To all my people reading this!! i hope you enjoy this and comment!! i love comments, they make me smile.
~Belles <3
Des if you're reading this. take a deep breath. I promise you there is no kevin in this one-shot. so you better not sick your other on me, 'cause i'm technically not bringing up the closet thing. I didn't even realize that i was writing about closets until i had to think up a title. lol. so... you have no reason to freak. =D
(to everyone else... srry if you're confused it's an inside joke...)
In A Dark Closet
“Honey, I'd like you to meet someone.” My mom said pushing me gently to a small boy with curly brown hair and matching brown eyes. He had a crooked smile and although he was wearing his street clothes, his stage makeup was still on.
We didn't say anything for a moment. He stared at me and I looked around the crowded backstage in open amazement. It didn't matter how many times my parents brought me backstage after a Broadway show, I was always amazed. Especially after watching this one. It was Beauty and the Beast, my favorite Disney movie, only made better by the stunning Broadway version. And now, as my mom chatted to old friends from her Broadway days, I was being pushed to talk to the little boy who had played chip.
“I'm Nicholas Jerry Jonas.” He finally announced, proudly sharing his whole name with me.
“Marie.” I answered simply.
He looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking. “That's it? That's your whole name?”
I smiled, amused at his confusion. “Of course not.”
He thought for another minute before demanding, “Well, then... what is it?”
“Marie Elizabeth Parker.” I declared and then quickly added, “But just call me Marie.”
“Marie, it is.” He smiled.
I grinned, “And I'm gonna call you Nick. Nicholas is too long.”
Nick smiled bigger, “My brothers call me Nick.”
I nodded as if I knew all about his brothers, (I didn't) and looked around, spotting my mother in a deep conversation with a woman I could only guess to be Nick's mother.
“Wanna play Hide and Seek?” I questioned.
“Sure.” He shrugged.
“Ok, I get to hide first though.” I said.
He nodded and added, “I'll count to 100 and then try to find you.”
I didn't even bother to say anything back before running off, trying to find the perfect hiding place. It wasn't long before I reached a door. It was slightly open and dark inside. The room didn't look too big, and it was in a deserted hallway so I decided I would hide in this room. I quickly walked into, what I could only guess to be a closet, and slowly closed the door so that only a sliver of light could be seen shining through.
I stood absolutely still, my shaky breathing adding to the intensity of hiding out and wondering if I'll get caught. I waited for Nick to find me. It felt like hours until I heard his voice calling down the hallway, “Marie? Marie where are you?”
I stifled a giggle and the urge to jump out and yell, “I'm here you fool!”
His voice became fainter as I watched him pass by my door and walk down the hallway. He walked past my door five times. Five times of hearing him calling my name. Each time his voice becoming more frantic, more worried. The last time, his sixth time, he paused a few feet in front of the closet, my hiding place.
“Marie Elizabeth Parker! Where are you?” He paused for a moment as if waiting for an answer.
I wanted to run out and let him know I was ok. He sounded worried. He'd used my full name. But I resisted, what if it was some icky ploy to get me to come out so that he'd win the game. My friend did that to me once before and I swore I'd never fall for it again.
“Marie, I promise you, if you can hear me, I give up. You win. Please just let me know where you are.” He called out his voice pleading with me, holding a note of panic.
I cautiously stepped out of the closet. Nick's face turned to look at me. He walked over. “You're ok!” He exclaimed wrapping me in a tight hug before letting go. I could tell he'd been worried, and that made me feel bad.
I tried to lighten the mood, “So Nick. How does it feel to be beaten by a girl.”
He grinned relief still etched on his face, “Great. Especially by one as pretty as you.” He blushed as if realizing what he'd just said.
I blushed in return and grinned shyly back.
“So...” Nick said trying to break the sudden awkwardness. “This is where you were hiding the whole time.” He asked, walking into the closet.
I followed him before answering, “Yep.” I looked around, “Let's leave. I didn't realize it before, but this place it creepy.”
Nick quickly agreed and turned to walk out of the, now closed, door. He turned on the closet light and I could see the nervousness in his face. “Uh, don't freak... but, the door's locked.”
“Locked? What do you mean locked?!” I asked.
