Chapter 07: Fantastalistic People

Some more of Ellie's friends are introduced: Lauren Marshall and Alex Lombardi, her crush. (You can see their character descriptions and photos at nickjstory.blogspot.com!) This is another chapter I don't really like, but it IS important! <3

"Bom chicka wah, wah...chicka chicka chicka...bom chicka wah, wah...yeah! Yeah! Bom chicka wah, wah...chicka chicka chicka...bom chicka wah, wah...yeah! Yeah!" Erin sings quietly to herself, while I'm zoning out, as we're all walking to Lauren's house. So, yes. We're all walking to Lauren's, since Kevin didn't want her to "fake her reaction" when meeting the Jonas Brothers...? I dunno... He's a weirdo. And I know what you're thinking again: don't you kids ever use phones? Yes. We do, please and thank you, but we decided not to this time...again...
"It's perfectly understandable!" Kevin persists. "She'd probably be freaking out on you on the phone, and then when she sees us in person, she'd act all cool and normal, and then secretly, behind our backs, literally, she'd be stalking us! ...We get that a lot."
Erin and I just shake our heads, laughing at Kevin's determindness, while Nick and Joe are having their own conversation behind the three of us.
"You see where I'm coming from?" Kevin asks in a whiny sort of way.
I laugh, "Sure, Kev."
He sighs, "No you don't! Do I have to explain it all over again?!"
"NO!" Erin and I respond simultaniously.
"Aerrr vee zeirrr YIT?" Joe yells in an extremely over-exaggerated Arnold Shwartzenegger accent.
"No, we're not zeirrr YIT!" Nick tells Joe, imitating his imitated accent. Erin and I laugh.
"Actually, we are here!" I say, laughing even more as Nick shakes his head at his incorrectness and smiles, embarassedly.
We turn up the drive with Erin and myself leading the way. I ring Lauren's front doorbell, and wait for an answer. She opens the door, smiling.
"Hey, Ellie! Hey, Erin!" She gives us each a hug. "I haven't seen you guys since, like, the end of school!"
"Yeah, I know! It's great to see you!" I smile back at her. "But I've got some people I'd like you to meet."

I introduce her to the Jonas Brothers, and she responds normally (in your face, Kevin)! She said that she had heard of the Jonas Brothers before, but she didn't really know what they looked like. She also didn't go to the same church as we did, since she's Roman Catholic, so she wouldn't remember them in that way either.
So...after Lauren agrees to tag along with us to the "flick," as I previously called it, we decide to take the family van to the theatre next to the mall; Kevin being the one who is doing the driving.

Once we're there, we stand in the long, winding line-up to buy tickets. The boys "have to wear their sunglasses" or else they'll "get spotted." Yeah, right, they can't be that famous! When we get near the middle of the line-up, two girls around my age walk by slowly, whispering and pointing at Nick. He saw, I'm guessing, and silently takes my arm without even glancing at them. He pulls me closer to him, so I'm somewhat blocking him from their view, in a kind, harmless way. The girls smile at Nick, give me a dirty look, then continue to walk towards the arcade.

"What are we seeing?" Lauren asks as soon as we're third-next in line.
"Umm...well..." Joe mutters.
"We haven't really decided," Kevin explains for him.
"Hmm, well, in my opinion...nothing really good is playing right now!" Erin says, flat out. She laughs, as does everyone else in our group.
I'm guessing she's gotten over her fear of talking in front of the boys!
"Oh, wait!" Joe says. "How about 1408?"
"Yeah, that sounds good!" I say.
"About time; we're next," Erin says. "Go order for us, Kevin."
He frowns at her, sarcastically.
Yeah, she definitely has gotten over that fear!
"Please!" She laughs. He still looks unsatisfied. She rolls her eyes, "And thank you!"
He laughs as well, and turns to the cashier.

