Keep Me Young

Weeks had passed by and Annie had not shown up at the Jonas house. She felt as if she wasn’t to go there after the whole Joe incident. She wasn’t going to show up at that house until she received a call from Joe apologizing. So far, there was no sign of Joe realizing that he had done wrong and that Annie had told him the entire truth. Or maybe he had, but was afraid to admit it.

“Annie, you’re going to be late for your drum class!” Annie’s mom yelled from the front door. Annie grabbed her belongings and walked out of her room to where her mom was at the front door.

“Sorry, I was busy writing and talking to Valen,” she admitted walking out the front door and heading to her mom’s car. She waited for her mom to unlock the car and then get into the passenger seat.

“That’s okay,” she smiled backing out of the drive way. “Have you talked the Jonas boys?”

“I’ve only talked to Nick and Kevin, but that’s it, why?” she questioned her mom as they made their way to her class.

“Just wondering, because you haven’t been to their house or talked about them for the past two weeks,” Mrs. Cruces commented as she kept her eyes on the road and her ears concentrated on the conversation.

“Well mom, I don’t plan on showing up at their house until Joe decides to admit that he was wrong and that I was right,” Annie sighed with drumsticks in hand and looking out the car window.

“Honey, you know that you just can’t stop going over there because of one simple problem. Joe will come around at his own time,” Annie’s mom advised her.

“What if he doesn’t? What if he let’s his girlfriend get to his head?”

“Honey,” Mrs. Cruces paused as she parked the car outside the studio. “Are you sure this doesn’t have anything to do with Joe’s girlfriend? Are you sure it isn’t because you might like, Joe?”

“Me, like Joe?” Annie paused and thought about what her mom had just said. “Yeah right, see you in two hours mom. Bye, love you!” With that said Annie got out of the car and walked into the studio to go to her class.

“Teenagers...she likes Joe,” Annie’s mom smiled as she pulled out of the studio’s parking lot and headed back home. If there was something that she knew about her daughter, it was when she fell for a boy. And everything that she was doing now, was somewhat a sign that she liked Joe.

Over at the Jonas Brothers house, a whole different scenario was taking place. Mrs. Jonas was making lunch for the boys and her husband. Nick was in his room working on a new song with both of his brothers, but to him it seemed as if he were only working on the song with one of his brothers.

"Joe, what do you think of the song?" Kevin questioned his brothers in hope of an answer. Though Joe wouldn't take his eyes off his phone's screen. "Joe!"

"What!" Joe questioned annoyed.

"What the hell is your problem? You haven't even said anything or corroborated on the song," Nick admitted. "It isn't like you."

"Sorry, I have other things on my mind," he sighed putting his phone aside for once. "What is it you wanted my opinion on?"

"Look, listen to this part of the lyrics and tell me if they sound good," Nick informed him as he began to read the lyrics he had written down. "Who could know that you'd be on the road, selling out the tickets to your show? But, when you're home, you're still the one moving to your left to go on tour. Living life, life in the fast lane. Not that bad, no you can't complain. Who's to say that we won't keep it real? Hold on tight don't you go and let go. Now's the time let the whole world know you can shine and still keep it real..." Nick finished singing the song to the rhythm they had came up with. "So, what did you think?"

"Not bad, it's catchy," Joe admitted.

"Good, I'd really wish you would listen to the message it’s giving," Nick mentioned as he closed the journal and left it on the table. "C'mon Kevin, let's go try and finish the guitar chorus."

"Sure, let's go," Kevin agreed and made his way behind Nick to the other room. As Joe watched them walk out of the room, he looked back at the journal that his brother had left. He was curious in finding out the message the song had to leave when it was read. He took in a deep breath and grabbed the journal, flipping through the pages to find the song.

"Keep It Real" Joe read at the top of the page. He took a couple of minutes to read the song and find the message to it. That's when he realized what it said, and what Annie had tried to get through to him. "Why do you have to be so stupid, Joe!"

"That, we will never know," Frankie mentioned scaring Joe. He looked towards the door and there he saw Frankie shaking his head. "What's going on with you, Joe? Where's the big brother that played video games with me? The one who wasn't embarrassed to do silly things on stage? Where'd he go?" Frankie questioned him. "Let me know when he's found his way back home." With that said, Frankie exited the room and made his way downstairs; leaving Joe to think about what his brother had just mentioned. He might have been a nine year old, but his words made him think.

What had gone one with him? He had been pushing away his friends and family. The people he loved the most. And now, he was loosing his best friend.

"Alright, Annie, don't be afraid to hit the drum," the instructor informed her as she played the drums.

