Out of This World pt 1

This is the story of a girl who lives in a world where everyone hates her. Her parents wish she weren’t alive, she has perfect siblings, and she always seems to be the outcast. Don’t worry. This isn’t a sad story, for it tells how she survives it all. With one best friend and three amazing boys that truly keep her alive.
***********************1******************************
         “I hate you!” Ella slammed the door in her parents face as tears welled in her eyes.
         “Yeah well. All we do is give to you and you do nothing in return! You can stay in there forever for all we care!”
The sound of their footsteps faded as she cried into her pillow. She rolls over to face her poster filled wall.
         “I don’t know what to do anymore guys. You seem to be the only reason I’m breathing anymore.” She said. “I mean look at me.” She turned her head to look at her reflection in the black-framed mirror. “I’m talking to posters.”
Wiping tears from her slightly reddened checks, she stood and walked over to the wall.
         “I swear Joe, your smile makes me get through until tomorrow. The only thing in this world that makes me hold on to the last bit of hope.”
She then opened her closet doors and pulled out a hot pink sweatshirt. Walking back to her dresser, she made sure it wasn’t too obvious she had been crying. Grabbing her sunglasses and car keys, she left her room.
         “Where are you going?” her father asked her indifferently.
         “Out.” Ella walked down the porch steps and got into her white car, ignoring the rambling her father continued to do. Starting the engine, Ella turned the radio on, then decided against it and popped in a CD. Jonas of course. Their lyrics got her through absolutely everything. They were the only ones in the world that could make her stop crying. As she drove through the L.A. streets, she ran her options through her head. College started soon, but she was commuting.
         “That was a stupid idea.” Ella thought as she turned down a quiet side street. She could either move out or suffer with her hating parents until she graduated. She’d be eighteen next month and had a job. She already had to pay back college loans, so what were some more payments. She passed a small gated community with an “Open House” sign hanging on the majestic black iron gate.
         “Why not?” she thought, turning her car towards the sign. A man in a police uniform stopped her.
         “Can I help you miss” he asked.
         “Yes. Actually.” Reading the name on his badge. “Officer Clark, would you please point me to the open house?”
         “Aren’t you a little young to be looking for a house?” He looked at her through his almost completely black shades.
         “No. I’m not. And I need this house. So if you could please?”
He looked around, like to make sure someone wasn’t watching.
         “Alright. It’s that smaller yellow one. With the white trim and brick that marks the driveway.”
         “Thank you.”
He nodded as she drove to the “smaller” house.
         “There is nothing small about this house.” Ella thought as she put her car in park and got out. Bag in hand, she slowly made her way to the front door.

*******************2*************************

         “Hey Kevin, take a look at this.” Joe motioned for his brother to come over to the window.
         “Do you think Joe looks obvious starring out the window at the neighbors.” Nick looked up from the book he was reading.
         “Haha. Probably.” Kevin laughed as he made his way over to Joe. The two brothers watched as this girl, with shoulder length brown hair got out of a small white car and went up the front steps of their neighbors. She wore a pink sweatshirt and matching pink sweatpants, with white sneakers.
         “Who is that?” Kevin asked.
         “I don’t know.” Joe watched as the mystery girl shook hands with Kim, the house’s owner, then as Kim admitted the girl inside. She disappeared from view, and the boys turned their attention back to their younger brother in the room with them.
         “Maybe she’s Kim’s niece.” Kevin suggested.
         “Yeah, cause mom shake her nieces hand all the time.” Joe pointed out.
         “Guys, who cares.  Maybe she’s buying Kim’s house.”
         “Dude. She’s way to young.”
         “Whatever Joe. Just stop starring out the window at her. If she is buying the house, I’m sure Kim would be kind of mad if you scare her away.” Nick turned his attention back to his book. Kevin laughed and picked up a guitar and started to run through some chords. Joe shrugged and sat down in a chair facing the window, without seeming obvious. He patiently waited for the mystery girl to emerge out of Kim’s house.
         “Joseph!”
         “Yeah mom?”
         “Will you please get rid of this trash?”
An unwilling Joe stood and took the bag of trash his mother held out for him. Leaving his brothers, and mom, he walked outside just in time to Kim saying good-bye to the girl. He stood at the trash cans and watched her get into her car and pull out of the drive way. As she drove by him, she rolled her window down. Joe froze. Had she seen him starring? Nope. She drove by without a word, her brown hair blowing in the hot L.A. wind.
         “Hey Joe!” Kim yelled from her doorway.
He waved, “Kim?”
         “Yeah?”
         “Who was that?”
         “Who- oh that. Your new neighbor Joseph!”  She waved and vanished into her house.
         
