Fall For Paul: A Kevin Jonas Story

Twelve

One week until tour-kickoff concert

Kevin
Oh, this is an S.O.S.
don't wanna second guess
this is the bottom line
it's true
I gave my all for you
Now my heart's in two
And I can't find the other half...

The three of us have been singing S.O.S. for the past hour trying to get our harmonies perfect, and I think we all just want to get out of here since it's a Friday and Joe mentioned wanting to drink with a small group of friends tonight.

Joe is the social butterfly, and he's always planning get-togethers with our group of friends. From my understanding, it's going to be my brothers and I, plus Amber, Jade and Pearl. I'm pretty sure Joe also invited Mark Wahlberg because they're close friends, and it wouldn't shock me if Mark brought Nick Carter along based on their... interactions the night of that big party. As far as I know, Pearl and I are the only ones that saw them in that bedroom.

"Kevin, you good?" Joe snaps me out of my thoughts. "They said we're all done with rehearsal and we can go back home and chill finally," he says as everyone around me starts shutting down equipment and leaving the venue. I must have zoned out for a minute.

"I'm fine, man," I reassure him. He pats my shoulder and leaves the stage with everyone else before reminding me about our get-together tonight. As if I could forget- I mean, Pearl is going to be there.

Pearl
Jade and Amber keep talking about the gathering tonight at the guys' penthouse, and I'm excited too. Jade won't stop gushing about Mark for some reason, and I don't have the heart to tell her that she may not be his type and that he also may be taken by Nick Carter. It also isn't my place to say anything, so I just hope Jade gets over whatever crush she has on him because that seems like a complicated situation. The only person I can talk to about it would be Kevin. I can't wait to see him tonight.

♪  ♪  ♪

"And then, he just rolls down the hill half naked and we have to chase him!" Joe says animatedly. He's telling a story about Nick but I can't focus on it because Kevin has his arm around my shoulders as he sits next to me on the couch and all I can think about is the feeling of his arm.

Us girls and the brothers have been chilling in their large living room for about 30 minutes just sipping alcohol and listening to Joe and Nick tell some funny stories about situations they've gotten themselves into.

All of the sudden, their doorbell rings and Joe opens it up to reveal Mark Wahlberg who brought along Nick Carter.

"Hey, Nicky boy, great to see you man," Joe says as they do bro hugs. He must have only been expecting Mark, not Nick as well.

♪ ♪ ♪

About two hours have passed, and everyone is thoroughly tipsy, if not drunk. Kevin seems to hold his alcohol well- that, or he just didn't drink as much as everyone else. He seems to be the most coherent one right now. It's been really hard watching Jade flirt with Mark all night, and I wonder if it's hard to watch for Kevin, too, since we know the situation. Mark is being really nice to her, but not flirting back in any way, and him and Nick Carter have been sitting close to each other all night.

"Let's play 7 minutes in heaven," says Nick Jonas, slurring his words.

"You're like the only one young enough to have an excuse to want to play something like that," Joe says, scoffing.

"Hey, Pearl is 18 too!" Nick jabs, and I look away so I don't have to be involved in their little argument.

"Fine, we'll play the stupid game, but as a rule, if anyone is related to each other they can't go in together and we have to re-draw," says Joe.

"Well, obviously!" Nick says.

I look at Kevin who still has his arm around me and he's just shaking his head but looks amused.

Eventually we put everyone's names in hat and Kevin draws the first two names from it.

"Pearl and Nick Carter," he reads out, and I look at his face but it remains neutral. In fact, he smiles at me. I really don't see the point in playing this game when everyone knows Kevin and I are interested in each other and would only want to go into the closet with each other, but I guess I'll play along.

"Your time starts now!" I hear Joe shout from the living room once Nick and I are locked inside.

There's a small amount of light streaming through the small crack in the door, and when my eyes adjust to the dark, I can tell he looks nervous.

"So whats up?" I ask him, trying to make friendly conversation for the next 7 minutes.

He inquires about Kevin and I, seeming genuinely curious about our relationship, and I tell him we're basically dating, and then the conversation turns.

"Hey, you seem really cool by the way. I know we haven't talked a lot or anything, but you seem like someone who can keep a secret, and I've kind of been wanting to get something off my chest," he says quietly. I think I know what's coming.

"Your secret is safe with me, Nick," I tell him honestly.

"Mark and I are a couple. I couldn't keep it to myself for much longer, it was just eating away at me not being able to be my true self with anyone except Mark. Please don't tell anyone, it would be bad if the wrong people found out. We'll tell our friends eventually, but I just wanted someone to know, and you seem like a really chill person who wouldn't spill," says Nick.

"I won't tell a soul, and thank you for sharing that with me," I say. I don't tell him that I already sort of knew, because I don't see the point. I'm just honored that he felt comfortable enough around me to share his secret.

"Time's up!" Joe shouts from the living room, and we go rejoin our friends, Nick sitting right next to Mark and me sliding in next to Kevin who puts his arm back around me and smiles at me.

Kevin
I feel like I can trust Pearl so much that it really wouldn't have mattered who she went into the closet with. I think our feelings towards each other are mutual and that neither of us would do anything to hurt the other's feelings, at least on purpose. Do I wish that I was the one in the closet with Pearl, though? Of course.

Joe draws the next two names from the hat. "Kevin and Jade," he says, and I look at Pearl who has a calm smile on her face.

Once our time starts in the dark closet, Jade starts to practically interrogate me. "Do you love Pearl?" She asks.

"Love is a strong word, Jade. I really like her though," I say, shocked that she's being so blunt.

"I just don't want anyone breaking her heart. She's a good person. But I see good in your heart too, Kevin," she says, slurring her words. I don't know when Jade turned into some love guru but when I smell the alcohol on her breath, the cause of her weird rambling starts to make a little more sense. "She's just so amazing, and she deserves someone like you," she says, grabbing my shoulder to steady herself.

"Thanks," I say, and I'm trying to make sure she doesn't lose her balance and break an ankle before we get out of here.

By the time we're done and I go rejoin Pearl, I get the courage to whisper something to her, and I'm wondering how much alcohol I really had tonight because I can't believe what comes out of my mouth.

"Do you want to have our own 7 minutes in heaven?"