"Are you sure the drumsticks won't break?" she questioned as she stopped playing. "I mean they are thin."

"They won't break, trust me," she laughed. "And if they do, I have more."

"Okay," she sighed as she began to play again. Though she had too much on he mind to even play correctly. She messed up, but didn't really care, or even noticed.

"Okay, okay...let's take five," Annie's instructor called. "Annie, sweetie, what's going on? I mean, you're usually not this...bad."

"I know Marissa, it's just that I have a lot on my plate right now, and well I guess I just don't notice what I'm doing wrong," Annie admitted taking a seat next to Marissa and setting down her drum sticks next to her.

"Sweetie, look," Marissa sighed, "if you want to go into this business, you're going to have to learn to put your problems behind for when you play. You can't be onstage, in front of a million people and just mess up a song because you let your problems get in the way."

"Who said I was going to go anywhere? I only do this for fun and to let out my stress," she admitted looking down at the floor.

"You will go places, especially with that talent of yours," she smiled as she patted Annie's back. "You play guitar, piano and an instrument not many girls play, the drums. Not to mention you have some amazing vocal skills."

"Yeah, but nobody notices it," Annie joked as she just took a big breath and just tilted her head back. "It's hard to get noticed in this town."

"Not really," Marissa smiled. "Now, not wanting to get noticed is a whole different story."

"Well then, there's my problem and answer," Annie informed her as she got up from the floor and walked to her chair behind the drums. "I don't want to get noticed and change who I am." Finishing what she needed to say, she went back to playing the drums the way she had been taught to play. Hitting every note correctly, along with letting out her frustrations.

"That's it," Marissa smiled to herself as she heard Annie play. She understood Annie perfectly. Why? She'd gone through the exact same thing when she was Annie's age, though she was going to help Annie make the correct choices.

"I got it!" Annie exclaimed as she began to play a beat.

"You have what?" Marissa laughed as she looked over at Annie with a very confused look on her face.

"The beat to one of my songs," she smiled making her way over to her tote bag and pulling out her journal. She flipped through many pages and found the last song she had written. "Listen and tell me what you think," she told Marissa as she placed the journal on the stand and began to play. "I don't know why, I don't know why I'm so afraid. I don't know how, I don't know how to fix the pain. We're living a lie, living a lie, this needs to change. We're out of time, we're out of time and it's still the same. We can't stop the world, but there's so much more that we could do. You can't stop this girl from falling more in love with you. You said, 'Nobody has to know, give us time to grow, and take it slow,' but I'd stop the world, if it'd finally let us be alone, let us be alone."

"Wow! That's a freaking awesome song!" Marissa exclaimed clapping her hands. "Wow, it's simple amazing!"

"Ha-ha, thanks...it's not finished yet, Nick said he was going to help me with it," Annie smiled closing her journal and stepping out from behind the drum set.

"Well that itself sounds great," she laughed amazed at what she had just heard. "Seriously, you have some talent."

"Thanks, and let's keep it inside this studio," she insisted. Marissa gave in and agreed with her. Though deep inside Marissa, she wanted the world to see what Annie was capable of, and she knew she would go so far with what she could do.

"Okay, well I guess it's time for you to go," instructor Marissa informed as she looked at the time. Two hours sure did fly by.

“Yeah, I’ll see you next time, and remember, just between me and you and it stays inside this studio,” Annie reminded her.

“Okay, I promise,” Marissa smiled as Annie walked out of the studio and to her mom’s car.

“How was practice today?” Mrs. Cruces questioned her daughter as she pulled out of the studio’s parking lot.

“It was fun. Had a little trouble at first, but Marissa helped me get through it,” she replied to her mom just staring down at the pair of drumstick that were lying in her hands.

“Why were you having troubles?” she questioned.

“Nothing mom, it’s really not important,” Annie smiled back at her mother who was driving the car. As much as she didn’t show the sadness on her face, her mom could sure see it.

“Sweetie, when we get home, we’re going to talk, girl to girl,” Annie’s mom directed towards her as she ended the conversation there so that they could have something to talk about at home.

“Fine,” she agreed letting out a sigh. She knew that when her mom wanted to talk to her, that it was serious and she was going to have to talk. Neither one of the two said anything for the rest of the car ride home. Annie's mom would look over at her from once in a while, but that would be it. On the other hand, Annie wouldn't even turn around to look at her mother, she knew that she was going to want to know everything once they got home and began the conversation.

“Kevin, Joe, Nick, Frankie...you guys come down for lunch!” Mrs. Jonas exclaimed as she set down the last plate on the table. Mr. Jonas was already sitting down in his seat waiting for all the boys to come down and take their seats so that they could all enjoy a good lunch.