*******************3*************************

         “What?” Lily yelled into her phone.
         “I know. I know. But Lily. It’s beautiful. And I had to get out of there.”
         “Yeah, but Ella, a house. Can you even afford it?”
         “Well… no. I added to my college loans by a couple thousand, but I’ll pay for it. You know I have a good paying job. And I would really like it if you moved in with me. We can be.. housemates… please say you’ll move.” Ella pleaded as she drove back to her house.. the one with her family. Her friend remained silent on the line for several minutes. 
         ‘Well.. alright.”
         “EPPP!!” Ella squealed into her cell phone.
         “Haha. I’ll talk to my parents tonight. What are your parents going to say?”
         “Who cares. Probably that I’m finally moving out and they finally got rid of me.”
         “Oh Ella. I’m so sorry your parents feel that way about you.”
         “Lily, it’s not your fault. My life will be a whole lot better now I can tell. I’m home though, so I gotta go. Call me after you talk with your parents.”
         “Okay. Good luck.”
         “Thanks. Bye.”
         “Bye.” Lily hung up her phone, leaving Ella to deal with her parents by herself.
         “Where have you been all day young lady? You have things around here to do.” Her mother scolded her as she entered the kitchen.
         “Not anymore I don’t.” Ella sat down at the counter, facing her mother.
         “And what is that supposed to mean?”
         “Just what I said. I no longer have any responsibilities here. I’m moving out.”
Her mother paused, then burst out laughing.
         “You’re only seventeen. Where are you moving to?”
         “28 Spring Hill Circle. The now previous owner and I discussed my age and she said it was fine since I am almost eighteen. So good-bye mother. Do me a favor and tell dad and your perfect kids that your bratty daughter you wish you never had is no longer a part of your family.” Ella stood up and started to her room to pack up her belongings. “And forget I told you my new address, I don’t want you coming to visit. I’m starting over and there is going to be nothing in this world that is going to ruin my happiness any longer.”  Ella climbed the stairs to her room. She sighed as she looked around at her poster covered walls.
         “I guess its time to take all these down.” She pulled her chair over and climbed on top to pull the posters off.
         “This is when I need to be taller.” Ella’s five foot six inch height wasn’t in the mood to cooperate with taking the highly placed posters down. The next few days became a blur. They were filled with packing things up and throwing other things away. Her now previous room was filled with brown moving boxes, some labeled fragile. Ella had to help Lily pack up her things as well, which took twice as long cause she had thousands of things. Finally it came to be moving day, and as Ella’s parents watched, silent and emotionless, she packed the little she had into the truck and drove off to Lily’s. When she arrived, Lily was moving her belongings onto the front lawn, her parents helped.
         “So that’s what it’s like to have parents that care.” Ella thought as she pulled into the driveway.
         “Hey Ella!” Lily waved to her friend as she climbed out of the truck.
         “Hey Lily. Hi Casey and Mark.” She greeted her friends parents.
         “Hello Ella. Where are your parents, they aren’t helping with the move?” Mark asked.
         “My parents Mark? Seriously. They just watched me leave. They didn’t even say good-bye. Whatever though. I’m just excited that I’m finally out of their house.”
         “Oh Ella. I’m sorry things turned out this way with your family.” Casey comforted the seventeen year old.
         “Casey, it’s not your fault. But now we are starting over. In a new home with a new life. And a new family.” Ella smiled at Lily and her parents. “Come on Lily. Lets get your stuff into this thing and get going.”
With Lily’s parents to help it didn’t take them too long. Soon the girls were waving good-bye to Casey and Mark and blasting the Jonas Brothers all the way to Spring Hill Circle.

