‹ Prequel: I don't need you
Everything's Different Now
Helping Joe
"Joe!" A voice yelled from across the busy club, looking in the direction the voice came from I see Justin, a close friend of mine from college signalling me over to the booth he was sat at, surrounded by a group of unfamiliar friends. Making my way over I squeeze through the people blocking my path. "Dude you finally made it." he continued, standing up and slapping his hand on my back
"Finally" I sighed
"So are you here to drown your sorrows are you just looking for a good time?" he asked picking up his drink from the table
"Both." I laugh looking around at the large groups of people having a good time.
"This is why I love you! Here drink this." He said thrusting his glass into my hand
"What is it?" I ask looking suspiciously at the liquid and small lump of ice floating on top
"The solution to all your problems."
Laughing lightly I swallow the drink all in one, the initial shock causing me to choke "What is in this?" I coughed
"You don‘t wanna know." Justin laughed before walking towards the bar, no doubt to get another drink and maybe to buy one from some girl that takes his interest. Feeling someone walk into me from behind I turn around to see a browned haired girl trying to regain her balance in her extremely high shoes.
"Oh I‘m so sorry." she apologized looking up at me
"It‘s cool don‘t worry about it." I smile, she smiles back before extending her arm
"I‘m Daisy" I spoke loudly so I could hear her over the music
"Joe" I say, briefly shaking her hand.
****
"Mum will you tell your son to cheer up." Kevin said before filling his mouth with a forkful of food. I take my eyes off my plate and briefly look up at him
"Well can you tell your other son to mind his own business." I mutter. Both parents look at me and Kevin in silence, from the moment he got here he's been nagging me about my not so perfect mood. Like I don't have enough to worry about I have him breathing down my neck asking stupid question. I didn't drive for over an hour to be harassed by my brother! For starters I did something really stupid by getting drunk and ended up going back to Daisy's apartment, I can barely remember what happened; but what I do know is that I woke up in her bed first thing this morning wearing absolutely nothing.
Looking back up at Kevin I see he's still staring right at me from across the table.
"What?" I shout dropping my fork onto my plate.
"Nothing, I-"
"That‘s it! What is going on with you two?" My mum demanded
"Joe is hiding something." Kevin said not taking his eyes off me
"I‘m not hiding anything." I argue back
"He‘s lying. He‘s been acting weird since yesterday and-"
"Last time I checked I was allowed to have an off day."
"Do you see what I mean? He‘s got such a bad attitude."
"Kevin stop." My dad said calmly before looking at me "Joe is something wrong?"
"No!" I groaned getting up from my seat and leaving the room. I go straight upstairs and into my old bedroom which hasn't changed since I moved out. Laying on the bed I push my hands over my face, after a few moments of silence there is a light knock on the door. Looking at the entrance the door opens and my mum steps inside.
"What‘s wrong sweetie?" She asks softly and she sits on the end of my bed
"Nothing." I sigh taking my eyes off her and looking at the ceiling
"I‘m not stupid Joe it was obvious that something was wrong before Kevin even mentioned anything."
"Nothing‘s wrong, I promise."
"Well what‘s on your mind?"
Looking back at her I know I have to give an explanation for my ‘attitude' otherwise she's going to guilt me into it, so I guess I might as well get it over and done with. But I can't tell her about Daisy because telling my mother that I had a one night stand with a girl because we were both drunk isn't really something she would want to hear. I have to tell her something.
"Do... do you remember the girl that lived with us for-"
"Erica? Of course I do. Lovely girl." She quickly answered.
Lovely girl? You wouldn't be saying that if you knew what she did.
"Sure. Well I saw her yesterday." I continue
"Really? How is she? How did it go?"
"Badly" I sigh rubbing my forehead
"How come?"
"Well... If I‘m honest I wasn‘t very nice to her."
"Joe-" Feeling my mum‘s hand on my leg I look at her "-She was your friend." she says sympathetically. I don't know if it's sympathetic to me or to Erica.
"Was. Past tense." I mutter to myself
"Joseph!"
"Sorry. You don‘t understand."
"Well you never really speak about her, after she went to college you-"
"Can we not talk about it please." I say interrupting her before she continues her long speech about how sad and depressed I was.
We both stayed silent for a few moments before my mum pats my knee "Do you know what you should do. Invite her to the wedding."
"What?" I quickly sit up in shock
"Your plus one. Take Erica. It‘s the perfect chance to rekindle your friendship." she explains a smile on her face, clearly happy with her suggestion.
"I don‘t want to rekindle our friendship."
"Joseph Adam Jonas I didn‘t raise you to be this resentful. I want you to invite her to your brother‘s wedding." she demanded
"What happens if I say no?"
