The Stars Are Blind ★ Nick Jonas

Chapter 4

I remembered Carlos words from earlier "Don't worry. We thought only of what was best for you. We want you to be comfortable in this new environment". I guess this is what he meant. 

I took the guitar out and caressed the strings, I closed my eyes while doing it. 

I started strumming the chords, the too familiar feeling of making beautiful music only bringing tears to my eyes.

This would be the only aspect of my old life that I would have, and not even close to the real thing because nothing would beat the feeling of making music and singing it for the first time to our fans. Watching their awe and admiration. Seeing them identifying themselves with what we wrote with our hearts in our hands. 

Then a thought hit me.

What were they going to tell our fans about me? What were they going to tell the rest of the world?

I had to ask Carlos, I bet he had an answer. Even though a feeling in my gut told me I wasn't going to like it.

Almost as if I had mentally called him, Carlos walked through the door, closing it behind him. I stop strumming the guitar, and cleared the tear that had rode down my cheek while I played. Carlos pretended he didn't see it and I appreciate it. 

"Why'd you stop playing?" he asked.

I shrugged.

"I'm guessing you have something to tell me. I'd be rude to play when you talk" I replied.

He smiled brightly at me.

"You are very well-mannered.... even though my daughter might disagree" he said with a chuckle.

I sighed, "I'm guessing she told you something?" I questioned.

He nodded and sat down on the edge of the bed, not so far from me.

"Nick. I understand how hard this is for you. I really do. I keep having to remove people from their families and their loved ones and it never gets any easier" he said softly.

I let out a breath.

"I feel like there's a huge puzzle that used to be complete and now I'm the only piece on the board; every other one has disappeared and all I'll ever be is incomplete" I mumbled. He scooted closer and put a hand on my shoulder sympathetically.

"That was pretty poetic" he said, a smile clearly in his voice. I couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corner of my mouth.

"I'm a famous song-writer remember?" I surprised myself by the teasing in my tone.

Carlos laughed. "Kind of hard to forget when you're saying stuff about puzzles and playing the guitar as naturally as if you were breathing" he commented.

"Now who's the poetic one?" I joked. This won me a hearty laugh and a pat on the back.

"I know you're a good kid. I've heard nothing but good things about you... whatever it's going on in there (he pointed at my head) and here (he said pointing at my heart) you need to come to peace with what has happened. You are not here only because you're life is in danger. You are here because your family could be endangered as well" he said.

I nodded. 

I knew all this. It didn't make things any easier though.

"You're right" I said anyways.

"Of course I am. Now tell me, what have you done to enrage my daughter in such a way. I have never seen her that mad?" he asked. 

I frowned at his playful tone. I thought he'd be a little more angry at me for upsetting his daughter.

"I honestly don't know. Apparently everything that I say is offensive to her. It's nothing personal really, I just would prefer to be left alone and she doesn't get it. She loses her temper pretty quickly. I must confess I did enjoy it a little too much" I said. 

Carlos grinned and shook his head in disbelief.

"Well I'm glad it's only just that. Don't worry. Give her half an hour and she'll be knocking on your door, trying to give you another chance. It's her nature. She can't stay mad for more than five minutes and she hates being rude or insulting people. She'll be apologizing very soon".

How did he know she had insulted me? I opted for not asking him.

"Well, I'm going to make some dinner. You like pastas?" he asked. I nodded my head yes and he smiled.

"Good. We eat a lot of pastas here. Liz loves them" he said.

"Yeah, so do I. I'm like half Italian (from my grandfather's side). My mother makes pastas very often as well" my voice turned sad at the last part.

Carlos sighed. 

"Well is good to know that you like them. See, now you and Liz have something in common. I'm not going to force you to be friends with her. But please giver her a break. She hates feeling like the bad guy, and if you keep shutting her out that's exactly how she'll feel and that's when she gets really upset; so please don't let it get that far" there was a slight warning in his voice and I nodded.

"I understand" I replied. He let out a satisfied sigh and turned around to leave. That's when I remembered a question I wanted to ask him.

"Carlos?"

"Yeah?" he prompted, looking back at me.

"They are going to have to pretend I'm dead won't they?" I asked softly.

Carlos eyes looked pained but he still nodded, "We created a cover story. No one will suspect you have left. Everyone will think you're dead" he confirmed. 

I sighed, a tired sound that came from deep within my soul. 

"Okay, thanks" I replied politely.

He stood there for a moment, and then left, closing the door behind him.

I fought the urge to cry. I had to man up. This happened every day to different people. How did they manage to go on with their lives? I don't know. But I had to do something to keep myself occupied. 

I threw myself back on the bed, closing my eyes for a moment. Not two minutes passed before there's a knock on the door.

Maybe Carlos forgot something.

"Come in" I called out.

I heard the door creak open. 

"Hey" I heard a female voice say.

I pushed myself up to a sitting position. Placing my attention on her.

"Hey" I said. Trying real hard to not sound "arrogant". 

"I just... well, um, I wanted to apologize for earlier. I shouldn't have talked to you the way I did. I have a difficult temper sometimes" she mumbled.

She came to apologize, just like her father predicted. 

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The picture on the side is Liz!

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