*******************4*************************

         Nick looked up from the yard work he had been told to do to the sound of “That’s Just The Way We Roll.” He looked around to see a moving truck coming up the street.
“Hey Joe! Your mystery girl slash neighbor is here.” Nick called to his brother. “And she seems to be a fan.”
Joe walked around the side of the house to meet his brother. He smiled at the sound of their song blaring from the cab as the moving truck parked across the street. To avoid being obvious, Joe picked up a rake and helped his fifteen year old brother put the leaves into bags. Glancing up, he watched the girl jump down, tie her hair up and start laughing as her blonde hair friend half fell out of the cab. Somewhere inside of him there was a longing to hear what her laugh sounded like. He then watched as the girls opened the back of the truck and with some effort, pulled the ramp down. They disappeared inside and Nick looked up at his brother.
         “Why don’t you ask them if they need help?” Nick smiled, without showing his perfect teeth, as Joe paused then shook his head.
         “No. I don’t want to seem like an overly nosey neighbor.”
Just then, the oldest brother of twenty pulled into the driveway.
         “Hey guys. What are you doing?” Kevin asked getting out of his sporty black car.          
         “Yard work mom made us do. Well I’m doing yard work. Joe’s watching the neighbors move in.”
Joe playfully threw his rake at his brother while Kevin laughed.
         “Oh I see.” He looked over in the direction of the truck as the brown haired girl emerged with her clumsy friend and some boxes.
         “Who’s that?” Kevin asked, glancing at the tall, slim blonde.
         “I don’t know. A friend that has just as much balance as Joe over here.” Nick motioned towards his brother just in time to see him fall while balancing a rake on his nose.
         “Nice Joe.” Turning back to Nick, “Great, another klutz in the neighborhood.” The brothers laughed and watched Joe pick himself up and brush off the leaves.
         “Haha. Your real funny guys.” But he had to smile, for he enjoyed making people laugh, even though half the time it was at him. With the help of Kevin, the three boys quickly finished raking and sat back on the steps with lemonade to relax, and half watch the girls unload their truck.

*******************5*************************


         “Haha. Ella, I don’t think that’s such a good idea!!” Lily laughed as her friend slide boxes down the ramp and onto the grey street.
         “Do you want to carry them?” Ella called down to her giggling friend.
         “Well… no.”
         “That’s what I thought. Haha. Turn some music on, it will make this go by faster.” Ella suggested.
         “Okay. Hold on..” Lily walked to some of the boxes that were already on the front lawn. Pulling out her ihome, she found an outdoor plug and set it down on the steps. Lily grabbed her ipod off the cab’s seat and set it in the dock. Within a few moments, Jonas Brothers S.O.S. was blaring and Lily was helping Ella slide boxes down the ramp.
         “So what did your parents say to you before you left?” Lily asked as Ella handed her yet another box.
         “Nothing. They just watched me load up my stuff and drive off.”
         “Ella that’s not good. Why didn’t they help you or at least say good-bye?”
         “I don’t know. And to tell you the truth, I don’t really care. Its onto our new life now. A better life. Just us.” Ella smiled and grabbed the last brown box out of the truck. Handing it to Lily, she walked down the ramp onto the street. Lily smiled, and turned to walk to the front door, catching a glimpse of three boys staring in their direction.
         “Ella?” she called to her friend.
         “Yeah?”
         “Take a look at this.”
Ella came up next to Lily and looked in the same direction. Just as she made eye contact, the boys looked at the ground.
         “Does that look like..” Lily started.
         “No it couldn’t be.”
         “Could it?” Lily looked at Ella, then back at the boys, who continued to stare at the ground.
         “If it is, I now know something I didn’t before.” Ella shifted the boxes weight.
         “Oh yeah? What’s that?” Lily asked.
         “The Jonas Brothers find the ground very interesting.” She laughed and turned to go inside. Lily followed, leaving the front door open for easier access. For the next hour or so, the two girls moved in and out of the house, carrying box after box, while the three mysterious neighbors watched. Leaving Lily, Ella ran outside to grab the last box they had left on the lawn and to close up the truck. She stole a glance at the spot where the three boys had sat earlier, and had now disappeared.
         “I wonder if it could really be them.” She thought as she slammed the moving truck’s back door and carried the box into the house. Once inside, she set the box down on the stairs and looked around.
         “Pretty good for a couple of college girls huh?” Lily said as she joined her friend in the entry. Together, they looked around at the high ceilings and large rooms that branched off of the hallway. Rooms that contained the previous owner’s furniture, since she didn’t want it and the girls had no way of buying their own right now. Ella left the box she had carried and moved into the family room, and collapsed onto the sofa. Lily did the same, and in no time at all they were fast asleep. The vibration of her phone woke Ella about two hours later. She had to return the moving truck or they would have to pay a late fee. Careful not to disturb her friend, she stood and grabbed her keys. Leaving Lily a note, she slipped out the door as quietly as she could. Once outside, she noticed the boys had reappeared. Avoiding looking into their yard, Ella climbed into the truck and backed out into the street. Driving past their house, she took a chance and looked out the cab’s window.
         “Oh my god!” She thought as she quickly turned her attention back to the road.
         “It’s them.”   

