Chapter Twenty-Seven

Joe sat his phone down on the table and just simply stared at it. She said she wouldn't call again but...he was hoping for something different. He didn't know what yet because he was still simply trying to figure out what he wanted them to be...friends or more. There was no question that he definitely wanted them to be more but could he live with the consequences there would be. If Demi and him ever broke up there could awkwardness and they'd probably never be friends again. But maybe there was something bigger than that. Maybe he just had to believe that Demi and him would stay together. Maybe it all depended on how strong his feelings were for her. He sighed and sat down at one of the chairs scattered around his center island countertop. Just then his phone rang and he took another deep breath before answering it. "Hello."

"Hey Joe. What's up?" Joe was slightly disappointed to hear his older brother's voice on the line.

"Nothing. Just sitting here Kev. What's up with you and Dani?"

"We're extremely exhausted. There's a lot that goes into making a home, you know." There was an awkward silence for a bit before Joe spoke.

"Has Dani gone to see Demi yet? I know they were really good friends."

Kevin hesitated before saying, "No. She wanted to but we just figured it'd be awkward for you."

"No." Joe protested. "All I want is for Demi to not feel like anything has changed for her, like she can still have the same friends even though things have changed just a little."

"Okay." Kevin said. "I'll let Dani know." Kevin paused. "Joe...is something up? You can talk to me."

Joe chuckled. "I know I can talk to you, Kev. There's nothing going on with me that you don't already know." He guessed there wasn't. Kevin knew he was in love with Demi. Just because he didn't tell Kevin that he had to make a decision didn't mean that Kev didn't already know. "I'm
gonna let you go. I'm waiting on a phone call."

"Oh. Okay. Talk to you later."

"Okay...bye." Joe pushed the End button before Kevin decided to speak again on the subject. He just sat there again thinking more about the situation. He couldn't stand how Demi was feeling right now but he couldn't really change it. He might've been able to prevent it if he had been able to control his hormones around her the first time. She was just way too beautiful. Was beautiful the right word? Maybe gorgeous and sexy and he just COULDN'T control himself. What Demi and him had never told anybody was that they had lost their virginity to each other. He didn't understand how someone could be pretty, beautiful, gorgeous and sexy at the same time but Demi managed it everyday. His phone buzzed again and he immediately answered it. "Hello?"

"It's Taylor."

"Haha. Very funny. Who is it really?"

"Joe!" Taylor said. "Im not kidding."

"Oh. Well. I'm going to hang up now."

"No!" She yelled stopping him. "I just want to apologize for my behavior which I admit was a little bit childish since I am in love and what happened in the past shouldn't matter-"

"But it does." Joe interrupted her.

There was a small silence over the line.

"What is it?" Joe asked and wondered if he would regret posing his next question. "Do you need to talk?"

"Joe, Demi and I were in no way close."

"Demi?" She was talking to him about Demi. "No. You definitely weren't."

"Demi and I weren't close but I'm sure that I speak for both of us when I say that what you do to girls is just heartbreaking."

"I like you Taylor. I really do. And don't assume that what I'm about to do changes that." Joe pushed the hangup button on his phone and sighed, laying his forehead down on the counter beside the phone almost giving up hope when it started to ring again. Great, he thought, another one of the many people he didn't want to talk to. "Hello?" Joe hesitated when there wasn't a voice coming from the other end of the line. "Demi?"

"Joe. I know I promised I wouldn't call again-"

"No." He interrupted her broken up voice. "I'm glad you broke your promise."

He patiently waited for her to speak again. "When you came and saw me you told me that I never tell you my real feelings so here goes." He heard her take a breath on the other end of the line. "When we broke up I wasn't okay with it and Im not okay with you and Ashley-"

"But-"

"Let me finish Joe." He stayed silent. "I am so much in love with you that I would call what I have an obsession. I thought you felt the same way. I just wanted what we had to be real and I wanted you to want me more than any of those other girls but I realize-"

"Demi." He interrupted her again because he couldn't take anymore of the words she was saying. "I love you. I've always loved you and I will always love you. The biggest mistake of my life was ever leaving you or thinking that we could be just friends. You're extremely wrong about me and that may be my fault because I didn't make myself clear. We didn't break up because I didn't want you. We broke up because I was scared of losing you-" Joe stopped talking when he heard her deep and heart-wrenching sobs in his ear. What did that mean? "Demi..."

"Goodbye Joe."

"No wait Demi." Click. He sighed and ended the call.

Demi's POV

What was wrong with her? Joe had just said all the words she hoped he would say to her. He thought she was beautiful and he loved her and he always did but she had hung up on him. She just couldn't deal with making that kind of decision right now. So he would just have to wait. She had two months left here. Two months. She hoped she could wait that long because she needed time.

2 months later~~~

Miley's POV

Miley walked out of her dressing room ready to hop the plane back to L.A. right now. She missed Nick like crazy. They had just finished the last day of production and she hated to admit it but Ashley and her had actually become friends while she was there. "Hey." She said stepping off the last step to a waiting Ashley.

"I guess this it." She shrugged smiling at Miley.

"Unless they cast us in another movie together." Miley bit her lip nervously. "Look Ashley I'm really sorry about all the awkwardness at the beginning of the movie. Demi's my friend-"

"I know. It's alright. You're pretty cool though and if they cast us in another movie again I'd happily take the part."

"Me too." Miley's phone started ringing and she immediately took it out of her pocket. "Sorry about this. I'm waiting on a call from my boyfriend."

"You're still dating Liam, then?"

"God, no!" Miley shook her head and then realized something. She never told anyone but the family she was dating Nick. "I'm, uh-"

Ashley half smiled knowingly. "Don't worry. I know all about secret relationships. It's okay. We'll talk soon, okay?"

Miley nodded as Ashley made her away from the set. Then she picked up the phone and smiled. "Hey."

"I really missed your voice."

Miley laughed. "Nick, we talked last night. You are the first one who was snoring though."

"I don't snore."

"Oh please. It's really adorable though so I can't complain."

"I can't wait to see you again right here in person in front of me."

"Well, just give me a few hours and you won't have to wait anymore." Miley smiled but then she heard someone giggle over the phone. "Who was that?"

"Who was what?"

"Nick..." Miley said impatiently. "Who the hell is there with you?"

"Miley calm down. It's just a friend."

"A friend like who?"

Nick sighed. "Samantha."
f
Miley didn't hesitate to hang up the phone. "ARGGGGHHH!" She yelled and threw her phone on the ground before stomping on it.

"Oh no." Ashley crossed her arms as she stepped up behind Miley. "You must be dating a Jonas."
_