"I love your style." She said, while rummaging through Ann's clothes.
"It's our stylist's job." She shrugged it off.
"Oh my god, these pants!" She gasped, taking out the pair that her and Joe bought. She smiled as the memories of that day came back to her. "You have to wear them. Let me find a top for that."
Ann took the pants from her, while she continued to look through endless number of hangers. Ann walked up to the mirror and sighed. 'What is my life' she thought. She was in the room with her ex's current girlfriend as she picked out her outfit. And the funniest thing about it was that she actually liked her. Which made this whole situation that they were in even more complicated.
"How about this one?" She pulled out a vest type top with only one button.
"I guess." She shrugged, thinking about how revealing it's going to be. She had to get used to it. She couldn't wear an oversized sweatshirt to the concert.
She quickly changed and Sophie jumped up and down while clapping. "Now this is a look I'm stealing."
She looked at herself in the mirror. The top had one button on the breast, revealing her belly, but she covered it up with the pants that were a little high waisted. She nodded in approval.
"Thanks for the help." She smiled at Sophie.
"My pleasure." She smiled walking up to her and looking at her through the mirror. "My god, you're beautiful."
"Stop." Ann laughed.
"I might get a little jelly, now that I think about it." She chuckled.
"Don't. I don't want things to be awkward."
"Just joking. Joe told me that you're just friends."
Ann scoffed to herself. Of course he said it. Life is back to saying "just friends" to everybody. But why didn't he admit everything to her? Was he not planning on telling her?
"I can see why you're so close." Sophie smiled. "You seem like a very good person."
"You too." She smiled back at her.
"Ann, do you have-" Jinjoo walked in the room and froze as soon as she saw Sophie standing there.
"Hey! Just out here picking outfits with my new bestie." She said, throwing her arm around Ann's shoulder.
If Jinjoo's jaw could drop to the floor now, it would. She looked back and forth between the girls, not believing her eyes.
"Yup." Ann said, with a weak smile.
"Your turn!" Sophie said, grabbing Jin's hand and pulling her out of the room.
Ann shook her head, trying to comprehend what was happening. She sat down by the mirror and started doing her make up. After a few minutes there was a knock on the door.
"Come in." She said while applying concealer. Her face immediately lightened up at the view of the only person she really cared about. "Hey."
"Hey." Joe said, leaning against the table next to her. "You look nice."
"Thank you. Your girl helped me out." She smirked at him.
"So... You and Sophie." He chuckled.
"You didn't tell me she was so fun." She sighed. "We are so similar, it's crazy."
"Yeah, I saw." He smiled. "I'm glad you're getting along."
She frowned at him. "Glad? Joe this is not the perfect scenario, where I'm friends with your girlfriend. This is the scenario where we have to tell her you got me pregnant." She whispered.
"I know, I know." He sighed, brushing a hand through his hair.
"When are you planning on telling her?" She said, going back to blending her concealer.
"I don't know yet, Ann." He sighed again.
"Well, you better know soon, because I'm starting to show." She said, standing up for him to see her little bump.
He walked up to the coach and sat in it, hiding his face in his hands. "It's so hard."
"I know, Joe. But if we're going to do this, you have to tell her." She said, trying to be calm, but she was furious inside.
"Give me a couple of days, okay? I'll figure this all out."
"Okay." She shrugged, sitting back in the chair.
"How are you feeling?" He changed the topic quickly, just like he always did.
"Better. The migraine is going away."
"Oh shit! I was supposed to call the doctor." He suddenly realized.
"It's okay, Joe." She gave him a weak smile.
"I'm sorry, it's all... a lot. I'm not used to having three girls to take care of around me."
"Not like you haven't done that before." She smirked.
"What are you insinuating?" He walked up to her with a smile, leaning against the back of her chair.
"Nothing." She shook her head, smiling.
"For your information, it happened once."
"I knew it." She gasped. "You dirty skunk. Tell me who it was."
"Wouldn't you like to know?" He laughed, leaving the room.
