X-X-X-X-X ::: Chapter 3: I'll Show You Mine if You Show Me Yours
Joe and Liv weren't able to hang out for the next couple of weeks - she always had something going on - but they were talking on the phone. A lot. It usually started with Joe calling to see if they could hang out, but then they would get distracted and end up just talking for hours on end. It was through this that Joe learned three major things about Liv.
1. Her life was practically a musical (she burst into song enough, and usually it was a song that he didn't know, and she would tell him to look up).
2. Traffic was one of her main hobbies (he always seemed to call when she was on her way somewhere, which she emphasized made him probably the most amazing person in the world at that moment).
3. She was busy. Always (this is pretty self explanitory).
Try as he might (and she might), they simply could not find a time to be together. She always had something going on, like practice or an anniversary or something of the like, and the moments she was always free, he would have to go and do a concert or a signing or something. And that is why, when Joe called her that idle Thursday afternoon, he was determined they were going to do something - together!
"Hey you!" Liv said, answering her phone.
"Hey! What are you up to?" Joe asked. Oh, the determination.
"I'm actually - WHOA getting cut off. Not cool, Honda!" she said.
Joe sighed. "Where are you off to now?"
"Gotta go pick Tyler up from a friend's house. Mom had to work late." she responded. He could hear the frustration she was trying very hard to hide.
"I'm sorry."
"Ha, me too." she said. "Anyway, enough of that. What's up?"
"Oh, I was just gonna see if you wanted to hang out sometime this Saturday." he asked. This was getting easier - Kevin didn't even have to help him this time!
However, there was silence on her end. Joe sighed again. "Where is it this weekend?"
"It's actually in town!" she reasoned. "You should come!"
"Me? Go to a volleyball tournament?" Joe asked, feigning feeling incredulous. She laughed.
"Well, I guess if you don't want to see a bunch of girls running around in spandex..." she said teasingly.
"What time should I be there?" Joe interrupted, making Liv laugh again.
"Well, we play at 8, 12:30, 2:30, 5, and 8. If you want, you can come at eight (PM), and we can go get food somewhere afterwards." she said.
"Won't you have to do team bonding stuff or whatever?" he questioned.
"After spending that much time together, we're all gonna be tired of each other." she said, laughing. "Besides, half the team has a birthday party to go to, so we've agreed to disperse afterwards."
"Sounds good, then!" Joe said, excited about what his determination could accomplish.
"I have to warn you, though," she said in a warning tone. "I'm going to have played five matches, probably the entirety of all of them, so I'm going to be sweaty and gross and not cute."
"Psh, I'll disagree with that." Joe said before he really realized what he was saying.
"Oh, well thanks!" she said. Oh, and he scores on accident! Excellent! "Also, I won't be able to talk to you before the game - gotta focus and all that."
"Well, but you'll know I'm there."
"Yea, but if I don't see you, then I can focus on the game, and the fact that you're there will be in the back of my mind rather than at the...front?" she said, confusing herself a bit.
"Alright, I get it, you don't want to see me..." Joe said, pretending to be hurt by the comment.
"No, not like that!" she rushed to explain. "I just really need to focus, my coach is really strict and if I suck then I'll be running punishment sprints-"
"It's cool, Liv." Joe laughed. "I was just kidding."
"Oh." she said shortly. "Well then..."
She gave him directions to the school they were playing and what court number, then made him repeat it a couple of times so that she knew he wouldn't get lost...too bad (how did she know him so well already?!). And so, come Saturday, Joe was happy for many reasons - one, he was seeing Liv. Dos, Kevin had agreed to drive him there. C, there was spandex involved, and it's always good when spandex is involved (except for that one time...but they didn't speak of that event).
