Hey Jealousy - Gin Blossoms
Tomorrow we can drive around this town
And let the cops chase us around
The past is gone but something might be found
To take its place...Hey Jealousy
And you can trust me not to think
And not to sleep around
If you don't expect too much from me
You might not be let down
The three girls approached the bar and Dean immediately turned his back to them.
Jo was sure he was trying to avoid her and frowned.
Bela yelled "Hey Winchester, think you tear yourself away from your fan club to get me…"
He turned back to her and placed strawberry margarita in front of her.
"A strawberry margarita…I'm so glad you've started reading minds." Bela finished and smiled at him.
Ruby laughed "What about me, Dean? Can you guess what I want?" Two minutes later a Seven and Seven appeared in front of her. "How about Jo?"
"White wine please." Jo called before he could make any guesses. She was absolutely sure that Dean Winchester had no clue what she wanted to drink or in any other situation.
"Coming right up," he said as he poured her a glass of white wine.
"Thanks." She said sarcastically. He walked over to the red head again and said something that made her smile and look in Jo's direction. She was about to turn around to watch the band when he walked over to her and placed a glass of ice next to her wine.
"I know you like ice with your wine," he said making only the briefest eye contact with her before returning his attention to the red head.
"Aww, he remembered." Ruby said. "I always forget you like ice with your wine. See, he's trying to make nice."
"He's trying to get tips." Jo grumbled begrudgingly.
"Doesn't look like he needs any help with tips right now. Do you know who that is? That's Anna Milton. Her dad owns most of west Kansas." Ruby continued.
"Well he obviously doesn't have enough money to buy her a full outfit." Jo said eyeing Anna who was tossing her silky smooth red hair and playing with the ends. Jo was about to make another snide comment when she stopped short as Gilda's voice rang through the club.
"Alright, guys…now it's the time of the night when I get to actually have a drink and take a breather…without further adieu, Jo Harvelle!"
Loud applause erupted through the room and that made Jo feel a little bit better.
Jo downed her wine as Ruby grabbed her arm: "Get up there and rock it, girl! What are you singing tonight?"
"I don't know…whatever they pick for me I guess." She called as she made her way to the stage. As soon as she was on stage, Gilda gave her a hug and Charlie a kiss before she jumped off the stage.
She gripped the microphone with shaky hands and turned to Charlie. "What am I singing tonight?"
Charlie grinned like a Cheshire cat and said. "How bout this one?"
Chuck's drums started up and the rest of the band joined in.
Jo smiled. One of her favourites. She turned to the face the crowd, most of whom were already dancing and clapping to the music.
She started singing:
I've been a bad, bad girl
I've been careless with a delicate man
And it's a sad, sad world
When a girl will break a boy just because she can
Don't you tell me to deny it
I've done wrong and I want to suffer for my sins
I've come to you 'cause I need guidance to be true
And I just don't know where I can begin
She gripped the microphone a little harder as her nerves began to give way and she just enjoyed the music and the stage. Her eyes rested on Dean, who had turned his attention from the red head and was watching her carefully. He was watching so intently that she could feel the burn of his gaze. She even thought she was a small smile play on his lips. Her eyes flew away from him, though, the second Anna touched his face to turn his attention back to her. Jo just lost herself in singing.
What I need is a good defense
'Cause I'm feeling like a criminal
And I need to be redeemed
To the one I've sinned against
Because he's all I ever knew of love
The song faded out and the crowd, again, erupted in applause. She heard a loud whistle coming from the bar. It was Garth who was tending bar with Dean, She could also see Becky, Chuck's girlfriend and Ruby clapping enthusiastically. Bela normally didn't clap but she nodded and smiled at Jo. She threw them all a grateful grin. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gilda ran back on stage followed by a very somber looking Dani who waited patiently for Sam to remove herguitar from his neck. Jo took that as her cue to exit. Gilda a offered her a huge smile and said: "Jo Harvelle everybody! Thanks…Jo, I needed that break…now, let's get this party rolling!"
A few more cries echoed throughout the club as Jo stepped down from the stage and she pushed through the crowd yet again to resume her seat next to Ruby at the bar.
"That was awesome, Jo! I wish I could sing like that too!"Becky gushed.
Jo just smiled and laughed. "Hey, maybe if you pout enough, Charlie will give in and let you give it a try for once."
Becky looked horrified. "Oh no…no, Charlie says my singing sounds like nails on a chalkboard and as much as I hate to admit that she's right…well,she's right."
The girls laughed at that and then turned their attention back to the music. Jo couldn't help but notice as Dean continued to let Anna touch him..his arm, his face. It was driving her crazy. She so didn't want her in the apartment tonight. After about an hour or so, the night was starting to wind down and the crowd was finally beginning to clear. The last song, "Name" by the Goo Goo Dolls, finished up, Gilda made the last call to help clear the crowd.
Jo decided she needed something stronger so she ordered a shot of tequila for herself.
"Where is Castiel tonight?" Ruby asked after Jo finished her shot.
Jo shrugged"He said he had an errand to take of but didn't really elaborate. I didn't press him."
Ruby frowned "You don't think…Meg?"
"No!" Jo hissed before Sam got wind of the name "He'd never.."
Ruby pursed her lips and leaned closer "He has before."
Jo nodded in agreement. …"Hey Dean!" she yelled "Another round please!"
He reluctantly tore himself away from Anna and poured Jo another shot.
As Jo slammed her shot, Ruby pinched her arm forcefully.
"Ow! What are you doing?" She cried out in more surprise than pain.
