Chapter one
"Are you jealous?" He asked me, all his pearly white teeth showing in the dimly lit room.
"No of course not! How could ever be jealous of her?" I asked my voice raspy with a cold. "I just don't think she's right for you."
"Will anyone ever be right for me?" He asked, his smile slipping from his face. "It seems like you hate every girl I've ever dated! You're like my sister Casey, I want your input, but are you going to turn down every girl I bring home?"
"I don't know." My voice broke. "I just want you to be happy Joe."
"Well what if Stacy makes me happy?" He asked hurt showing clearly in his eyes. "What if she's the one?"
"She doesn't love you Joe!" I shouted at him trying to get it into his brain. "She's been lying to you! Yesterday she was flirting with Kevin, he didn't want to tell you cause he didn't want to hurt you, but I don't want her to hurt you!"
"So you're going to do it instead?" He asked quietly his voice shook and he looked away trying (and failing) to hide the tears present in his eyes.
"Joey, I-"
"Save it. I'm not in the mood." Joe snapped walking out of the room. His room. I stood there trying to keep from crying. Soon Kevin replaced where Joe had previously been.
"He'll come back." Kevin whispered pulling me into a hug. "He always does."
"Why doesn't he believe me Kev?" I asked letting my tears fall. Kevin was like my brother and my best friend rolled into one. He was my safety net and the hand that pushes me over the edge when I need that last shove. He's there for me no matter what.
"Deep down he does. He just doesn’t want to. Give him time and he'll see." He pushed me away slightly and pushed away my tears with the pads of his calloused fingers. "Now smile." I gave him a weak smile that couldn't have fooled the dog. "Like you mean it." I managed to give Kevin a genuine smile no matter how much it hurt that Joe didn't trust me. "Let's go find my crazy brother." I nodded and Kevin took my hand leading me out of Joe's room. We looked around the house and couldn't find him anywhere. "I'm going to go to the park and look there, look where ever you think he might hide. As weird as it is you hang out with him more than I do."
I do hang out with Joe more than his brothers do. It's a little sad really. I nodded to Kevin. I knew if I talked I would start crying again. I'm not usually so emotional, it just hurts that my best friend for 14 years doesn't trust me.
I checked every where I could outside of the Jonas house. Even in the old tree house his dad built for us when we were six. I started walking down the street hoping to catch a glimpse of him at one of our friends houses. That’s the thing about living in such a small neighborhood, everyone knew each other and was either friends or enemies. Most of the girls on our street don't like me so I stick to guys. They're more fun anyway.
Finally, as I neared the end of the street, I noticed Joe sitting on the steps of the elementary school. It was mid November and he was in nothing but a t-shirt and jeans. He must have been freezing. As I got closer to him, I pulled my sweatshirt closer to me. Or should I say, I pulled Joe's sweatshirt closer to me. He didn't notice me even when I was standing right in front of him.
"Joe?" My voice cracked. He looked up at me startled then looked away hurriedly. "Joey?"
"You're right…she didn't love me." He muttered as tears started to fall from his eyes. I sat down next to me and took one of my arms out of the sweatshirt covering him up with it as well. It was difficult and we ended up squished together with me almost on top of him, but we've done this before. I held him close as he cried onto my shoulder.
"What happened Joey?" I asked quietly.
"I-I…I" He stuttered. "I w-was so…so mad an-and I r-ran to…to Sta-Stacey's house a-and she…she was th-there with, with…with…"
"Someone else?" I offered. He nodded and leaned his head against my shoulder. I wished this was the first time this had happened, I also wished it was the last. Deep down I knew this was going to happen again, like it had so many times before. I loved Joe, I truly did and I hated seeing him hurt. "Joey, you need to stop doing this to yourself."
"I-I know…but-"
"No buts," I interrupted stroking his face softly trying to calm him down. "When your brothers and I tell you something, you need to listen."
"I know Case…I just…" He trialed off. Time and time he's tried to come up with an excuse but has come up short.
"Let's go back to your house before we freeze to death." I said softly. He nodded against my shoulder. Carefully and slowly we stood up wrapping the sweatshirt around us. We walked carefully trying not to fall over or expose to much skin to the cold New Jersey air.
"Casey?" Joe asked quietly. I turned my head to look at him through my large sunglasses. "When will I ever learn?" I couldn't help but give a small smile.
"I don't know Joey." I leaned up against him. "Maybe when I learn to stop going home."
"I told you that you should come live with us. Mom and dad wouldn't mind." Joe said. I sighed. "You practically live there anyways…and if you did you wouldn't have to wear those sunglasses all the time and-"
"I don't have to wear these glasses." I said with a matter-of-fact air.
"No, but if you didn't people would talk." As soon as the words past his lips the bruise concealed by my oversized sunglasses began to hurt again. Not as bad as when it was placed there, a numbing pain. One that never seemed to go away. "Come on Casey. You help me with my problems; let me help you with yours."
"No Joseph." He stopped at the sound of his full name. "It might be hard for you to believe but he needs me."
"If he needed you he wouldn't hit you." I closed my eyes and stopped walking. "I'm sorry Casey, but it's true." I tried to hold in the tears that just wanted to fall, but I already cried once today I don't need to do it again.
"It's okay." I mumbled. "But I can't leave him. He's my dad."
"Well my dad is like a dad to you…" He said quietly.
"Please just stop Joe." I pleaded. He pulled me into a hug and nodded.
"If anything else happens I will take you away from there." He whispered into my ear. There was no denying that he would. I couldn’t stop him. I also loved the fact that he was willing to do anything for me.
"Okay." I opened my eyes.
"Let's go inside." I realized we were right outside of his house. I smiled softly and nodded. What would I do without Joe?
