Always and Forever

“What?” I said after three seconds of realizing what Nick just said.

Nick sighed and crossed his arms, “Just forget it, alright,” he said looking down, “Just forget it.”

I frowned at him, “So, that’s why you did this?” I asked in somewhat of a harsh tone, “Because Joe is looking for engagement rings for me? What is wrong with you?”

He stayed silent.

“Do you know how worried everyone is because of this? You’re being selfish, Nick, and not to mention immature,” I said rudely, “I can’t believe you would intentionally get sick.”

“I’m being immature? Why? Because I’m in love with my brother’s girlfriend who could care less about me?” he said throwing his hands up, “Excuse me for having feelings. I didn’t plan on falling for you, okay? You were my best friend, I didn’t think my feelings for you were going to change into something like this, do you think I enjoy seeing you with Joe all the time, all over each other, do you know he talks to me about your sex life? Do you know how hard that is for me to hear? Do you? No, you don’t,” There were tears rolling down his cheeks like crazy, “I can’t help but be jealous of everything that you and Joe have, yes, I said it, I’m completely jealous of my brother, because he has you, and I want to be with you, so yeah, you’re right, I guess I am selfish and immature.”

By this time I was crying to. That was really hard for me to hear. I didn’t expect Nick to tell me all of that.

“I knew it,” I heard but it wasn’t Nick who said it, because I was watching Nick’s face intensely and his lips weren’t moving. Both of us turned to the door at the same time and saw Joe standing there, “Jewel, come on, let’s go.”

I sighed, “How much did you hear?” I asked Joe softly.

“Enough to know that I have the worst brother in the history of the world,” he said looking at me, “Come on, I don’t even want to be in here, unless you feel the same way about him.” He looked down as he said the last part.

“Shut up, Joe, you know she doesn’t,” Nick said to Joe, “No need to rub it in my face some more.”

“Nick, seriously, don’t even talk to me,” Joe said looking at him, “I can’t even put into words how I feel right now.”

I got up, “Nick, I’m sorry,” I said wiping my eyes, “I’m really really sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?” Nick said shrugging, “It’s not your fault.”

“I feel like it is,” I said softly, then I felt Joe grab my hand and pull me away, “I’ll see you later, bye, Nick.”

I was out in the hall with Joe by the time I finished my sentence. I was still crying and Joe grabbed my face and wiped my tears away with his thumbs.

“This isn’t your fault,” he said to me surely, “It’s his fault, oh my God, I can’t believe him.”

I sighed sadly, “You can’t be mad at him, Joe, he’s your brother,” I said looking up at him as I grabbed his hands.

Joe made a face, “How can you tell me not be mad at him, Jewel? He’s in love with you,” he said, “He put his health on the line just to get your attention, this bullshit has been going on for so long, I’m tired of it, I want to settle down with you already without having to worry about my brother trying to steal you away from me.”

“He’s not going to steal me away from you,” I said wrapping my arms around his neck as his hands found my waist, “I’m yours, okay, nothing’s going to change that.” I looked up at him and smiled slightly.

He rested his forehead against mine and sighed, “I don’t blame him for being in love with you though,” he said rubbing my sides and then he smiled, “I would be jealous of me too if I was him.”

“I didn’t realize how much he was hurting by you and me being together,” I said looking at Joe sadly, “The last thing I wanted was to hurt Nick.”

“Please don’t tell me you’re going to break-up with me just because of him,” Joe said it almost a shock tone.

I made a face and shook my head, “No, of course not,” I said placing a soft kiss on his lips, “But I don’t want Nick to be hurting.”

Joe pressed his lips against mine, “You can’t always think of everyone else’s feelings,” he said as he put his face into my neck, “You have to put your happiness first.”

I smiled to myself, ran my fingers through his jet black and kissed his head, “You’re my happiness,” I said to him softly.

I heard him sigh in relief and then I felt his lips of my collarbone, “I better be,” he said as he looked at me with a grin.

I laughed lightly, “So, will you please not be mad at Nick?” I asked him.

He shook his head, “I’m more than mad at him,” he said surely, “I don’t think I’m going to talk to him anytime soon.”

I sighed, “Joe, please,” I said to him.

“No,” he said shaking his head, “Not even that face will change my mind.”

Two weeks have passed and Joe still hasn’t spoken to Nick. Joe had told his parents about why Nick intentionally made himself get sick, which got Nick into heaps of trouble. Everyone scolded Nick which made him probably feel even worse.

