We Can Change the World

I jumped onto my bed, covering my face with the pillow. No way in hell did I want to do anything but wallow right now. What was wrong with me? I probably just ruined my friendship with my best friend. It was probably over for good now, cause of my idiotic self. God, what was my problem? I'll tell you what my problem was. I liked my best friend. There I said it. I liked Joseph Jonas, and that was why I had just walked away from me. I didn't, no that's wrong, I couldn't kiss him. When I realized I liked him, right before we kissed, I realized something else too. Joe couldn't stay with any girl for a long period of time. Look at exhibiting A: Mandy. They were close, they went out, and that ended. Then there was exhibiting B: AJ. And that was horrible. Nick and Kevin said that they hardly saw Joe at all when he went out with her, and then they ended too. I didn't want that to happen to us. Joe meant to much to me. I didn't want him to stop being my best friend if we ended. God, he must hate me right now.

"What the hell is wrong with me," I said into my pillow.

Then all of a sudden, the pillow wasn't covering my face, and I found myself face to face with none other than Mr. Danger himself. Joe.

"Hi," he said quietly as he sat on my bed. i noticed that he was keeping his distance.

"Hi," I said back, just as quietly.

"So," Joe began. I could tell he didn't know what to say. Neither did I, for that matter.

"So," I repeated.

"Are you excited for the tour," he asked, casually.

"Yeah, it should be fun," I replied. "What about you?"

"Yeah," he smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "It should be fun. You're coming on the tour bus with us."

"Okay this is weird," I said finally. "Why are we trying to make small talk? This isn't like us."

"I know," he sighed. "I just -- I don't want you to run again."

"I won't," I promised.

"Can you tell me why you did," he asked. Crap. I didn't want to tell him. Yeah that was definitely a conversation I wanted to have with my best friend. Hey, tour will be fun. By the way, I like you more than just a friend. But I can't act on my feelings cause I'm scared that you'll hurt me.

I stayed quiet for a few moments as I tried to put my answer in words that didn't sound so extreme and lame. Finally, I sighed. "It's. . . complicated." I looked away.

"Dani," Joe said, taking my face and turning it to face him. "This is me. I invented complicated. And nothing about you is too complicated for me. We're best friends, remember? Fanny and Danger till the end."

I smiled. "Joe, I. . . can't do. . . that with you."

"Do what," Joe asked. "Kiss me?"

"Yeah," I sighed again. "I just.. . . can't. You're my best friend." I emphasized the friend part, hoping it would quell the near kissing situations. I think it worked. A variety of emotions played on Joe's face. His eyes were hurt, confused, and sad. But then he regained himself and settled on being amused.

"Dani don't get carried away," Joe smirked playfully. "They were just heat of the moment things. I doubt that it'll happen again. I mean, could you imagine the reactions of people if someone as good looking as me kissed someone as funny looking as you."

I pretended to scoff and hit him in the head with the pillow. He chuckled and grabbed my other pillow. We started fighting. Needless to say, I was kicking his butt. I whacked him over the head once, which knocked him over. Then I jumped on him and started messing with his hair until he gave up. Luckily, the awkward almost kiss thing didn't happen again. And as much as I knew that this was the right way to handle this, I couldn't help but wonder if Joe's lips were really as soft as they looked.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Are you guys ready," Dani asked us as the make up artist tried to retouch her make-up when she came off the stage from her last song.

"Woo," I yelped. "Heck yes!"

"This is so exciting," Nick added as he ran his hands through his hair.

"Let's do this," Kevin agreed.

It was Dani's last concert for her current tour and we had decided to announce our upcoming joint tour tonight. She just finished her song Human, and now it was time for our special surprise. "Okay, wait for the signal," she hugged us all before she ran back onto the stage.

We heard her announcing that she had a surprise. I was fidgeting.I still couldn't stop thinking about Dani's words from this afternoon. You're my best friend. I had caught that emphasize. It was Dani's way of letting me know she didn't like me. I didn't want to push her, of course. I mean, she was still my best friend before anything else. And I didn't want to ruin that. So best friends we shall be.

"Two minutes guys," the stage director said. We nodded and got onto the platform. We were quiet and excited as the platform started to descend.

Dani hugged us as we ran off the platform. I hugged her longer than necessary, but it wasn't awkward. I knew that I had told Dani that they were heat of the moment things, and they weren't for me, but they definitely were for her. She was pretty clear on how much of a friend she thought of me as. Dani and I had agreed that we would put it behind us.

"So put your hands together again for my best friends: The Jonas Brothers," she announced us.

"So we have a special surprise for you guys," I said to the audience.

"This summer," Nick began.

"In only two weeks," Kevin continued.

"We will be touring," I added my part.

"With me," Dani finished. The audience erupted into a deafening applause. We all ran around the stage like crazy people as we celebrated our announcement. I jumped onto Dani's back. Okay, so I lied. It was only Dani and I acting like crazy people. Kevin and Nick just jumped around. Then, finally, we were done.

"So remember to come see us," Dani said. "And now, give it up for the Jonas Brothers performing Burning Up. Goodnight everybody. You guys have been amazing." Dani hugged us all again before jumping onto the platform we got off of and rising off the stage.

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Hey you okay," Nick asked me as we got into Kevin's jeep. Blair had picked up Dani for some sister bonding before Blair had to go to Florida on business for a few weeks..

"Yeah I'm fine," I said. "Why?"

"Um let's see," Kevin pretended to think about it. "You almost kissed Dani and now you're quiet," he smirked.

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes. "It was nothing."

"Didn't seem like nothing," Nick said.. "For either of you," he added quietly.

"I'm going to sleep," I announced, ignoring his last comment. As perceptive as Nick was, he was wrong this time.