"The Younger Brother"

Four

Joe's POV:

I have brought my lovely girlfriend Ashley out to a restaurant called "Mariner's Restaurant". I am so nervous this afternoon because I'm finally going to ask her to move back home with me. I'm also nervous because in older for her to come back home with me I have to tell her the real reason the "Jonas Brothers" are over. Once we got to the restaurant I got out and I got her out of the car, I locked everything up. "This place is beautiful!" Ashley said smiling as I was pushing her inside. "Just as beautiful as you!" I said smiling then bending down and kissing her forehead while pushing her inside. "Are you two sitting inside or outside?" A young man asked us once we entered. "What would you like baby?" I asked Ashley rested my chin on her head. "It's beautiful out so how about outside!" She answered smiling. "Well that's unusual, you normally hate eating outside." I said to her. "I know, but today I feel like doing something unlike me." She said smiling. "Ok then I guess that we'll be dinning outside." I told the man as I stood back straight up. "Well then follow me." The man said as we followed him to the sitting area outside. We were seated in the perfect spot over looking the water. I parked Ashley right next to me on my right side that way I can feed her. "Hello I'm Sam and I'll be your waiter!" Another guy said walking up to our table, he was very young like maybe eighteen. "Hello!" Me and Ashley told him. "Here for your menu's." He said handing us our menus adding. "What would you like to drink?" "Well since I'm driving I'll have just a sweet tea please." I answered adding. "Ashley what do you want? You can have anything?" "I'll take a strawberry daiquiri please." She said smiling. "Um a virgin right?" I asked. "No, why should I? I'm twenty three." She said. "Well that's just unlike you to drink a non virgin daiquiri." I answered. "Sorry ma'am but the drinking age is now twenty five." The waiter explained. "WHAT!" She screamed. I laughed at her freaking out over the daiquiri situation. "Ash just get a virgin daiquiri or a sweet tea." I suggested laughing. "Fine! I'll take a virgin strawberry daiquiri then." She said sarcastically. Man I love this girl *chuckling*. "Ok I will return with your drinks in a few." The waiter said leaving. "Anything looks interesting?" I asked Ashley while helping her look though the menu. "Yea.. I think that I'll have the stuffed crabs." She answered. "okay." I said. I then started looking though mine.

"Here are your drinks!" The waiter said handing us our drinks then adding. "Do you know what you want to order?" "Um she wants your stuffed crabs.." I said until the waiter interrupted with. "Soup or salad?" "What's the soup of the day today?" She asked. "Broccoli and cheese soup." He answered. "Hmmmmmm that sounds good but so does that strawberry sensation salad." She said still looking at the menu. I looked up this strawberry sensation salad and she's right it does sound good. "I have a idea, how about you get the soup and..." I said then looked at the waiter and asked. "I want the crawfish combo, so does that come with a salad?" "Yes sir." He answered me while I seen him writing my order down. I then looked at Ashley and continued explaining my idea. "Okay yea, see you can get the soup and I'll get the strawberry sensation salad then we can share the salad, but ONLY if you share your soup." I said grinning at her. "Deal!" She said also grinning. The waiter finished writing our orders down then said. "I'll return with your meals once they're done." He then collected our menu's and left. I was so nervous I kept looking out over the water and tapping my fingers against the table, of course that I didn't realize until Ashley said. "Joe are you alright?" "Yea! Why would you ask?" I said. "No you're not alright, you're nervous about something." She said. "No I'm not nervous. What should I be nervous about?" I said. "You tell me? But Joe you can't tell me that you aren't nervous about something, I have been around you for four years now I know when you're nervous Joseph." She said getting angry. "How then?" I asked aggravated with her. "You do THAT!" She said eyeing my right hand on the table with my fingers a tapping adding. "When you're nervous you ALWAYS tap your fingers on anything around." I looked down and crap she was right, sure enough there I was tapping away. I quickly slid my hand under the table.

"So what got you so nervous?" She asked back to her sweet tone again. Just then the waiter returns with my salad or should I say our salad and Ashley's soup. "Here you go." The waiter said handing us our sides. "Thanks!" Me and Ashley told the nice waiter. "So answer me." She said as I was giving her some of her soup. I then hurried and took a bite of my salad and said. "Mmmmmm this is good." "Heyyyyy! I wanna taste! So is the soup!" She said then once she realized that I changed the subject she got a little aggravated again saying. "Don't think that talking about the food will change the subject. Now answer Joseph." "Fine!" I said letting out a huff as I gave her some of the salad. "Mmm this is good!" Ashley said smiling. I stole a bite of the soup and then said. "I'm so nervous this afternoon cause I wanna ask you something." I could see her eyes light up and a smile stretch across her face, her heart was beating so fast I could see it beating. I think that she thinks that I'm asking THE question, but that's not what I'm doing at least not yet. "Yea what's the question?" She asked smiling. "Um Ashley.... You know I love you." I said grabbing her left hand to hold it then I finally asked nervously. "I want to ask you.. Ashley would you....Move back home to Dallas Texas with me after graduation?" "Oh..." She said. I could see the disappointment in her eyes because I didn't say "Marry me" but that will come. "So then what's the answer?" I asked smiling. "Yea I would love that." She answered finally smiling. Our food came and we started eating. "I see that you're wearing the promise ring that I got you on our first anniversary." I said smiling and rubbing the diamond ring with my thumb. "You know that I never remove it." She said smiling at me. "I remember that when I gave you this ring that night was perfect." I said smiling at her adding. "Do you remember what I told you when I placed this on your finger." She smiled and nodded then said. "I promise to always protect you. I promise to always tell the truth. I promise that you're the only girl for me. I promise that I will one day replace this ring with a engagement ring followed by a wedding band. Most importantly I promise to always love you." We both said together remembering that night and smiling. I then looked at her with a straight and serious face then said. "I have kept all them promises except one........ I haven't been completely truthful....It's time that I do now........ I lied about the real reason that me and my brothers don't do music anymore..... The truth is...."