Joe walked into the busy gym, looking for any way to find court three. He was going to ask someone, but they were all volleyball players, and tall, and strong looking. Finally, after wandering for a bit, a random mom asked if he was lost, and pointed out the court he was looking for. While trying to get by a different court, Joe felt as if he was going through Secret Service training, having to dodge bodies and volleyballs and parents. It suddenly made him glad for all those years with the marshmallow shooters. There was loud rap music blaring, probably to pump up all the teams. He made it over to the court, sitting at the top of the bleechers so he could lean against the wall. He spotted Liv immediately, her light, feathery blonde hair giving her away, even if it was tucked into a French braid. He watched as the team danced together off the side of the court as the refs made last minute adjustments. They seemed to enjoy this song that Joe had never heard - something about boots with fur, and jeans, and someone getting low.
There was an advantage to the music, though - Liv had some moves. Some sweet moves. Now, Joe was a little shocked that someone (let alone a whole group of people) would dance in public (even if he did it all the time), but he was particularly shocked as the music said "made it drop," and they all did - and not in the vollleyball sense! Joe found himself wondering why he had never gotten into volleyball before.
The game soon started, and he couldn't help but feel a little amazed. Last time he had seen volleyball, it had been random little girls just attempting to - what was it...- bump the ball? But this, this was...intense. These girls spiked the ball hard, and the other girls somehow got it up! He watched Liv, especially. She said she was a...setter? Was that the phrase? Anyway, she set up the other girls so they could spike it, and she was really good (to his untrained eye, at least). She had to run all over the court, put her body at the oddest angles, and yet the ball still seemed to go right where she wanted it. At one point she didn't even "set" it, she just spiked it over with her left hand! The girl was ambidextrous!
At least, he thought she was. When she went to serve, however, he was greeted by a surprise - Liv was left handed. Hmm, he didn't see that coming.
The game continued for the next hour or so, but Joe was never bored. Sporting events normally kept his attention relatively well, but he found himself (embarrassingly) enraptured by the way that Liv could move - she had never seemed very graceful before, but every move she made on the court was precise, purposeful. He decided that she probably spent all of her energy being coordinated on the court; after all, she had told him stories about running into walls and doorframes, tripping over sidewalk ramps and stairs, and hitting limbs on filing cabinets and desks. Ah, well. More power to her. Her team ended up winning, which made them all very excited. He heard a parent say that they were now first seat for the next day. They all began gathering their things, leaving after waving to their kids, or walking with them out to the parking lot. Liv was one of the last ones out; the coach apparently had a lot to say to her.
"Hey!" Joe said, going in for a hug once she broke free from the coach and gathered all of her stuff. She quickly put her hands up, warding him off.
"Not yet! Need to change out of sweaty jersey!" she said. He smiled.
"Oh, come on, I'm a guy. You think I care about a little sweat?" he said. She shook her head.
"You don't understand, I don't glisten like other girls, I sweat. Just let me change into a tshirt real quick - you can wait a few minutes!" she said, laughing and pushing his chest.
"Now, I have to say," Joe said as they walked towards a restroom. "you've been holding out on me when it comes to sweet dance skills."
Liv busted out laughing. "Oh, you mean my black girl dancing? Oh yes, it's a sight to see." she said sarcastically. "You should see me in an empty parking lot."
"If it's as intense as before, I say we go find an empty parking lot." Joe said with a smirk. She raised an eyebrow and laughed.
"Someone's a little frisky today." she said, still laughing. Joe shrugged.
"I'm only human." he said, shaking his head and sighing. She rolled her eyes, but smiled.
"Just wait here. I'll be out in a second." she said, going into the restroom. Joe leaned against the wall, checking his imaginary watch and trying not to look creepy as he stood outside the girls restroom. Soon enough (quite in record speed, actually), Liv exited, having changed into a different long sleeved grey tshirt with "Malibu Juniors" and her team name in a dark shade of green and a redone French braid. She had taken off her long socks and knee pads, and the remaining court shoes seemed to have a good effect on her toned legs.
"Do you care if I walk around in these?" she asked, referring to her green spandex shorts. Joe shrugged.
"Well, I suppose it won't be too embarrassing." he said. She exhaled dramatically.
"Good. Because I forgot all other forms of pants at home. Shall we?" she said.
"We shall." Joe responded, offering his arm. She took it.
