Believe In Me

“I just don’t see why she’s allowed to stay in Nick’s room. I mean, did you see them? They are only kids, mom!”

“Would you relax?”

“Mom! Did you even see the position they were in? Go look and tell me to relax. She needs to be in her own house, in her own bed. Not all over Nick on his own bed!”

“I saw, and she wasn’t ‘all over him’. Honey, they won’t and didn’t do anything. I trust them.” She was making a cup of coffee and a bagel for herself like she does every morning at 6.

“You saw them and didn’t even wake them up?! Are you an idiot?”

She gave him a stern look. “Kevin Jonas! I will not stand here and be called an idiot by my own son! If you want to take your broken heart out on someone, let me tell you it will not be me!”

He pounded his fist on the counter and stormed from the kitchen. Denise sighed and swallowed the first sip of hot bitter coffee. “He better not wake them up,” she whispered to herself.

. . .

Dailee was lying on her side with her head resting on the same spot it was when she fell asleep. Her arm was still draped across his stomach. The only difference about their position was that Nick’s arms kept her securely against him. Kevin opened the door to Nick’s room wider and peered in at the two. He closed his eyes for a second and stepped into the room quietly being careful to step around the blankets that were scattered across the carpet. After taking a deep breath, he looked around the room then settled on Nick’s piano bench. He just gazed at the two sleeping peacefully together. Not too long afterward he started thinking back to his high school years.

She detached her lips from mine slowly and looked me in the eyes. The stars hung over us in the sky on that warm August night. We laid back in the grassy field and stared up at the brightly lit night sky. I pulled her closer as she snuggled into my side. “Skye?”

“Yes, Kevin?”

“I love you with all my heart. You’re the most beautiful, sweetest, and loving girl I have ever met. And I love you.” I kissed the top of her brunette clad head and smiled at myself because I had finally told her. The only thing that would make me happier is if she would just say it back… “Kevin?”

“Yes, Skye?”

“I-I love you, too; forever and always.” I turned her chin up to me and kissed her full on the lips never wanting to part.

. . .

“Kevin, I don’t know if I can do this. You know what? I know I can’t do this. It’s too much for me to handle right now. I’m sorry.” She turned her attention towards the car window. She shook her head and looked at me from the corner of her eye. “Can you take me home, now?”

I was speechless. How could she throw a year and a half away just like that? It just didn’t add up. Didn’t she love me? “No, Skye. You-you can’t mean that. And I’m not taking you home until you eat something. We’ll talk about this over dinner and-”

“No, Kevin. I told you I just can’t do this. Please, just take me home.”

“I’m not moving until you give me a reason, one good reason why you’re breaking up with me.” I had pulled into a parking spot at the restaurant I was going to take her to. I was on the verge of tears, but I wouldn’t let it show of course. “Kevin, you’re going to college. I’m staying here for another year before I even have to. Do you know how hard long distance relationships are? I’m just trying to make things easier for us -”

“Bullshit. Now give me the real reason.” I started to get mad. Why won’t she just tell me why? She would always tell me it didn’t matter if I went to college, we would still be together.

She just looked down at her lap and I saw a tear fall on to her jeans making a spot darker than the rest of the fabric. She managed to choke out an “I can’t.” before turning away and stifling a sob.
“I’m sorry,” I placed a hand on her shoulder. “Did I do something? I can change I swear. Anything. I’ll do absolutely anything, Skye. I can’t lose you. I love you.”

She shook her head. “Please, Kevin. Please take me home now.”

That was the day Skye Corgan told me she stopped loving me.
. . .

Kevin stood from his seat on the piano bench and started to make his way towards the door, fists clenched. He took one last look at the sleeping couple before slamming the door shut, just loud enough to wake them both. Dailee tried to squirm from his grip, but was unsuccessful seeing as he was too content with her in it.

“Nick?”

“Hmm?” He grunted while turning toward her, still embracing her to himself.

“I love you and all, but I have to pee.” A smile broke out on his face while Dailee’s eyes widened in realization of the comment she made.

“You love me, huh?”

She mentally slapped herself and tried to talk herself out of it. Not because she didn’t mean it, she did. It was just she still wasn’t sure if Nick loved her back. “I-I mean, yeah I do, but-”

“Dailee, it’s ok… I love you, too.” She smiled and looked up at him to see her smile matched his. He leaned down and kissed her sweetly on the lips before looking into her eyes. “Will you be my girlfriend?”

She laughed and decided to tease him, “Wow, you’re certainly straight-forward this morning.”

He scrunched his eyebrows together and put his forehead on hers. “Are you going to answer my straight-forward-ish question?”

She squirmed out of his grip and got off the bed. She straightened her shorts and T-shirt before responding. “Ehh, I’ll tell you when I get back from the bathroom.” And she ran for the door, but Nick jumped out of bed and grabbed her before she got it open. He lifted her up, carried her to his bed, and laid her on it. Her shoulders were pinned under his hands and his knees straddled her hips. “You are going to answer my question missy or I’m going to have to tickle you.”

She glared at him good-naturedly, “You wouldn’t.”

“Try me.”

She pursued her lips together, “Nick, I’m pretty sure you don’t want me to pee all over your very comfortable bed, so I suggest you let go of me or it might just happen. And it is bound to happen if you tickle me.”

