“Brought up, silver spoon mess. Always trying to tear her off her catholic dress. Told me, she’s over this place. Needs to feel the midwest wind in her face,” Kelli sang as she danced around her kitchen. She grabbed the spatula and began to sing into it.
“But the alcohol made its way down. She was the last thing that I saw last night before I hit the ground. Oh god, I did the wrong thing to the right girl. My mind was only in it for a minute. Had a bad fling with the good girl. I was stupid and dumb, not givin’ up. The blank stare out the window. If I could just sober up, if I could just admit I did the wrong thing to the rig—“ Kelli turned and broke off her singing. She stared at the half dressed guy standing in her kitchen. [AN: The song she is singing to is called “Right Girl” by The Maine. Check out the video I attached of the song for this chapter! I am constantly cranking up the tunes and dancing around my kitchen.]
“Am I interrupting something?” the guy asked as he scratched his washboard abs.
“Who the hell are you and why are you in my kitchen?” Kelli asked.
“You must be Tasha’s cousin Kelli. I just came down to get a glass of water.”
“I thought I told Tasha that she couldn’t have any more overnight guests.”
“Tasha was nice enough to let you stay here with her. I don’t think you get to tell her what to do,” the anonymous guy said as he began opening cupboards in search of a water glass. “Nice dance by the way.” Kelli’s cheeks bloomed as she slammed the spatula down on the counter.
“Tasha Nicole Richards!” Kelli screamed. “You have a lot of explaining to do!” Kelli marched up the stairs before pounding on the door to her guest room. She had been kind enough to let her cousin crash at her place while she got her life together. She was really starting to regret it. “Get up right now!” she screamed as she kicked the door open.
“Kelli, do you know what time it is?” Tasha asked as she stretched languidly in her bed. Kelli tossed her a robe and crossed her arms across her chest. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s noon Tasha,” Kelli snapped. “You should have been up hours ago searching for a job.” Tasha rolled her eyes. Kelli had only agreed to take her in because her mother had called and played to her sympathies. She had kept telling Kelli how she could be a good role model for her cousin who seemed to have lost track of her life. “Who is that grunting half-dressed male in my kitchen?”
“That’s Max. Isn’t he just dreamy?” Tasha asked as she put on the robe. “I think he could be the one.”
“Remember when we had that discussion about you not bringing ‘the one’ back to my house anymore? Why can’t you go to his place?”
“I thought you were just talking about David. And Max’s place is a little too crowded.”
“Crowded how?”
“He lives in his parent’s basement.”
“Such a winner. And why did you tell him this was your place?”
“I wanted to impress him?” Tasha asked with a shrug. Kelli sighed in exasperation. Why did her cousin have to be such a pain? “You need to relax Kel. When did you get so uptight?”
“Forgive me for being responsible,” Kelli drawled sarcastically. She glanced over to the dresser and her eyes nearly popped out of her head. She marched over and grabbed a small silver bracelet adorned with books. “Why do you have my bracelet?”
“Oh that? I borrowed it when we went to that concert to see what’s his name? Oh right, Mick.”
“His name is Nick, and I never gave you permission to borrow this. This was a gift from Jane when we first became friends.”
“Oh yes, the precious bestie. It’s just a bracelet.”
“Hey babe?” Max asked as he stepped into the room and grabbed his t-shirt. “I’m just going to go. I’ll call you later okay?” Kelli grimaced as he kissed her cousin before leaving the room. She listened for the front door closing before she spoke again.
“I thought the entire goal of you staying with me was to get your life back on track,” Kelli snapped. “But you’re still picking up losers everywhere you go.”
“They’re not all losers!”
“Oh yeah? Name one who wasn’t a total loser!”
“Nick!” Kelli sat down hard on the guest bed. Then she remembered what had happened on that particular bed and stood up.
“You slept with Nick? Nick Jonas? Jane’s brother in law?”
“Well yeah,” Tasha said with a giggle. “I always wanted to sleep with a rockstar, and he works in a pinch. Don’t worry cuz. He was totally wasted when we did it. Plus I made sure to leave before he woke up in the morning. No one will know it was me.”
“I left you in the restaurant because you said you wanted to talk to the owner about a job!”
“I know. I can’t believe you fell for that,” Tasha laughed. Kelli pushed past her and made her way out of the room. She raced down the stairs and into the kitchen. She couldn’t believe her cousin had done it again. She had gone after the one person that Kelli had real feelings for. Okay, so she had never acted on those feelings, but still. “Kelli, why are you freaking out?” Kelli glared as her cousin entered the kitchen.
