A/N: JOE IS MINE! growls and claws Okay fine he's not, but cut me some slack and stop reminding me. I don't own anything but this plot and my imagination and maybe some twisted sense of humor D
Krisha quietly sneaked into the house, trying to make as little noise as possible. She has gone past the front door without a problem and was making her way up the stairs. It was dark and quiet, everyone seemed sound asleep. She entertained the thought that no one probably even noticed she was gone all night. She was on top of the flight of the stairs when her Mom's bedroom door faintly creaked. She looked over and waited for her Mom's figure to emerge from behind it while her mind raced thinking of reasons why she had been out all night. But what or rather who came out surprised her: it was Jake. His button down shirt was open halfway and was creased severely. He was still in the act of zipping his pants when he got out. Krisha pursed her lips and walked to her room, without bothering to be quiet. She know her mom would not wake up from her slumber, after all she must have been worn off by her lover. She acted as if she had not seen Jake as they crossed. She just walked off to her room, locking the door behind her.
She lay on her bed, feet dangling a few inches over the floor. She hated how she felt so angry again. It has already gone away when she was with Joe, but seeing Jake come out of her mother's room, quietly sneaking out just ticks her off.
She tried to think of something else, being angry was wearing her off. It felt as if something really heavy had been bound to her back. She did not want it. She was tired after having carried it for a few years now. Her mind strayed to Joe and their flashlight lit dinner. She felt a crack of smile peek on her lips. It was weird how his trite plan made her forget about things.
Before he picked her up, her mind was racing with resentment for her Dad, Lily, and her Mom. Everyone. D She had so many things in her head that she felt like she just wanted to burst out. The original plan had been to agree to come with him and then bash on him. Callously make retorts and insensitive insults just like before. But that was not what happened. She actually just had fun. It was as if she did not have to say anything to let it all out.
She knew she might be getting ahead of herself, she have already dismissed this as Joe just being nice. But his gestures, how he'd make little efforts as if she matter even just a little bit it was all to unfamiliar for her. After all, she had not let anyone come close since their family fell apart. She had been guarded; she has been hiding in her façade. And it was not as if she had already let Joe in either. It just amuses her that no matter how hard she push, he was still putting up with her.
Her phone vibrated on her pocket. It was a message from Joe.
Don't fall asleep just yet,
I'll call you when I get
home :-P
She would have replied if it was not too painful to move her finger. The cut was just at the spot that hits the keypads when she types something in.
A few more minutes passed and she was still lying on her bed in the same exact position as she had been since she plopped down there. Her phone vibrated again with a new message from Joe.
Pft. Not replying again?
Don't sleep! Haha. I'm
almost home.
She shook her head as she chuckled at his message. She did want to reply, the cut just stung whenever she moves it. She decided to try typing a message with her other hand and was slowly forming the phrase Cut hurts when it vibrated again. She read the message before finishing what she was typing.
Well I'm home. And fine
be that way.
She smirked at the screen and just right after she read it, it vibrated again.
Oh wait, you cut your finger!
Just a sec, I'll call you.
It had not been a few seconds when her phone rang. It was none other than Joe. She picked it up on first ring. He did not speak right away, but she distinctly heard him slamming his car door shut.
"I thought you fell asleep already." He paused, chuckling, "But I see you pick my call up right away. Been waiting for me?"
"I can just hang up right now." she snapped, she still was not in a very good mood.
"Whoa. What did you do to the girl who made me drink her spit, strawberries and cream frappe, earlier?" he said, putting a demanding tone.
Krisha closed her eyes, lips pursed and her grip on the phone loosening. "I don't know, she must have gone away." she replied.
He frowned, "Okay, what's up with you."
"Nothing."
"Want me to leave you alone for a bit?"
"If you want to."
"What do you want though?"
"It doesn't matter."
He sighed, "Fine, you don't want to talk about it." He waited for her reply but she remained quiet. "And for the record, it does matter to me."
"Maybe it shouldn't." she replied, "It's just one of those mood swings."
"Right." he said sarcastically.
"It's just one of those personal things, okay? And no, we won't talk about it."
"Fair enough. But I'll still be pestering you all through out tonight." he smirked.
This was how they were. They never dared stray to talking about anything serious. They would just talk on the phone, tease each other and whatever feels like it. The company was appeasing. And Krisha, she was enjoying it. She was getting used to having her phone vibrating or ringing at least once every five minutes. He was actually starting to take much of her time.
---------------
It was a Saturday, three days before the deadline of the bet. Everything was going smoothly with Joe and Krisha. But none of it was in a romantic way. Yes they were getting along, and she has in fact cut off most of the harsh remarks, but beyond that there really was not anything. Joe could not care any less, he was enjoying himself, and it was worth the try. He thought it was actually even more fun than the summer thing that he had in mind.
"And I thought you were confident you could make her yours?" Nick snickered. He has been annoying Joe for the past few day about their bet. But Joe would not really budge; he would not tell Nick nor Kevin any details. He would always just have this meaningful goofy smile on his face. "C'mon Joe, still no improvement? Are you even going anywhere or should I already think you've lost this one?"
