Seeing how Josephine only lived around the corner, the car ride was brief and silent. Andrew pulled the car over in front of her house and shut off the engine.
"Interesting first game." Andrew said in a mere attempt to break the silence.
"Somehow I don't think 'interesting' is the right word." Josephine said giving a dry chuckle.
"I should go. Thanks for the ride." Jo reached into the back and grabbed her uniform and clarinet. Just as she had her hand on the doorknob Andrew reached for her wrist. Josephine turned to face him and they stared at each other for a few seconds. Just trying to let everything sink in. Then Andrew leaned forward and kissed her. She kissed him back. It was a simple pure kiss. They broke away after a few short seconds but it still left Jo and Andrew grinning from ear to ear.
She exited his car and proceeded towards her front door. In the faint distance she could hear the band marching back into the band room. She felt a mixture of emotions of anger jealousy and sadness. After how hard they all worked it didn't seem fair that she didn't get to march back with the rest of her fellow band members. Josephine trudged up to her front door, and turned back to give Andrew one more smile. Once she was inside Andrew started up his car and drove off. Thinking of the long story that would await him once he returned home.
"What are you doing home so soon?" Jo's dad asked her as he approached her. He stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted the bruise forming on his daughters cheek.
"Oh my gosh. What happened?" Her mother gasped when she saw her.
"Oh this." Josephine pointed to the bruise casually. "This is from a run in with a trumpet. Literally." She gave a convincing laugh. She didn't want to tell her parents about Tom punching her. She was sure her parents would call the cops and she didn't want to deal with any of that.
"Is that why your home early?" Her mom handed her an icepack.
"Thanks, and no. I think we should all sit down." Jo motioned towards the kitchen.
Josephine and her family gathered around in the living room while she told them what happened. Leaving out the part about her being hit. But you get the general idea.
"What's going to happen to this guy?" Her dad asked. You could tell he was pissed.
"Prentons taking care of it. Andrew and I aren't in trouble. So we really have nothing to worry about."
Her mom opened her mouth to say something but was cut off when the doorbell rang.
Josephine's dad got up to answer it, muttering something about crappy timing and it being to late for visitors.
"Oh Jordan come on in."
Jo put her head down on the end table in frustration. She really didn't want Jordan to see or like this. Or anyone else for that matter.
She looked up at him when he entered the room and he looked and at her bruise and suddenly stepped back in shock. He had heard what happened but for some reason seeing his best friend like that just made his anger level rise more. Jo shot him look saying 'she'd tell him later and please don't mention anything'. Luckily he understood and kept his mouth shut.
"I was just wondering if you wanted to come to the diner." Jordan's asked.
"I don't know if I feel up to it." Jo answered truthfully.
"Go honey, get you out of the house." He slipped her a $10 and she was whisked out the of door from Jordan. Once outside he grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug. She hugged him back equally as tight, clinging to him for all there friendship was worth.
"You okay?" He asked soothingly.
"Yeah." She whispered softly in his ear.
They broke apart and Jordan's eyes immediately gazed at her cheek.
"I told my parents everything, expect that Tom did this to me. I said I banged into a trumpet."
Jordan nodded knowing there was no way to change her mind about it, and he partly understood why she did it. Especially with her parents.
He steered her over to his car and they both got in.
They both fastened there seatbelts and Jordan pulled onto the main road.
"I just have one question." Jordan said.
"Yeah?" Jo asked.
She noticed her was gripping the steering wheel tightly.
"Can I kill him?" His voice sounded so serious it nearly scared her.
She didn't answer him, she didn't know how the respond to that. Instead she reached for his I-pod and put it on 'Bryan Adams, 18 till I die.' It was kind of like there song. Jordan had introduced her to it a two years ago and Josephine instantly fell in love with the lyrics. Every time one of them was upset the other would flip that on and it just made things a little easier.
"I'd rather you didn't." She finally answered his question. They stopped at a red light and Jordan looked at her all serious, which oddly enough caused Jo to burst out laughing. He looked at her puzzled but soon joined in with her giggles. Jordan turned up the volume allowing the music to blast through the car with both of them singing along with it like the idiots they were and loved to be.