She finished getting ready by herself and left the dressing room. She went into Jinjoo's room, but it was empty, meaning they all are probably already in the lounge room.
She went in only to see Sophie sitting on Joe's lap, his hand wrapped around her waist as they laughed at something Priyanka said. She made some head turns, including Joe and Sophie's.
"Yes girl, get it!" Sophie screamed, snapping her fingers at her.
She chuckled and walked to the fridge, ignoring the look Joe was giving her. She grabbed herself a bottle of cold water and leaned against the counter, taking a few sips.
"What's up?" Nick came up, grabbing one for himself.
Her heart immediately skipped a beat. He didn't scare her, he was just... intimidating. They barely ever talk and most of the talks they had was about work or Joe related.
"Fine." She nodded, avoiding his eye contact.
"Saw you're getting along with Sophie."
"Yeah, she's great."
"We love her." He said. "She really is a female copy of Joe. Our whole family missed her. Mostly Pri, they became really close."
Ann just nodded, her eyes plastered to the floor. Why was he telling her this? Was he trying to intimidate her even more?
"I can see that. She fits very well with you all." She gave him a weak smile, finally looking up at him.
"And... You're finally not going to be a distraction to him anymore." He winked at her, before leaving to the group.
She frowned, watching him leave. Did he really hate her that much? She felt like shit. Maybe he was right, maybe it was all she was for him. A distraction, a consolation prize, a side bitch. Just something to get by while he missed Sophie.
"What did Bossy Nick want?" Jinjoo walked up to her.
"Just reminding me that Joe is off the market." She sighed, watching the group. She wanted so badly to be there, but to them, she was just a backup singer.
"Oh my god." She rolled her eyes.
"It's okay. Let him have his little victory." She laughed it off.
"You know, he's really nice privately. He's just... super serious about all of this."
"I get it, it's his job. He wants everything to go perfectly." She shrugged.
She passed time playing pool with Gabi, while Jinjoo sat in the corner, telling them about how annoying her mom was. They had a good time, making Ann forget about the elephant in the room. She looked their direction a couple of times, even catching a few eye contacts with Joe, but that was it. His main focus was Sophie and she understood that.
"Five minutes, you guys!" A crew member shouted from the corridor.
They all gathered around and walked in the direction of the stage. She stood with Jinjoo and Mark, hyping each other, but her eyes were focused on Joe. Sophie was wishing him good luck, having to go to her seat. Of course, she slapped him and they screamed at each other, making everyone laugh. She probably could hit him harder than her. Why does she have to be better in everything?
They kissed and she took Pri and Danielle under her arms. "Good luck." She smiled at Ann, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks." She gave her a weak smile, escorting them with her eyes. They were all so beautiful and happy.
"I have another cheek, if you want." Joe voice made her jump out of her thoughts.
"Yeah, I'll pass. Don't want to knock you out." She smirked at him.
"Oh right, you're fighting for two now." He whispered, so only she could hear.
"That's right." She nodded with a chuckle.
"Are you okay?"
"Are you okay?" She raised her eyebrows at him.
"Why?" He frowned.
"You always ask me how I am and you never tell me how you feel." She crossed her arms on her chest.
"Me?" He looked around the room for a right word. "Confused."
"I can see that." She said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Look, if it's that hard to see me, I'll just call Travis and quit."
"What?" He frowned.
"It's all a lot for me too. It's stressing me out and I know it's bad for her." She said, pointing at her belly. "And seeing how it affects you as well is killing me."
"No." He shook his head. "I'll just try to somehow make Sophie not come to the shows."
"Joe..." She sighed. "You agreed with my mom, that I shouldn't be touring. What changed?"
"I'm scared." He looked at her with a soft expression. "Scared that I won't be there for you when you need me."
She smiled warmly at him. "You don't have to babysit me 24/7, you know that right?"
"I told you that I'm not going to let anything happen to you two." He scanned Ann's face. "I feel like it's my duty to your dad to protect you."
That was enough for Ann to break down. She pushed herself against his chest as he wrapped his hands around her.
She had no idea she could love this man even more. Until that moment.