“What's for lunch mom?” Nick questioned as he stepped foot into the dinning room. “Hey dad.”

“Hey Nick,” Mr. Jonas replied smiling at his son and nodded his head.

“Well, I decided to make Enchilada's. Annie's mom gave me the recipe and I hope they are as good as she makes them,” Mrs. Jonas smiled taking a seat closest to Mr. Jonas.

“That's great, I've been wanting to have some Enchilada's,” Nick grinned taking his usual seat. As he did, Kevin, Joe and Frankie walked into the dinning room and took their seats as well.

“Smells great in here!” Kevin inhaled a deep breath and let it out. “I'm guessing we are having Enchilada's?”

“We sure are,” his mom smiled over at him as she grabbed Mr. Jonas' hand as well as Frankie's. Once everyone was holding hands, Mr. Jonas said grace as usual. Everyone dug into the lunch Mrs. Jonas had made and prepared to have the usual every day lunch conversation.

“How's the song coming along boys?” Mr. Jonas asked them as he stuffed a piece of Enchilada down his mouth. He seemed to have been enjoying the meal.

“It's great, we're just finishing up the last verse and we'll be done,” Nick answered.

“Yeah, and we already came up with the rhythm as well,” Kevin added in. “If you want, we'll show you the some what finished product when we're done.”

“Sounds great! It's a done deal then,” smiling, the father of the boys went back to enjoying the delicious meal his wife had prepared.

“So have any of you guys talked to Annie? I haven't seen her around here lately,” Mrs. Jonas questioned setting down her glass of water.

“I talk to her every day, she's doing good,” Nick mentioned as he ate the enchilada's.

“Oh okay, well why hasn't she come over?” curiously she asked. She knew there was something going on, because Annie would always go to their house almost every day, or she would call the house phone. Something which she hasn't done at all lately.

“I wouldn't know how to answer that, maybe you should ask Joe, mom.”

“Joe, why did your brother just say that?” Mrs. Jonas questioned her son as she looked over to where he was sitting. Though, Joe didn't seem to pay attention to a word she had just said, due to the fact that he was too busy text messaging on his phone. “Joseph Adam Jonas, put the phone away. We're having lunch, as a family.”

“Fine,” he sighed placing the phone in his left front pocket. “What did you ask me?”

“Why hasn't Annie been over to the house?”

“I don't know? How should I even know? I mean she stormed out the other day when she came,” he answered.

“What did you tell her?” Mrs. Jonas questioned once again.

“Nothing, she just told me that I had changed, and some other stuff that I can't remember, but it doesn't matter anyways,” he shrugged as he finally began to eat his food.

“Joe, we need to talk after lunch,” his mom ordered him. Joe knew that he was in for a lesson.

“Mom, I'm going over to Annie's house later, is it okay?” Nick questioned, pushing his plate aside.

“Sure, and tell her that I need to talk to her, so when you come home, try to bring her so that I can talk to her before things get more serious than what they already are,” she said looking over towards Joe, who looked up and saw that his mom was giving him a serious look that he had done wrong. Not only was she a very good friend of the family, but he wasn't taught to teach his friends that way. Something was going on in Joe's life, and she was about to find out what it was. She was not about to let his son loose a good friend that could teach him many things about what he really is.

“Okay, I'll try and convince her to come over,” he smiled picking up his plate from the table and getting up walking towards the kitchen. Soon after him, Kevin walked behind him with Frankie beside him.

A couple of minutes away from the Jonas house, was Annie and her mom walking into the house. Annie was ready for her mom to ask her all the questions necessary for her to figure out the entire truth about what was going on with Annie. She also knew that in less than five minutes she was going to find out everything about the entire problem that was going on. Without her mom saying a word, she walked into her bedroom and set down her drumsticks and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Annie,” Mrs. Cruces called out as she walked into her daughters bedroom. “Sweetie, c'mon let's talk.” She closed the bedroom door and took a seat across from her daughter.

“Alright, how about you ask the questions and I answer them for you?”

“Okay, I actually like that idea, because I know exactly what are the questions I want to ask you,” she nodded getting comfortable. “What's going on with you and Joe?”

“Nothing, we're just not talking because he's being a total jerk that doesn't deserve anything that he has at the moment,” she answered. “Next.”

“Alright, and is this going on because maybe you like him and hate the fact that he has a girlfriend?”

Annie looked over at her mom with eyes shooting open. She felt nervous about what her mom had just asked her. Why was she feeling like this? It was just, Joe, the guy she was best friends with, that's it. “Me? Like Joe? You've got to be kidding me, mom.”

