The Punchline to the Joke Is Asking

Finally, we stood up, walking down the path, through the sleeping town and back to the buses, hand-in-hand.
“There you are!” Brendon screeched, tackling us as soon as we boarded the bus. Pete, Blaise, and Keisha followed quickly.
“Here we are.” I agreed, grinning weakly. I was still completely overwhelmed by what had happened in the past few hours.
“Hey Pete, where’s Joe?” I asked, sitting up, dislodging the pile of friends that had assaulted me.
“Our bus.” Pete nodded out the window, studying me intently. “Why?”
“I need to talk to him.” I sighed, running a hand through my hair and dropping my gaze. A sudden movement caught my eye, and I glanced to the side, seeing Ryan giving me a giant grin and cheesy thumbs-up from the floor, Brendon and Blaise still across his lap.
I grinned a little, then headed off the bus, thinking about two things at once.
You know, I’ve always wanted a family-
Ryan kissed me! What the Hell does that-
Think about it, it’s a guarantee that you’ll never be back on the-
Why the Hell would Ryan –
Why would Joe want-
I think I won’t mention it. Ever. But-
This is too confusing-
I can’t think straight-
Why me?!
When I reached the Fall Out Boy bus, I took a deep breath, then pushed open the door, slinking up the steps. Joe had his back to the door, playing video games, but he didn’t seem as obsessed as usual. Like his mind was elsewhere.
“Hey.” I mumbled quietly, not looking at him.
Joe glanced over his shoulder at me, automatically pausing his game as I went over and sat next to him on the floor.
“Hey.” He replied, looking down at the controller in his hands.
For a second there was awkward silence as I scrambled for something coherent to say, until I finally came up with, “Sorry I freaked out on you.”
“’S ok.” Joe mumbled, still not looking at me.
Cue the awkward silence.

After an uncomfortable pause, I sighed, and Joe looked up hopefully.
“I…” I began, meeting his pleading gaze. “I… bet I can beat you at Mario Kart.” I finished lamely, and Joe’s face fell slightly.
“…You’re on.” He mumbled a moment later, holding out the controller.
I grinned tentatively at him as I snatched the plastic contraption, and he returned the gesture, the two of us relaxing as we raced around on imaginary Karts.

“Look how cute that is.” Someone whispered, and was immediately shushed by several other soft voices.
“Don’t wake them up! She finally calmed down….”
“What set her off, anyway?” Asked the first voice. I could recognize it now, as I drifted out of sleep. It was Pete’s voice. And I realized I was sprawled on the floor with Joe, the two of us leaning on each other in a way that was loving, but not inappropriately.
“I don’t know. She snuck out and Joe went with her, but he came back alone.” Patrick answered. “Then Ryan went with Keisha and Blaise to talk to her, and they came back without her and Ryan. How’d you get her back?”
I could tell Ryan shrugged. “I talked to her.” You did more than that, Ross.
“What was she so upset about?” Pete asked, and Ryan sighed.
“It’s between her and Joe.”
“Fine. We’ll interrogate her in the morning.”
“Can’t you leave her alone?” Ryan snapped. “She’s been through more than enough as it is.”
“Shoo, back to your bus.” Pete said sternly, and I heard Ryan be pushed off the bus, protesting softly.
“You two, can you handle Joe? I want to talk to her.” Pete wasn’t really asking, and his friends realized that, hauling Joe upright and half dragging him to his bunk.
“Kid, I know you’re awake.”
I opened my eyes and stared up at Pete, then leapt lightly onto the couch, curling up in the corner with my arms wrapped around my legs.
“Yeah. I’ve been up for a bit.” I admitted, studying my knees as Pete sat down on the opposite side of the couch, facing me.
“So what happened?” He asked gently, his hazel eyes concerned.
“I… saw my folks.” I shrugged. “They haven’t really changed. They don’t want me back, but it’s better for all of us, that way.”
“So what set you off, then?” Pete seemed like he really cared, but he was as good with mind tricks as me- better, even- so I could just write his questions off as curiosity.
“Joe wants to adopt me.” I didn’t look up, feeling the stunned silence rolling off Pete.
“That bastard!” Pete finally cursed, and I looked up in surprise. “I told him-”
“What?” I asked, surprised.
“I told him I was gonna ask, first.” Pete pouted, and I gaped at him.
“You can’t be serious.”
“I am.” Pete sighed. “But, he asked first, so-”
“That’s why I freaked out and took off. I don’t want that.” I cut him off, and it was his turn to gape.
“Why?”
“Families… not good.” I scowled. “And… yikes, family… I just got away from a bad one, once and for all. I don’t need another family.”
“But families are good things-”
“That’s what Ryan said.” I grimaced at him. “How’d he even get Keisha and Blaise to leave me there with him?”
“I don’t know, they just said they were talked into it.” Pete shrugged. “Why?”
“Because Keisha and Blaise know me. I wasn’t gonna come back.” I stared at my knees, not really seeing them. “They know how to talk me out of stupid things.”
There was a moment of silence as Pete stared at me, and I just looked over the fading denim on my knees.
“Say something, Pete.” I pleaded softly.
“Why would you leave?” He asked, equally quite.
“Because it’s what I do. I run. I’m good at it.”
“But what are you running from?” Pete pressed, and I met his gaze.
“Everything.” I shook my head slowly. “I can’t… this is too much. I don’t… it’s not that I don’t like having you guys as friends, or anything, I just don’t do well in this situation. Like…” I struggled to find the words to help Pete understand. “You’re all nice, and you all seem to care about each other.”
Pete nodded, starting to smile, like I was finally getting it.
“But I’m not going to fall for that. I don’t wanna be sucked in.” I shook my head, not watching as Pete’s face fell. “I don’t understand you guys. Why do you all pretend to like each other so much? I’ve never met anyone so good at faking it.” I studied him closely, wanting an honest answer, but Pete just looked hurt and somewhat horrified.
“You think we don’t like each other?” He asked, his jaw slightly slack as he stared at me.
“I dunno. Not really. How can you guys like each other so much and not have something go wrong?” I asked, cocking my head to the side.
“We really do like each other, we’re our own big, dysfunctional family.” Pete informed me. “And you’re part of that.”
“You guys aren’t just pretending to be friends?” I was nonplussed.
“No. We really like each other, and you.” Pete said firmly, smiling. Then a thought dawned on him. “Do you… are you just faking that you like us?” He looked hurt and confused. No one was that good at a mind game.
“No. That’s why I wanted to get outta here; so I wouldn’t start thinking you guys actually liked me, too.”
Then Pete suddenly leaned forward, grabbed me, and dragged me back, holding me tight up against him.
“You idiot. We love you.” He sighed, rocking me in his arms. “We haven’t been through everything you have, so all we do is love. We love you.”