"Thanks for coming tonight, it's great to see you." Liv said as they walked out to her car.
"Really, it was my pleasure." Joe said, playing up the charm (or thinking he was, at least). "You're really good."
He could tell she was blushing, even if it was dark outside. "Thanks. I've worked really hard to become so. I'm hoping to play in college - but I'm probably not tall enough."
"I'm sure you can play college if you really want to." he responded. She smiled in gratitude.
"Thanks. So what all did you do today?" she asked. Apparently she parked about as far away from the gym as possible.
"Well, I chilled at the homestead, wrote a couple lyrics, bothered Nick and the wife, dominated Kevin in some tennis..."
"Tennis? Really?" she asked. "I didn't know you played."
"We all do - kind of our thing. Except I didn't really dominate Kevin...he's safe for another day." Joe said, adopting the shifty look again.
"I'm sure he is." Liv said, laughing. "So, where do you want to go eat?" she then asked as they arrived at the car. She tossed her stuff in the trunk before meeting Joe up front.
"Anywhere's fine with me - I'll eat anything remotely edible." he said, waving his hand.
"Great. So we're both indecisive and not picky. Excellent." she sighed. "Well, around here we have a sandwhich shop, a pizza place, some burger joints, and a chicken place I think."
"All of that sounds good." he said. "You're the one who's been playing all day, go for whatever you want."
"Sandwhiches it is then." she responded with a smile, finally pulling out of the parking lot. It was a short drive to the shop, which was small and had the family feel. They ordered their food and seated themselves at a small, two-person table in the corner. It was late, so there weren't any other customers besides the two. Which was fine with them, considering the randomness of the conversation they were having.
"I'm telling you," Joe said with dramatic gestures. "the egg had to come first, because of all the-"
"But the chicken came first," Liv insisted. "it's the only reasonable deduction."
"Oh yea? How so?" Joe challenged.
"Well, the egg would need the chicken to incubate it."
"The sun could do that."
"But it would also need the mama to take care of it!"
"It could have been raised by wolves or something. It's happened before."
"We're talking about a chicken here, not Remus and Romulus."
"Huh?" Joe asked.
"Mythology. Remus and Romulus were raised by wolves, and they both began to build a city. But Remus jumped over Romulus' wall or something, so Romulus killed him and founded Rome. And the chicken came first."
"Did not!"
"It had to!" Liv said. They were both laughing and struggling to continue the argument.
"Why?"
"Because where would the egg come from if the chicken didn't lay it?" she said, adopting a triumphant look and throwing her hands into the air. "What up!"
"Easy," Joe said, waving it off. "God put it there."
"If God were to put anything there, he would put the chicken."
"But if He put the chicken, then how would it reproduce?"
"Fine, He put two chickens."
"Maybe He put two eggs." Joe countered. Before Liv could retort, the manager of the sandwhich shop came up to them.
"Um, I'm sorry to interrupt," he said. "but we're closing now. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"Oh, no problem." Liv said, gathering her trash. Joe did the same.
"Yea. The food was really good, by the way." he said. The manager smiled in thanks, and watched as they left before turning off all the lights, locking up, and driving away. He got out before the pair because Liv, once again, decided to park really far away from the door, and the manager was in the front row.
"Why do you park so far away?" Joe said, pretending to be huffing and puffing.
"Because I like to exercise." she responded, unlocking the car and climbing in.
"You know," Joe said. "we're in an empty parking lot. By ourselves."
"Oh yea, THAT isn't creepy." Liv said, laughing. Joe furrowed his brow.
"Yea, come to think of it, that phrase so did not sound as creepy in my head." he said. "Anyway, let's dance!"
"Alright, but I'm not dancing by myself, mister." Liv said. "C'mon, pick a song then." she said defeatedly, tossing her iPod over and getting back out of the car. Joe looked at the thing as if it was some foreign device - he had no idea about dance music, it wasn't really his style. And she wouldn't dance without him...he had a feeling this would be embarrassing.
