ethereal [joe jonas]

chapter nine

it's been two weeks since that incident and everything's back to normal. joe's his usual, goofy self, kevin's the one who's always trying to get him to shut up- it's pretty funny, and nick... well, we haven't had an actual conversation yet. he doesn't seem interested in having one and i've given up trying to start one. 

i've been mostly attending online classes, and i haven't gotten the chance to go to the vip booth to experience a jonas brothers concert because it's just too packed. instead, i watch from backstage. it's pretty fun, but i don't really know a lot of their music. their fans are crazy and the jonas brothers love it- joe says he's over the moon that tour has finally started again. 

it's strange seeing nick on stage. all his fans love him, and he's wild and crazy on stage- he loves being up there. he's like that with his brothers, too, but whenever he sees me he keeps his distance. 

tour isn't really as bad as i expected. of course there are days that i'm still in the back of the bus, trying to hear what my teacher is saying online, and some days i desperately wish that i was back home. but at the same time, joe and i are becoming closer. he's really funny and chaotic, but at the same time he's also sensitive, kind and caring. that's something i love about him. 

- 

i yawn and close my computer. my last online lesson just ended for the day, and it's 4 o'clock. we are currently travelling to the next concert destination which is also the last in new jersey before we head to florida. the concert is tomorrow night, so once we reach the concert venue, we have more than enough time to explore.

according to my dad, we'll reach in about 30 minutes, which is perfect since i take about that amount of time to get ready. since it's our last day in new jersey, i want to take some nice pictures, so i put on a nice blouse instead of my usual tshirt or hoodie. i pair it with some denim shorts. it's warm in the tour bus and i don't feel cold despite wearing shorts, but i know i'll feel cold once i step out of the bus, but anything for the pictures, right? i do my makeup for the first time since i've left home, but i don't do anything too extravagant. i don't like too much makeup on my face, i always go for a natural look. 

i put on some rose gold hoop earrings and tie my long hair into two french braids. i take my curler and quickly pull out some strands of hair from my braids to frame my face before i make them wavy with my curler. just as i'm about to open the door and go to the main area, something catches my eye. i turn around and take out the necklace i'd bought from that souvenir shop not too long ago. it's still in the packaging, and i take one of the necklaces out and put it on. an identical one is still in the plastic, and as i'm pondering over what to do with it, the door opens. 

joe walks in and stops right in his tracks. "what?" i ask when he doesn't say anything, turning around to the small table top mirror to see what he's staring at. i laugh awkwardly when he doesn't reply. "what's wrong?" i ask again, and he just smiles. "you look extra pretty today, elly" he says. before i can say anything, nick calls his name and he's gone. 

i stand there for a few seconds, flattered and also surprised. i wasn't expecting that- was he just complimenting me because he was being nice or did he genuinely think i looked good? 

"we're here!" i hear our driver call loudly,  breaking my train of thought. the bus comes to a halt, and i push what had happened earlier out of my mind and grab my camera. i unlatch the door and walk out to the main area, knowing that my dad is going to brief everyone like he always does, but he's not here yet.  

nick is there, along with most of the other crew members, but joe and his brothers are nowhere to be seen. i haven't seen nick all day, so i smile and wave. "hi nick" i say, and his lips curve into a small smile too. "hi elly" he returns, making eye contact with me for a second. "how are you?" he says, a little awkwardly. 

"i'm doing good, this tour is way better than others i've been on." i reply. nick looks like he's going to say something, but just then, my dad comes out of his room. "i heard that! i'm gonna tell rihanna you said that." he laughs as he makes his way over to us. i chuckle as he starts to talk to some of the crew members while we wait for joe and kevin to be ready, and then my eyes widen just a little in astonishment as i realise something. nick started the conversation. we'd been staying in the same bus together for a little over 2 weeks and he'd never even said my name or start a conversation. today he did both.

i want to get to know him more but i decide not to push it- it's amazing enough that we'd talked. 

i'm so lost in my thoughts and excitement about what just happened that i barely hear my dad talking about what time we needed to be back on the bus, nor do i hear joe come up behind me. i jump a little when he whispers "hi" right into my ear. i turn around and glare at him as i watch kevin and him laugh their heads off as silently as they can so that they don't interrupt my dad. 

i swat his shoulder and turn around and try to pay attention to my dad but all i can think about is his adorable laugh.