*******************6*************************

         Joe watched as she drove by. He saw her looking at him, and he saw her face when she realized who it was. Luckily, his brothers missed it, like he had missed the ball when the littlest Jonas, Frankie, hit it over his head in their game of wiffle ball.
         “Pay attention Joe!” Nick, who was ready to bat, called from home plate.
         “I am!” He yelled back.
Nick shook his head and with unknown power, smashed the fast ball Kevin threw at him over Joe’s head and into the street.
         “Woo!” Nick yelled, throwing his hands up in the air and running around the home-made bases in their front yard. His teammate, little brother Frankie, cheered him on as Joe and Kevin watched, unable to do anything.
         “Boys! Come inside for dinner!” Their father called from the front door.
Not wanting to stop their game, the four boys slowly cleaned up the yard and reported inside for one of their mom’s delicious home-cooked meals. After saying grace and a while of silent eating, Mrs. Jonas looked up at her three eldest sons.
         “I want you three to go welcome our new neighbors with me after dinner.”
Joe choked on his steak. Nick and Kevin tried to contain their laughter.
         “What about Frankie?” Joe asked, after taking a drink of water.
         “He is going to a friends and your father has somewhere to be. Is there a problem boys?” She looked at Kevin and Nick, who  were still trying to maintain a straight face. They shook their heads.
         “Joe?”
         “No. I’ll go.”
Mrs. Jonas smiled and the family finished eating. Joe helped clear the table and Nick and Kevin washed the dishes. Dad called for Frankie and the two left, leaving Mom and the three boys.
         “Kevin, hand me that cake on the counter over there.” Mrs. Jonas motioned towards the counter.
         “Here you go mommy.” Kevin handed her the platter with a white frosted cake on top. Joe’s mouth watered.
         “Boys, why don’t you freshen up a little. I’ll be waiting in the living room for you. Joseph, please don’t take too long.”
Nick and Kevin laughed and follow Joe upstairs to wash up, brush their teeth and change their shirts. Kevin pulled off his grey t-shirt and buttoned a white collared shirt on over his undershirt.
         “Hey Joe?” he called to his brother who was in the bathroom.
         ‘What?”
         “Will you hurry up. I need my deodorant.”
Joe emerged laughing.
         “Why, you smell?”
Kevin grabbed his deodorant from Joe’s hand and smiled.
         “No. But you may want to make sure you don’t. First impressions always stick.”
Joe made a face and pulled off his plain black t-shirt and pulled over his head his navy blue polo. Moments later Nick walked in, wearing a pink shirt and light blue tie. Kevin and Nick left the room, and after one more look in the mirror, Joe followed. The trio left the house with their mother, a delicious home-made cake and a very nervous Joe Jonas.