Nina was over on a Thursday night, Joe was out with Kevin so we decided to have girl time, and Lundyn was at Denise’s house, she and Frankie were inseparable.

“I know something you don’t know,” Nina said to me with a laugh as we curled up underneath a blanket on the couch and turned on the TV.

I couldn’t help but laugh at her immaturity, “What do you know that I don’t?” I asked her curiously.

She rolled her eyes, “I can’t tell you, it’s a secret,” she said as she giggled.

“If it something about engagement rings then Nick told me,” I said to her.

“I already know that you know that Joe has been looking,” she said intelligently, “Nick ruined that, but I know something else.”

I made a face, “Did he find a ring or what?” I said sitting up with a bright smile on my face.

She shrugged, “I don’t know…” she said in a sarcastic tone, which meant she obviously knew something.

“Nina! Tell me!” I said grabbing her arms and shaking her violently as we laughed together.

“No! I can’t,” she said to me, “Joe would kill me.”

I sighed rudely, “Fine then,” I said, “Don’t tell me then, I don’t care!”

She laughed, “Sorry, I’m sworn to secrecy,” she said as I laughed with her, “Man, I still can’t get over this whole Nick thing.”

I sighed and leaned back, “Don’t remind me,” I said to her, “I hate even thinking about it, Joe hasn’t spoken to Nick in two weeks. I feel so bad.”

She sighed, “It’s not your fault, I mean, you didn’t force him to fall in love with you, he just did,” she said, “Kevin and I were at their house when they got after Nick about everything, it was horrible.”

I shook my head, “Well, I can’t blame them for being upset, you know?” I said to her as she nodded, “I mean, he worried all of us, and the media made everything worse.”

Nina nodded, “I don’t know how many times I read that Nick was dead,” she said, “Imagine if they knew the reason, and do you know how much worse that would be? I bet there would be girls trying to murder you.”

I laughed and nodded, “I know,” I said to her as I thought about it, “A million of teenage girls trying to mutilate my body.”

We laughed together, “I think we’re like two of the most hated girls in the world,” she said with a laugh as I nodded in agreement.

“Probably, I bet if they knew the real Joe and Kevin they would be like ‘Gosh, they’re so annoying, why do we like them so much’,” I said as we laughed uncontrollably.
“Kevin’s not as bad as Joe,” she said seriously.

I thought about it for a second, “Yeah, you’re right,” I said as we busted into fits of giggles.

Just then the front door opened and Joe and Kevin walked in with shopping bags.

Nina jumped up and ran over to them, “Joe! Let me talk to you upstairs,” she said grabbing his arm and pulling him upstairs before I could even say hi to him.

I made a face at Kevin, “What’s going on?” I said crossing my arms.

“How should I know?” he said with a smile.

“I’m going to go find out,” I said as I turned towards the stairs.

“No!” Kevin shouted grabbing my arm, “You can’t!”

“Why?” I said raising my eyebrow at him, “What’s the big secret?”

“Nothing, but…” he said trailing off, “I want to show you something!”

“What do you want to show me, Kevin?” I asked him.

“Um…I forgot,” he said as he sighed.

I laughed lightly and shook my head, “I’m going to go up- ”

“No!” Kevin shouted again as he grabbed my arm, “I remember what I was going to show you now!”

I raised my eyebrow at him, “Well, show me…” I said waiting for him to show me.

He pulled out his wallet and pulled out a dollar bill, “Look,” he said handing me the bill.

I took it, “It’s a dollar, I’ve seen a dollar before, Kevin,” I said to him.

“No, but this one has a ketchup stain!” he said enthusiastically as he nodded his head and pointed at a red stain on the bill.

I rolled my eyes and handed it back to him, “Congratulations,” I said sarcastically as I turned towards the stairs but Joe and Nina were already walking down the stairs.

“Hi, baby,” Joe said grinning at me as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed his lips to mine roughly.

I laughed lightly against his delicious lips, “Hi,” I said to him, “Thanks for ignoring me when you walked in.”

“I didn’t ignore you,” Joe said frowning at me as I smiled and pecked his lips.

“That was my fault,” Nina said laughing lightly, “I needed to talk to him about something important.”

“What are you guys not telling me?” I said frowning sadly as I looked at them.

“Nothing,” they said at the same time with grins on their faces.