Once everyone is finished paying for their tickets, we decide to walk over to the concession stand.
I stop in the center of the crowd.
"What's up?" Kevin asks.
"Umm...where's Nick?" I ask.
"Oh my..." Kevin trails off, as he focuses on a crowd of at least six or seven girls that are circling around a mop of curly hair.
"RUN!" Joe screams, and heads for the mob. All that the rest of us can do is just stand, and watch in awe.
"C'mon, let's go over there just in case!" Kevin motions for Lauren, Erin, and myself to follow him.
"This is close enough," Lauren says, and we stop.
The girls disperse as Joe blows a sports whistle (no idea where he got it from), and begins to walk back to us.
"Here," he says, panting, "I got him!"
And then he looks at the guy he's holding onto...
"WHOA!" He lets go immediately. "You're not Nick!"
"ALEX?!" My jaw drops.
"Just in time for the movie!" Erin whispers, playfully to me. She knows I have a little thing for him... Okay, big thing!
"Uh, yeah...hey, Ellie...! Who's this guy that grabbed me?" He looks so confused.
"This is Joe," I introduce him. "And he practically just saved your life, so you should be thankful!" I laugh.
"Yeah, thanks, Joe," he laughs as well. "Uh, those girls thought I was some guy...named Nick...?"
"You look a lot like him," Kevin says, in awe.
"Wow, you really do, Alex," Erin says, enthusiastically. "I never realized how much you did until today! I always thought it was just the hair, but now I see way differently! You look like, cousins or something...maybe even brothers...!"
"Are you related to any Jonases?" I ask him, questioningly.
"Nah, I don't think so," he shakes his head, and his curls shake a little as well, in a cute way.
I laugh at that, "Too bad, 'cause you could totally pass for it!"
Nick walks back into our group.
"Where were you, bro?" Joe asks, crazily. "I litterally had to wrestle this guy out of a mob of girls for nothing, just 'cause I thought he was you!"
"Hey!" Alex seems offended. "It wasn't for nothing!"
"Oh, yeah, sorry..." Joe kind of laughs. "But -"
"I just came from the washroom, Joe," Nick tells him and shrugs. "It's not that big of a deal...calm yourself!"
Then Nick looks at me, then over at Alex. They stare at each other for a few moments with looks of slight dislike...

"See?! Alex got trampled by fans just 'cause he looked like one of the Jonas Brothers!" Erin whispers to me after Alex left, and as we're making our way towards theatre number eight.
"Umm...I guess they actually are that famous! Wow! Who would've known!" I whisper back, disbelievingly.
"I TOLD YOU SO!" Erin yells and laughs loudly, causing some bystanders to turn their heads.
"Okay, okay! Don't get all defensive on me!" I laugh too. "I know I was pretty slow on that, but I thought they were overexaggerating when they told me how popular they were... They sure showed me up!"
She gives me a look.
"Okay, okay...you were right..." I admit, and laugh again.
"Ya think?!" She laughs as well.
"WAIT!!!!" Joe screams. Half the people in the area turn their heads with furrowed brows. (So much for not getting noticed!) We, as in our group of fantastalistic people, turn around and start to walk back to Joe.
"What is it now, Joseph?" Kevin whines.
"We have no munchies," he says in a stunned way, while raising his eyebrows, as if it's a life or death situation. "We need to have munchies!"
"But it's so expensive here!" Nick tells him. "It isn't even quality stuff!"
"It's the perfect way to spend an outrageous fortune!" Joe opposes like nothing's wrong.
"Fine, go ahead. We'll wait with you," Kevin gives in.

A few moments later, Joe has finished ordering his snacks. He recieves his nachos, and begins to walk away from the counter. He takes only a few steps, then turns around again, facing the cashier with an odd look on his face.
"...Oh, dear," Kevin winces.
"What's wrong?" I ask, and furrow my brow.
"Wait for it..." Nick whispers softly in my ear, and puts his hand gently on my shoulder. I get shivers, and my stomach does a flip inside of me.
"Waaiiitt for iittt..." Kevin repeats in an anxious, but quiet, and kind of nervous way.
There is a long pause where Joe continues to stare, back and forth, from the nachos in his hand, to the cashier.
"...The cheese on my nachos aren't fully melted!! You're a fascist!!!!" Joe screams in a hilarious way at the cashier, and goes to slam the nacho plate on the counter, but decides to place it gently in front of the cash register a millisecond later. He looks back up at her and grins... "More cheese, please."

Once we get in the theatre, we sit fairly far back so that the Jonases won't get noticed. However, we still get pretty good seats, considering we're such a big group and we got there only a few minutes before the starting time of the movie! From left to right, the order that we're sitting is: Lauren, Erin, Joe, Kevin, myself, then Nick.

I pull my cell phone out of my pocket.
"U must be happy =)," I text to Erin. "I can c u sitting beside him lol."
"What'cha texting?" Nick asks smilingly, just as the previews start. He leans over and tries to see my cell phone screen.
"Nothing, nothing!" I laugh, and pull the phone a little towards myself so he can't see. "Don't worry about it!"
"Fine, then!" He sits back in his seat, crosses his arms, and fake-pouts in a cute way.
After a minute or two, I can see him sneak a glance at me to see if I'm looking at him pouting. I laugh out loud. Half at Nick, and also half because my phone vibrates in my hand at the same time. I open it, and look at the screen. It's a new text message from Erin.
"YES, I'M SO HAPPY U DON'T EVEN KNOW! But I can see a little sumthin-sumthin goin on over at ur end too! ;)"
I smile extra-wide, and let out a little giggle. I look over at her, and just shake my head, still laughing. She looks over as well and nods, smiling ever so widely back at me. Then, over at her end, I can see Joe trying to get Erin's cell from her. I guess these brothers really are alike.
"Oh, come on!" Nick whines, getting me back into reality, nudging me. "You gotta let me in on this! You're making it so intriguing!"
"Of course..." I start off, causing Nick to get a hopeful look on his face. "...I won't show you! Besides, the movie's starting!"
"Okay, be like that!" Nick gives up, sarcastically. "Don't even let a famous celebrity in on the big secret!"
"S'alright with me!" I grin cheesily at him, but then get half-serious. "But don't say that too loud, or else a bunch of girls might swarm around you..."
He smirks and laughs...and I can't help but smile back at him.