*******************7*************************

Ella pulled into the drive way seconds before a middle-aged women followed be three boys emerged from next door. She ran inside and threw her keys on the counter.
         “Lily! Lily! Wake up!” She gently shook her friend awake.
         “What Ella? Okay, okay, I’m up! What’s with you?”
         “Our neighbors? Yeah, so they are the Jonas Brothers and I think they are on their way over here rig-“
The sound of the doorbell cut her off. The two girls looked at each other and scrambled to make themselves presentable. Lily quickly fixed her hair in a hall mirror as Ella slowly made her way to the door. Glancing back at Lily, she received the nod to open the door.
         “Hello.” The women said politely. “I’m Denise Jonas and these are my boys, Kevin, Nick and Joe. We live just over there. I thought we would come welcome you to the neighborhood. I’ve made you a cake as a gift.” Denise smiled warmly, and Ella had to return it.
         “Why, thank you! Why don’t you come in and I’ll see if I can find some plates to serve us all some.” Ella opened the door wider, revealing Lily in the background.
         “Oh, and this is my friend Lily, she’s living here as well. And I’m Ella.”
Lily smiled and nodded.
         “Ella, I’ll go find some plates for this cake. It looks delicious.” Lily took the platter from Denise and vanished into the kitchen. Ella led the Jonases into the family room and they sat down waiting for Lily to return with the cake.
         “I see you haven’t unpacked much.” Denise glanced around the room at the boxes that bordered the room.
         “Yeah, we haven’t really gotten the chance to yet. After we moved everything in, we kind passed out on the couch for a couple hours.”
Ella noticed Joe looked kind of uncomfortable, Nick and Kevin were totally cool, but Joe kept playing with his hands. She always thought he’d be the coolest one around new people. Just because he’s Joe.
         “Well, my boys would be happy to help you finish unpacking.”  Denise suggested.
         “Oh no. That’s not necessary. We’ll finish.. eventually.”
         “Oh it won’t be a problem. To tell you the truth, I think they would like to. Especially Joe, he’s been very interested with the move since he saw yo-“
         “Mom!” Joe suddenly broke in.
Denise stared laughing as Joe blushed. Kevin looked up as Lily entered with a tray full of plates that contained his mom’s delectable home-made cake.
         “I have to tell you Denise, just cutting this cake was making my mouth water. It looks delicious.” Lily said as she passed out the plates and forks. Her compliment took the focus off Joe and put it on Denise’s amazing cake. While eating Ella tried to watch Joe without seeming like she was staring. They stayed for awhile longer and Denise told the girls who else lived in the neighborhood. They talked about what schools the girls were off to in the fall, future Jonas Brothers plans, and about their family. Like every other mother, Denise was concerned about Ella’s relationship with her parents. Kevin and Nick became more talkative as the night wore on. Joe, however, remained mostly silent, unless he was directly talked to. 
         “My parents just never understood me I guess.” Ella had already decided to fix her eye on Joe, and get him to talk more.
         “Did you ever get along with your parents?” Kevin asked, also becoming concerned.
         “No, not really. It’s weird though, ‘cause I get along with my other relatives so well. They just never took the time to get to know me. I’m satisfied with who I am and I don’t get why they can’t be too. Whatever. Lily and her parents have been awesome to me since we’ve been friends and I wouldn’t want it any other way.” Ella smiled, taking a moment to look lovingly at Lily.
         “Well since we are neighbors, Ella, you are welcome into our home whenever you need to talk or are feeling lonely, or just want to come hang around.” Denise patted Ella’s knee, like a mother comforting her teen-age daughter.

