Three Strikes

Joe battled with himself as he stood outside the front door of Rose's apartment. He'd been standing there for a total of fifteen minutes, clutching and pulling at his hair, stomping loudly on the ground as he paced. What was he going to say? How could he apologise? What if Rose had meant to kiss Adam? What if she didn't want him any more? What if? What if? What if?

He groaned and kicked the ground, ignoring the pain that soared in his toes. Converse were not good for that kind of thing. "You're an idiot, Jonas." He scolded himself. "Just go in there. Rose is tiny. What's the worst she can do?" He wiped at his mouth and made to knock on the door when it burst open and the two people he'd been hoping would never meet one another greeted him.

Amanda, with her sly smirk and vibrant small and tightfitting dress. Rose with her bloodshot eyes and jeans and dress top. Joe's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and Amanda looked at him, disgusted.

"You've really gone and fucked this up haven't you?" She said. Joe closed his eyes, wishing this wasn't happening. That it was some fucked up nightmare. "Well done." Amanda said scathingly. She turned back to Rose. "'I'm sorry, sweetheart. Looks like we were all screwed over... except maybe not the screwing part." She frowned and began to walk away. With one last look at her 'fiance' Rose made to slam the door shut.

Joe was quicker. He slotted his foot in the gap and Rose glowered at him through her tears. "You're such a jerk!" She hissed, slamming the door again. Joe winced from the force. "Get out!" She screamed, "Get out! Get out! Get out!"

He didn't move. "Let me explain!" He shouted, his own tears falling now. "I never meant to hurt you! Rose listen to me! I'm sorry! I am and I know it's not worth much."

Rose sobbed against the doorframe. As Joe shouted she let go and crumpled to the floor, half-aware of her former best friend enter the apartment, wrapping his arms around her as she shook.

"I didn't intend for it to end this way.

"G-g-go." She sobbed, pushing him away. "Get away from me!" She pushed him again, knocking him backwards. She scrambled herself up from the floor and fled to her bedroom. He could hear her high-pitched sobs from the living area.

"Rose!" Joe shouted. "Rose Mary Fletcher! I'm not going to leave!" He insisted, shouting through the door. "I'm not going to leave until you let me explain!"

"Explain what!" Rose shouted back. "That you l-lied to me! That you played me for a fool!"

"No-" Joe said, but he knew it was true. He'd lied to her from the very beginning. "I was stupid, Rose. I love you."

"STOP LYING!" She yelled, voice breaking on the syllable. "You need to go."

Joe shook his head, willing himself to stay. "Not until you hear me out. I love you, Rose. And I always will."

Silence.

"I've made a lot of mistakes. I know I have..." Joe was crying too and he hit his forehead with his fist as he realised just how stupid he'd been. "I needed to find a way to make you fall in love with me." He began, staring at the ceiling. "And I thought that was it. I told you I slept with Amanda because I knew you'd do everything in your power to help me. Because I was your best friend. Because you couldn't not help.

I kept the ring on me all the time. I kept it hidden. I was always pure. I made that vow because I thought one day it'd lead me to you. And it did. In a way. I met Amanda a month before I came to find you. She was... smart, not as smart as you. Pretty, but not as beautiful as you. She liked me for Joe Jonas - rockstar. Not Joe Jonas, the guy who cheated off of you in Math.

She was everything I could've wanted... but she wasn't. She wasn't you, Rose. And I broke it off with her because she didn't fit right with me. Every time I kissed her or looked at her I wished it was you. It was always you. Ever since we were kids." He paused and gulped at the air, shaking as he told the story.

Rose made no noise. He knew she was listening.

"The lies came so easily. I thought that if we spent more time together then... then maybe you'd fall in love with me. Maybe this marriage could work and then you'd be mine forever. I'm a selfish bastard Rose. I always have been. ...when Bobby asked you to Junior Prom I told him you were going out of town. He asked me first before just to see if maybe you'd want to go. You were heartbroken when he asked Jenny Rhodes. You cried for a week. And so I asked you if you wanted to go camping with my family. And you did. Bobby never knew.... neither did you.

I lost contact with you when we left to record because I wanted to get over you. I wanted to move on. I dated. A lot. I broke up with them a lot. I wanted to try... so I did. I tried so badly but I couldn't get over you." Joe played with his purity ring. "So I concocted some stupid little plan that I hoped you'd never find out. When Nick started to figure it out I made up more stupid lies. I've hurt everyone Rose... but I know I hurt you the most. And I'm so sorry for that."

He listened to hear any sound. He could hear her shakey breathing. "Rose?"

And then he heard it. Ever so quietly, at those two words, he felt his heart shatter. He rose from the floor and with one sweeping look at the apartment, left his spare key on the counter. As he reached the door he heard her say it again.

Get out.