Nevermind Me

Joseph Jonas would be turning twenty in a matter of twenty. It was 12:40 exactly and I sat, cross legged on the carpet of the tour bus in the back room. I was thinking about what I’d gotten him, deeming it a successful choice. It took some time to decide on, seeing as Joe wasn’t the easy kind to read. No, he wasn’t like me where everyone automatically thought they knew him. Of course you’d call him crazy, but there was something underneath that. I knew people just called me quiet, nothing else.

Joe and I were playing hot hands, nothing else to do in the night of the tour bus. Valerie had stayed on my mom’s bus to discuss what would go on for the next few weeks. So now we were both wearing quiet smiles, trying not to be loud since Nicholas was sleep.

“Ouch!” I whispered harshly, laughing a little. I inspected the hand that Joe just smacked into devastation. It was red, which was believable.

“Oh! I’m sorry!” He quickly grabbed my hand, kissing it all over so I giggled, pulling away later.

“It’s fine.”

“You sure?” He asked, a silly grin on his face. I nodded and yawned lightly, stretching. The day we spent at the beach today had me tired. And showering all of the sand of was a hard task since Joe and Garbo thought a sand fight was a brilliant idea.

“Sleepy, Julie?”

“Just a bit. Today was fun”

“Yeah. You looked pretty.” He stated like that was the highlight of the day. I blushed silently, not drawing any more attention than was already there. According to my mind clock, there was fifteen minutes left. I decided it would be time to grab the gift in six more minutes.

“Are you looking forward to being twenty?” I asked him, a joking smile. I felt dumb for asking something like that.

“I’ve been all these other ages. Nothing different. Twenty one is the big boy.” He smirked and I smiled.

“I really don’t relate to age.”

“Why not?”

“It’s so irrelevant. It means nothing. I mean it has no factor on who you are and how you work. I could be twenty-nine and homeless and uneducated compared to a nineteen year old majoring in law. The whole thing where people judge you by age is redundant. You are who you are. Age is just an uncontrollable factor that doesn’t affect you once you learn your world.” While I talked I was drawing invisible patterns in the carpet with my finger. When I looked up Joe was staring at me. I blushed, feeling like I’d just talked my head off with an answer he didn’t want to know.

“My bad I didn’t mean to-”

“You’re right.” He said simply, still staring at me. “Age is only the time we’ve been here. It has nothing to do with our spirit. Because I know everyone’s perception of someone our age is reckless and ignorant. And I can say I see you as neither of the two. You’re completely your own.” He looked in my eyes the whole time. For a time I didn’t speak, trying to make sure I could keep this going without my voice breaking from intensity.

“And you, too. A rock star consist of someone shallow, conceited, and on the road to disaster. You are extremely different. You’re a free spirit and excited about the things you do. I…admire you. The way you can drop the stress and have fun.”
I think Joe was shocked that I admitted that. He thought that I looked at him as a child who was careless, which was the case in certain occasions. But all his flaws made him the wonderful creation he was. Joseph Jonas was a gift of happiness. You had to smile when he did; he was undeniable. Although he ducked his head, I saw the color in his tan cheeks tinge pink. It brought a smile to my face. My eyes went off to the clock on the wall which read 11:52.

“I have something for you,” I told him and swiftly got up to retrieve his birthday present. Within ten seconds I was back with a box and a bag.

“I’ve never seen this anywhere.” He took hold of the gift bag. The bag itself was very small and only meant for one thing. It was decorated with heavy midnight blue paper I’d decorated my self. Whimsical designs. It was a spinoff of Vincent Van Gogh’s starry night. Joe carefully examined the bag itself before opening it up. He pulled out the book, Suzanne’s Diary For Nicholas. My first attempt at experiementing with Joe’s interest in literature. He ran his hand over it, like it was an examination. I liked that.
Setting it carefully in his lap he pulled out the next thing.

A card. “Wait for that,” I placed my hand on his wrist to let him know and he nodded and I moved my hand back to my lap.

The box was also decorated, a lighter blue mixed with pink. I thought it should be a nicer difference, seeing as it held more than one gift. Both the bag and the box took me about a week each to create. I knew it was worth it though. Joe was completely intrigued.

“What is it?” He asked with a giddy smile. I kept my lips together to keep from giggling, motioning for him to open it. His fingers lifted the top off carefully. The tissue paper and golden coins were just extras. I laid everything on the paper and spread the coins around for fun. Joe was extremely amused by that, I saw his mind telling him to keep then even if they weren’t the gift. He moved the first layer of paper to reveal the portrait of him I did myself. This is where I was nervous. I had no thoughts as to how he would react to the things I’d made.

“This is amazing,” He picked it up. It was something I did when he’d been sitting on the benches outside one day. We were in a small town and everyone was scattered, relaxing in their own way. Joe had been unusually still to me and I thought in an instant to capture the moment. He didn’t notice me, making a glorious picture. The way the sunset cast his features was brilliant and too good to waste. I also got a picture, but that was for me to keep.

He set down the painting, picking up the bohemian necklace. “Did you make this too?” He joked. I blushed, shaking my head no. Nope, I didn’t make it, but I added to it. Again, my secret.

The rest of the bag contained a photo strip of Joe and I from San Franscisco. It was mine, but I wanted to give it to him. So after all this, he wouldn’t completely forget the bookworm he toured with.

When Joe finished seeing everything I’d gotten him, the clock struck twelve. “Happy birthday, Joseph.” I said quietly, a small grin on my face. He looked at me with clear adoration which made my heart flutter. Next thing to happen was his hand taking mine and his mouth placing a kiss on it. Another shift caused us to be pressed together in a tight embrace.

“Thank you, Juliet.” He muttered into my hair, not letting you. A kiss was pressed to my temple as I held back onto Joe, savoring this moment.

“Your welcome, Joseph. You’re welcome.”