Days of Summer

“Oh my gosh! I look like such a dork!” I laughed out as Kevin, Tina, Nick, Frankie and myself all watched the video Nick made yesterday at the beach.

“We look like dorks.” Tina said with a laugh as she slung an arm around my shoulder and pulled me into her. “But that’s what makes life fun.”

She gave me a quick peck on the cheek and I couldn’t help but beam at her.

For once, I felt like the old me again.

Laughing, joking around and a genuinely happy person.

“I swear, I thought someone was gonna call the cops cuz you guys looked so crazy.” Nick laughed out and he rewound the tape and pressed play again to show Tina and I’s dance while we yelled the song ‘Nine in the Afternoon’ by Panic! At the Disco.

“It’s good to have you back Joe.” Nick said, jumping up slightly in his seat next to mine and wrapped and arm around my neck and pulled me into him for a noogie.

I laughed for a few minutes before pushing him off of me and he let go.

“To be honest, it feels really good to be back. Thanks for putting up with me for the last year and all your help these last couple of days.” I said, smiling widely at my brothers.

I knew and they knew, I wasn’t completely over her but for the time being, I was good.

And it was a start.

Even the hole in my chest seemed to have closed up a little, making it easier for me to breath.

“Joey…can I ask you something?” Frankie asked while he flipped onto his stomach and cupped his face in his hands while his elbows propped him up.

“Sure. What’s up?” I asked, my smile never faltering and trust me, it felt great to smile after not really doing so for the last year.

“Well, what was up with that jewelry box that we found the other day?”

And right there, my smile fell from my face and all the happiness and laughter that filled the room was sucked out.

I pressed my lips together and licked them quickly. Remembering the day I bought that bracelet.

“Hey Kev?” I asked him as he sat on the couch in front of the TV and I made my way into the living room.

“Hmm?” he asked, turning his head slightly to the side to look at me before turning his attention back to the TV.

Today the girls were spending the day with Allie’s Dad and Step-mother since they didn’t really spend too much time with them considering they were with us for the last 3 weeks.

Leaving us bored out of our minds and in a small state of depression.

Mom and Dad were gone for the day because of some business meeting and Nick took Frankie to his soccer game. Which was weird because Nick never volunteered to willingly go outside since fans always noticed his curly mop of hair.

“I want to get Allie something special. Feel like going shopping with me for a little bit?” I asked as I hopped over the back of the couch and landed with a soft thud right next to him.

“I guess. Nothing really is on TV anyways.” he sighed out and turned the TV off before getting up and grabbing his wallet and phone off the end table.

I smiled widely up at him and got up from the couch myself while making sure I had my wallet and phone in my pockets before we exited the house and made our way towards his car to go to the mall.

We called Big Rob on the way and told him to meet us there, just so that we would have sort of protection along with our spare sunglasses and hats we always had in Kevin’s car.

We quickly put them on before entering the mall, Big Rob keeping a few feet in front of us to block anyone coming from head on and to not get us noticed because, let’s face it. You’d know we were here if Big Rob was here. He isn’t the kind of guy that just blends in well.

He walked a few feet in front of us, checking back every once in a while when someone walked past him who gave him a suspicious eye and Kevin and I tried to contain our laughter for every glare he was sending someone when looking to check on us.

As we were walking past a jewelry store, I caught it out of the corner of my eye.

The perfect gift that practically had a sign above it saying, “This was made for Allie.”

I had to get it. It was the ‘something special’ I wanted to get her.

I grabbed Kevin’s arm and he practically flew back into me from the sudden jerk of momentum and we both flew into the wall while his little bag with Tina’s shirt that he had bought her that said, ‘I’ll make you cry.’ written on it because of how she made the little boy cry when she was wearing the Spongebob outfit, hit me in the leg.

“What’s up man?” Kevin practically yelled at me, but I just smiled up at him and then down at showcase where the bracelet was and he instantly knew.

“Yeah. She’d defiantly like that.” he said, smile on his face and he straightened himself out a little bit as Big Rob came over to see if we were ok.

“We’re fine. Just wanted to stop and get this for a special girl.” I said to him while making my way inside he store and getting a employee’s attention while Kevin looked around.

“Man…Tina’s gonna hate this shirt now. Maybe I should get her something…” he trailed off when I came over to him, my purchase in the bag that I was clasping onto for dear life.

I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to give it to her. The only question was a matter of when would I give it to her?

But my thoughts were put to a halt when Kevin’s excited voice brought me back to reality.

“I’m so getting that for her. It’s perfect!” he stated while practically breaking his finger from pointing down through the top of the glass showcase to a sliver bracelet that had about 10 hearts on it, each with a diamond in the center of one.

“Dude…you totally copied my idea!” I yelled back at him while scoffing a little bit.

“No I didn’t. And even if I did, you should be proud that I wanted to get something just like you. It would’ve been a good idea.”

“You mean it is a good idea!” I snapped back at him while some employees tried to stifle their laughter at our little tiff. “I got a bracelet and now you got one for Tina. You totally took my idea.”

“Whatever Joe. Then just be proud you thought of such a good idea. Ok?”

I stood there, my anger slowly decreasing since he did bring up a good point.

I had a good idea and he followed it. That practically never happened.

Me having a good idea that is.

“Fine. But I’m giving mine to her before she leaves. Just so she can have something to remember me by when she’s back in Massachusetts.” I snapped back at him and he scoffed a little.

“Fine. Whatever Joe. I’ll give Tina her’s when we get back. But I’m warning you, it’ll make you look bad that I got her two things and gave them too her right away and you didn’t get Allie anything.”

He had a point. He always did. And I cringed internally for having such a smarter older brother.

Why couldn’t I be the oldest?!

