Before the Storm (A Jonas Brothers Fanfic)

Chapter 20

Aubrey

"Welcome to Long Island Game Farm and Children's Zoo. Enjoy your day," the lady said as we entered.

"I'm excited, I love animals so much," I squealed.

"Look, monkeys!" Joe said as he led us over to the monkey playground.

"Aren't they your favorite animals?" I asked Joe and everyone turned to look at me. "What?"

"How did you know that, Aubrey?" Ronnie asked me as she, Nick, and Joe stared at me.

"I don't know?" I said honestly, but a little scared. "Why is that such a big deal?"

"No reason," Joe said with a light smile. "Yes, Aub. They're one of my two favorites, along with-"

"Kangaroos," I responded quickly, then I stood there confused. "I have no idea how I know that," I said and shook my head. I turned my attention to the monkeys and ignored everyone's stares.

-----

Joe

"Aren't they your favorite animals?" She asked. Ronnie, Nick, and I froze and stared at her while she stood there confused. "What?" I was speechless, I couldn't even have found my voice if I'd tried.

"How did you know that, Aubrey?" Ronnie finally asked. Aubrey was so confused and my heart was pounding

"I don't know?" She responded and I knew she meant it. "Why is that such a big deal?"

I felt my heart shatter in my chest.

But I still felt hopeful.

"No reason," I responded to her with a reassuring smile. "Yes, Aub. They're one of my two favorites, along with-"

"Kangaroos," she cut me off.

Oh my god.

She remembers that?

"I have no idea how I know that," she quickly responded.

You remember me, Aub. That's how.

I wanted to say it, scream it, kiss her... But I stopped myself. I controlled myself and watched her watch the monkeys instead.

God, I could watch her all day.

"Let's go on the zoo tour," Nick suggested, snapping me out of my daze. I nodded and agreed.

We all began to follow Nick when Aubrey approached me.

"Didn't you tell me about the animals, Joe?" She whispered into my ear. "I swear, I remember you telling me that."

"Why do you have a stuffed monkey, Joe?"

"That's one of my two favorite animals."

She laughed. "Very masculine. What's the other?"

"Kangaroos."

"Wow. My boyfriend likes lame animals."

"Aub! Not nice," I said with a frown.

"Aw, Joe, you know I'm teasing you," she said as she planted a light kiss on my lips.

My heart began racing and it was all I could do to not tell her everything right then and there.

She can't remember everything, can she?

"Yeah, probably. I guess I just forgot and it caught me off guard," I shrugged at her and smiled.

-----

"So she told you, straight up, that she remembers that?" Kevin asked as the 3 of us sat in my room. I nodded at him. "That's gotta be a good sign, right?"

I shrugged and sighed. "I guess, Kev. I don't know. I just know she doesn't remember it all."

"Why?" Nick and Kevin asked in unison.

"Because," I sighed. "She kissed me right after I told her."

-----

Ronnie

"It didn't sound creepy, did it?" Aubrey asked me as she nervously paced our hotel room.

Of course not, we all know how you know.

"No, Aubrey. Didn't you just say that Joe agreed to previously telling you?" I asked, acting as curious as possible.

She sighed. "Yeah, he did, but I think he was lying."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because, Ron, Joe is a nice guy. He probably didn't want me to feel embarrassed about it."

I shook my head to calm her nerves. "Joe is a nice guy, but I'm sure he told you at some point," I reassured her, trying to be as honest as possible. "But we have a dinner to get to, so we should start getting ready. Don't worry about this too much, okay?"

"Okay," she nodded with a small smile.

-----

"Well, you ladies look-"

"Beautiful," Joe said, cutting off Nick, but only watching Aubrey. I smiled at him.

"Thank you guys," I said on behalf of me and my sister. "Shall we go?"

"We shall," Nick said with a smile and held out his arm for me and I linked mine with his. "He's been going crazy with what happened earlier," Nick whispered into my ear. I looked at Joe and Aubrey and the way he looked at her.

"I know," I said, looking at Nick. "This is good, Nick. Really good."

He sighed a breath of relief. "I know it is."