CHAPTER TWO

September 9th

I stood in the hallway staring at the flyers on the notice board. Since it was the start of the year all the clubs and groups were putting flyers and sign up sheets for new members. Cheerleading, sports teams, chess club, but the one I was fixated on was the flyer for the band. It was the same one as last year that Joe and I designed, except with new dates for auditions. And right next to it was another flyer that after only a couple of hours only had one tab left; a babysitter for Mr. Lucas. I eyed the last tab that had his familiar cell phone number printed on it, there were nine other tabs already missing, what if he chose one of them? What if one of them was prettier? What if he fell in love with her?

I tore the last tab away before I could change my mind. Besides, babysitting Matthew would let me feed my gluttony for punishment by getting to see Joe more. Not that Joe would ever choose me, the second he heard my voice he'd probably hang up on me.

"Hey, Miley." I looked away from the notice board to see Gabe Lamati; a year ago I would have been a blushing idiot around Gabe because half of the female population at school had a crush on him, including me, but a lot had changed since last year.

"Hi, Gabe." The blonde boy reached forward and wrote his name out in even, printed letters on the swim team try outs page. There was a reason we called him Hottie Lamati with the swimmers body.

"You gonna try out for swim team this year?" Gabe asked after an awkward, silent moment in which I studied his name; it was different from how Joe would write, when Joe writes in cursive it's easy and fluid, but when he prints it looks like barely legible chicken scratch. Dang flabit, I have to stop comparing everything to Joe Lucas!

"No, just seeing what's new." I shook my head in response to Gabe. "But, I might come watch some of your competitions."

"That'd be really awesome." Gabe smiled before walking away. I watched after him for a moment trying to figure out if Gabe was actually trying to hit on me or it was my imagination.

"Hi." It wasn't long until someone joined me at the notice board again, though he was standing a few feet behind me.

"Hi." I stared ahead, trying not to let his voice affect me.

"Thinking of signing up for anything?" He asked casually.

"Maybe." I shrugged, he wanted to know if I was going to audition for the band. I told him last year I would, that I wouldn't give up on us. It had been half a year, I don't think there was an us to give up on anymore.

"You probably shouldn't." Mr. Lucas said from behind me.

"Probably?" I felt my hopes get up despite myself.

"Just like I probably shouldn't feel a certain way." It was the way he said it that hurt; we both knew that he definitely shouldn't feel any way about me, so he was telling me that definitely shouldn't audition for his band thing. The bell rang for the end of the lunch period.

"In that case, I probably won't audition." I assured, finally letting myself look at him before I walked away; he was staring after me with his sad puppy dog eyes before someone walked between us and I looked away and he disappeared.

WHAT I GO TO SCHOOL FOR

September 12th

I stared at my phone with the familiar number typed in, contemplating weather or not I should actually call it. I stared at it for a full minute, I'd had the small tab from the flyer since Tuesday and now it was Friday, Joe hadn't said more than three words directly to me since I walked away from him in the hallway. My finger hovered over the call button for a full minute before I chickened out and clicked back to my home screen; not for long though because the little device in my hand started buzzing and blaring an all too familiar ringtone.

"Hello?" I tried to keep my voice steady when I answered after at least thirty seconds.

"Hi." He spoke on the other end followed by a drawn out silence. "Um... How are you?"

"Joe." I whispered, looking down and earning a sad sigh.

"Sorry." He sounded like he meant it too. "So, uh... I saw you looking at the babysitting flyer the other day..." Joe started slowly after another moment of silence. "I already tried three other girls this week, but Matthew just screams at them... Maybe you could come over?" This was the very reason I almost called two minutes ago; to offer to babysit, but I'd chickened out.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" I bit my bottom lip.

"No." Joe let out a breath slowly. "But, will you come anyway?" He pleaded and in my mind I could practically see him pouting.

"When?" Because we both knew I couldn't say no to him.

"Whenever." He sounded relieved, I bit my lip again. "See you soon?"

"Yeah." I agreed followed by another one of those long silences that had plagued us recently. "Bye."

"Bye." Joe hung up the other line, I rolled over on my bed and got up. I ran to my closet, I couldn't turn up at Joe's place looking like I did at school... Even though I shouldn't want to look pretty for him, especially when I was supposed to be going for Baby Matthew.

A quick outfit change, reapplication of my makeup and telling Dad where I was going I was out the door and in my car. I sat in my car for another ten minutes before I started it; what the Hell am I doing? I'm supposed to be trying to get over him, not catering to his every whim... But, it's for Matthew, Matthew didn't break my heart. What did Joe even need a babysitter for anyway? But, all my internal arguing didn't stop me from eventually starting my car and driving to Joe's apartment building

"Oh, Hello, Miley." I looked up in surprise when I got into the elevator.

"Hi, Mrs. Gunderson." I forced myself to smile at the elderly woman who lived underneath Joe.

"It's been a while since I've seen you around here." Mrs. Gunderson commented as we started to go up.

"Uh yeah, I guess so." I looked down, feeling awkward.

"Joe hasn't been the same since you stopped coming around." Mrs. Gunderson said, I hadn't been the same either. "He got into a fight with my grandson earlier in the week, the poor boy is just so out of it lately."

"I'm sorry." I winced, Joe still had bandages on his hand after a week and even though his lip no longer had the stitches it still looked really bad.

"You just make sure he's alright, especially with the baby; I don't know who was looking for a fight more out of the two." Mrs. Gunderson shook her head despondently.

"Is your grandson okay?" I felt compelled to ask, I knew Joe could be strong.

