We Can Change the World

"Joe please stop," I panted, placing my hands on my knees. "I can't do this anymore." I dropped onto the ground. "It's too far. Go on without me. Save yourself. Tell Nick I'll miss him and tell Kevin that he is still a dork."

Joe rolled his eyes and laughed at my dramatics. "Dani, we've only been running for two miles."

"Two very long miles up a hill," I said defensively. "A very steep hill Jonas."

Yes, Joseph Jonas had actually gotten me to go with him on his daily morning run. Unfortunately, I wasn't exactly in a running a million-bazillion miles kind of shape, like Joe. How he got me out here, I'll never know.

"Let me remind you Touchstone," he said, as if reading my mind. "And, I'll quote here, using your words and not mine. Hi, my name is Fanny Touchstone, and I smell like armpits. I'm so lucky to have you as my best friend Joe because you're awesome and I love you so much. And before we go on tour, I promise to do anything you want because of our tradition to spend nonstop time together. Quote ends there," he smirked at me.

I swatted him playfully. "I did not say that. But I did promise, so I must go on." I sighed and paused for a dramatic effect. Joe rolled his eyes. "Why else would I ever want to spend time with you?"

"Because you love me," he smirked again. Oh you don't even know, I thought as I shook my head at him. He just laughed. "Now come on, we still have like 18 miles to go." He laughed at the expression on my face. "Just kidding. We'll go one more, then we'll head back, okay?"

"Fine," I glowered at him. "But if I die, you'll have to live with that on your conscience."

"Dani," he said, serious all of a sudden. "I wouldn't let anything happen to you ever."

"Yeah, yeah," I said, trying to hide my blush. "Let's just get this over with." I smiled at him, to let him know I was kidding before starting up the hill again.

♫♫♫

"Kill me now," I groaned as I placed my sore legs on the couch in the Jonas game room.

"Don't be such a baby," Joe rolled his eyes. "It wasn't that bad. Tomorrow, you'll be able to go further."

"Yes it was mister," I glared at him. "It was – wait, did you just say tomorrow?" He smirked at me and nodded. "What makes you think I'm coming with you again?"

"You promised to do anything I wanted," he reminded me, his voice whiny.

"Anything but run Joe," I said. "That was too intense today."

"Fine whatever," he said. "Baby," he mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," he smiled at me, acting innocent. "Love you."

"Whatever," I threw the couch pillow at him.

My phone rang. "Hello," I answered it. Joe made faces at me, trying to laugh.

"Hey Dani," Selena Gomez said on the phone.

"Hey Selena," I giggled as Joe made a fishy face at me. "What's up?"

"Want to come miniature golfing with a bunch of people," she asked, emphasizing the bunch of people.

I narrowed my eyes even though she couldn't see me. "Who's a bunch of people?"

"Oh you know," she tried to play it off. Joe was pretending to poke me. I waved him off. "Vanessa, Zac, Chelsea, Ashley, Demi, Cody, Emily, Mitchell, me, cough, cough Miley, cough cough."

"You know Selena," I laughed despite myself. "That doesn't work if you actually say cough, cough."

"At least I tried," Selena sighed. "So are you going to come?"

"I don't know," I said warily. I wasn't in the mood to deal with Miley, especially after the whole telling Ben about Joe's closet help call.

"Please," Selena begged. "It'll be fun. Bring the boys. And I promise you won't have to talk to her at all."

"Alright," I said, still wary.

"Great," she said. "So we're doing teams – well couples actually. Well not really, because there are only 8 people actually going out with people."

"8," I asked. "I thought it was Cody and Demi, Zac and Vanessa, and Emily and Mitchell. Who else is going out? Kevin didn't ask Ashley out yet. And Chelsea hasn't said anything. You haven't told me anything, so it can't be you. And I doubt Miley could find anyone. "

"Be nice," Selena laughed. "You're forgetting about you and Joe silly."

"W-what," I stammered. Joe was still pretending to poke him. I pinched him and adjusted the phone so he could listen too. He pressed his cheek against mine to hear. "Selena, Joe and I aren't going out."

"You aren't," she asked, confused. "That's what Miley said. Normally, I wouldn't believe her, but after the last few pictures of you two, like the kissing one, I thought Nick had told her or something."

"Definitely not," I promised. "You'd know before her. Everyone would know about my business before her. The kissing thing was cause I was drunk."

Selena seemed to sigh. "Good, I was a little hurt there. First, I thought you guys started going out without telling me, and then because it was Joe."

"Huh," I asked, confused by the second part.

"I didn't tell you," she asked. "I like Joe."

I pulled the phone away from Joe's shocked face. "Oh you do," I said, trying to not show that the words hurt.

"Do you mind," she asked. "Vanessa said she thought you guys liked each other, but you guys don't go out, and you guys are both so open about your feelings that I figured if you did, you'd already be going out. You don't like him, do you," she was talking fast. "If you do, I won't try to get him or anything."

"N-n-no," I stammered. "I'm totally okay with it. Joe is just my best friend. I don't like him like that." I looked Joe in the eyes as I said that. I saw pain for a few seconds before another emotion took its place. It was a new one for Joe. I couldn't quite place it. Usually, I could read Joe like a book. But right now, I didn't know how he was feeling or what he was thinking. But hey, it was better than admitting to everyone, including Joe, how I really felt. And Selena hadn't liked anyone for a while. I figured that she should be happy. I mean, Ben and I had just broken up. And I didn't trust myself to let myself admit how much I liked Joe. At least this way, I could be sure that I would have a reason not to kiss him. One of my best friends liked the boy I was in love with.

I turned around slowly to meet a confused pair of brown eyes. "So what do you feel about mini golf?"