Disclaimer: ...don't own them...


I was watching Ms. Congeniality, wondering how the Jonas Brothers could possibly consume my entire life, when the doorbell rang. I paused the movie and went to the door. It was Joe. I opened it. He was standing there with an apologetic smile on his face.

"Come in." I said a little stiffly.

We sat on the couches in the living room. I picked up a pillow and started playing with its tassels. He was examining the wall with great focus. Talk about awkward silence!

"Joe," I said softly. He looked over at me. He patted the spot next to him on the couch and I scooted closer to him.

Man, he smelled really nice. What scent is that? Focus, Emmy, focus.

"Joe," I began again, "What happened to us? Why aren't we close like we used to be?" He sighed, running his hand through his amazing hair.

"I don't know." Vicky takes up a lot of time – oh, and I didn't mean for you to find out about her the way you did." Anger sluiced through me.

"Well, was I just supposed to figure it out on my own? You certainly weren't going to tell me!" He had the decency to look ashamed. "We're best friends." I whispered, silently cursing the tears welling up in my eyes, making the world seem blurry. "We are supposed to share everything."

The moment I said those words, I felt like a fraud, a fake. Here I was nagging him about not telling me about his girlfriend when I haven't told him about my secret. He put his arms around me.

"Please don't cry." He begged, hugging me close to him, "You know I hate it when you cry." I sniffed, trying to regain some control over my emotions. "Speaking of Kevin –"

"Were we?" I joked; he didn't smile back. "What about him?" I asked indignantly. Kevin was my home dog. My skillet biscuit. Hehe. I have always wanted to say that.

"Well, I thought you wanted to spend more time with him then me." He admitted. He began playing with my fingers. It was very distracting.

"Well, that one time when I walked in on the two of you and you guys were –" He broke off, his cheeks starting to pink.

I burst out laughing. He looked at me, annoyed.

"No, no, no! Wait, Kevin never told you? I was just saying that. You walked in the same moment I was thanking him for some brotherly advice!" Joe looked relieved. I turned my eyes down so he wouldn't see the hope and excitement dancing in them. He had been jealous! My mind crowed! He has a girlfriend. My conscious reminded me cruelly.

"Joe, even f I was going out with Kevin, why would you care?" He hesitated, then he reached out, as if to smooth my hair but he drew back. I examined his face. His chocolate eyes were filled with some indescribable emotion. He masked it so quickly, I wondered if I even saw it.

"I was afraid I wouldn't be your favorite Jonas." He teased my playfully. Oh, if only he knew how that could never be possible. I sneaked my arms around him and laid my head on his chest.

"I've missed you, Joe." I murmured. He slipped his arms around me. "I've missed you too – more than you can know." He whispered the last part into my hair, not meaning for me to hear it.

As if in a dream, I tilted my head up to his. I slowly brought my face closer to his. He began to lean down. Our lips were centimeters away from touching when we both hesitated. I scrambled away from him.

Joe's POV:

"I'm sorry, that was awkward of me." Emmy said her face adorably pink. I just nodded. I was still blown away by our almost kiss.

"So," she broke the awkward silence that had once again drifted between us, "have you written any new songs."

"Maybe," I smiled mysteriously. Yes! My mind screamed. And it is about you! I couldn't wait to sing it to her after I told her my feelings for her.

"Are you going to play it for me?" She asked.

"Not yet." I replied. We sat, grinning at each other, just happy we were friends again.

My phone vibrated.

"You better get that." I looked at the caller ID. It was Vicky. Surprise. Surprise. She only called like 20 times a day.

"Emmy, about –" I let the sentence hang, not seeing the need to explain myself further.

"Joe, I am so sorry. It was my fault. Can we pretend that never happened?" She asked. But I wanted to! I love you! "I don't want things to change between us." I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. She didn't feel that connection? "I always want to be your best friend." She finished looking down.

"I agree." I choked out. Liar! My mind accused me. Coward! My phone vibrated again.

"It's Vicky." I told her.

Emmy's POV:

Vicky. I bit back a snarl. Back off, girlfriend! This is me and Joe time!

"You should probably go and –" I gestured to the phone.

"Thanks he said gratefully. He left the house. I saw him walking down the street, making frustrated gestures as he was talking. I sighed and turned to the window. I officially never have a chance to be with Joe.


At dinner, I picked at my food. The beans just held no appeal to me. My mind was just focused on my despair.