He sighed, “Fine, let’s try this: You say yes, you get to pee…we all win. Sound good?”

“But-“

“Waterfall, rain forest, water fountains….”

“Ok, ok! Yes, I’ll be your girlfriend!” He smiled and leaned down to kiss her. She turned her head and laughed as he frowned against her cheek. “Let me pee and then you can kiss me all you want.”

“Fine. Hurry up!” He released her shoulders and she jumped up making her way towards the door at a slow pace. “Not funny.”

She turned around and started walking backwards, “I think it is.” Finally she left the room and walked into the bathroom leaving a grinning Nick to wait until she came back.

Not even a minute after Dailee left, Kevin walked into Nick’s room. “Hey man, what’s up?”

“Um, not much, Nick,” he closed the door behind him and looked up at his little brother. “Do you mind if we talk?”

Nick threw a confused look his way, but Kevin brushed it off. “Yeah, sure.”

He sat on the piano bench again and Nick stayed seated on the bed. “What’s on your mind?”

Dailee heard that Kevin and Nick were talking so she decided to go eat breakfast.

“Well, it’s about Dailee actually.” Nick smiled at the mention of her name. “Yeah, I use to be like that, too.”

“What do you mean?” Nick’s smile slipped off his face.

“Nick, don’t take this the wrong way. I just don’t want to see you get hurt… If I were you I wouldn’t fall too hard for some girl. It’s going to blow up in your face and you’ll end up like me: broken hearted.”

“Kevin, understand me when I say she’s not just ‘some girl’, ok? She’s the girl I want to be with for a very long time, no matter what anyone says. I don’t care what you think, Kevin.”

Kevin sighed and looked at the ground, “I said the same thing. You don’t understand.”

“Your right I don’t understand. Please, explain everything since I know nothing.”

“Nick, calm down. Look, I use to date this girl-“

“Skye.” Nick’s arms were crossed over his chest and he was practically glaring at Kevin, not really wanting him to continue talking since he knew about the break up.
“Please don’t say her name,” Kevin whispered. “Anyways, I loved her, more than anything. And I thought she loved me back, but I guess not. Nick I never told anyone this... everyone says I don’t believe in love, but that's not true. I do believe in love, Nick. The problem is I don’t want to love anyone else. I just don’t want to see you go through the same thing I am. I see the way you look at her, Nick, and I know you probably won’t listen to me because you’re in love but still…” His voice was strained and horse from trying to hold in his tears.

“I’m sorry but I think it’s best if you leave. Oh, and Kevin?”

“Yeah?”

“It has been a couple of months since that's happened and I suggest moving on. If you don’t want to, that’s your choice. But if you’re going to stay hung up on her, then go see her.”

He nodded and opened the door. “At least I can say I tried to warn you. Thanks for the advice, Nick. I’ll see you later.”

. . .

“Sleep well, Dear?”

“Yes, thank you. And you?” Dailee got down a bowl and filled it with a random box of cereal and some milk.

“Oh, great thanks… You know, when I went in to check on you and Nick, you seemed pretty cozy.”

Dailee blushed bright red as she was reaching for a spoon in the drawer. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t- we didn’t. Sorry. I had a nightmare last night and we must have fallen asleep. I’m very sorry.”

Denise laughed and finished off her second cup of coffee. “Don’t worry, Dear, there is nothing to apologize for. I think you two are absolutely adorable together.” She put her cup in the sink as Dailee sat at the table with her food, still red from embarrassment. “Oh, but I am the mother and I have to say, don’t get him in the bed unless you have to…”

Dailee practically choked on her Frosted Flakes at that comment. Denise laughed again and put a few dishes in the sink before sitting down across from her at the table. “So how’s your brother doing, sweetie?” Dailee smiled sadly and up at the sympathetic woman sitting across from her. “He’s been better.”

“No progress yet?”

Dailee shook her head. “My Aunt said that if he’s not better by tomorrow then she’s going to have to take him to the hospital,” she whispered while twirling her spoon in the bowl with the last few pieces floating in the milk. Dailee was growing more worried, but with Nick’s help, she was staying distracted. “You know what, Dear?”

“What?”

“Since you have today off of school I can drop you off at your aunt’s house so you can visit your brother if you want.”

She smiled sadly and responded with gratefulness lacing her voice, “Thank you for the offer but I’m going to have to think about it. Can I let you know later?”

“Of course. By the way, do you know where Nick is?”

“Um, yeah, he was talking to Kevin upstairs last I saw him. Did you want me to go get him?” Dailee stood up to put her bowl in the sink, but was waiting for Denise’s answer first.

“Oh, no that’s fine. Go ahead and get dressed. I’ll talk to him when he comes down.”

Dailee smiled, put her bowl in the sink, and headed upstairs just in time to see Nick heading to the bathroom with some clothes and a towel in hand. She winked at him after he smirked at her and walked into his bedroom to dig through her bag to find some clothes to wear that day. The next thing she knew a hand grabbed her arm and spun her into a kiss that made her dizzy. Or was that the spinning? …Nope it’s definitely the kiss. When she pulled back she looked up to see a pair of brown eyes filled with adoration staring back at her. “Frosted Flakes? My favorite.” He kissed her one more time before walking towards the door smirking at her loss of words.