The Tracks of My Tears

The Tracks Of My Tears

Chapter Three

Joe and Katie arrived at the Jonas house at seven O'clock on the dot, Mrs. Jonas came running into the hall to meet them, a smile plastered on her face.

“Hello, Joseph, dear” she beamed over to Katie.

“Mom, this is Katie.”

“Oh, I've heard so much about you” his mother gushed as she took her hand, Katie smiled widely. “Your way prettier in person, Joe said you were a looker but...WOW.”

Katie laughed, her cheeks turning a dark red. She thanked Denise and then they set off into the kitchen talking like they knew each other for years, Joe wondered into the living room where he found his whole family other then Nick.... and Annie. He sat down next to Danielle who was being ignored by Kevin; who was talking to their dad.

“Hello, Joe” she smiled at him, he tried to smile back, but his thoughts of where Nick was and why Annie was with him made him only grin slightly.

“They'll be here any second” Danielle whispered to him, as if she knew what he was thinking.

“Who?” he asked, his voice also in a whisper.

“Nick... and...and Annie.”

“Oh.....” he trailed off. “I didn't even notice they weren't here.”

“Don't lie, Joseph” she whispered. “I saw the look the moment you walked in here.”

“I'm pathetic....”

“No, I think its cute, if only you could....” she stopped when she was addressed by her husband.

“Dani, do you think my power slides are cool?”

“Of course” she smiled.

“See, Dani likes them.”

“She's your wife... she's just going to tell you that.”

“Joe, what do you think?” Kevin then asked, Joe just looked at him with annoyance in his eyes, but then a sudden smirk rolled onto his full lips, this was his chance to get back at him, even though it was just a stupid thing like power slides.

“Oh... I agree with dad, I think you should stop with these power slides right now, its gross and disgusting to watch you do it, and your just way to old for them.”

“I thought you always liked my power slides...” Kevin trailed off, looking at Joe confused.

“Oh, I like power slides.... and your my brother, but together, its just totally wrong... and I think I may call the police if I see you with them again.”

Danielle laughed loudly as Kevin stared at Joe, still vary confused, their father made an annoyed noise with his throat and that made Danielle stop laughing. Kevin Sr was about to say something when the living room was suddenly filled with one more person.

“Sorry, I'm late... traffic was a bitch” Nick sat down on the other side of room, in an arm chair. Joe looked at the arch way that leads into the hall, just waiting for Annie to walk in, but she didn't. Danielle looked at him and then looked over to Nick.

“Hey Nick, where's Annie?” she asked, winking at Joe as she did.

“Oh, she went into the kitchen, but then suddenly ran upstairs before I could get in here, something about bathroom brake... I don't know.”

“Oh.... alright” Danielle smiled over to Joe, he smiled back before looking down at his hands, he wondered what Nick and Annie did all day, he wondered if she had ran upstairs once she seen Katie in the kitchen, he wanted to go talk to her so badly, he hadn't heard her voice in ages, every family dinner Joe was weaseled into attending, she never spoke, and she never...ever spoke to him.

“Nick, will you please go tell Annie dinner is ready?” Denise asked, as she sat down at the table, the food all on plates and in front of people.

“Why do I have to do it?” Nick whined. “I had to spend the whole day with her.”

“DO IT PLEASE” Denise barked.

“I'll go...” Joe trailed off.

“No...no.. that's alright dear, you have a date” Denise smiled over to Katie.

“I don't mind, he is her god father after all, I don't want to hog him.”

The room fell silent, everyone looking around to see if their patents would let Joe go and find Annie, Denise gave Kevin Sr a look, and he just shook his head no.

“Oh, whatever, I’ll go” Nick got up, leaving his warm food to go find Annie. He went to her room and knocked on the door loudly.

“ANNIE, GET YOUR ASS DOWN STAIRS.”

“NO” he heard her yell back.

“I'll brake this door down.”

“GO ON AND TRY, VIRGIN.”

“Would you stop with that....”

After much arguing they walked down the stairs together, bickering still , but stopped once they got to the dinning room, Annie sat right next to him, as far away from Joe as she could, Nick's head blocking her view of him, even though she had a great view of Katie.

Her hair was a red color that actually looked real, her lips were almost the same color as her hair, but her eyes were done up lightly, she didn't look like all the other girls Joe had been with, she didn't look like a super model or a world known actress, she just looked normal.

She seemed so nice, a smile plastered on her face, and not a fake smile, it was real, she was beaming, she looked actually happy to be there, talking to Denise. And at that vary moment Annie's hate for her increased, if she was a slut like all his other girlfriends then, sure Annie would hate her, but this girl, she was nice, and looked nice, if Annie wasn't Annie then she may just like Katie, but she could never bring herself to liking her.

“Get away from me” Nick muttered to her, bringing her out of her thoughts, she hadn't realized how close she was sitting to him, but she still didn't move, for if she did she would have to see Joe, who was leaning forward, his elbows on the table.

Joe was leaning forward trying to look past Nick just to see Annie, she was sitting so close to Nick and it was making Joe sick, he couldn't even eat his food, why was she sitting so close to Nick? If he asked Nick he seriously doubted he would tell him what was going on. It nod at him all through dinner, Katie was in a deep discussion about her getting a degree in law with Denise and Kevin Sr. But Joe couldn't careless, they all went into the living room, Annie still close to Nick, she sat right next to him in the living room, Danielle and Denise were doing the dishes.

“I'm gonna go help” she told Nick, he didn't say anything, just drank his coffee, Joe was about to go insane when everyone was finally in the living room, Annie was right back at Nick's side.

“Its nothing” he told himself, as he watched them, not listening to the talk around him at all. “Nothing at all.”

He kept telling himself that but even still on his way back to his apartment, Katie in the seat next to him, he couldn't stop thinking about it, she wouldn't get with him would she?

“No... she was hurt just as mush as me” he thought, but still it bothered him.

“Joe, I loved your family, their awesome, I just wish I could have met Annie, she seemed a bit down though.”

“SHE DID?” Joe almost yelled.

“Yes...” Katie trailed off. “She did seem to spend a lot of time with Nick.”

Joe's heart fell, he wasn't the only one who noticed, he suddenly had a overwhelming desire to kill his brother, not that he hasn't before.

“Do you think there's something going on between them?” Katie then asked.

“Um.... Um...I...I would hope not” Joe stuttered, the way she said it made him want to die. They didn't talk the rest of the way back to his place, once they got there Joe wasn't in the mood for what she had come to his house for.

“I'm beat.... goodnight” he stated, he walked passed her and into his bedroom closing the door behind him, leaving her standing in his living room confused.