A/N: well, I must say that I'm very sad that no one was able, or was too lazy, to give me any ideas for the date in this chapter *sob*. Naw I'm just kidding I'm not that upset, but if this chapter doesn't turn out the way you had hoped then it's partially your fault since I gave you the opportunity to tell me what outcome or events you wanted. Just saying. In the future I will gladly take ideas on anything, even if I don't ask for them. And only one person told me the name they wanted for the story so as of now I'm keeping it One Hundred Percent unless you tell me other wise. Enjoy the chapter
Joe held onto his bike with a death grip as he walked it home. He decided that he wanted to walk instead of ride so he could have more time to think. At the moment he was feeling very conflicted. He was so happy and exited for his date with Alice, which was scheduled to happen tomorrow after they helped Charles with his movie, but he was also feeling scared and confused. He was known for having a horrible memory when it came to memorizing anything from a book, it was one of the reasons he struggled in school, so there was no way he should have been able to remember something he had just skimmed over in a matter of seconds, but he did. He still remembered every single word his eyes had beheld in that small amount of time, and not only that, but he understood it.
Whatever it was that was going on with him was diffidently not normal, and that terrified him. Although he didn't let it on, what Cary had so innocently said had only made him feel even worse: maybe they're even scientists that want to kidnap Joe and do a bunch of creepy experiment on him because of his contact with the alien. He highly doubted that the new neighbors were scientists, but what if someone found out about what had happened in the underground tunnels and did try to experiment on him? He had little doubt that whatever was going on with him had to do with the contact he had with the alien.
Dr. Woodward mentioned something in the films he and his friends had found about the Alien being able to establish more permanent telepathic connection between itself and humans, and the he (Dr. Woodward) was the only human at the time that had one. What if it was capable of doing more then just communicating telepathically, who knows what else it could do to a persons mind?
He was rudely pulled out of his depressing thoughts as a bike came to an abrupt stop just before he would have collided with it. He looked up to see that the rider was Charles, and he looked pissed. Charles jumped off his bike and came at him with a murderous air.
"What the heck, man?" Joe yelled at him angrily. If Charles hadn't stopped in time they both would have gotten seriously hurt, from the angle his friend had come in from it was apparent that Charles had seen him, and therefore he did what he did on purpose.
"What did you talk about with Alice?" Charles demanded, completely ignore Joe's question. Joe looked at him in confusion.
"How did you know I spoke with Alice after you all left?"
"I saw you both as I pulled away. You weren't exactly secretive about it!" Charles glared accusingly. "Now what did you talk about with her?"
"I don't see how that's any of you business." He replies deathly calm, his voice sounding dangerous even to his own ears. Charles took a step back, obviously taken aback by his response. He hadn't expected Joe to retaliate with such anger.
"Just answer me dude!" He shouted before he could back down. Joe sighed like he was fighting with a four year old and rolled his eyes.
"I asked Alice out on a date. She said yes. Happy now?" He felt it before it even came, sensing as the wind direction changed, ducking with unnatural speed and grabbing Charles fist before he could try to punch him again. Charles was too angry to even notice anything odd happening with Joe, he just pulled his fist away, not wanting any more contact with the person he was so ticked off with at the moment.
"You knew I liked her you jerk! You knew I liked Alice. I told you so myself, and you go and ask her out? What is with that? What is with you? I thought you were my friend!" Charles was so mad he could have had steam coming out of his ears. He knew what he was saying made him a horrible friend, but he didn't care.
Joe returned the glare Charles was sending him, but his was much different. Charles' eyes were frantic and overwhelmed with a ridiculous fury, making him look unstable and not at all intimidating, but Joe's eyes showed he was collected and cold, that made he seem menacing despite his size. The anger was almost instinctive, like he was only angry because Charles was intruding on what was rightfully his. He seemed wild in a tame sort of way.
"I didn't do anything wrong. While you did tell me you liked Alice I started liking her before that and she likes me back. You're just being insensitive. Everything doesn't have to be about you, even though it usually is. This is something good I've got going for myself. Would you really ruin if just because you're being selfish?" as he spoke the anger seemed to drain out of him and he started to return to normal. The animalistic behavior gone, leaving him looked vulnerable and disbelieving.