"Well, c'mon then." she said, leaning against the door frame. Joe began fumbling with the playlists - there wasn't anything he recognized! Liv began tapping her fingernails against the metal of the doorframe.
"Would ya chill out, woman?" Joe said. It was supposed to come off as harsh (pretending, of course), but he had a huge smile on his face that gave him away. He finally picked a random song he didn't know, but it seemed to have serious potential. The beginning came on, and with a cry of "aww yea, my jam!", Liv started dancing - but definitely not like it was at the court.
"C'mon, Joe! Dance with me!" she said, jumping around to the beat. Joe joined her, trying to pop it (which seemed to work better than he expected, even if she was laughing). He had to admit, dancing alone in the parking lot in a style that SO did not match the music was a lot of fun - more fun than a lot of things Joe had to do lately.
"You gotta drop it!" Liv said after a while, still laughing. After all, they were two random teenagers dancing in a parking lot. Joe attempted the whole "drop it" concept, but it was only met with more laughter. "Uh oh, hold up! La'Joe droppin'! La'Joe droppin'! (1)"
"What? You sayin' DJ Danger doesn't have skillz?" Joe said, his smile betraying him again. "Bring it on!"
"Hold up! Dance off!" Liv said, smiling as well. The song switched to a different hip hop song as they continued to break it down in the middle of a parking lot. Joe was really enjoying this - tonight, he wasn't a rock star who was running all over the place all the time. No, he was another kid, dancing in a parking lot with a girl he hoped to consider his girlfriend in the near future.
By the time the second song was fading out, both were out of breath from the gangsta moves they were rocking.
"That's...really intense..." Joe puffed out.
"That's...true..." Liv agreed, both regaining their breath as the chords of a familiar song came on.
"Hello beautiful, how's it goin'..." Nick's voice came through the speakers.
"May I have this dance, m'lady?" Joe said, flourishing his hand in a low bow. Liv, smiling widely accepted his hand.
"Why of course, good sir!" she said as they stood a little less than an arms length apart, her hands clasped behind his neck and his around her waist.
"This is a really good song," Joe said a few moments later. "which awesome band sings it?"
"Oh, one of my favorite bands ever, the Jonas Brothers." Liv answered seriously. "Have you heard of them?"
Joe shrugged. "Once or twice. I hear that the middle brother is stunningly attractive, though."
"Well, I might have to agree." Liv said with a smile. "He's also ridiculously helarious, and so much fun to be around."
"Really?" Joe said. "I hear he's been hanging out with this really cool girl lately. Apparently they met because he spilled coffee all over her."
"Hmm." Liv said, still smiling. "She must be a really lucky girl, to hang out with Joe Jonas all the time."
"Oh, but he considers himself lucky - she's just really amazing, and he feels like he's known her forever."
By now, they had stopped dancing, and were at a complete standstill right next to the truck. Liv moved a couple inches so that she was leaning against it, Joe right in front of her. They were silent as they slowly moved closer, eyes fluttering in anticipation. Right as Joe was about to be assertive and just kiss her already, her phone rang. Loudly.
Liv squeezed her eyes shut and groaned. She looked at the caller ID.
"It's my house." she said quietly, apologetically. "I have to answer it."
"Of course." Joe said understandingly. "Go for it."
She gave him a half smile and answered. "Hello?"
"OLIIIIIIIVIAAAAAAA!" Joe could hear Tyler's voice.
"Tyler, sweetie, I'm right here. You don't have to yell." Liv responded quietly, mouthing "I'm sorry" to Joe. He waved it off, saying it was no big.
"Mommy says you need to be home now." he said at in his inside voice.
"Ok, just tell mommy I'll be home in a half an hour, ok?" she said, wincing.
"Ok! Bye, sister!"
"Bye, brother." she said, hanging up the phone. She turned to Joe, the apologetic look still on her face. "I've gotta get home now."
"Fo sho. It's pretty late anyway." Joe said with a half smile. She smiled back.
"Alright, come on. Get your booty in the car. I'm gonna hafta speed if I'm dropping you off first."