"BRB, drinkage," I whisper to Nick, about half-way through the movie. He stands up to let me pass him.
Once I exit theatre eight, I pass the concession stand on my way to go to the vending machine.
"I thought you were getting a drink?" Nick questions me. I turn around.
"And I thought you were watching the movie," I reply.
"I was, but I can get thirsty too!" He smiles at me.
"And so can I!" Kevin stretches his arms and fake-yawns. "Ah, I'm getting old!"
"Where'd you come from?" I ask with a confused and bewildered look on my face.
"My momma's womb, Hakinsack, New Jersey, the United States of America...the Earth," Kevin states, matter-of-factly, and pouts in a gangsterly way.
"He followed me," Nick translates and shrugs.
"Wonderful!" I still seem confused. But hey, who wouldn't be?! "So you guys can just follow me to the vending machine, I guess..."
"Oh, so that's where you're going!" Nick finally comes into understanding. "I get it...smart...unlike Joseph who'd rather spend his money at a lousy snack bar, where the cheese on his nachos don't even get fully melted!! I mean, come on -"
"We get it, Nicholas," Kevin holds out his arm in front of Nick to stop him from talking, and turns to me. "See...the thing with Nick is that he doesn't usually talk that much, but when he does, it usually has to do with nothing anyways... And he gets into these rants and raves -"
"Just like you're doing now?" I ask, smartly.
"...Touché..." Kevin shakes his head.
"Haha, yeah, I'm the quiet one in a crowd, so I don't have an easy time meeting new people," Nick looks at me. "But at least it was easy meeting you again, Ellie."
Kevin gives Nick a soft smile, and the both of them resume following me.

Long story short: we went to get drinks but came back with sandwiches from the deli that was beside the vending machine...I couldn't resist! It's not my fault; I'm Italian! (As are Nick and Kevin, obviously.) So now we're back in the theatre, watching the movie...fun, fun. A few moments later, my cell phone vibrates again. Another one of Erin's text messages, I'm guessing.
"Where'd u go? Nick followed u right away n then Kev followed Nick..."
"I was thirsty but got a sandwich instead & why'd u need to tell me that? Can I watch the movie now?! ;)" I text back.
"WHAT WAS THE WINK FOR?!"
"Nothing, I swear! Calm urself LOL!"
She glares over at me, hilariously, and we all resume watching the movie. It was quite freaky, if I might add...but not as freaky as the movie!

 

*

"Kevin, Kevin, Kevin, Kevin," Joe drones monotonously, while we're all walking out of theatre eight. "Kevin, Kevin, Kevin, Kevin, Kev-"
"WHAT?!" Kevin roars at Joe.
"Can I drive home?" Joe answers; still in a monotonous, dead, and tired way.
"NO!" He tries to act mad, but fails, and lets out a small laugh.

As we're walking towards the exit doors of the theatres, a small group of three girls comes running over to us. The Jonases see the girls, and continue to walk quickly towards the van to get it started. Lauren, Erin, and myself, on the other hand, stop and stall the girls. It's pretty easy too, since there are three of us and three of them.

"I think it's pretty funny how you girls are all getting so excited over the most down-to-earth, contained, and normal guys!" I tell them, and try to shrug them off.
"THEY'RE DOWN-TO EARTH?!" One girl shrieks.
"THEY'RE CONTAINED?!" The other girl sighs.
"THEY'RE NORMAL?!" The third (and quite ditzy) girl screams, and goes off into day-dream-land...
Everyone goes quiet, and the look on my face is basically priceless. How un-educated can one get?
"Okay, um..." Erin starts, as I shake off the one girl's slowness. "You girls better go home now -- you saw your glimpse of the Jonas Brothers, so you can be all happy, now run home!"
"Don't be rude, jeeze-Louise!" the first girl frowns.
"Yeah, we just wanna hang out with the Jonas Brothers for a day, that's all," the third shrugs as if it's nothing (still with attitude).
"Well, we're sorry," Lauren tells the girls, "and we're not trying to be rude, but you girls really should go. I'm sure if you went to a Jonas Brothers concert or something, you could meet them there, but now's not the time."

"Haha, Lauren, back there you were awesome!" I tell her, after the three fan-girls had left us alone.
"I took a twelfth-grade psychology course!" she laughs. "What can I say?!"
We all eventually reach the van, get in, and start to head back home / to our street.

 

Author's Note

I just love how Nick & Alex already have a known mailce between each other!
I also love comments; feedback is greatly appreciated! :)
nickjstory.blogspot.com