In the Rose Garden

"You really can't be doing this," Lily said to Addison in her panic stricken voice. She watched as Addison tied her left shoe and then set it on the floor. "Are you sure you really want to be doing this? I mean-"

"I'm going to do this and no one can stop me. Why should he get to go out and do things while I sit here and wait? He keeps telling me we'll be together sooner than later and then he walks out the door with Taylor. Well it's later now and I'm not waiting anymore."

"Oh," Lily said finally getting it. She nodded her head and continued, "I smell what you're stepping in. You're trying to make him jealous, aren't you? Make him see what he's missing."

"Welcome to the party, Lily. Glad you could make it."

"Do you really want to do that to Brandon though?"

Addison sighed and turned to Lily. "I got it covered. I told him I wasn't looking for anything serious. I said we can go on a date but I'm not looking for a boyfriend and he said he was okay with that."

"Is he really though? I mean, did he really say he was all right with that?"

"Yeah and if he's not, oh well. I'm not going to lie, the moment Joe comes around I am so there front and center."

"All right…" The tone of Lily's voice said she wasn't so sure about this.

"Anyway, enough about me. What are you doing tonight?"

Lily picked at one of her cuticles before answering. "Greg and I are hanging out tonight."

"Hanging out as in friends or potential significant others?"

"Friends. We've been watching you and Joe and taking notes."

"What?"

"You know, what to do, what not to do… notes."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Addie, that's not what I mea-"

Addison cut her off. "I'm pretty sure you need to start getting ready to go with Greg."

"Yeah, I guess," Lily said and stood up. "So I'll talk to you later."

"Yeah, we'll talk later."

Addison watched her leave. She checked her watch to see the time and saw she still had some time. She grabbed her phone and saw that she had a couple texts waiting for her. She wasn't sure if she wanted to read them or not but she did anyway. She had one from Katie wishing her luck with everything. Then one from her dad said he was working late.

Joe's text read As you probably know by now we're going to be stuck in the studio for a little longer. I heard about your date tonight… I'm sorry.

Addison shut the phone and quietly went downstairs. As she waited for Brandon outside, she thought about Joe's text.

I'm sorry. For what?

I heard about your date tonight… How?

As you probably know by now we're going to be stuck in the studio for a little longer. And?

After a few more minutes, Brandon finally arrived.

"Am I late?" he asked.

Addison shook her head. "I'm early. I just didn't want to be inside with my mom."

"Oh, okay." They got into his car and he backed out of the driveway and was soon on the main road.

The conversation lacked and the radio took over the silence. It wasn't long until the DJ started talking about the Jonas Brothers. All he really said was that they were in the studio working on a new album and then played "Lovebug."

"I hate them," Brandon said and turned it down.

"You've met them?"

"No… why?"

"I don't know. I just hate how people say they hate them when they've never even met them."

"They're annoying and the one that's dating that Taylor Swift chick needs to come clean about being gay already."

"Kevin, Nick, and Joe are some of the nicest people you will ever meet in your life and just for the record, Joe is not gay."

"Damn girl. How do you know any of that?"

"Because they're my friends."

"Seriously? Well if they're your friends… supposedly, then of course you're going to say that the one dude isn't gay."

"Brandon, seriously, Joe is not gay. Half their fans think I'm dating him and half of Taylor Swift's fans hate me because they think Joe is cheating on her with me."

Brandon looked at her, smiled and just nodded his head.

Addison sighed and rolled her eyes. She decided not to pursue it anymore. Brandon had obviously made up his mind about it and he seemed not to believe her. She didn't need to prove anything to him anyway. If things go the way they're supposed to, he'd see for himself in the end.

After ten more minutes in the car, they finally arrived at the movie theater. Brandon bought the tickets and they got in the line for the concession stand.

"Do you just want to share popcorn?" Brandon asked.

"I actually don't really like popcorn," Addison responded.

Brandon looked at her with shock and a wide open mouth. "Dude, everyone likes movie theater popcorn, especially with a lot of better."

Addison shook her head. "Not me. I don't like how it gets stuck in your teeth and all. That's just gross and irritating."

"Okay, I'm sorry but that's just weird."

