Disclaimer: I own none of J.J. Abrams characters (only my Joe) Please R&R!

I can't stand it. Just the idea that I am so close, yet not close enough bothers me. Joe looks at me with such a cold flame I freeze on the inside. But on the outside I seem to barely notice her smartass remarks. ; all of this just because I wanted to be a rock star.

I stood outside the door, wondering whether to knock and tell her the good news or leave; I knocked. The door opened, revealing Joe in her Buffy spaghetti strap tank and sweatpants.

"You lost your key again?" she asked, but I shook my head, coming in and closing the door. We started making out when Joe broke off the kiss, smiling. "You must have some news, since you brought flowers," she noted the roses I was carrying.

"Yeah, well... remember that label I played for and didn't think I'd done well?" Charlie asked, barely hiding his grin.

"You mean the one that was, uh, six months ago?" Joe asked as she put the flowers down.

"Yeah, that one," he nodded, "well, I got it. Isn't that great!" Charlie turned to his girlfriend, and then frowned when he saw that her shoulders went stiff.

"You said you would finish school first." Joe said quietly, sounding wounded.

"Well, I won't now," Charlie said with a grin, walking over to place his hands on her hips; Joe pulled away, giving the Englishman a hurt look, "ah, come on," he tried slipping his hands into the girl's pant. She recoiled in horror.

"How dare you think going in my pants will fix this," she said coldly, "have fun with your stupid gig and get out," when Charlie didn't move, she repeated in an even nastier tone, "get...out."

"Fine, I'll leave for my "stupid gig", love," he spat, "and I'll enjoy it!" Charlie turned, slamming the door. He already had tears streaming down his face, burning.

All I want is to take all that back. But it's not like that could work out for me. Not here anyway.

Charlie

Please R&R!