Collide: A Jonas Brothers Love Story

Chapter 8

FAYE'S POV

I strolled along the sidewalk as I left yet another store. Usually shopping lifted my spirits, but today it hadn't helped at all. Here I was in LA with a world of opportunities in front of me. Beks was finally getting the chance to write her own column. And Reda had told us yesterday that she had been hired at a local bakery and was well on her way to achieving her dream of owning her own. All I had done was pass out, kiss a rockstar, and then freak out on said rockstar the next day before running and hiding in my room. I slumped against one of the storefronts in despair.

I had no dreams. I had no ambitions. I just wanted to have fun and experience life wherever it led me. If I could just get up the courage to do that. A daring and courageous girl would have kissed Nick back. She would have been able to spend time with him without begging her friend to act as a buffer. And she most definitely wouldn't have freaked out and run to her room. I thought back to the conversation I had with Reda the previous night.

[FLASHBACK]

"This isn't you Faye," Reda said as she decorated another cupcake. "You don't act like this."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You're the first person to get out on the dance floor. You always choose the most daring fashions. And you never once held back your opinion. So why are you so scared of some boy?"

"He's not just some boy. He's Nick Jonas."

"So what? Strip away the fame and he's like everyone else."

[FLASHBACK ENDS]

Reda was right. I was letting myself become starstruck when there was no need. Maybe I should stop focusing on Nick and focus on myself. What did I want to do with my life? I began to walk again until I made it back to the house. I set down my packages with a giggle. Beks was going to read me the riot act about spending money on frivolous items. I referred to it as "lecture #21." Beks had a lot of "lectures." [AN: I do.]

I always do my best thinking with music on, so I turned up the radio and began to bop around the room as I cleaned up my mess from this morning. I didn't want to hear "Lecture #42: Don't Make A Mess." I began to sing along with the performer my voice growing louder than the radio. When I reached the end of the song the radio quickly turned off. I turned around to see what was wrong with the radio only to find Nick grinning from his spot next to the stereo.

"How long have you been there?" I asked. Nick just smiled. I could feel my heart thumping in my chest, but I resisted the urge to drop the items in my hands and run upstairs. I could do this. He's just Nick. He's just like anyone else.

"I didn't know that you could sing," Nick said.

"I just do it for fun," I replied turning to straighten the stack of magazines on the coffee table. "Why did you come here?"

"Well Kevin's out on a date with Reda. And Joe's attempting to charm Beks. I thought this was a perfect time for us to just hang out." I studied him closely and that's when I realized something. He was just as nervous around me as I was around him. I collapsed happily onto the couch forgetting my cleaning.

"So what did you think of my singing?"

"Um...well...it was actually really good. Have you ever thought about performing professionally?" he asked as he plopped down next to me. "You're not mad at me for sneaking in are you?"

"Nah," I said suddenly feeling like my old self. "Now that you're here I don't have to clean. Beks always insists that attending to the needs of your guest is more important than household chores. Lecture #36."

"Excuse me?"

"Sorry, Beks has a list of lectures about behavior. I assigned them numbers ages ago. I mainly do it to piss her off."

"How did you meet Beks and Reda? Forgive me for saying this, but you don't seem to have much in common."

"That's the whole point," I replied relaxing more as I thought of my friends. "We actually met in college. I just walked up and introduced myself. Life would be boring if we were all alike." [AN: This is how I met Faye. She just walked up and was like "Hi! I'm Faye!]

"I guess that's true," Nick said with a shrug. "My brothers and I are all different in our own ways. Everybody always talks about how quiet and introspective I am."

"At least no one refers to you as 'that loud girl' all the time."

"I'm quiet and you're loud," Nick said turning his face towards me. As if there was a magnet my lips moved closer to his. "We're opposites I guess."

"They do say that opposites attract," I said leaning even closer.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY!" Beks screamed as she marched into the living room. Nick and I broke apart. "YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS JOE JONAS!" Nick and I both looked in confusion at my drenched friend who continued to yell at Joe who had followed her inside. "MARK MY WORDS YOU WILL PAY." [AN: I shout out such empty threats.]

"What's going on?" I asked as Beks marched off to get a towel.

"It was just a joke," Joe said with a smirk.

"Joe, what did you do?" Nick asked darkly.

"Pushed her into a pond?" Joe replied sheepishly.

[AN: Oh Joe!]