The song ended and I forced myself to take deep breaths while I slowly pulled back onto the road, I heard the DJ announcing that the Joe Jonas EP entitled Without A Goodbye was in stores now. I sobbed harder and knew the whole thing was about me.

I pulled off the freeway and to a gas station, parking and hurrying to the payphone, dialing the familiar number. After several rings I heard him answer.

"Yeah?"

"Nick." I sobbed.

"What's the matter?!" He became alert. "Are you okay?"

"No." I sobbed, "W-why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"Joe!" I yelled, "H-he doesn't want me."

"Um." He got uncomfortable. "I told you I wasn't talking about that."

I grabbed the bridge of my nose, "I-I'm on the way home." I whispered.

"You are?" His voice picked up.

"Yeah." I whispered.

"I'm proud of you." He said softly.

"Can you come and see me?" I asked quietly.

"Well—ugh we're actually staying in LA so we can record and stuff…" He trailed off.

"Oh." I didn't try to hide the disappointment in my voice.

"We're coming out there at the end of the week, though." He added quickly.

"Oka—"

I couldn't finish because I heard him. I heard his beautiful melodic voice that sent a shiver through my spine.

"Nick—are you coming dude? We gotta finish this up."

"Yeah—hey ugh I have to go but—"

"Nick." I whispered, "Please just let me listen to him."

I felt the tears sliding down my face.

"Hey Joe—um—what was that joke again?"

"What?"

Nick laughed, "You know man—that joke you were telling Kevin—I didn't hear it."

"Oh yeah! Okay, What do you call a judge with no thumbs?"

"I felt a smile pulling at my face, just hearing his warm voice.

"I don't know." I heard Nick sigh.

"Justice fingers." He laughed. "Get it…just his fingers!"

Nick laughed, "Wow Joe."

"Bye Nick." I choked.

"See you soon." He promised.

I hung up and fell into the wall, letting my hands cover my face, and letting out all of my tears.

He was fine, he was just fine without me, and here I was, completely broken.

I got in the car and drove to the nearest music store and found Joe's EP. I locked it in my trunk for fear that I'd listen to it in the car and completely break down. So I drove the 2 hours and finally made it to my house.

I surveyed the outside, seeing it hadn't changed much. The grass was cut and the flower beds perfect and I wondered if the boys had done it for me or if Mr. O'Callaghan got his landscaper to do it.

I stood on the driveway, staring at the dark, empty house next door, everything flooding into my mind. The realization of how much I really missed them, how much I ached for their presence in my life, hit me hard. I drug my eyes away and pulled everything from the car, walking onto my porch.

I slipped my key into the lock and let the door swing open, dropping all of my belongings on the floor. I looked around the house and sighed. The last time I was here I was with Joe. One of his hoodies still hung over the back of a kitchen chair. A pair of his sneakers were piled at the bottom of the stairs.

He was everywhere.

I pulled the CD from the wrapper and stuck it in my entertainment center. I slipped on his hoodie, hugging it to me, smelling his familiar scent that triggered every moment I'd ever spent with him. That smell, just his smell left me wanting more. I wanted to feel his arms around me, and listen to him whispering in my ear, my lips ached for his and my mind begged to hear his voice and see his smile.

The first song was I'll Run. I listened through the whole thing fully and curled up into the couch. As the songs went on, I'm Afraid of Losing You, I'd Find You, Hope, When You Left Me, When I Close My Eyes, and finally Stay Gone, my ache for him grew. I finally had an idea of how much he was hurting.

I pushed repeat on the remote and laid there for hours, listening to the songs over and over again. His voice. It was worth the pain if I got to hear his voice. I cried myself sick. My head was pounding and my throat burned. Sobs no longer left my body, I was too weak even for that. Tears resumed a never ending cycle down my cheeks and I couldn't make it stop.

My whole chest ached. This was all too much for me. I was better. I left to make myself better for him and because I did that, he moved on. He left me behind. Sure, I was stronger now, but without him, I was nothing.

I heard the screen door from the back door slam in the kitchen and I didn't attempt to move, not caring who it was. If it was someone out to hurt me…let them. Anything has got to feel better than the feeling of someone ripping your heart out.

"I'll call the police!" I heard someone call.

"Breaking and entering is a felony!"

I pulled myself into a sitting position and looked over the back of the couch, seeing him standing in the middle of the kitchen, cautiously looking around.

My eyes went wide and I let out a small gasp.

His eyes quickly darted to mine, they widened and his mouth dropped. He stepped into the living room, not blinking once.

"B-Brice?" He stuttered out, obviously no trusting what his eyes saw.