Pretty Girl-The Way [Kevin Jonas] 1

When I was about, 10 years old, still living in Wyckoff, New Jersey, I was at a beach, making a sand castle with my two younger brothers, Nicholas and Joseph. Our parents went over to buy us some food so Nick, Joe and I stayed by the sandcastle, adding more levels and buildings to it. Joe saw a girl and stared at her for like, five minutes until I ended his trance.

"Joe, what are you doing?"

"Kev, look over there, at that girl," he said, pointing at one direction. I looked over and saw a girl around my age, trying to build a sandcastle, like my brothers and I. But unlike her, we actually had something that stayed while hers kept collapsing.

"Isn't she pretty?" Joe asked me. I took a good look at the brown haired girl who was in deep concentration in making herself a sandcastle.

"I guess so," I replied. Then the brown haired girl looked up and Joseph and I looked away. We continued with our sandcastles when we saw a shadow coming to us. Joe, Nick and I looked up at the brown haired girl who had a smile on her face.

"I'm Blake, can you help me with my sandcastle?"
I woke up from the dream I had, remembering the brown haired, green eyed girl named Blake. Blake hit it off with my brothers and I and we became good friends until I had to leave for my brothers' and my first tour. We promised to stay in touch, but then, I hadn't realized how hard it was to stay in touch with her because I was on the road all of the time. Then we, after a few letters, decided mutually to stop trying to keep contact, it strained us both.

After four years, the sun was in my eyes and I sat up and swung my legs over the side of my bed and rubbed my eyes with my hands. We arrived in Wyckoff last night from our tour and this was our down time. We haven't spent a significant amount of time here in Wyckoff since the start of our first tour.

"Something wrong Kev?"

I heard a voice behind me and it was Joe standing at my door.

"Do you think Blake's still around here?" I asked him. I knew he missed Blake too. He was the first one to see her and I knew he had a crush on her. But she politely denied him years ago because of their age difference. Joe never gave up on her though.

"I hope so," Joe said. He never knew how much I liked Blake and how much I still do. Her birthday was just a few weeks after mine, and it was coming up. This year, she'll be 21, just like me.

"She might be at college, she is 20," I reminded Joe.

"She might not be, Kev. But let's get some breakfast, Mom, Dad & Frankie are still off on their vacation of theirs and I'm extremely hungry," Joe said. Always hungry.

"K, Joe, wake up Nick and we'll go," I told him. I changed my clothes and brushed my messy hair and waited at the car for my brothers.

A very hungry Joe and a very sleepy Nick came into my car and I drove to our favorite diner. They served the best breakfast ever.

"Well well well, the hometown hearthrobs have returned," a voice said as we came into the diner. I recognized that voice anywhere, the owner of the diner, Gene Adams.

"Hey Gene, long time no see," Joe said, high fiving Gene, who was behind the counter. Joe, Nick and I sat at the counter, infront of Gene.

"Yes boys, been a long time. I see you guys look extremely different," he said. "Nick, your hair's bushier."

"So I've been told," Nick joked. He ran his hand through his hair, making the mess worse.

"Joe, still the ladies man?" Gene asked him.

"You know it," Joe laughed. Gene laughed at him.

"And Kevin, still use that straightner that I sent you for your birthday two years ago?"

I rolled my eyes and laughed at Gene. "Still the same aren't you Gene?"

"I guess so," he said. "Your usuals?"

"You bet," I said. "This place doesn't seem to have changed."

"Yeah, I haven't done too much. But new people work here," Gene said.

"Ah," Nick said. Gene put three coffee mugs infront of us and filled it up with his special coffee.

"Mmm, haven't tasted this in a while. Almost surpasses Starbucks," I said, sipping my coffee. "Almost."

"I'm giving Starbucks a run for their money," Gene said. He sent in our orders to the kitchen and my brothers and I talked with Gene, catching up with him. Then his phone rang in the middle of our conversation.

"Excuse me guys," he said. "Hello? Oh right, be right there." He hung up and turned to us. "I'm sorry guys but I gotta step out for a few minutes. My best server's gonna bring out your food in ten seconds. You can even count starting...now."

Joe started to count outloud at Gene went out of the diner.

"one...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight...nine...ten." Then right at ten, someone came out from the back of the kitchen. She pushed the swinging door, using her back and carried three plates, two in her hands, one balancing on her arm. Nice skills. She really is the best server. The last time I was here, some guy tried to do that and dropped all three plates.

"Hi, I'll be your server while Gene is out for a few minutes," she said. Her hair was pulled back into a neat bun and she gave each of us our plates. "I'm Blake Grent by the way and you guys are?"

I immedietly stared at her, she didn't look like the 16 year old girl I left behind. Then I recognized the same green eyes that I looked into four years ago.

"Blake?"

"Yeah, that's me. And you are?"

"Kevin Jonas."

----

Blake stared at me in disbelief. "Oh."

"Blake," I heard Joe say. Blake turned to him. "Remember me?"

She immedietly smiled at Joe. "Of course. How could I forget Danger? Still living up to the name?"

"Of course," Joe said. Then Blake turned to Nick.

"My favorite curly haired boy," she said. Nick blushed.

"Blake, still as lovely as ever," he said.

"Aww, my Nicholas is growing up," Blake said, pulling at one of Nick's curls. Then she turned to me.

"I'm sorry I was surprised before, I was just...well shocked that I saw you guys here again. It's been what? Four years?"

"Yep," I said, sipping my coffee. "You look different."

"I could say the same for you Kev," she said. She leaned over the counter and touched my messy hair. "Been using a straightner?"

"Yeah," I laughed. "Gene sent me one. What about you, what's with the conservative bun?"

"Work," Blake said, organizing the counters. "I have to keep my hair up so it doesn't get into food or whatever."

"Gross," Nick said. "That's disgusting."

"Yeah," she said. "Lucky you guys had me making your food other than this other worker who never put her hair up. I swear, there's at least 5 complaints when she makes the food."

"You don't seem to have changed a bit Blake," Joe said.

"I guess I haven't," Blake admitted. "Ever since you guys left, I've just been the same. FInished high school, couldn't afford college so I stayed here."

"What do you want to do? Future wise, I mean," I asked her.

"Not sure yet, I didn't give it too much thought since I knew I wasn't gonna go anyways."

Blake seemed down at the fact that she couldn't get out of Wyckoff.

---
"What do you want to be when you grow up Kevin?" Blake asked me when we were at my backyard, looking at the stars.

"I'm gonna be a rockstar," I said confidently. "What about you?"

"I want to try being a singer, but I bet I won't be any good," she said.

"Come on Blake, I bet you sing great."

"Don't think so. Plus it's a one in a billion shot that I could actually be famous," she said. "I guess I just want to get out of here."

"Wyckoff?" I asked her.

"Yeah, I feel like I'm destined for something bigger."
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