Joe's POV
It's harder than I thought, but I'm not a quitter! My mind screams, still in front of the punching bag two hours later. I clean the sweat pouring down my forehead, while Demi stares at me with a raised eyebrow. The sunset a while ago, which means that the hallways of the gym are mostly empty. I should probably go home before my parents or Selena start to worry about me. Well, not my parents. They wouldn't care less if I'm home or not; I just have to keep the money coming.
"We're training since hours," Demi points out, taking off her boxing gloves. "Are you sure you want to stay? It's getting late."
I shake my head and continue to throw punches with velocity. I also have some frustration to let go, and I must admit that boxing is a good way to get rid of it. There are also other ways... But we're not there yet, I think naughtily as I quickly glance at the woman.
Demi nods after a while and hands me a bottle of water. "You need it," she jokes, knowing that I'm probably thirsty and beyond exhausted.
I accept her offer and finish the whole bottle without caring if she wants some or not. My body isn't used to this much physical effort... Hockey is also a demanding sport but in a totally different way. At least you don't need to punch a bag non-stop for long minutes! Or even a real person! Don't ask me how boxers can handle this 'sport' every day because I definitely can't!
"Wow, take the time to rest," the boxer says as soon as I drop to the floor, too weak to continue my training. "It's not a hurry anyway. Learning is a process that takes a lot more time than a few hours."
"You're right," I sigh a little, collecting my belongings. "I need a shower because I'm sure that my hair is soaked wet by now after all the effort I put. I think you'd need one too."
She peers at my hair for a few seconds and smiles lightly. "Definitely. I am hungry as fuck and I absolutely didn't plan to spend my afternoon with you at the gym. We really should go home now; it has been a long day for the both of us."
Her expression darkens a little, probably thinking about the fight that we still didn't talk about. Maybe she's not ready to talk about it; That's why I didn't ask. I don't want to push her into telling me anyway; we are barely even considered as friends.
"Alright... Well, do you want to start learning hockey tomorrow?" I ask her as we're about to leave the room, making her stop. "I'm actually free after my practices, so you can join me at the local ice rink by four in the afternoon."
She hesitates for a bit, evidently considering this possibility. "I'm not sure if my coach would give me a break for the rest of the month, but I'll have a clear answer tonight or tomorrow morning. Is that alright with you?"
"Okay..." I say. "I'll text you for real this time."
Demi gives me a long look, obviously frustrated that I made her sweat last night. "You better, because I don't wanna wait all night with my phone glued to my hand." We walk out of the building, seeing that the sky is already dark. It's still winter, after all. "Do you know how to go home?" She glances at my Ferrari sitting in the parking lot.
"No, but I have Google Maps installed on my device," I joke a little, making her crack the corner of a smile. "So see you tomorrow?" I say in an unsure voice as she stops beside her blue car.
"Yeah, I guess so," she approves, swirling out her car keys. "Goodnight, hockey player."
I watch her enter the dirty car, wondering why she doesn't buy a new one. Maybe she isn't as fortunate as me; I'm aware that not everyone has the money to buy a Ferrari, not even a successful boxer. Or maybe she likes the old one and wants to keep it by choice. I should ask her the next time we have a decent conversation.
"Will you move before I run over you?" She screams loudly as she rolls down her car's window, making me snap out of my day-dream. "Actually, don't! I'd love to see you crushed against my wheels!" She proudly flips her long hair and rolls up the window again.
I chuckle at her words, shaking my head and stepping back to let her vehicle pass. She doesn't waste time to speed away towards her apartment, leaving me alone on the street. I breathe the cold air for a minute, thinking about today's intense events. The fight, Demi's dramatic departure, our deal, the gym... Yes, I would need a relaxing night!
°°°
I enter by the front door of our mansion this time, knowing that the maids have prepared a delicious supper just by the odour infiltrating my nostrils. I directly walk towards the dining room and find my family sternly installed around the table filled with untouched food. It's exactly what I need! Pasta, sushi, sandwiches, meatballs... For a faint instant, I'm so thankful to be rich!
"We were waiting for you," Paul says in a serious and emotionless voice. "Selena told us that you hung out with Zac the whole afternoon, is that right?"
"Yes father," I lie as always, taking a seat beside my sister who stares at me with kind eyes. Zac is my best friend on the hockey team, and we are often together since we both spend a lot of time in the ice rink.