Addison shrugged her shoulders. Joe didn't think that was weird. He thought it was cute and made her more unique. Brandon bought her a couple boxes of candy and they headed for theater number seven.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Joe and Addison maintained eye contact as they both sat back in their chairs. If they had known it'd turn out like this, they never would have agreed to a double date with Taylor and Brandon. Taylor would take a jab at Addison every chance she got while Brandon did the same to Joe. After what seemed to be the millionth time, Addison and Joe stopped telling them to knock it off.

After a couple minutes, the waitress came and took their plates and asked them if they needed anything else.

If you could make Taylor and Brandon disappear, that'd be great. Joe shook his head. "No, we're good. Thanks."

The waitress smiled and nodded her head as she set two checks down on the table and walked away.

Joe watched as Brandon faked a stretch and put his arm around Addison. He wanted to tell him not to touch her by the look on her face but he kept his mouth shut. Joe shook his head and Taylor mumbled something about this date being lame.

"Do you girls want to head out to the car while Brandon and I pay the checks?" Joe asked Taylor and Addison.

"Sure," Taylor said for the both of them and stood up. "Come on Addison."

"Okay," she quietly said and followed Taylor away from the table. Once they were outside, Taylor closed the gap between them.

"Let's get one thing straight here and now, Joe is my boyfriend and he's going to be for hopefully a long time. So whatever little fantasy you have about you and him, forget it because it's never going to happen. If things go my way, you'll probably never hear from Joe again anyway."

"That's a really bitchy move, Taylor. Joe's a grown man. He can decide for himself who he wants to be with."

Taylor laughed. "Keep telling yourself that, Addison."

Meanwhile…

"You know it's never going to happen, right?" Brandon asked.

"What's never going to happen?"

"You and Addison. That girl's been chasing after me since our freshman year of high school and now she's finally got me. I really had her wrong. I always thought that since she was a pretty blonde she most likely lacked in the common sense area. While I'm right, I'm also wrong. You see, she's pretty stupid when it comes to you but other than that, she's got brains and beauty."

"Addison is not stupid in any way, shape, or form. That's a pretty cocky thing to say and it's also disrespectful. I don't care if you think I'm gay and using Taylor as a cover up but one thing I do care about is what you say about Addison."

Brandon laughed. "Don't worry, once she's had me she won't have time to think about you."

Joe just stared at him as he paid the check. He wasn't sure what Brandon meant about her having him but he didn't like the sound of it one bit. As they walked to the car, Joe kept trying to think of ways to get Addison alone but he couldn't. Even though Taylor was being dropped off at a hotel, Brandon wasn't. Brandon was being dropped off with Addison at her house.

Stopping in Addison's driveway, Joe told Taylor he'd be right back.

"Joe, I'm pretty sure she can walk to her door herself. Besides, she's got Brandon with her," Taylor said.

"I know I just have to tell her something." Joe climbed out of his car and approached Addison. They waited until Brandon got to her front door. "I'm not going to lie to you, I don't like Brandon and I'm not saying that because I want you. I'm saying it because I really don't like him. I don't trust him one bit with you. Please be careful. Make sure he goes home when I leave."

"Where is this coming from?"

"Back at the restaurant he said something about you having him, now I don't know what he meant by that but I don't like it."

"Okay," she said trusting Joe's judgment.

"All right. I'll call you after I drop Taylor off at her hotel. She should be leaving in a day or two."

"Awesome," she responded sarcastically as Joe wrapped his arms around her.

"Remember what I said, make sure he goes home," Joe whispered in her ear and pulled away from her.

"Okay Joe, I'll talk to you later," she said and took a step back. She watched Joe walk back to his car and get in.

"Addison," Brandon said behind her. "Come on."

She followed Brandon into her house and went upstairs to her room. "So uh, thanks for agreeing to tonight."

"Did I really have a choice?" he asked as he sat on her bed. "I can't believe you made me hang out with your gay homeboy."

"Brandon, he's not gay. Now stop it," she said in a stern voice that said she wasn't joking.

"Oh, sorry," he responded sarcastically and put his hands up in the air. "Come sit with me."

Addison cautiously sat on her bed. "Yeah, I think you should probably go now. It's getting late."

"I just spent all that time with your friend and all I get is a 'thanks' and 'see you later?'"

Addison got off the bed and stood across from him. She lifted her shoulders and hands and asked, "What more do you want from me?"

Brandon got up and kissed her but he didn't stop there.