*Kissable And Quiet* Nick Jonas

*Chapter Three*

Abby

    Kevin came back from dropping off Nick and Brittany. I said goodbye to Joe and Frankie and we left for the movies.
    "She is something else." He muttered as we headed for the theater.
    "Who?"
    "Brittany. Nick makes date plans and she brings her friends."
    "She didn't!" I gasped. He nodded
    "What ever-it's Nick's business-not mine." He muttered. "So what do you want to go see tonight?" He asked.
    "Something funny. I can't take scary right now." I said and he laughed.
    "OK-there's one called The Ringer with Johnny Knoxville. That's supposed to be hilarious." He suggested.
    "Sounds good." I agreed and we reached the theater. We entered to the box office and Kevin went first.
    "Two for The Ringer, please." He suggested.
    "Kevin!" I protested and he covered my mouth.
    "Thanks." He said to the guy and led me over to the snacks. "Popcorn?" He asked me.
    "I don't want anything." I lied. I wasn't planning on him buying me anything.
    "Liar." He muttered. "Two medium popcorns, a Dr. Fizz and Root Beer." He said to the guy behind the counter.
    "Kevin-I can pay for myself." I protested.
    "I know-but I won't let you." He smirked. I pouted but quickly realized that was getting me nowhere.
    "You suck." I muttered as he handed me my popcorn and Root Beer. He winked and I lightly kissed his cheek. "Thanks." I smiled and he nodded as we headed into our movie.
    Afterwards he drove us back to his house where I had a thumb-war with Frank-the-Tank.
    "So, Gabby-" Joe started.
    "So, Joe-" I returned.
    "Do you think that Jessi likes me?" He asked after Kevin brought Frankie somewhere.
    "I dunno." I shrugged. I never really talked to her. Plus I was more focused with how much Emma liked Joe. "I don't really talk to her that much."
    "Oh-well-you know she's going with us, right?"
    "Yup."
    "Ok-you'd really like her-she's great." He gushed.
    "I figured-otherwise-she wouldn't be so popular." I chuckled as his face flushed slightly.
    "Oh-right." Jessi was almost like Brittany-but not as awful.
    Nick came in followed by Kevin and Frankie.
    "Thanks, Abby." He said, sitting next to Joe on the couch. I nodded. "I did all the clean up, by the way." He said quietly and I nodded again.
    "I'd better be going-it's getting late." I said before getting up to leave.
    "Want a ride?" Kevin offered.
    "No thanks-I'd rather walk." I said and stepped outside. I walked home quietly and went upstairs. I brushed my teeth and climbed into bed.
    My alarm woke me up around nine and I got in the shower. Nick was going to call me to hang out and I had to make sure I did my chores first. I did a lot of the stuff around the house for my mom so that she doesn't have to when she gets home.
    I got out of the shower, got dressed in a Switchfoot shirt, a black pair of skin-tight jeans and my checkered slip-on vans. My hair was still up in a towel as I began to do my chores.
    After about two hours I was done with everything and Nick still hadn't called.
    I flipped on the TV and surfed through the channels until about one and still no phone call.
    I made some lunch and Emma called.
    "Hello?" I answered.
    "Hey, it's Em."
    "What's up?" I asked.
    "Just wanted to know if you wanted to hang out."
    "I'm waiting for Nick to call-we're supposed to hang out today."
    "Oh-ok. Have fun."
    "Sorry, babe. I'll talk to you tomorrow." We hung up and I pulled out my laptop. I signed on Myface and posted about thirty surveys and still no phone call. Finally I called him.
    "Hello?" Their mom answered.
    "Hi, Mom. It's Abby."
    "Oh, hi, sweetheart."
    "Is Nick there?" I asked.
    "Um-no he isn't. He's hanging out with Brian today."
    "Oh-alright. Thank you." I said and hung up. That was definitely not like Nick. I called Emma back.
    "Hey." She greeted, already knowing it was me.
    "Hey-I've changed my mind. I wanna hang out."
    "Ok-I'll meet you at the park in about ten minutes?"
    "Ok." We hung up and I shut off my laptop. I made my way to the park and sat on the swings, waiting for a few minutes. I saw someone I recognized on the basketball court.
    Nick was there with Brian Reese. Emma walked in from that entrance and waved to him before continuing to me. She reached me just as something clicked in her head.
    "Wait-isn't he supposed to be with you today?" She asked.
    "Not any more." I said, linking arms with her and headed out of the basketball entrance. I looked at Nick just as he looked at me, missing his shot.
    "So what are you going?" She asked as we walked.
    "I wanna rent some movies." I said and she shrugged.
    "Ok." We walked to the movie rental place and we each picked out two movies. I got the Brothers Grimm and Down With Love while Emma got Fracture and 23.
    "Let's go back to your house and watch them." I suggested.
    "Sure." We headed back for her house, picking up a double order of cheese wontons from the local Chinese place.
    We reached her house and headed up to her room to watch the movies.
    We finished Fracture and the phone rang-it was Nick. She looked at me and I shook my head. She let the answering machine get it.
    "Hey, Emma-it's Nick. I was looking for Abby-I tried her house but she's not there. I guess I'll just talk to her tomorrow." He said and hung up.
