Joe couldn't help but smile as he walked hand in hand with Zoey to physics. She'd spent lunch practically hanging off of his arm, kissing his cheek, showering him with the overall love and affection that made their relationship feel right. It was as if their fight from the morning just hadn't happened. She was ranting to him about a rude customer she'd had to deal with the night before during her shift at the coffee shop where she worked when he felt his phone vibrate.
He opened it to find a text from Brian asking him to rehearse during seventh hour. Smiling to himself, he let go of Zoey's hand to text him back saying yes.
"Are you even listening to me?"
"Hmm?" Joe looked up from his phone, finding that Zoey was scowling at him. "Dude flipped out on you because he tipped and you wouldn't sing, I heard."
"No, I always sing Joe." Zoey groaned, rolling her eyes. "It was my older coworker, Emma."
"Oh, right." Joe mentally facepalmed himself. He knew that, he just hadn't been thinking clearly. "Sorry, I honestly did know that. I remember you telling me about Emma last week when they started the whole singing thing."
"Yeah, it was Nora's idea. I think it's really fun but Emma throws a fit every time she has to sing. I don't know why a woman that old is even in this job."
Joe furrowed his brow. "Is there a particular age where people can't be baristas?"
"I mean, she's just old. She's like, in her early thirties. Kinda pathetic, don't you think? I think she's in college now. Like, what's she been doing for the last fifteen years?"
Joe resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "You don't know her story or her life. Maybe she couldn't afford it. Maybe she had family issues. Maybe she just didn't want to go to college until now. And either way I don't see what's wrong with her being a barista. It's an essential job. Don't act like we wouldn't all go insane without coffee shops." Joe forced a smile in an attempt to make a joke, but it didn't have the effect he'd hoped for.
"Or, maybe she's lazy. You always try so hard to make excuses for people. Hold them accountable." Zoey retorted stubbornly. Joe bit his lip, deciding he didn't want to argue. He went back to texting Brian. "Who are you texting?"
"Brian." He responded simply. "Rosenthal." He added, know that Zoey probably wouldn't know for sure who Brian was, let alone that there were two Brian's. "We're doing a duet together this week for Glee club and we're trying to set up time to rehearse. I'm gonna meet up with him during seventh."
Zoey stopped in her tracks. "Aren't you going to drive me home?"
"Yeah, of course. But I can do that during sixth and be back by seventh."
"Ah." Was all Zoey replied as they took their seats in physics. Joe finished texting Brian and then slid his phone into his pocket. He reached his now free hand under their shared lab table to hold her hand, but she pulled away from him. "You work tonight Beth?" She turned her back to Joe completely to talk to her friends who sat behind them.
"Nah, Allison's taking my shift."
"I thought you had a date with Craig?"
"Yeah I did, but he cancelled. Said he wasn't feeling well." Allison mumbled sadly. "And Beth has a test tomorrow so I told her I'd cover her shift since I have nothing to do now."
"Ah, got you." Zoey responded, eyeing Beth mischievously. She turned away from her friends and reached back over to Joe, taking his hand. (If you get the reference you win a prize).
The hour went and passed quickly enough, Joe practically jumping out of his chair when the bell ran. As he walked out with Zoey, Dylan clapped him on the back. "See ya in a few hours dude."
"You too!" Joe yelled after him, smiling. Zoey was already walking ahead of him. He groaned, not at all in the mood to have to chase after her. He stayed at his current walking pace. They were going to the same place. She'd stop for them to walk together eventually, right?
She didn't stop for him to catch up with her until they were in the student parking lot, practically ten feet away from his car. "There a reason you didn't walk with me?" She asked.
"You were the one who walked ten steps ahead of me." Joe responded, unlocking his car.
"Yeah well, I didn't know how long you were going to talk to Dylan. You're already going to see him later in rehearsal." Zoey responded bitterly as she opened the passenger door and sat down.
"All he said was 'see you later.'" Joe retorted as he started his car. "And I'm going to see you later too, aren't I? I should be done with rehearsal by the time you're home for work. I thought we were going to grab a late dinner?"
"We'll see." She mumbled, pulling out her phone.
Joe took his hands off of the wheel. "Why are you mad at me?"
"Who said I'm mad?"