“I’m not freaking out. Sleep with whoever you want! Just don’t bring them back to my house.”
“Oh. My. God. You like him. You have a crush on Nick! Does Jane know?” No, Jane didn’t know, Kelli thought to herself. Kelli had once overheard Jane making it very clear to Nick that he wasn’t to even think about Kelli in a lustful way. Jane had outlined how a relationship between the two of them could hurt everyone. If she and Nick had a fight or broke up things would be forever awkward. Jane was the closest thing Kelli had to a stable family life so she wasn’t about to screw it up over a silly little crush. Even if that silly little crush consumed her dreams every night.
“Tasha I do not—“ Kellis started but was cut off by the ringing of her cell phone. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the phone seeing Jane’s number. She must be calling about Nate. Joe had called earlier to tell her about his new son. Kelli was planning to go and visit them all soon to meet her new “nephew.” “I have to take this. Just a sec.” Tasha glared, but she kept her mouth shut. “Hey Janey!”
[AN: For the sake of brevity J=Jane and K=Kelli]
J: Hey Kelli!
K: Joe already called me about little Nate.
J: Uh huh.
K: I bet he looks just like you.
J: Uh huh
K: Any kid you have has got to be adorable.
J: Yeah, my son is adorable. Listen, I need to ask you something important, and I want total honesty, okay?
K: Okay?
J: Did you sleep with Nick?
K: Nick? Nick who?
Tasha’s ears perked up at the mention of Nick’s name and she grabbed a notepad from the counter and started scribbling furiously. She pushed the notepad towards Kelli. You can’t tell her about me and Nick! Kelli rolled her eyes and wrote back. Why shouldn’t I tell her?
J: Nick Jonas.
K: Doesn’t ring a bell.
Tasha scribbled back. It was just a one time thing. Please!!!
J: My brother in law?
Kelli could hear the annoyance in her friend’s voice. She looked at her cousin who was now clasping her hands together and mouthing “please” to her. Kelli grabbed the pad scribbling on it again. What am I supposed to tell Janey? Tasha grabbed the pad and wrote back. Just tell her it was you. She’ll forgive you for it.
K: You want the complete truth?
J: Uh huh.
K: Yes, I’m the one who slept with Nick.
Kelli glared at Tasha who began mock bowing around her. Tasha so owed her.
J: Okay then. You need to come and meet Nate.
Kelli pulled the phone away from her ear in shock. That was it? She wasn’t going to scream? She loved Jane, but the girl did have a quick temper.
K: Well I’m planning to come. Maybe sometime in the next few weeks.
J: As my best friend you owe me.
K: I suppose I could move up my date.
J: Good. Send your flight details to Joe, and he’ll pick you up tomorrow.
K: Tomorrow?
She was a computer engineer so she set her own schedule, but she was hoping to put off the visit as long as she could. If she came later then hopefully Nick wouldn’t be there. Not to mention what havoc Tasha might wreck alone in her home.
J: Yes, I said tomorrow. Don’t make me come get you myself.
Kelli didn’t doubt Jane would if she failed to show up.
K: Okay. See you tomorrow then?
J: Love you! Bye!
K: Bye.
“What the hell Tasha? Do you know what you just did?” Kelli yelled slamming her phone on the counter.
“I know I have the best cousin ever! And this is a good thing for you too!” Tasha said nonchalantly walking over to the fridge. “You like Nick. If he thinks you’re the one who slept with him then maybe you have a chance at something.”
“I need to go pack,” Kelli said walking out of the kitchen. “I’m not sure how long I’m going to be gone, but while I’m gone I want you to remember one thing.”
“What’s that?” Tasha called out to her.
“When I do come back you had better have moved out!” Kelli smiled to herself when her cousin finally didn’t have a snappy comeback. All urge to smile left her face when she got off the plane in LA. Instead of finding Joe ready to pick her up there stood her worst nightmare. Nick Jonas.
“Let me get your bags,” Nick said grabbing one of suitcases and placing it in the trunk of the car.
“Where’s Joe?” Kelli stuttered.
“I asked him if I could pick you up.”
“W-why?”
“We need to talk.” Shit.
[AN: I really shouldn’t be up this late. Comment please? Is anyone reading this one because I really like writing it.]