“As in, unable to be opened.” Nick answered.
I pushed him aside and tried the handle for myself. It didn't budge. I tried it again. Still nothing. I began to panic. “Nick, what if we're trapped here forever? What if we can never get out? What if we die here?” I whispered the last part.
Nick patted my shoulder awkwardly, “We're not gonna die here. Someone will come eventually.” He assured. “Besides, it's not so bad in here. At least there's light.”
As soon as he mentioned it, the light bulb began to flicker on and off before dying and throwing Nick and I into utter darkness.
“Nick.” I said, my voice coming out squeaky as a tear slid out of my eye and down my cheek. “I'm scared.”
“Don't be.” He replied. “I'm here.”
I could hear him move in the darkness and next thing I knew I was sitting down next to him. We sat in silence for a minute before the darkness began playing tricks on my eyes. I swore I saw something move in the shadows. Some strange hairy monster. I grabbed onto Nick, my imagination getting the better of me as more tears began to fall.
“I'm still scared.” I whispered.
In response Nick wrapped his tiny arms around my small body. He began to rock me back and forth as he sang the first song to come to him. It was a from a Disney movie he was watching earlier that day, Tarzan.
He opened his mouth and began to sing in his sweet soprano voice, “Come stop your crying, it'll be alright. Just take my hand, hold it tight. I will protect you from all around you. I will be here, don't you cry.”
I tried to lose myself in his voice, tried to let myself go and forget I was trapped in a small dark closet. It didn't work, not completely, but his song did help a little bit.
It wasn't until Nick had sung that song five times, that someone had found us. By that time, I was a nervous wreck bawling my eyes out. I would let go of Nick every few seconds to wipe away my tears. That was of course, when Nick wasn't wiping them away for me. Nick was amazing throughout the whole thing. He held me gently, making sure I knew I wasn't alone and even though his voice was giving out from his performance that night and the constant singing he was doing now, he didn't quit. He didn't want me to get scared.
When the door opened and light poured onto us I felt immense joy and relief. We were saved.
My mom's face and Nick's mom's face showed the exact same relief mine did. I could tell they had been worried and were glad they found us.
“Oh, sweetie. What happened? Why are you crying?” My mom asked. My feelings were too jumbled to answer.
Nick spoke up though, his arms still wrapped around me protectively, “We accidentally got locked in here, while playing Hide and Seek. Then the light died and we couldn't get out. It was scary.”
“Oh, honey. Come here.” My mom said as Nick let me go so that my mom could wrap her arms around me in a giant hug. She kept a hold on me as we walked away in the direction of home.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I brushed off my jeans as I stood up from tying my bright electric blue shoelaces on my brand new sneakers. It wasn't even a second after I had stood up that someone knocked right into me. I was just about to let out a yelp of surprise when a warm hand covered my mouth and shoved me into a dark closet that was near by.
Now just in case you're wondering it's been five years since the closet incident and I'm currently fifteen years old. And I am now hugely afraid of closets, especially dark ones. But if anyone asks me why I'm so afraid, I can't answer them. Because, frankly, I can't remember why. Whatever happened to make me so afraid I apparently shoved into the deepest part of my memory and never looked back.
I was beginning to panic, but didn't let it show. With his hand still over my mouth he closed the door and turned on the light. I thought, Maybe it's just Tom. If it is and this is his idea of a joke, he's gonna have to sleep with one eye open from now on.
“Promise you won't scream and I'll remove me hand.” The strange guy said. Immediately all thoughts of him being Tom fled from my mind. That wasn't his voice.
I nodded my head indicating I wouldn't scream. Besides, I was partially okay as long as the light stayed on.
He let go of me and I turned around to face him. “I'm Nick Jonas.” He said looking at me. And it that moment I had the briefest flash of a little boy proudly announcing his full name to me. The boy I imagined had curly hair and brown eyes like the boy in front of me, but seemed to be a much younger version. I shook those thoughts away. Where did that come from, I wondered.
“I'm Marie Parker.” I said, noticing how his eyes seemed to almost flash in recognition, but that couldn't have been possible since we didn't know each other. “Why'd you push me in here?” I asked.