“Annie,” her mom sighed placing a hand on her daughters lower back. “Sweetie, I know you like Joe. I've noticed it ever since you met the boys. Kevin is like your older brother, Nick is the one you go to for advice and well Joe, he's the one you relate to in a lot of things, and you also find an attraction towards him.”

“Mom, that isn't half true,” Annie groaned and just looked down at the carpet.

“Then what is it?”

“Have you not noticed it? He's been changing who he is just to make his stupid girlfriend happy. The only reason why she is with him is to make her career bigger. He doesn't deserve anyone to be like that to him. He needs someone who actually cares for him, and understands him, mom.” Annie sighed as she felt her stomach get a weird never before feeling.

“And to you, that girl that belongs to him is you, right?”

“Exactly,” Annie replied without thinking. “Wait, no. I meant, exactly...he deserves a girl like that.”

“You didn't make any sense honey, but I understand that you like Joe and that he deserves better.” Mrs. Cruces smiled at her daughter. “Trust me on this, I won't mention a word to anyone, but you have to promise me that you will go back to the Jonas house and at least go see the rest of the family. You don't have to even talk to Joe, but I don't want you to ruin what you have with the Jonas family.”

“Okay, I'll do that, just for you mom,” she smiled giving her mom a hug to thank her. “I needed that talk, thank you.”

“You're welcome,” he mom replied. “You know that I'm always going to be here for you at all times.”

“I know, and I'll never forget that.”

“Joseph, how could you be so careless? She's been your friend for a very long time and she's been there for you when you've needed her the most. Why are you acting this way towards her?” Mrs. Jonas furiously questioned her son as they were both seated on the living room couch.

“I don't know mom,” he replied with his head down.

“Joe, I don't know what's going on through that little head of yours, but I am going to tell you this,” she sighed, “you have to apologize to Annie.”

“She's not going to want to talk to me,” he admitted now lifting his head and looking over at his mom. He could now feel the guilt for doing what he had done. He was starting to actually regret everything he had done, and he knew why it was he was doing the things he'd never done before.

“Nick should be getting here any minute, and Annie will be coming along with him, so that's your time to apologize.”

“Fine, I will,” he softly smiled. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome, but sweetie, why are you being like this?” his mother still questioned.

“Jenna says it is the correct way to act now that I am who I am,” he admitted at last.

“Jenna? Since when does she control your life?”

“Since she started being my girlfriend mom,” Joe still looked at his mom straight in the eyes.

“There's your problem,” she smiled as she got up from the couch and left her son alone. She'd decided to leave him alone to think it over. That's when the front door slammed shut and into the living room came Nick and Annie talking. Joe looked over at her with a blank expression on his face. Annie did the same.

“I'll be right back, I'm going to go get the song journal to show you the song I was talking to you about,” Nick informed Annie as he jogged up the stairs and didn't give her a chance to say anything.

Neither Joe nor Annie would say a word to each other. Joe would just glance at Annie when she was not looking and Annie would do the same thing. She wanted to just apologize and just put the whole problem behind, but then again her other half didn't want to say a word until he realized his big mistake.

“Annie, can we talk?” Joe finally spoke breaking the silence that had formed in the room. He'd figured that Nick wasn't going to come down until he apologized to Annie.

“Um, sure,” Annie nodded looking over at him.

“Come here and sit down, I have to tell you something important,” he mentioned as he moved over to give Annie space on the couch. She walked over to the couch he was sitting on and took a seat next to him. She placed her hands on her lap and just looked down at them.

“I'm sorry,” they both said at the same time. They looked at each other and just laughed softly.

“Annie, I'm the one that's supposed to apologize, I mean I did act like a jerk towards you. I also know that what you told me the other day was to try and make me realize what I was doing to all my friends and family,” Joe admitted as he kept his eyes on his best friend. “I appreciate you doing that, because not all friends would have gotten the nerve to do what you did.”

“I'm glad that you realized it in time, just know that I will always be here to knock some sense into that head of yours. Because seriously, it sometimes gets out of control in there,” she smiled softly at him. “Though, I accept your apology.”

“Thank you,” he moved in closer to her and gave her a hug to officially thank her. “Thank you for everything,” he said now letting her go.

“You're welcome,” she smiled. “So...how are you and Jenna?”

“Well, we're not going anywhere that's for sure,” he admitted. “I'm actually thinking of calling it quits with her...actually, I am going to call it quits. She's the main reason of why I'm acting the way I am.” As Annie heard him say that, her heart began to have a party. She was static to hear that Joe was finally going to get rid of his fake face girlfriend. Now maybe this time she was going to have a shot to actually be more than just friends with him. Maybe, just maybe he'd get the hint.