Disclaimer: I clearly do not own anything within...props to Disney and such.
A/N: This piece was a lot more angsty in my head...somehow that got lost as I started writing it down :/
Also, I'm not completely happy with this but I am completely finished with it. A girl can only poke at it so much before saying "enough!" I'm looking for some feedback on how I wrote Joe. I've found such a comfort zone in writing Kevin and/or Macy that branching out has been proving difficult and I'm honestly not sure how well I handled Joe.
Anyway, this was inspired/started a while back when I accidently read some future ep summaries for JONAS. One (episode 13, actually) mentioned Joe's friend, which I found curious but then I saw a picture of said friend and seeing it was yet another girl there was eyerolling involved and me declaring Joe had no friends beyond the gang. And thus this fic was born.
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It wasn't often Joe Lucas was left to his own devices. It was nearly an unspoken rule and, all in all, Joe was happy with it.
When lunch rolled around though, Kevin had left for the teacher's lounge to talk about an essay, Nick claimed he wanted to work on a new song alone and Stella was on day three of her flu.
Stella was very rarely sick and Joe found himself starting to feel the weight of her absence in school these last few days. He was spending more time with Nick than he was pretty sure he could handle.
With his lunch tray filled and paid for, Joe slowly scanned the cafeteria and fully realized he had no one to sit with.
Joe had no idea, absolutely none, where to sit. There were more than a few familiar faces but none of them Joe knew beyond class. None of them friends. What in the world did Kevin and Nick do when he wasn't around? They didn't always eat lunch together but for the life of him he couldn't picture either of his brothers fretting over lunch time seating arrangements.
When was the last time everyone had abandoned Nick at lunch? Or Kevin? Joe was pretty sure they didn't have that many friends either. Joe couldn't be the only one out of them that was lacking in the friend department.
Except...the more he thought on his brothers the more he realized it really was just him.
Nick had the soulful and broody thing working for him. One didn't think friendless loser when they saw Nick seated alone in the library with a notebook. No, he kind of screamed tortured artist. He was the ultimate lone wolf. He walked around being deep and introspective and withdrawn and writing his thoughts down and turning it into music. Seriously, Nick was one flat iron away from being emo.
Joe self-conciously tucked his hair back. It was clearly different.
Kevin...well, Kevin could befriend a stupid rock and be happy. He had, in fact, been one of those kids who'd had their pet rock longer than deemed normal. Kevin seemed to make friends with everyone. His eldest brother had no problem randomly chatting people up. The easy, laid back nature of Kevin tended to draw most people in. He'd sit down, smile and they'd forget the fact that they'd only spoken with him the once in that one class last year and begin chatting away like they were old friends.
But Joe himself... He was too cool for friends? Ugh. It had just happened.
He, well, he was busy! If he wasn't at home, he was at school. There was sleep and school and homework and band practice and touring and recording and sleep and autographs and...
Joe glanced around the caffeteria and couldn't help but take in the tables upon tables of people grouped around them...all friendly like.
It was a slow, sinking realization that he really didn't have any friends. That, in all honesty, when you took away Stella and the long-distance friendship with Carl he really didn't have anyone beyond his family.
Joe didn't realize he'd come to a standstill in the cafeteria until he was jostled into from behind. Clearing his throat, he rearranged his grip on his tray and headed for the doors. Pocketing the apple and the pint of milk he tossed the rest of his lunch, untouched, into the trash.
When had this happened?
Mom had always harked on them about keeping it real and living life like normal teenagers and besides a few things here and there, Joe was always sure that they were, very much, keeping it real.
It turns out, though, that he was a 17 year old international rock star with two friends. One who they'd since employed to work for the band and another who didn't even live in the same city as he did.
Well, this wouldn't do. He'd been popular before he started devoting so much time to the band. It couldn't be that difficult finding a few guys to hang out with.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
It'd taken a good chunk of the afternoon for Joe to mull over the best group to befriend. And then an even larger chunk of the afternoon trying to figure out how to best infiltrate the football team without actually joining the football team.
Standing a few lockers down frown the small group of football players, Joe was distraught to realize he didn't really know how to start in. They'd been talking about a party last class and Joe was pretty sure it would be a huge social faux pas to show up uninvited, rock star or not.
One of the guys, Joe was pretty sure was named Tim or Tad or something, was complaining that the girl's swim team had backed out last minute and their party was going to be lacking in the x-chromosome department.
He hated abusing his celebrity status this way but if there was one thing Joe knew he could deal with it was girls. Him and girls were better together than PB and Jelly.
It didn't take long to find a group of female students walking the halls, it took a moment longer though to find a group of pretty female students walking the halls. Joe waited until he noticed a few of them subtly making note of him before making his move.
He ran a hand through his hair and smiled. Really, it was that easy.
