Awe...I missed the whole conversation cause of my stupid class. BLAH. Yay, Jamie's a mean girl!!!
OK, so this chapter will be dedicated to Jamie, cause I'm sure he looks adorable in a tutu:
Chapter 3:
I knocked on his hotel room door. I knew he’d get pissed, but I didn’t care. I needed to talk to him. I was tired of him hiding, and I wanted my brother back.
“Go away, Nisha.”
“Joe, let me in.” I could imagine the confusion—he’d been expecting Nisha, and got me instead. A few moments later, I heard the lock rotate and the door swung open.
“What?” His eyes were red and puffy.
“We need to talk.” I pushed past him and into the room. He shut the door and walked to where I was sitting on the edge of his bed.
“Did Nisha put you up to this?”
“No, Joe. She actually begged me NOT to come.” I paused. “What on earth possessed you to say that to her???”
“So, she just had to open her big mouth and tell you?” He folded his arms across his chest. I stood up.
“No, actually, we could hear everything you said to her. And then you storm off like-pardon the expression-a bat outta hell. Kevin and I found her sobbing... SOBBING!!!” His face softened a bit.
“Well, I’m right. It’s not like she has any idea what I’m feeling. It’s not like she knows what it’s like to kill someone…even someone as evil as Samar.”
“Joe, what is wrong with you??? You act like some big bad-ass who none of us are worthy enough to talk to, just because none of us knows ‘what it’s like to kill someone’.” I clinched my fists, barely able to control my anger. He immediately turned away from me. There was an eerie silence that hung between us.
“I’m not some big bad-ass.” He said softly, finally breaking the silence.
“Then why are you acting like this?”
“Because—because…she shouldn’t still love me.” I was surprised by his admission, and finally he turned back to face me. “I killed her sister. Her last living relative. I took her family away from her. And I did it right in front of her.” Finally, I was beginning to understand.
“You think she shouldn’t love you because you killed her sister, and that’s why you are pushing her away.” He nodded. I slapped the back of his head.
“What was that for?!?!” Joe yelped, his hand immediately rubbing his now sore head.
“For being an idiot. If you hadn’t killed her sister, Nisha wouldn’t even be alive. Nisha is so in love with you, how can you not see that??? I would give almost anything to have the kind of love you get from her. So stop being a dumbass and go apologize. DON’T let her go. You will NEVER find another one like her.”
“You think I don’t know that?!? I know how lucky I am!”
“Then start acting like it!!!”
“You don’t get it. I hate myself for what I did. How can I expect someone else to love me, when I hate myself?”
“Joe,” I lowered my voice. “That’s what love is. Love is unconditional. I know, and I know you know, that Nisha will love you no matter what. And if you’re having problems, TALK TO SOMEONE. You can’t just bottle everything up and expect it to all go away.” He stared at me for a few seconds, and I hoped that maybe some of what I’d said was actually sinking in.
“When did you get so smart?” I sighed and smiled.
“Whenever it was, I certainly didn’t get it from YOU.”