"I stopped and talked to Dylan for literally one second and you wanna cancel our date tonight?"
"Are you going to drive?" She asked, ignoring Joe's question.
"I will once you tell me what's wrong. Please baby talk to me. It's not healthy to keep everything all bottled up, it just builds resentment."
Zoey sighed. "You just do a lot, that's all. All I have is work and school. Outside of that, you're my whole world. You do football. You do lacrosse. You have a job. And I'm fine with all of that. But on top of that you have to add theatre and Glee club? Sorry if I'm not in the best mood about you blowing me off to go rehearse."
"Babe," Joe said softly, reaching over and taking her hand. "You're my whole world, you know that. I'm sorry I didn't ask first; I just figured you have to be at work by two so we wouldn't have time to hang out. I can cancel with Brian, it's not a big deal."
Zoey sighed. "No, I'm not asking you to do that. I mean don't get me wrong, I definitely don't think you want it getting around the school that you're singing a duet with that gay sophomore—"
"What the fuck does that have to do with anything?" Joe cut across. He really didn't like that Zoey kept feeling the need to call Brian gay. He wasn't publicly out, and even if he was, so what?
"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Zoey laughed. "People are going to think you're gay. And you know what that makes me? Your fucking beard. I don't need everyone at school saying stuff like that."
Joe sighed. "You know you're my girlfriend. People talk shit, that's what they do, especially about someone as perfect as you. Anyone who talks smack about you is just jealous. And someone who feels the need to make a crack at Brian being gay is an asshole anyway. I don't want someone like that in my life."
Zoey rolled her eyes. "You'll have to forgive me for not being as sensitive as you. Some of us can take a joke."
"It's not about me. It's about Brian! Why don't you understand that? He's a person with feelings. If he's straight, do you think he appreciates you going around telling everyone he's gay? Or even worse, if he is gay and not ready to announce it to the public, he doesn't need you spreading rumors to force him out of the closet."
"Jesus, do you hear yourself? Why don't you just marry him already. You're more concerned for him than you are about what people will say about us if you sing with him."
"You—" Joe paused, knowing that whatever came out of his mouth wouldn't be productive to the conversation. Why was she being so difficult and jealous?
"What? I'm what Joe?"
Joe took a deep breath. "So are you saying that I can't sing with him or you're going to be mad at me?"
"No. That would be controlling. I'm not trying to control you."
Joe bit his lip. "Then what can I do to make you feel better?"
"I don't know. Maybe you can acknowledge how much time and energy I devote to you for starts. Spend a little less time calling me names if I have the audacity to poke fun at your Glee club friends."
Joe resisted the urge to tell her that there was a difference between "poking fun" and being lowkey homophobic. Instead he tried to focus on what she was saying, and put himself in her shoes. Was she right? Was he not concerned enough for her?
He felt like crying. He didn't want them to fight anymore. Joe put the car in reverse, backing out. "Listen, I'm sorry. Truly. The last thing I want is for you to feel unappreciated or unloved." Zoey didn't respond to his apology, and Joe didn't know what else to say, so the drive to her house was silent. As he pulled into her driveway, he undid his seatbelt and turned to face her. He reached one hand over to hold her hand, which she accepted. "I love you. I'll do whatever it takes to make you feel more comfortable. You're my first priority and you always will be. I promise."
It was a long time before Zoey finally looked up to face him. When she did, she pursed her lips, before leaning over and kissing him. Joe sighed into the kiss, wrapping his arms around her.
He pulled away and kissed her cheek affectionately. "Are we okay?" He still felt sick to his stomach waiting for an answer.
Zoey looked down at him and sighed. "I don't know." She said simply with a shrug of her shoulders, leaning in and kissing him again. Joe kissed her back, even though his heart wasn't in it and she aggressively deepened the kiss. They were in the middle of a fight, why was she kissing him?
She pulled away from the kiss, placing one hand on his thigh. "Stay awhile? I'm sure your friend can wait." Joe nodded, not wanting to upset her. He shut his car off and followed her into her house. He pulled his phone out to shoot Brian a text that he was going to be late, but before he could even open his phone Zoey swiped it from him. "No distractions." She demanded, before grabbing him and kissing him harshly.