Joe's Thoughts

I hadn't liked the idea of letting Miley go by herself. She seemed so fragile that someone should be following her everywhere to make sure nothing happened to her. Normally I wouldn't give a damn, but as I thought so many times, there was just something about her, that made me think like that.

It really didn't make it better when she finally came home. It had seemed like forever and by looking at her as she came through the door, made it seem like that. She had been crying, that was easy to see, and when she saw me she quickly put her hands behind her back, like there was something I wasn't supposed to see. She gave me a weak smile before she ran upstairs to her room. I knew I wasn't supposed to follow her, but I couldn't stop. I just waited a minute or two before I ran up the stairs taking two at a time. I didn't see her in her room, but I heard the water run in the bathroom and the door was opened. I hesitated a little before I slowly walked over the opening the door further. She was in the middle of breakdown that was easy to see, as she had both her hands under the water. I could see how the blood ran of her hands, and I got this sick feeling in my stomach. I slowly took her hands out from under the water to look at them, as she started to cry again. Then she broke down. Her legs simply just broke down, and she cried harder. I pulled her in for a hug as I had during the night when she had her nightmare. When she calmed down, I pulled her out to look at her.

"What happened?" – She seemed terrified, shaking. I didn't know what to say or do, so I just looked at her waiting for a response.

"I-I.. I fell on my way down to the beach." – she looked down, like she was embarrassed – "I'm such a klutz." – I knew she wasn't telling me the truth. I just knew it. Besides she hadn't bruised her knees or anything, and you didn't just fall backwards by walking. I was sure she was been pushed, but I didn't say anything. I just felt a little rage stir inside of me, but I tried to ignore it as I lifted her up in my arms and carried her over to her bed to put her down, before I found a first-aid kit in on the shelf in the bathroom.

"Let me clean those wounds for you, okay?" – I looked up in her eyes and she nodded.

"Okay this gonna sting a little, but it'll pass soon." – as I put the fluid on she didn't even wince, she just sat there emotionless, like she wasn't even there.

"Okay that should do it." – I said as I put the plasters in her palms.

"Thank you.. Joe." – She said in a low whisper. I smiled up at her. – "It's nothing. So what's really going on?" – I sat beside her on the bed, giving her a little push on the shoulder. She didn't say anything at first. Not that she had to tell me. After all she didn't even know me and I didn't know her. Though I already started to think I knew some parts of her.

"My life just sucks." – she sighed and looked down. I put a finger under her chin to lift it up, so I could look directly into her eyes. – "My life sucks too." – I said as I tried to light the mood and it helped. She smiled a little before she broke the eye contact.

"I bet my life sucks a little more than yours."

"Then let me be the judge of that. I'm really good at listening." – I smiled to her, trying to cheer her up. I didn't really know if that was the right thing to do. I haven't actually been great at listening to anyone else but myself. I only listened when it has something to do with me. But seeing her sitting there totally torn apart, I just wanted to help her. Listen and whatever I could do for her to make her feel better.

"I can't tell…" – she turned to look at me. – "I appreciate that you wanna help Joe, but I really can't tell you, though I really wish I could."

"I'm not gonna tell anyone. Not that I really know anyone around here beside your brother and your twin sister. But I'm not gonna tell them, if you want this staying between us."

"I don't wanna be the one getting you involved in this. I don't wish that for anyone. Stranger or no stranger."

"Don't look at me s a stranger, Mi. Look at me as a friend." – She looked up at me again.

"A friend?" – For a moment she sounded like she never had heard the word before. She stood up and walked over to her stereo. Again she didn't look at me.

"I would love to have you as a friend Joe, but you really wouldn't wanna be friends with someone like me. I'm a mess."

"Then we're just gonna solve out your mess, won't we?" – I smiled as I got up too and walked over to stand behind her. She leaned in to me and though I couldn't see her face I was sure her eyes were closed.

"I can't be fixed!" – She swung around to face me and I could see she again was fighting tears.

"I'm not telling you to be fixed, you're perfect. I just don't like seeing you sad."

"How can you possibly know that I'm sad? What if this is just the way I am?"

"That I'm almost positive isn't true. You're something much more than you show others. Aren't I right?" – I put my hands on her arms pulling her closer into me. She sighed.

"You'll just have to trust me, okay? Somethings about me might seem strange and weird but that's just the way I am. Don't ask questions, I'll tell you things if I wanna tell you, not because you might expect to get an answer. And last of all, don't leave me." – The last she said came in a low whisper I almost didn't catch, but of all that she said, that was the thing making the biggest impression on me.

"I promise." – I pulled her in for a hug, trying to make her feel, that I would do everything to keep my promise. I would never wanna leave her. Not intentionally.