"Finally" I sighed
"So are you here to drown your sorrows are you just looking for a good time?" he asked picking up his drink from the table
"Both." I laugh looking around at the large groups of people having a good time.
"This is why I love you! Here drink this." He said thrusting his glass into my hand
"What is it?" I ask looking suspiciously at the liquid and small lump of ice floating on top
"The solution to all your problems."
Laughing lightly I swallow the drink all in one, the initial shock causing me to choke "What is in this?" I coughed
"You don‘t wanna know." Justin laughed before walking towards the bar, no doubt to get another drink and maybe to buy one from some girl that takes his interest. Feeling someone walk into me from behind I turn around to see a browned haired girl trying to regain her balance in her extremely high shoes.
"Oh I‘m so sorry." she apologized looking up at me
"It‘s cool don‘t worry about it." I smile, she smiles back before extending her arm
"I‘m Daisy" I spoke loudly so I could hear her over the music
"Joe" I say, briefly shaking her hand.
****
"Mum will you tell your son to cheer up." Kevin said before filling his mouth with a forkful of food. I take my eyes off my plate and briefly look up at him
"Well can you tell your other son to mind his own business." I mutter. Both parents look at me and Kevin in silence, from the moment he got here he's been nagging me about my not so perfect mood. Like I don't have enough to worry about I have him breathing down my neck asking stupid question. I didn't drive for over an hour to be harassed by my brother! For starters I did something really stupid by getting drunk and ended up going back to Daisy's apartment, I can barely remember what happened; but what I do know is that I woke up in her bed first thing this morning wearing absolutely nothing.
Looking back up at Kevin I see he's still staring right at me from across the table.
"What?" I shout dropping my fork onto my plate.
"Nothing, I-"
"That‘s it! What is going on with you two?" My mum demanded
"Joe is hiding something." Kevin said not taking his eyes off me
"I‘m not hiding anything." I argue back
"He‘s lying. He‘s been acting weird since yesterday and-"
"Last time I checked I was allowed to have an off day."
"Do you see what I mean? He‘s got such a bad attitude."
"Kevin stop." My dad said calmly before looking at me "Joe is something wrong?"
"No!" I groaned getting up from my seat and leaving the room. I go straight upstairs and into my old bedroom which hasn't changed since I moved out. Laying on the bed I push my hands over my face, after a few moments of silence there is a light knock on the door. Looking at the entrance the door opens and my mum steps inside.
"What‘s wrong sweetie?" She asks softly and she sits on the end of my bed
"Nothing." I sigh taking my eyes off her and looking at the ceiling
"I‘m not stupid Joe it was obvious that something was wrong before Kevin even mentioned anything."
"Nothing‘s wrong, I promise."
"Well what‘s on your mind?"
Looking back at her I know I have to give an explanation for my ‘attitude' otherwise she's going to guilt me into it, so I guess I might as well get it over and done with. But I can't tell her about Daisy because telling my mother that I had a one night stand with a girl because we were both drunk isn't really something she would want to hear. I have to tell her something.
"Do... do you remember the girl that lived with us for-"
"Erica? Of course I do. Lovely girl." She quickly answered.
Lovely girl? You wouldn't be saying that if you knew what she did.
"Sure. Well I saw her yesterday." I continue
"Really? How is she? How did it go?"
"Badly" I sigh rubbing my forehead
"How come?"
"Well... If I‘m honest I wasn‘t very nice to her."
"Joe-" Feeling my mum‘s hand on my leg I look at her "-She was your friend." she says sympathetically. I don't know if it's sympathetic to me or to Erica.
"Was. Past tense." I mutter to myself
"Joseph!"
"Sorry. You don‘t understand."
"Well you never really speak about her, after she went to college you-"
"Can we not talk about it please." I say interrupting her before she continues her long speech about how sad and depressed I was.
We both stayed silent for a few moments before my mum pats my knee "Do you know what you should do. Invite her to the wedding."
"What?" I quickly sit up in shock
"Your plus one. Take Erica. It‘s the perfect chance to rekindle your friendship." she explains a smile on her face, clearly happy with her suggestion.
"I don‘t want to rekindle our friendship."
"Joseph Adam Jonas I didn‘t raise you to be this resentful. I want you to invite her to your brother‘s wedding." she demanded
"What happens if I say no?"
♠ ♠ ♠
Sorry there is no Erica in this chapter, but she'll be in the next.I keep forgetting to ask but do you guys like having both Joe and Erica's POVs? The only reason I added Joe's was because in the first story I kept getting ideas for his character but I couldn't write them unless Erica was in the scene.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed this little update.