“So why did you wanna talk with me in private?” asked Joey sitting sown on the couch once again and crossing her legs.

“Well....” started Nick sitting down next to her “...I wanted to apologize for being late. It was really rude of me.”

“Oh please, if I knew that you wanted to ditch out on the party I would have called you and we could of ditched it together. My mom is making me do this too. She thinks I’ll get to know people here and make some friends,” said Joey.

“So you just moved here?”

“Yeah. My mom bought a house on the other side of the lake but we are having some things done to it so we’re staying with my Aunt and Uncle. So, Nick tell me about Ruskin. Is it always this boring?” She asked with a bright smile.

“Yeah, pretty much. I’m usually hanging with friends in Orlando so I don’t spend much time here. Not too excited about living in good old Ruskin?”

“Oh I just happy as a clam!” she exclaimed sarcastically “Oh by the way, thanks for the directions earlier this week. My brother is easier at making friends than I am and he apparently fits right in with my cousin and his buddies. Your sisters are great though. Really welcoming,” she replied looking away from him.

“They’re pretty sweet, when they wanna be. Joey, are you all right?” asked Nick suddenly worried why she looked away.

“Yeah, I’m....uh..I’m just fine,” she replied pushing a stray lock of hair out of her face. Her eyes were welled with tears.

“Everything is not OK. What’s bothering you?” he asked again softly touching her hand.

“I said I wouldn’t do this. I promised myself,” she said scolding herself softly.

“Do what? Promised what?” questioned Nick totally confused and still worried.

“Nick, I don’t really wanna go into it right now,” she said patting his hand with her other one.

“Alright, I can respect that,” he stated squeezing her hand “Just let me know, if you wanna talk.”

“Thanks Nick,” her green eyes looking into his blue-gray ones “Hey want the exclusive tour of the house?”

“You bet! Lead the way,” said Nick standing up as Joey took his hand and walked out of her room.

“This is the pool and this lovely piece of plastic is the diving board and this over here is the gazebo. Pretty boring but I like it. It’s normal,” said Joey.

“What do you mean by normal?” Nick queried.

“Oh not much. Things in my life have just been ....complicated,” she said solemnly. Nick felt a little out of place. She’s seemed uncomfortable and bummed out. Suddenly Nick got an idea.

“Come on, I wanna show you something,” he said grabbing her hand and running toward the dock at the back of his house “Tada!”

“Nice boat, Nick. Yours?” Joey asked seeing the huge yacht.

“I wish. I just steal it from my parents when I want to be alone.”

“I wish I had a get away like that. I just have my painting,” she said.

“You’re an artist?”

“Yeah. That’s part of the reason we moved. I got a job offer from a school here in Tampa. They’ve seen my work and want me to be a teacher. I’ve got to complete the college courses first but they pay which is nice.”

“You’re that good?” questioned Nick.

“Yeah, you wanna see?” countered Joey raising her eyebrows.

“Sounds like a plan.”

Joey and Nick walked back towards her house. Her immense green backyard lawn spread out before them. The pool sparkled in the moonlight as Joey led Nick back into the house. Walking into the house through the patio door, Joey ushered him up the stairs directly to the right of the doorway. They passed a couple of doors and then Joey stopped. She opened the door and walked over to a closet behind the white couch. She stepped back bringing out a couple of canvases for Nick to see. He carefully picked up a canvas that Joey had leaning against a chair. It was a small dark haired girl holding a man’s hand, probably her father’s. They were on the beach at sunset.

“Wow, Joey, I didn’t know how good you were.”

“How could you?” she asked softly.

Nick put that painting down and came to a charcoal sketch of a young boy that looked exactly like her brother but younger.

“Your brother, Josh. It looks just like him,” Nick paused staring at the picture. He was lost in thought when he spoke with a distant tone “My mom paints. She’s been doing it since she was a teen.”

“Really? Maybe I can talk to her then,” Joey said to herself. She noticed Nick’s quizzical look and she smiled “I’m looking for a good art store. I need some paint and a new fan brush.”

“Well there is a good shop on Colfax. It’s got great deals for cheap prices. That’s where I buy my colored pencils and markers. I draw comics,” he said shyly.

“That’s cool. So do you star in them? Are you like the normal guy by day, Superhero by night?”

“Something like that,” he said the smile falling from his face. He wouldn’t tell her about his life as an international superstar. He wouldn’t tell her unless she asked. He liked her too much to mess this up.

“Nick,” said Joey pulling him from his thoughts “Are you OK?”

“I’m fine just a little preoccupied. A lot has been on my mind.”

“Do you wanna talk? I’ve got some time,” she said flopping down on the bed.

“Yeah, that would be nice but..um how about over dinner tomorrow?” asked Nick fidgeting with his hands and kicking a foot back and forth. He may be famous but that didn’t make asking a pretty girl out any easier.

“Are you asking me out on a date, Nickolas?” she asked sweetly.

“Looks that way,” replied Nick shyly.

“Well what the heck, I need to meet people and make some new friends. Besides it could be fun.”

“Hey when you’re with me anything and everything is fun,” he said relaxing.

“I’ll be the judge of that Mr. Party Animal. Come on,” Joey replied taking his hand and leading him out of her home.

“Mom does this look, OK?” asked Nick walking into his parent’s bedroom.