"So, dear," My mother's voice penetrated my pensive thoughts, "What's up with you and Joe? I haven't seen him in awhile." Just to show how emotionally distraught I am, I began to cry. My mother quickly pushed back her chair and led me from the table, my father just wondering what had happened.

"What's wrong sweetie?" My mom asked, "Did you and Joe get into a fight?"

"No." But we had just resolved one. "We are friends." I let out a little sob at the word friends. "And that is all we will ever be." I looked at her sadly. "He has a girlfriend."

"Honey, you're just going to give up?" I nodded. "Sweetheart, you need to fight for him!" She grinned mischievously. "Make him jealous." My grin matched hers. It was brilliant. Why didn't I think of that?

"Thanks Mom!" I kissed her cheek and rushed upstairs. Shaking her head ruefully, she rejoined my father in the kitchen.

I called Kevin.

"Hi, Kev. I was wondering what you guys were up to tomorrow?"

"Jesse and Drake are coming over around noon. We are going to grill out by the pool."

"Oh."

"You sound sad."

"I won't be able to see you."

"You're invited to, dopey." I frowned at the phone.

"Hey, don't call me that."

"So, are you coming?"

"Totally! It's perfect."

"Perfect for what?"

"Er – nothing, Kevin, nothing at all."

"Emmy, what are you planning."

"Nothing! Nothing at all! Gotta go! Bye!"

"Bye." I grinned. It was perfect. Operation M.J.J (Make Joe Jealous…very original, I know) will begin.


I looked through my bathing suits. I reached for a modest blue two piece bathing suit. It was my safety net. But, now was the time to be daring; to put away my fears. I hesitantly put it back and pulled out a stylish black bikini. Not too skimpy to be considered skankish, but enough to make a girl look hot. When I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I was glad I had been working on my tan.

I gathered my things and was off.

When I got to the Jonas house, I walked around back and unlocked the gate. Joe bounded up to me.

"Hi, Emmy!" He said excitedly.

"Hi, Joe." I touched his shoulder briefly as a greeting and then turned to Nick and Kevin.

"Hey, boys!" I gave them each a hug. I looked over at Joe's confused expression. Bam! Emmy 1. Joe 0. Let the games begin. I spotted Drake and Jesse. I ran to them, laughing hello. When I got to Jesse, he picked me up and twirled. He set me back down. Whoa, a little dizzy. I ruffled Drake's hair. "What's up, boys?"

"The usual." They were pretty much best friends. (A/N I don't know if they really are but for the sake of my story they are.)

Kevin pulled off his shirt and cannon-balled into the water. It sprayed up on me, soaking me.

"You are going to pay for that one, Kevin!" I stripped off my clothes and jumped in after him, not oblivious to the stares that followed me. I came up for air, searching for Kevin. I couldn't see him. Suddenly, I was pulled under, there was a tight grip on my ankle. I pinched Kevin's – decidedly muscular – arm and then he released me. By now, the other boys had joined us in the water.

"I propose a game of –" I paused dramatically, "chicken fight!" They all voiced their approval. "Let's pick partners." The way Joe looked at me; I could tell he thought I was going to pick him. Sorry, I just can't settle as second best when your girlfriend isn't here. "I pick," I looked around the group, "Jesse!" He swam over to me.

Before I realized what was happening, I was up on his shoulders. Nick was on Kevin and Drake was on Joe. (A/N I know that seems really sketchy and disturbing, but it's not supposed to be.) Drake and Joe won all the rounds. I think it was the apparent anger directed at Jesse that kept him fueled. I smirked. It served him right.

We hung around the pool for almost two hours. Jesse taught me how to grill out. I made extra sure that I laughed at lot at his jokes and flirted with him. But I was bored. No offense, Jesse. I kept constantly looking for Joe, wanting to be with him. He didn't seem upset. He looked like he was having a pretty good time.

When I was sun tanning on a chaise, Jesse grabbed my sunglasses. I reached for it, but he moved away. It turned into an all-out chase. He jumped in the pool; so did I. He took off across the lawn; I was following close behind. Then, to prove what a clumsy person I am, I trip on a root and land on the ground. Way to show athletic skill. All of a sudden Joe was right beside me, helping me up. I tried to put some pressure on my ankle. I winced. I probably sprained it. I looked at Joe, blinking away my tears. He gently scooped me in his arms.

All the way to the house I was thinking I am being carried by Joe. How romantic. He set me down on the couch and propped my ankle up. He brought a bag of ice and a bandage. He wrapped my ankle tightly and then put the bag of ice on it. He did all of this without saying a word. I stopped him as he was about to leave.