“I was on my way out of the bathroom, when these crazy fans came out of nowhere. Normally I'd stay and chat with them for awhile, but they didn't want to talk. They just started grabbing at me and trying to rip my clothes off. I got scared so I ran, right into you apparently, and then I saw this closet and figured it'd be a perfect place to hide out.” He explained.
I nodded as if knowing all about his crazy fans (I didn't). “Well can I go now?” I asked.
Nick was about to say yes when we heard a stampede of girls stop in front of the closet to discuss plans on how to find Nick. I knew there was no way I was getting out now. I sighed slumping to the ground. At least we still had the light, I thought.
I spoke to soon, the light burned out. Why am I so unlucky, I questioned panic mode beginning to sink in.
“Hey, uh. You out there.. Marie?” Nick whispered.
My body began to shake, “Yeah.” I whispered back. “Uh, this my not be the best time to mention this... but... I'm deathly afraid of dark closets, especially when there's no way out. I'm scared.”
Nick carefully sat down next to me. “Don't be. I'm here.”
His voice echoed in my head like a memory I'd forgotten. “Nick.” I whispered softer, seeming to channel my 10 year old self. “I'm still scared.”
Nick didn't say a word, just moved closer to me, and protectively wrapped his arms around me. He leaned his head near mine, his breath tickling my ear as he began to softly sing. “Come stop you're crying, it'll be alright. Just take my hand, hold it tight.”
For some odd reason I started to picture him singing that song when he was littler. His voice easily hitting soprano notes instead of these lower notes. The song seemed to gently slide into my head and comfort me. If I wanted to, I knew I would still be able to hear the girls outside talking and laughing loudly, but I didn't want to. All I needed to hear was Nick's comforting voice.
When he finished his song I opened my mouth, “Is your middle name Jerry?” I asked.
“Yes.” He whispered back and I could hear the confusion in his voice.
But for me, it was all becoming clearer. The pieces of the puzzle were finally falling into place. “Did you ever play Chip on Broadway?”
“Yes, what does...” Nick began to ask, but I cut him off.
“And by any chance... did you once meet a girl and accidentally get locked in a closet with her while playing Hide and Seek?” I questioned excitedly. I'd finally figured out why this all seemed familiar and why I was so scared of closets.
Nick was silent, probably thinking. “I think... maybe.” He paused again. “Wait. Yes! Yes, that did happen once. Her name was.... her name was... Marie.” He finally said, putting the pieces together himself.
I grinned although he couldn't see it, this was all too weird and wonderful, I didn't know how to react. A laugh seemed to escape my lips.
“Are you... laughing?” He asked.
I giggled again and said, “Yeah.”
“You're not still scared?” Nick questioned.
I stopped thinking about it for a moment. “No.” I said surprised. “I'm not scared. At all.” excitedly I exclaimed, “Nick! Nick, I'm not scared anymore! I'm cured! And it's all because of you.” I smiled.
Even though I couldn't see it, I knew he was smiling back. This weird giddy feeling began to consume me and I knew I was about to do something foolish.
I kissed him.
Quick, on the lips.
Yeah, that was pretty foolish, but so worth it.
“Why'd you do that?” Nick asked.
I thought for a moment. “Because I'm happy.” I replied simply.
“So you decided to kiss me, because you're happy?” He asked, as if not understanding.
“Yeah. Well, that and I like you.”
“You don't even know me.” He said, obviously confused over the kiss.
“You didn't want to kiss me?” I questioned.
“No, it's not that. It's just.. I don't know you.” He replied.
“We can get to know each other.”
“When?”
“Right now.”
“In a closet?” Nick asked startled.
“Do you have somewhere else in mind?” I laughed.
Nick didn't. So that's what we did. We sat in that closet, Nick's arms still around me, sharing stories, discussing important events, giving little tidbits of information of ourselves, and stealing a few kisses. Sometime during all of this the crazy fan girls had walked away, making it safe to exit, but we didn't. We didn't even notice they were gone. We were too wrapped up in each other.
It was a night I will never forget.
It was the night I stopped being afraid of dark closets.
It was the night I found my best friend.
It was the night I found my first boyfriend.
It was a night unlike any other.
And it all happened.
In a dark closet.