"Nick, aren't you just supposed to be happy that I don't seem to be winning this one?" Joe smirked.
"It's lame when you never seem like you stand a chance on winning. I don't even get worried about it." Nock whined, which only earned him a whack on the back of his head from Kevin.
Joe's phone vibrated, it was a new message. It was Krisha. His expression changed, she never sends her anything unless it's a reply to his message.
Don't call me. Don't
even reply to this one.
He smirked in confusion. What was that about? He looked over his shoulders, his brothers were still within earshot, so he decided against calling her. He hit reply instead.
Why? What's going on?
I'll call you in a bit, okay?
He scurried his way upstairs and into his room. Before he could close the door behind him, his phone vibrated, it was Krisha.
NO, don't call. Don't
bother reply.
He grimaced at her message and sat on his bed. He could not understand why she was suddenly acting this way. They were getting along smoothly the past few days. He tried shaking the bad feeling away, he thought maybe she did not mean that he could not call ever. Maybe she was just busy.
He decided to call her anyways. The first four calls were diverted to voicemail. And it was not until the fifth when she decided to pick it up. She spoke first, her voice barely over a whisper.
"I told you not to call." she hissed.
"You know I'm not good with instructions." he said, trying to hide the anxiety in his voice but failed terribly as he croaked slightly.
"Joe, I want you to stop calling." she said firmly.
His face drooped and started rambling for words and explanations what might change her mind, "Why? What did I do this time? I didn't mean it, well whatever it was. Krisha…"
She fell silent for a few seconds, she could hear him breathing heavily from the other end. She sighed. Trying to find the most appropriate words she said quietly, "Joe, you've been too nice to me. I appreciate it, really. I mean who wouldn't? You're Joe Jonas! But I don't like how it makes me feel."
"How does it make you feel?" he sounded so serious that it struck Krisha. He has always seem to be so scared to talk that way.
"It does not matter."
"It does to me!" he raised his voice but quickly apologized, "I'm sorry. I just hate it when you say it doesn't matter. I care, by now you should know that."
"But it shouldn't matter. Just—just don't call anymore. Please?"
"I can't promise you that."
"Joe, please. It had been fun hanging out with you and all, but I know this would not take me anywhere. It's been great and I don't want to ruin it by trying to have more." she swallowed. She had not meant to admit that. The least she needed was to complicate things even more for them both.
He furrowed his eyebrows, "Don't do this, Krisha."
"What do you even want from me?" she whispered.
His insides lurched, and he was feeling his heart thump hard against his throat, "The company, you being there. I mean that's all you can allow me right? But now you want to take that away too."
She just sighed. She refuses to believe what she was hearing. Joe could get any freaking girl he wanted. Why push this? Why make it too difficult for her to just disappear?
He was not sure what he was doing, but he knew he wanted to act on these impulses no matter how stupid it will turn out to be in the end. "Forget what I said earlier." He paused as if contemplating. Krisha thought he just wanted to take it back; she closed her eyes bitterly but what she was about to hear surprised her. "I want to try, Krisha. I want to be in your life."
"I'll just run you down. I'll just make you hate me. I'll make you snap." She refused uneasily.
He let out another sigh, "You know what, so what if you're going to snap me later? It'll be worth it. Just tell me that you want to try too."
"It's not going anywhere. I don't want to end up ruining this." she declined.
"I've been through hell trying to make you open up to me. I think I've received my fair share of insults and put downs from you too, not that I'm complaining. I know whenever you try to push me away, but I'm still here, right? I'll always be here, you just have to let me. Please?" his voice was stained.
"I don't know Joe, I don't know."
"All I know is that it just feels right when I'm around you and being with you is something for me to look forward to every day. I love you. And you don't even have to return it, just please let me love you." he rambled. She just kept quiet, and her silence was weighing him down.
"I'm scared." she said after what have felt like all eternity.
"Don't be. I love you, and I won't let me hurt you."
"Please don't say that if you do not mean it."
"I do."
There was a brief pause. Neither of them wanted to say anything, both being anxious of what they both had just admitted, "So what now?"
"Will you let me in your life?"
"You're already in it."
"Will you be my girlfriend?"
Krisha froze at the question. It was all too fast, like a haze of image that blurs out. Her heart was screaming, pounding against her chest, willing her to say yes. "I don't know."
He moped. Rejection at it's finest, "I knew you didn't feel the same way."
"You knew wrong." she said quietly.
His heart was taking gigantic leaps and doing back flips inside his chest, "What do you mean?"
"Let's try it. 7 day, we stop and act as if it never happened if it doesn't work out." She said in reply.
Joe was stunned. His heart raced, and his jaw dropped all the way down. Has he heard it right or was he just wishful thinking? It took him a while before he regained himself. It was difficult to absorb what just happened. He had disclosed his feeling s too fast out of a desperate attempt to not be kicked out of her life, and now she is giving her the chance? All he could muster was a loud triumphant, "I love you Krisha!"
A/N: Just 3 more chapters and it's done ) I hope it's not that bad. Don't bash on me. Rofl! But reviews and suggestions are very welcome…just don't make it hurt too much. haha