"Girl, please. We live like, five minutes apart." Joe said, just thankful things weren't awkward after their almost-kiss (which was also frustrating. first pineapples, then this. Tyler was not developing a good track record with Joe).
The ride was relatively uneventful. They carried on just like they had before, only they hugged a little tighter when she dropped him off at his house. He contemplated kissing her cheek, but decided maybe to save it for a different time, just in case.
"Hey, wait." he said before she left. "Are you busy next Saturday night?"
Liv checked her mental calendar. "Actually, no. We don't have a tournament for once." she said happily. Joe smiled.
"Don't make plans, ok?" he said.
"Even with you?" she responded cheekily. He rolled his eyes, smiling.
"Well, I was hoping you would make plans with me, but if you don't want to..." he said, looking at the ground and trailing off. She patted his hand.
"Saturday evening, I'm all yours." she said, smiling. He smiled back at her.
"Excellent. I'll call you with the details, alright?" he said.
"Ok. I'll catch you later!" she said, blowing a kiss. But it wasn't an intimately blown kiss, but it wasn't the one she would give to a friend either.
"Peace out." Joe said, and she left with a wave. He gave in to his desire to skip up the driveway to his house (even though he got tired half way up), and proceeded up to his room. Kevin was a little worries, considering he didn't stop to bother him and Nick, but let it go (didn't want to jinx it, after all).
...a little less than a week later, as in Saturday morning...
"I still don't get what you mean by 'dress nice'." Liv said to Joe over the phone.
"You know, just dress...nice." Joe said. He didn't quite know what he meant either.
"But how nice? Like, jeans and a nice top nice, skirt and nice top nice, or dress nice?" she asked.
"There's a difference?"
"Of course there's a difference." she said. Joe stopped Kevin in the hall.
"Hey Kevin," he said, putting the phone to his shoulder. "what would you define as 'nice'?"
"Nice for what?" Kevin asked.
"For Liv, tonight." Joe said with a suggestive nod.
"You mean for our-"
"Yes." Joe interrupted before the surprise could be taken away.
"I dunno. Get her to ask Miley." Kevin said, shrugging and walking away.
"Brilliant, brother! I knew mom kept you for a reason!" Joe said. He pulled the phone back up again. "Kevin suggests to just ask Miley."
"Oh, good plan. I'll see you tonight, then?" she said.
"Yes, your ride will pick you up at about 7."
"I have a ride?" she asked, surprised.
"Yea!" Joe said.
"As in, I don't have to drive me for once?" she said, rather excited.
"Precisely."
"You are my favorite person right now." she said in a hushed tone. Joe's smile grew.
"I know." he said. He could practically feel her roll her eyes.
"I'll see you later, Joe." she said, laughing.
"See ya!" Joe said, and they hung up. He allowed himself to "shake them dice and roll 'em" in victory before skipping over to the limo to go get ready for the sound check.
Meanwhile, Liv called Miley, got the information she needed, and got dressed in her favorite black dress that was neither too casual nor too formal, blow-drying her feathery blonde hair to strait perfection and pulling on her favorite red and white polka dot flats (needed a pop of color after all). It was odd to her, sitting in the back of a limo all by herself, but she realized what was going on when they pulled up to a well-known concert venue, and the driver handed her a (excellently seated) ticket and a backstage pass before leading her past the crowds and into the concert. Joe had really gone all out on this one!
The Jonas Brothers opened the show, and they were excellent. Liv could not have imagined a better way to spend a Saturday night - or any other night of the week, for that matter. She was very close to the stage - how had Joe gotten such amazing tickets? Perhaps because he was in the band...either way, she was particularly excited when he came to touch her extended hand, and not the two girls on either side (both of which were very angry). She also had to laugh, because both Nick and Kevin definitely nodded and winked (respectively) in her direction (which seemed to appease the girls around her, them thinking that it could possibly be for them). After that, Hannah Montana came on and did her piece, and while Liv wasn't an overly crazy fan of Hannah, she did think the performance was great. It wasn't until after the concert that she got to talk to Joe.