"I'm-I'm sorry, man." Charles breathed out, the fight leaving him to. "I just didn't know how to react when I saw the both of you together and I kind of flipped. I'll try not to be too much of a prick, but I can't just ignore what's going on."
Joe nodded in understanding, but picked up his bike and left silently, not wanting to take the chance of starting up another fight. He swung his leg over and sat on the bike's seat, not wanting to think anymore. He rode home somehow managing not to think anything at all.
Once again when he pulled into the driveway the living room light was on. His dad was home early again. He parked the bike and walked inside. He was shocked to see his dad standing in the kitchen holding a bag of ice to his eye, wincing in pain.
"Dad! What happened?" he exclaimed making his poor father jump and almost drop the ice. Jackson swerved his head to look at his son, a smile erasing the pain on his face. He was sporting a nasty looking black eye.
"Joe, I'm glad you're home. I was wondering when you'd return." He commented happily. Joe returned the smile, but his eyes still showed concern.
"Did one of the military men do it? They seem like to type to." He said making his dad laugh.
"No it wasn't a military man. It was one of those gosh darn pushy photographers. They're getting desperate it seems. Someone diffidently told them what happened to you in the underground and they're starving for some interviews. Most likely the story will be in the paper tomorrow." Jackson replied looking irritated.
"How did they find out?" Joe asked weakly. His father looked at him, this time he seemed concerned.
"They got the story from a girl that had been down there with. From what I hear she almost didn't survive. I think the alien threw her or something." He said thoughtfully.
"You mean that teenage girl with the curlers told them what happened?" Joe questioned looking slightly hurt. He had almost saved her life after all. He hadn't even been aware that she had lived through the encounter, but the alien must have left her alone after he threw her.
"Well I'm not sure about any curlers, but it was a teenage girl. She was so shaken up that I don't think she even realized what she was telling them. It was like she was in a trance." Jackson said, and amused smile on his face.
Joe just nodded, lost in thought. He wasn't sure if anyone else from the underground tunnels had lived, but he was glad to know that there was a possibility that they could have at all. Being thrown obviously wasn't very good for your health. He hoped sheriff Pruitt lived, although he doubted it. The sheriff was a nice man. Even though the alien had harmed so many people, he knew it was only following instinct and an unadulterated hatred. It had been tortured and tested on. Of course it would hate humans, but he wouldn't have taken any humans if he didn't feel the need to. Even though the thought made Joe shutter, the creature had to eat. He just wished it had chosen to take a cow or even raid a grocery store, but it wouldn't have though if that. It did the first thing that came to mind.
A hand waved in front of his face. He flinched and looked over at his dad.
"You ok Joe? You spaced out there for a minute." His dad asked worriedly.
"I'm fine dad just tired." He said dismissively. His dad nodded and stayed silent, looking at his son in concern.
Joe went to bed early that night and didn't even get up until right before he had to go to Charles house. He changed quickly and was out the door in seconds, flying down the street on his bike.
At Charles house things went smoothly. Charles avoided him like a plague, but all in all that probably kept any fight from happening again. Martin acted as well as was ever able to (not that good) and they were able to film some of the last few scenes without Cary blowing something up, although he did try to. When Charles declared they were done for the day Joe felt a spike of nervousness shoot through his stomach. It was time for his date with Alice. Alice was all smiles as she took off her costume, but none of the other boys seemed to notice anything different about her. Joe noticed. It made him extremely happy to know that he could affect her like that, make her so giddy just by asking her out on a date. Maybe she liked him more then he had originally thought.
He quickly put his make up away and took his dad's camera from Charles, stowing them both away in his backpack. Once they were both finished and everyone else was gone, Joe left his backpack with his bike and they both started down the street together.
"So what do you have planned Joe?" Alice asked happily, poking him in the ribs playfully. Joe smiled in return and bravely held her hand in his, making them both blush, but she didn't protest.
"It's a surprise." Joe replied mysteriously leading her down the street as butterflies filled his stomach.
A/N: to show my dislike of nobody helping me out I left you with a cliffhanger. Hah. No, not really. I just thought that adding in the entire date would make this chapter too much longer compared to the rest. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW AND ANSWER MY PREVIOUS QUIESTIONS! ! !