They pulled into the diner just as the song ended. A sudden wave of nervousness passed over Josephine as she got out of his car. They walked inside and Jo was instantly bombarded by a group of her friends. The majority of the band was there. It was a small little diner but they went there after every game. The owner got a kick out of them so he gave them a great discount.
A bunch of girls pulled Josephine away telling her things like 'Tom's a jerk.' and 'Andrew's an awesome guy for defending her.' They all gasped at her bruise. One of the flute players even started digging through her purse for a cover up that matched Josephine's skin type.
"Wait wait wait wait, How did you all find out?" Jo asked kind of confused.
"I told them." A voice spoke from behind her.
She whipped her head around only to be greeted by the most gorgeous blue eyes of her boyfriend.
"These two" he pointed to his fellow tuba members. "Came over to my house and dragged me over here and I told everyone figuring you wouldn't want to repeat the story."
"Thank you." She smiled at her gratefully.
"How did your parents take it?" He asked her his voice full of concern.
"Oh um. I told them everything except Tom hitting me. So they think I got this bruise from being hit from Ryan's trumpet on accident."
"Gee thanks." Ryan spoke up from the crowd. Andrew pulled Josephine from the crowd into a secluded area.
"Why did you lie to your parents?" His voice was full of concern and worry.
Josephine drew in a long breath before speaking. "My parents would have wanted to press charges and I really don't want to deal with all that, plus they'd put me in therapy convinced I was mental from the whole ordeal."
Andrew nodded showing he understood. And he couldn't really blame her. She sounded like she just wanted to put this trial behind her.
"So how did your parents take it?" Her voice snapping him out of his trance.
"After my mom stopped fussing at me and I got a chance to tell them what happened they weren't mad. They were even proud of me."
She grabbed his hand. "I'm glad I would hate if you got in trouble over all this."
Andrew squeezed her hand and whispered "It would have been worth it."
Josephine smiled and was very grateful to have him by her side.
They walked back over to the rest of there group.
Andrew put his arms around Jo's waist and laid his head down on her shoulder.
"We figured we would go pay Tom a visit and teach him a lesson." Samuel the band president said. The other guys nodded there heads in agreement.
Josephine detached herself from Andrew approached Samuel and gave him a hug around the middle, seeing as he was much taller then her.
"I appreciate it guys and I feel so lucky and blessed to have friends like you. In fact your so much more then friends, you're my family and I love all of you, but I think Andrew left more then enough damage." Josephine stated giving her boyfriend a confident boast.
Andrew puffed out his chest and held his nose in the air everyone broke out in laughter.
"Okay enough of this gushy stuff as your band president I demand all of you to sit down eat and laugh." Samuel said in a compelling tone
That was one order everyone was willing to agree to. Everyone grabbed a seat at one of the two large tables set aside for them.
The waitress came around and took all of the orders. Josephine didn't realize how hungry she was until she smelt the food coming from the kitchen. She ordered a Belgium waffle with strawberries. Fortunately no more was spoken of Tom which Josephine was grateful for. They just sat together and talked and laughed and acted insane and Jo loved every second of it.
When the checks came around Andrew snatched hers up. (Both Andrews parents are lawyers, so he has a lot of money.)
After a long argument and protest from Jo about being very capable to pay her own food Andrew still paid it.
"Come on Jo lets go." Jordan called to her from the exit
"Its okay Jordan I can take her home." Andrew walked up to him with Jo at his side.
Jordan started laughing. "You actually think I'm letting you take her home at one o'clock in the morning you two haven't kept your hands off each other all night."
"Hey! Not true!" Josephine blushed knowing it kind of was true.
"To bad, I'll drag you by your hair if I have to." Jordan smiled at her and she laughed.
"Okay I'll be there in a minute." She told him. Jordan walked out of the diner.
Josephine faced Andrew. "I guess I'll talk to you later."
"Oh most defiantly." Andrew responded grinning at her.
He caressed her cheek with his hand and then pulled her face to his and kissed her goodnight.
"Its amazing how one minute turns into 7." Jordan grabbed Josephine's arm and pulled her out of the restaurant.
"See you later Andrew." Jordan sad as him and Jo approached his car.
"Bye Jordan." Andrew replied while chuckling to himself.
He sat in his car and watched Jo and Jordan leave. He smiled to himself not yet knowing how much of an effect this red head ,who had walked into his life to unexpectedly, would have on him.