Chapter One;
Nick Jonas sat at his piano, in song writing mode. It had been a long day filled with painful memories that he would’ve rather not relived, and he really needed to get his feelings off of his chest, and what better way to do that than with a song? That’s how he wrote S.O.S, and Before the Storm. They were all feelings that he needed to get out, and look at how they turned out. Two number one hits. Okay, so maybe Before the Storm wasn’t a number one, it was still a favorite among fans. They loved the Niley collaboration, even though he didn’t like it as much when it started the rumors up again.
He wished that things could go back to when he was seventeen. It was a time when he thought he had the world figured out, and everything was going to go right for him, and nothing could possibly go wrong. He was going to be a famous baseball player when he was in high school, and make millions of dollars. Then, when they had enough money, he was going to retire, and live a life of peace. He was also going to be married to the girl of his dreams, Aimee, and they were going to have three kids name Jared Nicholas, Abigail Lynn, and Anna Elizabeth. They were also going to have two dogs.
“We were seventeen and invincible.” He said to himself.
And just like that, he got the sounds of a song in his head, and just like that, he had a painful memory spring up in his head, another one that he didn’t want to have to relive ever again, and was forced to that day.
“I’ll race you to the creek!” Aimee yelled over her shoulder as she started to run across the field in her backyard.
“That’s no fair! You got a head start!” Nick called, chasing after her.
She was laughing up ahead of him, and her hair was bouncing in time with her fast paced steps. It was a beautiful summer day, and it was also Aimee’s seventeenth birthday. She was exactly one month older than Nick, so, for the little time that she was older than him, she would be milking it for all that it was worth.
“I’m older than you!” she called over her shoulder again, this time turning to face him so she could stick her tongue out at him. “Plus I’m cooler than you.”
“Oh no you didn’t girlfriend.” He said in his best Cali Girl voice. Then he sped up, and was a stride behind her within seconds. “You might be cooler, and older than me, but I’m a baseball player!” he said raggedly, trying to even his breathing, and catch up with her at the same time.
“Ooh… I’m scared now.” She said, speeding up again.
“Da.mn you soccer players.” He cursed, slowing down a bit. “I surrender!” he yelled to her.
They both knew that it wasn’t true though, he was so competitive, that he would just keep going, and going, because he was so competitive, that if he lost, or didn’t put up an effort, he would go home and be mad at himself all day long.
“Come on Nicholas…” she said trailing off as she continued towards the creek. “You know you want to…”
This had gone far enough. He was almost going to let her win, but when she used his full name, the competitive side in him flared to life again, and the race continued.
When he finally caught up to her, she couldn’t speed up enough to get out of his reach, so he wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her down to the ground with him, laughing as they fell down into the tall grass.
Nick smiled, and pressed a kiss to the back of her neck, making her giggle. He grinned, and then she rolled around to face him. He pulled her close to him, just to feel each heavy, ragged breath that she would take.
“You just couldn’t stand losing could you?” she asked, poking his nose before he rolled onto his back and she settled her head on his chest.
“Nah, I just didn’t want to get beat by a girl.” He said, tangling their fingers together, and playing with them.
“But it’s my birthday.” She said, pouting her lip. She looked so adorable when she did that, he couldn’t help but smile.
She grinned back at him, and he leaned down, and set his lips on hers in an ever so gentle kiss.
“I love you Aimee.” He said softly, kissing her forehead, then her left and right cheeks, and her nose, then finally her lips. Just like he had seen in Pride and Prejudice, one of the many movies that they had watched together, it was a very decent movie though, and it was also their first date. That movie had special meaning to the both of them because of that.
“I love you too Nick.” She said, locking eyes with him. Her blue eyes were like a waterbed to him, and he could easily get lost in the multiple shades of blue that were there… they were so comforting to him.
“Forever.” He said softly, brushing her bangs back out over her face.
And like an idiot, he believed what he had said to her.
Nick shook his head, and sighed, recovering the keys of his piano, the one he had gotten for his birthday, with the wooden lid, then he stood up and stretched. Sullenly, he walked up the stairs from his music room and into the kitchen of his house. He lived alone, with Elvis, and Gloria, his Hispanic house keeper. She was a nice older lady who helped him keep track of the house. The only two rooms she wasn’t allowed in were his room and his music room. Seeing as those were his only places where he could totally escape from everything. The press, the family, the paparazzi… everything just disappeared after he entered either one of those rooms.
“We were seventeen and invincible.” He said again as he walked up the stairs to his room.
Sometimes all he needed was to be alone.
