CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
"No, I can't." I denied, not looking up. I couldn't, I couldn't tell Mom what the 'complication' was, I couldn't tell Mom who the girl was. I couldn't even tell her why I couldn't tell her. "I'm sorry, Mom, I can't tell you, I can't tell anyone." Was it worth it; pushing everyone away because we might get caught, always living with the fear that someone could find out?
As soon as I had the thought I knew the answer; yes. Miley is worth it, she's worth the risk, worth the consequences, worth everything. I love Miley and I'd give up anything and everything for her.
"When you're ready..." Mom began and I was grateful, she always knew when not to push me for too much information. "You know I won't judge you, Joe." She says that now, but if I told her about Miley that would really test the limits of that statement.
"Love you, Mom." I forced myself to smile, getting up from the table and finding another cup for more coffee; this was too much of a conversation to have without coffee.
"Love you too, Baby Boy." Mom smiled sadly as I retreated back up to my room. I knew I was pale, and I was shaking, I had to be more careful. I couldn't talk to Professor Judgey Pants in case someone overhears like Frankie did three weeks ago. I couldn't get my rocks off because I can't help but say Miley's name and someone could overhear. I couldn't talk to my girlfriend because someone could hear me say I love her and her name and then I'd be screwed.
"Mom." I was back in the kitchen, scared and unsure. "Did-did-" Did I say her name? Did she hear me say Miley? "How much did you hear?" My hands were shaking with the fear of what losing Miley would do to me; I love Miley.
"It was muffled, Joe." Mom said in a soothing tone, assuring me. "And I was trying not to listen." She added pointedly and I nodded, still tense, that didn't mean she didn't hear me say Miley's name. Mom knew Miley, she'd lived across the street from us for six years now; Miley was the daughter I knew Mom always wanted in a house full of boys. "How bad is it, Joseph?" Mom persisted to ask, even after I said I couldn't tell her. But, judging from my reaction she knew it was something big.
"Really bad." I muttered and she sighed.
"I'll always be here, when you're ready to tell me." Mom reiterated what she'd already told me. I swallowed thickly and nodded, but I knew I could never tell her.
"I know." I sighed, she knew I wouldn't tell her either, but it was a nice gesture. I went up to my room and just wanted to go back to bed; to pretend it was still last night when Miley and I were talking each other to orgasm and I was still oblivious to the idea that Mom might have heard and could have possibly known that I was in love with my 16-year-old student.
WHAT I GO TO SCHOOL FOR
I shifted uncomfortably; every year on New Years Even our parents - just Mom this year - would have a small gathering at the house with their closest friends. Usually that would include Mr. Stewart, Jackson and Miley, but they're in New York. And I was stuck in a house with a few other families from the street. One of which was apparently the Addison's... As in Amber Addison. Miley didn't like the girl, and quite frankly she was a bitch. But, she was a good singer so she was down to the final three in the call backs for the band - I should really get the band together and finalised since the battle of the bands school thing is in April.
"So, what do you like to do, Mister Lucas?" Amber smiled flirtatiously at me and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
"Not much." I shrugged, how had I been cornered by a 15-year-old girl in my own house? "Hang out with my girlfriend." I said pointedly, but that didn't seem to deter her.
"Where is she?" Amber asked, batting lashes at me, but it didn't have the same effect as when Miley did it.
"New York." I muttered, looking for an escape route. "With her family for the holidays."
"So you're all alone?" Amber pouted, pressing a little closer to me on the couch, to which I inched myself away again. "You have no-one to kiss at midnight?"
"I'm not really into that." I denied, though if Miley was here I'd want to... I wouldn't be able to because her father would probably have me arrested on the spot, but I'd want to kiss her at midnight.
"Is there anything I could do to convince you?" Amber pouted at me in a way I'm sure was seductive to 16-year-old boys, but I'm not a teenaged boy, and only one 16-year-old old girl could make me insane enough to risk the next 25 years of my life because I'm in love with her.
"No." I got up quickly when she tried to corner me into the edge of the couch. "Uh... Happy New Year, see you at school on Monday, and uh... I have to go... Check on my spider." I lied, fleeing before she could try and hit on me again. At the very least if I couldn't see Miley when she gets back on Thursday - currently Tuesday - then at least I would see her at school on Monday. "Hey, Professor." I retreated to my room and flopped on my bed whilst turning on the TV. Great, I realised as I flipped through the channels to find the live feed from New York where Miley was going to be performing as Hannah Montana, I've become the creepy teacher who shuts everyone out and is in love with one of his students. "How 'bout this for a New Years resolution, Professor, I'll stop being in love with my sixteen-year-old student." I muttered, scoffing at the end. I knew it wouldn't happen, Judgey knew it wouldn't happen; I couldn't just stop loving Miley, loving her wasn't a choice I'd just made, I had no control over falling for Miley. "Okay, how 'bout a real resolution?" I suggested, laying back on my bed and lazily watching the TV. "I won't make Miley cry anymore. And I won't get caught being in love with her so she doesn't have to suffer through me being arrested and put on trial."
"Coming up soon; Hannah Montana!" An official sounding voice over voice said as the countdown show went to an ad break. I sighed, I was going to work on not getting caught then I'd need to stop being the creepy guy in his room watching a teenager on TV whilst there's a party going on in his house.
