Joey Wheeler x Reader - Bullies

Relationship Goals

After leaving the game booth with your giant fluffy prize, you and Joey began heading towards the entrance of the park to leave for the day. There were still a few people lingering in the park, going on their favorite rides one last time before they closed, but for the most part the paths were mostly empty, making it much easier to walk around than earlier with all the crowds bustling around you. "Are you sure you don't want me to carry that for you?" Joey asks for the third time so far. "I'm sure. It's just a stuffed animal, it's not heavy." You answer, rolling your eyes playfully at his thoughtfulness with a giant smile on your face. Finally reaching the front gate, the park employees at the entrance waved at you, telling you to have a good day and thanking you for coming. The two of you continued to walk a few yards away before stopping on the sidewalk together. "Well, I guess this is where we part ways!" Joey announced. "Yep!" You replied, neither of you moving. Both of you continued to stand there for several minutes, clearly not wanting to leave just yet. The silence began to become awkward, Joey clearing his throat and breaking it. "So ___(f/n), thanks for inviting me out today! I really had a blast!" "Y-Yeah! Me too!" You reply suddenly, then remembering the whole reason you set this up in the first place. "But really, I should be the one thanking you...." "Me? For what?" Joey asks confused. "Everything you've done! First, you helped me get out of that horrible group of girls. Then you introduced me to all these great new friends. You gave me that card, showed me how to duel, and you've done all this great stuff for me! I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate all of it!" You answer, a faint blush spreading on your cheeks, luckily using the stuffed animal to hide it. "You don't need to thank me for any of that! It's what any good person would do." Joey replies. "Yeah well, there doesn't seem to be too many good people left nowadays...." You comment, glancing down at the ground. "What are you talking about? Of course there is!" Joey exclaims, getting your attention and making you look back up at him. "I've learned from experience that just cause someone seems like they might be a bad person, doesn't mean that's who they really are. First impressions aren't always right. Just look at you and me! Just a bit ago, anyone that saw us would have taken one look and assumed we were nothing but trouble makers, but with a little help and a push in the right direction, we've both completely changed! Sometimes that's all it takes!" Your eyes widen in surprise, never having expected to hear anything like that coming from Joey. It only proved even more just how much he had changed since middle school. "Wow.... I guess you're right." You agree, sounding rather convinced. Joey then brings something else up, changing the topic. "By the way, I noticed you were acting kinda weird at school the other day after recess. What was up with that? Did something happen?" You're blush darkness, holding the stuffed animal closer against you. "It was nothing.... Don't worry about it." You reply, kicking yourself for chickening out on telling him how you feel. "Come on, I know you better than that. You can tell me anything ___(n/n), we're friends after all." You hesitate, feeling your heart start to beat faster in your chest again, the butterflies from earlier resurfacing in your stomach. It felt like the roller coaster all over again. Maybe it was the adrenaline from all the excitement today or the sugar from all the sodas and snacks, but you somehow managed to gather enough courage to give yourself a little push, and that was all you needed. You took a deep breath, lowering the stuffed animal so that it was no longer hiding your face. "Well.... Tea noticed me watching you playing basketball and wanted to talk to me alone so she pulled me aside and asked me if.... I like you...." You stood there staring at the ground, feeling your face burning up as you waited for him to respond, unsure of what to expect. Several moments passed before he said anything, the suspense making your anxiety shoot through the roof. "....Well, do you like me?" You look up to see Joey standing there with the biggest grin you'd ever seen. You thought he must not have taken you seriously and was messing with you, causing you to freak out and panic mentally. "Of course not! We're just friends! That's all! N-Nothing else!" Joey kept on smiling. "Oh, well that's too bad, because I like you ___(f/n)." Your eyes widened, your heart skipping a beat and your breath stopping as you processed what he said. "Wh-What...?" "I said I like you, as more than a friend, and I was thinking that maybe you did too." You stared into Joey's brown eyes, trying to figure out if he was being serious or just pulling your leg, and of course you saw nothing but sincerity and total honesty in them. "Really? But I mean... What could you possibly like about me? I'm nothing special..." "There you go talkin nonsense again." Joey chuckles. "There's tons to like about you ___(f/n)! You're funny, nice, cute, and we've both kinda been through the same stuff, yah know? So I feel a real connection with you. Man, it's too bad you don't feel the same way though. I was kinda hoping we could go out." Each word he said only made you fall more in love with him, which you hadn't thought possible, feeling as though your heart would burst. "You're not messing with me, are you?" You ask, glancing away shyly. Joey took a step closer to you, grabbing the stuffed animal still in your arms and gently pulling it away, setting it down on the ground so that he could move closer to you and wrapping his arms around your waist. "Of course not. I might play pranks every now and then and make jokes a lot, but messing around about something like this would not be cool. I'm totally serious. I like you ___(f/n), and I mean it." Your entire face is