"Did you have a good time?" Denise asks in a softer voice, making me inwardly smile. Even if she can be as greedy as dad, she does have a good heart. Not that Paul doesn't have one... He just sometimes forgets that I'm his son and not a source of income.
"I had a great time," I quickly say, not wanting to elaborate on it. "What about you, Selena? What did you do today?" I ask my sister, hoping she already has a prepared answer. It might sound selfish, but I just want to change the direction of our conversation.
"I went to the library to prepare my next class for the first graders," Selena responds without hesitation and smiles at our parents. "After all, duty comes before all."
"That's my good girl," Paul gladly comments, putting down his fork. "I am genuinely proud of you, my daughter, even if I don't show it often." He shifts his look to me but doesn't say anything.
At this point, it shouldn't even affect me anymore, but I can't help but still feel a pinch in my heart. It seems like they don't love me for who I really am. Sometimes, it's disturbing to think that my own parents don't like me as they should. They're supposed to be the ones supporting me through thick and thin, but they always try to bring me down instead.
I think Selena senses my pain because she stops eating and speaks up. "I think you should also be proud of Joe; he won the big game this Monday." She smiles at me with pride, which warms up my heart.
Dad seems surprised, and mom almost gets emotional. It's like they just remembered that I'm a successful hockey player.
"That's awesome!" Mom cheers, a little bit speechless. "You are going to the Olympics against the United States of America just like last year! I'm sure your team will get another trophy."
I nod, slightly touched by her words. At least she remembers the big lines of my occupation. I peer at my dad, hoping he'd say something too.
"Well," Paul clears his throat as he feels all eyes on him. "Congratulations, Joseph. I bet you became even more famous now... I hope you wisely use your money."
That must be the most disappointing sentence coming from his mouth. I'm playing hockey because it's my passion, not because I want to be rich. I'll never understand his twisted logic. A cold silence falls upon our family again, making me clearly uncomfortable, until we're interrupted by the loud ring bell. Someone's at the door.
"I will answer," Selena suggests straight away, and walks to the entrance. We hear some muffled sounds before she appears again with a guest behind her. "Joe, this girl is searching for you."
My jaw drops a little when I see Ashley, but a totally different Ashley. First of all, she got rid of her blonde highlights and now has darker hair, her natural color. Then, her face is one hundred percent makeup free, which is basically like a scandal. Personally, I think that she looks prettier this way. Finally, she's not wearing the skimpy clothes she normally wears in the club, but some casual leggings and a white shirt. Taylor did an extraordinary job with this makeover all in two days!
"Hey Joe," she shyly breathes, before quickly smiling at my stunned parents. "Hey Mr. and Mrs. Jonas, may I talk to your son for a minute or two?"
I get up from the table without waiting for my parents' consent and take her to the kitchen. "What are you doing here?" I ask straight away, genuinely shocked by her unexpected arrival.
"I wanted to thank you for bringing me to the clinic," Ashley whispers, and I see tears lining up her eyes for the first time. "I like Dr. Swift very much, and she helps me a lot... I haven't cut myself since days, and I tried to talk with my parents in a civilized conversation. I guess things are going better now... All because of you and your girlfriend," she explains, grateful.
"You mean Demi; she's not my girlfriend," I gently correct her. "I'm glad to hear that you're going better. Take care of yourself, and don't hesitate to ask for my help again if you need anything."
She nods and we share a real hug, something that she has been craving for since so long without knowing it. I know Ashley for years now, and even though I wouldn't consider her a friend, I do deeply care about her well-being. Maybe it's just because of the way I have been raised.
"What was this about?" Dad questions as soon as I come back to the dining room after accompanying Ashley to the front door. "Who is this poor girl and what does she want? You better stay away from her because she's no good," he threatens in a disgusted voice.
"She's someone I know since years, and who cares if she's poor?" I snap for the first time at my father, highly irritated with his judgmental tone. How could we define someone by their status? I had a strict education, and that's not the way to be a good person. Again, I'm disappointed in Paul.
"We're just making sure that you're not interested in someone like her," Denise carefully intervenes, defending her husband. "You know, those low-lives that you should keep your distance from... Don't take someone uneducated who works in the entertaining world; it's the worst thing. If you want a girlfriend, choose someone who's up to standard and suitable for a notorious family like ours. You have so many options: a lawyer, a doctor, an engineer, a dentist, a teacher, a nurse..."