The group nearly smiled at him in unison. A tall, bottle-blonde adjusted her books and jutted her hip out. "Hey, Joe. Great math class earlier, huh?"
"Hey ladies. Looking lovely as always." Joe wasn't really sure where he was going with this but was more concerned with seeing if they'd caught the attention of the guys he was putting this show on for. Joe smiled again at the girls before saying, "I'll see you around later."
As the girls giggled and walked over to their lockers, five of the six still letting their gazes linger of him, Joe scoffed loudly and turned to the football players. "Chicks! What can you do though..." It was lame. Joe knew it was lame but it seemed to be the only opening he was getting.
The guys shared a look, their eyes trailing appreciatively over the girls across the hall. As they all nodded, the stout, redhaired one stepped forward. "Hey, you get the invite to the party at the lake yet?"
If Joe noticed that the other student had been talking a bit louder than necessary and seemed to be glancing to see if the girls had overheard him he made no mention of it. "Yeah, dude. Uh, Mike was talking about it earlier." Mike seemed like a generic enough name, Joe rationalized.
"So, you coming tonight?"
Joe knew that normally one should play it cool and act disinterested at best but he needed this to work. So, even as he shrugged, he found himself saying, "Yeah. Wouldn't miss it. Sounds like fun."
"Great, we'll see you at Lake Pine tonight at 8."
Joe nodded and resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the over-share of info. Why didn't the guy just write out directions and hand them to the girls that they were all still eyeing. With no other reason to be standing in this part of the school, Joe collected his things and headed towards his last class.
"Hey, Lucas?"
Joe really didn't like being addressed by his last name. Yet another reason to not join a sports team. "Yeah?"
"Bring Misa with you tonight."
Misa? It took a few moments of racking his brain before he realized the super klutzy, kind of crazy, self admitted JONAS super fan Macy's last name was Misa. "You want me to bring Macy with me tonight?"
"Yeah, you show up, have Misa with you."
Joe shrugged. It was a small deviation to his plans, a really unwanted one. But at least they weren't asking him to bring booze. "Done."
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
"Hey, Macy."
"He--ey!" She always started out so normal, Joe noted as it became clearly obvious the moment Macy realized exactly who was speaking to her. "Joe of JON--" Macy caught herself and giggled. "Uhm, Stella still isn't here today."
"Yeah, I know."
"Right!" Macy giggled again as she tucked her hair back, "Of course Joe of -- of Stella's friends would know that!"
Joe had contemplated earlier how exactly to ask Macy to the party and decided on a vague, bandaid-ripping method. "Want to hang out with me and the guys later?"
"You and the...the..." Macy reached out blindly and grabbed at her locker to keep herself upright.
Joe smiled weakly and tried to ignore Macy's near swoon. He wanted friends that weren't his brothers or Stella or in another city and if dealing with Macy was the cost then...well... Ok, he could totally deal with this. The football team would be the ultimate in. "I'll pick you up around 8, ok?" He didn't bother to wait for an answer as he walked off.
Close friends with the football team, handsome, rich and a rock star. It was the combination. He'd be King in no time.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Joe tried to ignore the bundle of energy that was the petite girl beside him.
"Um, not to be too much of a stalkerish fangirl but don't you live in that direction?" Macy asked, the first words she'd spoken since she'd squeaked out a 'hello' when Joe showed up at her door that evening.
Joe just nodded and spared her the briefest of glances. "We're heading to a party." When he saw the look of confusion sweep across her face he reached out and turned the radio up.
The rest of the drive was done in silence and whether it was because Macy had realized Joe didn't want to talk or if she was still too nervous, Joe wasn't sure.
The turn off to the party was easily spotted and Joe pulled in and quickly found a parking space. Joe pocketed his keys and got out of the car. Taking a few steps towards the pulsing music and the flickering fire light he realized he hadn't heard the other door. She was still just sitting there. The look of confusion had returned to her face.
"Lucas!"
Joe turned and recognized the red headed guy from earlier. "Hey -- man!" Dammit, what was that guy's name?! Veering his course towards the guy Joe noticed him craning his neck to look around Joe.
Glancing behind himself he saw Macy still seated in his car. Sighing, he plastered on a forced smile and motioned her over. Macy didn't budge. Seriously? She was expecting royal treatment? He was already taking her to a party.
With a quiet growl, he stalked to her side of the car and opened the door for her. He could do the gentlemanly thing. A long moment passed and Joe had no clue what she was waiting for. "Macy? Seriously, come on."
"Wait! Your 'guys'...you're referring to these guys?"
"Uh, yeah. Of course, man." Joe continued to stand by the car and found himself opening the door a little wider still in hopes that Macy would get to it and get out of the car already.
"Look, Joe, I don't..."
"C'mon, Mace! For me?"