"Sorry, Baby, I'll talk to you later." I muttered sadly, switching the TV off again.
"Where were you, Joe?" Mom asked when I got back downstairs.
"Checking on the Professor." I shrugged, it was better than saying I'd been planning on watching a 16-year-old on TV because I'm in love with her. "What's happening down here?"
"Could you run to the store an get some more sparklers for the kids?" Mom asked with a smile.
"Can't Nick go?" I whined and Mom shot me a look.
"Nick has been drinking." Mom replied and I rolled my eyes. "It's a special occasion and a controlled environment." She explained, though she didn't need to explain it to me. So, Nick has had a couple of drinks on New Years Eve; I was a rebellious dick getting drunk every other weekend when I was younger than him. "And I haven't seen you with a single drink all night."
"Okay, what do you need?" I sighed, resigning myself to being the dork out shopping half an hour before midnight.
"The kids have gone through all the sparklers, we just need some more for midnight." Mom told me and I nodded, grabbing my keys.
Ten minutes later I was wondering through an all night store, looking for the sparklers. I checked my watch; Miley would be on stage now. The TV in the corner of the store even showed the concert in New York in grainy black and white. I ran a hand through my hair and looked at the shelf of party supplies in front of me.
"Joe!" I looked up at the call of my name, surprised that anyone I might know would be here. I tensed when I saw the bottle-blonde head coming my way. "What are the odds of seeing you here?"
"I live three blocks away." I replied bluntly, grabbing a couple of boxes of sparklers.
"Oh, yeah, right." Stella nodded, blushing. "So, what are you doing for New Years?"
"Spending time with my Mother." I hissed at her as I headed for the check-out.
"Oh... How is she?" Stella asked and I rolled my eyes. Seriously? Stella helped my Dad cheat, she'd just as culpable for breaking Mom's heart as my asshole of a father is.
"That's none of your fucking business, Whore." I swore at her and she looked shocked. I knew what I said was harsh, but I had no love for her, she broke up my family.
"Matthew misses you." Stella changed the subject and I noticed that she had the baby with her. My baby brother.
"He's a month old; he can't tell the difference between you and a pot plant." I scoffed, though I did keep my eyes on the baby. He was sleeping, his big brown eyes closed, an intense look of concentration on his tiny face even as he slept.
"I named him after you, Joe." Stella said, following me out of the store.
"I know." I rolled my eyes, it was kind of obvious. "That would have pissed the bastard off." I couldn't help but smirk a little.
"He looks like you." Stella persisted and I gripped my keys tighter.
"What do you want, Stella?" I finally turned to her when I was at my car, ready to leave.
"I want you to know I still care about you, Joe." Stella looked at me with wide brown eyes. "I never stopped caring about you." She put her hand on my arm.
"Yeah, well, I never cared about you." I shrugged her hand off my arm and glared at her. "And you have some shitty way of showing you care; fucking my father and hurting my mother." With that I glared one last time at her frowning face and got in my care, ready to go back home. I picked up my phone and idly dialled.
"Hello?" My heart thumped when I heard her voice, a party clearly blaring around her.
"Hey." My blood cooled down from the rage Stella invoked at the sound of her voice. "What's up?"
"I wish you were here." I could almost hear the smile in her voice, imagine the bright sparkle in her blue eyes. "It's so beautiful."
"Only because you're there." I told her and she giggled, I loved that sound.
"Sweet niblets, you're so corny, Joe." Miley accused.
"Only for you, Baby." I stopped at a set of lights. "I wish I could be there with you too." I sighed wistfully, more than that I wish Miley was here, right now, in my arms. "I have no-one to kiss at midnight."
"I'm sure you've had plenty of offers." Miley said in a way that I knew meant she was rolling her eyes.
"No good ones." I denied, Amber hadn't been the only one to corner me tonight. "The one I want is wearing a blonde wig in New York."
"She wants you too, Joe." Miley murmured, God I miss her. "But, I'll be home in two days."
"Counting the minutes." I let out a breath.
"How many days?" Miley asked, I parked out the front of Mom's house and turned off the car, though I didn't get out.
"Eight hundred and eighty-six." I ran a hand through my hair; in 886 days Miley would be eighteen and no longer my student. In 886 days I would be able to kiss Miley and not have to worry about being arrested for it. "Eight hundred and eighty-six days until I'm allowed to love you, but I've never been one for following the rules."
"Yeah?" Miley asked shyly.
"Yeah." I agreed with a smile. "I love you."
"I love you too, Joe." I would never get tired of hearing that; I revelled in the words every time they passed Miley's lips.
1) We Can't Stop finally came out... What does everyone think of it?
2) Sorry if I disappointed anyone by not having Joe tell his Mom the truth.
3) What's been your favourite part so far?
4) How could Joe shave his head? How could he do that to me? Doesn't he know what a weird fascination I have with wanting to touch his hair?
Thank you to the Awesome List of Awesome People.
Molly Grahm, Katie x2, Jonasmiler, Guest 1, SuJu 4 Life, Guest 2, Hayley, PrincessJ1997, Taylah, Guest 3, lifesaclimb11, ellie Gilmore, Simar, and Lemonecake!
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