beat red at this point. "I.... I like you too, Joey...." His smile brightens. "You do? But I thought you said we were just friends?" You look away again, wanting to run away but Joey holding you in place, much like he did with you at the roller coaster, except this was a thousand times more nerve inducing. "I was just nervous.... Plus I didn't know if you felt the same way or not, so it was really embarrassing ...." "Well I guess it's a good thing I brought it up then, otherwise we'd never have figured it out." He replies, you still staring down at the ground. Joey gently grabs your chin, lifting up your head so that you're making eye contact. "Hey, what cha keep staring at the ground for? I'm up here!" Joey's chocolate eyes melt your soul, your face only inches away from his, blushing uncontrollably at this point."You know, I didn't think it was possible, but you're even cuter when you're blushing." Joey comments, his smile turning into a smirk. You can't take it anymore, taking a step back and gently pushing him away to break up the tension, you're tsundere instincts kicking in. "Sh-Shut up!" Joey just laughs in response. "So, what do you say? Are we gonna make it official then?" "Y-Yeah... I guess..." You reply nervously. Joey steps closer towards you again, you trying to step back, but Joey stops you by wrapping his arm around you once more. "You don't gotta act shy ___(f/n). Relax. Just cause we're dating doesn't mean you have to be nervous around me. I'm the same old Joey." He gives you that same goofy grin he always uses that makes your heart skip in your chest and reassures you of everything being right in the world, finally relaxing in his arms. Joey leans down slowly, you closing your eyes, your heart beating out of control as you feel his breath on your lips. Your brain tells you to shove him away and run as fast as you can, but your heart forces you to stay still, planting your feet into the ground and leaning forward, closing the gap between the two of you, your lips finally pressing into his. The two of you stay like that for a few more seconds, but it feels like an eternity has passed before you pull away. Joey continues to stare at you happily, you turning your head still blushing, clearly embarrassed. "Quit staring at me...." You mumble quietly. "Sorry, I just can't help it. I'm so happy I can't quit looking at you and smiling!" He answers. "Well smile at something else!" You exclaim, Joey laughing and then lifting you up off the ground, spinning around. "No way! I can never stop smiling at you!" It doesn't take long for you to quickly get dizzy, asking Joey to put you down and him apologetically obliging, gently setting you down. "Sorry, I just can't help myself. I'm super pumped!" You sigh in relief, glad to have your head stop spinning. "It's okay, I understand. It's been a pretty eventful day." "You can say that again!" Joey agrees. "We should probably start heading home now." You suggest. "Why don't I walk with you?" Joey offers. "You don't have to do that, your house is completely in the opposite direction." "Walkin' a few extra blocks won't kill me. Besides, what kind of a man would I be if I let my girlfriend walk home alone when it's about to be dark soon? I'm not takin' no for an answer." Joey replies, smirking smugly. "Fine, but don't think this is gonna become an everyday thing." You give in, Joey ignoring everything after fine. "Great! Then let's get a move on! Don't want your parents thinking we're up to no good." Joey comments, making you blush at the thoughts that pop into your mind. He picks up the stuffed animal off the ground, throwing it over his shoulder and grabbing your hand, you deciding not to put up a fight about carrying it and simply enjoying the walk back home, blush the entire way and Joey not letting go of your hand until you reach the front door, giving you the stuffed animal on his shoulder. "Thanks for carrying this for me." "No problem! Thanks again for asking me out. This was the best day of my life, no question!" Joey responds, making you smile. "Mine to...." "Good! I wouldn't want our first date to have been disappointing." His comments makes you even happier, glad that he considered this a real date. "I guess I'll see you at school on Monday then?" He asks, you nodding. "Yeah." "Great, I'll see yah then ___(n/n)! Have a good night!" "Night!" You reply, Joey waving as he walks off, heading towards his house. You wait until he's completely out of sight before breathing in and exhaling heavily, sighing happily and going inside. Your parents were in the living room watching TV, noticing you come in. "There she is! How'd it go sweetie?" Your mother asks curiously. "Good, but I'm pretty tired from walking around all day so I'm gonna go ahead and hit the hay." "So early? It isn't even ten yet and it's a weekend." "I know!" You reply before running up the stairs and into your bedroom, shutting the door and setting your stuffed animal down on the bed, sitting next to it. You sat there for a moment in quiet contemplation, absorbing and processing everything that had happened today, replaying the events in your head. Suddenly you grab the stuffed animal, lying on top of it and shoving your face into it's soft fur as you scream as loud as you can, letting out all of the excitement, anxiety, and nerves that had built up to the point of near explosion. Luckily the mixture of cotton and other soft materials muffled it loud enough so that no one could hear it outside of your room. After calming down, you kick off your shoes and change into your pajamas, climbing into bed and opening up your phone, staring at the text messages between you and Joey last night, wondering if you should text him again now or not. You wanted to, but you didn't want to seem too clingy or anything like that. Ugh, this dating thing was hard, and you hadn't even been doing it for a full hour yet. Just then a bubble appeared on the screen, Joey sending a text which popped up the next moment.