"Joe?" He turned, his face once filled with concern, now was expressionless, "Are you angry with me?" He heaved a sigh.

"I was about to ask you the same question."

"Why?"

"You have been ignoring me the entire time!" He exclaimed. I looked at him, noticing how his eyes were filled with confusion and hurt. I felt bad. What was I thinking listening to my mother on advice about boys? I reached over and brushed some hair from his eyes.

"Joe, I am sorry. Can you ever forgive me? I don't know what I was thinking.

"Of course." He said. I felt awful. Saying sorry wasn't going to fix things. I needed to prove it by my actions.

The doorbell rang. He trudged to it. His face was a mixture of emotions, first surprised, then confused, to happy, to confused, back to happy. Vicky was standing at the door.

"Vicky, what are you doing here?" He asked. She ducked under his arm. "Not that I am not glad you are here."

"Where are they?" She asked eagerly.

"Where are who?" Vicky rolled her eyes.

"Jesse McCartney and Drake Bell, of course! Unless, you have some other stars hidden around." Joe flashed a grin.

I knew his smiles. I knew his happy, goofy, serious, secretive, half-smile, (etc). This was not any of them. Totally fake.

"Right this way." He said, leading her outside.


I sat on the couch and watched through the window as Vicky blatently ignored Joe. She was just in awe and delight of meeting such "fab stars". She kept cutting him off, asking prying questions to Drake and Jesse, and totally attempted to flirt with them. And they looked like they enjoyed it.

Kevin and Nick went – hmm, I'm actually don't know, somewhere.

Joe joined me in the family room. He sighed. He looked so pitiful, so adorable, when he sighed.

"Today is not my day with the ladies." He was referring to me and Vicky. I scooted over and he sat down perpendicular to me. I put my head in his lap.

"So…" I tried to figure out a way to segway. I gave up. "So, are you and Vicky having problems?" He gave another sigh. Oh, how I wanted to just kiss away all those sighs. Whoa! Where did that thought come from! Who was I kidding? I have wanted to kiss Joe for, like, ever.

"Well, kind of," He began playing absentmindedly with my hair. The butterflies started in my stomach. "I mean, we have different morals about different things."

"Like what?" I asked, eager to get any dirt on Vicky.

"You know my whole purity thing?" I nodded. "Well, she doesn't believe in that. She wants me to be her first." He turned red. So did I. "Erm, well, if she starts pressuring me, I am going to break up with her."

Before I started breaking out the pom-poms and started cheering I had to ask him a question that had been eating away at me.

"So, you wouldn't date a girl who has already, you know –" He shook his head, and with that gesture, my heart broke.

"But – but – what if it was an accident? What if it was never supposed to happen?" I asked desperately. He shook his head again.

"She still did it. I mean, she has to be responsible for what happened." I burst into tears, loud sobs heaving my entire body. He reached for me, eyes clouded with concern. I wrenched away from him and ran – well, hobbled – to his front door, ignoring the shooting pain in my ankle. My heart pain was so much greater. I had to get away. I had to. I heard him call my name. I sped up. By now, I was down the driveway. His arm reached out and stopped me. He sat me down on the curb.

"What's wrong, Emmy? Tell me." His eyes were filled with care and concern, his brow wrinkled with worry, "I can help you." I shook my head.

"No, no you can't. It's too late. Nobody can help." I whispered tearfully. He drew me into his arms.

"Let me in. Please, don't push me away." You have no idea how tempted I was to bawl out my story. To lean against him, and draw on his strength to retell my plight. For him to wipe away my tears and tell me that no matter what happens, he will always be here for me. But I had already said too much. He doesn't love me. Not like I want him to. I will not humiliate myself in front of him by telling him I love him and how I can never have a chance with him because I am not a virgin. I didn't have a chance with him anyway. I scrambled out of his hold.

"I just want to be alone." I said.

I walked away. I made the mistake of looking back, he was staring at me, wounded, hurt by my mistrust. But there was nothing I could do.


(A/N I am not sure how I feel about this chapter...I have mixed feelings...please review and bring my spirits up...or down if you hated it...meh...SORRY about the negativity. no, this chapter was fabulous! we got to see the sensitive side to joe and kevin's decidedly muscular arms! lol! please review and vote on my poll that's on my profile! Thanks! I should post soon. I finally know where this story is heading so I am super excited! REVIEW!)