"Gavin is just fine, thank-you." The elevator stopped on Mrs. Gunderson's floor and she gave me one last smile as she got out. "I hope to see you around more, Miley." The doors closed and I was left in the elevator alone for the short trip up to Joe's floor. Once again I found myself having an inner conflict as I stood outside his door; I shouldn't be here, he'd broken me enough times that I should just learn to stay away. With that thought I raised my hand and knocked, because I'm a glutton for punishment.

"Hi." The door opened not even a second after I touched it, had he been waiting by the door for me?

"Hi." We both just stood in the doorway for a long, awkward moment.

"Uh... Come in." He stepped back and ran a hand through his messy hair. "Hey, Buddy." Joe picked the baby up off a playmat near the crib. "Look who's here; don't you miss Miley?" The baby hummed and squirmed a little in Joe's arms, but otherwise he seemed content.

"He got big." I marvelled, but at the same time he was still so tiny.

"Yeah." Joe agreed, tickling his stomach and eliciting a giggle. "Look at the those teeth." Two tiny white buds on his top gums and one on the bottom. "They caused me Hell this Summer, but he's worth it."

"It's just me that's not." I blurted out before I could stop myself. Silence surround us, even Matthew was quiet.

"You're worth the world, Miley." Joe murmured, looking away. He put Matthew back on his playmat and sat on the couch, his head down.

"Except to you." The words lingered around us like a heavy fog.

"I hope one day you'll understand..." He muttered.

"Did you really want me here to babysit?" I asked, he swallowed thickly.

"I just need someone to watch him for a few hours sometimes." He shrugged, peaking up at me through his lashes. "I know it hurts Mom to be around him, but I still wanna do stuff with Frankie; he doesn't have a Dad anymore."

"You're a really good brother." I commented, sitting on the couch as well. Matthew was happily chewing on the arm of a stuffed dog toy.

"I make up for it by being a deplorable teacher, a horrible man, and the worst boyfriend ever."

"You were a great boyfriend." I contradicted, making him scoff. "It was the part where you stopped being my boyfriend that hurt."

"You know I don't want to hurt you." Joe stared at me with his sad puppy eyes.

"And you know that I don't care if your raising you're brother, or you think I'm missing out on something." I huffed indignantly. "So with what we both know we should still be together instead of you getting drunk and beating up Mrs. Gunderson's grandson."

"Except what I also know is that you're better off without me."

"Then why did you call me?" I demanded, "I'm sure you could've found someone else to babysit, but you called me. Why me if all you're going to do is push me away?" Instead of replying I let out a gasp. It felt so good, like I was finally home again; Joe was kissing me. His lips soft as ever, but hard and demanding at the same time.

My hands moved of their own mind to Joe's head, holding him desperately close as he kissed me, his tongue touching my lips for the barest of seconds before I let him into my mouth. I'd missed this so much, the feeling of love and content-ness I got every time a part of Joe touched a part of me. Joe's hands were cupping my cheeks like a delicate little flower as he kissed me hungrily, like he was dieing and I was the glass of water that would save him.

"Mmm..." He pulled away ever so slightly when we needed air and nuzzled his face into my neck as he let out a contented sound. He peppered kisses across my neck and jaw, right to the corner of my mouth at which time he pressed his forehead against mine. I kept my hands on his head, holding him to me as I opened my eyes. Joe's eyes were dark and half-lidded, making the green and gold look even more vibrant.

"Hi." I flushed and bit my lip shyly, suddenly feeling a lot better than I had since March.

"Hi." Joe hummed, leaning down to kiss me again, this time it was slow and languid, like he was taking his time. I don't know how, but I felt the couch underneath me and Joe was pressing me into it gently with his body. It felt so good. And then suddenly he was gone and that cold feeling started to creep in again. "I got you, Matthew." The baby had been making noises, I guess that took away from the coldness. I sat up as Joe sat back on the couch with baby Matthew.

"Is he okay?" I eventually found my voice.

"Yeah... Just an adorable little attention seeker." Joe said affectionately.

"He looks like you." I mused, keeping my eyes determinedly on the baby.

"Hopefully he won't be as big a screw up as me." He shrugged as Matthew settled in his arms. "I should feed him, he's been having late naps."

"Want me to hold him?" I offered, I mean, that was the alleged reason he'd called me, to look after Matthew.

"Thanks." Baby Matthew curled into my lap after Joe handed him to me. It was hard to believe he didn't like the other girls. Then again I didn't know who the other girls were, or if Joe even introduced them to Matthew. "He likes you." Matthew laid his head on my chest and blinked up at me. There was definitely no denying the resemblance between Joe and Matthew; if I didn't know any better I'd think he was Joe's baby.

"Did you really want me to babysit?" I asked as Joe got a bottle ready. He was silent for a long moment so I looked over to him.

"I don't know." He eventually muttered, bringing the warm bottle over.

"I'll do it if you want." Matthew could hold the bottle all on his own as he sat in my lap. "You know, so you can do stuff with your Mom or Frankie or your friends."

"You don't have to, I shouldn't have even called you." I looked up from the baby to see his big brother staring at me sadly. "I shouldn't have kissed you."

"Do you regret it?" I swallowed, scared of the answer. Another long silence that was so heavy I could practically feel it suffocating me.

"No." Joe admitted eventually and I let out a relieved breath. "I never regret being with you." The night I gave him my virginity flashed through my mind, I blushed. "But, that doesn't mean that I should have done it, or that I should keep doing it."

1) So, I know some of you wanted a reunion, this isn't exactly it, but I thought it was a nice compromise.
2) Other than the obvious Miley/Joe reunion what else would you like to see in this series... A sub-plot if you will.
3) So, apparently Miley and Liam are officially over... It's sad, I had such high hopes for them, but I guess all the best to them both.
4) The next update will be on or before the 24th.

Smiler For Joe!