Roleplay

19

(Nick's POV)

"Hurry guys," I said, placing a stack of plates on the table. "Alex said that they're on their way. Demi, would you bring the forks and spoons from the kitchen?"

"Yep," she replied disappeaing out of the room.

"We're done with the balloons," Miley said coming from the living room with Selena. "Where else do you need us?"

"That's good for now," I replied looking at the time on my phone.

Demi re-entered with her hands full of spoons and forks. Justin came in holding one of my guitars, strumming the cords to 'Happy Birthday'. Selena wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. I had to look away, but I was glad that Justin had patched things up.

"Are Jessica's friends from the hospital coming?" Demi asked, putting thee spoons and forks on the plates.

"No," I replied as I sat in a chair. "They left yesterday."

"Aria was sweet," Demi went on, sitting next to me. "And Jason was just as nice. I wonder how Jess knew them."

I shrugged and looked at my phone again. It buzzed as I was about to put it in my pocket. It was a text from Alex.

Be there in ten minutes, it said.

"They'll be here in ten minutes," I anounced, standing up. "I'm going to get my piano. Justin, let's run through 'happy birthday' one more time."

"Man, we rehearsed it all day yesterday," he said, not moving. "And all day today. We're good."

"Ok, yeah, but let me bring my piano here anyway."

"Nick," Demi said softly. "Calm down just a notch. Everything is going to be peaches and cream."

I took a deep breath and sat back down at the table. I had been up all night, doing whatever I could, getting things ready for Jessica's party.

It was Demi's idea to throw a surprise party for Jess. We even planned it two weeks ahead so that we were all free. Alex didn't even know if he would be able to make it back in time to even come for five minutes. But he was coming and was bringing Jess over.

"Nick, did you get any sleep last night?" Miley asked, sitting in a chair across from Demi. "You have circles under your eyes."

"I was up all night," I replied, rubbing my eyes. "Joe was here helping me blow up balloons. But he had to be in Dallas, today, by nine a.m. So he left early."

"Did you nap at least?" Demi asked, concern crossing her face.

"Nope," I shook my head, "didn't even sit on the bed. I was too preoccupied with the party."

"Your mom wouldn't want you nt sleeping," Miley went on. "That's not good for your diabetes either."

"I know, I know. But I wanted to make sure everything was perfect. You guys know how I am."

I crossed my arms and rested my head on them. Maybe I could close my eyes just for a minute. Until Jessica and Alex came. But I couldn't close them. There was a thought preventing my mind from taking it easy. Jessica's two friends. I was trying to think back to before Jessica went MIA. To all the times I' seen her and hung out with her. I didn't remember ever seeing Jason or Aria with her.

"Demi," I said, looking up. "Do you remember ever seeing Aria and Jason before? But before the movie premiere, before Jessica came back into the public eye?"

Demi shook her head slowly. "I would've remembered them," she replied. "But it seemed like Jess knew them really well."

I had a funny feeling that there was something Jess wasn't telling us. And she was....different. Like she was changed. But what could it be?