“Ugh. Neither of us can give them the bracelets until they leave. That way it’ll make us both look good.” I stated.

He smiled and laughed at me a little bit before shaking his head and turning to leave the store after grabbing his bag from the worker and Big Rob lead the way again around the mall.

“Crap! Ok. Be there in a half hour!” Nick’s voice brought me out of my flashback and I looked over at him with questioning eyes to see him on the phone and holding up his index finger to us to indicate to wait a minute.

I looked over at Kevin and Tina to see them both looking at Nick with the same questioning look and Frankie looking up at me with curious eyes, wanting to know about the bracelet.

I quickly scanned Tina’s wrists and saw the bracelet Kevin had gotten her resting on top of her skin and a small pang of jealously ran through me and opened up that hole in my chest to the original size it was to begin with.

Why? Why couldn’t I be happy?

“Alright. And sorry. We’ll be there ASAP.” and with that, Nick hung up his phone and jumped up from the couch, making me snap my head towards him to figure out what was going on.

“So I guess we had to be down at Paramount Studios today to practice for our performance for the VMA’s. Let’s go! We’re already late!”

We all snapped up from where we were seated and started to scramble to get our stuff together when Tina let out an “Uh oh.” quietly from where she was looking at her phone.

“What? What’s wrong?” Kevin asked her hurriedly and going to her to see if everything was alright.

She sent me a quick glance before looking down at her phone that was in her hands and handed it to Kevin who must’ve read a text message because he looked over at me with that same look she gave me a few seconds before.

I looked at them both with confused eyes but didn’t get the chance to ask them what was going on because Nick grabbed my arm and pulled me out the front door, both Tina and Kevin in tow and Frankie was already bouncing up and down in the front seat.

* * * * *

“Alright, so that’s basically it. You guys did great today. Besides being late, but really. You guys did great. But just remember that at the actual performance you boys will have fans coming at you from all directions but they will be warned not to get too rowdy and there will be extra security. But thank you boys and have a good rest of the night.” the head production guy named Thomas Penske said to us and then turned towards a group of workers and started ordering them to set up for Pink’s performance of ‘So What.’

“This place is sooooo cool! Do you think we could walk around a little bit?” Frankie asked us, giving us his big round puppy dog eyes that no one could ever say no to.

“Let me go ask Penske. I’ll be right back.” I said to him, sending him a hopeful smile and turned towards the man but then decided it would be better if Frankie came with me to give his puppy eyes.

“Frank. Come with.” I said while motioning him with my hand and started towards the guy when I heard his little footsteps coming from behind me.

“Ummm….Mr. Penske?” I asked nervously.

You would be too if you saw this guy. He didn’t look intimidating physically, but with his clipboard and microphone wrapped around his ear with his transmitter sitting on the top of his jeans, it made him look like an important person. That and the fact that he controlled everyone else around him.

“Frankie here was just wondering if we could walk around a bit. Just to see some of the sets. But only if that’s ok with you.” I stated and nodded down towards Frankie who was giving him the puppy dog eyes.

Penske let out a loud sigh after a couple of minutes and turned his head away from Frankie and we both tried our hardest not to let our smiles be noticed.

Yep. He was definitely my brother.

“Fine. But don’t go near this area here….” he stated and pointed off behind us towards a brown brick building. “And this area here.” an apartment complex with black balconies hanging off underneath some windows to make it look like downtown New York.

“Thank you Sir.” I said with a gracious smile and nod of my head before Frankie squealed with delight from being able to run amuck all the scenes he watches on TV from some of his shows.

I turned back around and we started our back towards Kevin, Nick and Tina who were huddled closely together and all having their backs towards us somewhat.

I felt a small pang of mischievousness run through my body and put a hand out in front of Frankie to stop him when we were a good few feet away from three.

He looked up at me, eyebrows furrowed from confusion and I let a small smirk come across my face while putting my index finger up to my lips to indicate to be quiet.

He smirked up at me and nodded quickly before we both made our way as quietly as possible on our tiptoes towards them, getting ready to scare them.

I had to admit, it was nice having a little bit of my prankster ways coming back to me and following them through with my actions.

At least, it was nice until I was able to pick up on some of their conversation.

“She’s here? Like here in Cali? How is that possible?” Kevin’s hushed voice asked nervously and quite erratic.

“Yes here in Cali. Who did you think I was talking about when I was staying with a friend after tomorrow?” Tina whisper yelled at him while lightly hitting him upside the head.

“But that doesn’t make any sense of why she would be here.” Kevin continued.

I imagined Nick looked a little confused at the moment or he was deep in thought about this new predicament that we had found ourselves in.

I knew that they were talking about her. It all clicked since they were attempting to be so hush-hush about it now and how they reacted to Tina’s phone.

She must have text her or something. And she was back.

“Kayla is off who knows where since she’s a college student now and her dad and step mom wanted to take a vacation so she’s staying at their house to baby sit her half sister Julia. I’m going over there tomorrow to help her since they left yesterday and I’ll be staying with her for another two weeks or so before I go back. She’s staying the whole rest of the summer and possibly- Uh oh.”

She looked up and saw me standing there, my eyes wide filled with this new information I just overheard.

“She’s….she’s here?” I asked them. It felt like all my breath got knocked out of my lungs when none of them answered me and I knew that meant it was a definite yes.

A whole bunch of emotions ran though me.

Hope. Hurt. Despair. Happiness. Anger.

My head was spinning at the fact that it could have very well been her at the beach yesterday.

The girl did have the same color hair as her and she was playing with what looked like a little girl about the age of 2 or 3. And I could’ve bet my life on it that I heard her laugh yesterday. And not I my head.

Yes. She was back.

But at the moment, I didn’t know if it was a good thing.