Macy still hesitated though, glancing around uneasily. "Joe, I'd really rather--"
"Come on, Macy! Joe of JONAS is asking you to get out of the car and get with the program!" The second the band name passed Joe's lips, he felt sick. He was doing this. He was abusing his position in his band to influence one of their biggest fans into doing something she clearly didn't want to do.
"Right!" Macy tried giving what Joe was sure was supposed to be a brave smile but it looked way too strained and forced. "Just going to attend a party that my whole team turned down because of the creepers that are hosting it."
Joe slung an arm around Macy's shoulder after she finally got out of the car and started towards the trees. "That's the spirit. Lets go mingle."
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
By the time Joe had made it to the heart of the party, he could no longer spot the redheaded football player from earlier. After spotting a group of cheerleaders, Joe decided he would look for the guy later.
"So are you guys together, than?"
"What?! No!" Joe rushed out, taking a side-step away from Macy as he smiled at the blonde cheerleader. He flinched involuntarily and it took a moment before he realized no one was about to hit him. This was a conversation that happened far too often and normally when Joe acted so affronted about dating the girl that was normally at his side he tended to receive various forms of physical abuse by the offended Stella. Glancing over he was surprised to see an equally wide-eyed head shaking her head 'no'. "No, me and Mace are just friends."
The bright smile and flush that simple statement brought to Macy's face was surprising. As a smile spread across Joe's own face he decided not to think on it and instead moved in to further chat up...uhm...the cheerleader? Joe glanced to his side and saw Macy still standing there. "Uh, maybe you could...?" Joe started, making a shooing motion. Alicia? Was her name Alicia?
"Oh," Macy gave a small laugh, "I'll just...see what kind of refreshments they have. Uh, later."
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
"Joe, I need your car keys o-or to borrow your cellphone briefly."
Are you kidding? Joe had only managed to shake her off like an hour ago. How was he supposed to properly chat up Alicia if he kept getting interrupted? "Macy, I'm a little--"
"Could you at at least just drive me into town? Joe, please."
It was that moment that Joe finally turned his focus on Macy. She had her arms crossed over her chest in a reserved, defensive manner that Joe had never seen the girl display. And even though her head was tilted down Joe could still see her reddened eyes and streaked makeup. "Macy? What...what happened?"
"Can you please just take me home?" Macy asked in a quiet voice and wouldn't raise her gaze from the ground.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
"Look, I'm...I'm really sorry, Macy," Joe stated again, his hands gripping tightly at the steering wheel as he shot furtive glances to his right.
"I know. You've already said that."
He had. Joe had said it several times since he'd excused himself from the conversation he'd been having with Alicia. He also knew he'd say it several more. "Macy, I'm so sorry. Whatever happened--"
"Nothing happened," Macy replied, her face still focused out the passenger's window at the darkened, passing scenery.
"Yeah, 'cause clearly you're the type of girl to go crying over nothing." Joe caught a tightening in her jaw as Macy reached up and wiped at her eyes. "Just tell me what happened!" Joe finally snapped out in frustration, startling Macy and making her finally turn to him.
"Nothing. I wasn't crying."
"Right, because mascara normally streaks like that after a few hours wear," Joe snarked.
"Any tears I may or may not have shed were simply angry tears. Nothing happened beyond one of the guys just being a pushy jerk."
"What guy?" Joe suddenly flashed back to school and the guy who'd asked him to bring Macy along in the first place. "Was it the buzzed, faux-hawk guy?" The surprised look she gave him was answer enough. "I should have known the football team would be a bunch of jerks."
"It wasn't the whole football team. Just a few bad seeds. I mean, did you even see Tosh there?"
"Who?"
Macy gave him an incredulous look, "Tosh? Van Dyke Tosh? Captain of the team?"
"Oh. Him." Joe was mid teeth grit before he realized how off-topic he'd gone and how near arguing with Macy he was getting. "Dammit... Macy, I am sorry."
"I know."
She didn't sound understanding though, more resigned than anything and clearly wanting Joe to stop apologizing to her. He noticed her gaze had slid back out the window. "I just wanted some friends," Joe said dully, not even bothering to look at Macy this time as he focused on the road. He wasn't sure why he was telling Macy this but, really, it was the least he could do.
"But you have tons of friends!"
"No, no I don't." Seriously? How had Macy not noticed? "The only reason I went to that party was because I wanted to try making friends with the football team. I spent almost two hours there and I still don't know anyone there."
"Well, what about Amber?"
"Who?"
"The...the cheerleader you were talking to at the party?" Macy said, finally turning her attention fully on Joe.
Amber, right, not Alicia. Dammit, what had he done this evening? "I flirt with girls. That's what I do. Those aren't friends they're just potential girlfriends..." Even at the party, the party he'd spent half a day scheming about how to attend, he'd nestled up with the cheerleaders to chat. His whole main objective had been to befriend the footballers and Joe only recalled exchanging maybe six words with one of them the whole time he'd been there.