    "How long are you going to torture the poor boy?" She asked and I shrugged.
    "Probably just until tomorrow." I smiled.
    "You're bad." She giggled and we finished watching the rest of the movies. I headed home, absent mindedly walking past Nick's house as he was coming out.
    "Hey!" He called, jumping in front of me. I stopped and looked at him for a split second before walking past him. "Abby." I sighed and stopped.
    "What?" I asked coldly.
    "Where were you today?"
    "Where was I? I was waiting for you to call so that just you and I could hang out like you promised. So-Nicholas-I'd ask where you were-but I already know that you were with Brian. So now I'm going home. See you tomorrow." I said sharply and continued to my house, leaving him standing in front of his house.
    The next day I walked to school the normal way-not particularly caring if I ran into Nick or not. As I walked past his house the three of them walked out and Joe and Kevin waved to me. I smiled half heartedly back at them and continued walking. Nick caught up to me.
    "We need to talk." He said and I just looked at him.
    "OK." I said and waited for him to talk.
    "I'm sorry for blowing you off yesterday. I really didn't mean to-I just-my date didn't go as planned and I just kinda forgot about everything. I'm really sorry. And when I saw you leave the park yesterday I felt like and idiot for forgetting." He sighed and looked at his feet. "I'm a horrible friend." He muttered.
    "Nicky, next time-write it down." I smiled and he looked up.
    "So you don't hate me?" He asked hopefully.
    "Of course I don't. Just disappointed. Don't do it again." I said and he smiled.
    "I won't." He hugged me sideways. Joe ran up and jumped on my back.
    "Hi, Joe."
    "Morning, Abby." He said, pecking my cheek. I smiled as Kevin tried to pull Joe off my back. Nick reached his hands out to steady me.
    We walked to school and met up with Emma.
    "So-did you two talk?" She asked and I nodded. "Are you still mad at him?"
    "A little-but I'm not going to end a friendship over it." I shrugged. Joe came up and put his arm around my shoulders.
    "I have to talk to you. Meet me at the bleachers on the football field at lunch?"
    "Alright." He walked away and Emma looked ay me.
    "That was random." She said and I shrugged.
    "That was Joe." I laughed.
    "I know." She sighed dreamily and I chuckled.
    "Alright, baby, I'll see you later." I said, heading off for my classes.
    Lunch time came and I headed out for the football stands. I spotted Joe and walked over to him.
    "Hey." He said as I sat down.
    "Hey. What's up?"
    "Are your crazy?" He asked, looking directly into my eyes.
    "What do you mean?" I asked, confused.
    "No person in their right mind would have forgiven Nick for what he did-even if he did have a decent excuse-which he didn't." Joe sighed. "So you're either nuts-or…"He trailed off.
    "Or I like him?" I filled in and he nodded.
    "Do you?" He asked quietly.
    "I have for a while now." I said and he got an apologetic look on his face.
    "Awe, Abby." He said, hugging me. "And you still helped him with his date?" He asked and I nodded. "Why?"
    "As long as he's happy…" I trailed off.
    "Oh-sweetheart-you've got it bad."
    "I know." I sighed, resting my head against his shoulder.
    "Are you going to be ok?" I nodded.
    "Just don't say anything to anyone, please."
    "Alright. But if it makes you feel better, we'd all rather see you two together and her down a well." He said and I laughed.
    "I love you, Joe." He hugged me tighter.
    "Let's go back inside." He suggested. I nodded and we headed for the building.
    After school I walked home with Nick, Emma, Kevin and Joe. Emma and I said goodbye to them at the Jonas' residence and continued to my house.
    "So what did Joe want at lunch?" She asked.
    "Food?" I shrugged, joking around.
    "No, smart ass. Why did he want you to meet him outside?" She asked.
    "He asked if I was crazy for forgiving Nick."
    "Did you say 'No, but I'm crazy about him'?" She giggled.
    "Basically. I told him I liked Nick."
    "What'd he say?"
    "He said that I was nuts for helping him with their date."
    "Which is true." She laughed.
    "I just want him to be happy-and if she makes him happy-then I'll do what I can."
    "I know, baby-I know." She said, hugging me sideways. We reached my house and Emma continued to her house. I walked into mine and tossed my books onto the couch. I brought a chair over to in front of the fridge to get a snack out of the cupboard above it. I was about to climb up when the doorbell rang. I went to answer it and saw Nick on the other side.
    "Hey, Nicky." I said as he followed me inside.
    "Hey, just thought we could hang out." He said quietly. "You know-since I screwed up yesterday." He smiled and I hugged him.
    "It's ok." I said. "Want a snack?" I asked, climbing onto the chair.
    "I hate when you climb on things." He sighed, heading into the living room. I reached for the cupboard handle-just out of my grasp. I stood on my tip toes and touched the handle with my finger tips as the chair slipped from under me and I felt my head crash against the granite counter and everything went black.