*******************8*************************
**song used in this chapter is copywrited to the JONAS BROTHERS**

Joe looked up at Ella, and noticed she was staring at him. He forced a smiled and looked back down at his hands.
         “What is wrong with me tonight? Talk to her, make a good first impression.” Joe thought as the conversation went on around him. The words Kevin had said to him before they left their room were echoing in his mind.
         First impressions always stick
         Open your mouth and make her laugh.
         First impressions always stick
         Make her smile, say something to take her mind off her parents.
         First impressions always stick
         This isn’t you, be Joe Jonas.
         First impressions always stick
Joe looked up once more and realized his mom and brothers were standing and saying their good-byes. He stood too, forcing another smile and nodding as Ella and Lily told him it was nice to finally meet him and they were sure they would be seeing him around. Joe silently followed his family out their front door and down the walk, away from the house. When Nick heard the front door close behind them, he turned his attention to Joe.
         “What was with you tonight Joe”
         “Yeah man, you hardly said a word.” Kevin came up next to him and gave him a concerned look.
         “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just tired.” Joe walked, starring at his feet. The truth is, he was asking himself the same questions. He wasn’t like the person he was tonight. He was always the one to flirt and make the girls laugh, and more importantly, make them like him. He was sure that Ella thought he was a complete loser, who was afraid of girls and had nothing to say. Great first impression. The family arrived home and Joe made his way to the room he shared with Kevin. Picking up the guitar in the corner, he stared messing around with some chords until something sounded good. He knew that his brothers wouldn’t bother him so Joe grabbed a pen and pad of paper and wrote down the notes he thought sounded best. He loved song writing. Joe could always say what he felt through a song. After setting a tune, he began to write down some lyrics, crossing out words and writing others in, until he came up with a good chorus.
**************************
she was on her way to mars
and then she ran into a star
and fell into my arms
never let her go
she’s my space girl
and she’s out of this world
**************************
Joe smiled and ran through the chorus once more.
         “Sounding good Joe.” Nick said, walking into Joe’s room and sitting down on the bed next to him.
         “Thanks man.”
         “What’s it about?”          
         “Umm I don’t know. Like this really awesome girl, that’s so different than ever other girl you’ve ever met and like, you happened to meet her by chance, but you never want her to leave.”
         “Oh. Sweet. So like, I don’t know.. Ella?”
         “Haha. Your funny Nick.”
         “Oh dude, come on. Even Mom knows you like her.”
         “What?”
         “Hey, she figured it out on her own. I think it was the way you acted tonight.”
         “Yeah, I don’t know what was with me. I just didn’t want to say something stupid and make a fool out of myself.”
         “Face it Joe. You are constantly making a fool out of yourself. It’s what you do. And who you are. Don’t change yourself for a girl. Either she’ll like you for you, or she won’t.”
         “Thanks Nick. But way to go all deep on me.” Joe smiled at his younger brother, and playfully pushing him.
         “Hey, you’re the one writing the song.” Nick returned his brothers smile and left the room. Joe sat awhile longer, trying to figure out how he could over shadow his silent first impression to Ella. His mother’s request popped into his head. Joe sprung up and placed the guitar back on its stand in the corner, then quickly left the room.
         “Mom! Mom!” he called running down the stairs and into the family room where Kevin and Nick were watching TV and his mom was playing with Frankie.
         “Yes, Joseph, what is it?” she responded laughing as the eighteen year old came bounding into the room.
         “Did you really mean we could help Ella and Lily move in?”
Denise smiled, knowing exactly where her son was going.
         “Yes Joe, I think that would be very nice of you and your brothers.”
         “Okay, well then we’ll start tomorrow. We’ll go over in the morning and help them unpack and stuff. Is that okay?”
         “Yes Joe. That’s fine. But why so suddenly, you didn’t seem all that excited when I brought up the topic earlier.”
           “I don’t know. I guess I’m just looking for something to do. It’s weird just sitting here all day.”
         “Umm-hmm.” Denise responded, turning her attention back to her youngest son. Joe sat down between his brothers on the couch, and ended his night happily watching TV and thinking about how to make Ella fall for him.