"Mom, dad," I harshly interrupt, sick of their commands. "I'm twenty-eight years old now. Don't you think I'm independent enough to make my own decisions? If I truly love someone, I won't care about her career nor her fortune. I'm not cold-hearted like the both of you."
They don't respond and keep a straight face, doing everything to ignore my defying eyes. I know that I won the argument this time. Selena clears her throat, wanting to ease the tension, but we, unfortunately, end up eating in complete silence for the rest of the supper.
What an evening... I sigh to myself, irritated with how my day went. The only event that I'm actually excited about is teaching Demi how to play hockey. I just want to prove her wrong.
Demi's POV
He promised he would text me! What a liar!
I move a little in the bathtub, resting in peace and silence. After this laborious day, a warm bath is honestly what I need the most. Since I didn't want to confront Ariana about my disappointing fight or my altercation with Nick, I sent her a text message to warn her that I'll stay in a hotel by myself just for one night to clear out my hazy ideas. She didn't ask any further questions which I'm thankful for. I'm just trying to figure out a way to tell her about what's really happening between Miley and I. I hope she'd at least try to understand my perspective, and not accuse me of lying like Nick did.
Back to the fact that Joe isn't texting me... Yes, I'm desperate enough to bring my phone into the bathtub to make sure that I don't miss anything. This bastard. He wants to play with fire... He will be surprised that two can play this game! That's when I finally hear a beep and almost squeal of victory when I see his name appearing on top of the screen.
Sorry for my late message. Ashley passed by my house earlier to thank us for helping her out. She seems way more natural and comfortable with herself now! Taylor is really doing miracles...
I smile a little. He cares so much about others, and that's a rare thing to find in men nowadays. Everyone is so superficial and selfish, but I'm pleased to know that he's not like everyone else. When I realize the dangerous direction of my thoughts, I shake my head and try to think of a response. I can't believe that I'm getting soft for him... He's hot, but I don't know him enough to be in a relationship with him! My eyes widen even more as I realize again what I'm thinking. Oh goodness... What is happening with me?
My phone beeps again. Another text message.
So will we be meeting tomorrow? Actually, I think it's better if we make a call. Are you available right now?
I don't have time to reply that he calls me, and I don't find any other choice than to pick up. Too bad if I'm under the shower; he can't see me anyway. "Hello Joe," I breathe out, swallowing down my nervousness. "What a surprise. Hum, listen, I actually still don't have a clear response to our training period tomorrow... You will have to wait a few more hours," I giggle low. The truth is that I know I'll totally be free, but I want to torture him while I still hold the power.
"Wow, you really like to keep me on the alert, don't you?" He says half-joking, half-serious. I laugh a little and lazily move my leg up on the bathtub. "Are you in the shower?" He suddenly asks, his voice way tenser.
Surprised, I wonder how does he even know it. Can he hear the soft movements of water? He must have good ears, then. Suddenly, I have a crazy idea and let a wicked grin come to my lips. "What if I am? Does it bother you that I'm naked under the water?" I teasingly inquire, my voice coming out as a whisper.
"No..." He replies after a small silence, sounding breathless. "I was just wondering why do you have your phone beside you when you're taking a bath. Are you this anxious about my messages?"
Now, it's his turn to smirk, but I won't let him win. "I bring my phone everywhere I go in case there's some emergency. And I'm in a hotel right now, so it's safer to have the possibility to call the police if something happens."
"Why are you in a hotel? I thought you went home..."
I bite my lip, feeling a wave of sadness hitting my body as I think about the fights. "I... don't want to see my roommate right now, or explain anything to her... not right now, anyway."
I think he understands that I don't want to talk about it because he immediately changes the subject. He knows that I hate being vulnerable. After all, who likes being vulnerable? We all want to look strong and be strong.
We talk about some random things for another ten minutes before hanging up. I sigh of contentment and lie back in the bathtub. If every night could be as relaxing as tonight... I muse sadly, knowing that there aren't many positive things in my life right now. Miley hates me for unknown reasons, Nick betrayed me, I'm isolating myself from Ariana, the world is shocked about how I quit a fight, Phil is probably very angry, and I still think about how my parents abandoned me...
Joe is like the only positive thing that somehow makes me feel better.
Maybe he's not only a game for me, but someone that I want and will keep.
_____
I feel bad for Demi, and aww for the last sentence!
Btw: I can't update for like 2 weeks because I'm going on a trip to Italy.
Nancy xox