"Oh. Well that's, uhm..."
Joe realized Macy was about to say something in an act of comfort. "Don't. Just don't. The only reason I got the party invite is because I helped get girls to attend and the one guy told me to bring you."
"Oh."
Joe glanced over briefly as Macy's voice dropped but quickly reverted his gaze to the road.
"You invited me because someone told you too. I...I was part of the entrance fee."
Joe's eyes widened and he knew he should really be pulling off to the side of the road. "Macy, wait, I--"
Macy leaned forward though and turned the radio on. Loud.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
The rest of the drive to Macy's house was done in a stoney silence, save the loud music, that Joe was sure even Nick would have found awkward.
There was no way he could even imagine apologizing for this one. It was bad enough that she'd been forced to deal with a drunk creep but she'd found out she'd been, as much as Joe hated to admit it, used by him. Maybe this was why he didn't have friends.
Turning onto her street, Joe tried again to say something, anything but was coming up blank. Normally he'd turn to Stella for advice but even he acknowledged how bad of an idea that would be in this situation. He really wasn't sure how much help Nick or Kevin, but mostly Nick, would be.
Spotting her house, Joe pulled to the side of the road. The car hadn't even come to a completely stop when Macy was swinging it open and hopping out.
"Macy, wait!" Joe called out and quickly scrambled from his car and leaned across the roof. "Maybe tomorrow you actually could hang out with me and the guys. We had a teleconference interview thing set up for tomorrow that got pushed back a week so we aren't doing anything."
She shook her head though and started to glance anywhere that wasn't Joe.
"You're turning down hanging out with your favorite band?" Joe had meant it to sound more playful but he regretted it nearly instantly as he watched Macy's body stiffen. "You're turning down hanging out with me..."
Macy gave a barely audible sigh as she fumbled with her keys at her front door. "Thank you for driving me home. Good night, Joe."
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Macy didn't bother to get out of bed Saturday morning, instead content to nestle under her comforter and ignore the clock that was telling her how close to noon it was getting.
"Macy, I think it's about time you got out of your room. Your mom's making lunch and--"
"I'm kinda busy, dad!" Macy hollered back, annoyed that her solitude was being infringed on. It wasn't often Macy had legitimate want or reason to mope and, dammit, she wanted to mope! She deserved it.
"I'm sure but there's also a boy on the front yard playing a guitar. I tried getting rid of him but he's insistent about speaking with you. He's also insistent on playing an instrument he could use a few more lessons in."
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Joe was lying on his back and trying to remember the proper cord sequence to 'Hold On' when he heard the front door open again. He quickly pushed up and turned around, a small part of him worrying Macy's dad had returned with a pot of hot water.
"Joe, what are you doing?"
"Hey," Joe greeted, as Macy stepped out her front door. "Can't a friend come over to hang out and play music for you?"
"Look, we're not," Macy paused and sighed loudly. Turning she grabbed the handle to her front door and closed it before moving to sit on her front stoop. "We're not friends, Joe."
They weren't. They could be though. "Kevin considers you a friend."
"Yeah, well, Kevin and I have actually shared a few conversations. And when he sees me in the hall he doesn't duck the other way."
Joe nodded, letting Macy take the stab. It was true. The only time he ever approached her is when he didn't noticed her and it happened by accident or when Stella was involved. "Well, we've referred to you as a friend of the band," Joe started out lightly, giving Macy a smile.
Macy gave a quiet, humorless laugh and Joe watched the pebble she kicked away. "If it helps any, I think you're technically closer to a friend than Nick is."
"We could change that though," Joe said hopefully.
"Change what?"
"The us being friends. We could, y'know, work on it. We share the same best friend. There has to be some compatibility there." Joe really isn't sure why that had never really occurred to him. Stella often told them, in the same breath she was apologizing for some Macy induced injury, that if they simply got to know Macy better they'd really like her.
"Look, Joe--"
"Ok, I know I'm never going to be able to fully apologize for using you like I did yesterday but I am so beyond sorry that I did it in the first place and that you had to find out about it the way you did. I'd really like a second chance, if you could find it in you, to try to befriend the right person in this whole mess I managed to create. Ask Stella, I'm totally worth all the trouble. I just, I'd really like to be able to start over with you. If you'd let me?"
She was a tough one, Joe realized as she remained silent. Joe figured he wasn't about to get a reply so he gathered his stuff up and headed back to his car after he wished Macy a good day. It wasn't until he'd nearly reached the curb that her voice rang out.
"I'm planning on making some get-well-soup and visiting Stella later today. I could use some help chopping carrots."
Smiling, Joe jogged back up the path. It was a start, one he wasn't sure he deserved, but a start nonetheless.
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Fin
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