“Long distance works if both people are committed to each other and don’t go looking for someone else after one month of trying.” Nate sensed my attitude.

“I deserved that, I’m sorry.” I nodded.

“So what about you? Are you dating?”

“I’m sort of seeing Katie.”

“Katie Fischer?” Nate nodded.

I was nothing but nice to that girl, yet she never liked me. I played soccer with her when we were younger and she was always giving me attitude. I to this day have no idea why she dislikes me so much.

“We’ve only gone out a few times though.”

“She never liked me.”

“She told me that she has been jealous of you since elementary school.”

“Oh, really? Well I guess that would explain it. I had no idea know. So are you hungry?”

“Yes, definitely.” We went into the kitchen and grabbed the necessary barbeque items. I put two hamburgers on the grill. As we ate, we talked more.

“So how are people at home?”

“Pretty good. Tara still gives me dirty looks. Those looks are deathly.” I laughed.

“She was as mad as I was that day.”

“Why?”

“Because her best friend was humiliated in front of everyone. Because the guy she trusted with her best friend’s heart for two years broke it.”

“Okay,” Nate cut me off. “If you're trying to make me feel bad, you succeeded a long time ago.” My phone vibrated in my pocket, signaling a new text. I laughed as I read it.

1 Received Text Message: Colin Gibson
2:12 pm- How’s the jerk?
1 Sent Text Message: Colin Gibson
2:14 pm- Apologizing and stuff. Nick is coming over soon. Can you say confrontation!?

“Sorry, that was Colin.”

“How is Colin?”

“Honestly, Colin is not your number one fan. He was appalled that I was letting you come to the house. But otherwise, he’s been better. Last week he was actually diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.”

“No way, really? That’s gotta be rough.”

“Yeah, Nick has Diabetes too, so he and his family have been very supportive.”

“Well that’s good.” My phone vibrated again. This time it was a call from Nick.

“Excuse me a second.” Nate nodded. I answered the call. “Hey you…eh… yes…come around back…I love you, too…bye.” Nate was looking at his plate.

“Nick, Joe, and Kevin are coming over.”

“You love him?” I was caught off guard. Why does Nate care?

“Yeah I do.”

“You’ve been with him for like a month. It took you a year to say it to me.”

“Things are different.”

That’s all I could think to say. What was I supposed to say to something like that? Nick is a better person than you? We were younger then?

I asked Nate about his family to ease the tension. He was in mid-sentence when the gate to the backyard opened. Joe came jogging into the backyard. I started laughing but then stopped because I knew this was going be very, in the words of Joe, AWKWARD!