A/N: So ... yeah.
This is un-beta'd, unplanned, and probably underwhelming, but I miss the Cupcakes. So here is a little mini-cupcake treat to hold us over until the next major post by maybe me. Maybe someone else. :)
I promise this story is not abandoned.
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A Change In Me
One-Shot
JOE POV ~ 1994
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"Who was that chick, Joey?" Tony asked with a sickening leer. He had found me out back, trying to get a break from the crowded house, filled with family members celebrating my graduation.
"No one," I replied as casually as I could.
Stephanie Plum was something special. I wasn't sure why I was so drawn to her, but I was. Maybe it was some kind of weird fate thing. My sister Cathy was always going on and on about her soul mate. I didn't really buy into that shit, but then again, I had no idea why I kept being pulled back to Stephanie. Or maybe it was just that she seemed to see me like no other girls did. I wasn't foolish enough to think she didn't have the hots for me, but she actually wanted to know who I was. It was oddly refreshing.
"No one my ass," Tony replied with a chuckle. "I saw the way you got all awkward with her. You, Joey, are just like me when it comes to the ladies. Rico suave all the way." He made some kind of bouncy dance move involving a lot of elbows and knees, ending in some kind of pose.
"Okay, Marky Mark," I replied. "You know you're like almost thirty, right?"
"Age is just a number, little brother. And Marky Mark is a freakin' god. Better than that moody shit you like to listen to. Toe Jam!" He rolled his eyes. "Anywaay, this chick is different to you."
I huffed in both annoyance and disgust, mildly surprised he had noticed anything at all. Tony was my big brother, and I loved him, but I really didn't want to be like him at all. "Steph is just some girl who I talk to sometimes. She's only a sophomore. I don't waste time on babies, Tony."
He didn't buy it, or more likely he didn't care. "Well, you better not. Don't make my stupid mistake and knock up the first girl who you fall for."
"Does your wife know you talk about her like that?" I deflected, knowing very well that everyone in the Burg knew Tony felt that way. He was quickly becoming as unfaithful as our father had been.
"Seriously, Joey." He placed his hand on my shoulder, leveling his dark eyes with mine. "Wrap it before you tap it."
"Ugh, Tony. I know that, okay?"
"Well, you ain't so much better than me, you know? And now that you're out of school, it's time you started pulling your own weight around here."
"I told you I'm joining the Navy."
He frowned at that. "Still on that? You ain't going nowhere. Cathy is getting engaged –"
"What?"
"Yeah, saw the ring and everything. Ricky's doing good by her and you should be happy for her. So you can't take off and leave Ma and Grandma alone. You'd probably miss Cathy's wedding even."
I sighed. No one really seemed to support my decision to go into the service. Except Stephanie. "You know I could get a GI Bill and go to college?"
"College?" He threw his head back and shook it like it was some kind of joke. "And do what? You think you're good enough for that? Joe, we're blue-collar kinds of guys. Accept it. The sooner the better, okay?"
"Why can't I be something different?"
"You really want to scare Ma half to death by enlisting? And then come home and try to make it in this town with some useless degree? Cause no one's gonna buy a Morelli selling anything but tires."
I hated that a part of me believed him. I never did go to my guidance counselor meeting before graduation, so I honestly had no idea if I would be college material. I made good grades, better than any of my siblings had. But I also had not really applied myself to any extracurricular activities except how many girls I could get into.
"This is that chick, isn't it?" he questioned with narrowed eyes.
"No!" I threw him a glare. "No chick is telling me what to do."
"Listen, Joe, I did everything but sign your freakin' name on the line to get you this job at the garage. You took all those classes. We had a plan. Why you letting some stupid sophomore convince you you're not good enough without going off to college?"
"It's not like –"
"If you really are into her, you should be sticking around anyway." He wriggled his eyebrows suggestively and then made a lewd gesture when I didn't respond.
"God, Tony. You're disgusting."
"Yeah, I know. But I'm getting laid on a regular basis. What are you doing?"
"There's more to life than sex."
"Yeah, yeah. So you gonna finish that paperwork or what?"
"I don't – "
"Ma is really counting on you to be at home, Joe." He stood up straight and dropped the attitude. "Pauley's got his hands full with that new job, and …" He forced a smile. "Angelina's pregnant again."
I just stood there and took that in. So Paul had decided to take the job in Newark. And Tony was going to have one more kid he didn't really want. They wouldn't be around hardly at all. I kicked the side of the porch and then leaned against the railing, letting my head hang down between arms.
"Joe. It's a good career. People will always need their cars fixed."
"I know," I said softly.
I pictured Stephanie's happy face, believing in me, wanting me to follow my dreams. Maybe if I was around I could see her again, but she would see right through me. I could imagine her being nice about it, but still being disappointed I didn't have the guts to leave. Because that was the reality. My reality. I wasn't going anywhere.
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Well, I know it's really short, but it IS a Joe POV, which many of you have asked for. Hope you liked it!
BTW, I know Marky Mark didn't sing "Rico suave". :) But check out the video for some fun, early 90's tacky ... everything.