"Hey! You all did amazing!" she said, greeting the brothers with hugs (although Joe's was longest by far). "Thank you so much for bringing me here!"
"It was no problem." Joe said, bringing out Rico Suave again. "I figured, you showed me what you always do, so I should show you what I always do."
"Well, I'm thinking yours is just a little more intense than mine." she said, laughing.
"It's all relative." Kevin said, stepping into the conversation.
"Yea," Nick said, piping up. "Joe said that you like, ran into the bench to save a ball last week."
Liv winced. "Yea, my knee is still a little bruised." she said. Then, Hannah came up to the group.
"Hey y'all!" she said. "Great show tonight, yea?"
"Oh yea." Kevin said, giving the pop star a high five.
"Hannah," Joe said, catching her attention. "this is Olivia. Liv, this is Hannah Montana."
Hannah and Liv shook hands. If Liv could tell that all three brothers were hiding smiles, she didn't show it. "It's so great to meet you. Your music is great." she said.
"It's great to meet you," Hannah responded. "you should hear the way Joe goes on about you sometimes-"
"Aaaaaand we're gonna exit, stage left." Joe said, trying to pull Liv away. However, she held herself steadfast.
"Wait, what does he say?" she asked Hannah, eyes wide and smile bright. Hannah leaned in conspiratorily.
"Well, he says that you're probably the most amazing girl he's ever met." she said with a smile.
"Ok, Hannah, we can stop embarrassing Joe now..." Joe said. Nick and Kevin stood to the side, laughing at their brother's discomfort. Liv, however, was blushing.
"And, that you look really amazing in spandex." Hannah finished. Joe hid his face in shame - how could he get so embarrassed over one girl? Liv turned to face him, hands on her hips.
"Is this true?" she said, a stern look on her face.
"No." Joe squeaked. She perked an eyebrow. "Maybe." he said. She raised both eyebrows. He sighed, throwing his hands down. "Ok, yes, I did." he said, hanging his head. Liv stared at him silently for a moment before practically jumping on him with a hug.
"Why didn't you tell me that?! I'm really self-conscious because I have thunder thighs!" she said, holding him tight. He patted her back awkwardly.
"Well, if I had known it would've gone over this well..." he trailed off with a smile. Kevin and Nick rolled their eyes. Even when he was embarrassing it worked! Maybe there really was something special about Joe...eh, probably not. Probably something "special" about Liv.
Speaking of, she finally pulled away. "I should probably get going, it's pretty late." she said. "But you all did an amazing job tonight! Bye!" she gave Nick, Kevin, and Hannah a hug, and walked out with Joe after he announced that he would...well, walk her out.
"They're so made for each other." Hannah remarked shortly.
"Indeed, my dear. Indeed." Nick said. Kevin simply nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, Joe walked Liv to the backside of the venue, where another limo was waiting for her.
"I really can't thank you enough for all of this." she said. "The concert, the ride...it's probably the coolest thing anyone's ever done for me."
"It's no big, really." Joe said with a smile. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."
Behind them, the limo driver honked twice. What is it with people being in rushes?
"I guess that's my cue." she said, jerking a thumb towards the limo. "Bye."
"Bye." he replied, giving her a huge hug. She started to get in the limo, but then paused. Without overthinking the action, she stepped back up to Joe and gave him a kiss before waving and getting into the limo. Joe stood, shocked, and watched the limo drive off, and around the corner, and out of sight. He then snapped back to reality, and did probably the biggest, most extravegant victory dance he had ever done in his entire life.
Nick and Kevin weren't able to hear the end of it that night.
X-X-X-X-X
1 - modeled after a helarious video by Sarah Hyland called "La'Sarah." for mature audiences only.
well, there you go! chapter three!
hey, if anyone has an idea of something they would like to see, i can try my best to work it in. as it turns out, i don't have 20 extremely creative ideas like this story's sister (Me and Mr. Jonas by ClaireBear536 - go read it! now!), so i'm all ears!
leave some love! peace out!