"That guy…he's walking over here. He's been staring at you all night."
Jo's brow furrowed in confusion and she took a glance at Dean who clenched his jaw tightly as he noticed the approaching man.
"What? No…he's not coming over here for me, he's probably just getting one last drink or something…" She trailed off as the guy Ruby had been talking about stopped directly in front of her and held out his hand. Ruby was gone in a flash.
"Hello," he began smoothly. "I'm Rick."
She took his hand cautiously and shook it. "Hi…I'm Joanna."
He grinned widely at that and gripped her hand a little tighter before releasing it. "Yeah, I knew that already. You know, you were really fantastic up there. I wish you would have sung more than just one song."
She felt her cheeks flush. "Yeah, well…one song is all they can really talk me into."
His eyebrows rose in surprise. "Really? You're a natural up there. I was singing along the whole time and usually, I absolutely hate chick rock."
She laughed and nervously ran a hand through her hair. "I'm glad you liked it. It's one of my favourite songs."
He nodded and bit his lip in thought. He looked like he was about to say something when his eyes shifted to something to the side of her. Jo turned and groaned when she saw all four, Ruby, Sam, Becky, and Bela, watching them. She tried not to look but she could see Dean had walked over closer as well with an angry expression on his face.
"Hey, Jo…who's your friend?"Sam asked a bit defensively.
Jo grimaced. Ugh. Leave it to Sam.
Rick stepped forward and quickly reached out to shake Sam's and then everyone else's. It wasn't lost on anyone that he all but ignored Dean who was giving Rick a hostile glare.
"Hello," he introduced himself. "I'm Rick. I was just talking with Jo about her amazing performance tonight."
"Well, she is pretty amazing." Ruby chimed in, looking completely pleased with this new development.
"Yes, she most definitely is." Rick replied, now looking down on Jo.
Ruby didn't fail to notice the look and she quickly shooed the rest of the group away. Although he tried to hide it, Dean turned his head to the side and sent Rick a dangerously dark look as he turned back to begin his nightly clean up.
"Well," Rick began again, throwing Jo from her thoughts. "Since it looks like your friends want to leave, I…uh…just wanted to ask if I could take you out sometime."
Jo blinked in shock. She opened her mouth to speak but was too surprised to form any coherent words. "Um…sure…"
After the brief exchange of plans, he quickly kissed her cheek and waved goodbye to her friends at the bar before exiting the club. As soon as he was gone, a loud cheer erupted from the bar.
"Yeah!"
"Way to go, Jo!"
Jo's blush only deepened at this. "Aw, come on guys…he just asked me out…it's not like he asked me to marry him or anything…"
"Whatever, Joanna. It's a start. Don't act like you aren't excited." Bela said.
"Maybe it's those heels." Becky added.
Sam chimed in looking at her feet "Jo's wearing heels? Since when?"
Ruby smacked the back of his head playfully and stood on her tip toes to bit his ear lobe. "Don't tease her, Sam…she'll never wear them again if you do and then I'll be very angry and I don't think you'd think it when I'm angry…"
He grinned widely at her and gripped her waist a little tighter. "Oh, really?"
"Ok gross…stop!" Jo interrupted desperately. "Enough of that crap."
Jo pulled up a stool up to the bar and plopped down in exhaustion.
"I can give you a ride home if you wait." Dean offered out of nowhere as he finished wiping down the bar. Jo so didn't want to be alone with Dean but if he was giving her a ride a home then that meant he wasn't bringing anyone home with him.
"Ok." Jo agreed cautiously. "Just us?"
Dean stopped wiping the bar and gave her a frustrated look that she didn't understand. "Yeah I just us."
"I'm exhausted. I can't wait to get home. I wonder if Michael is still up. Are you excited about Rick?" Bela asked warmly taking the stool next to her.
She shrugged her shoulders and rubbed her arms, suddenly cold now that there weren't too many people in the club anymore. "Yeah, I guess."
"I'm gonna run to the bathroom. Don't take off without me." Bela told her.
After Bela was out of earshot, Dean cleared his throat and turned his head slightly to ask her tensely: "So..you can't go out with Rick."
Her head whipped to face him, a mask of anger enveloping her face. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," he said determinedly.
Jo scowled, "Who the hell do you think you are to tell me who I can go out with? What do you care anyway?"
"He's an asshole,"he said seriously as if that answered her questions.
She scoffed and turned back to face the bar. "How would you know that?"
He shook his head. "Trust me on this one, Jo. I just know."
"Takes an asshole to know one."
"You can call me whatever you want but I'm not going to stand by and watch while you go out with that jerk."
"Watch? What are you talking about? I can take care of myself." She bit out through her clenched teeth.
"No you can't." he said matter of factly.
"And how exactly is that any of your business anyway?"
"It isn't but you're still not going to go out with him."
"Watch me." She said getting up to find Bela.
"Hey where are you going?" Bela asked as she approached.
"Can you give me a ride home?" Jo told her.
"I thought Dean was taking you home?"
"I don't want to be anywhere near Dean right now."
Bela looked at her and shook her head with a small smile on her lips.
They walked out of the club passing Dean who was leaving the red head who had her arms around his waist. Jo could only think about how awesome it would be to pull out a handful of that smooth copper hair. She didn't understand why he got to bang every skank that flirted with him and then he got to tell her she couldn't date the only guy who'd asked out in months.
What made him think he had the right?
She sighed with relief that the night was finally over when she finally got into Bela's jag..
"You all right?" Bela asked.
"Yeah, just get me the hell out of here."