Nick wasn’t dressed in his usual jeans and T-shirt. He had on a nice pair of khakis with a forest green dress shirt that was open to reveal a white tank top. His black leather jacket topped off the ensemble. His mother looked at him and smiled.

“Where are you going so dressed up?” she asked.

“I’m going to show Joey around town. Maybe grab some dinner or something like that.”

“I thought you weren’t dating right now,” she commented putting away some laundry.

“It’s not a date date,” he replied sitting on his parent’s bed “It’s an I’m-helping-you-see-the-sights-of-Ruskin date.”

“Nick, a date is still a date but that’s just me. You look great, sweetie.”

“Thanks mom,” he said giving her a quick kiss “You don’t think it’s too much?”

“No, but come here you have a hair out of place,” she said as he walked over to her “I like Joey a lot but, Nick, you have to be careful. With you being famous this girl might want-”

“Mom, don’t worry. She doesn’t know. If she knew who I was she would have said something,” he stated brightly.

“Nicky-” she started but Nick cut her off. He was taken aback slightly at his mom’s reaction. Of course he knew that she only wanted the best for him.

“Mom, she’s a classy girl, OK. Trust me she would have mentioned it.”

“I know, baby, but I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”

“It’s a date, Mom. It’s not like I’m proposing to her. Can you please relax,” he said walking into the hall.

“Nick, wait,” she said popping into the hallway after him “It’s just your first real date since you’ve been with the group. I’m just a little worried is all.”

“Don’t be. I’m a big boy and I can handle this, promise,” he said kissing her cheek and walking down the stairs

Knock-Knock-Knock

Nick had never ever been as nervous as he was right then in front of Joey’s door. His mom was right, it was his first proper date. Of course he had called fans and went out with them but it wasn’t the same-it was always a friendly atmosphere instead of romantic. What was more was he knew his fans loved him but he didn’t know if Joey liked him like that. ‘God!’ he thought ‘Being a normal teenager is hard.’

“Hi Nick, wow you look great,” said Joey brightly opening the door.

Nick again was amazed by her. She had on black tights and black knee high boots. She wore a short black skirt with a dark green sweater. Her red hair was curled and the sides were pulled up into a barrette. Nick didn’t know how she did it but she had this uncanny ability to mesmerize him.

“Joe, I ..uh...I don’t know what to say,” he breathed softly.

“You may not realize it, Nick, but you just gave me the greatest compliment by not saying a word,” she stated flashing her beautiful smile “Mom, I’m out. Don’t wait up.”

Nick and Joey walked to his car and he opened the door for her, giving her a hand for when she stepped up into the green wrangler. She smiled and accepted the hand as she got in. Nick ran around the other side of his car and quickly got in.

“So where are we going?” Joey asked.

“It’s a surprise,” he replied smiling wide.

“Oh come on, Nicky, tell me,” she said sweetly turning towards him in her seat. Usually Nick would have cringed at the nickname Nicky but when Joey said it, it made him shiver with happiness.

“Ya know if you were anyone else, I would have beat you down for calling me Nicky.”

“Oh I didn’t mean-”

“No, it’s OK,” Nick said cutting her off “I like it when you call me that.”

“Oh,” she whispered smiling. They sat in silence for awhile. Finally when Joey couldn’t take it any longer she spoke.

“So are ya going to tell me?”

“What? No, I’m not telling,” said Nick quickly looking at Joey.

“Please? For me....Nicky,” she said giggling.

“I should have never told you that I liked it when you called me that,” he said shaking his head.

“Come on, just a little information.”

“OK, you’ll like it there.”

“Well that doesn’t help me.”

“That’s the point,” Nick stated plainly.

“Come on, something,” she said exasperated. Nick smirked. He liked making her beg.

“OK fine ya talked me into it. I’m going to take you for some dinner then after we get to know each other I’m going to drive you out to some remote place and kill you, hiding the body in the bay,” he said with no emotion.

“Well at least you’re paying for the last meal,” she stated which caused Nick to burst into laugher. She joined him.

“Hey Nick,” she started after their little laughing fit.

“Hey what?”

“You’ve got a great smile, it lights up your whole face.”

Nick blushed. He’d never been good at taking compliments. He looked over at her quickly and found her looking straight ahead and smiling.

“Keep your eyes on the road, Blondie. Can’t take a compliment?” she asked.

“Oh I see where this is going. You want me to compliment you back,” he stated.

“What? No, I’m sorry but I don’t fish for compliments. I see that you’ve read your guy handbook though,” she giggled.

“Yeah well when you’re on long bus trips, it’s good reading,” he said smiling. He realized what he had said and mentally kicked himself. ‘Maybe she didn’t hear.’

“What do you mean ‘long bus trips?’”

'Nope, she heard.'

“I used to go to camp, it was like two or three hours away, so that’s what I meant,” covered Nick as he cringed. He hated lying to Joey but he couldn’t risk losing this friendship that has the potential to be more. He wanted to keep that part of his life quiet until he knew Joe was ready.

“I used to go to camp. Not around here but I had so much fun. Hey Nick, we’ve got something in common,” she said giving him a melodramatic disbelieving look. Nick smiled and laughed.

“I hope that’s not all we do.”

“Me too,” whispered Joey glancing at Nick, who obviously was too into his driving to hear.

Part 4